Sunday Serendipity

Friday was a warm spring day, with the occasional 5 minute cloud burst of rain. Much like today’s piece. Also, I really like this song, so any excuse is a good excuse.

Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland

Enjoy, Jack

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27 thoughts on “Sunday Serendipity”

  2. sorry to break the mood, but it’s saturday night live time again

    click here for SNL cold open Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson) promotes his new album.

    and enjoy the cast crack-up on weekend update

    Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like President Biden calling for an assault weapons ban.

  3. to wipe the SNL taste from our trail mouth, back to jack’s selection and a tidbit about it from wiki:

    Originally, Copland did not have a title for the work, referring to it simply as “Ballet for Martha” – a title as simple and direct as the Shaker tune, Simple Gifts, quoted in the music. Shortly before the premiere, Graham suggested Hart Crane poem, “The Dance”, from a collection of poems in his book, The Bridge.

    O Appalachian Spring! I gained the ledge;
    Steep, inaccessible smile that eastward bends
    And northward reaches in that violet wedge
    Of Adirondacks!

    The word spring denotes a source of water in the Crane poem; however, the ballet is a journey to meet springtime.
    Because he composed the music without the benefit of knowing what the title was going to be, Copland was often amused when people told him he captured the beauty of the Appalachians in his music, a fact he alluded to in an interview with NPR‘s Fred Calland.

    aforementioned “simple gifts”

    featuring photography from Oregon

  4. something you might remember regarding “simple gifts” is that it was played at obama’s inauguration.

    click here to enjoy it once again

    For the first time, a classical quartet has been invited to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009. It all began when the President-elect had asked Yo Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman to perform, and they, in turn called John Williams, a frequent collaborator with both artists, “to help them prepare something to play.” Mr. Ma chose the other two performers, clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Gabriela Montero to round out this unique and diverse quartet.

  6. Had wondered why Lindsey Graham is so passionate about defending Trump against indictment. And the answer is: He’s raising money off the indictment, no wonder he’s throwing a daily tear-filled fit on FOX.

    Here’s his pitch in emails and on social platforms (money goes to “Team Graham Inc”):

    “If you’re like me, you’re frustrated. This indictment is shocking, dangerous, and one of the most irresponsible decisions in American history by any prosecutor. But what can we do? You can help me stand with the President by fighting back TODAY. >> http://teamgraham.us/4tc0k0o3″

     

  7. Lindsey discovers the magic of the grift and LOVES it. What an embarrassment.  Aside from being complicit in Dumbass’ pressure campaign in GA, and becoming an unwilling witness, why would he stick his skinny neck out for the criminal ex president other than to tap into votes from the SFB bases and a new source of cash? I’m open to alternative explanations.

  8. “why would he stick his skinny neck out for the criminal ex president “

    pogo,

    my first impression on seeing that tearful plea was that there was a metaphorical gun at his back. ‘course that could’ve been a threatened loss of some under-the-table $$ from loser guy pacs as well as his own donors OR it could be something lil lindsey doesn’t want donny the Don to disclose. 

    and I didn’t think those were just croc. tears. to me he seemed im actual distress and fearful of what was in store for him if he didn’t do what the mob wanted him to do.  

  11. the met some years ago had an exhibit called “simple gifts.”  one of the works among the beautiful shaker pieces was a film of martha grahams dance troupe as filmed below (1st of 4 parts)

    Appalachian Spring Premiered 1944 Choreographed by Martha Graham Original Score by Aaron Copland This part contains the following movements of the piece: 1st movement: Very slowly. Introduction of the characters, one by one, in a suffused light. 2nd movement: Fast. Sudden burst of unison strings in A major arpeggios starts the action. A sentiment both elated and religious gives the keynote to this scene. 3rd movement: Moderate. Duo for the Bride and her Intended scene of tenderness and passion. Dancers in this film: The Bride: Martha Graham The Husbandman: Stuart Hodes The Revivalist: Bertram Ross The Pioneer Woman: Matt Turney The Revivalists’ Flock: Yuriko, Helen McGehee, Ethel Winter, Miriam Cole Film Directed and Photographed by Peter Glushanok, Produced by Nathan Kroll, Presented by WQED Pittsburgh. Filmed in 1959.

  12. During one round of golf lindsey goes from “virulently anti” to “staunchly pro”?
    doodah math.   It couldn’t have been a carrot so it must have been a stick.   He ain’t fooling nobody.

  13. “Simple Gifts” always takes me back to the Judy Collins version on “Whales and Nightingales.” I wore that whole album out. 

