Joy for Christmas Music

Guess what?! My cousin Nathanael is going to take over my promised series of Christmas music posts! He's going to type out a list of all my favorites, then tell what I like about them, and... oh, wait... these are his favorites. Well never mind then... ;)

It is that time of year again, where any radio station you go on is playing the happy tunes from the season! There are really too many different songs to count that have been written for the holiday. There is a song for everyone's taste, some are happy, some are melancholy, while others are just calm and peaceful. The number really grows when someone would include advent hymns. I am going to conjure up a list of the top fifteen Christmas songs (in my opinion) for you, and you go on the comment page and post your top fifteen! (NOTE: I am not just talking about hymns, "Jingle bells" or "Santa's coming to town" definitely count)

 1. Deck the Halls (celebrating the festivities of the season)

 2. O Christmas Tree (Celebrating a sentimental possession)

 3. What Child is This? (A song pondering Baby Jesus)

 4. Joy to the World (Even though this is technically not a Christmas song)

5. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing (A true classic)

6. Mary Did You Know? (My cousin John plays this song really well on the piano)

7. Angels we have heard on high (Only people with more than two lungs can sing this chorus)

8. Good Christian Men Rejoice (...With heart and soul and voice!)

9. Silent Night (Another Classic)

10. Grandma got run over by a reindeer (They made a movie out of this song)

11. Away in a Manger (Easy tune, good choice of words, great song)

12. Let it Snow (A song NOT sung by Elsa)

13. Jingle Bells (One of the most simplest Christmas melodies)

14. Santa Clause is Coming to Town (You better not cry...)

15. Frosty the Snowman (What an original name...)

Instrument Jokes

A piano... the key to success

An expensive harp... a big lyre

Violin... the instrument to fiddle around on

Drum... you cannot beat them!

Cello... the universal musical greeting (Cello! how are you doing?)

The bass... a really high-stringed instrument

I will not tell any marching-band jokes, they are too plain and horny.

All different kinds of banjos... pic(k) your choice

The kazoo... Bless you!

- Nathanael

The Last Goodbye ~ Part 2

Guess what? There's a music video of this song already on YouTube!

Apparently it's been there since the twenty-first of November. I had no idea!

I saw the light fade from the sky

On the wind I heard the sigh

As the snowflakes cover my fallen brothers

I will say this last goodbye

Night is now falling, so ends this day

The road is now calling and I must away

Over hill and under tree

Through lands where never light has shone

By silver streams that run down to the sea

Under cloud beneath the stars

Over snow and winter’s morn

I turn at last to paths that lead home

And though where the road then takes me

I cannot tell

We came all this way, but now comes the day

To bid you farewell

Many places I have been

Many sorrows I have seen

But I don’t regret, nor will I forget

All who took that road with me

Night is now falling, so ends this day

The road is now calling and I must away

Over hill and under tree

Through lands where never light has shone

By silver streams that run down to the sea

To these memories I will hold

With your blessing I will go

To turn at last to paths that lead home

And though where the road then takes me

I cannot tell

We came all this way, but now comes the day

To bid you farewell

I bid you all

a very fond

farewell

The Last Goodbye ~ Part 1

A brief word of advice to all Tolkien enthusiasts, LotR-lovers, Elf friends, Hobbit fans, Middle-earth-maniacs, etc., etc.:
purchase this song and bask in its beauty.
Then go see The Battle of the Five Armies at a theater near you so that you may be fully immersed in its magnificence.
Then wait six months for my extended thoughts on the song. :)

The Last Goodbye is melodically reminiscent of Into the West from the end of The Return of the King - definitely a point in its favor! This song is performed beautifully by Billy Boyd, and is a fully fitting finish to the Hobbit trilogy.

Sevenths, Songs, Strings, & Strums

Below is a somewhat mish-mash compilation of music tidbits, cool advice, and a list of some noteworthy songs. Enjoy!

First, about Ukuleles, have any of you listening right now has ever had the chance to hear the pleasant strums off the uke? They are perfectly delightful little instruments, I myself know about 20 chords and like thrumming out folk tunes. One of the most agreeable reasons to consider picking up one and playing it immediately, there really is no wrong way to strum! Whether a person uses their thumb, index finger, or a (felt covered) pic, the Ukulele is a instrument for you!

Continuing on, I will discuss something about Seventh chords. I am not an expert on them, (insert uncertainty pun here) but anyone who has ever played them has perceived something, right? They could almost be named the “song is not over yet, keep playing” chord or the “I have a problem to be solved” chord. Seventh chords are useful though, they add depth to a song, so any piece of complicated music you hear out there, there is probably a dominant seventh chord thrown in.

