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Post by tannis on Apr 11, 2008 2:44:52 GMT
If the album cover to Aerial references Apollo the Sun God, then could the midnight black record sleeves reference the Moon Goddess? Artemis, Selene, or maybe Hecate? APOLLO was the god of the sun. Each day he drove his chariot of fiery horses across the sky to give light to the world. Apollo was believed to be one of the best archers. He was the son of Leto and Zeus, and also the twin brother of the virgin huntress Artemis. Apollo was also the Greek god of music and poetry and the hymns that were sung to Apollo were called paeans. Apollo was the leader of the Muses and also the expert director of their choir. Apollo became god of the sun and Artemis became goddess of the moon. ARTEMIS was associated with the moon as her brother the sun. Artemis, goddess of the Moon, is the quintessential female archetype. Artemis is known as the goddess of the night, the huntress, the goddess of fruitfulness, Lady of the Beasts, the woodland goddess, the bull goddess, the personification of the moon. The association between Artemis and the moon is revealed in one of the epithets used to describe the goddess - Phoebe ("the bright one"). SELENE was the Titan goddess of the moon. She was depicted as a woman either riding side saddle on a horse or in a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds. Her lunar sphere or crescent was represented as either a crown set upon her head or as the fold of a raised, shining cloak. Sometimes she was said to drive a team of oxen and her lunar crescent was likened to the horns of a bull. Selene wears a robes, carry a torch, and a half moon on her head. After her brother Helios (Sun) crosses the sky, she begins her trek. Before Selene's trip across the night sky she bathes in the sea. Sometimes confused with Artemis and Hecate, who were moon-goddesses. The actual moon is the reflection of her pale body. Selene is one aspect of the Greek Triple Moon Goddess: Artemis, Waxing Moon; Selene, Full Moon; and Hecate, Waning Moon. In the maiden, mother, crone aspects of the Goddess, Selene is the mother Goddess, Artemis the maiden and Hecate the Crone. Homeric Hymn to Selene
(ll. 1-13) And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well- skilled in song, tell of the long-winged Moon. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming, shining team, drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. (ll. 14-16) Once the Son of Cronos was joined with her in love; and she conceived and bare a daughter Pandia, exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods. (ll. 17-20) Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! And now I will leave you and sing the glories of men half-divine, whose deeds minstrels, the servants of the Muses, celebrate with lovely lips.HEKATE (or Hecate) was the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy. She was cousin to Artemis, and sister of Leto who gave birth to Apollo and Artemis with Zeus. Hecate can often be associated with the figure of Isis in Egyptian myth, mainly due to her role as sorceress. Hecate belongs to the class of torch bearing deities, and carries a burning torch in accordance with the belief that she is the nocturnal goddess of the moon. A huntress, she knows her way into the realm of spirits. She is depicted wearing a gleaming headdress of stars. She and her dogs journey over the graves of the dead to search for souls of the departed and then carry them to refuge in the Underworld. She also haunts scenes of crimes as a goddess of expiation and purification. The Orphic Hymn to Hekatê
Hekatê of the Path, I invoke Thee, Lovely Lady of the Triple Crossroads, Celestial, Chthonian, and Marine One, Lady of the Saffron Robe. Sepulchral One, celebrating the Bakchic Mysteries among the Souls of the Dead, Daughter of Persês, Lover of Solitude, rejoicing in deer. Nocturnal One, Lady of the Dogs, invincible Queen. She of the Cry of the Beast, Ungirt One, having an irresistible Form. Bullherder, Keeper of the Keys of All the Universe, Mistress, Guide, Bride, Nurturer of Youths, Mountain Wanderer. I pray Thee, Maiden, to be present at our hallowed rites of initiation, Always bestowing Thy graciousness upon the Boukolos.www.hermeticfellowship.org/OrphicHymnHekate.html
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Post by tannis on Apr 11, 2008 2:46:03 GMT
AERIAL - A SEA OF HONEY
KOTM and HTBI visit Underworld and Otherworldly realms, conjuring up spiritual and ghostly presences. Joanni summons up the past, invoking warrior spirit and the archetypal strength of the martyr. And while Bertie is very much in the present, its Renaissance madrigal is very much in the candlelit past. Bertie is directly followed by Mrs Bartolozzi, a lachrymose storytelling or multi-layered confessional. A Coral Room rocks the boat; and Pi lulls us into the mysterious infinity that is Kate Bush.
