Monday, February 1, 2021

1st February - musing on music

 



Music: made me think why do I like some music and not others.  What came to mind was the overlay in the mind of poetry, music and landscape.  It just melds into a blur as the music catches the breath . At the moment I am listening to The Protecting Veil by John Tavener, - 20th Century.  The haunting cello followed by the orchestra.  It is so melancholy but yet plucks at the soul.  There will be a moment when the music suddenly dives at you, the anticipation is somewhat nerve inducing.  Not everyone's idea of music, but then I dislike quite a few paintings, I call them the 'brown' paintings of past centuries, don't have much time for modern either!!

I had noticed that Maxwell Davies had written something called Taverner, and I got it all mixed up but with the aid of Google managed to sort my magpie mind out. Davis had actually written an opera about  John Taverner who lived in the 15th century

So music that is British and pastoral, such as Elgar and Vaughan Williams would be part of my list.  As well as Spiegel  in Spiegel for its measured slow tones.  It is funny what takes the fancy, have I looked for sunsets, sunrises and birds in my music, does it become a holistic view I wonder?



Going back to Maxwell Davies, he has intermittently appeared and disappeared in my vision, St.Magnus cathedral, a place where his work is played, on the island in Orkney. Would remind me of him, he needed the austere bleak settings of the Orkneys to create his music and that is what comes out occasionally - storms and jagged notes to wake you up but never forgetting there is harmony in nature itself.

And an 'Orkney Wedding with Sunrise' and Maxwell Davies, now sadly dead of course.


Have you guessed the dark cave on top?

10 comments:

  1. I've never sen it before, either in a photo or in real life, but from the context I guess Fingal's.

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  2. For some years during my first marriage I played in a semi professional early music ensemble (some of the members were professionals and some good amateurs) and then I was immersed in early music. Now what I like varies from time to time. Always Beethoven's Missa Solemnis and always Terregas Recuerdos d'Alhambra (opposite ends of the scale). But my poor hearing makes a lot of difference to my listening these days.

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    1. When I was younger used to love early music and also organ music, I expect because of its solemnity.

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  3. Hello!

    It is strange how just a fragment of some music can trigger all manner of memories and strangely connected or, even, disconnected thoughts and ideas. And, yes, there are some pieces played on certain occasions or when one is in a particular frame of mind or mood that seem to last indefinitely.

    And, how wonderful it is to be able to listen to all manner of pieces either at home or on the move just as the mood or opportunity takes us.

    We found you via Weaver and shall definitely return.

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    1. Hi and welcome, we have never met in blogland before. You will find I just witter on now and then but I am always happy to talk to new faces. And forgive me, but you made such a dramatic entrance across the blogs I am slightly overawed.

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  4. I like the very English sounding pieces by Vaughan Williams and Elgar, not forgetting Finzi.

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    1. And of course 'Lark Ascending' is probably the countries favourite piece of music. Capturing the soaring flight of the skylark.

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  5. Most all of my life I have been a lover of current music - meaning whatever is on the radio - rock and roll, pop, rap, country - "Top 40" kind of music! I have rarely spent time listening to other kinds of music. Shame on me as there is a LOT I have missed! Thanks for sharing the music you like as I wouldn't know of it otherwise!

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    1. Yes such music only comes to the forefront of the mind when one is doing something completely different. My terrible fault is I don't register names or titles when I hear music. Since we can pick up music on the computer it somewhat makes Radio 2 and radio 3 rather tiresome to listen to Ellen.

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