Music (part 7) - Summer

rapids/everystockphoto.com

Summer

And Vivaldi composed a piece for all seasons.

So here's to the season! Let there be music.

( reference: https://youtu.be/g65oWFMSoK0 )

Enjoy!

For more information on this composer and this work, check out:

* Antonio Vivaldi - BAROQUE COMPOSERS AND MUSICIANS

* The  Four Seasons - Work by Vivaldi  

-------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

Previous posts in the series:
  

Music (part 1) - Winter (2016) 
  

Music (part 2) - All You Need is Love (2016) 

Music (part 3) - Passover (2016)

Music (part 4) - Armed Forces Medley  (2016)

Music (part 5) - Over There : Remembering World War I  (2018)

Music (part 6) - Pastoral and Spring  (2019)

-------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------

Photo: rapids/everystockphoto.com

Science 101 (part 7) - Sun Henge

Summer Solstice Sunrise over Stonehenge 2005/wikipedia.com

The Summer Solstice 

As of this posting, it's coming up June 21, 2018.

When the day will get as long as it will get this year. At least in the northern hemisphere.

The Science?

It's explained in this video:

(reference: https://youtu.be/BoBg_FFystw )

An intriguing spot to observe the solstice is in England.

Stonehenge

Many gather there for various reasons to observe and experience the turning point of the seasons. For the Solstice can not only be reduced to a scientific fact. But also one of myth and lore and wonder.

The video below relives the longest day of the year at Stonehenge with sunset on 20 June and sunrise on 21 June, 2017.

(reference: https://youtu.be/1qsFbwZ-uKY )

For many, the Solstice is a mystical, spiritual, even religious experience. 

And in that vein of thought, let's go back to the revelation of the origin of the seasons:

In the Beginning...

As in Genesis 1:

And God said, 

Let there be lights
 in the firmament of the heaven 

to divide 
the day from the night; 

and let them be 
for signs, 

and for seasons, 

and for days, 

and years:

And let them be for lights 

in the firmament of the heaven 

to give light upon the earth: 

and it was so.

And God made two great lights; 

the greater light to rule the day, 

and the lesser light to rule the night: 

He made the stars also.

And God set them 
in the firmament of the heaven 

to give light upon the earth,

And to rule over the day 

and over the night, 

and to divide the light 
from the darkness: 

and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:14-18 (KJV)

And for a Summer Solstice that is really out of this world, check out the view from the International Space Station:

( reference: https://youtu.be/Kb84FkTuHuQ )

And God saw 
every thing
 that He had made, 

and, behold,
 it was very good. 

...

Genesis 1:31 (KVJ)


So marks the changing of the seasons.

Have a blessed summer!

--------------------------

--------------------------

Previous posts in this series:

Science 101 (part 1) - Vernal Equinox  (2013)

Science 101 (part 2) - The Sound of Music? (2013)

Science 101 (part 3) - From Galileo to Apollo (2013)

Science 101 (part 4) - Cosmos Continued ... (2014) 

Science 101 (part 5) - August Meteor Showers (2016)

Science 101 (part 6) - June's Strawberry Moon  (2017)

--------------------------
--------------------------

Photo:  Summer Solstice Sunrise over Stonehenge 2005/wikipedia.com

Culture 101 (part 10) - Summertime! x 3

Summer field in Belgium

Three faces of Summer

1. The scientific face

Yes, summer solstice officially begins June 21, 2013 in the northern hemisphere.  [reference:  First Day of Summer 2013 Solstice Dates Times Photos]

And for my science loving friends, the reasons for the seasons are well explained in the video clip below:




Now, wasn't that intellectual?

2.  The Romantic and Poetic face:

Solomon knew something about romance and the change of seasons when he penned this -

¹¹ See! The winter is past;
    the rains are over and gone.
¹² Flowers appear on the earth;
    the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
    is heard in our land.
¹³ The fig tree forms its early fruit;
    the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
    my beautiful one, come with me.”

from Song of Solomon 2 (NIV)

3.  The artsy and cultural face

In 1935, what the History Channel calls the first great American opera, Porgy and Bess, premiered on Broadway.  [reference: Porgy and Bess, the first great American opera, premieres on Broadway — History.com This Day in History — 10/10/1935]

One of the memorable numbers from the opera is Summertime, as sung below in  this clip:




Lyrics are here: PORGY AND BESS SUMMERTIME LYRICS


The Mind, Body, and Soul -

Enjoy these three facets of summer!

-----------------
-----------------

Previous posts in the Culture 101 series:

Culture 101 (part 1) - Reagan's Challenge (2012)

Culture 101 (part 2) - Easter Eucatastrophe (2012)

Culture 101 (part 3) - Paul Revere's Ride (2012)

Culture 101 (part 4) - Gold Diggers and the Great Depression (2012)

Culture 101 (part 5) - Blue Bloods and 9/11 (2012)

Culture 101 (part 6) - Gilligan's Island and Breast Cancer Awareness (2012)

Culture 101 (part 7) - Band of Brothers  (2013)

Culture 101 (part 8) - Snow White (2013)

Culture 101 (part 9) - Father Knows Best (2013)

-----------------
-----------------


Photo from:  Wikipedia - Field Hamois Belgium

Artistic Readings

One recent weekend, my husband and I visited family and friends in Colorado Springs. Fortunate for us, the Summer Music Festival was going on at Colorado College. Since 1984, this music festival has been an intensive three-week program for 45 advanced musicians. One of our friends regularly sponsors a student at these festivals and he invited us for one of the Concerto Readings.

First on the program that day was Ran Kampel from Tel-Aviv Israel. He read through the Concerto for Clarient and Orchestra, Op. 57, by Carl Nielsen (1865 - 1931), one of the most difficult pieces written for clarinet.

Second, was Kathryn Brooks, who received both her bachelor and master of music degrees from Cleveland Institute of Music. She performed Bassoon Concerto in B flat Major, K. 191 by W. A. Mozar (1756 - 1791)

I enjoyed these readings even more than regular performances. The student gets immediate feedback from the masters as he/she does a first reading of the piece. A second performance of the same piece follows as the student plays with the critique in mind.

Having studied music myself, I find the insight of the masters invaluable, especially when I hear the difference between the first and second performances.

For a sample of some of the performances: click here.

This process reminds me of a method to fine tune the craft of writing. After a story is written, the masters' critique can pick out ways to improve the piece and create a better connection with the audience.


Related links:

Colorado College Summer Music Festival:

Music Festival: http://www.coloradocollege.edu/SummerPrograms/SummerFestivaloftheArts/MusicFestival
Sample of Performances: http://www.coloradocollege.edu/SummerPrograms/SummerFestivaloftheArts/MusicFestival/downloadperformances.asp

Photos from everystockphoto.com:
Musician & music: everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=2492989