These are truly fantastic and wonderful songs!
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Post by tannis on Apr 11, 2008 2:47:52 GMT
AERIAL - A SKY OF HONEYGenesis 1: The Creation 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.The black vinyl, the black center, the black sleeve...Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.PRELUDE introduces Bertie as The Sun. “Mummy… Daddy… The day is full of birds. Sounds like they’re saying words...” But what is Kate saying, muffled within the sound? Sounds like she's also saying words! ... "Don't grow old guilty..." ?“Mummy… Daddy…” - Isis, Osiris, and the child Horus? ... From the opening, we are in “communion with nature” and with what really matters, away from everyday stresses and absurdities (we’re gonna be laughing about this…) ... In PROLOGUE, Bertie becomes the Summer, the light of Life, eternal youth, and a lovely afternoon... Endymion. Immortal Rome. The Lark Ascending... Just Great! ENDYMION, John Keats, 1818. A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness; but still will keep A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing. Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing A flowery band to bind us to the earth, Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth Of noble natures, of the gloomy days, Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all, Some shape of beauty moves away the pall From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon, Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon For simple sheep; and such are daffodils With the green world they live in; and clear rills That for themselves a cooling covert make 'Gainst the hot season; the mid-forest brake, Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms: And such too is the grandeur of the dooms We have imagined for the mighty dead; All lovely tales that we have heard or read: An endless fountain of immortal drink, Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink. Nor do we merely feel these essences For one short hour; no, even as the trees That whisper round a temple become soon Dear as the temple's self, so does the moon, The passion poesy, glories infinite, Haunt us till they become a cheering light Unto our souls, and bound to us so fast That, whether there be shine or gloom o'ercast, They always must be with us, or we die. Therefore, ’tis with full happiness that I Will trace the story of Endymion... John Keats, from Endymion, 1818
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Post by tannis on Apr 11, 2008 2:48:42 GMT
Can you see the lark ascending?
The LARK symbolizes freedom, ardor, joy, youth, happiness, and the desire to be happy. According to Near Eastern mythology, the lark was the first creature to live upon the earth. Even today, he carries his father or creator inside the crest of his head. In other regions, the lark became associated with the "Spirit of the Wheat" and eventually with Christ who proclaimed, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever" (John 6:51; see also John 6:32-50). This bird's use as a symbol of Christ was strengthened by the fact that it helps rid wheat fields of locust eggs, caterpillars, and the harvest beetle - destructive creatures which were symbols of the devil. Because he makes his nest on the ground, the lark, like Christ is considered an intermediary between heaven and earth and a symbol of the marriage of heaven and earth.
Because the lark soars straight into the heavens and, upon reaching a great height, hovers there singing a joyful song, this bird is considered an emblem of glad prayers to the Creator inspired by the joys of being alive. He is believed to pray for the sowers of the wheat fields and, allegorically, for the sowers of Christ's fields. Its association with prayer makes this bird a symbol of the priesthood. In Scotland, it is said that the song of the lark may be understood by any person who lies quietly in the fields and listens to it. A British superstition states that drinking three lark's eggs will give one a beautiful singing voice. The singing lark is especially a symbol of the praying Christ as He ascends into Heaven, blessing His disciples (Lk 24:50-51; see also Acts 1;9; Mk 16:19).
The Lark Ascending is a popular musical piece written in 1914 by the famous British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Featuring a prominent solo violin part, the composition is intended to convey the lyrical and almost eternally English beauty of the scene in which a skylark rises into the heavens above some sunny down and attains such height that it becomes barely visible to those on the ground below. The First World War halted composition, but the work was revised in 1920 and it was premièred under conductor Adrian Boult in 1921.
The PROLOGUE Italian can translate as:
"Rome my (dear) Rome my (beautiful) darling (treasure) my (jewel) sky full of sun and light you dance so well (so well) so slowly..."
PROLOGUE suggests the miracle of life, conception, motherhood, and remembrance of things past. The cycle of life and death is reflected in the cycle of the day - the painting of morning, afternoon, and night.
