Danse Macabre III: Links You Cannot Criss-Miss!

Friday, December 8, 2006

Links You Cannot Criss-Miss!

Here's some good work & musicianship from the Las Vegas Brass Band on an arrangement by Tom Wright of "Baby, It's Cold Outside". Pete Cooper and Kellie Ballard are the vocalists. Chuck Jackson conducts and the ubiquitous John Clare recorded it. NB - your default music player will engage to play the selection upon pressing groovy tune here.

Need a vacation? Danse Macabre recommends Lufthansa for all your holiday escapist needs.

In the event you find yourself without a personal Weihnachten Kalender for your computer rig, here's a great one, direct from Das Vaterland. Frohliches Weihnachten!

<< Home

Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]

A Visit From J.S. Bach 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the city The critics were trying their best to be witty; They printed their lists of the past year's best fare, In hopes that their trendy young readers would care; But the readers were nestled all snug in their beds, While vacuous pop idols danced in their heads; And the Maestro in PJs, and I in my drawers, Had just settled in to examine some scores, When out on the lawn, such cacaphonous sound, I sprang from my desk thinking Zorn was in town. I rushed to the window, allegro con brio, Tore open the shutters — I just had to see! Oh, The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what should my wondering eyes linger over, But an old harpsichord and eight ghostly composers, With an old kappelmeister conducting the flock – I knew in a moment it had to be Bach. More rapid than Valkyries, onward they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; "Now, Mozart! now, Lassus! now, Schoenberg and Dvorak! On, Cage! on Beethoven! on, Haydn and Bartok! To the dominant seven! To suspended six-four! Now dash away! dash away! appoggiatur'!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So off to a new key they all modulated, For Bach would leave no variation unstated. A caseura, and then on the roof could be heard A cadence resolved with a picardy third. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney old J.S. Bach came with a bound. He was dressed up for Weimar in 1710 And his fingers were stained with the ink from his pen; An un-finished score could be seen to protrude From his pocket — the title said "Die Kunst der Fugue." His eyes—how they twinkled with genius – none finer! He did, after all, write the Mass in B Minor. His mouth was a droll as a tonicization, His wig was a white as unspoiled glaciation; He carried a record of naughty and niceness – That list was as long as the Bach Werke Verzeichnis! His belly looked like it could use a supporter And shook when he laughed, like a Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte. He was chubby and plump, a well tempered old master, And I laughed when I saw him, then wished I'd thought faster; A wink, and a line from a two-part invention, Soon showed me that I should feel no apprehension; He spoke not a word, but went straight to composing, A Musical Offering – it looked quite imposing, Then humming some bars from the St. Matthew Passion, He rose up the chimney in a glorious fashion; He sprang to the keys, raised his hands to the sky And away they all flew, at Allegro Assai, But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

DANSE MACABRE is edited, produced, and published by Adam Henry Carriere - Copyright (c.) 2006. All rights reserved. Attributed works copyrighted by individual authors or in the public domain. Contributors retain all publication and serial rights. Images appearing in this journal are either in the public domain or the copyright of individuals who produced the image in question. It is believed that the use of scaled-down, low-resolution images taken from references throughout the world wide web which provide critical visual analysis to writings posted on this site qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law. Any other uses of these images on DANSE MACABRE or elsewhere, may be copyright infringement.

Danse Macabre III

Friday, December 8, 2006

Links You Cannot Criss-Miss!

Previous Posts