The tone poem "The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughn Williams — music to soothe the soul in these contentious days of the second decade of the Twenty-first Century:
The above piece, which has an interesting history, is based on these lines from the "The Lark Ascending" by George Meredith:
He rises and begins to round,The entire poem is HERE.
He drops the silver chain of sound,
Of many links without a break,
In chirrup, whistle, slur and shake.
For singing till his heaven fills,
‘Tis love of earth that he instils,
And ever winging up and up,
Our valley is his golden cup
And he the wine which overflows
to lift us with him as he goes.
Till lost on his aerial rings
In light, and then the fancy sings.
Soothing is the precise word. Thanks, AOW.
ReplyDeleteConservatives on Fire,
ReplyDeleteWith all the horrid politics and vituperation flinging around in the blogosphere, I find that my soul grows weary. Soothing music helps.
The very title brings to mind endearing scenes, of steam, some rising quickly, some rapidly, from the tiny residual liquids remaining in the barely discernable as corpses, blackened husks of our entire Congress, which was in session when the A-Bomb went off overhead.
ReplyDeleteI would have listened to the music but I was afraid it would spoil the image.
That wasn't too political, was it?
Too early for me yet. Meant "some rising slowly..." Hate it when I spoil my prose. Such beutiful prose, too. Well, anyway, halelujah to the vision on this fine Sunday. May the magma boil and the gases rise, as the larks ascend well out of the fallout zone, with any luck.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice change from politics.
ReplyDeleteI find it almost impossible to have a conversation these days without politics being involved somehow. It weighs on the mind considering who is in charge
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
Beautiful, not beutiful. Argh! More coffee.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorites.
I had that recording on vinyl.
ReplyDeleteWore it out.
From Wiki:
ReplyDeleteIn 2011, in a poll to find what music New Yorkers would like to hear on the radio for the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, The Lark Ascending came second.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLittle friend, screened environment. What? Pet cockroach? Earthworm? Salamander? Gad, what a loss! What TORTURE! Who would not cancel themselves out over that, I ask you? (I said, whining pitiably). Do you need to borrow some rope?
ReplyDeleteBuddy, you don't need sympathy, you need a shrink. You sound like a hand-wringing fairy with a histrionics compulsion.
Get yourself a life.
Black Sheep,
ReplyDeleteFT has lost a beloved pet. See this.
As one who recently had to euthanize her beloved cat, I sympathize with FT. At least, I had some warning in advance as I saw Dusti declining rapidly. FT has not had any warning.
Have a heart.
FT,
ReplyDeleteI just saw the post at your blog.
How awful!
Sometimes pets that have disappeared return. Be on the lookout!
Was it a bird that escaped, FT?
ReplyDeleteI hope for the best.
My comment was out of line with what? When someone posts that they want to "CANCEL" - in caps - themselves, commit suicide, because their pet bird escaped, they deserve a wake-up call, not a bunch of fellow hand-wringers. If you all want to sympathize with someone who's threatening suicide, go for it. Just remember that you did so when the body turns up.
ReplyDeleteI pointed out the utter silliness of taking such an extreme position, and I did it rudely and deliberately. Someone had to, none of you did, and I hope he read it. Maybe now he'll get a grip.
When someone is so distraught they talk of killing themselves, you don't agree with them. Hello?
Black Sheep,
ReplyDeleteFT is grieving.
Look. I know that you are a tough kind of guy. But not everyone is that way.
I do not support or condone suicide. Let's be clear on that.
Cancellation can also mean giving up instead of struggling on. Just sayin'.
We all have to live our lives as best we can. Sometimes a blow that wouldn't faze someone else will have a devastating impact on someone else.
Naw, I read it. Twice, just to be sure. He was talking suicide. Flat out.
ReplyDeleteWhat I said was right and good. He needed to wake up and get a grip. If no one wants to give me credit for saying what they should have, that's okay. Denial is a common trait in people anyway.
Black Sheep,
ReplyDeleteOn occasion at various blogs and quite a while back, FT has had said similar things before -- granted, under different circumstances.
Despair is a terrible thing.
I do think that you might have expressed your evaluation in a different way.
I will not presume to tell you what to say.
I might or might not be in denial. But I am typically cautious about typing in or saying hurtful words. Not always, of course.
Well, I'm not familiar with the guy's histrionics habits. That was the first time I saw stuff like that coming from him. If I'd known that he carries on like that frequently, I wouldn't have bothered trying to help him. I thought he was serious.
ReplyDeleteIt's your blog. You can think I was being hurtful if you like, and say so. I can disagree. Sympathizing with someone threatening suicide over some loss only deepens their feeling of tragedy and gives them more reason to carry out the threat. So I made an effort to bring him back to reality. That's not hurtful, that's helpful. If you can't see that, it's okay, we don't share the dinner table. Sometimes sympathy is the worst thing you can give.
Black Sheep,
ReplyDeleteSympathizing with someone threatening suicide over some loss only deepens their feeling of tragedy and gives them more reason to carry out the threat. So I made an effort to bring him back to reality. That's not hurtful, that's helpful.
I get where you're coming from.
In fact, I've used that same strategy myself -- but on people whom I know (students, friends, family, etc.).
_____________ To Black Sheep _____________
ReplyDeleteGrating on our nerves with irksome baas
Offered in a bilious spirit vile
Fill with nasty thoughts some ancient Kas.
Use your time for something more worthwhile.
Could you for once relent, and quit your jeering?
Kindergarten kids show better manners.
Your comments sound too often like Bronx cheering.
Oh why must you into our works throw spanners --
Using oafish taunts and gibes and sneers?
Regale us please, instead, with something pleasant.
Surprise us after all these noisome jeers.
Entertain -- enlighten -- serve us pheasant --
Let your mind subject itself to scouring
Filth away that keeps you dark and glowering.
~ FT - 2/17/13