Members Stackabones Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 What has influenced you in the past ... or in the past week since the last FIT? * Since the beginning of the year, I've been getting deeper into art song. My knowledge of the music prior to this year extended to Schubert and some of Mahler's orchestral songs, but I never ventured further and I never really knew too much about it. So, I bought a book and picked up some CDs of Faur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sentry68 Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 These guys don't have a lot of stuff out together, but I think it's some of the best to ever come out of Austin. Undeniably based in Texas blues, but tastily flavored with some jazz and rock.. sooo good. Both Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton have major cred (and pedigrees in Doyle's case). Sexton had a top 20 hit at 16 years old. They were both schooled and surrounded by the biggest players in the scene, and have gone on to work with some of the biggest acts ever (like Clapton and Dylan). Plus, they're backed by two members of Double Trouble in this group - Arc Angels. [YOUTUBE]wyaztvtDBPw[/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MDR Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Since the beginning of the year, I've been getting deeper into art song. My knowledge of the music prior to this year extended to Schubert and some of Mahler's orchestral songs, but I never ventured further and I never really knew too much about it. So, I bought a book and picked up some CDs of Faur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted March 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Merci, mon cher Staque! Did you do the translation? cheers R No. I borrowed it. Staque! I just got that. Merci!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Andy Griffith, a musician himself, used a lot of musicians in the cast of the Andy Griffith Show (aka Andy of Mayberry) but the group most intimately associated with the show was the Dillards, a then-young bluegrass band, originally from Mississippi. This version of "There Is a Time" features singer/actress Maggie Peterson as Charlene, the sister of Dillard alter-egos, the Darling brothers: iQtXEb7C30o [Dillards (w/Maggie) video ] As Andy says, "Well, I believe that's the prettiest thing I ever heard." [And, yes, that's the normally urbane veteran character actor Denver Pyle as Pa Darling.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tspit74 Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Been spinning Al Stewart on vinyl this week and playing along to it on the Rhodes. Breezy 70's music at it's finest. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dKEG86cndE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MDR Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 No. I borrowed it. Staque! I just got that. Merci!!! Are there translations available online? My French is pretty good, but I'm lazy:) cheers R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted March 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Are there translations available online? My French is pretty good, but I'm lazy:)cheersR While there are more texts than translations, this is a great resource: http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/ And this site has some free sheet music, http://artsongcentral.com/. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 I don't know how much of an influence it is, but I've lately been immersed in the strange world of Hazel Motes. Been reading "Wise Blood" by Flannery O'Connor. I've always had this love/hate relationship with 20th century literary fiction. I like certain aspects of the use of language, but the self centered listlessness of the characters is lost on me. I simply have never been as directionless as the postmodern intelligentsia. Books like "The Bell Jar" and "To Kill A Mockingbird" are maddening to me. On the other hand, the use of language by writers like O'Connor, Malamud and Steinbeck has an appeal to me in it's stark creativity. I think that my backlash to this philosophical malaise has been my looking back into deeper recesses of the Songbook for patterns and styles. Narcissus just ain't my kinda guy. Staque. That's rich. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rsadasiv Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 I don't know how much of an influence it is, but I've lately been immersed in the strange world of Hazel Motes. Been reading "Wise Blood" by Flannery O'Connor. I prefer the short stories, but one of my very favorite authors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 I prefer the short stories, but one of my very favorite authors. I picked up a collection of those as well, but haven't cracked it open yet. I'm working on a novel of my own right now with a very heavy Catholic theme. She came to mind so I've been doing some brushing up. My book really has nothing in common with her writing, just "influence mining." Subject for a different forum, though. Back to our regular programming. