2 Cellos 1 Rock Classic (and a Scandalized 18th-Century Crowd)

This video has been making the rounds upon its entrance into fine society, and by request of RetroBlog, I present it here. 

These two dashing gents are Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser of 2CELLOS and in their video for  AC/DC's “Thunderstruck” they chose the austere and polite setting of an eighteenth-century theatre.


Hmm...the crowd doesn't seem sold.  Bring in the acrobats!

I quite like it, although I think they could do with a nice powder wig (a la Amadeus?) or at least a regency haircut.  Oh wait, not to mention their actual musical prowess is AMAZING. 

Spinets

Tis the season for Christmas music to be on ad nauseum.  One song that I keep hearing recently is We Need a Little Christmas which contains a line about singing carols at the spinet.  So in the spirit of the season let's look at the beauty that is this lesser-known musical instrument.

Spinets are the harpsichord's less popular sister...well in terms of notoriety at least.  They sound just like a harpsichord but the difference lies in that, unlike their big sister, they only have one set of strings so are a little more simple (check out this video of my colleague playing a harpsichord if you're not quite sure what I mean). Spinets are also smaller and tend to be 'bentside,' meaning they are a bit triangular and fit conveniently against a wall.  They are basically the basically the upright piano to the harpsichord's grand.  Therefore, if you weren't raking in Mr Darcy's income, you may have still been able to afford a spinet so as your daughters could tick off 'music' on their accomplished young lady checklist.  Despite being slightly more middle-class (if you will) spinet craftsmen still created some glorious pieces; so without further ado, let's fill our eyes with them.

Mozart on View

Music aficionados who find themselves in New York City this summer will not want to miss the newest papers pulled out of the archives of The Morgan Library. 

In celebration of their Music Manuscripts Online, a project displaying the music manuscripts of some of the greatest composers, The Morgan is displaying two of their most valued manuscripts. 

The Mozart compositions were originally part of a music notebook belonging to his sister, Nannerl. On view are two pages; along a margin, Leopold, their father, teacher, and the transcriber, wrote "compositions by Wolfgangerl in the first 3 months of his 5th year of life." These are the earliest documented works by Mozart anywhere and an indication of the genius that would soon change music history.

How fabulous; rock star relics! 

Wouldst Thou Dance Wiv Me?

How many of you are familiar with Dizzee Rascal? No, no, he isn't fop or the subject of a George Stubbs painting. Dizzee is a rapper hailing from East London. Well known in the UK, but not so much in the Colonies, Lauren and I were introduced to Mr. Rascal via one of our shared favorite djs, Calvin Harris*. See for yourself:

Catchy, no? Well rumor has it that in working on his latest album, Dizzee has drawn inspiration from some interesting sources. "Dizzee hopes reading poetry will broaden his horizons and make him an even better rapper. He knows he has to push himself to make a great fifth album and reading accomplished poets can only help." Those "accomplished poets" that Dizzee has gotten close with happen to be John Keats, William Blake, Lord Byron and William Wordsworth. An interesting collection if you ask me; I thoroughly approve! I am very curious to see the effect of these fellow Englishmen on Dizzee.

Keats: Woman! when I behold thee flippant, vain,
Inconstant, childish, proud, and full of fancies;
Without that modest softening that enhances
The downcast eye, repentant of the pain
That its mild light creates to heal again -Woman When I Behold Thee

Blake: But most, through midnight streets I hear
How the youthful harlot's curse
Blasts the new-born infant's tear,
And blights with plagues the marriage hearse. -London

Byron: Fill the goblet again! for I never before
Felt the glow which now gladdens my heart to its core;
Let us drink ! --- who would not ? --- since, through life's varied round,
In the goblet alone no deception is found. -Fill the Goblet Again

Wordsworth: Heed not tho' none should call thee fair;
So, Mary, let it be
If nought in loveliness compare
With what thou art to me. -To Mary

Rascal: It's not a long ting, your the boom ting.
Maybe more than a hotel room ting.
I'll never know if I just walk past, I really wanna dance so I guess I'll just ask. -Dance Wiv Me

What I would love to see Dizzee do is a well-done adaption of the classic poetry, just like the psychobilly band, Tiger Army (another fav of mine) did with Poe's Annabel Lee.  He could totally bring back Byron's Fill the Goblet!