I know nothing about Mandolins, the subject is completely eluding me! :)

Just kidding! Two years ago I received a wonderful little instrument, it has such a distinct plucking twang, and a kind-hearted pitch, it is hard to put down. I mostly enjoy playing folk songs, and sheet music my cousins send me, who as you know, all play Banjo, and I enjoy listening to my uncle play. (He is a professional in almost every string instrument.)

Now lastly, I promised a list of some songs:

Dooley (by the Dillards)

Hey Jude (by the Beatles)

The Marine hymn

Rainbow Connection

Musicians as Physicians

A few months ago, Nathanael and I were talking extensively about the way music affects people. One of the points he brought up (and the one I found most fascinating) had to do with how an individual person's particular set of life experiences will influence their perception of the music they listen to. Along these lines, the circumstances a person is in at a given point in time will play a large part in their response to different kinds of music. Now that we've had plenty of time to completely lose track of our eloquent and collected thoughts think the topic over still more thoroughly, we're attempting to prepared to write blog posts about it for all the world to read! (Strike-throughs here refer to my mindset, while the more clearly legible words refer to Nathanael's.)
Enjoy Nathanael's post!


What is music appreciation? Is not it clear? It is the study of how certain sound waves and pitches, change people’s lives. A person struggling with grief hears a melancholy song in C minor; that person bursts into tears. Another individual laughs and claps when hearing a joyous folk ditty being performed on a lute in the key of G major. What is the meaning of these examples? Past experiences make people stand up and clap for different reasons.

Whole studies have been linked to the subject, and they try to explain what is so amazingly awesome and wonderful: music is a natural healing agent. Just like herbs bring down a fever, or broth will help a sore throat, certain music in certain situations in certain periods of a human's life, will bring upon a cure to his/her ailment. Musicians can almost be compared to physicians, in the fact that that they cure their patients, only this time with songs!

Christmas Carols ~ the Naughty & the Nice

Well, my friends, it's that time of year again! Beginning the week before Thanksgiving, two radio stations have been signalling out festive tunes of Christmas cheer... non-stop... around the clock... to the everlasting dismay of Grinches everywhere. :]

Though I frequently display Grinch-like attitudes (and not only with regards to Christmas), I have a deep fondness for the music of December. Several of my favorites are the beautiful melodic arrangements accompanied by words poignantly retelling the glorious truths of Christ's birth. I greatly enjoy instrumental renditions of holiday tunes, and particularly love the epic reworkings of classic carols as performed by Mannheim Steamroller and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

However, there are several songs of the season that irritate me to no end. We'll leave it at that for the moment. :]

Being the impractical planner and delusional daydreamer that I am, I intend to do a multi-part series featuring some of my most well-beloved and most thoroughly detested Christmas songs, along with accounts of how they came to be placed in either of those categories. Taking prior experience into account, you can reasonably expect to read all of two posts in said series within this year. Hope you enjoy them! - whenever they finally show up!... does this even count as a blog post? :/ Ah well... stay tuned, a real post will be published in the morning!

Alternate Blog Titles

Another guest post from my cousin Nathanael!

Let's have some fun shall we? Below are all the possible names that this blog could be switched to, bearing in mind the name MET will stick. But, there is enjoyment to be had!

Supreme Brilliant Rhythm (has a nice ring)

Ultimate Superb Tempo (a little fancy...)

Superlative Exceptional Pulse (this one is worth consideration)

Utmost Outstanding Measure (are you contemplating Zoe?)

Absolute First-rate Pace (bleah!, not good)

Maximum Unrivaled Metronome (it started out well...)

Extreme Unbeatable Foot-tapping (pun definitely intended!!)

Well, we sure have given Zoe something to think about. Have a good day y'all!

– Nathanael

Quoteables from Notables

A few quotes on the subject of music.

The first and third are my favorites of all music quotes I've yet read.

"I know that twelve notes in each octave and the varieties of rhythm 

offer me opportunities that all of human genius will never exhaust."

- Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

"The infinite sinuousness, nuance, and complexity of music enable it to 

speak in a thousand different accents to a thousand different listeners, 

and to say with non-committal and moving intimacy what no language would acknowledge or express 

and what no situations in life could completely exhaust or make possible."

- Irwin Edman

"Music expresses that which can not be said and on which it is impossible to remain silent."

- Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

Music Soothes? Savage Beast?

Good morning, all!
We have a new development on the MET blog today - namely, a guest post written by my cousin Nathanael! (Hopefully the first of many!)
Embedded is the audio Nathanael requested to have as an accompaniment to his message - sort of a post soundtrack, if you will. :)



And, without further ado, here is Nathanael's post! Enjoy!

