I’m absolutely loving the Beowulf reading group-- I’m getting so much more from the poem than I would have on my own, and I love how it’s pulling together a community of serious readers and scholars, and I get to benefit from their expertise as well. This is a real service. Now where do I get my hands on those bear socks?
Love the idea of meet-the-artist playlists, John. It'll be fascinating to see what you pull for people like Hahn and Uchida with extensive discographies. And thanks for the Boccherini rec!
Hope you enjoy that Boccherini album. He wrote so much chamber music that I think some of it hasn’t even been recorded. Someone needs to put together a complete Boccherini project. And I look forward to your thoughts on the playlists; I’m trying to decide which one to do first. 🤔
Definitely a necessary project for such a prolific composer. I remember being introduced to him through a cello concerto I heard on a recital in high school. When looking for a recording later, I was gobsmacked to learn he had written 12 of them!
John - I just listened to that Fleet Foxes song. What an interesting sound. Quite unlike anything I have heard before. Also - I am a big fan of your musical offerings. I have had the Bernstein playlist on a pretty steady rotation since you put that out.
Hi, Deborah. Apple Music is a separate subscription service, like Spotify or Tidal. However, I will describe most of the music in each post, so you should be able to find the recordings elsewhere if you don’t have Apple Music.
That was a rich and edifying conversation about an Anglo-Saxon word and the Beowulf ms. Your first point is an encouraging one! It’s nice for literature people to have a place to gather in numbers. There ought to be an Old English word for a force of us. A meadswell or songspreaders?
We live in interesting times, indeed! Delighted to be part of this literature renaissance going on here on Substack. John, you're an inspiration!
Thank you, Simon. Your slow reads have opened up all sorts of possibilities!
I’m absolutely loving the Beowulf reading group-- I’m getting so much more from the poem than I would have on my own, and I love how it’s pulling together a community of serious readers and scholars, and I get to benefit from their expertise as well. This is a real service. Now where do I get my hands on those bear socks?
https://darntough.com/products/mens-and-womens-bear-2-pack?variant=37921951973562
Love the idea of meet-the-artist playlists, John. It'll be fascinating to see what you pull for people like Hahn and Uchida with extensive discographies. And thanks for the Boccherini rec!
Hope you enjoy that Boccherini album. He wrote so much chamber music that I think some of it hasn’t even been recorded. Someone needs to put together a complete Boccherini project. And I look forward to your thoughts on the playlists; I’m trying to decide which one to do first. 🤔
Definitely a necessary project for such a prolific composer. I remember being introduced to him through a cello concerto I heard on a recital in high school. When looking for a recording later, I was gobsmacked to learn he had written 12 of them!
Yes, I think that Boccherini was a cellist himself, so he was motivated to write for the instrument.
John - I just listened to that Fleet Foxes song. What an interesting sound. Quite unlike anything I have heard before. Also - I am a big fan of your musical offerings. I have had the Bernstein playlist on a pretty steady rotation since you put that out.
Yes, they have a unique sound, don’t they? Glad you’ve been enjoying the music. More to come!
Fleet Foxes! Now that’s a sound I haven’t heard in a long time.
If you like it try out First Aid Medicine Kit, or Phosphorescent. It’s the same vaguely folksy pop vibe
Thanks for the tip... will do!
I'm not familiar with Playlist on Apple Music. Is this something I need to pay for in order to listen to The Rotation?
Hi, Deborah. Apple Music is a separate subscription service, like Spotify or Tidal. However, I will describe most of the music in each post, so you should be able to find the recordings elsewhere if you don’t have Apple Music.
That was a rich and edifying conversation about an Anglo-Saxon word and the Beowulf ms. Your first point is an encouraging one! It’s nice for literature people to have a place to gather in numbers. There ought to be an Old English word for a force of us. A meadswell or songspreaders?
Oh, I like meadswell--though it also seems like it might be OE for beer-belly.
😳😂😂😂😂 You’re right!