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Post by tannis on Apr 11, 2008 2:49:18 GMT
The song of the oil and the brush... So the lovers begin, with a kiss... A tryst... Tristan and Isolde under the ivy? ...The Kiss by Gustav Klimt The Kiss is a fascinating icon of the loss of self that lovers experience. Only the faces and hands of this couple are visible; all the rest is great swirl of gold, studded with colored rectangles as if to express visually the emotional and physical explosion of erotic love. The Kiss is a discreet expression of Klimt’s emphasis on eroticism and the liberation therein. The Kiss falls in line with Klimt’s exploration of fulfillment and the redeeming, transformative power of love and art. The Kiss is deviant from Klimt’s frequent portrayal of women as the lascivious femme fatale.An Architect's Dream is possibly allegorical for God making the world. The Great Architect of the Universe (GAOTU, also Grand Architect of the Universe or Supreme Architect of the Universe) is a conception of God discussed by many Christian theologians and apologists. As a designation it is used within Freemasonry to neutrally represent whatever Supreme Being to which each member individually holds in adherence. An Architect's Dream celebrates the mystical union of love and the sensuous appreciation of life. A meditation on life’s contrasts, Shadows and Light, and maybe with some dark accents coming in from the side... Mmm, that's good!At the end of An Architect's Dream, it is revealed that the painter is painting on the sidewalk, and it starts to rain... Such is life! ... "Life is a lot of grey and a little bit of blue..." There’s a man drawing pictures On the sidewalk with chalk. Just as fast as he draws ’em Rain come down and wash ’em off.- The Beat of Black Wings, Joni Mitchell But the appreciation of life continues into a reassuringly wonderful ‘Sun-set’!SUNSET... The iridescent descent of the sun...“This is a song of colour,” and of rich rich rich imagery. It’s a song to say goodnight by hailing the splendor of sunset—read that literally or allegorically as you wish, as you will with the lyrics when you actually have this playing with the booklet in your hand. It’s lovely piano-and-voice stuff with very gentle bass and just a hint of soft drumming until the end, which swells into a Flamenco-tinged Spanish guitar fiesta that perfectly evokes a certain shade of dusk-tinged red-orange that’s filling the sky on this spread of the booklet. www.markelliswalker.net/music/albums/bush-aerial.htmlThe day writes the words right across the sky They go all the way up to the top of the night...AERIAL TAL... KaTe, blackbird and carrier pigeon wing their divine message to the gods...
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Post by tannis on Apr 11, 2008 2:49:47 GMT
With SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN we say goodbye to the day...This is where the shadows come to play twixt the day And night Dancing and skipping Along a chink of light......an underworldly or otherworldly feeling. A communion of spirits. SIB evokes that very special ‘window’ moment between people, nature, spirit, truth…Not one of us would dare to break The silence Oh how we have longed For something that would Make us feel so......whole? ...free? ...complete? Somewhere in between, there is a moment of pleasure, a communion better than words...'Be quiet, unless your speech be better than silence'Self Portrait, Salvator ROSA , 1615 - 1673www.nationalgalleryimages.co.uk/search.aspx?q=personification+of+Silence&frm=1The sun: Goodnight mumSomewhere in between, this sounds like a dedication to KaTe's mother?
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Post by tannis on Apr 11, 2008 2:50:48 GMT
NOCTURN: Cinematic driving references are often featured in KB's work... Don't Push Your Foot On The Heartbreak, Fullhouse, Cloudbusting, Hello Earth, You're The One... the on the road movie need to get away… And NOCTURN is a euphoric escape into nature. Let go of melancholy longing and become panoramic! (But how we long!) We see KaTe driving into the moonlight, diving deeper and deeper, among the stars, and becoming panoramic... ...And you will dance with me in the sunlit pools.In milky, silky water We swim further and further...Tripping on the water like a laughing girl.NOCTURN is a moonlit midsummer night's dream. Everyone is sleeping, dreaming, diving into their watery unconscious... One summer night on Atlantic resort Amity Island, Chrissie decides to take a moonlit skinny dip...NOCTURN kinda reminds me of the opening of JAWS, where the girl goes midnight skinny dipping! But what comes up is not Jaws, but the sun over the horizon! KB has conquered her nightmares! And the celebratory ending is nothing short of spectacular! ... This is a fantastic song ... All the time it’s a changing And all the dreamers are waking...'Stop that lyin' and a-sleepin' in bed--get up!' AERIAL continues the theme of escape and communion, and introduces a tribal gathering of energy to face the everyday… SOUNDWAVE OF BLACKBIRD SONG"...anyway, i located the aerial cover waveform on the album itself. it's at 37:28 in CD2 (or 3:18 into track 9). it is, of course, a birdsong... the waveform as shown on the cover is just the birdsong solo'd, so you see the entire waveform in sharper detail. on the album itself it has other sounds around it, so the finer details at the beginning and then end of the waveform are obscured. but when you listen to the actual sound, you can hear those finer details and sonically they match up with the visual waveform as it appears on the album cover." www.kempa.com/blog/archives/001035.htmlWhat kind of language is this? What kind of language is this? I can’t hear a word you’re saying Tell me what are you singing In the sunThe blackbird seems to have the answer! And KaTe joyously reports back to us:All of the birds are laughing All of the birds are laughing Come on let’s all join in Come on let’s all join in"What kind of language is this?" could be quoted from Night of the Demon (1957): MISS HARRINGTON: "What kind of language is this?" and in DON'T LOOK NOW (1971):