In the world, people have made up sayings, they are sort of like proverbs (sort of?), or wise tidbits of knowledge. Some are very practical, like: “Music soothes the savage beast.” This is the purpose of this (hopefully) well-written post, to dissect this utterance.
First, let us look at its relevance, one might imagine a wild beast. The beast is trapped in a cage, foaming at the mouth. The only way to ward off this rage is some calming wood flute. But why does this apply to modern life, then again, it might not mean that. I could be suggesting that when a human is in a "beast" mood or distressed, music could simmer his wrath or quiet him. All of these are honorable mentions, but it is still uncertain.
This saying could be Biblical, for in the Bible, King Saul had a spirit put upon him to torture him. And the only thing that would ease the bane of the nuisance was the future king David playing so skillfully his Lyre. It is noted that after playing it, Saul tried to throw a javelin through David, but, that is not the point. The point is: music can bring people back to what matters, or what is less intense.
What about minor scales and songs? For these, the saying could be mentioning that if a person is too happy, he might need a sad tune to wake him up from "paradise".
-Zoë’s cousin

Musical Cravings

In reading the latest post, you might have noticed that I'm pretty fond of dark chocolate. I despise milk chocolate with all the scorn that can reasonably be spent on a mere edible trifle. I laugh in contempt when I see so-called "dark chocolate" with a cocoa content of only 40%. I'm not interested in extra flavorings and other stuff added into the bar. My favorite dessert is pure delicious 85% chocolate - preferably the Moser Roth variety from Aldi's. :)


So far, I haven't described anything extraordinary - many people of discerning taste (and, no doubt, many without) have the same preferences in regards to chocolate varieties. However, I am also one of a rather smaller set of people who likes chocolate to be so dark that it is actually hard to find it dark enough. For example, I have been known on numerous occasions to eat cocoa powder directly off a spoon without anything else added. (Disclaimer: for your safety, eat plain cocoa powder in small amounts and only while holding your breath.) Sometimes, though, even the cocoa powder doesn't seem dark enough. This is why I was so glad to see a new seasonal product at Aldi's for the upcoming holiday season: bars of 100% cocoa bakers' chocolate! It's great stuff, though definitely an acquired taste. Sometimes it tastes like bitter dirt, and other times it tastes precisely like the 85% used to. (The thing is that you never quite know which it will be... until afterwards.)


Is there a point to all this? Of course there is. I always have a point by the end of the post. Keep reading, we're almost to the music part.
The point here is that I, along with any number of other people, enjoy a type of dessert (chocolate). I have a strong preference for a certain variety of this dessert (dark chocolate). My preference is carried to an extreme level, to the point where it is difficult to get the product to match the preference in intensity. Keep all this in the back of your mind, as I'll be coming back to it at the end of this post.

It was Thursday afternoon, October 30th of this year. I was pleasantly placed in my seat at band rehearsal, with my brothers and several friends seated beside and in front of me, our two excellent band directors opposite us, numerous binders full of lead sheets opened to various places, and a banjo beside or in the hands of everyone present. Truly, it was an idyllic situation to find one's self in, and one that I am blessed to be part of on a weekly basis!

It was towards the end of our rehearsal - indeed, just before the very last song. We had worked on Dueling Banjos for some time, and had played a portion of and talked at length over Temptation Rag. Having established the main points to work on over the next week, we enjoyed member choice for the remainder of the rehearsal, playing favorite songs such as Michelle, The Molly Andrew, Redwing, the Armed Forces Medley, and Mysterious Mose. Due to time constraints, this last was to be the final song of the rehearsal. The minutes leading up to playing Mysterious Mose are what I'd like to type about now.

To be quite honest, I was feeling strangely dissatisfied at this particular moment. To be sure, I liked the seven songs of the day well enough, but... something seemed to be missing... I myself was missing something, though without knowing quite what it was... and the absence the important yet elusive element was leaving me with a feeling of profound melancholy.

Gradually I noticed that I would really like to hear a minor song right then. This thought was immediately followed by the remembrance that we had already spent upwards of twenty minutes on Temptation Rag, which should have taken care of this adequately - the tune alternates between C minor and Eb Major, but we had only been playing the introductory minor portions. Also, we had been rooted in minor for much of Michelle, played many minor chords in The Molly Andrew, and were preparing to play Mysterious Mose - with all this, one would think there wouldn't be a need for me to hear another minor piece. But there was. None of these songs were minor enough. Indeed, the thought struck me that, if I were to pick a song to play just then, there was not a single song in the band book that would be minor enough for me at that moment. (Havah Nagilah, which, ironically, is not technically in a minor key, would have come closest to what I wanted to hear; however, even that would not have quite done it.)

The worst of it was that, even as I let my mind wander over all my mental music files, I could not come up with a single song that actually would fill the void. I could not identify a piece that was fully saturated with the absolute minor-ness I so desired. It was horrible, feeling a definite need to hear a particular something, firmly believing that it did exist, but being unable to catch quite what it was.

