Kinship With All Life

Lortzing, Albert: Der Wildschütz Der Wildschütz,

S. 444, Albert Lortzing (Born October 23/24, 1801 in Berlin - Died January 1, 1851 in Berlin) "Der Wildschütz oder die Stimme der Natur" - "Der Wildschütz or the voices of nature" - A comic opera in three acts. Premiere: Leipzig, Germany, December 31, 1842. Preface Gustav Albert Lortzing was raised in a family of drama enthusiasts who acted at an amateur theatre in Berlin. Musicians were also counted among the Lortzing circle of friends; among these family friends was the director of the Berlin Singakademie, Karl Friedrich Rungenhagen, who gave Albert Lortzing his first lessons in music theory. When Lortzing's father was forced to give up his leather production business, both parents found jobs as professional actors in Breslau, where the ten year-old Albert gave his theatric debut. Following the work in Breslau, the family endured difficult years as freelancers traveling from city to city. In 1817 both parents joined the theatre company "Derossi." Albert Lortzing earned a living copying musical scores while studying with various orchestral musicians. He remained self-taught in most of music's theoretical subjects. At the same time, Albert knew the world of theatre intimately from early on. Throughout his life, Lortzing was active as an actor, singer (baritone and tenor), cellist, conductor, director, librettist and composer. Until the age of 25, when he married Rosina Regina Ahles, Albert Lortzing traveled with his parents in the theatre world. Regarding his own professional career he stated: "In Freiburg/Breisgau I took the risk of publishing a composition of my own and I wrote a choral piece together with a dance for the theatre play "Der Schutzgeist." I played the main role In the year 1824 I composed a one act opera, "Ali, Pascha von Janina," which was performed during my following position at the count theatre at Detmold, as well as the close by townships of Münster and Osnabrück. The pieces were somewhat well-received." In 1826, Lortzing moved to the town of Detmold, where he composed more works, mostly known as "Singspiele." In 1833 he was hired as a tenor buffo at the town theatre of Leipzig. Ten years later he became the conductor there and spent twelve rather happy years at that house. In Leipzig, Lortzing composed most of the operas, in which he himself performed. In 1845, the theatre of Leipzig discontinued his contract, and after one additional year he was finally hired as the conductor for the Viennese "Theater an der Wien." In Vienna, Lortzing experienced only limited success. His work "Undine" was criticized for being too German. Lortzing was forced to leave Vienna in 1848 due to the emerging revolution. Two years later in 1850, he began his last post as conductor at the "Friedrich-Wilhelmstädtischen Theater" in Berlin. Lortzing remained utterly unhappy with this final stage of his career, which also marked a low point financially. At the age of 49, after the premiere of his last opera "Die Opernprobe" in Frankfurt/Main, Lortzing died and was in a way liberated from all his hardships. Lortzing experienced many ups and downs during his life. Though he was quite successful as a composer and singer, he was still unable to escape numerous defeats and failures. He had to fight continuously to meet life's basic material needs, especially to provide for his eleven children. He was ignored by the significant composers of his time. Yet Lortzing remained positive - and as his letters reveal - sometimes even humorous. He was one of the nicest and most delightful personalities in Germany's musical landscape. Albert Lortzing wrote 13 operas, of which basically four survived. Especially in Germany, these four operas remain a core part of today's standard repertoire: "Zar und Zimmermann" (1837), "Der Wildschütz" (1842), "Undine" (1845) and "Der Waffenschmied" (1846). "Zar und Zimmermann" closely follows "Der Wildschütz" as the most popular and the best of his operas. The plot is funny and entertaining and the libretto is filled with charm and irony. Despite its complex construction and sequencing, it is a masterpiece of dramatic theatre. The major buffo part of the schoolmaster Baculus remains one of the great and unique roles of the genre. The Baculus aria "Fünftausend Thaler" is one of the major virtuoso bravura pieces of the bass repertoire. Lortzing himself wrote the libretti for all his operas, which are so-called dialogue operas. But instead of creating his opera story lines completely new from scratch, he used existing theatre plays as starting points. With his extensive theatre experience, he expanded and transformed them into new pieces. "Der Wildschütz" was based on the 1815 comedy "Der Rehbock" by August von Kotzebue (1761 - 1819). Lortzing added the figure of Baculus, supplemented the play with substantial irony and inserted the so-called billiard scene to the work, thereby greatly improving the quality of the piece. Lortzing's works belong to the period of German romanticism. Oskar Bie describes Lortzing as a person whose soul was in great sympathy to that style in Germany. His compositions fall within the "Spieloper" genre: always light, slightly sentimental, tender and highly energetic to help the audience to enjoy the musical theatre to its fullest. The genre was never fully adopted or appreciated by the international opera world, and was always less acknowledged than the Italian buffo operas or the French "Opera comique." Yet, the "Spieloper" constitutes one of the basic roots of German opera, and Lortzing is unquestioned as its chief proponent. The instrumentation for the opera "Der Wildschütz" is highly inventive and of great diversity in color and nuance. The clear and beautiful vocal ensemble parts are comparable to those of Mozart's operas. An example is the partially a cappella quartet "Kann es im Erdenleben (Unschuldig sind wir alle)" at the end of the opera. One also recognizes a kinship with Weber's broadly out-composed, romanticized musical techniques in the overture and the orchestral accompaniment for the count's aria at the beginning of the third act. Lortzing made several attempts to create romantic forms of the opera seria, but always failed due to his rather simple and sentimental nature. Lortzing's unique abilities reach their climax of expression in his opera "Der Wildschütz." With great skill, Lortzing plays with motifs and the symmetry of musical da capo structures. He successfully bridges the transitions from spoken dialogues to musical sections by allowing musical beginnings to overlap with ending spoken parts, thereby avoiding the all-too-common interruptions in other "Singspiel" operas. Lortzing was opposed to the through-composed operas that were filled with sung recitatives: "What does the most beautiful recitative do for us? ... the Germans cannot sing it. They hear misplaced pathos in almost every word. Why is that? It is because they ignore the fact that all they have to do is sing simple musical dialogue. They refuse to forget that they are solistic singers. They always have the desire to show off how wonderful their voices sound and hence sacrifice the true contents of the music." (J. C. Lobe: A conversation with Lortzing). Lortzing defended the spoken dialogue as an operatic instrument that supports the continuity of the action and eliminates boredom. Lortzing's melodies are highly inventive and originate from the traditional German folksong repertoire. Being a singer himself, Lortzing was better prepared to compose for the human voice than most others. The parts that do not ask for "great" singers are simple and charming. In part, the critique to "Der Wildschütz" was positive: "Mr. Lortzing is never boring and knows the right time to end. The reviewer is convinced that the so often deadly red marker of opera directors finds the least amount of victims in his writings" (Allgemeinen Musikalien Zeitung, July 19, 1843, signed "Al."). But as well, some critique was negative: "[The music is] the outco...

