Paul Laurence Dunbar: In Summer

In Summer

Oh, summer has clothed the earth
        In a cloak from the loom of the sun!
And a mantle, too, of the skies' soft blue,
       And a belt where the rivers run. 

And now for the kiss of the wind,
      And the touch of the air's soft hands,
With the rest from strife and the heat of life,
      With the freedom of lakes and lands.

I envy the farmer's boy
       Who sings as he follows the plow;
While the shinning green of the young blades lean
      To the breezes that cool his brow.  

He sings to the dewy morn,
       No thought of another's ear;
But the song he sings is a chant for kings
      And the whole wide world to hear.

He sings of the joys of life,
     Of the pleasures of work and rest,
From an o'erfull heat, without aim or art;
     'Tis a song of the merriest.
     
O ye who toil in the town,
     And ye who moil in the mart,
Hear the artless song, and your faith made strong
     Shall renew your joy of  heart.

Oh, poor were the worth of the world
         If never a song were heard,--
If the sting of grief had no relief,
        And never a heart were stirred.

So. long as the streams run down,
      And as long as the robins trill,
Let us taunt old Care with a merry air,
      And sing in the face of ill.

-- Paul Laurence Dunbar --
from Summer: A Spiritual Biography of the Season


The last two stanzas suggest something more is going on here than a simple paean to the joys of summer labor.  Singing can do something other than just reflect one's joy at that particular moment:


Oh, poor were the worth of the world
         If never a song were heard,--
If the sting of grief had no relief,
        And never a heart were stirred.
  
So. long as the streams run down,
      And as long as the robins trill,
Let us taunt old Care with a merry air,
      And sing in the face of ill.


Music bypasses the brain and goes directly to your soul.   You can feel the best music in your bones. Martial music and marches and national anthems are far more effective in moving people than any lecture on patriotism.  The most rousing speeches and sermons are almost sung or chanted.  If you listen carefully you can hear the music underlying the words and that's what moves the listeners.

Not the Messiah. (He's a naughty boy)

Not The Messiah is an oratorio based on The Life of Brian, and it celebrates the 40 years of Monty Python.  It was a magnificent performance.  I enjoyed it so much that I will put it back on my queue for another viewing down the road. I do this very rarely.


The performance took place in the Royal Albert Hall in 2009.  The Royal Albert Hall is a marvelous setting for musical works.  In addition, the music was provided by the 120+ piece BBC Symphony Orchestra, while the  chorus consisted of 140+ voices.   In addition, were four opera singers.

This is obviously the setting for an evening of high musical culture--except for one small detail.  This is produced by the Monty Python gang.  The music was inspired by Handel's Messiah, a glorious work performed at Christmas on every continent and in every locale with a large chorus.  However, refusing to being tied down to consistency, other musical flavors are included:  pop, Welsh hymns, country and western, doo-wop, hip hop, Broadway, and Greek chorus.

A number of the arias and choral presentations were obviously "influenced" by Handel's own words. The lyrics ranged from the sentimental to the raucous to the maudlin to the just plain silly, and occasionally with a bit of profanity thrown in.  This, I think, is what makes it so successful--the context.  One expects magnificent lyrics to fit the setting and the music and the musical talent available and one gets nonsense.

Then there were the side bits.  For example, we were treated to a Bob Dylan shtick, complete with guitar and harmonica rig, as he mumbled his way through "We are all individuals."  Thanks to the powers that be for subtitles.  One of Handel's choruses in the Messiah is titled "All we like sheep have gone astray."   The Monty Python version is somewhat different--"We love sheep."  At the appropriate moment of course in wanders a shepherdess with a flock of sheep (three).  Also wandering on stage throughout the evening were bagpipers and a squad of  Royal Canadian Mounties.  Somehow a group of Mexican trumpeters got into the orchestra, complete with Mariachi outfits.  Most of this nonsense was provided by the Monty Python group themselves.  On hand were a couple of Terrys, a Brian, a Michael, and a few other noteworthies.

I must confess that I'm not a Monty Python fan. I have seen several of their films and thought them enjoyable, but could never understand the adoration of their fans.  However, this is a really great film and one that I will watch again in the future.

Highly Recommended