In a desperate attempt to fill at least part of the void, I began playing the melody of The Zither Man quietly to myself. I first heard this tune at English Jam almost exactly a year ago, and immediately liked it. The rhythm is certainly not a standard 4/4, the chords are minor for much of the time, and the melody has a certain quality to it that is just about impossible for me to explain... especially as I remember it from Mrs. Edwards' playing, with that particular "ickth" of the bow on the string in a solid accent, and Mr. Green taking up a large hand drum with which to reinforce the pulsing rhythm... This little playing of mine at band was nothing like the music described here. It was merely a subdued melody line on three banjo strings, being played as an auditory outline for my mind to fill in in an attempt to satisfy this sudden craving for true minor-ness. It was a poor substitute. Still, it was better than nothing... and I truly could think of nothing better at the time.

My outline of a melody was as short-lived as it was ineffective. I glanced upwards briefly at the end of the A1, and noticed with some surprise that Mr. Joe appeared to be watching me. I returned my gaze to the banjo neck, willing my fingers to move, as it were, and tried to play less audibly, thinking that perhaps I had been too loud in spite of my intent to play only to myself. A split-second of reconsideration later I realized that, oh, he had been looking towards me because I was supposed to be doing the song intro! Another quick glance upwards confirmed this realization through a slight nod from Mr. Joe; I broke off mid-line in the A2 and set my fingers as quickly as possible into the Dm-5 position. Thankfully, the Mysterious Mose intro is fairly simple to do, so I had an easy return to reality after having been oblivious to the remainder of the room for those few moments.

Altogether, this little scene made for an interesting experience. It's certainly amusing to look back on afterwards! From all outward appearances, I may well have been zoned out, in a different world, not paying an ounce of attention. However, having forgotten that I had the intro for this particular song, I was merely waiting for the room to quiet down and for someone to begin playing - and, while waiting, was attempting to relieve a most pressing need for a minor melody to hear. It's pretty funny, when you think about it. :]

It took a few hours, but later that evening I finally remembered a recording that would have filled this void if I had thought of and had access to it at the time - the equivalent of bakers' chocolate, if you will. The Mannheim Steamroller album Christmas 1984, track 10, which is the second version of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen on the CD. The strong beat, the powerful chords, the deep piano notes, the stirring violins, the excellent use of the horns, and most of all the magnificent minor-ness... love it.

Now to tie this in with the beginning paragraphs: I, along with any number of other people, enjoy music. I have a strong preference for a certain variety of music, namely, minor melodies. My preference is carried to an extreme level, such that sometimes it is difficult to find music that is minor enough to satisfy me.

And now the question is: have you experienced anything of this sort before? Primarily I'm asking about the need to hear minor music, though if you can relate to the liking for super-dark chocolate that's great too (and you should read the footnote* at the end of this post). Is there anyone else who sometimes suddenly feels a consuming desire to listen to something in a minor key? If so, which songs do you gravitate towards? Do you listen to recordings, or play them yourself? Comments are welcomed!



*If you can somehow understand why someone would actually want to eat cocoa powder and/or bakers' chocolate, you may be magnesium deficient like I am. We know of a good source of magnesium taurate supplement capsules to help with that if you're interested. :]

Assorted Chocolates

An Elven Princess kindly passed along a questionnaire/list-making/survey/opinion-taking "blog tag" thing-a-ma-jig regarding one of my all-time favorite subjects - books!
I've never done a blog tag before... this ought to be fun!

Dark Chocolate (a book that covers a dark topic)
I think the book I've read that comes closest to this category would be Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I seem to remember it being a rather depressing story, on the whole.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens was much the same for me, though to a lesser degree - the French Revolution counts as a dark topic, but at least this story had a few light moments.

White Chocolate (a light and humorous read)
Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, perhaps? ;) heh heh heh

Milk Chocolate (an book with a lot of hype that you're dying to read)
I've been hearing about this book called The Hobbit... it seems to be a big thing right now, for some reason. Something about a movie or two being made of it. ;]
I'll be re-reading The Hobbit in its entirety before going to see The Battle of the Five Armies on opening day. :)

Caramel-filled Chocolate (a book that makes you feel all gooey inside)
This description almost implies a romance novel of some sort... so I would say Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, except that it isn't actually a "romance novel" and it doesn't make me feel all gooey inside... to my knowledge, no book I've read fits in this category.

Wafer-less Kit-Kat (a book that surprised you)
A Wind in the Door by Madeline L'Engle. This book primarily surprised me because, though I didn't have a firm expectation on what it would be like, it was nothing like any of the ambiguous conjectures I had made. It was also surprisingly good - I may be prejudiced without cause, but I expected very little from a paperback by a modern author.
(Disclaimer: I have not yet read any of the other three books in this series. For better or for worse, reading the remainder will undoubtedly change my views on this one.)

