Byron Keith Taylor: News and Forum

Hello folks! I am currently working on a new blog for you that will be called "Music As Literature" so keep your eyes peeled:) BKT.

Sometimes, as an artist, I wonder just how far my music has gone as far as being heard. Well, I made a pleasantly recent discovery that the internet radio station, Celticaradio.com, has consistently put me on their playlist with a song I submitted "Just One Kiss". In fact, it was featured in the Continental Breakfast edition last month with other independent artists. I must thank celtica radio.com for believing in my music and keeping me on their playlist; now I am truly psyched about recording the new music! BKT

Hey gang! I have reached Ireland and I must say that it is quite a wonderful experience! The staff here in my university is grand and I am finally settling in. Now I can concentrate on writing essays, fiction, and of course, music. Sorry it took so long to write my latest entry; I have been rather busy.Please feel free to pick up a copy of my CD, Dreamwalk if you have a chance. Currently, I am still doing preproduction work on my latest project which will be an EP of new material. Also, check in again soon because I will write new blogs on film, music, and literature as well as complete my series on "writing for Orchestra". Take care! BKT:)

Hey gang! well, it's a done deal; I am heading overseas during the first week in February to finish my Master's degree and work on my new CD. I am so sorry I have not made a new entry in a while. You can only imagine how busy I must be now!This is, without question, the most exciting period of my life and I cannot wait to record some new music, learn new things, and meet new people! I promise to be more consistent with my future updates! BKT

Now that I have recovered from all of the holiday festivities (lol), I want to wish you all a prosperous new year! I have so much planned for 2010, it's not even funny! Preproduction for the new project is going smoothly and my studies are moving ahead quite well. The "Raven Trail" EP may be my most interesting CD to date but I don't want you to forget about "Dreamwalk" because I haven't!:) More to come, so stick around! BKT

Hey gang! If you haven't done so yet, feel free to get a copy of my past project, "Dreamwalk", that is available on this site! Take care! KT

Hello everybody! I am finally able to have time enough to make a new entry here. I want to wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season and as usual I will have more to come and more to share with you for the coming year! BKT

Hey gang! I know that I haven't posted anything in a while but I have been very busy making preparations for a new project as well as embarking upon the next leg of my journey towards a Master's degree that I plan to get next year before I pursue my doctorate. Anyway, some inner voice told me to go and rent the 2006 movie version of the classic Tristan and isolde story starring James Franco. Admittedly, I went to the theatre with bated breath anticipating a spectacle that would have made Wagner proud and initially I was disappointed. How dare they leave out the potion exchange between the two lovers on the ship that is headed towards King Mark's land? (as a sidenote, someone said in the Special Features section of the DVD that the potion was taken out because it created love between them when Tristan and Isolde drank it in a cup unwittingly, but this reading is clearly wrong: the potion only brought out feelings that were already there!) What about the Liebestod where Isolde mentions love as a transcendental force that can even conquer death? Well, at least they did hint at the idea in the movie:). Now let's fast forward four years in the present time: I watched it last night and got teary-eared at the end ( I have no qualms being a man and saying that! lol) Then, I was compelled to watch the Special Features section and then I got it: if the filmmakers were attempting to Wagnerize the feature film that would have to be palatable to the general audience, it would have been an abominable mistake!Why? Well, for starters, Film and Opera renditions are different renditions of Art which require different approaches to the material at hand. Second, I truly appreciate the care of attention and detail the project had in addition to the wonderful performances of James Franco (Tristan), Rufus Sewell (King Mark) and the lovely Sophia Myles (what a hottie!). Long ago, I watched a movie version of the legend that is not well known starring Nicholas Clay as Tristan (who played Lancelot in one of my all-time favorite films, "Excalibur"), Kate Mulgrew as Isolde (Captain Janeway in the Star Trek TV series "Voyager" among other things in which she has appeared) and----get this---the late great actor Richard Burton as King Mark! If any of you have any ideas how I cpould procure a copy of this version on DVD, I would be eternally grateful:) So why has the legend of Tristan and Isolde, two star-crossed lovers, that are pre-Romeo and Juliet Elizabethan era, so endearing, so immortal in our hearts, minds, and souls? Well, I can only speak for myself by saying that they are indicative of the idea of human love as an inextinguishable flame that burns eternally if it is ignited by two people who are right for each other. No matter the circumstances, no matter the obligations of honor and duty, love is a true force that permeates and ultimately dominates destiny if allowed, regrdless of either blissful or tragic results. Love is the conflagration of souls that constantly burn for each other. Unfortunately for tristan and Isolde, the flame consumed their existence, but when they were alive, the flame kept them alive in a barren world of desolation and tradition. I hinted in my own way about this kind of love, this Liebestod (pronounced LEE-beh-Shtode) or translated from German as Love/Death in my song "The Knight and the Queen" but fortunately, my protoganists did not die from mortal wounds, sorrow, or jumping into flames in order to be cleansed of an ancient curse like two other doomed Wagnerian lovers, Siegfried and Brunnhilde. My characters in the song have a flame that burns and is sustained throughout their lives. What is the beauty of Tristan and Isolde? In my opinion, it is simply the willingness and openness to subject oneself to what true love can give you. "When you reached out to me, it was not hard to see that true romance was not just a dream for the Knight and the Queen"...BKT
P.S. How could I forget Anne Dudley's excellent score?:)

