Gobble till you wobble!
Here’s some truly lovely music by Anton Dvorak which is a delightful digestive aid – his String Serenade. What makes it good enough to eat? Sweet, singable melodies, and predictable harmonies – no surprises, without ever being boring. The whole thing is about 30 minutes:
If you’re strapped for time, here’s the second movement, a waltz – in my opinion, the best part of the suite:
Happy Thanksgiving!
… they would sing this little aria out of Carl Orff‘s drunken oratorio, Carmina Burana.
You’ve heard Carmina Burana before – everyone has, thanks to the opening chorus. People can’t get enough of this one. You can find it in movies, video games, commercials, sports events, and flash mobs (I was there!) But unless you’ve gone to a performance of the complete work, you probably haven’t heard this selection.
It’s sort of the swan-song of, well, a swan – a swan who was roasted and eaten. Just pretend it’s a turkey and it’ll work fine for tomorrow’s “gobble till you wobble” meal.
While the performance below is okay, I wasn’t able to find a video of a performance that I really liked. This aria is written in a horrible range for a tenor to sing in – it was written to sound drunken and terrible. All the videos I found had singers who sounded too good, and the effect is lost. The awkward, silly bassoon solo at the begins sets the mood for some trashy singing. Perhaps tomorrow, after I feast on bird, I will record myself singing this, and post it tomorrow so you can hear what it should sound like.
I wish you safe travels if you are on the road or in the air today. Happy Thanksgiving!
When I was a swan, I was beautiful; I lived on the lakes.
O how miserable! Now I am charred and fiercely roasting!
The servant turns me on a spit; I burn upon my pyre; the waiter serves me for dinner.
O how miserable! Now I am charred and fiercely roasting!
I lie upon a plate; I will never fly again; all I see are gnashing teeth.
O how miserable! Now I am charred and fiercely roasting!
T-minus two days to turkey.
The classic American dessert for Thanksgiving is, of course, pumpkin pie.
But let me suggest something different this year – something a little smoother, richer, spicier. So once you’ve downed your turkey, and your host asks if you’d like a slice of pumpkin pie, you should reply, “No thanks – Cheesecake for me.”
Pull up your favorite chair, pour yourself a cup of hot coffee, and grab a slice of New York Cheescake. Then listen to one of the best saxophonists of all time:
This track comes from Gordon’s 1962 album, Go. The rest of the album is great, too; if you want more, check it out here.
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