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Uplifting Thoughts for the Isolated and Depressed in Times of Plague

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Going through my virtual archives, I found something "uplifting" not so many of you may know about. Because my family lived in different parts of Eastern Europe, I was always interested in the different ways of musical culture there and I once was overwhelmed by the Latvian tradition of singer competitions there which is part of the national identity.
By the way, Latvia is one of the 3 "Baltic states" Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with a population, related to (and originated in history most probably) from Scandinavia and Finland as you can see in their really wonderful national costumes and also in their beautiful faces.
Because they were for a long time only to see on complete maps of the former Soviet Union, the West-Europeans often under-estimated the size and the will of these "small nations" to regain their independence from their giant neighbor Russia.

But every one of these "small states" Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania has about the real size and the population of the Republic of Ireland (!) and they are most probably more musical than most of the West-European states because their music in their own rather difficult national languages was a part of their fight against the tyrannies of foreign occupation (first by Nazi-Germans in WW II, later by Stalinists and Communists).
Especially the singer contests in Latvia are really overwhelming, of which I found an example from 2018

And after this a version of "Rorando Coeli" which is similar to the one I once heard sung by a Latvian choir in a German cathedral. It is certainly not Latvian but the "Latvian effect" was similar because one part of the choir is always positioned somewhere behind and above you under the dome of the cathdral / church, so you are always surprised by this not only stereo- but "quadro-phonical" effect.
I really think, the Latvians are the best choir-singers in the world with the most surprising abilities.


Songs are as follows:
5. - Lec, saulīte! (Rise, sun!) - a song about remembering who you are, the teachings of old, clarity of mind and purpose, and a hope for better days ahead.
4. - Manai dzimtenei (For my homeland) - a song of defiance against impossible odds and a grim fate, a rememberance in-song about the freedomfighters of old who stood their ground in face of certain death to defend their homes, hoping their sacrifice would lead to a better future for the people.
3. - rokoperas LĀČPLĒSIS fragmenti (exempts from the rock-opera "Lāčplēsis") - a song about a metaphorical small child that is Latvia who finds itself in crossroads, surrounded by beating hooves and rolling wheels, with a dreaded sense that time is running out. Ultimately, a song about a country calling out to its people to help find its way.
2. - Virs galvas mūžīgs Piena ceļš (Above my head a Milky Way eternal) - A song about travel, seeing the world, but ultimately finding your way back home. A song about how one might think the grass is greener elsewhere, but the greenest will always be back home. A song about finding where you belong, finding a way to your "happy land" and realizing it was your home all along.
1. - Saule, Pērkons, Daugava (Sun, Thunder, Daugava (largest river in Latvia)) - A song of strength. About gaining strength from the white sea, the green hills and plains and the unyielding people who have always endured. A song about the gods of old: Sun - the bringer of life and fulfillment; Thunder - the patriarch of all the gods and god of creation and the sky, the smiter of foes; and Daugava - depicted as the river of fate and bringer of omens. How they all once came together to forge the land, and afterwards, the people to defend it.

... and "Rorando Coeli"
by

Johannes Vodnianus Campanus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org


Rorando coeli: Rorando coeli has two choirs. They imitate one another throughout. The double choir technique utilized in this motet evokes the more complex antiphonal works of Campanus' contemporaries in Venice.
 
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Silent_Water said:
Going through my virtual archives, I found something "uplifting" not so many of you may know about. Because my family lived in different parts of Eastern Europe, I was always interested in the different ways of musical culture there and I once was overwhelmed by the Latvian tradition of singer competitions there which is part of the national identity.
By the way, Latvia is one of the 3 "Baltic states" Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with a population, related to (and originated in history most probably) from Scandinavia and Finland as you can see in their really wonderful national costumes and also in their beautiful faces.
Because they were for a long time only to see on complete maps of the former Soviet Union, the West-Europeans often under-estimated the size and the will of these "small nations" to regain their independence from their giant neighbor Russia.

