Wow! I feel like I need another week of dark February evenings to fully sink into these pieces, including your vivid and poignant introductions that buttress them. I’m honestly shaken by Peter and Lorraine’s story. It’s so tragic but honestly triumphant too, like the Juliet piece. I can’t imagine what it’s like for Peter to listen to his wife sing those words, those bedroom poems of their courtship… and to be able to return to her in such a significant way. Time and time again. Sigh. When truth is more remarkable than fiction! 💙
Agreed — these dark February nights are soooo good for candlelit listening sessions. You may not have another week, but at least there's an extra day to savor these works!
I love your framing of Peter's Neruda song — tragic and triumphant, indeed. Such a testament to art's power to console and lead us into a new day, as you said, "time and time again." I hope Lorraine's voice brings you many more moments of comfort and consolation, Katie! Thank you, as always, for being here. 💙
Such a gorgeous exploration of love in this way, Michael. I enjoyed the frame to bring us into your selections. The reading of the Prokofiev in the play with the literary is beautiful. It's so helpful how you linked in timed moments into your discussion. I always like the way you look at music through so many angles - here the literary, emotional, personal/biographical. 💙
Thanks so much, Kathleen! So many church bells were ringing as I read through the Lee essay for the first time. It was like finding a treasure map!
These Theme & Variations posts have become really fun places to layer texts and perspectives. In terms of time spent and mental power needed, very challenging — but oh so rewarding when complete. Your work at the Matterhorn has given me so much inspiration to find new ways to approach such complex layering! 💙
Thank you so much, Jules! Lorraine's is one of my favorite voices in the world, and I'm so glad there's a permanent record of her singing the Neruda Songs. Such a fluid expression of love between the two of them.
And I'm glad you enjoyed the Mapplethorpe — his floral still lifes always make me swoon. 💙
Oh my heart — thank you for highlighting that line, Kathleen. It was one of the sentences that seemed to appear on the page before I had even articulated it in my mind — makes me smile each time I read it. 💙
I love your description of the end of the Neruda song. It's so true — in both the end of the Prokofiev and the Lieberson there's an amazing ocean of space created in the orchestra, just ethereal highs and pillowy lows. A simultaneous sense of transcendence and grounding.
Wow! I feel like I need another week of dark February evenings to fully sink into these pieces, including your vivid and poignant introductions that buttress them. I’m honestly shaken by Peter and Lorraine’s story. It’s so tragic but honestly triumphant too, like the Juliet piece. I can’t imagine what it’s like for Peter to listen to his wife sing those words, those bedroom poems of their courtship… and to be able to return to her in such a significant way. Time and time again. Sigh. When truth is more remarkable than fiction! 💙
Agreed — these dark February nights are soooo good for candlelit listening sessions. You may not have another week, but at least there's an extra day to savor these works!
I love your framing of Peter's Neruda song — tragic and triumphant, indeed. Such a testament to art's power to console and lead us into a new day, as you said, "time and time again." I hope Lorraine's voice brings you many more moments of comfort and consolation, Katie! Thank you, as always, for being here. 💙
Of course!! (And that extra day back there was really nice!!)
I especially loved the third one
My love, if I die and you don't
let's not give grief an even greater field.
No expanse is greater than where we live.
The music very tender and beautiful.
Thanks for sharing, Steve. Indeed such a beautiful marriage of music and poetry. 💙
Such a gorgeous exploration of love in this way, Michael. I enjoyed the frame to bring us into your selections. The reading of the Prokofiev in the play with the literary is beautiful. It's so helpful how you linked in timed moments into your discussion. I always like the way you look at music through so many angles - here the literary, emotional, personal/biographical. 💙
Thanks so much, Kathleen! So many church bells were ringing as I read through the Lee essay for the first time. It was like finding a treasure map!
These Theme & Variations posts have become really fun places to layer texts and perspectives. In terms of time spent and mental power needed, very challenging — but oh so rewarding when complete. Your work at the Matterhorn has given me so much inspiration to find new ways to approach such complex layering! 💙
💙💙
Another marvellous selection, including the Mapplethorpe at the beginning!
Dear me, the story of the Liebersons is so very touching, and what a wonderful memorial to Lorraine they created together. Deeply moving.
I enjoyed the Saariaho very much.
Thank you so much, Jules! Lorraine's is one of my favorite voices in the world, and I'm so glad there's a permanent record of her singing the Neruda Songs. Such a fluid expression of love between the two of them.
And I'm glad you enjoyed the Mapplethorpe — his floral still lifes always make me swoon. 💙
I agree, such a touching story about them. I liked this line, Michael, that you write about it:
...evoked so tenderly, so liltingly by Lorraine, like a lullaby dancing a waltz with a torch song."
The way it ends, it seems to drift into space with Lorraine's voice while keeping the tether of the flute somehow on Earth.
Oh my heart — thank you for highlighting that line, Kathleen. It was one of the sentences that seemed to appear on the page before I had even articulated it in my mind — makes me smile each time I read it. 💙
I love your description of the end of the Neruda song. It's so true — in both the end of the Prokofiev and the Lieberson there's an amazing ocean of space created in the orchestra, just ethereal highs and pillowy lows. A simultaneous sense of transcendence and grounding.
Beautifully expressed