A few months ago, there was a story about a church in Mexico that reappeared after lying at the bottom of a reservoir for centuries. Similarly, there’s a church in Venezuela that is sometimes wet, sometimes dry. Pretty cool stuff!

French impressionistic composer Claude Debussy was dreaming of this stuff one hundred years before. His “Submerged Cathedral” is a staple of the piano repertoire. Large chords remind us of tall stone towers, dominating a murky landscape, portrayed by murmuring notes in the bass. The image in this video looks like the church where King Triton would take Ariel and his daughters. No doubt, Sebastian played a mean bubble-organ there.

It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow. Maybe it makes you feel broody. Maybe it makes you feel lonely. Maybe you just don’t care.

What is love to you? Is it comfort and security? Is it care and companionship? Is it … a rebellious bird?

Francis Poulenc‘s first song cycle was Le bestiaire. It was never a “smash hit” as far as Art Music goes, but it remains in the repertory for a number of reasons. It demonstrates Poulenc’s compositional talent, early in his career, while he was still serving in the French army during World War I. It’s not exactly avant-garde, but it’s modern enough to catch you off-guard if you’re not used to the Art Music of the 20th century. And, if you do find the modern sound a bit challenging, the pieces are short and sweet, and the subject matter, fun (animals!) Finally, it helps to introduce French Art Song, or mélodie, to budding voice students.

The movements are:

1. The Dromedary (there’s your HUMP DAY joke)
2. The Goat
3. The Grasshopper
4. The Dolphin
5. The Crayfish
6. The Carp