St. Cecilia's emblem is a harp (perhaps as a way to assimillate Christian symbols into the pre-existing Roman culture with its specialized gods and goddesses.)
Also, seventeenth century metaphysical poetry used music as an umbrella metaphor -- the hierarchy of the universe as expressed by the "harmony of the spheres."
In D.H. Lawrence's novel Aaron's Rod the protagonist is a flautist.
“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”
- Kurt Vonnegut
Miss Crawford in Mansfield Park plays the harp. I don't know how that reflects on her skewed character...
One has to laugh before being happy, because otherwise one risks to die before having laughed.
"Je crains [...] que l'âme ne se vide à ces passe-temps vains, et que le fin du fin ne soit la fin des fins." (Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac, Acte III, Scène VII)
I think Dorian Gray plays a piano in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
''captain correllis's mandolin''
it may never try
but when it does it sigh
it is just that
good
it fly
E.T.A. Hoffman mostly known for his fairy tales like The Nutcracker was also a composer. He adored music and even wrote an opera "Undine". His books contain a lot of musical passages. And he's got quite an extraordinary character named Kapellmeister Johannes Kreisler.
Two masterpieces of 20thc literature by William Gaddis feature musicians. A character named Stanley in The Recognitions is an organist and composer who is composing a major work for organ throughout the novel. Toward the end he plays it in a European Cathedral—with disastrous consequences. One of the principal characters in JR, Edward Bast, is a composer and pianist who struggles to compose throughout the novel but is continually sidetracked by other concerns.
Excuse me. Today is Memorial Day. A valorous salute to all those Americans that died for freedom. Today in particular the Memorial of the taking of Iwo Jima is of significance. We honor the men that raised the American flag, and Mr. Rosenthal, the photographer that trusted the men and was there with a camera and took the picture of the event. And since we are here, let's also send our best to Richard Arvine Overton from Austin. He's now 107 and the oldest American Army man alive today. God be with you in this important day.
Originally Posted by cafolini
cafolini,
I'm glad to see that Memorial Day means so much to you.
Perhaps you can start another thread in the General Chat section. That seems more fitting.
Thanks
Last edited by astrum; 06-24-2013 at 08:32 PM.
Lotte plays the piano in The Sorrows of Young Werther
In Patrick O'Brian's naval novels, Aubrey and Maturin play violin and cello, I believe.
King David played the harp.
Roland blew his horn until he was slain.
Boromir (in Lord of the Rings) blew a horn until his death too. (Stretching a bit, I know).
Robbing Hood didn't play a trumpet but a strumpet called Marion.
I think you mean a lute, caddy, which isn't really associated with Romeo as much as the medieval troubadors.
Music and Silence by Rose Tremain, I think the main character played the cello. Wonderful novel.
In the Catcher in the Rye, Holden goes to a nightclub to see Ernie, the piano player. Holden doesn't care for Ernie's fancy flourishes nor for that fact that there's a mirror set up on the piano to show off Ernie's face. I read long ago that the Ernie episode was Salinger's account of jazz pianist Oscar Peterson.
No American troops were harmed during the Watergate cover-up.
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