The ballad

[Chaszz]

This is somewhat, but not entirely, off- topic. There is a very good article in today's NY Times about the ballad as a form of song and poetry. I know some have discussed Beethoven's settings of folk songs and ballads here, so I thought this might be of interest. It's full of good information. I know very little about poetry, and about half of what I know I learned from this article today.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/11/books/11POET.html

- Chaszz

[This message has been edited by Chaszz (edited April 11, 2003).]

[lysander]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
This is somewhat, but not entirely, off- topic. There is a very good article in today's NY Times about the ballad as a form of song and poetry. I know some have discussed Beethoven's settings of folk songs and ballads here, so I thought this might be of interest. It's full of good information. I know very little about poetry, and about half of what I know I
from this article today.

<A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/11/books/11POET.html" TARGET=_blank>


http://www.nes.com/2003/04/11/books/11POET.html[/url]

- Chaszz

[This message has been edited by Chaszz (edited April 11, 2003).]

Chaszz,
Thankyou for posting your very interesting article on Ballads and Poetry in the NY Times. Thanks to you I have now become a subscriber and have free access to the New York Times. I read it in my spare time.
My favourite poets include; Shakespeare,
Homers Illiad and Odyssey, S.T.Coleridge,
Lord Byron, Shelley, and Milton. I must say I had to struggle with Paradise Lost - great as it is.
Stratford-Upon-Avon, (Shakespeare Country) hold a poetry festival every year.

I don't know why people are so surprised at the present scenes of anarchy in Iraq because the people are simply celebrating the downfall of a power mad dictator and his replacement by a superior power.
Hobbes observed in the 17th century the people follow who ever is in power at that time, ie. It is the power that counts and which secures peoples allegiance.

Shakespeare was all to aware of this in his brilliant multi- facited way when he has Octavia say in Antony and Cleopatra;-

"This common body, like to a vagabond flag upon the stream, goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide, to rot itself with motion".


This may seem a very cycinal observation but it encapsulates an age old wisdom.


[This message has been edited by lysander (edited April 12, 2003).]


[This message has been edited by lysander (edited April 12, 2003).]

[mspaceray]

Lysander,
Can you tell me where the poem "You Spotted Snakes" comes from, I'd be ever so gratefull.
Muriel

[lysander]

Originally posted by mspaceray:
Lysander,
Can you tell me where the poem "You Spotted Snakes" comes from, I'd be ever so gratefull.
Muriel

"You spotted snakes with double tongue"

Is from one of my favourite Shakespeare Plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Act II - Scene II

Titania the Queen of Fairies bids her fairies sing her to sleep with this quaint little song;-

First Fairy;-
You spotted snakes with double tongue,
Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;
Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,
Come not near our fairy queen.

Then follows a Chorus and another verse.

Enchanting isn't it.



[This message has been edited by lysander (edited April 12, 2003).]

[mspaceray]

Thank you Lysander I am much obliged ,my friend and I just recorded this song in three parts on minidisc she played the piano and I sang all three parts.What fun!

[mspaceray]

Hi Lysander,
I saw (and heard)the finished product of the Spotted Snakes project a few days ago the song,set to music by Fredrick Keel,is the soundtrack of a webpage of photos of children dressed in animal costumes and masks made by them at an art and music workshop for children.
I must admit that it is not a very professional recording of the piece as the parts at some points just don't fit as perfectly (we were winging somewhat)but the whole effect is as we had hoped rather comical.