Hey gang! Now that I am back talking about music, I want to give you a little more insight into what I ahve planned for my next project. It will definitely be called "The Raven Trail" and I will try to incorporate elements that go back to my folk and country roots. My family is originally from the lovely Tarheel state of North Carolina, so naturally I love the indigenous parts of it like beautiful nature, great barbecue AND country/folk music. But here's the rub: since I plan to finish my Master's degree in Dublin, Ireland starting early next year, I want to show the relationship between indigenous American music and Irish music. I have always felt that the two compliment each other because they both share wonderful virtues. First, I want to use more more solo violin for certain songs and also I may even play mandolin in this record! It will be much more organic than the last project, of which I am proud, and include even such instruments as the Irish instrument, the bodhran which is a hand held, small drum played with a mallet. Historically, it has been used as a battle drum for past wars. When I hear Celtic music, oftentimes I think that it has similarities to Jazz because of the free style nature of the music and its organic makeup reminds me of Folk and Country. I will try and use these features in the new CD and I have finished writing a few of the new songs and I am quite happy with them. Amidst current romantic heartbreak, plans for my future, and constant writing, the floodgates of my creativity have been reopened. Simply, I try to write and record the best material I can and I hope that you will like my new musical offering once it is completed. I plan to start recording next month and will finish it up in the Emerald Isle. I look forward to sharing future thoughts and experiences with you about this process. In the meantime, feel free to pick up my current release, "Dreamwalk"!:) BKT

This is a curious instrument because it is neither French nor a Horn. From WHENCE did the name came? Who knows? One thing is for certain, though; it is one of the loveliest sounding instruments in the orchestra because it can be mellow, yet biting in its timbre. Writing this entry reminds me of my days in Music and Art High school: my first girlfriend was a French horn player. She was my official coach for entrance into the wonderful world of kissing. Haven't you heard that brass players are excellent kissers because of the embouchere they have to use to play their instruments?:) Remember in my last entries that an embouchere (pronounced EM-Boo-SHER) is the method of positioning one's lips in order to produce a sound. Anyway, a French Horn is tuned either in Bb or F. It is also the second highest instrument in the brass family; naturally, the trumpet is the highest. I like scoring it in a number of ways. For quick, playful passages I like a few eight notes, sixteenth notes and variations. What automatically comes to mind is Richard Strauss' "Till EulenSpiegel". There is a famous French Horn passage that is considered to be a classic and is a major theme of the piece. Also, Mozart wrote the Five Horn Concertos which are definitive explorations of the instrument. How about that French Horn solo in the Beatles' "For No One" ? The French Horn has a great, expressive power in slow passages as well. Here are a few recommendationw for further listening:
(a) Poulenc's "Elegie"
(b) Richard Strauss' "Horn Concerti"
(c) Brahms' "Horn Trio"
Go to your nearest library, take out these musical treasures and enjoy! A note for Star Wars fans: did you know that ewan MacGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) plays this instrument?:) BKT
A second note: Dennis Brain, the principal Horn player for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the time of the legendary conductor, Herbert Von Karajan, was scheduled to appear at a Beatles recording session but was unfortunately killed in a car accident. He is also known for popularizing the instrument in the twentieth century and came from a family tradition of Horn players! BKT

