#t.s. amalgamation

[tree-obsession]

Aventurine, the Waste Land, the black hole, and luck- analysis on aventurine's possible fate

possible spoilers for 2.1 trailblaze mission

possible tws for suicide/suicidal idealization, mentions of slavery, and a massacre

ok there is. a lot to unpack for this mission but I would like to focus on the references to The Waste Land (by T.S. Elliot, fucking amazing poem btw) that were in Aventurine's parts?

First of all the achievements- the "Sibyl, what do you wish for?" and "She answers, I wish to die" or something like that. That is the very first thing in the poem we see- to put a long story short, it's a reference to how there was this oracle named Sibyl in Greek Mythology, blessed to live forever by Apollo. Apollo got angry after she refused to have sex with him and cursed her so that while she would live forever, her body would slowly waste away, eventually becoming dust kept in a jar. A couple of boys one day come up to this prison jar and ask her "Sibyl, what do you wish for?" and then she answers that she wants to die. This could be a reference to Aventurine, who is always so lucky but at that moment truly didn't wish to be lucky, and really did want to die. Yet he was stuck, unable to live- considering he is something of a "chosen" of Gaiathra Triclops, she could be the one who cursed him, in disguise of a "blessing" of good luck.

second, the maze scene. there were two references here, both from the fifth(fourth? it's been a hot minute since I read this poem, the details aren't all clear) part of the poem. it talks about a deserted waste land, where rain never falls, there is only lightning and rocks/sand. this matches up with descriptions of sigonia, as a desert planet that's referred to as "the unclaimed desolation", and also some of those lines are directly said in the white text that floated around the maze(which i'll be referring to as floating text from now on). the second reference was also in the floating text, which talks about how "there is another presence/person beside us", or something very similar. I don't have the direct quotation, but this is also a direct reference- within the poem, there are two travelers in this "waste land", and the narrator mentions feeling a presence that wasn't truly there. According to Elliot himself, his inspiration for this part of the poem was from an account of an Antarctic journey, where the person who wrote the account said he and his men were so out of it due to exhaustion they had begun to hallucinate another presence who wasn't actually there. this is probably referencing how mini-aventurine and present-aventurine both exist, and have existed, but the future-aventurine technically does not exist yet and literally is just popping up, clearly not "real" in the physical sense but definitely there. within the poem, there are a lot of speculations between scholars about why Eliiot decided to add this hallucinated dude in but one popular theory is that it's Christ, in disguise, which is really interesting considering The Family's Christian imagery. something to watch out for when Aventurine returns to the story (he def isn't dead, but as to when he's returning... :( i can't get my hopes up) or if anyone else analyzes this more deeply.

now, why the waste land? it's universally considered a pretty depressing poem, about how the world after World War I was torn apart and collapsing in on itself, and portrays a lot of characters who aren't living life to their fullest at all. it references many famous texts and literary works, pointing at literature as an amalgamation of all other literature and also acting as a metaphor for how everything builds off each other, so one thing collapsing could result in everything collapsing. there are a lot of references to different religions as well. perhaps the best way to put it is that Elliot was portraying a world under threat of total collapse, and asks the reader if there is anything humanity can do to save it, or if we must simply salvage what we can. the ending also implies peace is a far-off, perhaps unreachable thing since everything is so discordant. but you get the idea at this point- the poem is about decay and rotting over time. I don't have the greatest grasp on either this poem or aventurine's psyche, but the 2.1 quest revealed a lot- he is an incredibly lucky person who is in a lot of bad situations but gets out every time, and has never lost a bet (despite his life otherwise being absolutely terrible). the waste land itself could simply be sigonia, and then perhaps aventurine himself is a representation of the characters within the poem. practically all scholars agree that in this poem, all the female characters coalesce into one character, and the male characters do so too, and then there is one uniting character between the "male" and "female"- tiresias, who according to Elliot has "foreseen and foresuffered all". he is described as the most important figure in the poem by Elliot himself. Tiresias is an androgynous figure, but is referred to with he/his. he also is the only one to say "I" in the poem, and despite the fact he is blind he can see all, even the future- in mythology, he was a prophet like the Sibyl. "what Tiresias sees is, in fact, the substance of the poem", as Elliot says- in other words, what he sees seems to be the closest thing to the truth you will get.