The Seer: You're sad. You're so sad and there's no need to be. Sister: My sister's psychic. The Seer: She wants you to know. I've seen her and she wants you to know that she's happy. I've seen your little girl sitting between you and your husband, and she was laughing. Yes. Oh, yes, she's with you. She's with you, my dear. And she's laughing! ... She's wearing a shiny little mac. Laura Baxter: Christine! The Seer: Oh, but she's laughing! She's laughing! She's as happy as can be.So maybe the blackbirds are communicating a reassuring spirit message from the Other Side? ... KB: "I do have a special fascination for films like Don't Look Now..." gaffa.org/reaching/i85_what.html KB: "My favourite is Don't Look Now. I was incredibly impressed by the tension, the drive and the way that every loose end was tied up. I get so irritated by films which leave ideas hanging." gaffa.org/reaching/i82_co.htmlWhatever, KaTe’s laughter suggests a cathartic conversation with a blackbird, like they are truly communicating. Or maybe it evokes a longing to change into a blackbird and to sing merrily and high on the roof in the sun! It's Exhilaring! ... I turn into a bird Carry further than the word is heard...And then we’re back to the thumping for the rest of the song and it’s the pounding of our wings as we fly wildly and deliriously through the sunrise. This is an album-closer unquestionably the work of the creator of The Dreaming!And I agree with the connection with The Big Sky. Both songs seem to deal with catharsis. Aerial Sky is a wonderful sunset and a wonderful sunrise, as never-ending as the cycle of death and rebirth... A Sky of Honey captures humankind's fascination with the sun trip by day and at night... From Egyptian Nut arching across the big sky, to Newgrange and Stonehenge solstices, to eclipses, the everyday and the beyond. A Sky of Honey is indeed a Classic Timepiece... The Dreaming is Kate Bush's 'Spring' Masterpiece; Hounds Of Love is Kate Bush's 'Summer' Masterpiece; and Aerial is Kate Bush's 'Autumn' Masterpiece.
We're Waiting for the 'Winter' Masterpiece...[/color]
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Post by Al Truest on Apr 11, 2008 11:53:51 GMT
First of all I would like to comment on the quality of this group and all the other posts made by Tannis. They are insightful, organized and truly inspired. The dimension added here compliments the other talented and creative artists that comprise ALL of the current active membership. NOCTURN: Cinematic driving references are often featured in KB's work... Don't Push Your Foot On The Heartbreak, Fullhouse, Cloudbusting, Hello Earth, You're The One... the on the road movie need to get away… I would add that these devices seem to have evolved during her career... As you note later, the vehicles become things like 'waves' (between wax and wane) - or that unspoken pause 'somewhere in between' which she uses both lyrically and with actual pauses in the structure of many of the compositions. Birds in flight and chinks of light are surely more lofty allusions than Heartbrakes and Kangas on the bonnets of vans. Her work, albeit steadfastly consistient and spiritual, has I think been refined as evidenced in 'Aerial'. Her grasp of the mechanisms for joy and communion have elevated her message from questions to answers. IMO Agreed! Great tie-ins here. Just the point that there IS another side (as she is trying to reveal) I hope is not lost on her many fans. A large group at Homeground often argued with me on my spiritual references in Kates music. Many of us here, it seems, are on the same wavelength - especially over the past few weeks. There are different strenghts and styles among us here that when combined paint a picture that none of us could accomplish on our own. [/color] [/quote] Thanks Tannis. Your views express many of mine in a way that is complimentary but just more damn complete. ;D
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Post by Adey on Apr 11, 2008 12:26:50 GMT
Tannis, you've done some great work here, but this post may be the best of it. I don't intend to even begin to comment on it's contents, but that doesn't mean I don't respect or appreciate it.. I share Al's gratitude to the new members and his appreciation for their incredible contributions. Older (more established) members are galvanised and the Forum is back from the brink where we were precariously balanced at one point. I look forward to visiting and reading again, rather than scratching out a few unread posts out of a sense of duty and a longstanding belief that this board is important in some way.. Many thanks to old and new.. ;D
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Post by rosabelbelieve on Apr 11, 2008 18:42:16 GMT
Tannis, wonderful, wonderful posts... I'm going to try to comment more thoroughly on them as soon as I can, but for now just know I really enjoyed them. And I can't echo enough the gratitude for everyone who takes the time to write up such, creative, intelligent, and thoughtful posts- these last few weeks have been filled with great discussions, and I really feel that there are a lot of kindred spirits here. Again, comments coming soon...
