Aristotle's Poetics

http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.html

The above is a link to a good translation of Aristotle's Poetics. We'll be dealing with it when we get to philosophy.

La Boheme--Libretto

The translation could be better, but at least it's a translation!

http://www.dennisalbert.com/Opera/labohemelibretto.htm#Act I

Lachenmann's "Gran Torso"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MWZ-MGbtSQ

I love when you can see the master in action. I also love it when you can read what people think. Check it out.

Plato's Symposium

http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/plato/symposiu.htm

This link will take you to a GREAT translation of Plato's Symposium--one of his best dialogues (one of my top three).

Descartes' Meditations

http://www.sacred-texts.com/phi/desc/med.txt

Here's a link to the text of this pivotal philosophical text.

Bach's Mass in B Minor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdLCcQixNvg

This is worth a look-see. It helped me to visualize and internalize the music.

Bach's St. Matthew's Passion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_LLFfFXaUA

Bach's St. Matthew's Passion is over three hours of music. Here's a neat little seven minutes from youtube.

Lokys (The Bear)

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=6379

This opera, sung in Lithuanian, is the capstone of our opera unit. It is just as delicious as the review would make it seem.

Intriguing Artist

Randy H. Y. Yau

http://www.23five.org/rhy/bio.html

You can navigate from the bio to some sound samples. Sadly, the website looks like it hasn't been updated in over two years.

Berlioz Review

http://www.berkshirereview.net/music/berlioz_troyens.html

This particular article isn't really all that marvelous, but it does contain a few interesting tidbits on Hector Berlioz--a true Romantic. Great hair, by the way.

Helmut Lachenmann Link

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2008/04/05/music_of_pristine_wildness_and_liberated_noise/

The above is a link to a GREAT article about a great composer. We'll be studying him later in the year--maybe twice!

Greetings!

My dear students of the humanities,

As we don't have a text book (no wonder you signed up) and our subject matter is often discussed and available online, I thought I would set up this blog in which to post links and assignments and such things.

I look forward to the year ahead!

Mr. W.