now obviously that's pretty valuable, considering literally everyone is lying in penacony (in the livestream they said the entire guest list is filled with question marks in place of names, implying everyone's identities there were fake- other than Sparkle's, but she's a Masked Fool and will trick people just for the hell of it, so not exactly the best ally). however (this is where speculation starts) I think this could be possibly very subtle foreshadowing for Aven's return! and I know this may sound delusional but. it's established he's not dead. his stone is out, but that's quite possibly because he's next to a fricking black hole and also Acheron possibly had "freed" him, in some sense? that conversation he had with her obviously changed a lot of things for him as a character, and she said she could break the harmony's bonds on him... also, clearly if he wasn't dead while waking up next to a black hole, that's certainly a surefire way to tell his luck hasn't run out yet. the entire mission was spent establishing his luck is perfect, given by the goddess of his planet, and will never fail him. this is like near emanator-level shit- obviously not quite in terms of any special power, but he was specifically chosen by this goddess, was born on a special day, and due to sheer luck is the last one standing of his clan (apparently). literally everything was set up against him and he's only still alive due to a literal goddess-given power, which is absolutely nuts and almost overpowered if it weren't for the fact that he also seems to be in many scenarios where luck and gambling is the only way to get out at all. the massacre, the enslavement, killing his old master, the weird warlord thing that got brought up, penacony... his luck is purely for getting out of bad situations, it seems.

that was kind of a tangent. anyway! the whole mission was establishing how good his luck was. he got into this situation where the only solution is to walk into a black hole and see the other side of penacony- that is a classic example of "there is an extremely, extremely narrow chance of getting out alive". acheron did it, or something similar, so clearly it's possible- but luck and chance would be the only way. this is the cycle of his life- he's in an absolutely shitty situation, but he will get out due to luck. imo it's a terrible idea writing-wise to keep him explicitly alive up to the very end and going into a situation- alive- which he can survive in due to his luck, right after giving him fulfilling conversation with both acheron and his past self and seeing the uplifting note from Ratio... just to offscreen him, or kill him for some reason related to this "other side of penacony". it wouldn't line up with all that we know about him now. granted, I can't imagine it'll be pleasant and his mental state will be even worse at the end of it... but he'll be alive, and he's made it through a lot of hellish situations. he might not like his luck all the time, and it can be either a blessing or a curse given the scenario, but he's kind of stuck with it- until he withers away, just like Sibyl. Death does seem to be inevitable, but as of right now it's not knocking on his door.

tldr: for now, our boy isn't dead and his luck might be a curse to him but it's clearly going to keep him alive for quite a bit longer :)

tysm for reading and have a nice day!

[lieutenantwilliamrusso]

The Ivy Crown

A/N: I'm baaaaaack with my first ever Aleksander fic!!! I've been reading a lot of dark academia and finishing up my degree in literature, and this is my outlet for all of that pretentious, wonderful stuff I'm immersed in these days. The poems mentioned are wonderful and full of gorgeous language, so I'm giving you homework straight from the desk of professor Morozova-- read one and tell me if you liked it!

Dedicated to the sweet and wonderful @idaofinfinity for her patience every time I disappear. I appreciate you so much.

This will be a few parts, but not big like IWCB. Little bites, people, little bites.

Summary: It's your final year at the University of Ravka, and the end is in sight. Under your literature professor, Aleksander, you've risen to be a star pupil. Then one night, you're forced to make a decision that will change everything. Will Aleskander be on your side?

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova x Fem! Reader

Warnings: 18+ Minors DNI, murder, sex, drinking, (will add as we go)

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"Come then, and let us pass a leisure hour in storytelling, and our story shall be the education of our heroes."

