First Nights and Marching Band Blues

I always enjoyed being a member of a band, wether it be symphonic or jazz, it was just a great experience. (Now, marching band is another subject completely, I hated those cold nights on the wet field! Not to mention those dumb uniforms...) I relish the mastered piece the most - getting there was not always so fun, but to be a part of a group of students all working together to create art; to see so many people work in unison always gave me hope and a sense of belonging. It was especially rewarding when we first preformed our work infront of an audience and it sounded good, even great.

That is why when I saw "First Nights - Five Musical Premieres" by Thomas Forrest Kelly it intrigued me. What also intrigued me was that it had never been checked out of the library. My good friend Richard has a phobia of libraries and germs on books, so I thought of him as I picked it up - it is a "fresh" book with not sooo many germs on it. He would be proud. But he still wouldn't touch it. Anyway, the book focuses on the first performances of five famous musical compositions: Monteverdi's Orfeo in 1607; Handel's Messiah in 1742, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in 1824; Berlioz's Symphonic fantastique in 1830; and Stravinsky's Sarcre du printemps in 1913. It is an indepth look - Kelly paints each scene in detail writing about the cities in which the preformances took place, the people, the conductors, the musicians, the concert halls, the auidences, and the responses to it. Pretty indepth I'd say. I am reading about Orfeo at the present and I must admit that I didn't know it was considered the first great opera - even though I took Music 101 at BYU. It (Orfeo) definitely has an interesting story.

Anyway, that is my pick for the month of October. I am also currently enjoying the books Rae passed on to me of Louis L'amour's - I'm sure I've probably already read them in the past - but they are just good fun, Warren is reading them too and is enjoying them as well.

In answer to your question about Brier Rabbit, I think I do remember being read to from that book - I will check when we go down to Lakewood this weekend for my mom's birthday. I'll let you know - then maybe we can share it around.

Lulu, in answer to your question, my favorite book is "If You Want To Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit" by Brenda Ueland. The reason it is my favorite book is because it is the biggest pick-me-up book there is out there and has been the greatest encouragement to me when I begin to create something new - the author knows how to show you that you have something special to share and gives many tips on how to share that something special and not be presuaded by doubts. Grandma has read it and loves it like I do -I recommend it to everyone!!!

Well, I am still working on Jennica and Lynness... Hope you all have a marvelous week!
Love ya all,
Sam

Beccy's Octoberread

Sort of like Octoberfest. It counts as a fest when you have lots to read.
Welcome Samantha! I am loving this. It's great to stay in touch, but even more fun when you have a topic besides-"how are ya?"

Mim, Rae: What ever happened to our copy of Tales of Brer Rabbit?! Does Jon have it? Sam, did you ever see it/read from it as a kid? I can't imagine any of us ever getting rid of it. Maybe Jody has it?

Tonight Troy and I went to Borders for our date and I finally made use of my birthday gift card (Thanks Rae)! We topped the evening off with Baskin Robbins, which made me think of Grandpa. Whenever Mom would take Gpa and me (and/or Rae and Matt) with her to run errands, the car would inevitably and inexplicably turn into the B&R parking lot. They would always marvel at this strange phenomenon . . . I was telling Troy how Grandpa almost always got pralines and cream or black walnut, and Mom always got burnt almond fudge. I usually had mint chocolate chip which is how Troy recognized me in our earliest years as his true soulmate--but I digress. (Let no spirit of "disgression" overcome you in the evil hour . . . :)

In the past 48 hours I have planted 155 tulip bulbs, watched 5 episodes of The Upside Down Show and sewed a leprechaun costume (for myself, no less) so I'm feeling a little punchy tonight.

