Summer Plans for MMM!

Well, just as the guys over at Dial M are taking a vacation, I'm thinking it is high time I got back to blogging! Fortunately, Ralph Locke and Brent Reidy are filling the vacancy at Dial M.

Upon my graduation from college, a wise mentor of mine counseled me to "listen to as much music as possible." This has stayed with me over the past decade, but I have failed to heed it. So, this summer, I plan to rectify that. I'd love to say I could do a new piece every day, but that may not be realistic (we musicologists have to read too and I find that I cannot do both at the same time). Real listening is a time investment for me. So, I'm going to aim for at least twice a week (let's hope this goes better than my exercise goals...).

In the meantime, remember this? For those of you who have been dying to know the answers, here they are:


1. O Lord, My God, I take refuge in you

"O Sing unto the Lord" by Phyllis E. Zimmerman. Ok, so it was a loooooooooong shot. A really loooooooooooooooooooong shot.

2. Mit Staunen sieht das Wunderwerk HINT: 18th-c

I was surprised this one had no takers! Haydn, Die Schöpfung (No. 4 for soprano solo and chorus)

3. De profundis clamavi ad te...(hint: it is from the 20th-c, and relevant to my dissertation work)

Like I said, the sacred music texts were a little unfair. But, this would be from Bernstein's Mass.

4. Da die Hirten ihre Herde

Mark got this one! Schoenberg's Friede auf Erden, Op. 13

5. We met in the quiet of the meadow

Another obscurity. A song called "The Other Side of the Wood" by a former lawyer-turned folk singer-now Unitarian minister named Fred Small.

6. My life goes on in endless song HINT: new age/Celtic

Enya, "How Can I Keep From Singing?" I was hoping someone would recognize the words of the hymn.

7. Adonai, Adonai... Lo gavah libi

I gave Scott half-credit for this one since he guessed Bernstein's Kaddish Symphony. It was from the third mvt of Chichester Psalms.

8. Funny day, looking for laughter and finding it there

Again, this one went to Mark: Joni Mitchell's "I Don't Where I Stand" from the Clouds album.

9. Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back around.

My friend "the Unhipster" identified Tracy Chapman's "Gimme one Reason"
10. I have spent nights with matches and knives

This one went to Svenn: Indigo Girls, "Blood and Fire"

11. Can you hear the drums... HINT: the title of the song is the next word.

I thought this one would be one of the first to go, but no dice. Dan B. finally got it: ABBA, "Fernando."

12. An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day HINT: country classic!

Another surprise, although I suppose an old cowboy riding on a dark and windy day isn't exactly the most unique musical experience. Johnny Cash, "Ghost Riders in the Sky"

13. Half the people are stoned
Phil, my brother in Bernstein, got this one...the famous lines written by Paul Simon and given to Lenny which he used in Mass.
14. Empty spaces, what are we living for HINT: classic rock

Queen, "The Show Must Go On"

15. No more carefree laughter HINT: same performer(s) as another already guessed item on this list

ABBA, "Knowing Me, Knowing You"

16. I cannot ask you when exactly you plan to leave (you won't know the performer, but if you get the composer, extra bonus points!!)

Really tough one but not as obscure as No. 1. Stephen Paulus, Songs of Love and Longing "From This World"

17. Hello, darkness, my old friend

Unhipster knew this one: Simon and Garfunkel, "The Sound of Silence"

18. The sky may be starless... HINT: jazz standard, popular artist

Diana Krall, "Love Letters"


19. Let us be lovers, we'll marry our fortunes together

Again, the Unhipster: Simon and Garfunkel, "America"

20. Won't you please let me go HINT: assoc. with Little Miss Sunshine

New Order, "Age of Consent." I must apologize. I think the song was used with the movie Marie Antoinette, NOT Little Miss Sunshine.


21. I've an unrest inside me HINT: showtune

Dan B. should get the top prize for correctly guessing Blitzstein's "I Wish it So," sung by Dawn Upshaw on the album of the same name.

22. Oh, play me some... HINT: classic 80s country

Alright. So I'm the only one who listens to Alabama? ("Mountain Music")

23. Goodnight my angel HINT: leave these questions for another day...

Billy Joel, "Lullaby" aka "Goodnight My Angel"


24. Barbare! Non, sans toi je ne puis vivre HINT: opera "reformer"

This one went to Deetie: Gluck's Alceste. If my students read this blog, which they do not (at least to my knowledge), they would have guessed that one...I hope.

25. Where have all the good men gone (it is for the gym, OK?)

Svenn came through with Bonnie Tyler's "I Need a Hero"

THANKS FOR PLAYING!

Two Memes in Less than 24 Hours...

means, what? Hey, I'm done grading my papers!

This one comes from Phil Jr., but then I was further inspired by Scott.

Step 1: I Put my MP3 player or whatever on random.
Step 2: I Post the first line from the first 25 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing the song.
Step 3: YOU Post and let everyone you know guess what song and artist the lines come from.
Step 4: I Strike through when someone gets them right.

And because most of my readership is academic, I'm including foreign language numbers (especially if they are well-known works). I skipped the numerous selections that began "Kyrie eleison..." or "Sanctus, Sanctus"

I'll post the answers after a week or so.