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Geoffrey Gorer Illustrator: . The Lepchas of Sikkim, Gyan Books Pvt. Ltd. 1996 ISBN: 9788121201254

New Hardcover 15 x 23 cm. Of the various tribes that inhabit the mystical heights and downs of the Himalayas, Lepchas stand apart as an interesting subject of study. Though belonging to Mongoloid ethnic group, the Lepchas are so sharply different from their eastern counter parts like the Bhutanese, Deflas and Akas or from the western neighbours such as the Gorkhas who as group are known for fiery countenance and aggressive character. Lepchas surprisingly are en exception. They are marked by traits like absence of aggressiveness, obsession with sex and optimistic character. The author has borne pains to gather all available information, assimilated and put it congently into an immensely readable text. A good number of plates and illustrations used have only enhanced its usefulness. Really a boom for all interested in knowing more about the Himalayan tribals, particularly for those engaged in their serious study. Table of Contents List of Contents List of Plates Reference List of the Inhabitants of Lingthem Introduction by Professor J. H. Hutton Foreword and Acknowledgments The Lepchas and Sikkim BOOK ONE LEPCHA LIFE Relations with the environment The Homes of the Lepchas Getting Food Money lenders and Trading Friends Relations with other Lepchas Law and Order The Rules of Kinship and Marriage Relations with the supernatural Religion I : Lamaism Religion II : The Mun Religion III: The People of Mayel BOOK TWO LIFE OF THE LEPCHAS The Rhythm of Lepcha Life Birth and Childhood Sex Marriage and Maturity Death BOOK THREE LIVES OF LEPCHAS Fourteen Deviants and Defectives The Life of Kurma The First Dorje Lapoon, his Family and Jiroong CONCLUSIONS Social Evolution and Aggression Appendices Index. Printed Pages: 510. .