Snickers (a book you're going nuts about)
I do not go nuts. :]

Hot Chocolate with mini marshmallows (a book you turn to for comfort)
The Bible is a steadfast source of comfort for those who love God and are loved by Him!
Other readables that could be of use in calming one's self could include just about anything beloved or familiar. Letters from a friend or a large volume of quotations would be ideal.

Box of Chocolates (a series you feel has something for everyone)
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis! Seven books full of delightful characters, well-drawn environments, kingdom-style adventures, fanciful creatures, Biblical parallels, and clear reflections of truth.


Now, it must be noted that different people have different tastes. (Brilliant and original observation, eh?) Contrary to probable expectations, I'm actually not referring to various preferences in the literary realm - rather, I mean differing tastes with regards to chocolate. (A much less profound topic, I know. But still.)
To be perfectly honest, with the exception of the "wafer-less Kit-Kat", I would not have described any of these chocolates in the manner that they are here. I would not connect dark chocolate with a weighty subject, and I would not equate hot chocolate with comfort. Thusly and therefore (and primarily for my own amusement), I've re-written the questionnaire using more Zoë-ish descriptions of some of  the various chocolates given.


Dark Chocolate (a book you thoroughly love for its depth, detail, beauty, intensity, wit, and grandeur)
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien!

White Chocolate (a book you like very much, though not necessarily vital to your existence)
The World of Pooh by AA Milne - I love the frequent use capitalizations in words for which Capitalizations are Not Necessary. Also, Milne writes with the wonderfully dry wit I appreciate so much. The Pooh stories are certainly among my favorites.

Milk Chocolate (an insipid imitation of something better)
The Never-ending Story by Michael Ende - quite possibly one of the worst books I've ever read.

Wafer-less Kit-Kat (a book you could make neither heads nor tails of)
Alice in Wonderland - and, indeed, just about anything by Lewis Carrol. His poem The Jabberwocky seems the most sensible and easily comprehensible of all his works I've yet read.

Snickers (a book for which you audibly laugh while reading)
(Obviously, this is a different meaning of the word; I'm referring to stifled laughter, not implying that such is the result of consuming a candy bar. Though that also may very well be the case.)
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - Henry Tilney's remarks are among the funniest of all lines given to Jane Austen's characters!

Hot Chocolate with mini marshmallows (a perfect book for cuddling up with on a winter day)
A six-volume set of the complete works of Shakespeare, perhaps? :)
The Twelve Days of Christmas, resplendent with lavish yet elegant illustrations by Laurel Long, is a sumptuous book to just sit and look at! Along with the obvious Christmas theme of the text, the rich warm tones of the tapestries and the cool frosty hues of the idyllic nighttime scenes make this a delightful book for wintertime.


"But wait!", you exclaim, "that's all very well and good, but this is a music and dance blog! This post doesn't have anything to do with either music or dance! What on earth is it doing here?" Don't worry, I'm thinking the same thing myself in hopes of finding a solution.
Ah-ha! I have thought of one!
Taking the path of least resistance, I shall merely answer the chocolate tag questions again, but this time substituting "music" for "book". Pretty clever, eh? :]

Dark Chocolate (a song that covers a dark topic)
The Resistance by Josh Garrels - this song needs a post of its own!

White Chocolate (a light and humorous song)
Ordinary Day by Melanie Penn - It was an ordinary day / I woke up on a wave / I filled a sail and made my way to the shore... This is the song of a summer breeze telling us about the scenes it passed through today! The lyrics are light, the tune is playful, and the tone is fully fitting with both. I like this song. :]

Milk Chocolate (a song with a lot of hype that you're dying to hear)
This barely counts, but... we heard Royals by Lorde playing on the radio at least twice a day awhile back, and through such constant exposure I actually grew to like it quite a bit! (Just in time for the station to find something else to play over and over... funny how that works...)

Caramel-filled Chocolate (music that makes you feel all gooey inside)
Feast of Starlight from The Desolation of Smaug (soundtrack composed by Howard Shore) - the musical theme for Tauriel is used beautifully here. The score perfectly reflects the scene it accompanies - a serene setting, softly flickering light, and a conversation in which attention is caught, lost, and regained, and in which the beginnings of tenderness appear.

Snickers (music you're going nuts about)
Let us interpret "going nuts about" as "playing/listening to/analyzing to a disproportionate degree as compared to other music". Using this interpretation, this would currently be Temptation Rag, which I am slowly but surely learning to play on the banjo. I've spent a fair amount of time thinking about the piece, endeavoring to find the most practical location on the fret board for playing the melody, locating the more obscure chords, and trying to reconcile three interpretations of the timing with each other. This recording is particularly pleasant for listening to.

Hot Chocolate with mini marshmallows (music you turn to for comfort)
That which is familiar and/or something in a minor key.