But every one of these "small states" Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania has about the real size and the population of the Republic of Ireland (!) and they are most probably more musical than most of the West-European states because their music in their own rather difficult national languages was a part of their fight against the tyrannies of foreign occupation (first by Nazi-Germans in WW II, later by Stalinists and Communists).
Especially the singer contests in Latvia are really overwhelming, of which I found an example from 2018

And after this a version of "Rorando Coeli" which is similar to the one I once heard sung by a Latvian choir in a German cathedral. It is certainly not Latvian but the "Latvian effect" was similar because one part of the choir is always positioned somewhere behind and above you under the dome of the cathdral / church, so you are always surprised by this not only stereo- but "quadro-phonical" effect.
I really think, the Latvians are the best choir-singers in the world with the most surprising abilities.


Songs are as follows:
5. - Lec, saulīte! (Rise, sun!) - a song about remembering who you are, the teachings of old, clarity of mind and purpose, and a hope for better days ahead.
4. - Manai dzimtenei (For my homeland) - a song of defiance against impossible odds and a grim fate, a rememberance in-song about the freedomfighters of old who stood their ground in face of certain death to defend their homes, hoping their sacrifice would lead to a better future for the people.
3. - rokoperas LĀČPLĒSIS fragmenti (exempts from the rock-opera "Lāčplēsis") - a song about a metaphorical small child that is Latvia who finds itself in crossroads, surrounded by beating hooves and rolling wheels, with a dreaded sense that time is running out. Ultimately, a song about a country calling out to its people to help find its way.
2. - Virs galvas mūžīgs Piena ceļš (Above my head a Milky Way eternal) - A song about travel, seeing the world, but ultimately finding your way back home. A song about how one might think the grass is greener elsewhere, but the greenest will always be back home. A song about finding where you belong, finding a way to your "happy land" and realizing it was your home all along.
1. - Saule, Pērkons, Daugava (Sun, Thunder, Daugava (largest river in Latvia)) - A song of strength. About gaining strength from the white sea, the green hills and plains and the unyielding people who have always endured. A song about the gods of old: Sun - the bringer of life and fulfillment; Thunder - the patriarch of all the gods and god of creation and the sky, the smiter of foes; and Daugava - depicted as the river of fate and bringer of omens. How they all once came together to forge the land, and afterwards, the people to defend it.

... and "Rorando Coeli"
by

Johannes Vodnianus Campanus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org


Rorando coeli: Rorando coeli has two choirs. They imitate one another throughout. The double choir technique utilized in this motet evokes the more complex antiphonal works of Campanus' contemporaries in Venice.
Click to expand...
Some marvellous singing, I enjoy hearing music from the smaller nations (and small nations within bigger ones - the Welsh would challenge your claim about 'the best choir-singers in the world'!) - the melodies are haunting and evocative, at other times stirring. And Johannes_Vodnianus_Campanus is interesting, I think I may have heard that sung in the 'all Europe' Christmas music broadcast, it's indeed a splendid 'Baltic baroque' setting of a paraphrase of the Advent prose Rorate caeli desuper (Isaiah 45:8 'Heavens drop down dew'), turned into a metrical hymn with some crafty tweaking of the Latin.
 
Eulalia said:
Yes, red and roe deer are a pesky nuisance in Scotland, a bane to gardeners, preventing forest regeneration, causing traffic accidents and carrying Lyme-disease ticks (I had a narrow squeak - I was in hospital being got ready for a minor op, the theatre nurse noticed target-like red rings on my back - not the usual whip-marks! so after the surgery I was sent along to the dermatologist who gave me a heroic dose of anitbiotics to zap it) I do by bit by eating plenty of venison, finding all sorts of nice ways to cook it ;)
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Lyme disease is nothing to play with. If you deal with it early, you're fine, but as a long-running infection it is not easy to control and does a lot of damage. There was an effective vaccine in the United States (it had a funny way of working--supposedly it produced antibodies which flowed into the tick when it bit and killed the pathogen there), but there was some questionable anecdotal evidence that associated it with cases of neurological damage, and rather than risk lawsuits the maker just dropped it. I think they are developing another one, but it isn't ready yet. It is needed. One can catch the disease repeatedly. However, most drug companies want a large market and aren't all that interested in things that actually PREVENT illness or get rid of it--like antibiotics. It's all a matter of economics. That's why the US has an "orphan drug" law that tries to make drugs for less common (read lucrative) illnesses profitable.
It is illegal in most US states to poison deer, because people eat them.
 
