A Work in Progress

Prokofiev and a Story Told in Music

How is it possible to "know" things without actually Knowing them?  Just like the movies borrow heavily from books and stories, so TV and movies (and probably other media as well) borrow from music.  It seems I know a song or sound without realizing it is part of something more.  So, giving credit where credit is due--Sergey Prokofiev, did you know that your music was going to be borrowed and usurped and pulled into other works?  Would you mind?  Maybe you did, and you don't (mind that is)?  I know you without actually ever having been introduced.  And I have, in this case, Terry Tempest Williams, to thank.

I mentioned before that my friend Cath gave me a copy of her book of short essays When Woman Were Birds.  This is a collection of fifty-four variations on "voice" which I am reading slowly and with attention.  Her writing is beautiful and thoughtful and these are "variations" which should be savored slowly. 

Today she writes about the days when her father was away and she and her brother were alone with her mother.  She would settle the pair down to Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, a story told through music.  Do you know it?  I must have come across it somewhere at some point without knowing just what it was.  Williams tells of whole afternoons spent sitting listening to this tale in front of the phonograph.  They would listen and upon finishing move the record arm to the start and listen from the start all over again.  "Peter and the Wolf was . . . an early lesson on how the balance of nature could be articulated through story."  Each character's voice is presented by a different musical instrument.

"What I realize now is this: within those thirty minutes that took Prokofiev only four days to compose, I received my first tutorial on voice.  Each of us has one.  Each voice is distinct and has something to say.  Each voice deserves to be heard.  But it requires that act of listening."

***

"For my brother and me, the cycle of nature consciously or unconsciously was performed through the various voices of a symphony.  'And if one would listen very carefully, he could hear the duck quacking inside the wolf; because the wolf in his hurry had swallowed her alive."

"Listening over and over to the voices through a family of instruments allowed us to recognize and appreciate the dignity and uniqueness of each living thing in the meadow and forest."

I find this, the music, the way the story is told, those voices and more Williams's recognition of that fact, and now my own--pure magic.  And since I am always interested in what others have to say about the act of solitude--

"Each voice belongs to a place.  Solitude is a place.  Mother left us alone to enjoy our own company while she enjoyed hers and reclaimed precious time for herself.  When she wasn't living her solitude, she was contemplating it."

So much to reflect on in this book.  Variations to think about and let simmer in my mind and another to look forward to tomorrow.

Behind the Scenes at the Opera

Did I ever mention that I have season tickets to the opera?  To be honest I don't know much about opera except I love going to performances and getting caught up in the costumes and singing and general festivity of the event.  There is always so much energy and passion.  So I always try and educate myself a little before each performance.  Last fall it was Rossini's The Barber of Seville based on the play by Pierre de Beaumarchais.  The production was quite modern and great fun!

Next up is Puccini's La fanciulla del West based on the play by David Belasco, otherwise known as The Girl of the Golden West (it is one of the events tied in with a current art exhibit at our local museum).  Fanciulla is Italian for "girl" (pronounced I have read: "fan-CHOO-lah").  Some interesting things about the opera I've just read:

"La fanciulla is a tale of redemption and unlikely love in Gold Rush California.  Like [Madama] Butterfly, it is based on a play by David Belasco, who worked closely with Puccini on the original production.  It is a curious opera with many unusual qualities that keep it on the fringes of the repertory: there is only one female lead role and only two females altogether in the cast.  There is a large ensemble  of male solo parts, sometimes individual and sometimes functioning as a chorus.  And there is the orchestral texture, which is big, lush, and quite daring.  It is a far cry from the world of Bohème.  One critic after the premiere thought the score more appropriate for the San Francisco earthquake than fr a tale of inconsequential little people living outside of civilization."

I have a copy of William Berger's Puccini Without Excuses: A Refreshing Reassessment of the World's Most Popular Composer to help me along to learn more (above quote taken from the section on fanciulla).  The opera premiered in New York in 1910 so it is relatively modern, and according to Berger--without Puccini "there is no opera".  I'm looking forward to dipping into the book and finding out why.  You may well hear more from me on the subject.

As if being able to just go to the opera isn't enough of a treat, since I am a season subscriber, Opera Omaha offers special little perks and one is coming up in just a couple of weeks.  I am able to attend a backstage, behind-the-scenes event.  I'll be going on a backstage tour of the theater, and will get to hear the director and designers talk about their processes of pulling off the production.  One of the cast members will be transformed into their role in the opera through costume and makeup and to top it all off I can stay and listen to the first rehearsal with the orchestra though they won't be in costume.  Needless to say I am ready for February to arrive for a variety of reasons, and this is one of the big ones. 

I have read loads of novels set in the theater world (or, if not read them, own them or am familiar with them), but surely there must be some set in the opera world?  It could be fun to follow that reading path . . .

There's always another book(s) around the corner.

