In honor of Shakespeare’s birthday, my setting of Sonnet 130.
*This recording was made by a student vocalist at Montreat College. I post it to share my setting, as opposed to his performance. He wants me to note that this is not an accurate depiction of his current vocal abilities.
Nathan Hathaway Adams
This morning I was alerted to the fact that it was not only Election Day (Vote!), but also John Philip Sousa’s birthday! How apropos.
So in honor of the occasion, here are some of the works of the American March King, in some very informative videos by the Marine Band. God bless our troops.
Digital high five if you can’t listen to “The Washington Post” without hearing lyrics by Sondheim.
A funny story about marches and birthdays: A beloved professor of mine’s birthday occurred on the same day we were learning about Sousa and his marches in Music History. We asked our instructor why the trio section was so named. He jokingly replied that it was in 3. Well, we believed him, and the Trio section of the March I wrote for the other professor’s birthday, was, and is, in 3!
The Wonderly Fanfare, by Nathan Hathaway Adams, performed by Dr. Anthony Moore
A Romantic Era composer, while famous for his military band marches, he also wrote operettas and was a fan of the work of Gilbert & Sullivan. He wrote an orchestration of the team’s H.M.S. Pinafore, and composed a march using the themes of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado, which is particularly interesting to me as I just auditioned for a local production of said operetta.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! I plan to keep reading about and listening to this uniquely American composer. Are you a fan of Sousa? Interested, like me, in learning more? Then drop me a line and let’s talk sometime.
Marching,
Nathan Hathaway Adams
Today we celebrate the birthday of he-who-cannot-be-played, Bach! To celebrate the natal day of the Jesus of Western Music, I offer you a few thoughts on that master of counterpoint that I have collected (read: stolen) from my colleagues and counterparts.
1. “Buxtehude is like Bach without the genius.”
This was my own thought when I first heard the work of John the Buxtehude in Music History. The style and forms seemed to remind me so much of Bach, but it just wasn’t as brilliant, not as piercing, it was like eating at Olive Garden after coming back from Italy. (Or Carrabba’s for that matter.)
2. “I feel like we adore anything that has Bach’s name on it.”
This was shared as we pondered one of the sinfonias in Form & Analysis. Not a fan of that particular piece, this student shared a concern for an over-zealousness in our praise of the savior. She later admitted that she hated puppies and that she found cake disgusting. Another student expressed that Bach’s work was not something he readily appreciated, although he liked the Cello Suites. (Chump.)
3. “Humming ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ will get any song out of your head.”
This nugget was shared with us by our Music History teacher. The only problem is, you then have “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” stuck in your head. Aren’t we all stressed out enough?
4. “People should fear Handel the way they fear Bach!”
Bach. He’s one of the scariest mofo’s to ever don a powdered wig (if you’re a musician). People don’t take performing his work lightly, because they know it’s hard. But Handel, he is loved and admired and badly played the world over! (So is Bach, but it’s a little different – less songs about trees.) My friend thinks we should fear Handel’s runs just as much as we fear Bach’s periods.
5. The Swingle Singers!
This makes all the places in my brain happy.
Bach to you,
Nathan Hathaway Adams
Just a quick note to say that I am now in the cast of Montford Park Players King Lear!
No, not King Leer, KING LEAR. The Shakespeare play.
That’s better. I’m so excited to be in shows again (this AND Troilus and Cressida.) I’m playing the Herald, and a bunch of parts with no lines, I’m jumping in to help them out and be an extra. But it’s so wonderful to be onstage again, and it’s just nice to be around the language of the (pretentious voice) immorrrtahl barrrd. It’s such a beautiful play, with perhaps one of the greatest endings in English Literature.
The show runs from June 18th to July 11th (My birthday!), and all my wonderful friends (that means you) should come and see it!
Always leering,
Nathan Hathaway