Yet another little musical interlude...

I can't think of anything to post these days, my head is a mess of thoughts but i can't seem to make sense of them, or find ways to express them.
I hope all is well with you, my readers who are still there...

For now -enjoy this song - and gorgeous Fragonard-inspired little masterpiece of a video by the wonderful Claire Diterzi, to the title track from her terrific album "Tableau de chasse" (Naïve):

December will be magic again... i hope

Now it has been an awful long hiatus again; i've simply felt too blank and overwrought most of the time. Now i'm back to whine about the weather again; this autumn was unusually warm, and after the two last winters being all they should have been with snow and mostly cheek-pinching cold, this december has been hopelessly warm and damp with merely a little frost and absolutely no snow. Today has been grey and rainy and i wonder when and if this will turn. This is sweden, mind you! -and yesteday was able to eat a wild strawberry from my own balcony, as much as i love wild strawberries that only adds to my distress. I really don't like this at all and desperately hope that december, at least the remainder of it, will be magic again!

Kate Bush: "December will be magic again", Christmas special from 1980:

RIP Montserrat Figueras (1942-2011)

Today i was so sad to hear that the catalan soprano Montserrat Figueras had passed away, aged 69.
She was married to the violist and conductor Jordi Savall, together with whom she performed and made many great recordings, mainly with the ensemble Hespèrion XXI, which they both founded in 1974, specializing in music from medieval times to baroque.

Montserrat Figueras with Hespèrion XXI, lead by Jordi Savall: Cáncion Sefardí

Yet another little musical interlude...

I can't believe it's been six months since the last time i checked in here. I always come to think of things i should write about, or images to post here, but as with so much else in my life lately, it never seems to get done.

For now; heres a beautiful little Vashti Bunyan song to break the silence:

Solitude

Estella Blain (1930-1982) "Solitude" -written, composed and performed by Estella Blain Herself, with the orchestra of Christian Chevalier.
From the EP "Hurlevent" from 1967.

An incredibly beautiful song that suits my mood perfectly these days.

A little musical interlude...

Line Renaud: "Le Hully Gully"

Even though winter over here has mostly been everything i could possibly wish it to be, so far, freezing cold and dry; i constantly find myself dreaming of swaying palmtrees and oppressive heat, or maybe just a gentle, warm breeze... oh, and those gorgeous french dancers, in their trunks wouldn't be unwelcome either,
a pity they must all be in their 70s by now.

I adore these scopitones, precursors of the music video. Apparently these machines, invented in France in the second half of the 1950s, were made out of parts from discarded flying machines, a sort of jukebox. How i'd love to have one! -thankfully you can get several videos assembled on dvd's here. -or you can find tons to watch on youtube...


Hope to be back soon with posts, as i've said a hundred times before.
See you soon ...if you're still here.

Happy Saint Cecilia's day!

Saint Cecilia by Carlo Saraceni

Today we celebrate Saint Cecilia, martyr and patroness of sacred music, and of all musicians.

William Boyce - Ode on St. Cecilia's day.

La Question

One of Françoise Hardy's most beautiful songs; "La Question", from 1971.

"I do not know who you might be

I do not know who you hope for,
I always seek to know you
and your silence disturb my silence

I do not know where from the lie comes
is it your voice that is silent?
worlds where despite myself I plunge into
are like a tunnel that frightens me

your distance from mine
we get lost too often,
and seeking to understand you
is like chasing the wind.

I do not know why I stay
in a sea where I drown
I do not know why I stay
in an air that suffocates me

you're the blood of my wound,
you are the flame of my fire,
you are my unanswered question
My muted cry and my silence..."