The Sun
Spinner



*For a funny story, ask either of us about the time we met Mr Harris!

His Highness Continues his Reign

Disciples, this is truly the best one yet!!  His highness has truly outdone himself and gone Dutch for his latest performance.  If you aren't a fan after this than you just simply cannot be entertained for words cannot express how glorious that was!

Now, if you are like me and simply cannot get enough, I found that you can vote here for Prince Poppycock at the designated times.  Remember more votes means more Poppycock!

Presenting... His HIghness

I have Miss Honnete to thank for what I imagine is soon to be my latest obsession. I know I am quite possibly to be the last to know about my new favourite macaroni, not being a subscriber to America's Got Talent. Luckily, crafty reader, Miss Honnete clued me in and sent me the following Youtube video which I was just about to become bored with...until he stepped into the picture.

Fortuitously, I didn't have to do much further internet sleuthing because his highness has his own website. Enjoy!

Yay or Nay? Niel Gow

There was a resounding Yay for the classic look of Maria Anoinetta's grand display of a robe a la francaise. I am happy that many were in agreement with me that she could do without the cherubs in her ensemble though. The selection this week I couldn't resist putting up, based on its small reaction from a post of last week.


Henry Raeburn paints Niel Gow (1787) in his Prussian blue wool coat and waistcoat, plaid pants, and plaid stockings; no doubt celebrating the uplifting of the tartan ban. Yay or Nay?

[National Galleries Scotland]

Some background Music for your Work-Week

I don't know nearly enough about eighteenth century music as I should. I do love my Mozart (and my Lady Georgianna!) but I haven't been exposed to enough music from the time, especially in terms of English composers. So between that and boredom I decided to make up a little 18th century music preview that you may also enjoy! It's great for a calming work background music and there's a song in there for about every occasion.

A Message for a Diva In Training

Dear Taylor Swift,

I know you're just a mini-diva (divette?) and have yet to achieve a gay following but you need to take a lesson from some icons who know what they are doing! Your eighteenth century performance (and video) lack lustre, making them appear half-assed. It's all or nothing, girlfriend! If you have a Georgian gown, please make it it well-crafted one (and for your attendants as well!). You have very pretty hair but it needs to at least be powdered in order for you to wear that gown. Plus Regency men and Georgian women don't mix well. You are talented but still have much to learn. Please, learn from the best:

Video

Performance:

Lady Harpists

The harp is a very ancient and beautiful instrument. It is also not the easiest one to master. One of the many ways a young woman of good breeding would "refine" herself was to learn how to play the harp so she could entertain in the evening. Georgiana was supposedly very skilled at the harp, although I'm sure faro games grew to take over practice time. Here are some paintings I've found of lady-harpists.

Francesco Bartolozzi, Assumed to be Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire



Francois Guerin, Mme. de Genlis Playing a Harp, 1791



Rose-Adélaïde Ducreux, Self-Portrait with a Harp, 1790

Tart of the Week: Anna Nancy Storace

The opera beauty Anna Nancy Storace was born in 1765 in London to an Italian father and English mother. Like many of our past musical tarts with musical fathers, Nancy's dad wanted his children to follow in his musical footsteps and began training Nancy in singing from a young age. Nancy's talent shone and she began performing all over and even had some royal audiences. By the age of 13 she was studying opera in Italy.

By the time Nancy was eighteen she was an opera star on the Vienna stage. The Viennese loved her and Nancy loved the celebrity. Unfortunately Nancy's good fortunes took a turn when her mother encouraged her to marry some old English musician by the name of John Abraham Fisher. The marriage was a disaster. John was cruel and would beat his poor little wife. The abuse was so bad that Nancy would be forced to cake on makeup to hide her bruises. Eventually the gossipers caught wind of the abuse and the news reached the musical Emperor Joseph II, Marie Antoinette's brother. Well, Joe couldn't have his prized opera singer performing Salieri's masterpieces all black and blue! He booted Fisher out of Vienna. If only emperors always stepped in to save our tarts from awful husbands!

