Walking

I'm swamped this week and next. Performances out the wah-zoo, and next week will be a 5-K walk for breast cancer. I think I'll take a brief vacation from blogging. So, I'll leave you with a suitable walking song.

See you in a couple of weeks!

Spring Music Week

I'm going to do something a little different this week, and endorse a music program. Not just that, but I'm going to endorse an Appalachian music program. The Augusta Heritage Center at Davis and Elkins College has been in existence since the early '70s. I know, because I took a furniture refinishing class the first year. Davis and Elkins College is in Elkins, West Virginia, and is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Really, it is. 

As a little kid, this was my playground. Not a bad place to grow up.

And now, along with being a college, this is the home for the Augusta Heritage Workshops. Augusta teaches all sorts of things, but primarily is known for Appalachian music. This is not a style that I usually talk about. But, that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate the artistry. 

This video has one of the instructors for the upcoming Spring Music Week on hammered dulcimer. She's on the far left. Hammered dulcimer is a fascinating instrument. It's a very old instrument, dating from before the middle ages. A direct descendant is the modern piano.

So, if Appalachian, folk, blue-grass, or ancient music happens to fascinate you, check out the workshops. Augusta Heritage is worth the air fare. I would go if I could.

Flower Duet

I am trying new pain medications this week. Because of this, I can move! I just don't want to. I'm tending to lose the track of what I'm saying mid-sentence, sometimes mid-word! So, I'm not going to write much this week. I will give you a lovely spring song. (Wikipedia provided most of the following synopsis.)

Lakmé is an opera in three acts by Léo Delibes  which is set in British India in the mid-19th century. The opera includes the popular Flower Duet (Sous le dôme épais) for sopranos performed in act 1 by Lakmé, the daughter of a Brahmin priest, and her servant Mallika.

Lakmé (which derives from the Sanskrit Lakshmi, meaning to percieve or observe) (Lakshmi is also the Hindu goddess of wealth and purity)  and Mallika go down to the river to gather flowers where they sing the Flower Duet. As they approach the water at the river bank, Lakmé removes her jewellery and places it on a bench. A party of British officers, Frederic and Gérald, arrive nearby while on a picnic with two British girls and their governess. The British girls see the jewellery and request sketches: Gérald volunteers to stay and make sketches of the jewellery. He sees Lakmé and Mallika returning and hides. Mallika leaves Lakmé for a while; while alone Lakmé sees Gérald and, frightened by the foreigner's incursion, cries out for help. However, simultaneously, she is intrigued and so she sends away those who had responded to her call for help when they come to her rescue. Lakmé and Gérald begin to fall in love with each other. Nilakantha returns and learns of the British officer's trespassing and vows revenge on him for his affront to Lakmé's honour.

This being an opera, things do not go well for our lovers. There is humiliation, stabbing, betrayal and death. But, early on, we are given this glorious duet. At various times, I have sung both parts, and must admit that both are fun to sing. 

If you are interested; here are the words and a translation. This being opera the words are repeated. A lot. Sous le dôme épais Où le blanc jasmin À la rose s’assemble Sur la rive en fleurs, Riant au matin Viens, descendons ensemble.

Doucement glissons de son flot charmant Suivons le courant fuyant Dans l’onde frémissante D’une main nonchalante Viens, gagnons le bord, Où la source dort et L’oiseau, l’oiseau chante.

English Translation

Under the thick dome where the white jasmine With the roses entwined together On the river bank covered with flowers laughing in the morning Let us descend together!

Gently floating on its charming risings, On the river’s current On the shining waves, One hand reaches, Reaches for the bank, Where the spring sleeps, And the bird, the bird sings.

Have a good week!