I was very disappointed when I went to the library last night. Since I work in a library, and I work in the ordering and receiving department, I am pretty good at figuring out the status notations in library catalogs.  Now, not that I'm paying close attention, but I've noticed that there are at least five or six books that I am in line for that seem to be cataloged and ready to go, but haven't yet been 'released' to the public.  I assume they need to be physically processed.  No doubt they have hundreds of titles like this, and they'll get to mine eventually.  I am sure, though, when they do they will all be sent to the hold shelf at once.  But none were there last night (just one music CD, which I was happy to get, but it's not a book...).  My disappointment was assuaged, however, when I arrived home to several packages that looked distinctly like they contained books. 

Yes, I was right.  Books.  And some were even unexpected surprises.  Actually the three Viragos that you see I knew about, but somehow managed to forget I was getting.  A very kind reader (thanks Pam!) was recently at a book sale and found some Viragos they she already owned, so she passed them along to me.  How serendipitous, since I am starting a little Virago binge.  I can now add to my collection Mary Lavelle by Kate O'Brien, Year Before Last by Kay Boyle and A View of the Harbour by Elizabeth Taylor.  From the Book Depository I received Mary Stewart's Nine Coaches Waiting and Justine Picardi's Daphne.  Although I'd like to jump right into Daphne, I will wait until I've whittled down my book pile just a little (really.), as I think I might also have to reread Rebecca and look for a copy of The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte.  The Picardi novel is a fictionalized account of Daphne Du Maurier's research and writing of her biography of Branwell Bronte.  There is also a contemporary storyline about a researcher looking into Daphne's life and work.  After reading Margaret Forster's biography of Daphne Du Maurier, this should be a interesting novel to read as a follow up.  And I'm still planning on continuing to read her novels.  I may even be inspired to pick up some of the Bronte's work as well.

The last book, Rosalind Laker's The Venetian Mask, is a throwback to my high school days.  It was one of last month's choices for Library Thing's Early Reviewer Program.  It was a bit of a lark that I decided to throw my name into the lottery for it.  I actually asked for two others, but this is the one I ended up with.  I loved her books when I was much younger.  They're essentially fluffy historical romances and I'm wondering what I'll make of her work now.  Apparently her work went out of print and it's now being reissued.  I am several books behind in reading the review copies I've gotten via Library Thing, so I'll be taking a break from it and trying to get caught up.  I've been very fortunate to usually get a book each time they offer them, which amazes me as hundreds of people are requesting them.  Besides I have plenty to keep me busy.  If only I could remember that. 

Too Hard to stay Away

I had been doing pretty good--not a single book checked out from the library for at least a month.  But I can never stay away too long and recently went online and requested a few books--including a few that I checked out earlier and never got around to reading.  I am now awaiting One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (#62 in line!), and Michael Cox's The Meaning of the Night (something like #20!).  I did get notification that something was waiting for me, so I stopped by the public library after work to pick up my book and browse a bit.  I know for a while I was complaining that every time I was visiting, I was never finding anything new and interesting.  I guess it's good to take breaks sometimes, as there were lots of tempting books there, but I only took home two (I could have easily walked away with more, but I have plenty to work on at the moment already).  I now have  Edna O'Brien's newest, The Light Evening, which I came this close to buying and a book that I found while browsing, The Burning Time by Robin Morgan.  First the O'Brien--"Brimming with lyricism and earthy insight that are the hallmarks of Edna O'Brien's acclaimed fiction, The Light of Evening is a novel of dreams and attachments, lamentations and betrayals.  At its core is the realization that the bond between mother and child is unbreakable, stronger even than death."  I have a collection of O'Brien's books sitting on my shelf, have read very few of them, and now I go and check out another book from the library!  But I am looking forward to reading this one! 

This is what I love about going to the library or bookstore...browsing and finding something that looks so good that you have never heard of before.  I am not familiar with Robin Morgan, but according to her biography she is one of the founders of contemporary American feminism and has been a leader of the international Women's Movement for 25 years.  The book is "based on the true story of the Inquisition's arrival in Ireland and one woman's fight against it."  At first I thought it sounded rather depressing, but it sort of reminded me of The Mists of Avalon (the whole Paganism vs. Christianity thing), so I picked it up.  From what I have seen it has gotten very good reviews, so I am glad I grabbed it.  The book blurb reads in part, "This riveting struggle for the soul of a country--drawn from actual court records of the first withcraft trial in Ireland--is the exciting story of one extraordinary noblewoman, Lady Alyce Kyteler."  Now if I can just keep the library pile to a very few, things hopefully won't get out of control again!

I just found out that there is a Barnes & Noble in Kansas City that has four floors (thanks Carl!)!!  I'm happy now!  I know my sister will want to go to places like Macy's and Anthropologie, but maybe she can just leave me at B&N!  I realize there is one here locally, but it is one small floor.  I bet they have lots and lots of books that I haven't seen before....and there is also a Half Price Books that maybe I can hit, too.  There is even a needlepoint store (thanks for the heads up Citronyella), but I am not sure I want to be tempted by another expensive hobby.  I have looked into learning needlepoint, but I have never been to a store.  I was thinking that this might be more of a window shopping sort of day for me as I don't think I am going to be able to afford much at places like Macy's, but now with these other alternatives...Maybe I should leave my credit card at home?  Naaah.