A poem of your choice set to music..

[Raphael]

If you could choose one of John's poems set to music by a musician you like, which would you choose and by whom?
I would LOVE The Eve of St Agnes done by the Mediaeval Baebes- that would be WOW!
I imagine it done mid tempo with a deep throbbing drum ( a medieval one)- building up the tension.

[Saturn]

How would that work, as an oratorio? an opera? A full reading of the poem is about half an hour long.

I could see Endymion as a ballet somehow.

[Saturn]

To Autumn, La Belle Dame and various other short poems sung by Nick Drake would be sublime.

[Raphael]

How would that work, as an oratorio? an opera? A full reading of the poem is about half an hour long.

Well, I don't know the musical terms- but I don't see why a "song" cannot be 30 mins long..
This piece of music by them got me thinking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLsWTBQe ... re=related

It could be this style, but would be a long song yes!

I could see Endymion as a ballet somehow.

I can see why you suggest that. That would be interesting!
I never heard of Nick Drake.

I think Enya doing To Autumn, Bright Star and Fancy would be sublime.

[Saturn]

Well I listen to some ole prog rock, some of that is half an hour long lol

[Saturn]

Thinking about it, Otho would make a great Opera. It doesn't quite work as a play, but set to music and the lines sung, it could be very interesting.

[Raphael]

Well I listen to some ole prog rock, some of that is half an hour long lol

Yes, some "songs" are long lol. Didn't John's Children do long songs? I had a tape of them a few years ago- there is one song that has some quite remarkable electric guitar playing towards the end that goes on for ages.

[Raphael]

Thinking about it, Otho would make a great Opera. It doesn't quite work as a play, but set to music and the lines sung could be very interesting.

YES! Hey if Charles and John had thought of that- maybe they would have hit lucky!

[Saturn]

Exactly!

[Raphael]

Exactly!

Wel, I think the idea might have eventually come to John if he hadn't fallen ill. Also, imagine if there had been live recitals of The Eve of St Agnes, Isbabella and Lorenzo and La Belle Dame sans Merci with medieval music playing- that would have been amazing!
There was so much more potential there for him, but of course he got the Consumption and was unable to continue.

PS I found out last week that Shakespeare might have come to Prescot ( not that far from me) and the covent Garden actor John Kemble was born there.

[Saturn]

Hyperion [the original version] should be set to epic, dramatic music by Howard Shore and read by someone like Richard Burton or Paul Scofield.

[Raphael]

Sounds another good idea Saturn!

[Saturn]

You've never heard of Nick Drake?

You must be acquainted immediately, he was a singer-songwriter in the early 70s, died young, about 32 I think. Was never famous in his lifetime, but has become very influential in the last 20 years or so.

He had the most wonderful voice, and unusual guitar picking, and very lyrical poetic lyrics.

You should check out the album 'Way to Blue', a compilation of stuff from the three albums he released in his lifetime.

If anyone in music was akin to the romantic poets, I think Drake comes very close with his blend of English folk music and classical and jazz influences. Mesmerising, is how I would describe it.

He is not too all tastes, some may find him too maudlin, but there's a beauty in melancholy, as Keats well knew.

He'd be perfectly suited I think to make songs of the odes and shorter poems.

[marwood]

Nick Drake a rather melancholy sound as Saturn said. I think I read somewhere that he
committed suicide. Jeff Buckley another tragic figure drowned. Have you heard his dad
Tim Buckley singing Dolphins? He died of a drugs overdose,
This sounds bit maudlin sorry! I think a sad song and a tragic figure all adds to the mystery.
Think I have had enough Whisky for one night!
Take care.
Chin Chin.
Marwood.

[Saturn]

Accidental suicide I think it was in Nick's case. Jeff Buckley, again same thing, accidentally drowned; one of my favourite artists in any medium, a genius, he could sing [and did] literally anything and make it beautiful.