Byron Keith Taylor: News and Forum
Upcoming Radio Interview - March 18, 2010
A Little More About The Music - March 15, 2010
In life, I find that the more one lives it, year after year, one truly finds out more about oneself. Coming to a foreign yet beautiful land, I am thinking about my music more than ever before when I was in the States and that I HAVE to do this next CD even though it will only be a few songs. Oftentimes, people ask me who are my influences. For those who know me, I have said many times that James Taylor and Stevie Wonder are great heroes of mine.; yet, if I truly look at my musical makeup, aside from the Classical influences like Wagner, Profofiev, Mussorgsky, and Beethoven, my musical style has been shaped by a basic pattern( but not confined by it): Stevie Wonder influenced me in terms of not only his great artistry but his vocal style; Paul McCartney influenced me to the degree of being a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and performer; James Taylor influenced my acoustic guitar style;the late great (and GROSSLY underappreciated) Dan Fogelberg without a doubt, influenced my songwriting style along with the magnificent Gordon Lightfoot; Billy Joel was also a HUGE influence on my piano playing which, I am sure, you can hear in my song "The Knight and The Queen". Looking back, I can safely say that these are my idols and always will be and the music world has greatly benefited from their towering examples.BKT
Happy Belated Mother's Day! - March 14, 2010
Gig and Recording Update - March 14, 2010
Before the Essay Blog...Great News! - March 10, 2010
About the Upcoming Blog - February 24, 2010
Special Thanks - February 23, 2010
A Month Later - February 23, 2010
Going to Europe - January 22, 2010
Happy New Year! - January 6, 2010
"Dreamwalk" CD is still Available - December 26, 2009
Hope You Had a Good Christmas - December 26, 2009
The Beauty of Tristan and Isolde - December 8, 2009
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 manifestations 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 "Lovespell", 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 could 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?:)
"The Raven Trail" CD - November 14, 2009
Instruments of The Orchestra, Part 13: The French Horn - November 4, 2009
(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
Take a Second Look At "Hellboy 2" - October 29, 2009
Introduction to the Guitar - October 13, 2009
(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
Once again, Sorry for the Delay... - October 13, 2009
Blogger.com - October 13, 2009
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
Is Opera Accessible to the General Public?: A Look At Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)" - September 21, 2009
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
The Sacred Feminine - September 19, 2009
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:)