First of two blogs for today. "Sounds" Part II
Our local Public Radio Station WUSF in Tampa, Fl plays a lot of classical music.
But it has a very limited vision and repertoire. We hear tons and tons of baroque music; a whole lot of Mozart; a bit of Beethoven here and there: but not much else.
Except for a fixation on Vaughan Williams, and on two of his pieces. We hear his variations on a theme by Tallis (a lovely piece), over and over again. And we hear Vaughan Williams’ “A lark ascending” at least three times each month.
It’s a great piece, and I like it. But not so often please!
So, WUSF played it again today. Which reminded me of something I intended to add to yesterday’s blog on “sound”.
When I was 16, or 20, or 22 (darned if I can remember when) the young people of my Peeb (Plymouth Brethren) circle too a trip to Minchinhampton Common in the Gloucestershire (UK) Cotswolds. It’s a gorgeous space.
It was probably on “August Bank Holiday Monday” in England. The sun shone in all her glory.
Then we heard it. A Skylark. Up and up it ascended, It sang its song as if for the last time. I stretched out on the grassy Common, conscious that I was listening to a rare, beautiful and endangered song.
‘Twas the only time I ever heard a Skylark. Few there are who hear it now, for this master-singer bird is dying out.
It was a sound which I cannot recall or recreate. But I remember how lovely it was, and how it enriched my soul.
But it has a very limited vision and repertoire. We hear tons and tons of baroque music; a whole lot of Mozart; a bit of Beethoven here and there: but not much else.
Except for a fixation on Vaughan Williams, and on two of his pieces. We hear his variations on a theme by Tallis (a lovely piece), over and over again. And we hear Vaughan Williams’ “A lark ascending” at least three times each month.
It’s a great piece, and I like it. But not so often please!
So, WUSF played it again today. Which reminded me of something I intended to add to yesterday’s blog on “sound”.
When I was 16, or 20, or 22 (darned if I can remember when) the young people of my Peeb (Plymouth Brethren) circle too a trip to Minchinhampton Common in the Gloucestershire (UK) Cotswolds. It’s a gorgeous space.
It was probably on “August Bank Holiday Monday” in England. The sun shone in all her glory.
Then we heard it. A Skylark. Up and up it ascended, It sang its song as if for the last time. I stretched out on the grassy Common, conscious that I was listening to a rare, beautiful and endangered song.
‘Twas the only time I ever heard a Skylark. Few there are who hear it now, for this master-singer bird is dying out.
It was a sound which I cannot recall or recreate. But I remember how lovely it was, and how it enriched my soul.
Go here for a recording of a skylark:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.avisoft.com/sounds.htm
There are probably more on the internet, but this was one of the first that came up. I'll have to check out more of these birdsongs when I have time.