The Flatland Almanack

Soundtracks of My Life: Italian "Art Songs"

Continuing my collection of well-remembered songs, I have collected at The Flatland Chronicles videos of  two well-known "singer's songs":  Che fiero costume and Intorno All'Idol Mio.  (Sinatra would not have liked them.) 

"I Don't Like You Either" (Protest, Poetry, Parody, & Satire) Aug. 3-8

 

Updates to the political satire blog:

The Flatland Chronicles: Ricky Gervais & Gordon Ramsay

My favorite scene from Gordon Ramsay's The F Word, featuring my favorite British funny man (here).

The Flatland Chronicles: Ricky G. Does 'The F Word'

To kick things off, here's a most excellent and charming video of two of my favorite Brits on the planet---Ricky Gervais and Gordon Ramsay---being very funny.  'The F Word' is my favorite Ramsay vehicle and Gervais is always rewarding in any context. 

Soundtracks of My Life (and Death!): Mendelssohn, Handel, & Mozart

At The Flatland Chronicles, I posted two notes on some lifelong favorites of mine.

First, some classical classics featured on YouTube from Elijah, The Mozart Requiem, and The Messiah. 

Second, the song (by Mendelssohn) I'd like to have played at my theoretical memorial service, even though I won't be present to hear it.

Pictures from the Earth: Nova Scotia by Judy Malley (photo-essay)

Have you been to Nova Scotia?  I haven't either.  But after looking at these photographs by Judy Malley, I'm definitely going to go there someday. 

Soundtracks of My Life: Les Contes d'Hoffman (Offenbach) & Melanie

I admit that they don't exactly go together.   But I performed Hoffman (just in the chorus, of course), including "Helas! Mon coeur s'agare encore"  when I was in my teens; and Melanie was one of my favorite singers (and later, my favorite singer).  So there is a connection, at least as regards the Flatland Chronicles. 

T13 #14 | Pictures from the Earth: Broken Hearts for Every Situation (13)

For this Thursday, in the honor of all the pain we've all ever undergone, a collection of 13 broken hearts.  See the photo essay here.

Soundtracks of My Life: Music from a Vietnam Era Adolescence

The Seguedilla from Carmen, which I dreamed at the age of 15 I would grow up to perform.  Alas, I never did.  But I have retrieved two charming renditions for your listening and viewing pleasure.    

My list of  13 songs from the day aren't all favorites of mine, though most would be somewhere in my top 100.  All refer---tangentially, at least--- to the war or to the Peace Movement. 

Soundtracks of My Life: My Dad's Ultimate Party Song

In a way, I'd like to forget it.  It's one of those songs that gets stuck in your head.  In another, it's so tightly connected to my past that forgetting it would be like forgetting my dad.  So anyway:  here.   It's not YOUR ultimate party song, but chances are it won't be completely unfamiliar to you either.