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Post by Barry SR Gowing on Apr 12, 2008 1:00:06 GMT
So maybe the blackbirds are communicating a reassuring spirit message from the Other Side? ... KB: "I do have a special fascination for films like Don't Look Now..." gaffa.org/reaching/i85_what.html KB: "My favourite is Don't Look Now. I was incredibly impressed by the tension, the drive and the way that every loose end was tied up. I get so irritated by films which leave ideas hanging." gaffa.org/reaching/i82_co.htmlOf course, Don't Look Now features Donald Sutherland and was directed by Nicolas Roeg who also directed Walkabout, which Tannis has mentioned before in relation to The Dreaming, and for that matter The Man Who Fell To Earth. A little bit of trivia: Julie Christie, who was Sutherland's co-star in Don't Look Now is 5'2" tall, the same height as Kate. Sutherland is 6'5" as is clearly seen in the Cloudbusting video. --Paul--
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Post by tannis on Apr 13, 2008 0:02:54 GMT
Thank you for your appreciative comments. And I echo Rosa's gratitude to all who take the time to post here or to read the threads... The Sensual World of Kate Bush really is inspirational! Her grasp of the mechanisms for joy and communion have elevated her message from questions to answers. IMO Yes, Aerial is indeed "a discovery and an awakening". The 'flight of fancy' is both elevating and grounding, just like the birds! ... Do you believe in the paranormal? KB: "Yes, I do." Is that it? KB (Smiling): "Yes." gaffa.org/reaching/i93_q.htmlAnd I too am sure that KaTe is trying to reveal to us the presence of another side. The "(smiling) yes" makes me think that she has encountered enough strange phenomena to open the doors to aerial perception... The Architect's Dream, oil painting by Thomas Cole, 1840; in the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio.www.britannica.com/eb/art/print?id=9550&articleTypeId=1Oh, and here's another piece of film trivia:Moonraker - In May of 1979, Kate was invited to sing the title track for this James Bond film. In a film magazine it said that you turned down the offer of singing the title song to the James Bond film Moonraker. Is this so, and if so, why? KATE: Yes, this is true. I thought it was a very lovely song, but I just didn't think it was for me. I think Shirley Bassey did it a lot better than I would have, anyway. (1980, KBC 5)gaffa.org/dreaming/discogr3.html
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amy
Reaching Out
Posts: 108
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Post by amy on Apr 13, 2008 12:35:11 GMT
Here's something Tannis. One of my favourite poems is by Thomas Hardy and along with other poems of his explores the idea that creatures (in this case a bird) seem to be in touch with 'the other side' or at least some other plane of existence that mankind has either lost touch with or is not privy to. I wouldn't be surprised if Kate is very aware of this poem:
The Darkling Thrush
I leant upon a coppice gate When Frost was spectre-gray, And Winter's dregs made desolate The weakening eye of day. The tangled bine-stems scored the sky Like strings of broken lyres, And all mankind that haunted nigh Had sought their household fires.
The land's sharp features seemed to be The Century's corpse outleant, His crypt the cloudy canopy, The wind his death-lament. The ancient pulse of germ and birth Was shrunken hard and dry, And every spirit upon earth Seemed fervourless as I.
At once a voice arose among The bleak twigs overhead In a full-hearted evensong Of joy illimited; An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small, In blast-beruffled plume, Had chosen thus to fling his soul Upon the growing gloom.