Starting again with my modified version:

Dark Chocolate (music you thoroughly love)
The Battle from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (soundtrack composed by Harry Gregson-Williams) - epic grandeur at its magnificent height!
The Council of Elrond from The Fellowship of the Ring (soundtrack composed by Howard Shore, vocals performed by Enya) - this track contains easily identifiable quotations from several of my favorite Middle-earth musical themes.

White Chocolate (a song you like very much, though not necessarily vital to your existence)
Piano Man by Billy Joel - another song well deserving of an entire post, if for no other merit than its non-standard length!

Milk Chocolate (an insipid imitation of something better)
I would say "a lot of contemporary music", but that might be too controversial... ;]

Hot Chocolate with mini marshmallows (a perfect piece for cuddling up with on a winter day)
Loreena McKennit's album The Book of Secrets - I must do a full post on this magnificent album sometime!
George Winston's piano solos album December - these skillfully played pieces lend a thoughtful demeanor to the listener, and occasionally impart a feeling of melancholy as well. December is best listened to in the month by that name, preferably when the only light is that which is reflected off the snow from a neighboring porch light.
The music of A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi - a festive and fun Christmas classic!


It seems that the thing to do with a blog tag is to pass it along to some number of other bloggers for them to participate in. Rather like a pass-along card, come to think of it...

An Elven Princess (I'd be interested to read your answers to any of the three variations on this questionnaire!)
Marjo B.
my cousins
all readers of this blog who are remotely interested in participating!

Replies may be posted on your own site or in the comments below, whichever is preferable to you.

Musings on Melodies, Modes, & Moods

I tend to prefer writing about things after I have a pretty good understanding of them, only sharing thoughts and ideas after feeling that I have "arrived" at my final conclusion. This may or may not be the best philosophy of writing. What is indisputable is that my complete, polished, well thought-out writings are few and far between - hence the scarcity of worthwhile posts on this blog. Whether this post proves worthwhile or not may be individually determined by the various readers; I warn you now that it has not gone through the tumbler of time, and is far from being well-rounded or polished.


Over the last week or two I have been trying to figure out how music works. I'm not referring to how the pitches are measured, how the sound waves travel to our ears, or how the timing and note lengths are calculated - I mean how music affects us. For music does affect us, doesn't it? In different ways for different people, certainly, but there are some elements to music that work on most people in similar ways.

Take the broad categories of Major and minor keys, for example. While not quite a truth universally acknowledged, it is commonly felt that pieces in Major keys tend to be bright, happy, joyful, or glad sounding, while pieces in minor keys tend towards being melancholy, sorrowful, angry, intimidating, or sad in sound. Why on earth is this? The only difference between the Major and minor scales is a slight shift in the pattern of whole and half steps. Both modes work with the same set of tones. How can it be that these two systems work on our emotions in such drastically differing ways? Why is it that, as a five-year-old, I felt Loreena McKennit's musical rendition of The Highwayman to be a melancholy song - even without understanding the words or the tale itself - merely by hearing the melody and the style of accompaniment? Why is it that George Winston's piano solo Corrina, Corrina, which I fell in love with around that same age, always filled me with smiles and made me dance across the room? And why am I fairly certain that these melodies would have pretty nearly the same effect on most listeners?


To bring in a separate yet related train of questions: is the Major/minor difference hardwired into people, or is it something that actually is, so to speak, picked up through social conditioning? I know that the Major and minor modes, which we of Western civilization use almost exclusively, are not always employed by other cultures; even our division of the octave into twelve semi-tones is not the only measure of pitch used. It would seem that with such differences between the types of musical systems, responses to the Major/minor modes would not be universal. And yet, it makes sense that there would be some commonality of responses to musical types, shared between people within the same culture, if nothing else... having all been created in the image of the same God, all people have the ability to express themselves creatively, through music and in other forms, and the ability to understand the expressions being produced by other individuals as well.

Along these lines, it might be said that music is the language of the expression, the tones are the words, and the melodies are the messages. Though you have the same set of words in your vocabulary, the way in which you arrange them drastically alters the meaning. Major and minor, then, could be described as being slightly different vocabularies that are arranged in different ways to convey a completely separate set of meanings. Songs in Major keys use an arrangement of the "words"/notes that are more representative of joyfulness, contentment, exuberance, praise, and happiness, while songs in minor keys use the "words"/notes better suited to expressing lamentation, pathos, longing, sorrow, anxiety, anger, and other deeply felt emotions.


Too many questions, too few answers, too little time to proofread - too late at night. :)
Hope you enjoyed this little look into my brain, such as it is.
Have a lovely day - and please do comment if you have the time!

The Constitution and the Guerriere

Those of you who nodded your heads sarcastically at my posting promises a few days ago were entirely in the right. I did not stick to the writing schedule I planned, and thus have no music post for you today. I beg a thousand pardons.