-Plato

Republic, Book II

Book I

Your first semester at the University of Ravka began the way most do. The young, impossibly curious first-years huddling up to the glistening spires and towering porticoes of the main hall. The hall, called Lantsov Hall after Ravka's longest line of rulers, filled you with excitement. The need for knowledge and exploration filled you, expanding until it bumped against your insides, prodding and shuddering until it was released.

You were 18, full of life, full of wanton desire to grow, to peel back the curtains and see the answers of the world.

You didn't grow up poor, no, you were from a solidly middle-class family of merchants. But the opulence, the ostentatious identity of the Ravkan elite became clear almost immediately. Your first week, your peers would ask where you summered, what sports you preferred in the winter season, what breed of horse you deemed adequate for Caryeva, none of which you had answers for.

So you adapted, sharpened your edges and preparing to compete with the toughest competition the country could offer, until you arrived, three years later, a top of your class literature student in professor Aleksander Morozova's classroom.

The man was imperious, gilt from hard stone or sheets of silver it seemed. The light of whatever room he was in seemed to avoid Aleksander, circling like a dog trying to find a place to sleep, willing to leave him alone.

Among other things he was also gorgeous, ethereal and lithe, towering over his students, passionately gesticulating over works by T.S Eliot and William Carlos Williams. You were enraptured there, front row in his early afternoon modern poetry course, watching his eyes flicker with the kind of life only an academic could have when biting into something juicy, some brilliant amalgamation of language that won't let them go despite a decade of repeating the same lines to young faces.

"Tell me." He begins, eyes flickering to each face in the room. "What did Eliot mean when he opened The Wasteland with, 'April is the cruelest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and Desire…'"

On the last word he looks to you, black eyes pinning you under their gaze like a butterfly on a display.

You clear your throat.

"Miss Y/L/N?"

You're ready for him.

"Well, in invoking the first line of The Canterbury Tales, Eliot reveals the beginning of a journey. And when we think of spring, we think of rebirth. This poem is the lack of that, it's the breakdown of… everything. So here, spring is a mixture of things, it is the beginning and the end and we are left with only memory and desire. What we know and what we want to be true." You finish, watching him closely.

Aleksander grins, a slow, incandescent spread of his lips until his face is alight.

"There she is. Excellent, Y/N. That's how it's done, everyone."

You duck your head to hide your blush, and the lesson goes on.

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Each day after your classes you wind across the green, crunching leaves under your feet as they fall from the oaks and yews lining the tract of land. Today, your destination is the cafe you meet your friends at on Wednesdays, when the lemon curd scones are freshest. You're the last to arrive, hair swept around your face by the wind.

Nikolai, Zoya, and Genya are seated around the old wooden table in the far corner, mugs of steaming teas and coffees strewn about around a plate of your favorite citrus pastries.

"Look who's arrived!" Nikolai exclaims. "Did your sweet Byronic hero keep you?"

You roll your eyes, ignoring the comment. Sure, Aleksander was pensive and gorgeous, but he wasn't doomed. At least you hoped not.

You sit, nodding at the other two women and picking up a scone to bite into. The flaky crust gave way to the plush, spongy inside, causing you to sigh in contentment.

"What are you brats talking about?" You tease, taking a sip of Nikolai's tea.

"We were just discussing the fête." Zoya answers.

"What about it?" You ask, preoccupied with getting the waitress' attention for your own tea.

"We're all going, yes?" Genya cuts in.

"I hadn't really given it much thought." You ponder. Would Aleksander be there? In a suit of all things? The thought made you blush, and you ducked your head to hide from the eyes around you.

"Well…I think we should go. One last hurrah before we're done here." Nikolai reasons.

You nod in agreement.

"I suppose I ought to find a dress."

Zoys hums, sharing a look with Genya, a glint that made you nervous in her eye.

"You could…let us take care of that." She offered with a smirk.

"Absolutely not, I'd be naked save for a scrap of lace." You bite back.

