Geographical Fugue .. heard of it?

A quick geographical tour of the world, some music, a visit to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, a fun idea to read with children, or read aloud to others, a text to share as you chant it out ... an education for us all ....

Joanne - for you - these are the corn/straw decorations I used on my mother’s tree – they’re very pretty, but quite delicate ... Joanne is the Queen of Whole Latte Life and loves porches, doorways and the coffee cup rating system ....!

Poetry enunciated travels the world ....

Trinidad .....a .....

Trinidad!
And the big Mississippi
and the town Honolulu
and the lake Titicaca
the *Popocatepetl is not in Canada.
rather in Mexico, Mexico, Mexico!
Canada, Malaga, Rimini, Brindisi
Canada, Malaga, Rimini, Brindisi
Yes, Tibet, Tibet, Tibet, Tibet,
Nagasaki! Yokohama!
Nagasaki! Yokohama!

(*Pronounced POPPO-CAT-A-PET-AL)

Lake Titicaca from the Bolivian side (above)

As I read the words I got drawn into the rhythm of the spoken chorus and thought what a wonderful piece to read to others, who perhaps love to be read to, for grandparents to share with grandchildren ... and then to open an atlas or a globe to point out the places ... to find out more about each one ...

Had you heard of the Fugue? ... I found out about it via Keith Davis, who has a passion for public speaking and had paid a visit to London to look round Shakespeare’s reconstructed Globe Theatre – his excellent post is here!

The second Globe, from Hollar's 1638 Long View of Southwark

While Cordelia Ditton, from a theatre background , loves training others to enunciate and articulate clearly, had commented on Keith’s post .... I remember as an early teen being sent off for diction lessons ... now I can understand - - - then well ....?!

It was Dilly’s rendition of the fugue above that sent me off to find out more – when the thought struck .. that it was the kind of thing that would stimulate my mother, and certainly my uncle would have been very interested as he was extremely musical.

Then I thought about the educational aspect – and how many of us know where most of these places are, or anything about them ... what do they produce, which country are they in, which sea, which are capitals, what are the capitals of the other places, which is the highest .... etc etc

The Tibetan yak is an integral part of life in Tibet

From there to the poetic aspects, the musical side of things, let alone the exercise for the vocal chords as we say the words – slowly to start with .. but the whole spoken chorus takes on a different cadence when it is performed: as the Womens’ Chorus of Dallas show us.

The composer, Ernst Toch (1997 – 1964) was prominent in Berlin, going into exile in the 1930s to Paris, London and on to New York, before settling in California, where he composed classical music and film scores.

The biography of this avant-garde composer from the pre-Nazi era, makes an interesting read ... born in Vienna to the family of a humble Jewish leather dealer, when that city in the 19thC was at its cultural zenith; he studied philosophy at the University in Vienna, medicine at Heidelberg, then music at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, majoring in the piano ... before leaving for happier shores.

Before I leave music .. Keith has also posted a TED talk called “Look for the Shining Eyes” – a moving title don’t you think? – Benjamin Zander is one amazingly inspiring musician .. with a fantastic story to tell ... Keith’s description ... “I guarantee that if you watch the first minute ... you’ll watch to the end, and this is one ending you won’t want to miss”.

Something different to do with the family... all of us with relatives – old or young, a puzzle or two, a jig-saw of information .. something to read, something to listen to, something to watch .. a little bit of history, of music, of acting, of education, of the globe ... so many points to discuss ... a Geographical Fugue woven into a web of thoughts!

Happy New Year and enjoy .... Here comes 2011 bounding along .. to this cascade of authors, poets, artists, musicians, educators, bloggers, all speakers, photographers and readers ... Happy Inspirational Year ahead to us all.

For Teresa, Linda, Soul Dipper – Amy, Susanne, gloW, Roland and every one ... a close-up of the “Old Boy” – Hardwick - an inherited special agent, brought to this planet to look after his appointed earthlings ... Mr Tasker (when he was in my mother’s Care Home), and now my mother ...

Dear Mr Postman – the freezing cold and snow have gone; the birds and the squirrels have been fed; the damp has returned .. our earliest snows in November and the coldest December for 100 years have nearly gone ... we celebrated quietly .. we pray for a very happy, successful, blessed New Year for you and yours.

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories