What Single People Do on Valentine’s Day

It’s a well-known fact that all sorts of creatures haunt Valentine’s night; lured to the mortal world by the overabundance of hormones. It’s quite easy to spot satyrs, centaurs, basilisks, manticores and even a vampire or two waiting in the shadows for a victim to come along. Unicorns, of course, are quite scarce on this night...

It is the duty of all Single Folk to ensure that these creatures do not break up happy couples (or exsanguinate them), which is why lame excuses like “I’m staying home and watching a few DVDs” or “I’m going to wash my hair” are so common. We are just so humble that we don’t want all the happy couples’ praises heaped upon us. So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I will patrol the streets to make sure that others who are actually on dates do not have their evening spoiled by having a few of Bacchus’s satyrs show up unannounced.

Or maybe I will stay at home and watch Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet. Or Giselle. Or perhaps Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado. Eat some chocolate... Maybe wash my hair... 

Monday Music – White Canvas, Lifelines

“White Canvas” is one of my favourite tracks on a-ha’s Lifelines album. It can be listened tohere, but, unfortunately, doesn’t have a music video. But here are two of their videos – the title track from Lifelines, as well as that of their album HuntingHigh and Low. The last one seems especially fitting after all theTellerassar legends.

Maandag Musiek – White Canvas, Lifelines

“White Canvas” is een van my gunsteling liedjies op a-ha se Lifelines album. Mens kan hierso daarnaluister, maar daar is ongelukkig nie ’n musiekvideo vir hierdie liedjie nie. Hier is wel twee van hulle video’s – die titelsnit van Lifelines, so well as die een van hulle album Hunting High and Low. Hierdie laaste snit is veral gepas na al die Tellerassar legendes. 

Die soete liefde en dood

Panthea

Die lied “Ah, alas you salt sea gods” (wat ook “Panthea se treurlied” genoem word) is deur Richard Farrant (1530-1580) geskryf. Die weergawe van die lied wat ek ken is die een deur die Rose Consort of Viols en gesing word deur CatherineKing. Naxos het ’n pragtige CD genaamd ElizabethanSongs and Consort Music*. Dit bevat ook William Byrd se meesterlike en hartverskeurende lief “Ye sacred muses”.

“Ah, alas you salt sea gods” is ’n dramatiese lied en John Bryan verduidelik: “[m]any of these dramatic songs take the form of elegies or ‘death songs’, either evoking death as a relief … or railing against the fate like Panthea…” (Naxos CD-boekie, bladsy 2).

Die lied is Panthea se treurlied met die dood van haar man; wat in ’n veldslag gedood is. Na die veldslag vind sy hom naby ’n rivier op die slagveld, geklee in die goue wapenrusting wat sy net voor die slag aan hom gegee het. Dievolledige verhaal van Panthea en Abradad kan hier gelees word. Hieronder is ‘n opname van die lied, met die lirieke daaronder.

Ah, alas, you salt sea gods!**

Ah, alas, you salt sea gods!

Bow down your ears divine.

Lend ladies here warm water springs

To moist their crystal eyne,

That they may weep and wail

And wring their hands with me

For death of lord and husband mine:

Alas, lo, this is he!

You gods that guide the ghosts

And souls of them that fled,

Send sobs, send sighs, send grievous groans,

And strike poor Panthea dead.

Abradad, ah, alas poor Abradad!

My sprite with thine shall lie.

Come death, alas, O death most sweet,

For now I crave to die.

* Katalogus: DDD 8.554284

** Hierdie lirieke is ook beskikbaar in die Naxos CD-boekie of die Choral Wiki-webwerf.

Of Love and Death Most Sweet

Panthea

The song “Ah, alas you salt sea gods” (also called “Panthea’s Lament”) was written by Richard Farrant (1530-1580). The version of the song I know is that of the Rose Consort of Viols, sung by Catherine King. Naxos has a wonderful CD called Elizabethan Songs and ConsortMusic*. It also contains William Byrd’s masterful and heartbreaking song “Ye sacred muses”. 

“Ah, alas you salt sea gods” is a dramatic song and John Bryan notes: “[m]any of these dramatic songs take the form of elegies or ‘death songs’, either evoking death as a relief … or railing against the fate like Panthea…” (NaxosCD booklet, page 2).

The song is the lament of Panthea at the death of her husband who was slain in battle. After the battle she finds him on the battlefield near a river in the golden armour she had given to him just before the battle. Cradling his mutilated body in her lap, she cries and laments at his death. The complete story of Panthea and Abradad can be read over here. Below is a recording of the song, with the lyrics underneath.

Ah, alas, you salt sea gods!**

Ah, alas, you salt sea gods!

Bow down your ears divine.

Lend ladies here warm water springs

To moist their crystal eyne,

That they may weep and wail

And wring their hands with me

For death of lord and husband mine:

Alas, lo, this is he!

You gods that guide the ghosts

And souls of them that fled,

Send sobs, send sighs, send grievous groans,

And strike poor Panthea dead.

Abradad, ah, alas poor Abradad!

My sprite with thine shall lie.

Come death, alas, O death most sweet,

For now I crave to die.

* Catalogue: DDD 8.554284

** These lyrics can also be found in the Naxos CD booklet or the Choral Wiki webpage.