Frank Petrexa said:
... However, most drug companies want a large market and aren't all that interested in things that actually PREVENT illness or get rid of it--like antibiotics. It's all a matter of economics. That's why the US has an "orphan drug" law that tries to make drugs for less common (read lucrative) illnesses profitable.
It is illegal in most US states to poison deer, because people eat them.
Click to expand...

I think, this everlasting hunt for ONLY profitable drugs will possibly lead mankind into one of the next worldwide catastrophies because some medical treatment is not developed although it could be necessary one day. For example, there are more and more pathogenes which are resistent against penicilline, sulfonamides etc. And there once was a small company which developed ...
en.wikipedia.org

Plazomicin - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
This company "Achaogen" did not survive the costs of development etc. of "Plazomicin" and then, there also came stock market speculators who wanted to earn money by destroying this company. Such people could one day be responsible for a real apocalypse.
www.tagesschau.de

Antibiotika

Antibiotika
www.tagesschau.de www.tagesschau.de

But back to the nicer history of mankind, although every human beauty in art seems to have a sad part in its history.

There are sometimes versions of music or songs in other languages which are more beautiful than the original version, maybe because the artists in other countries have had more time to think about the text or the language is simply beautiful.
For example, I think by myself, a song sung in French is often wonderful because in French it is much easier to make a rhyme than in many other languages because of the most endings of word in - é, -elle, "-en" or "-on".

One example is the instrumental music "Arrival" by ABBA, which was transformed into a sung fairytale in French by the singer Daniel Balavoine, who managed to get Annifrid Lyngstad / Frida to sing it with him, shortly after ABBA split. I still think, this is the best possible version of this melody:


The "Disney-Version" with French lyrics:

And the sad history behind is, that Balavoine died in a helicopter crash during the Rally Paris-Dakar in January 1986. Even stranger, his friend, actor and comedien "Coluche" died in the summer of the same year in a motorcycle accident. Both were very ambitious "socialist" philantropists who founded - still existing - relief organisations for poor and homeless people in France.

Another song and in my humble opinion, it belongs to best popular songs ever written in history of music with one of the most uplifting melodies of all times although it has a rather sad story in it. And here no doubt about that the English version is more beautiful than the Swedish original:



And also its singer Harpo had a sad accident with a horse that almost killed him in 1980 and made him almost lose one eye. Since then, he had some plastic surgery and used a lot of pain-killing medical treatment.

All great artists and all human beauty seem to be endangered sometimes by strange coincidences, don't they?

In any case, I think, the two decades between 1965 and 1985 were simply the greatest in pop music, music groups and inventing new kinds of popular art (but maybe, I think this only because these were the times of my youth and the best times with my friends !?) .
;)
 
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Silent_Water said:
In any case, I think, the two decades between 1965 and 1985 were simply the greatest in pop music, music groups and inventing new kinds of popular art (but maybe, I think this only because these were the times of my youth and the best times with my friends !?) .
;)
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I cannot agree with you more. To me, the 1960s was simply the golden era of pop and folk music. People could watch great musicians on TV (e.g. Ed Sullivan Show) and there were some of the best live festivals in music history (e.g. The Woodstock, Monterey Pop Festival). It was a great era for bubblegum pops, but we also had some of the most memorable songs with social messages at the same time.

If we take any arbitrary year from 1963 to 1968 and ask a random person we meet on the streets how many songs he or she recognizes in the Billboard Top 100 of that year, I bet that person would be able to identify at least a couple of songs. I don't think we would be able to do something like that 60 years later with the songs that top the charts nowadays.

Also, It was the only period that I know of when people actually believed they could change the world with their music. They were undoubtedly naive, and their dreams short-lived, but their optimism certainly shaped the musical atmosphere that we never experienced before or since.

Although I think the 60s was the best decade of music for such a reason, I cannot deny that the 80s was another pinnacle in the music history. Maybe we lost some of the pure innocense and originality of the 60s, but the explosive growth in the music industry in the 80s provided us so many memorable hit songs and some of the best rock bands we know.
 
