In light of the terrible events in Paris, France this past Friday, we at the Parsons Music Library have decided to share some music selections in solidarity with the people of France (and the victims of violence all over the world).
Many people have found ways to pay musical tribute to Paris, here are just a couple of lovely examples:
It’s late October and many folks around campus may well be looking for fun things to help them get into the Halloween “spirit”.
Maybe you’re tired of the usual suspects like “Ghostbusters“, “Thriller” or “The Monster Mash” and want to branch out? (All of the aforementioned songs, incidentally, are available to check out on CD here.)
Well, the Music Library can definitely help you get your spooky on, if you are so inclined!
For example, we have quite a few film soundtracks that could spice up your Halloween listening:
Bernard Hermann‘s soundtrack to the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic film Psycho might fit the bill (just stay away from the shower!)
In addition to film soundtracks we have some movie musicals that might make good seasonal viewing such as the adaptation of Stephen Sondheim‘s bloody good melodrama Sweeney Todd
You can also thrill to the ghostly sounds of the theremin — an electronic musical instrument that is controlled without physical contact. It was/is often featured in sci-fi and horror movies like The Day The Earth Stood Still. (Fun fact: Bernard Hermann did the music for this film as well!)
In a classical vein (pun totally intended) you can find recordings of things like Berlioz‘s Symphonie Fantastique, Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre or Mussorgsky’s Night On Bald Mountain in a variety of formats (LP, CD, streaming) for your seasonal delectation and delight.
We even have sound effects CDs to help you create your own spooky atmosphere at Halloween parties.
So why not pay us a visit and check out some Halloween fun? We’re dying to see you! *rimshot*
The Richmond Folk Festival has brought world class musicians to the City of Richmond since 2005. It is a FREE event and attracts thousands of people to Richmond’s riverfront (Brown’s Island and environs) to celebrate the richness and diversity of America’s culture through music, crafts, dance, storytelling and food. It also provides an excellent opportunity to experience music and performances that are not commonly seen in Virginia and to appreciate different musical styles.
This year’s festival takes place October 9th-11th and features an amazing mixture of performers such as:
Feedel Band, an Ethio-jazz band from Addis Ababa via Washington, D.C. Ethio-jazz is a fusion of traditional Ethopian music with jazz, funk, soul and Latin rhythms.
Grupo Rebolu
Grupo Rebolu is an Afro-Colombian ensemble that plays a mix of indigenous, African and modern instruments and sings in Spanish. Their music is rooted in traditions of the Caribbean coast of Colombia and dancing is encouraged!
The Alt
If you’re into Celtic music you can see performances by The Alt, a trio of master Irish musicians. The group takes its name from The Alt, a storied glen on the slopes of Knocknarea in County Sligo, said to be the final resting place of the ancient Irish warrior-queen Maeve.
In honor of the Richmond Folk Festival (and in case you can’t make it since it’s happening during Fall Break), the Parsons Music Library has created a small exhibit featuring examples of the types of music that you can find at the Folk Fest this year as well as some examples of specific performers that will be attending. Items include books, CDs and DVDs. You can check out the exhibit in the library through the end of October.
We also have an assortment of streaming audio from musicians participating in the folk festival that can be accessed if you are a UR Student, Faculty or Staff Member. You will need to sign in with your UR email address and password to access most of our streaming content.
The Campbell Brothers – Sacred Steel On Tour
Sacred steel is a musical style and African American gospel tradition that developed in Pentecostal churches during the 1930s. Per the Richmond Folk Festival’s website: “Named for the metal bar – often made of steel – that players slide over strings to vary the pitch of notes, steel guitarists have provided the driving musical force for spirit-filled church services for nearly eighty years. The signature sound remains one characterized by single-note passages that uncannily imitate African American vocal styles. This unique musical tradition, rarely heard outside the church before the early 1990s, has since captivated the ears of the nation and world. Among the finest ambassadors of sacred steel are the Campbell Brothers.”
Schooled in Texas blues by her father and raised in Harlem, Shemekia Copeland creates music that reflects gritty urban realities and weaves together blues, soul, and rock and roll.
You can also have a listen to streaming audio by artists like rockabilly icon Sleepy LaBeef or out of this world big band free jazz groups like the Sun Ra Arkestra (which bears the name of its founder and bandleader, Sun Ra, who named himself after Ra, the Egyptian God of the Sun, and claimed to be from Saturn!).
The Richmond Folk Festival offers something for everyone and is well worth investigating further either by attending the FREE event yourself or by visiting the music library to learn more about resources that we offer relating to it!
