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Review: Music & The Spoken Word
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Review: Music & The Spoken Word |
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Subject: Review: Music & The Spoken Word From: paddymac Date: 17 Dec 06 - 08:42 PM A week ago, at nooon is a small town about 15 miles up the road, we debuted an idea I've been pondering for some time a mixed show of music and the spoken word. The setting was in the smaller of two dining rooms in a very laid back restaurant, with no electronics. The format was three short band sets, separated by two spoken word segments of about 50 minutes each. A fascinating thing happened when pre-teen kids from the next room would come and stand in the entry to see what was going on. They just stood there, enthralled, until parents called them back. Here is what I sent to the particpants the following Friday. ** At slight risk of under statement, this past week has been one heck of a week for me - running on adrenaline from the Sunday show for the first few days, and then just caught up in a surge of activity in the work place, with scarcely time for a sandwich and a beer in the evening before succumbing to the quiet revelry of the pseudo-womb. Now, finally, with an opportunity for a bit of peaceful reflection, I want to express my most sincere and humble thanks to the "People of the Spoken Word," who individually and collectively helped launch what I sensed as a reawakening of a very ancient cultural thread, one long neglected in our fair community. The magic that I saw and felt lay mostly in our responses to one another - we didn't just act like we were having fun, we really did have fun, and it showed in every thing we did. Just think what we could do if we actually had a place more conducive to modest staging, and a chance to actually rehearse and practice playing off each other. In my mind's eye, I was lost in a place where a close-knit community huddled in the fire-lit darkness, sheltered against the world, and listened and learned from the spirits of those who had gone before. Awe-struck by tales of heroic deeds; rib-split by the humor of everyday life for those who dare to live it; tear-stained by the swings of raw emotion reflected in the words; and energized by the simple courage of those who survived centuries of evil and yet live in the words of their bards. I apologize if I come across here as overly melodramatic. It was just an incredible experience for me, thanks to all of you, and I can't wait to do it again. Back on solid ground here in the real world, like any other live show, the were things we did very well, and a few things that give us room for improvement, but the overall effect, for me at least, was most gratifying. Thank you all. *** My question here is have any of you done such a thing before, what was your experience like with it, and were you able to sustain it. Your thoughts and ideas will be appreciated. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Music & The Spoken Word From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 18 Dec 06 - 08:37 AM No, I have not done anything like that. But a question: "The Spoken Word"--like what? Comedy routines? Poetry? Short stories? Lectures? Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Review: Music & The Spoken Word From: BB Date: 18 Dec 06 - 09:27 AM I'm sure there are others who have done so, but we have been doing shows of a similar nature for years, but more integrated, i.e. narrative passages linking the songs and music, some written by us, some quoting passages from others, as well as some poetry against instrumental music. In the past, we have also worked similarly with slides, and at present with archive film - which is a whole new ball game in terms of timing! When it works, you're right, it does give you a real kick! Barbara |
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Subject: RE: Review: Music & The Spoken Word From: JennieG Date: 18 Dec 06 - 06:50 PM Sounds wonderful! Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: Review: Music & The Spoken Word From: paddymac Date: 20 Dec 06 - 04:02 AM In response to Dave's question re meaning of "Spoken Word" For this outing, we did a goodly mixture of Irish-themed "stuff," including (as best I can remember): The Orangeman's Hell {Anonymous, from the Mudcat); The Curse (J.M. Synge); The Glowing Soul (Book of Tara (Dinnsenchas)-550 AD); Excerpt on Ferdia & Cuchulainn (Thomas Kinsella's translation of The Tain Bo Cualigne (800 - 1200 AD); Post Ulixem Scriptum (James Joyce); Excerpt from Molly Bloom's soliloquy at the end of (Joyce's "Ulysses"}; Excerpt from "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph" (T. E. Lawrence 1922); Excerpt from "Dan Doonan's Wake," (Spike Milligan); Excerpt from "The Martyr's Crown" (Flann O"Brien); "Shan Vann Vocht," (Anonymous, circa 1798); "The Death of Parnell" (James Joyce); "The Dispossesed Poet" (Monk Gibbon); "The Stolen Child," "Lake Isle of Innisfree," "An Irish Airman Forsees His Death," and "The Second Coming," (all by Yeats); Excerpt from "Cuchulain of Muirthemne" (Augusta Gregory, edited by WB Yeats); Cuchulain first takes up arms (From "Boy Deeds of Cuchulain", by Yeats); and a bit by Seamus Heaney, the title of which now escapes me. The individual presenters were free to choose their own material, with instructions to have two "pieces," one of five minutes length, and the other of ten minutes. A few went over their time, but most stayed close. We kept it moving at a goodly pace, so there was very little down-time between the music and speakers, or between speakers. We'll do this particular show a couple more times in the spring, and I'm recruiting now for a package of ghost stories to be performed in the fall. I think each performance group could do whatever kind of material they wish. The only limitation is whether it can draw a crowd. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Music & The Spoken Word From: oldhippie Date: 20 Dec 06 - 07:31 AM I have used "Seagulls and Summer People" by Capt. Kendall Morse in between appropriate musical selections. |
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Subject: RE: Review: Music & The Spoken Word From: paddymac Date: 20 Dec 06 - 06:51 PM I routinely use an oldie poem from the Mudcat when ever I feel the need of some laughter. "Ode to the Four Letter Word." Usually gets a good laugh. |
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