Tina Turner, the Queen of Rock & Roll, died yesterday. She was a one-off and another powerful feminine force to be reckoned with. And, her voice - I can't imagine a world without that incredible voice. Rock on, Tina!
Tina & Bowie? Sublime.
"She and Bowie always had one of the most endearing rock-star friendships — they always brought out the weird in each other. They duetted on his strange Pepsi commercial, starring David as Dr. Frankenstein and Tina as the rock goddess in his laboratory, both singing on “Modern Love.” They also duetted on a weirdly touching synth-reggae version of “Tonight” in 1984, about lovers separated by death, their voices meshing for the payoff lines “I will love you till I die/I will see you in the sky/Tonight.”
Most activity seems to be winding down on this blog, but the music continues. I was first introduced to the song (in its original French version) Ne Me Quitte Pas (Do Not Leave Me) by American artist, Nina Simone, and have loved it ever since. Occasionally I do a YouTube search for newer covers by different artists and sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised... as in the case of the video (above) starring Brazilian artist, Maria Gadú. Love it.
Also, Cynthia Erivo performs a pretty cover (partially) found here, and I'm happy to report I found an early (and possibly the best) live Nina Simone video of the song. Beautiful.
For a French/English lyric translation, try this page.
Medicine (as the goddess Hygeia), 1901, Gustav Klimt.
"In 1894, Klimt was commissioned to create three paintings to decorate the ceiling of the Great Hall of the University of Vienna. Not completed until the turn of the century, his three paintings, Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence were criticized for their radical themes and material, and were called "pornographic". Klimt had transformed traditional allegory and symbolism into a new language that was more overtly sexual and hence more disturbing to some. The public outcry came from all quarters—political, aesthetic and religious. As a result, the paintings (seen in gallery below) were not displayed on the ceiling of the Great Hall. This was to be the last public commission accepted by the artist. All three paintings were destroyed when retreating German forces burned Schloss Immendorf in May 1945."
- Quote and photo (inset left) was sourced from the Wike entry for Gustav Klimt.
Regarding Klimt's ill-fated "pornographic" painting, Medicine, one explanation for his controversial portrayal of the goddess Hygeia (above) - possibly the most powerful depiction of a goddess ever - was his decision to transport a pagan deity into the 20th century. His goddess is a modern goddess; she is a formidable feminine force, and not merely the femme fatale archetype she is generally mistaken for, an archetype associated with the Symbolist movement in art and literature. And Klimt is considered a Symbolist...
"The Symbolist position in painting was authoritatively defined by the young critic Albert Aurier, an enthusiastic admirer of Paul Gauguin, in an article in the Mercure de France (1891). He elaborated on Moréas’s contention that the purpose of art “is to clothe the idea in sensuous form” and stressed the subjective, symbolical, and decorative functions of an art that would give visual expression to the inner life. Symbolist painters turned to the mystical and even the occult in an attempt to evoke subjectivestates of mind by visual forms."
But, Klimt's Medicine is important in another way; whether intentional or unconsciously realized, there is some evidence of (what might be referred to as) a "Hygeian" pentagonal tradition... a tradition which began at least as far back as the first Pythagoreans and their pentalpha, so-named for the five-fold alphas (the capital "A") incorporated in its design. Importantly, the Greek word ὑγίεια also appears, which, along with the corresponding goddess, translates into "health." I'm assuming the graphic (inset right, see Wiki's Hygeia) is a facsimile of the ancient symbol but, as of this writing, I am not sure.
In any case, Klimt embedded a very bold spiral in the sinuous windings of Hygeia's golden reptile. While (most likely) not a perfect golden spiral, it is similar enough to satisfy the pentagonal muse and (what some might imagine to describe) the Pythagorean philosophy.
It seems a little ominous that my first post of the year should report (yet) another passing... but, I just learned today that we've lost another legend: guitarist Jeff Beck, whose 2014 performance (in Paris) of one of his signature tunes is above.
Honestly, I've yet to get a handle on 2023 - and, it looks like Jeff Beck didn't bother - but, if it means anything, he was performing right up till his final curtain (see BBC article). Somehow, I don't believe even death can really stop him.
For a vintage performance, see the Yardbirds video in Heart Full of Soul.