[SW: Lepchas of SikkimGeoffrey Gorer9788121201254]

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Emmons, George Thornton: The Tlingit Indians. Seattle, London: Univ. of Washington Press / NY: American Museum of Natural History, 1991. ISBN: 0295970081
Sehr gutes Ex. - Editor's Introduction: George Thornton Emmons as Ethnographer - A Biography by Jean Low. Lieutenant George Thornton Emmons, USN, 1852-1945 - CHAPTER 1. THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE / - Physical Features of Tlingit Territory. Climate. Flora and Fauna. - The Tlingit. Name. Origin of the Tlingit. Physical Appearance. Character. - Health and Disease. Population. - CHAPTER 2. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION / - Introduction. Tlingit Tribes. Phratry or Moiety. Clan. House and Household. - Kinship. Crests. Display of the Crest. Painting of the Face. Names. - Social Classes. Chiefs. Authority of Chiefs. Slaves. Law. Trade. - CHAPTER 3. VILLAGES, HOUSES, FORTS, AND OTHER WORKS / - Villages. Houses. Domestic Life. Other Houses and Shelters. Forts. - Petroglyphs. Stone Cairns. - CHAPTER 4. TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION / - Canoes. Manufacture and Repair of Canoes. Appurtenances of the Canoe. - Handling the Canoe. Snowshoes. Bags, Packs, Boxes, and Sleds. - CHAPTER 5. FISHING AND HUNTING / - Introduction. Religious Aspects of the Food Quest. Salmon Fishing. - Halibut Fishing. Herring Fishing. Eulachon Fishing. Trout Fishing. - Other Fish and Marine Invertebrates. Seal Hunting. - Porpoise, Sea Lion, and Whale. Sea Otter Hunting. - Land Animal Hunting: Aboriginal Weapons. Firearms. - Land Animal Hunting: Traps and Snares. Bird Hunting. Hunting Dogs. CHAPTER 6. FOOD AND ITS PREPARATION / 140 Introduction. Salmon. Halibut. Herring and Eulachon. - Other Fish and Shellfish. Land Animals. Sea Mammals. Birds. - Berries and Other Plant Foods. Tobacco. Drink. Fire Making. Domestic Utensils. - CHAPTER 7. ARTS AND INDUSTRIES: MEN'S WORK / - Division of Labor. Work in Stone. "Jade." Men's Tools. - Work in Horn, Ivory, Shell, and Inlays. Work in Copper. Copper Neck Rings. - "Coppers." Work in Iron. Work in Silver and Gold. Work in Wood. - Measurements. Totem Poles. Painting. Art. - CHAPTER 8. ARTS AND INDUSTRIES: WOMEN'S WORK / - Skin Dressing. Sinew and Intestines. Basketry. Spruce Root Hats. - Basketry Designs. Spruce Root Mats. Cedar Bark Weaving. The Chilkat Blanket. - CHAPTER 9. DRESS AND DECORATION / - Personal Cleanliness. Clothing. Hair Dressing. Ear and Nose Ornaments. - Labrets. Bracelets and Necklaces. Face Painting. Tattooing. - CHAPTER 10. THE LIFE CYCLE / Birth. Infancy and Childhood. Naming. Girl's Puberty. Marriage. Death. - Cremation. Ceremonies after the Funeral. Shamans' Graves. - Various Other Forms of Disposal of the Dead. Recent Graveyards. - Inheritance of Property. Afterlife, Spirits, Souls, Reincarnation. - CHAPTER 11. CEREMONIES / - Music and Dance. Tlingit Ceremonialism in the Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries. House-Building Ceremonies. - Dedication of the House and Raising a Totem Pole. - Dick Sa-tan's Potlatch, 1891. A Major Potlatch. Ceremony for the Children. The Berry Potlatch Dance. - CHAPTER 12. WAR AND PEACE / Early Encounters with Europeans. Interclan Warfare. - Encounters with Americans. Aboriginal Warfare. Aboriginal Arms and Armor. Arms, Armor, and Tactics, Described by the Early Explorers. Making Peace. Early Accounts of Peace Ceremonies. Peace Ceremonies in 1891 and 1877. - CHAPTER 13. ILLNESS AND MEDICINE / - Diagnosis of Illness. Cures for External Ailments. Medicines for Internal Use. Other "Medicines." Omens and Amulets. CHAPTER 14. SHAMANISM / - Spirits. The Shaman. Becoming a Shaman. The Shaman's Outfit. The Shaman's Practice. Stories about Shamans. Death of a Shaman. - CHAPTER 15. WITCHCRAFT / - The Origin of Witches. Shaman and Witch. Witches, Shamans, and the Authorities. - CHAPTER 16. GAMES AND GAMBLING / - The Stick Game. The Toggle (or Hand) Game.. The Dice Game. Spinner. - Gambling in the Russian Era. - CHAPTER 17. TIME, TIDES, AND WINDS / Count. Time: Seasons and Days. "Moons" of the Year. Tides. Winds. - Tables I Bibliography I - - Lieutenant George Thornton Emmons, U.S.N., was stationed in Alaska during the 1880s and 1890s, a time when the Navy was largely responsible for law and stability in the Territory. His duties brought him into close contact with the Tlingit Indians, whose respect he won and from whom he gained an understanding of and respect for their culture. He became a friend of many Tlingit leaders, visited their homes, traveled in their canoes when on leave, purchased native artifacts, and recorded native traditions. In addition to an interest in native manufacturing and in the more spectacular aspects of native life-such as bear hunting, Chilkat blankets, feuds, and the potlatch-Emmons showed the ethnographer's devotion to recording all aspects of the culture together with the Tlingit terms, and came to understand Tlingit beliefs and values better than did any of his nonnative contemporaries. He was widely recognized for his extensive collections of Tlingit artifacts and art, and for the detailed notes that accompanied them. At the request of Morris K. Jesup, president of the American Museum of Natural History (which had purchased Emmons's first two Tlingit collections), and on the recommendation of Franz Boas, Emmons began to organize his notes and prepare a manuscript on the Tlingit. During his retirement, he published several articles and monographs and continued to study and work on his comprehensive book. But when he died in 1946, the book was still unfinished, and he left several drafts in the museum and also in the provincial archives of British Columbia in Victoria, where he had been writing during the last decades of his life. Frederica de Laguna, eminent ethnologist and archaeologist with long personal experience with the Tlingit, was asked by the museum to edit The Tlingit Indians for publication. Over the past thirty years she has worked to organize Emmons's materials, scrupulously following his plan of including extracts from the earliest historical sources. She also has made significant additions from contemporary or more recent authors, and from works unknown to Emmons or unavailable to him, and has given the ethnography greater historical depth by presenting this information in chronological order. She has also added relevant commentary of her own based on her encyclopedic information about past and present Tlingit culture. With the help of Jeff Leer of the Alaskan Native Language Center, an expert on Tlingit, she has provided modern phonetic transcriptions of Tlingit words whenever Emmons has given native terms in his own idiosyncratic and inconsistent versions of Tlingit. ISBN 0295970081 - , ISBN-13: 9780295970080

