h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It amazing what singing can do to you. My singing teacher has asked me to learn a number of pieces this week, starting with a piece by a lady named Hildegarde. Around in the 13th Century (I think), the music is plainsong, and some of the most beautiful I have had the privelige to sing.

The simplicity (single line with possible drone accompaniment) speaks straight to me, in a way which modern styles (well, Baroque onwards, really... ) never seem to be able. She claimed that God spoke through her, that she was merely the vessel. I can almost believe it.

Caritas
abundat in amnia
deimis excellentissima
super sidera
at que amantissima in omnia
quia summo Regi osculum pacis
dedit.

Love
abounds in all,
from the deapth above
the most exaulted stars
and most loving
to all.
because she has given to
the highest King the kiss
of peace.

And as we all know, they couldn't spell back then

I loove the old songs.
I used to sing them in madrigals...

Glad to see you've found a nice one!

Damn... I think I made at least two typing errors... *slaps wrist* One day I'll learn to cheack before I post... *shakes head*

Ah! Madrigals! Getting a bit late for me, but damn good fun.

It was strange, I was practicing earlier, and just making up a drone for a different piece (~same date). I put in a little bit in parallel fifths before realising that was too late for what I as singing! Parllel fifts too late! I never thought I'd hear that!

what blessed tune is this?

old tunes make excellent scary movie soundtrack

think of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana: O Fortuna

Got to play that in a few weeks. Oh, the... boredom, actually. It's been terribly dull to rehearse. Still, the performance should be better. Fear (due to lack of rehearsal) and all that...

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

lot of Zs

Z-tastic!

you meam tastic or tastic

Oo, Hildegarde of Bingen, eh? Smashing!

I briefly studied a few of the female medieval visionaries like Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich (and to a lesser extent Hildegarde) at uni. Fascinating stuff, although I never covered any of the musical side of it all.

Umm I'll go for

Oh, wow! Yup, that's the one. I know very little about her, but she seemed to dabble a lot in many different things. If her music is anything to go by, she must have been enlightning to study.

Yeah; admittedly, we concentrated on trying to find evidence of humanity, of a distinct personality and style beneath the religious devotional texts and slightly insane visions.

But it was amazing to read about these incredible women who were that rarest of creatures, a medieval woman respected by their male peers. Even the histrionic and fairly bonkers Margery Kempe, who would witter on for ages about nothing in particular, then have some incredible vision during childbirth and start talking to angels!

Orff is fun after few performances; I played it with the OSJ (Orchestra of St. John's) after very few once..

It's so pithy and miserable though.

Still, as I always say: F**k Orff

B

Orff was Hitler's composer