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And because I (and my mother) was / were such an ABBA - fan in the 70s dominated by them, this simply must be mentioned here: My mother's most favourite ABBA song version ever, which she saw almost live on German TV because the Swedish King Carl Gustav XVl. married the German Silvia Renate Sommerlath. Both met for the first time during the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972.
Silvia wanted to hear ABBA on or before the celebrations on her wedding day. ABBA's Björn was almost bursting in national and personal pride as you can see in this video to be called to perform in "pseudo-historical" costumes in front of the new Queen of Sweden:

 
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In Autumn, 1939, C. S. Lewis A sermon preached in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Oxford, titled Learning in War-Time. To me it applied equally to Plague-Time as advice to our younger members
 

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From Maundy Thursday Lessons:

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the LORD.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.
  • יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ (Jeremiah) 31


A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην (Gospel According to John) 13
 
Frank Petrexa said:
Lyme disease is nothing to play with. If you deal with it early, you're fine, but as a long-running infection it is not easy to control and does a lot of damage
Click to expand...
Indeed, I've know a few folk who've had it, it's spoilt their lives in a big way for a long time.
I was very lucky.
In Scotland, we call it 'West Coast malaria' as that's where it's most common.
 
This thread's got a bit solemn :) Well, of course, Easter - and Passover - are solemnities,
but festivals too. Here's something I picked up today that gave me some good laughs :D

C19 Shakespeare.jpg
 
Ashampoo_Snap_2020.04.11_23h20m14s_001_.jpg

"J'ai découvert que tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre."
Blaise Pascal, Pensées, 1670 (!)
;)

Translation and further funny comments here:
:cool:
www.theguardian.com

This column will change your life: just sit down and think

'No wonder we don't dwell on what's inside: that would underline the loneliness of existence,' says Oliver Burkeman
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
Eulalia said:
This thread's got a bit solemn :) Well, of course, Easter - and Passover - are solemnities,
but festivals too. Here's something I picked up today that gave me some good laughs :D
Click to expand...
Of course, Henry V does not care about that sissy corona and social distancing bullshit. He rallies his army, invades France, and on Saint Crispians day they are all knocked out by the flu. All that the French, (who acquired immunity against the disease by eating excessive garlic), have to do is to finish them off at Agincourt. Hence, Wars of the Roses is cancelled, and Shakespeare even does no need to write Richard III, because there would be no one.:D
 
Loxuru said:
Of course, Henry V does not care about that sissy corona and social distancing bullshit. He rallies his army, invades France, and on Saint Crispians day they are all knocked out by the flu. All that the French, (who acquired immunity against the disease by eating excessive garlic), have to do is to finish them off at Agincourt. Hence, Wars of the Roses is cancelled, and Shakespeare even does no need to write Richard III, because there would be no one.:D
Click to expand...
Once more into the bleach, dear friends, once more!
 
Eulalia said:
This thread's got a bit solemn :) Well, of course, Easter - and Passover - are solemnities,
but festivals too. Here's something I picked up today that gave me some good laughs :D

View attachment 847282
Click to expand...
Here's a cheerful thought. It seems that Corona will be a lot less bad than the Black Death 630 years ago. The lowest estimate of the death toll was 30% of the population of Europe. In today's population that would be:

Italy 18,673,800
UK 19,531,500
Belgium 3,420,000
Netherlands 5,145,300
France 20,209,200
Spain 14,799,300
Sweden 3,036,000
Switzerland 2,487,600
US 97,145,400
Canada 10,764,300
Austria 2,664,600
Germany 24,137,100
South Korea 15,441,000
Australia 7,041,000
A sobering side note. Lombardy and Florence are worst hit in Europe so far. In the Black death, so many people died in Florence that the population didn't return to pre-Plague levels for 500 years.
 
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Loxuru said:
...
All that the French, (who acquired immunity against the disease by eating excessive garlic), have to do is to finish them off at Agincourt. Hence, Wars of the Roses is cancelled, and Shakespeare even does no need to write Richard III, because there would be no one.:D
Click to expand...

Funny in this context of history is the probable immunity of French soldiers and merceneries during the first appearance of the so-called "sudor anglicus", one of the most mysterious diseases at the end of the Middle-Ages in Europe which seem to have infected only English and German persons but no one for 200 years in Ireland, Scotland, Italy and France (until the "Picardy sweat" broke out in 1718 !?):

Sweating sickness - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Unfortunately, you can never be sure about the number of victims from a disease until it is really under control and this coronavirus has still many mysteries to discover, e.g. the latest news from South-Korea about cases with the virus "re-activating" itself in persons who were already released from hospitals as absolutely healthy but tested positive again two weeks later which should be impossible.
 
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