XL; 488 S. mit sehr zahlr. Abb. Originalleinen mit Schutzumschlag.

[SW: Tlingit, Alaska, Tlingit culture, Ureinwohner, Indianer, George Thornton Emmons]

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Spencer, Darrell: One Mile Past Dangerous Curve: A Novel, University of Michigan Press/Regional, ISBN: 0472114727
einige Lagerspuren Editorial Reviews\n\nProduct Description\nPraise for One Mile Past Dangerous Curve:\nThis book aims to be about the best of us as it shows us at our least. Thank goodness for Darrell Spencer, the only writer in America to be trusted on the subjects of faith, love, weal and woe.\n---Lee K. Abbott\n\n . . . absolutely dire and dear, his best book, a novel about American life right now. . . . this book is accurate, acerbic, and heartfelt at once.\n---Ron Carlson\n\nPraise for Darrell Spencer:\n\nMr. Spencer's writing crackles with freshness and lucidity, featuring characters who slide into one another in random encounters and relationships.\n---New York Times Book Review\n\n[Spencer] possesses a remarkable ear for the cadence of everyday speech.\n---Michael Chabon\n\nFrom the acclaimed author of Caution: Men in Trees and A Woman Packing a Pistol comes a tale of kinship, love, and lawlessness.\n\nOne Mile Past Dangerous Curve is the story of the Dancers---a family on the verge of collapse. Glen Dancer has come to Ohio to set up another in a series of Snapper franchises. But in the midst of construction, Glen finds himself fighting a painful and futile battle with cancer.\n\nHis son Eddie, recently divorced, moves from Las Vegas to help. A sign painter by trade, Eddie finds only intermittent work in town until the day a mysterious and wealthy businessman commissions a series of twenty road signs, each different, all featuring odd, cryptic messages. It is on a back-country road, where Eddie has gone to assemble one of the signs, that some previously vague threats become concrete.\n\nThough Eddie doesn't know it, the neighboring woods hide a secret, a secret that a gun-toting rural gang wants to keep at any cost. , ISBN-13: 9780472114726

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