A few weeks ago, I caught Guillermo del Toro's second installment of the Hellboy series and I must say that I really that it was a beautifully made film. for those who enjoyed it as I did, I thought that Iw ould add a few things in this blog that would want to make you give it another look. First, the villain ogf the film was called Prince Nuada. Now I remember my Celtic undergraduate studies in college and when I first heard his name mentioned I smiled: Nuada, in Irish Myth, was the first king of the Tuatha De Danann ( the early race of gods and goddesses that fought against the Fir Bolg, their enemy tribe) and played an important role in Celtic lore as a fierce warrior and eventual king. Now when he lost his hand during battle, a clever physician, Dianchecht, with a magical cure, fashioned him with a new, silver hand and thus, he was forever known as Nuada Silverhand. One of my favorite authors, Michael Moorcock, was obviously inspired by this story with his Corum series (which I am currently re-reading; I grew up reading these stories!) Moorcock's hero was called Corum of the Silver Hand in the sequel trilogy he wrote for this great character based upon his multiverse that is populated by different aspects of a hero that spans the ages called the "Eternal Champion". Anyway, I thought that it was very astute of Mr. Del Toro to use Celtic images to add weight to his screenplay. Oh, and by the way, since Peter Jackson is not directing the film version of the Lord of the rings "prequel" that Prof. Tolkien wrote (even before LOTR), "The Hobbit" (at last!) I think that he is the PERFECT choice to helm the project! His sense of filmaking is astonishing! Foe anyone who has not sieen "Pan's Labyrinth", do yourself a favor and rent it! It is quite a film! Ok, let me get back "Hellboy 2". Nuada's father in the film, King Balor, is also taken from Celtic mythology. He was King Balor of the One Eye of the race of Giants. I might be wrong but he may have evn had one eye in the film! (don't quote me on that one, though; I have to see it again). Mr. Del Toro also directed the first hellboy film which was also a triumph in storytelling and art direction. My recommendation would be to rent BOTH films in Blu-Ray format for the best results. Enjoy! BKT

I can virtually play almost twenty different musical instruments but there is one that I always go back to and is usually my first choice to pick up when I start writing a song: the guitar. It is a very handy instrument and one cannot certainly pick up a piano and go outside to play!:) However, a guitar does not have this handicap (nothing is wrong at all with a piano, of course; one literally has the orchestra at one's fingertips and it was my very first instrument!). I thought it would be interesting to share with you how accessible the instrument actually is and can instantly become your new friend. When I was a kid, I thought of every instrument I acquired as a new friend. Oftentimes, the mistake of quickly alienating a student to the guitar or any instrument is made. I do not want to make that mistake here, so welcome to a new world!:) I am imagining now how I would teach the instrument. First, here are some questions:

(1) Where are the frets located on a guitar?(a)
(a) near the tuning pegs
(b) near the saddle
(c) near the soundhole
(d) near the pick guard
(e) on the neck

(2) From where did it come?

(a) England
(b) Afghanistan
(c) Africa
(d) The United States
(e) Spain

(3) How many strings are on a basic guitar?

(a) 8
(b) 6
(c) 5
(d) 4
(e)12

(4) Where is the bridge located on the guitar?:)

(5) Who is NOT a guitar player?
(a) Jimmy Page
(b) Jean-Luc Ponty
(c) Brian May
(d) Paul McCartney
(e) Angus Young

(6) Which song is NOT necessarily a guitar-centered one?

(a) Stairway To Heaven
(b) Dust in the Wind
(c) Classical Gas
(4) She's Got a Way
(5) She's Got A Ticket To Ride

Ok, ok, the last question may have been a no-brainer, but you got my point!:) Now here are some answers:
#1: (e) ; #2: (e) (although there is evidence that it really is (c); #3: this was a trick question because there are six-string and twelve string guitars, so the answers are (b) and (e); #4: The bridge is located near the saddle where the strings end at almost the bottom of the instrument; #5: (b) and (e): Jean Luc- ponty is a famous jazz-rock violinist and Angus Young is the lead singer of the classic rock group, ACDC; #6: (4) Ok, the Billy Joel song was a given:). Well, now that you tried my little pop quiz, check out the video I chose:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2DfAY5K_tc

Hello! I have a lot of things planned for this month to share with you all! I am working on a new project which willl definitely be an EP, but a unique one: in between full-fledged songs, I will have musical vignettes that relate to the concept of the CD. It will be called "The Raven Trail" as opposed to my other title, "Time is the River". Also, I am also working on finalizing my third and last draft of a Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel I wrote many years ago and plan on creating two more sequels. It will be a trilogy but not of Tolkienesque size: more C.S. Lewis , if you catch my drift. The Instruments of the Orchestra series will be finished this month, and I will give you my views on the fascinating Hellboy series as well as updates on the forthcoming EP, so stick around guys: there is MUCH more to come from me!:) BKT

Hey gang! So sorry for the inactivity for a while! Now I can fully pay my bills here!:) Anyway, I also have a blogger.com account so sometimes I will post links from it here so that you can see more content. Check out this latest entry of mine:

Star Wars As Modern Myth

It is generally known that George Lucas' epic space operas, "The Star Wars Saga", have taken their place among the elite of classic movies, have worldwide acclaim, a huge fan base (of which I am a part), and have a multi-generational appeal. Yet, can Mr. Lucas be considered a modern mythmaker like Homer was in his day? It can be arguably said that the Greek storyteller would have wanted to make movies of his art if he were alive today; but Homer was around over three thousand years ago. Are modern myths even possible? This week's topic is about discovering whether or not Star Wars can qualify as Modern Myth.