  14. So much going on as the gqp try to create a cover over sfb getting his little fingers “fingerprinted” and his orange face pixilated.  Fingerprinting is no longer cover the pinkies in black ink, a scanner is used, so there won’t be any pictures of him wiping his little paws off with a paper towel.  I am wondering if they will make him remove his face paint and shove the dead squirrel off his head to get his forever pictures taken.
     
    The miss lindsey Grahm spectacle is so funny.  Not sure of pronouns, though I tend to think she/he/miss/sir fits quite well, depending on the time of day.  Trying to think back, but I am sure I saw that act before.
     
    “George Soros”, if that is his/her real name, stepped into it.  Besides being pathetic, not much to see or laugh at there.
     
    The sad event of the year (so far) is watching the once great CBS go faux snooze with a Leslie Stahl interview of a q facist.  I am very happy to have given up broadcast television ten or so years ago.  It is not worth the aggravation. It used to be the pigs were on Green Acres.
     
    The twit has tossed, “account suspended”, several people who are sources for OSINT into Russia, Ukraine and other interesting places.  Anonymous did a dive into the twitter source code dumped into GIThub and found some interesting lines that would explain these account closings.  It seems any reference to Ukraine information is to be classed as misinformation and flagged.  I have not read the code yet so I am not sure how it works.
     

  15. BB
    Your “Miss Lindsey” brings to my mind a Scarlet Ohare/Gone With the Wind, pearl clutching drag performance. Which to me, exactly describes his many defenses of Trump. 
    Jack

  16. Pat
    The YoYo Ma, Allison Krause performance of simple gifts is one of my favorites in that it keeps the theme of the song and makes it achingly beautiful.
    Where as the arrangement for Obama’s inauguration takes the theme and beats it to death with complexity and showmanship. Copeland avoids this by offering simple gifts as an alternative to the rest of his composition. so it tends to come in and cleanse the palate.
    Jack

  17. jack, same here, the simpler the better.

    jamie, thanks for the NY shaker photos.  a must stop in KY is Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

    which instantly takes you to another time.  great food as well-described in above link about planning a trip there:

    Dine on traditional favorites and seasonal Kentucky dishes prepared with straight-from-the-garden ingredients. Steeped in tradition, The Trustees’ Table’s menus celebrate Shaker Village’s roots by featuring dishes made of seasonal ingredients from our garden and local farmers. The menus offer dishes inspired by the seasons, changing based on the freshest locally available ingredients.

    here’s more

    Shaker Village offers 3,000 acres of discovery in the heart of Kentucky. Learn about the Village’s incredible history, and some of the ways you can enjoy your visit to Shaker Village today. This video has been made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: CARES.

  18. Beautiful!

    Simple Gifts = I’m bringing home a baby bumble bee.  Won’t  my mommy be so proud of me? 

    Battening down the hatches.  Spring means many weather-aware days here.

  19. So, the G in Lady G stands for grifter. 

    What did happen on the golf course?
    tRUMPsky, it seems, is a mob boss.  Let’s hope enough folks are prepared to flip on him to save our democracy.  Once he’s been politically neutered, well, the Republicans have shown their ugly faces.  Very few aren’t fascists who want a Republican-branded strongman in power.  Republicans do not believe in freedom, nor in democracy, nor are they Christians as they claim.  Republicans are about power, and guns, and control.  They are disgusting. They are dangerous.

  20. And it is a lovely spring day here and lovely musical score to go along.
    I’d like to associate myself with Jaime’s remarks on today’s choice.
     
    I have decided to support Katie Porter for the senate.  I love Barbara Lee but I like Porter’s style better especially in these days.  I think Adam Schiff should get out early He runs the risk of coming in third.
     
     

  21. crackers – Thank You!  Katie Porter is the next, best thing to Elizabeth Warren.  

    Agreed. Adam Schiff needs to excuse himself from the table.

  23. “…Republicans are about power, and guns, and control.”
     
    You left out “money, for the sake of it”, which should go first, actually 

  26. https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/02/business/starbucks-buffalo-union-alexis-rizzo/index.html

    “Starbucks has fired a Buffalo, New York, worker who “ignited a movement” from one of the first stores in the coffee chain to unionize, Starbucks Workers United said Friday.”

    “The firing came the same week that former CEO Howard Schultz testified before Congress, where he was grilled by lawmakers for the company’s labor practices and alleged union-busting.”

    “Alexis Rizzo had been shift supervisor at the Genesee Street store in Buffalo for more than 7 years, the union said. That store was one of the first of two locations to officially win their union campaigns in January 2022 after the federal labor board certified its results. Rizzo was the worker who first contacted the union.”

    “This is retaliation at its worst,” a statement from Starbucks Workers United said. The union noted two other employees were fired and a union leader was written up.”

    “Rizzo said she was fired after her shift Friday for attendance and being late, discipline issues that stemmed from the beginning of the union campaign.”

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