Episode Summary
The news of the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg caught me as a shock, on top of the backdrop of the wildfires that have been happening on the West Coast, and the pandemic still underway as we navigate trying to go back to school and work and figure out what this year will look like for us. The upcoming months may be a test of our resilience and strength and community spirit. And we can dig deep and find what we know we have within us. Along the theme of resilience, this week we have music from Arise and Go, Lissa Schneckenburger, Haley Hewitt, and Ethan Tischler with the Gawler Sisters. Ben Williams reads a poem by Sara Teasdale, and Julie reads an excerpt from a community poem and a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, with musical accompaniment by Eleanor Lincoln. Take care, everyone.
Episode Notes
1. Jean-Paul Jigs: Le Tourment / Korolenko – Arise & Go (Newfield, NY). These tunes are both by Québécois musician and composer Jean-Paul Loyer and are from Arise & Go’s recent album Meeting Place. https://ariseandgo.bandcamp.com
2. Like barley bending, by Sara Teasdale. Read by Ben Williams (Northampton, MA). Ben writes, “Like much of Sara Teasdale’s poetry, I feel I can see the images she is describing, and I hope we all, like barley bending, are able to rise again from our pain and turn our sorrow into song.”
3. Aoife’s / Coleman’s March – Lissa Schneckenburger (Brattleboro, VT). This track is from Lissa’s 2005 self-titled album. www.lissafiddle.com
4. Excerpts from If the trees can keep dancing, so can I, a community poem compiled by Kwame Alexander. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT). Kwame Alexander, NPR’s poet-in-residence, created this poem from crowdsourced submissions.
5. Longmeadow – Haley Hewitt (East Hartford, CT). Haley notes, “I wrote this piece at a time when I was living in Glasgow, UK and missing the trees of my hometown Longmeadow, MA in the United States. In writing this I wanted to capture the feeling of being surrounded by the tall trees which dominate the landscape, casting shadows and only letting shafts of sunlight through their leaves.” Recorded at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, with Haley Hewitt (harp), Joe Armstrong (flute), and Marissa Helen Waite (bodhran).
6. Nothing will die, by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Read by Julie Vallimont (Brattleboro, VT), with musical accompaniment by Eleanor Lincoln (Northampton, MA).
7. All Will Be Well – Ethan Tischler (Lincolnville, ME). This studio single by Ethan Stokes and the Gawler Sisters was recorded this spring. Ethan notes, “Its lyrics trace their way back to the 14th century anchoress, mystic, and theologian Julian of Norwich, whose Revelations of Divine Love is the first known published (and still celebrated) work by a female author. The book, and the song, speak to the love and peace that persist and guide in even our most challenging times, as a people, a nation, an interwoven global community.” http://ethanstokestischler.bandcamp.com
The opening music is “The Pearl in Sorrow’s Hand” by Julie Vallimont, from her album Dark Sky, Bright Stars. Produced by Julie Vallimont. Mixed and mastered by Dana Billings. All content courtesy of the artists, all rights reserved. This series is supported in part by the Country Dance and Song Society, NEFFA, CDS-Boston, and Pinewoods Camp. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via Patreon: www.patreon.com/starsintherafters