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 I thought "Wise Blood" was wonderful. I don't have any problem with inadmirable protagonists. Heroes are fine for Saturday afternoon stuff, but if I'm going to go to the trouble of immersing myself in someone else's world (and there's no casual reading of a book for me), I want to make sure it's an interesting one. Honest to gosh, I was laughing out loud through much of "Wise Blood" -- even without laughing it off. I mean, it's a serious exploration of ideas wrapped up in an over the top, extremely sardonic existential melodrama. A great companion piece to Nathaniel West's "Day of the Locusts." Both wonderful books, seems to me, that dig at certain aspects of the American psyche. I like the some of the Southerners pretty well. Terry Southern wrote some great stuff. Kind of an underacheiver, maybe, considering how talented he was... but that's something that seems to happen to some white Southerners in diaspora... they lose that vital connection to the gothic darkness at the heart of the culture. (And I know all about it 'cause I drove through part of Mississippi and spent aweek in New Orleans, once. ) Also read some Walker Percy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rsadasiv Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Confederacy of Dunces FTW! I like Terry Southern pretty well, but I think he squandered his talent to an enormous degree. Flannery O'Connor is hysterical. I'm not so keen on the Catholic underpinning of her writing - I think of her as a Catholic writer the same way I think of Kafka as a Jewish writer - possibly interesting to some people and probably pertinent to some analyses, but not important to enjoying the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 I thought "Wise Blood" was wonderful. I don't have any problem with inadmirable protagonists. Heroes are fine for Saturday afternoon stuff, but if I'm going to go to the trouble of immersing myself in someone else's world (and there's no casual reading of a book for me), I want to make sure it's an interesting one . Honest to gosh, I was laughing out loud through much of "Wise Blood" -- even without laughing it off. I mean, it's a serious exploration of ideas wrapped up in an over the top, extremely sardonic existential melodrama. A great companion piece to Nathaniel West's "Day of the Locusts." Both wonderful books, seems to me, that dig at certain aspects of the American psyche. I like the some of the Southerners pretty well. Terry Southern wrote some great stuff. Kind of an underacheiver, maybe, considering how talented he was... but that's something that seems to happen to some white Southerners in diaspora... they lose that vital connection to the gothic darkness at the heart of the culture. (And I know all about it 'cause I drove through part of Mississippi and spent aweek in New Orleans, once. ) Also read some Walker Percy... I have no trouble with a dark protagonist either. My biggest problem with much 20th century literature is the whole "the world should revolve around me and fix all my problems" attitude that was so prevalent. Not universal, but a dominant outlook. My take on the directionless humanistic outlook certainly placed me at odds with my baby boomer profs who thought "To Kill A Mockingbird" changed their lives. It changed mine, too, but only inasmuch as it convinced me that sometimes you have to realize that the world doesn't exist to serve you. I had to make some pretty convincing arguments to keep my grades up. Fortunately most of my instructors were open minded enough to see that I meant what I was talking about and I wasn't just trying to be an ass. They tried hard and in vain to persuade me that my ideas were antiquated and, in one's words, "colonial," but I maintained throughout and to this day that Milton an Shakespeare are superior. Sorry, but that's my rant on the whole subject of self-centered "woe is me" literature. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Confederacy of Dunces FTW!I like Terry Southern pretty well, but I think he squandered his talent to an enormous degree.Flannery O'Connor is hysterical. I'm not so keen on the Catholic underpinning of her writing - I think of her as a Catholic writer the same way I think of Kafka as a Jewish writer - possibly interesting to some people and probably pertinent to some analyses, but not important to enjoying the work. Not important to enjoying the work; only to satisfy my curiosity. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BATSBREW Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 TODAY'S INSPIRATION Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BATSBREW Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 hopefully, i'll be there tomorrow..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rsadasiv Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 my baby boomer profs who thought "To Kill A Mockingbird" changed their lives. I'm pretty sure I was assigned "To Kill A Mockingbird" in eighth grade. I enjoyed it, but it seems pretty remote - are there adults who still believe that "Catcher In the Rye" is relevant to their current situation? They tried hard and in vain to persuade me that my ideas were antiquated and, in one's words, "colonial," but I maintained throughout and to this day that Milton an Shakespeare are superior. Well, of course Shakespeare is superior to Terry Southern - but that's not really the point, is it? Everything is different, and if you must judge every piece of art by the same criteria you are just as blindered as your despised "post-colonial lit crit" professors. /rant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rsadasiv Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 TODAY'S INSPIRATION Cool - envious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 I have no trouble with a dark protagonist either. My biggest problem with much 20th century literature is the whole "the world should revolve around me and fix all my problems" attitude that was so prevalent. Not universal, but a dominant outlook. My take on the directionless humanistic outlook certainly placed me at odds with my baby boomer profs who thought "To Kill A Mockingbird" changed their lives. It changed mine, too, but only inasmuch as it convinced me that sometimes you have to realize that the world doesn't exist to serve you. I had to make some pretty convincing arguments to keep my