First, I want to present to you a brief link that includes the late great Joseph Campbell: a scholar, writer, professor, and even a symbologist whom one could easily call the real-life Robert Langdon (for you Dan Brown enthusiasts) sans secret societies and adventure. George Lucas' creation was largely inspired by Mr. Campbell's book "A Hero With A Thousand Faces" which examines how all heroes throughout myth follow a certain pattern. From Ulysses to Luke Skywalker, they all have a common thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_jGxUkPz8I

If you'd like, here's another link you should see:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O5cJ9-iXQg


I hope you enjoyed learning more about the underlying meaning of "Star Wars", so here is a very short, simple, and stress-free mini-test on what you may have gleaned from watching the YouTube video link:

(1) How did Joseph Campbell perceive the hero? What was his role?
a-plot device
b-a personification of a culture's mythology
c-a simple warrior

(2) How did Mr. Campbell get the idea of writing "A Hero with A Thousand Faces"?


(3) What is "The Hero's Journey" and how does Luke Skywalker follow it ?


(4) What does it mean when the Hero makes his"Descent into the Underworld"?


(5) What was Luke Skywalker's "Call To Adventure"?

Answer to #1: b; the remaining questions can be answered according to how you perceived the viewing.






Here are more things to consider:

"Nobody paid $7 to hear Homer read The Odyssey, or lined up to buy Thomas Malory's 15th-century version of King Arthur's legend. But, when Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace opens at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, George Lucas' epic of galactic good and evil will be seen by more people in one day than Homer or Malory ever dreamed of reaching in their lifetimes" (Persall, 1999) . In retrospect, this turned out to be true.

"Lucas is the first mass media mythologist, which causes some academics to question placing him among the elite creators of legends. Ancient myths thrived on the power of their stories alone, not mass communication" (Persall, 1999).

"However, Star Wars is a fairy-tale too. Skywalker is larger than life, but not too large. Unlike Beowulf, who wrestles with a sea-monster as a starter before even hearing of Grendel, Luke starts life as just a good ol' country boy - the woodcutter's son, in other words. His real father may be Darth Vader, but it takes another two films before he learns that this is the case (or that Princess Leia is actually his sister - Jedi families seem to be pretty dysfunctional). Again, hidden nobility is a common theme of fairy tales: the woodcutter's son is really a prince" (Anonymous, 2009).

In essence, Star Wars is more than just entertaining movies. They contain the Hero's Journey and all the other classic elements that are defined as Myth and it is certainly modern because of all the technological advancements and settings that a 21st century audience can enjoy. The next time you pop in a DVD of any of the six films, remember thatthis story has been told for centuries.



References



Persall, S. (1999) Move Over, Odysseus, here comes Luke Skywalker. St. Petersburg

Times. Retrieved October 6, 2009 from

http://www.folkstory.com/articles/petersburg.html


Anonymous (2009) Star Wars: Myth, Legend, and FairyTale. Sensible Marks of Ideas.

Philosophy and Linguistics Pages. Retrieved October 6, 2009 from

http://neptune.spaceports.com/~words/starwars.html







Posted by BKT at 4:23 PM 0 comments

An interesting thing happened to me today at work: a friend of mine, a doctor who happens to be an opera buff, was kind enough to give me two season tickets to Rossini's immortal opera "The Barber of Seville". I started to think about how this opera has left an indelible mark upon society without much acknowledgement from the general public. What is it about opera tha makes a lot of people either run for the hills or give out the general impression that it is just burgeois entertainment? I have loved Opera since I heard Pavarotti sing "Nessun Dorma (No One Will Sleep) from Puccini's great opera "Turandot". This blog is intended to give the reader a meditation on one example of how one may be more familiar with the art form than previously realized. Remember Bugs Bunny and his shenangins with Elmer Fudd in the 1950 Warner Brothers cartoon, "The Rabbit of Seville?" The music came from the overture from Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" and this classic cartoon is still being played to TV audiences around the world. How about Eddie Murphy's Buckwheat character singing "I'm da Barbah od Dabill, Figaro, Figaro!" Do you see my point now? Opera does not have to be stuffy or inaccessible. It has more influence in popular culture than you may know. For your pleasure, I have included the aforementioned examples of how Rossini's music is alive today and as an afterthought, I have also included an excerpt from an actual performance of the opera which revolves around a plot concerning a Count's love of a beautiful woman( sorry to oversimplify). The style is what is called opera buffa or comedy. I have included three links that you should follow in order to see what I was talking about before. Just click on the links and meditate on how you may not have realized that Opera was already with you and you may not have even realized it. Afterwards, click on my guestbook and tell me your thoughts. Enjoy!BKT

Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvXEElJFR6g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxa4DfLBjvE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyhuIC1sxJY&feature=PlayList&p=75361D295F74A965&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=14

As an added bonus, I have included another link related to Opera's realtionship to popular culture: A Flintstones episode where Fred discovers Barney's vocal talent: Barney sings "Figaro, Figaro" near the end of the clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UXoHj1k_UQ

I promised that I would deliver this essay on my thoughts about the concept of "The sacred Feminine" and here it is!:) Sorry it took so long; I have been rather busy. Anyway, I thought that this would be a perfect time to talk about it since Dan Brown, the author of "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons" has released a new book. I have not read it yet but I am sure that it will be chockful of action, intrigue, secret conspiracies and symbols. So what is exactly the Sacred Feminine? Dan Brown suggested in his novel that the early church went out of their way to suppress women as leaders. Is this true? I will not say yes or no but the idea of the sacred feminine actually goes beyond Christian origins. Has any reader here ever read "The Mists of Avalon" by that wonderful writer, marion Zimmer bradley? She brilliantly showed the power of the sacred feminine by having Arthur, the future king that would embody the virtues of a Christian life and kingship join with a symbol of The Goddess in a fertility ritual. Unfortunately, in her version, that led to the birth of his son and mortal enemy, Mordred, but the meaning here is clear: in order for us to accept and understand how great God truly is, the great power of women MUST be loved and acknowledged.It can be said that the Sacred Feminine is about feminine power being closer to divinity than the masculine power but I think that it is more than that. For a full, enriched life, in my opinion, what Jung called the anima and the animus must BOTH be enjoyed and loved. No sex should have authority over the true divine nature of love and spiritual life.But that is not to say that feminine power should not be respected, loved and admired because I believe that it is not revered ENOUGH. This is one of the things I love to write about in my works. BKT:)

Hello Folks! I know I have not been here ina while but I just got back from the most amazing trip of my life! Ireland is not called the Emerald Isle for nothing! I have seen some of the most beautiful people, country, city life, and cultural spots the world has to offer and I feel very privileged to have been there. It will not be my last time, believe it. For those who ahve never been or was always curious, let me give a few reasons why you should make the journey: Grafton Street ( a mecca of shopping and street performers), Trinity College (where the famous Book Of Kells is on display; don't forget the Long room which houses over 200,000 books of history, literature, and culture), the pubs, the pubs, the pubs (I recommend Brogan's Pub which is a few blocks away from Christ Church Cathedral), the countryside (Bray, and my favorite part, Sally's Gap full of hills and mountains that truly make one feel dwarfed by beauty), and that is just a few! Take care and I will post that essay I keep talking about as well as new musical developments! BKT:)

Hi there! I have been so busy planning my trip to Ireland, I did not have a chance to make a new entry so here it is! There are new songs in the woks as well. I hope to do some recording before the year is out and when I do, I will premiere the new stuff on this site! Ok take care and I will post the essay in the next entry for sure!:)BKT

Keep coming back because I will deliver that essay on "The Sacred Feminine" as I promised and of course, musical updates! :) BKT

I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of one of the true greats in popular music, Michael Jackson. He was truly a gifted singer, dancer and entertainer. I would like to talk about another gift he truly possessed: GREAT SONGWRITING. We must remember that he wrote such gems as "Beat It", "Billie Jean", "Bad", "Black or White", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", and the list goes on. Often, he would record his ideas on a tape recorder and use that as a reference point. I want to thank him for being so inspirational to millions of people all over the world and wreaking down barriers. It's crazy to think that an artist of such high caliber had trouble getting on the cover of Rolling Stone and getting "Billie Jean" played on MTV (Thanks must also go to Walter Yetnikoff, who was the head of CBS/Sony Records at the time who stood up for Michael). Anyway, the world is not quite the same after Mr. Jackson's passing, and I will always do my best to follow his example of being the best I can be as an artist. Michael, you will greatly missed. BKT