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In which I sing
Jan. 5th, 2008 01:52 pmI've posted a second song over at MetaFilter Music: Edward Elgar's "Where Corals Lie." (My first, Schubert's "Death and the Maiden", is here.)
As I've said before, I really enjoyed working on Elgar's Sea Pictures. Elgar in general has a reputation for stodginess, but those five songs, I think, work well together. Individually, they have their faults-- "Sabbath Morning At Sea" is claptrap, "In Haven" is so simple as to skirt the fringe of boredom, "Where Corals Lie" is twee and "The Swimmer" is pure Victorian bombast. (But what bombast! Where else could you get away with text like:
It's up to the singer to amend those faults, to find the honesty in the text, to sing it so that the listeners hear that honesty rather than the songs' limitations.
Plus, the first piece in the cycle, "Sea Slumber-Song," is amazing. Sadly, my recording of that has a small mistake in it, so isn't fit for public consumption-- but I hope to remedy this in the future. Meanwhile, enjoy! And if an old £20 note with Elgar on it should happen to pass through your hands, give him a smile from me.
As I've said before, I really enjoyed working on Elgar's Sea Pictures. Elgar in general has a reputation for stodginess, but those five songs, I think, work well together. Individually, they have their faults-- "Sabbath Morning At Sea" is claptrap, "In Haven" is so simple as to skirt the fringe of boredom, "Where Corals Lie" is twee and "The Swimmer" is pure Victorian bombast. (But what bombast! Where else could you get away with text like:
"One gleam, like a bloodshot swordblade, swims on
The skyline, staining the green gulf crimson--
A death-stroke fiercely dealt by a dim sun
That strikes through his stormy winding sheet"?)
It's up to the singer to amend those faults, to find the honesty in the text, to sing it so that the listeners hear that honesty rather than the songs' limitations.
Plus, the first piece in the cycle, "Sea Slumber-Song," is amazing. Sadly, my recording of that has a small mistake in it, so isn't fit for public consumption-- but I hope to remedy this in the future. Meanwhile, enjoy! And if an old £20 note with Elgar on it should happen to pass through your hands, give him a smile from me.
In which I sing
Jan. 5th, 2008 01:52 pmI've posted a second song over at MetaFilter Music: Edward Elgar's "Where Corals Lie." (My first, Schubert's "Death and the Maiden", is here.)
As I've said before, I really enjoyed working on Elgar's Sea Pictures. Elgar in general has a reputation for stodginess, but those five songs, I think, work well together. Individually, they have their faults-- "Sabbath Morning At Sea" is claptrap, "In Haven" is so simple as to skirt the fringe of boredom, "Where Corals Lie" is twee and "The Swimmer" is pure Victorian bombast. (But what bombast! Where else could you get away with text like:
It's up to the singer to amend those faults, to find the honesty in the text, to sing it so that the listeners hear that honesty rather than the songs' limitations.
Plus, the first piece in the cycle, "Sea Slumber-Song," is amazing. Sadly, my recording of that has a small mistake in it, so isn't fit for public consumption-- but I hope to remedy this in the future. Meanwhile, enjoy! And if an old £20 note with Elgar on it should happen to pass through your hands, give him a smile from me.
As I've said before, I really enjoyed working on Elgar's Sea Pictures. Elgar in general has a reputation for stodginess, but those five songs, I think, work well together. Individually, they have their faults-- "Sabbath Morning At Sea" is claptrap, "In Haven" is so simple as to skirt the fringe of boredom, "Where Corals Lie" is twee and "The Swimmer" is pure Victorian bombast. (But what bombast! Where else could you get away with text like:
"One gleam, like a bloodshot swordblade, swims on
The skyline, staining the green gulf crimson--
A death-stroke fiercely dealt by a dim sun
That strikes through his stormy winding sheet"?)
It's up to the singer to amend those faults, to find the honesty in the text, to sing it so that the listeners hear that honesty rather than the songs' limitations.
Plus, the first piece in the cycle, "Sea Slumber-Song," is amazing. Sadly, my recording of that has a small mistake in it, so isn't fit for public consumption-- but I hope to remedy this in the future. Meanwhile, enjoy! And if an old £20 note with Elgar on it should happen to pass through your hands, give him a smile from me.
You say it's your birthday
Nov. 30th, 2007 10:08 pmHappy birthday, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
speedlime!!
A happy Purcell duet on youtube for you.
In other news, I've overcome my cowardice and posted an MP3 of me singing Schubert's Death and the Maiden to Metafilter's music section, and it seems they don't hate it. Whew.
speedlime!! A happy Purcell duet on youtube for you.
Sound the trumpet, till around
You make the listening shores resound!
On the sprightly hautboy play.
All the instruments of joy
That skillful numbers can employ
To celebrate the glories of this day!
In other news, I've overcome my cowardice and posted an MP3 of me singing Schubert's Death and the Maiden to Metafilter's music section, and it seems they don't hate it. Whew.
You say it's your birthday
Nov. 30th, 2007 10:08 pmHappy birthday, speedlime!!
A happy Purcell duet on youtube for you.
In other news, I've overcome my cowardice and posted an MP3 of me singing Schubert's Death and the Maiden to Metafilter's music section, and it seems they don't hate it. Whew.
speedlime!! A happy Purcell duet on youtube for you.
Sound the trumpet, till around
You make the listening shores resound!
On the sprightly hautboy play.
All the instruments of joy
That skillful numbers can employ
To celebrate the glories of this day!
In other news, I've overcome my cowardice and posted an MP3 of me singing Schubert's Death and the Maiden to Metafilter's music section, and it seems they don't hate it. Whew.