So little cause for carolings Of such ecstatic sound Was written on terrestrial things Afar or nigh around, That I could think there trembled through His happy good-night air Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew And I was unaware.
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Post by tannis on Apr 13, 2008 16:33:34 GMT
Thank you for introducing me to this poem. The bird's uplifting echoes resonate throughout A Sky of Honey... I have read Jude and Tess, but never his poetry. Paul posted Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" on the poetry thread. And I found this essay comparing the two: "The Darkling Thrush" first appeared in print a couple of days prior to the last day of the 19th century. Hardy was watching the sun set on one century, and dawn on another. The poem opens with blow after blow of ominous images, similes, and metaphors. The lyre (or harp), has an ancient association with poetry itself, as well as song. It is as if poetry itself is broken, music itself is out of tune. The very landscape has become the pinched face of a corpse withered in death. Mankind does not linger near their household fires, but "haunts" them. Hardy speaks not of every person upon earth, but every "spirit," and they are "fervourless"--not just without passion, but literally without warmth, as the bodies of the dead. The title, translated into contemporary idiom, would be "The Thrush in the Dark." Of course, to mention "The Darkling Thrush" and "Ode to a Nightingale" in the same breath is a commonplace. Keats' poem likewise opens with desolation: "My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains/ My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk." Its third line also contains a reference to dregs: "Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains." And its bird is also described as "happy," "'Tis not through envy of they happy lot,/ But being too happy in thine happiness." Verbal echoes are many: Keats' bird sings in "full-throated" ease; Hardy's in "full-hearted" evensong. One poem contains "spectre-thin," the other, "spectre-gray;" one contains the word "ecstasy," the other "ecstatic;" "gloom" or "glooms" appear in each. Both are set near a wood ("forest-dim," "coppice gate.") The song of thrush and nightingale are alike described in religious terms: Keats' "high requiem" and "anthem;" Hardy's "evensong" and "caroling." (Though religious references in Keats' poem tend towards the pagan, while those in Hardy's perhaps more Christian.) In a marked parallel, Hardy's bird "had chosen thus to fling his soul/ Upon the growing gloom," while Keats addresses his nightingale which is "pouring forth thy soul abroad/ In such an ecstasy!" Of course there are a number of points where the poems differ as well, only thrown into higher relief by the similarities. Keats' is a poem of summer, Hardy's of the meager winter days. Keats' bird, like Poetry itself, is "immortal," while Hardy's thrush is aged, frail, probably nearing the end of its life (and Poetry appears only in the context of "broken lyres"). In both poems, the song of the bird takes the narrator out of himself. Yet at the end of Keats' poem, the narrator is pulled back into introspection from ecstasy ("Forlorn!") when the bird's song vanishes, while Hardy's poem ends with the bird awakening the narrator out of his depressed meditation. "The Darkling Thrush" is, in a way, a hymn not to faith, but to doubt. True, the poem would seem to end on a note of hope, but it is a hope carefully qualified, a mere "trembling" through the bird's "happy good-night air." And all the evidence "written" around in the landscape points to the contrary. To read this as a poem of pure optimism is to ignore the carefully-layered gloom of the opening (a gloom which is "growing"), the actual condition of the thrush (aged, gaunt, frail), and especially the qualification "that I could think." That the thrush may somehow be conscious of a "blessed Hope" of which the narrator is not, is not a statement of fact; rather, a fond wish; optative. The poem closes not on "knew," but on "unaware." But to read it as a poem of pessimism is, of course, likewise misguided. The poem does proffer a possibility of hope, however tentative. The bird does sing with "joy illimited." Whether this joy is ultimately unfounded, we are left not knowing. But even if we end the poem as "in the dark" as the narrator, we leave it briefly uplifted. from The Darkling Thrush: A Centennial Appreciation, by A. E. Stallingswww.alsopreview.com/aside/aethrush.html
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Adena
Moving
This time around we dance - we're chosen ones
Posts: 611
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Post by Adena on Apr 14, 2008 13:11:40 GMT
I think Kate did well in splitting this album. The contrast between the strong vocals and musical background of Sea of Honey and the soft vocals and natural background of Sky of Honey really enhances the stunning effect Kate creates in this album. I especially like the way that Kate has utilized concepts, life and history all in this album.
My opinion's somewhat limited these days, but yes,here's my twopence in the barrel.
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