Do you know the songs of the composer Poulenc? Are his songs suitable for leaning some french? What other songwriters are good for learning french i.e. that write songs with a lot of words?
In which Mozart K. era are your favorite pieces?
I Recently made a post about my first experience with Shakespeare and how A Midsummer Night's Dream is the most beautiful thing I have ever read. Now I have gotten around to Romeo and Juliet. And wow.
At first I was lost with all the banter and the "pushing to the wall" stuff in the opening scene, but once I got used to it it was no problem. I don't come from an English speaking country, but I would definitely vouch for reading Midsummer first. It is easier. But once you get started, Romeo and Juliet isn't that hard either.
It was just beautiful poetry. The trilogy of scenes: the ball scene, the balcony scene, and the dawning scene (all with Romeo and Juliet), alone make it one of the greatest works ever for me.
Do you have any suggestions where to go next? I'm in love with Romeo and Juliet now. Maybe some kind of expert analysis I can read? Or also some good audiobooks, filmed productions or even movies?
I know one cannot exactly define "hidden gems" and "lesser known". I just listed some of my favorite songs here that I think should be better known. Even though some of them are quite popular. I would love to find some new ones from your list. I would also love completely obscure but great ones!
Here is mine:
What Is There to Say?
San Francisco (Open Your Golden Gate)
Lucky to Be Me
Then I'll Be Tired of You
A Room with a View(Coward, I know he is not American)
Something very Strange(Coward)
Let's See What Happens
The Last Time I Saw Paris
Let's Get Lost
The World Is in My Arms(Lane/Harburg)
Green-Up Time (a lot of Kurt Weill songs)
Side by Side
What Is There to Say?
Isn't It Heavenly?
You're the Cure for What Ails Me
Speaking of the Weather
Two Sleepy People
Do I Love You?
Looking at You
You Were Never Lovelier
As Long as I Live
Hand in Hand
I'm new to Shakespeare, and I just read this passage from A Midsummer Night's Dream, starting with Hermia and Lysander's exchange:
"How now, my love! why is your cheek so pale?
How chance the roses there do fade so fast?"
Through Helena's arrival, and ending but including:
"How happy some o'er other some can be."
These might be the most beautiful lines I've ever read in English. Almost every sentence is beautiful.
It starts with Hermia and Lysander talking about their ill-fated love and hatching their plot to escape. Then Helena arrives and talks about her unrequited love for Demetrius, and ending with her great monologue.
Is all of Shakespeare's writing this great? Is this even one of the greater passages of shakespeare? I guess I really like love poetry.
I just came across the song "Bambalele". There are very few recordings, but you should find versions by Elsie Houston and Audra McDonald on YouTube. I think it's just the most joyous and beautiful song I have ever heard. The celebrated musical composer Stephen Sondheim agrees and even called it his favorite song. It is supposed to be a traditional Brazilian folk song. So my question is: do you know this song? Is it widely known in Brazil? Maybe the melody?
And how best to hear those tunes?
Disclaimer: I know nothing about political science, and I'm not American
It was just the 250th anniversary of the United States. I've always been interested in how the founding fathers and the political ideas they discussed remain foundational today. The Federalist Papers especially are fascinating.
Questions like: federalism vs. centralism, judicial independence vs. elected judges (Mexico just made a big change toward elected judges), radical republicanism with majority rule vs. minority protection through devices like a bicameral legislature with a chamber representing states equally (possibly undemocratic?). In Europe there's a similar debate about "undemocratic" laws and judges overruling democratic decisions.
Related to this is the debate between liberal democracy with institutional constraints vs. something like Rousseauian democratic republicanism, and the two "legal systems" common law (UK/US), where judges work through individual cases and precedent, vs. more fixed, codified civil law.
Figures like Hamilton vs. Jefferson (with Adams somewhere in between) are such an interesting microcosm of political debate. One that still seems as important as ever.
I guess my question is: are all these questions still relevant in political science? What's the current state of thinking on them?
Does clouds breaking mean clearing or raining? I am not a native English speaker. I was listening to this Irving Berlin song, and the song is about two people being trapped because of the rain. But my intuition, and Google, says that breaking clouds means clearing skies. Which would not make sense. At the same time, "the heavens broke" means rain, for example. So, what is it? Here are the lyrics:
The weather is frightening,
The thunder and lightning
Seem to be having their way,
But as far as I'm concerned,
It's a lovely day.
The turn in the weather
Will keep us together
So I can honestly say
That as far as I'm concerned,
It's a lovely day and everything's OK.
Isn't this a lovely day to be caught in the rain?
You were going on your way,
Now you've got to remain.
Just as you were going,
Leaving me all at sea,
The clouds broke, they broke,
And oh what a break for me.
I can see the sun up high,
Though we're caught in a storm.
I can see where you and I could be cozy and warm.
Let the rain pitter patter,
But it really doesn't matter
If the skies are grey.
Long as I can be with you,
It's a lovely day
The Mediterranean seems like such a unique place on earth. Geographically, climatically, and also culturally. Just looking at it on a map, it seems like such a unique place, unlike anywhere else on the globe. I am currently reading "Fernand Braudel's The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II". What do you think?
My vote goes to candide! I just love great lyrics. What would you recommend?
Hallo! Lately I have become obsessed with Schumann's Lied "Widmung." And I wanted to know the best versions. I don't really like very affected voices. I like voices that sound natural. Like for example, I love Fritz Wunderlich, Lisa della Casa, Elly Ameling as well as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. I think those people have some of the most natural and least affected voices ever. But I don't actually know a thing about singing. Anyways, I would love to know the best versions! Also, what other songs can you recommend if I love this one?
It's one of my favorite songs ever so I would have loved to hear him sing it.
I just listened to the Audra McDonald version. This song, and specifically this version, are amazing. I mean, how colorful and vibrant can a song be! Do you know if she sings the original lyrics? Are there even original lyrics? Do you know of any other recordings or anything about it in general?