"Saints, it was worth a try."

It was Friday and you were back in Aleksander's class, excited by his words but more than a little eager to begin your weekend. You and your group of friends had plans to head to Sturmhond that night, a bar off of the university's campus. It was dark and grungy, with mahogany furniture and paintings in gilded frames on the walls. It made you feel like you were in the belly of a ship, ready to take on a new land.

And the drinks were especially strong.

"Who wants to tell me why Carl Sandberg's "Subway" is so effective in its brevity?" Came Aleksander's voice from the front of the room.

For once, you weren't quick to answer, your mind on other things today. When you did finally look up, the silence of the rest of the class beating down on you, Aleksander's eyes were already on you. His brow ticked up, lips quirking.

"No thoughts for us today, Y/N?"

You sigh, frowning and sitting up straighter.

"The poem represents the working class, the ones who are building this great feat of transportation. They are tired and hungry but it doesn't matter. They know the importance of their work and they enjoy it. All that in 6 lines." You rattle off, remembering your notes from the night before.

"Thank you." Is his reply, quiet and pensive as he watches your face.

You nod, going back to your slouched position, eyes downcast.

When the class ends you attempt to exit into the crisp twilight like the rest of your peers, but Aleksander stops you.

"Everything all right today? You seemed off." He asks, leaning back against the large desk in the front of the room.

Your eyes widen a little, surprised he had been watching you so closely.

"Thought I'd give everyone else a chance to catch up today." You joke.

Aleksansder chuckles, then he tilts his head a little and you feel as if he's dissecting you, pulling apart your base components to see what he wants to keep or throw away.

"Is that all?" He murmurs.

"I'm just ready to end the week. It's been long." You say honestly.

"Hm. I can't fault you for that. Any plans for your time off?" He inquires.

"A few." You tease, unwilling to tell him your plan to get trashed later.

"She keeps her secrets." He answers, smiling warmly. "Well, let me know if you need anything. I wouldn't want my best student falling behind." He runs a hand ever so softly across your shoulder, hidden by your thick sweater, and then he's pulling away and gathering his own things.

"Thanks, professor Morozova." You reply in a daze, turning to go.

"You know it's Aleksander to you." He reminds you with a teasing lilt in his tone.

You nod, smiling a little, and stride to the door as fast as possible.

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You arrived at the bar with Zoya in tow, approaching Nikolai and Genya who were already inside. You had on a tight pair of black jeans and your favorite lacy black bralette as a shirt. You looked good and you knew it, eyes roving the bar for anyone you might be interested in talking to.

You sit with other two and order a round of shots, ready to go hard and fast into the night. On your third shot of kvas and your second Old Fashioned you look up from your friends once again and spot him.

Impossibly dark hair and eyes belonging to your favorite professor. He was in a deep emerald sweater, sitting across from another man, listening intently to his words, a deep gold liquid in his glass. You were openly staring, taking him in as you realized just how drunk you were becoming.

Nikolai is the first to notice, his eyes following yours across the bar.

"Well Saints, if it isn't your boyfriend."

This gets the attention of the other two, their eyes searching for subject of Nikolai's words.

You and Zoya exchange a glance, and you catch that dangerous spark in her eyes again.

"You should send him a drink." She suggests coyly.

"You send drinks to people you want to fuck, Zoya." You reply exasperated.

"Yes, I am aware." She shoots back.

Your friends burst into laughter, catching Aleksander's attention briefly. His eyes flit over, widening just a touch when they realize who he's looking at. You throw him a smile, suddenly nervous, but he returns it, tilting his head in acknowledgement, and you decide resolutely to continue your night.

It's only later that you're made aware of the situation.

"Your dark prince has been eyeing you since he saw you." Nikolai murmurs in your ear.

"Oh, please."

"We've all seen it. He's quite interested in the area right below your neck." Nikolai chuckles, raising his eyes to yours.

You tilt your head just a little, just enough to scan the bar from the corner of your eye and there he is, head tilted towards you just enough to do the same.