grades up. Fortunately most of my instructors were open minded enough to see that I meant what I was talking about and I wasn't just trying to be an ass. They tried hard and in vain to persuade me that my ideas were antiquated and, in one's words, "colonial," but I maintained throughout and to this day that Milton an Shakespeare are superior. Sorry, but that's my rant on the whole subject of self-centered "woe is me" literature.EG I get what you're saying and, certainly, no one likes schtick... but I think that -- taken as themselves and dropping aside the baggage -- works like "The Bell Jar" and "Catcher in the Rye" are kind of compelling because they're brief flashes of illumination of the tipping point between what my generation used to call maintaining and the slide into completely losing it. I think there's as much -- or maybe lots more -- to be learned from the dark and dangerous side of life... Even when your protagonist is a good guy, isn't part of his epic struggle always going to be with himself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted March 6, 2009 Moderators Share Posted March 6, 2009 ...works like "The Bell Jar" and "Catcher in the Rye" are kind of compelling because they're brief flashes of illumination of the tipping point between what my generation used to call maintaining and the slide into completely losing it. Thanks, I'll go with Salinger. J. D. Salinger has been an influence on me ever since I read the first sentence to Catcher in the Rye, 35 years ago. If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. I clearly remember the feelings I had. "You can do this when you write?" "Is this guy a twat or a hero?" "What is this prick's problem?" And... "Hang in there, Holden." Salinger was punk before punk. e was beat without being beat. Contradiction and lack of a clear cut hero. Love him. Franny and Zooey and Nine Stories too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 I'm pretty sure I was assigned "To Kill A Mockingbird" in eighth grade. I enjoyed it, but it seems pretty remote - are there adults who still believe that "Catcher In the Rye" is relevant to their current situation? Well, of course Shakespeare is superior to Terry Southern - but that's not really the point, is it? Everything is different, and if you must judge every piece of art by the same criteria you are just as blindered as your despised "post-colonial lit crit" professors. /rant That's why I keep going back to it. Catcher In The Rye I will never get; I just don't like it. O'Connor I really don't lump into that same category as it seems to me to be more of an analytical approach to examinng situations moreso than much of the pity party writing I am talking about. I never meant to say that I dislike all of it, just that aspect. Even disagreeing with the premise, I can read it and appreciate it for what it is. I certainly don't share Shakespeare's attitudes toward Jews or women, but I can enjoy the stories. Likewise I can appreciate the storytelling and use of language in The Razor's Edge without really identifying with the character. I certainly didn't despise any of my professors, either; merely had a different take. Early on in my college career I became pretty defensive about my views and they theirs. After we came to appreciate one another's differing views it ultimately made for some spirited debate. I'm still pretty close to a couple of them. The one thing I try not to do, and I apologize if it came off that way, is to disparage another's view on the subject. We all have our opinions on songs and literature and mine are no more valid than anyone else's; they are just mine. Wise Blood has been very thought provoking for me. The Church of Christ Without Christ. That slays me. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 I get what you're saying and, certainly, no one likes schtick... but I think that -- taken as themselves and dropping aside the baggage -- works like "The Bell Jar" and "Catcher in the Rye" are kind of compelling because they're brief flashes of illumination of the tipping point between what my generation used to call maintaining and the slide into completely losing it.I think there's as much -- or maybe lots more -- to be learned from the dark and dangerous side of life... Even when your protagonist is a good guy, isn't part of his epic struggle always going to be with himself? There is much to be learned; you are correct. That doesn't mean I like it. You can learn much from things that are uncomfortable withot enjoying it. I have always believed that, to a certain extent we become influenced by those things with which we surround ourselves. I prefer to immerse myself in those things that build up the good. I maintain that one can have more positive infuence by investing one's efforts in building up the good rather than overanalyzing the bad. Not to say that evil or inequity should naively be ignored; to do so would be childish. But strengthening the positive leaves less room for the negative to maneuver. We all have roles to play and there is room for the malcontent as well as the preacher. To be sucessful we must have both. I am simply called to be the dreamer more than I am to be the protester. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elias Graves Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Heck, I thought I was just gonna drop in a little plug for O'Connor. EG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sentry68 Posted March 6, 2009 Members Share Posted March 6, 2009 Salinger was punk before punk. best description ever. LOVE Catcher in the Rye, one of the seriously greatest books ever. Now post some music for me to hear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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