Anyway, I bought 3 books tonight (it was a generous gift card): Stradivari's Genius, and The Art of Practicing and The Complete Book of Running for Women. One of them will not be my October blog-book. :) I guess the titles are pretty self-explanatory, but Stradivari's Genius is unusual. The author (Toby Faber) traces the stories of six of the remaining (some 600 in the world) original Stradivarius instruments (5 violins and 1 cello) and their creator. When I visited Mom on Friday, she asked me if I had named my violin reminding me that Stradivari's violins each had a name. This was an intriguing thought to me and I was wondering what their names were and how they got them. The paragraph on the back of the book piqued my interest with: "Blending history, biography, meticulous detective work, and an abiding passion for music, Faber takes us from the salons of Vienna to the concert halls of New York . . ." I read most of a chapter and was hooked. There are cool photos and illustrations, too.

When I showed Troy the titles, he quoted Inigo Montoya's question to the Man in Black, saying, "Who arrrre you?!" I can happily justify my new interests by remembering Mom's tendency to do the same when were kids--to pick up something completely new and throw herself into it. Ten years ago, if someone had told me that I'd be living in PG, own a violin and love running when I was 40, I would have laughed. Never say never, I guess.

Happy Octoberreading to you all--
love, Beccy

Subversive Literature

Rae, thanks for those book titles. I'm really intrigued and will see if my library has them. I'm so glad you enjoy Lulu and my blogs. It's good to have a place to share pictures and news and use as a creative outlet even.

I'll be curious to know what you think of Twilight. I have read all three and look forward to the next installment but it's interesting, I laugh at myself that I've enjoyed them as much as I have. Vampires and teenagers by an LDS author...it sounds so bizarre.

Funny you should mention Sam, Jennica, and Lynness. I just re-sent invitations to them yesterday. Sam should be joining us as soon as she sees the email I sent. She emailed me asking for the info. She has also reminded Jennica & Lynness. Would Annie be interested?

And I've been meaning to say -- I think your deal with Ivan and Bill to read 10 books before you can buy another is a great idea! Cool!

I did some searching on Brer Rabbiti and found a webpage that has the stories in dialect, with illustrations, but they're only for viewing on a computer....no actual books for sale. Alibris has a 1st edition of the book....but it's $195.00! I did some checking on eBay and it looks like if you can find an edition that was printed in or before 1956, it should still have the Black Americana Dialect. Here are a couple to look at:
1921 Edition
1956 Edition
Now I'm really curious and hope to find one myself! Mom, Rae, or Beccy - you didn't own the one Mom read out-loud?

Thots about subversive literature

If you aren't habitual readers of Lulu and Abby's personal blogs, you should be. I love knowing what they are up to! I also enjoy the pictures they post of their little ones. Abby recently posted a very funny taking apart of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. It made me laugh outloud.

I remember reading a book by Alison Lurie called Don't Tell the Grown-ups: Subversive Children's Literature. It had a chapter specifically on fairy tales and the stories behind the stories. She also has written a book called Boys and Girls Forever: Children's Classics from Cinderella to Harry Potter which I have perused. I also remember learning about the Brothers Grimm and how their so-called fairy tales were really politically motivated social statements. You might want to take a look at these books, Abby. And I'm sure you could find other titles.

Does anybody know where I can find the old Brer Rabbit stories...still written in dialect? I want to share them with Bill. All I have been able to find so far are the rewrites...not near as fun. I remember fondly the times when Miriam would read those stories to us in the dialect. She did each character in a different voice and we loved it. I think she was actually reading to Beccy but Matt and I always listened in! I read somewhere that even those stories have a story...everyone says they are not politically correct [did you catch what Elder Scott had to say about that at conference? Great stuff!]...anyway, what I read said that Brer Rabbit represented the slave and Brer Bear and Brer Fox were the plantation owners or overseers. As you know, Brer Rabbit always wins through his trickery...so even those stories were subversive statements of the day.

Abby, my old book group in Lancaster is reading Twilight for their October read. I picked it up and will give it a try. I don't know that I'm into vampires, though. I think it's an odd subject for an LDS writer to focus on. I told the ladies that I would try to continue to read with them via email. We'll have to see how that works.

I have extended another invite to Samantha (and through her to Jennica). I hope they will join in our little circle. I love you all and enjoy "listening" to what you have to say re your reading lives.

Happy reading!