"Saints." You gasp out quietly.

"Told you."

"Well…it's irrelevant now because I have never had to pee so badly in my life." You declare, standing on wobbly legs.

Your friends laugh, and Zoya's hands point you in the direction of the bathroom.

The cool porcelain of the sink under your hands grounds you a little, and you look into the mirror. Was Aleksander checking you out? The thought makes you giggle quietly to yourself. There was no way he was into you. He wasn't married, but he must have a girlfriend or something, right?

You've decided to brush the whole thing off when you exit the restroom and knock right into a wall of a man.

"Oh! 'M sorry!" You slur a little, still quite far gone.

"No need to apologize, Y/N." Aleksander's voice rings out from above your head.

"Aleks- I didn't even see you there!" You giggle, hand coming up to trap the sound in your mouth.

He chuckles, laying his hands on your upper arms to steady you.

"You okay there, milaya?

"I'm okay. I'm just, uh…"

"Sloshed." He finishes for you.

"Yeah…"

"The mysterious weekend plans." He teases.

Suddenly a thought brews in your mind and you can only blurt out, "Green is a good color on you!"

Aleksander grins, rubbing your arms and causing you to shiver, his touch electrifying your skin in small sparks.

"You think so?" He drawls.

You nod, eyes locked onto his gorgeous face. Maybe he was a dark prince, something fabled and powerful.

"Well I think lace is a lovely fabric choice for you." He complements, and it takes you a moment to grasp his meaning before your face is heating up, blush spreading.

"I-I-" You stutter as he watches you with gentle amusement.

"Shall I take you back to your friends, Y/N?"

"Please." You reply, realizing the walk might be harder than you realized.

He guides you back, your hand now in the crook of his arm like some kind of Victorian gentleman, before he deposits you in your seat with gentle hands.

Your friends gape at him, and you fail to notice Aleksander's amusement.

"Have a good night." He wishes, and then he's gone, disappeared into the growing crowd.

[mylandlockedblues]

Top Five New Albums of 2022

My personal ranking that nobody asked for

Ants From Up There- Black Country, New Road

A genre-defining and experimental amalgamation of elements of post-rock, post-punk, indie, pop, and elements of jazz, this album is as stunning as it is complex. Complete with its emotional yet still humorous lyrics delivered in Isaac Wood's unique style, every song on this album will give you chills

Best Track: Basketball Shoes

2. Skinty Fia- Fontaines D.C.

Gloomy Irish post-punk that is both lyrically dense and some of the best atmospheric music for a rainy day. Fontaines D.C. is such an incredible band and I skipped my senior prom to see them live (definitely worth it).

Best Track: I Love You

3. God's Country- Chat Pile

As someone who is generally more into hardcore/post hardcore, rock, and screamo than metal, God's Country makes me think I haven't given the genre a fair shot. This is the first album from the Oklahoma sludge metal band, and I am already obsessed and I can't wait to hear more from them. This would have easily been my favorite album of the year if BCNR and Fontaines D.C. hadn't put out such fantastic records.

Best Track: grimace_smoking_weed.jpg

4. Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky- Porridge Radio

I feel a very personal connection to this album, because it somehow suits navigating the confusion and change of your late teens and early twenties. It is expertly performed indie pop, and I am absolutely in love with Dana Margolin's voice.

Best Tracks: Back To The Radio, Birthday Party

5. Labyrinthitis- Destroyer

I cannot overstate how talented Destroyer is. Every single one of their albums is worth listening to, and Labyrinthitis is no exception. The best way I can describe lead singer Dan Bejar is the reincarnation of T.S. Eliot or some other brilliant poet, paired with an unmatched ear for music.

Best Track: Tintoretto, It's For You

Honorable Mentions:

-Lights For Attracting Attention- The Smile

pseudo-Radiohead album, absolutely brilliant and I hope Thom Yorke keep releasing albums under this project

-Versions Of Modern Performance- Horsegirl

first album from this Sonic Youth-inspired post-punk outfit from Chicago. they are incredibly talented and I feel like the have the potential to make it big.