For the holiday, a brilliant, impassioned performance by Estas Tonne. Born in the Soviet Ukraine - along with, quite possibly, a guitar in his arms - he is (as of this century) a traveler, a troubadour and a street-musician (as can be seen in his video above).
For further information regarding Estas Tonne: his website and YouTube page.
(A special thanks to John for the heads-up!)
(Note 1/10/23: the accompanying article - regarding the goddess Hygeia - which originally appeared here is being revised and given a new post URL).
A floor mosaic - featuring a stellated dodecahedron - in St Mark's Basilica, Venice by Paolo Uccello circa 1430.
Featured in the center of the image (above) and in center of the image inset left is the geometrical figure known as the small stellated dodechahedron.
I don't know that this polyhedron has any specific esoterica attached to it - apart from it's obvious relationship with the pentagram and the regular dodecahedron - and, yet, its presence in the mosaic and the print seem to hold a special significance for both artists... in spite of the fact that more than 400 years and several countries separated them.
Maurits Cornelis (M.C.) Escher (1898-1972), was a Dutch graphic artist especially known for the mathematical figures and motifs in his work, while Italian painter, Paolo Uccello, was not. Uccello accomplished amazing feats of perspective in his paintings, but his online oeuvre contains only one other example of a geometric solid. And, yet, it's his polyhedron which is unquestionably the "star" of the mosaic at St. Mark's basilica... surrounded by what looks like a string of... well, sliced zucchini (but don't quote me). In any case, regardless of the vegetables, his dodecahedron is a powerful icon.
In M.C. Escher's still-life, however, the same stellated polyhedron has become an illuminated life form... or a small, extraterrestrial vehicle which has landed in a patch of earthly refuse... a broken egg, bottle, pipe, discarded tin can, etc. It seems as if the two images could not be less alike.
But, there is one continuum between Uccello's mosaic and Escher's drawing. Both images glorify the stellated dodecahedron while, at the same time, revealing its fundamental source: the pentagram.
Inset left is a great shot of Escher inking in a most amazing spiral. The full image - Sphere Surface with Fish - is below the jump.
I've been searching through my mental catalogue of music for the past week, trying to locate a particular set of sounds that somehow fit my present (precarious) situation... and the present place of this blog in time... but, regardless of my efforts, I just could not find the right tune.
That is, until this morning, when my present housemate greeted me with Ian Anderson and the musical moment presented above (alternate video). Yes, this tune is a vintage one - another one from over 50 years ago (!) - but it's a time-traveling tune, i.e., a pentagonal manifestation... and, by this, we know it's timeless.
And, by who better than the Mad Minstrel from a band named Jethro Tull? The man who transformed Bach so deliciously... and who can be recognized so effortlessly in the Tull poster (inset right).
Incidentally, Jethro Tull is touring now in the UK and will be elsewhere in Europe next year. (Timeless is forever.)
It just occurred to me that the winter solstice is almost upon us... and many moons ago, I chose Jethro Tull's album, Songs from the Wood as a seasonal favorite. Above is a great live version of the title track. (Note: Velvet Green, live.) Sadly, the related video and links were broken in the solstice post... only to be (happily) resurrected here.
Update (12/3/22): Epiphany: Ian Anderson as The Fool in a tarot deck. Traditionally, The Fool is the wild card... and numbered 0... a sort of alpha/omega in the circle of the Major Arcanum. Generally depicted as a youthful, carefree (and careless) vagabond, in one of the original decks he is also shown playing a pipe - specifically what appears to be the bag-pipes.
Various interpretations of The Fool include a madman or wild man, vagabond, jester, and wandering minstrel or bard... and eventually, the Joker, a trickster. In games it represented both the highest card and the lowest trump.
I particularly like the interpretation (found here), quoted below:
"The Fool represents the beginning of the journey of life, represented by the Major Arcana of the Tarot. They are the 0th card, meaning although they are at the beginning of the journey they can really enter the Major Arcana sequence at any point.
They represent both the beginning of the journey and the entire journey itself. They have an air of tranquility. They transcend the mundane reality of stress and work and encourage us to see the world with what the Zen masters call Beginner’s Mind."
Inset right is The Fool from the very early Sola Busca tarot deck, created in Italy during the late 15th century.
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