Nancy's husband may have been gone but she was now pregnant. Another disaster befell her when she collapsed and lost her voice for a few months. A daughter was born not long afterward but given to a foundling hospital where she later died. After the dramatic hiatus Nancy returned to the stage and back to her celebrity lifestyle. This time her celebrity lifestyle included men...a lot of men. Nancy got around, dating many of the musicians in Vienna. It is even rumoured she dated Vienna's most famous musician, the first ever rock star, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Another supposed love of the loose lady was Emperor Joe. What would his mother say! Tsk tsk.

Beside her romantic involvement with Mozart, Nancy also made a great effort in bringing the rocker to England to compose an opera. However, when Mozart received his royal invitation (from the Prince of Wales, can you imagine the mischief they would have got in? Mozart would never have finished an opera) Mozart was dying and would not be able to make the journey.

Nancy returned back to her homeland to continue her career. It was here she began her longest and most successful relationship with fellow British opera hunk, John Braham. The two would have a son together, Spencer. The rest of Nancy's life continued to be pretty happy. She even struck up a friendship with fellow tart, Emma Hamilton. Sadly though, her last remaining years would not be as blissful. She had a painful breakup (after eighteen years) with Braham which resulted in legal battles. Jerk. A few years afterward, in 1817, Nancy suffered from two strokes and died.

For more information regarding this mistress of music you can visit her biographer's site.

Immortal Companion: Carl Friedrich Abel

To begin a series on pooches in paintings, I wanted to open with one of my favourite human-dog portraits. Thomas Gainsborough's portrait of the composer Carl Friedrich Abel depicts the music man as if we have just interrupted him in his study. The busy musician looks up from his work that he has been pouring onto paper before the notes leave his head. His cello (musicians, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!) casually leans against his leg, so he can quickly play the tunes he hears and then go back to recording them on paper. Abel is obviously successful in his musical career. The grandness of his fine chair, the drapery, and even his copper coloured silk vest excrete wealth and success. He is enlightened man because of his connection to music...and nature.

Sleeping calmly at his master's feet is Abel's dog. The faithful companion is the only one allowed in Abel's private study while he works. We can see why, he is a quiet audience. The dog's presence evokes a sense of calm and gives the viewer a sense of comfort about the sitter and his personality. In fact, the dog completes the portrait; it would be unbalanced without him. Gainsborough, a big dog fan, puts a lights source on both Abel's face and the dog's. The rest of his fluffy white body is shadowed under the desk. If you think only a crazy dog-lover would zone in on the pooch in the painting, let me reiterate how much the people of the 18th century loved their dogs. When the painting was exhibited, the St James Chronical reported on "the correctness" of Gainsborough's execution of the dog. Ya know, just in case you were worried that the dog didn't come out right!

If you were wondering about that music Carl was composing in the painting, I put together a sampling of it below. It gave me an excuse to play with the amazon mp3 player! So now you can make like Abel's puppy and relax to the sounds of his strings.

Chatsworth: The State Music Room

As the name of this room implies, it would appear that this is the room in which to practice music or entertain on the pianoforte. Well, as it turned out, this was never the true intention of the room. Although, I am sure music has graced these walls many times. It is actually more of a dedication to the Cavendish family's traditional love of music. A beautiful working harpsichord draws everyone's attention to the center of the room. But if you just happen to look behind it, there is something more magnificent hiding behind a slightly-ajar door. It is one of the most magnificent and convincing trompe l'oeil's in history: a violin hanging from a door, painted by Jan van der Vaart. When I took my parents on a tour of this home it took me a long time to convince my father that the door was, in fact, a painting.

Another unique aspect of this room is its walls. Once again, you find yourself in a heavily guilded baroque space of ornate wall decor. But upon closer examination, youo may find that the walls are not that same wood found in the other state rooms. In fact, they are not wood paneling at all! The walls are actually stamped and guilded leather. Along the top border you can even find eight small portraits of Hart in this unique medium.

Mozart Moment

I've always had a crush on the idea of the Queen of the Night from Mozart's The Magic Flute. Evil queen seeking vengeance in hot 18th century finery...what's not to like?

Mythosidhe just put up this great post alerting me to the Magic Flute Diaries, which I now have to get my paws on. Her post also has a discovery about who the character is based on which I found so incredibly interesting.