 

Having obviously not learned my lesson about good intentions gone awry, I will make yet another rash promise and say, in all naïve sincerity,  that I truly do intend to publish the aforementioned post tomorrow. ("Optimistic procrastination" describes me well, eh?)

 

However, for all of you who were eagerly awaiting the arrival of another wonderful MET post {hearty laugh}, I'm sharing yet another poem about Captain Hull's celebrated victory! This poem is certainly written from a different angle than Firstfruits in 1812 - the primary difference here is the decidedly more frequent usage of the word "brandy". The style here is rather overconfident and cocky as compared to the other... still, I like it well enough in its own way. :)

The Constitution and the Guerriere

by Malcolm Laws
                                                                                                

It oft-times has been told,
That the British seamen bold
Could flog the tars of France
So neat and handy, Oh!
But they never met their match,
Till the Yankees did them catch
Oh, the Yankee boys for fighting
Are the dandy, Oh!

The Guerriere, a frigate bold,
On the foaming ocean rolled
Commanded by proud Dacres,
The grandee, Oh!
With as choice a British crew
As ever a rammer drew
Could flog the Frenchmen
Two to one so handy, Oh!

When the frigate hove in view,
Says proud Dacres to his crew,
Come clear the ship for action
And be handy, Oh!
To the weather-gage, boys, get her.
And to make his men fight better
Gave them to drink, gunpowder
Mixed with brandy, Oh!

Then Dacres loudly cries,
Make this Yankee ship your prize,
You can in thirty minutes,
Neat and handy, Oh!
Twenty-five's enough, I'm sure,
And if you'll do it in a score
I'll treat you to a double
Share of brandy, Oh!
 

The British shot flew hot,
Which the Yankees answered not
Till they got within the distance
They called handy, Oh!
Now, says Hull unto his crew,
Let us see what we can do,
If we take this boasting Briton
We're the dandy, Oh!

The first broadside we poured
Carried her mainmast by the board
Which made this lofty frigate
Look abandoned, Oh!
Then Dacres shook his head,
And to his officers said,
Lord! I didn't think those Yankees
Were so handy, Oh!

Our secon told so well
That their fore and mizzen fell,
Which doused the royal ensign
Neat and handy, Oh!
By George! says he, We're done!
And they fired a lee gun
While the Yankees struck up
Yankee Doodle Dandy, Oh!

Then Dacres came on board
To deliver up his sword.
Tho'loth was he to part with it,
It was so handy, Oh!
Oh! Keep your sword, says Hull,
For it only makes you dull,
Cheer up, and let us have
A little brandy, Oh!

Now, fill your glasses full,
And we'll drink to Captain Hull
And so merrily we'll push
Around the brandy, Oh!
Johnny Bull may boast his fill,
Let the world say what it will,
The Yankee boys for fighting
Are the dandy, Oh!

Hull's Victory ~ the Dance

This historic contra dance became one of my favorites shortly after first learning it about three years ago, and found an especially warm place in my heart once I began learning the history behind it! A few of my favorite aspects of this dance are as follows:

1. The opening "wave" step! So far as I know, this step is unique to Hull's Victory. The 1st couple does half a right hand turn, joining left hands with the 2nd couple to form a line of four; the line then does a balance forward and back, making a neat little wave pattern on the dance floor. The wave motion is repeated after a left hand turn on the ends and a right hand turn for the 1s in the center. This opening portion of the dance is a lot of fun to do; the forward motion corresponds perfectly to the energy of the music, propelling the turns around and giving a satisfying emphasis to the balance.

2. The buzz step swing! Just about every contra dance I have done includes at least one of these, so the swing is definitely not a defining characteristic of Hull's Victory. Still, a good steady swing can be a lot of fun, especially when paired with such sprightly music as is used for this dance!

3. Dancing it as a 1st couple! Now, in most English and contra dances the 1s are referred to as the "active couple", due to the slightly longer amount of time and/or the greater level of complexity given to the 1st position. However, I know of no other dance in which the 1st couple is given such a decided preference - in Hull's Victory, the 1s really do have all the fun! They turn, they swing, they go down and up the center, and participate in everything the 2s do as well. The 1s are in constant motion, even though the 2s are forced into idleness for half the dance!
Of course, this advantage is turned on its head whenever the 1st couple reaches the bottom end of the set, at which point the former 1s must turn and make their way back up the set as very inactive 2s - a fitting penance for having dominated the dance previously! The moral? If you're going to be selfish, do it all the way - make sure you get in at the very top of the line, and hope the music ends before you reach the bottom! ;)


The dance instructions for Hull's Victory were included on page 83 of Elias Howe's American Dancing Master, a guidebook to ballroom dancing that was published forty years after the Constitution encountered the Guerriere. The brief paragraph given to this dance does not contain much information, merely a listing of the steps with little to no indication of how much time should be given to each of them. Still, I love this paragraph because it describes the very dance that we still enjoy even a century and a half later! (As a related side note, the entire Dancing Master has been scanned and shared online; the beginning several pages especially make for an entertaining read!)