-Midnights- Taylor Swift

I'm a huge Swifty and there was no way I was gonna forget to include her new album on this ranking. I'm not as critical as some of this album, and I do really like it, but I agree that it isn't her best stuff.

-Asphalt Meadows- Death Cab For Cutie

Actually such an underrated album and I'm surprised I haven't heard more about it. Personally I think they're still going strong as a band and I think they've got the potential for some big hits.

[ninjakitten1699]

(Spoilers for my Hands of Time fic)

“Gah! We’re losing!” Krux growled. Raggmunk spoke back at him. “Well, only in so far as they’re winning.” Blunck jumped in next. “Temporary setback.” Acronix matches his twins expression of displeasure. “We did not travel across decades to suffer temporary setbacks!” They both went for a strike.

They were seconds too late when the two commanders dispersed from their armor. The helmets clattered to the ground and the serpents ran away in terror. The Twins were confused until they looked up and saw the other warriors dispersing from their armors. Supreme commander Machia looked to Acronix and Krux with her own expression of terror before she herself was forced to leave the armor that kept her together.

That wasn’t right. Krux made sure that these warriors felt no fear, no pain. They only thing they should feel was their hunger that they inherited from their mother, the Great Devourer. So what in the sixteen realms was scaring these serpents?

The Elemental Alliance watched as the serpents hid away. “Did we win?” Wu asked. “I-“ The disguised Kai tried to speak but suddenly the first thing to happen was the Iron Doom activating its clockwork gears before the temporal apparatus began turning. “Who is-?” Krux stopped himself, upon realizing who was in there. “That bastard!” The said bastard went through the “eyes” of the Iron Doom and spoke.

“This isn’t over! I won’t allow myself to fail my brothers again!” He screamed at them before placing his hands on the temporal apparatus. Purple clashed against the colors of Time. “I can’t let them rot in the void again! I can’t!” A portal opened up above them in the endless sky. It didn’t look too different from the temporal portal that the twins jumped through with their Iron Doom.

“We have to stop him!” The disguised Nya yelled. Kai agreed and they both went through the process of fusing their dragons into one. Fire and Water mixed into a two headed dragon that roared out in matched fury. Just as the two drew their weapons while riding their dragon up to knock the cloaked man off the Temporal Apparatus, something came out of the portal.

A hand made of serpents slapped their dragon away, making them tumble out of the sky. The dragon lost its form and the two were thankfully caught by a younger version of Wu and Garmadon. “What is that?” Acronix asked Krux, holding onto his older twin much like how a young child would hide behind their older siblings for protection. “I.. I don’t know, brother.”

The hand dissolved into serpents much like the Vermillion Warriors did and a large form came through the portal. Everyone ran away from the area, hiding into the monastery while the Twins went into the Iron Doom itself hiding from whatever came through. A mess of serpents piled into the training yard and everyone looked out in time to see the masked man holding onto the temporal apparatus let go and fall forward.

A large hand formed from the red-orange serpents and lifted the said hand up to catch him. He viciously gasped for air as the… thing in front of him reached for his chest. His eyes opened up to the amalgamation of Vermillion serpents while they pulled off the scarf off his face to let air freely roam into his once deceased lungs.

He got set down by the thing and the serpents pulled away from each other, flowering open to reveal two bodies. One looked younger than the other with an ebony mane and red goatee while the other was more elderly with gray combed back hair and a mustache to match. Both had their signature matching eyes. They... looked a lot like the Time Twins but it looked like their teeth were sharpened to a point, their bodies were forced to conjoin in the middle while they had to use the Vermillion Serpents to hold them together like a set of stitches from the waist down.

The amalgamation of the Twins gave a matched grin before dragging out their words. “Phoeeeeenix,” The two started and finished each other’s words. Their voices boomed loudly, not sounding as human as they once were.