1. O Lord, My God, I take refuge in you
2. Mit Staunen sieht das Wunderwerk HINT: 18th-c
3. De profundis clamavi ad te...(hint: it is from the 20th-c, and relevant to my dissertation work)
4. Da die Hirten ihre Herde
5. We met in the quiet of the meadow
6. My life goes on in endless song HINT: new age/Celtic
7. Adonai, Adonai... Lo gavah libi
8. Funny day, looking for laughter and finding it there
9. Give me one reason to stay here and I'll turn right back around.
10. I have spent nights with matches and knives
11. Can you hear the drums... HINT: the title of the song is the next word.
12. An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day HINT: country classic!
13. Half the people are stoned
14. Empty spaces, what are we living for HINT: classic rock
15. No more carefree laughter HINT: same performer(s) as another already guessed item on this list
16. I cannot ask you when exactly you plan to leave (you won't know the performer, but if you get the composer, extra bonus points!!)
17. Hello, darkness, my old friend
18. The sky may be starless... HINT: jazz standard, popular artist
19. Let us be lovers, we'll marry our fortunes together
20. Won't you please let me go HINT: assoc. with Little Miss Sunshine
21. I've an unrest inside me HINT: showtune
22. Oh, play me some... HINT: classic 80s country
23. Goodnight my angel HINT: leave these questions for another day...
24. Barbare! Non, sans toi je ne puis vivre HINT: opera "reformer"
25. Where have all the good men gone (it is for the gym, OK?)


GOOD LUCK! Fabulous prizes for all, of course...

UPDATED 5/5 with HINTS!! I felt sure no. 2, 12 and 23 would be guessed long before no. 4!
UPDATED 5/7: updated hint to No. 15

Repressing the Resurrection of the Sphinx: A Meme

Well, the lofty musicological musings are going to have to wait. I have been tagged by Phil Ford.

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

I couldn't subject you to what is on p. 123 of The Resume Handbook, so here are the offerings from the next closest book: Sabine Prokhoris' The Witch's Kitchen: Freud, Faust, and the Transference.

"This now permits me to take the further step of identifying metapsychology as the precise articulation of thought with the transference. It follows that thinking in metapsychological terms means, within the reality of a practice, using analytic theory in such a way as to thwart the effects of the repression that necessarily presides over theory's elaboration. I have called this "resurrecting the Sphinx."

Hmm. I'm thinking extending my reach to grab Isak Dinesen's Babette's Feast might have been a more generous offering. I'm sure, however, that the excerpt from p. 123 of Prohkoris' book will make more sense when I've read the entire work.

Since Phil F. already tagged my usual suspects, I'm sending this on to other reputable blogging colleagues who have been neglected (by me) as of late (at least in terms of commenting!). So, I hereby tag:

Tim
Elaine
Emily

Looking for some Norwegian memeage from
Erik

And as a nudge...;-)
Sammee

And please, if you read this blog, consider yourself tagged.

Ode to Benjaminas Zelkevičius

Alright, as I crawl out from under papers to be graded and articles to be drafted, I offer you...
yes, a meme. I know there will be more substantive offerings soon...just not now. But, as memes go, this one is fairly substantive, especially when subjected to the analysis of Phil Ford over at Dial M.

Phil got it from Brent over at Musikwissenbloggenschaft
which I added to the MMM blogroll yesterday.


1. your song is going to have a title, a chorus, and two verses . . . is that too conformist for you? too bad. deal.

2. song title is the first random wikipedia article you pull up.

3. the first verse is the mash up of the first four words of the first four quotes and the last four words of the last four quotes from here. pair the first quotes first words with the last quotes last words, and so on.

4. the second verse is a mash up like the first, but refresh for a new page o' quotes.

5. the chorus you ask? the title of your song, four times, of course!

6. if you are feeling grammariffic, add prepositions and make verbs make sense (if possible). or don't let the grammar-man tell you what to do and skip it.

7. post the lyrics or--if you are feeling rather adventurous--record the thing.


I wound up with a folk song about a Lithuanian football coach. I took one word out to make the butter line work (yes, I'm feeling grammariffic, even if it is eh, regional grammar). The first verse has a lot of topical resonance, I think. A little touch of Eleanor Rigby plus one part Arlo Guthrie? I don't know, you tell me:

Benjaminas Zelkevičius

There's no secret about backing a winning candidate
In mathematics you don't have absence of fear
All truths are easy and in the recent past
I think people have to face rejection.

Benjaminas Zelkevičius (x4)

When the character of talking is waiting
Without the aid can never be complete
I don't even butter them things
Stubborness is also determination. [It's] kind of lousy.

Benjaminas Zelkevičius (x4)

Metropolitan Opera Meme

I figure it has been awhile, so I'm entitled to some memeage. This one comes from Matthew over at Soho the Dog, via Wellsung, Parterre Box, and Steve Smith:

What did the Met perform on the day you were born? Or if you are a summer baby, the day you were conceived (if you prefer, as was Matthew's choice).

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg {363}
Metropolitan Opera House
Debut: Eva Marton

If we treat this like astrology, I suppose there should be some sort of significance. I'd love to write something witty about being the Abgesang to my parents Stollen, but that doesn't really make very much sense (and not just because I'm adopted). I did write my first "serious" college music paper on the medieval Meistersinger tradition as represented in Wagner's opera.