A useful set of precise dance calls can be found on the Hull's Victory page at Stately Steps. These instructions are presented in a much more orderly format, with the steps given in connection with the length of time allotted for each. Also, this page includes a video compilation of Hull's Victory being danced on several different occasions in various settings. To my mind, if you can not be at a dance, the next best thing is to watch well-recorded dancing videos!


Hope you enjoyed my informal, uninformative rambling... and have a great day!

Happy Hull's Victory Day!

Sure, you won't find it printed on your calendar; not many people will stop you on the street and wish you "pleasant dancing"; and I can't imagine that anyone will get a day off work in honor of the occasion. Still, it is Hull's Victory Day nonetheless - so have a happy one!

It has now been 202 years since the day on which the battle between the USS Constitution and the HMS Guerriere was fought; 202 years since Captain Isaac Hull and his crew proved their skill in battle; 202 years since the naval victory that gave heart to the Americans in the War of 1812. But you can read all about that here; no need for me to go over all the same details again, especially since this blog has so little material anyway. Something new must be posted in honor of the day... I have a few selections in the draft folder to choose from, but none of them are anything like completed at present. How about... oh, I know! Today you can have a poem, tomorrow a dance analysis, Thursday a music feature, and Friday another related post yet to be determined - a full week of Hull's Victory-themed posting! (All of you who know me are nodding your heads sarcastically at this point... no, really, I mean it this time!)

I first came across this poem a few years ago while reading The Patriot's Handbook, a compilation of patriotic songs, historic speeches, and notable documents from throughout America's history. At the time, I didn't think much about the poem - I just read it briefly and moved on. Once I actually learned about sea battle that inspired this poem, though, it quickly became a favorite of mine!

First Fruits in 1812 

By Wallace Rice

What is that a-billowing there

Like a thunderhead in air?

Why should such a sight be whitening the seas;

That’s a Yankee man-o’-war,

And three things she’s seeking for:

For a prize, and for a battle, and a breeze.

 

When the war blew o’er the sea

Out went Hull and out went we

In the Constitution, looking for the foe;

But five British ships came down—

And we got to Boston-town

By a mighty narrow margin, you must know!

 

Captain Hull can’t fight their fleet,

But he fairly aches to meet

Quite the prettiest British ship of all there were;

So he stands again to sea

In the hope that on his lee

He’ll catch Dacres and his pretty Guerriere.

 

‘Tis an August afternoon

Not a day too late or soon,

When we raise a ship whose lettered mainsail reads:

All who meet me have a care,

I am England’s Guerriere;

So Hull gaily clears for action as he speeds.

 

Cheery bells had chanted five

On the happiest day alive

When we Yankees dance to quarters at his call;

While the British bang away

With their broadsides’ screech and bray;

But the Constitution never fires a ball.

 

We send up three times to ask

If we sha’n’t begin our task?

Captain Hull sends back each time the answer No;

Till to half a pistol shot

The two frigates he had brought,

Then he whispers, Lay along! And we let go.

 

Twice our broadside lights and lifts,

And the Briton, crippled, drifts

With her mizzen dangling hopeless at her poop;

Laughs a Yankee, She’s a brig!

Says our Captain, “That’s too big;

Try another, so we’ll have her for a sloop!”

 

We huzzah, and fire again,

Lay aboard of her like men,

And, like men, they beat us off, and try in turn;

But we drive bold Dacres back

With our muskets’ snap and crack

All the while our crashing broadsides boom and burn.

 

‘Tis but half an hour, bare,

When that pretty Guerriere

Not a stick calls hers aloft or hers alow,

Save the mizzen’s shattered mast,

Where her “meteor flag” is nailed fast

Till, a fallen star, we quench its ruddy glow.

 

Dacres, injured, o’er our side

Slowly bears his sword of pride,

Holds it out, as Hull stands there in his renown;

No, no! Says th’ American,

Never, from so brave a man:

But I see you’re wounded, let me help you down.

 

All that night we work in vain

Keeping her upon the main,

But we’ve hulled her far too often, and at last

In a blaze of fire there

Dies the pretty Guerriere;

While away we cheerly sail upon the blast.

Oh, the breeze that blows so free!

Oh, the prize beneath the sea!

Oh, the battle! Was there ever better won?

Still the happy Yankee cheers

Are a-ringing in our ears

From old Boston, glorying in what we’ve done.

 

What is that a-billowing there

Like a thunderhead in air?

Why should such a sight be whitening the seas?

That’s Old Ir’nsides, trim and taut,

And she’s found the things she sought:

Found a prize, a bully battle, and a breeze!