Peggy Lee and Thomas Mann

"Is That All There Is?"

If that's all there is, my friend, then let's keep dancing. . .


Perhaps the bleakest hit song ever, inspired, it appears by a story from Thomas Mann. 

via Books Inq.

Comments

  1. FredJanuary 24, 2011 at 12:05 PM

    Steven,

    Fascinating. It's one of my favorites by Peggy Lee.

    I shall now have to dig out my collection of Mann's shorter works and find this one. I know I read the story many years ago but never made the connection.

    ReplyDelete
  2. StevenJanuary 24, 2011 at 12:17 PM

    Dear Fred,

    I doubt I've ever encountered the Mann before; however, it doesn't at all surprise me.

    And Peggy Lee is a favorite. This one has always been difficult for me--I love it also--but cautiously, at a distance.

    shalom,

    Steven

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Robert de Boron and the Prose Merlin

There are so many wonderful things about the internet: there was a time when a scholar had to order through ILL and wait for weeks or months before he or she could set eyes on such works as Geoffrey of Monmouth's Vita Merlini or Robert de Boron's Prose Merlin . No more. from Prose Merlin Robert de Boron Full wrothe and angry was the Devell, whan that oure Lorde hadde ben in helle and had take oute Adam and Eve and other at his plesier. And whan the fendes sien that, they hadden right grete feer and gret merveile. Thei assembleden togedir and seiden: "What is he this thus us supprisith and distroyeth, in so moche that oure strengthes ne nought ellis that we have may nought withholde hym, nor again hym stonde in no diffence but that he doth all that hym lyketh? We ne trowed not that eny man myght be bore of woman but that he sholde ben oures; and he that thus us distroyeth, how is he born in whom we knewe non erthely delyte?" Than ansuerde anothir fende and seide
Read more

Another Queen of Night

I post this because whenever I recommend to anyone the Queen of Night, I always recommend it in the Lucia Popp rendition.  It's a matter of personal taste, but what I love about this is that it is somewhat slower than the other versions and as a result, it would seem to me somewhat more difficult to perform and sustain--those high notes in which the Queen's voice becomes the Magic Flute itself are rounded, full, and deep while remaining light and airy. I have read some rather severe criticism of this ritardando; and while it may or may not reflect Mozart's intent, it is certainly within the options for staging.  It creates a real vocal showpiece from what is already a magnificent example of same. It really is an amazing example of a virtuoso composition sung by a virtuoso voice.  All of which should not be taken to mean that I do not truly appreciate the version posted earlier by Diana Damrau, it's just nice to see what a difference tempo can make. I think we can take
Read more