“They saw their injured country's woe;
The flaming town, the wasted field;
Then rushed to meet the insulting foe;
They took the spear, - but left the shield.”
The fountains in the sky in brilliance burst Over throngs who thrill as patterns spread In radiant arms of glowing hues disbursed Natant in the blackness overhead.
Deafening as any cannonade Explosions follow soon the hiss and squeal –– Preliminaries to the star brigade Erupting floridly, yet quite unreal.
Naumachia was naught compare to this Delirium. Decorum’s cast aside. Enraptured like Narcissus we know bliss, Non sequitur to what’s seen nationwide.
Could joy we take in heaven’s fireworks Earthbound hold us, while the Devil smirks?
Since you asked, The Sandpiper was a regional quarterly I had the pleasure of editing and publishing a long time ago. One of the happiest, most productive periods in my checkered career.
Thanks by the way for mounting a first-class rendition of that piece of good movie music. I remember it it best from its having been used to represent "Marlboro Country" back when it was still possible to advertise cigarettes on TV. Remember the Marlboro Man? Well, this was his leitmotif. ;-)
Elmer Bernstein was one of several extraordinarily gifted composers who wrote beautiful, highly creative symphonic "background music" for the American cinema before Rock Crap and electronic synthesizers took over and befouled the field.
Bernstein (no relation to Leonard by the way –– I looked it up just to be sure) wrote the poignant, deeply affecting score for To Kill A Mockingbird among many other things. That alone endeared him to me forever.
I have to say in addition that it's obvious to me that Elmer Bernstein was influenced by Ferdé Groffe of Grand Canyon Suite fame, who was in turn influenced no doubt by Aaron Copland, who was, himself a movie composer. Copland composed the music for both Our Town and The Heiress.He my have dine others, but I'm not sure.
It's no insult by the way to say that So-and-So was influenced by anyone else. Virtually ALL the real composers were influenced by someone who came before, but was probably less significant than they. Many of them considered it a compliment to be "quoted" by others,
The party's over, it's time to call it a day They've burst your pretty balloon And taken the moon away It's time to wind up the masquerade Just make your mind up The piper must be paid
The party's over, the candles flicker and die You danced and dreamed through the night It seemed to be right not heaving a sigh Now you must wake up, all dreams must end Take off your makeup, the party's over It's all over, my friend
The party's over, it's time to call it a day They've burst your pretty balloon And taken the moon away Now you must wake up, all dreams must end Take off your makeup, the party's over It's all over, my friend.
____________ FIREWORKS ____________
ReplyDeleteThe fountains in the sky in brilliance burst
Over throngs who thrill as patterns spread
In radiant arms of glowing hues disbursed
Natant in the blackness overhead.
Deafening as any cannonade
Explosions follow soon the hiss and squeal ––
Preliminaries to the star brigade
Erupting floridly, yet quite unreal.
Naumachia was naught compare to this
Delirium. Decorum’s cast aside.
Enraptured like Narcissus we know bliss,
Non sequitur to what’s seen nationwide.
Could joy we take in heaven’s fireworks
Earthbound hold us, while the Devil smirks?
~ FreeThinke - The Sandpiper
The Sandpiper. Sailboat?
ReplyDeleteSince you asked, The Sandpiper was a regional quarterly I had the pleasure of editing and publishing a long time ago. One of the happiest, most productive periods in my checkered career.
ReplyDeleteThanks by the way for mounting a first-class rendition of that piece of good movie music. I remember it it best from its having been used to represent "Marlboro Country" back when it was still possible to advertise cigarettes on TV. Remember the Marlboro Man? Well, this was his leitmotif. ;-)
ReplyDeleteElmer Bernstein was one of several extraordinarily gifted composers who wrote beautiful, highly creative symphonic "background music" for the American cinema before Rock Crap and electronic synthesizers took over and befouled the field.
Bernstein (no relation to Leonard by the way –– I looked it up just to be sure) wrote the poignant, deeply affecting score for To Kill A Mockingbird among many other things. That alone endeared him to me forever.
I have to say in addition that it's obvious to me that Elmer Bernstein was influenced by Ferdé Groffe of Grand Canyon Suite fame, who was in turn influenced no doubt by Aaron Copland, who was, himself a movie composer. Copland composed the music for both Our Town and The Heiress.He my have dine others, but I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteIt's no insult by the way to say that So-and-So was influenced by anyone else. Virtually ALL the real composers were influenced by someone who came before, but was probably less significant than they. Many of them considered it a compliment to be "quoted" by others,
DEDICATED to the FIFTH of JULY in the USA:
ReplyDelete________ THE PARTY'S OVER ________
The party's over, it's time to call it a day
They've burst your pretty balloon
And taken the moon away
It's time to wind up the masquerade
Just make your mind up
The piper must be paid
The party's over, the candles flicker and die
You danced and dreamed through the night
It seemed to be right not heaving a sigh
Now you must wake up, all dreams must end
Take off your makeup, the party's over
It's all over, my friend
The party's over, it's time to call it a day
They've burst your pretty balloon
And taken the moon away
Now you must wake up, all dreams must end
Take off your makeup, the party's over
It's all over, my friend.
~ from Bells Are Ringing
Very appropos.
ReplyDelete