3 Ring Binder

well . . . you don't have to. Thanks to my youngest's Pandora channel for the reminder of this beautifully sweet song.

Today, we’re celebrating Judy Garland’s life. She would have been 88 today if she hadn’t died of a possibly-accidental overdose at the age of 47.   In addition to a general love of All Things Judy around here, my youngest has been writing an essay on the life of Judy Garland for a writing class.   Questions like,“Who’s Mel Torme,” come up quite often (perhaps I ought to show her some old videos so she’ll stop asking), but the killer questions are “What are barbiturates?” and “Why did the MGM studio guys think she was fat?” I’ve watched several episodes of The Judy Garland Show, which ran in 1963-1964 (YouTube), and I while I like her spunk, I can’t help but think of how much she appeared to have been eaten alive by the world of entertainment. In memory of Baby Gumm, a little girl with a big voice, I hope you enjoy the following snippets of Judy Garland. For Me: An excellent polyphonic song with Barbra Streisand singing Happy Days are Here Again and Judy with Get Hap...

On Tuesday, I read a brief interview with Melody Gardot on Women’s Wear Daily .   I had never heard of Ms. Gardot before Tuesday and was intrigued by her story, her singing style choice, and her age, but shortly thereafter became rather bewitched by her smoky, sultry voice .   A little more research and a little more than 24 hours later, I was sitting in the front row of the balcony at the Wilbur Theatre , poised to become her biggest fan. Gardot, it should be mentioned, uses a cane and wears dark glasses as a result of an horrific car-meets-bike accident when she was 19. She used music as a therapy to deal with her year-long bed-stay recovery and is now a big supporter of music therapy.   It’s also worth mentioning that she is a tiny woman with crazy long legs and is now only 25 years old.  (More of her story in video form can be found here .) And while she doesn’t consider herself a jazz singer, Gardot perfectly captures the sexy bluesy-jazz intonation in...

Today is the 200 th anniversary of Beethoven’s lovely little composition formally known as Bagatelle in A minor .   Even if you don’t read music, you can still make out the opening notes of this famous piece. Its very name, Für Elise , practically conjures the sound of the music. If you, like me,  have but don’t play a piano, you may want to try your hand(s) at plunking out the beginning of the composition with the help of  this little video .  (I'm guessing that Rock Band enthusiasts would have an easy go of it.) And, because recently, I can’t seem to go a day without making some sort of political commentary, try to read this with the sound ‘on’ to test your toleration of repetitive sounds.   Let me know how far you get before you turn the sound ‘off’.

These are videos of two of the song that we are singing in our intergenerational homeschool chorus this year. Sadly, they are nothing much to watch, but they were the best video/audio performances I could find of the particular arrangements we are singing. Both songs are vocally interesting (to me, an untrained singer, this means it takes a while to learn how to hit the correct notes), but the poetry into song aspect is lovely. Happily, whilst I have been chagrined by other matters, I have been going around singing these lovely tunes with my daughter. Emily Dickinson (1830–86). Complete Poems. 1924. Part Two: Nature II WILL there really be a morning? Is there such a thing as day? Could I see it from the mountains If I were as tall as they? Has it feet like water-lilies? Has it feathers like a bird? Is it brought from famous countries Of which I have never heard? Oh, some scholar! Oh, some sailor! Oh, some wise man from the skies! Please to tell a little pilgrim W...

I’ve been meaning to post on our experience seeing Ann Hampton Callaway perform in New York City.   She was wonderful. She has an incredibly smooth and sultry deep voice and she scats. I hate scat!   But for some reason, I liked the sound of it when she did it.   It could have been the atmosphere, the intimate swanky lounge with the skyline of Manhattan across Central Park (as viewed from the 5 th floor of the Time-Warner building on Columbus Circle) behind her, or it could have been the cozy company of my most favorite person in the entire world outside of – well, let’s face it – sometimes even including myself, or it could have actually been her tremendously cool dulcet tones.   Most likely, it was a combination of all three. Accompanied by Pete Washington on bass, Willie Jones III on drums, and “the fabulous” Ted Rosenthal on piano, she sang old standards, new ballads, and some songs she had written – each one seemingly more thrilling than the last. Don’...

On this date of his birth, enjoy some of the fabulous music of Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741).  I find the 3rd movement of Summer to be especially fitting as I write to my congressmen about their unscrupulous efforts toward health care bill reconciliation. Presto Alas, his worst fears were justified, as the heavens roar and great hailstones beat down upon the proudly standing corn. While I read the letter over, making certain that I have been strong, but clear, I'm inspired by Winter , 1st movement because to me it represents the joy of life over the destructive adversity of the cold. Allegro non molto Shivering, frozen mid the frosty snow in biting, stinging winds; running to and fro to stamp one's icy feet, teeth chattering in the bitter chill. That part of the sonnet does not include my triumphant feelings from the music in words, but that's what it inspires in me. Finally, when I put the letters in the mailbox, I will hear the hopeful music of Spring , 1st movement...

Was it is about this, that inspires this, and this? And is it a good thing?

(Scottish, traditional) By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond. O you'll take the high road and I'll take the low road And I'll be in Scotland afore ye For me and my true love will ne-er meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond. 'Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen On the steep, steep sides o' Ben Lomond Where deep in purple hue, the hieland hills we view And the moon comin' out in the gloamin'. I love this song and was reminded of it this evening by a post on HBL on the singer Deanna Durbin, seen below.