“Welcome home...” he spoke in a soft tone the Twins never heard before, “my brothers.” The serpents wrapped around Phoenix, pulling him into a hug. More like getting pulled into their large body. “Brooootherrrr.” The two definitely didn’t sound human at all.

He viciously gasped for air as the… thing in front of him reached for his chest.

[juleswolverton-hyde]

May 5th: A Conversation with You

Genre: Dialogue

Author’s Note: This dialogue was written in light of yours truly’s mood and mindset lately. The ratio of kudos/likes and reblogs on this blasted platform also does not particularly help. Fortunately, You are always there to talk to.

Masterlist

''Why do you like me? I’m a terrible person who is overly critical, misanthropic, foul-mouthed, perverted, and just a general nobody? Why the fuck do you care?''

''Don’t say that. Yes, you have some views and opinions I don’t agree with, but that doesn’t make me like you less.''

''Why? It should.''

''Because I know what we agree on, what we both enjoy. I might not like coffee, but I like making you one every now and again. Especially when you tell me when it’s good.’

''What a great example.''

''You’re trying to grow as a person, I know that. You try to listen to the multitude of songs I recommend and like, forming an opinion on them as best you can. Try watching the things I like. You’re open-minded about most things though your mind works differently from anyone else’s.''

''In a bad way.''

''No, not bad. Just different. You know things most people don’t, understand literature better than most others. I like how enthusiastic and passionate you get over old poetry and books I’ve never heard of, but I prefer you telling me about them over reading them.’

''It’s silent propaganda to still read them.''

''And I do intend on doing so, though I’ll likely read the works I think I’ll understand best.''

''Wilde and Joyce aren’t for everyone.''

''Yes, but I have you to help me out, don’t I?''

''The Picture of Dorian Gray isn’t that difficult to understand. There are a lot of descriptions, however. Do pay attention to the ones about gardens or Nature in general. They’re important, shows their beauty. That which humankind seems to have forgotten.''

''Can I borrow your copy? If you have it with you, that is.''

''I’ll look for it later. But I expect it back in mint condition. If there is damage, any scratch or bend at all, you’ll never come near my books again.''

''I promise to be careful.''

''Thank you.''

''This will pass, Jay. You’re not really selfish. You’re simply trying your best. I see that. Your friends see that.''

''And still it feels as if I accidentally make everything about me, Chris. Even my relationship with you.''

''You don’t. You really don’t. Those who really know you, know you’re only joking in the tags. Also, you share your stories, don’t you?''

''Which contain blatant self-inserts.''

''Maybe they do, but remember what you tell everyone who wants to write. Write for yourself. And, as you once said yourself, you’re an amalgamation of all the characters you created, have created, and will create.''

''An echo of T.S. Eliot.''

''Is it?''

''Yeah. He said writers are basically a combination of all their characters, which raised the question in my mind whether we’re human at all. I’m nothing but words, transformed over and over. Gone with the fairies like Yeats most of the time.''

''I didn’t know Eliot said that. See? I’m learning from you. And I can assure you you’re more than words. You’re a storyteller, a good one. A damn good one, in fact, who teaches her listeners about what might have been forgotten.''

''Liar.''

''You know you are, but you don’t allow yourself to believe it. As I said, this mood will pass. I’ve seen you happy and it did look good on you. While it does, I know these moods also give you inspiration alongside my presence so I won’t try to forcefully lift you up. Instead, I want to see what you create. Please show me what you made when your melancholy has passed.''

''You don’t have to wait.''

''Hm? How do you mean?''

''This conversation, this talk with my Muse is a story. It might not have a visual environment like most tales, but it does tell a story. Part of our story, in fact. And it’s noted down, engraved somewhere somehow to never forget.''

''Where?''

''Somewhere in the author’s mind, the only platform they will ever truly need and can rely on. And, perhaps, somewhere someone is listening, but as long as we remember, that is all that matters.''

''That’s a beautiful thought. Philosophical in the way only few can be.''

''Chris?''

''Yeah?''

''Thanks. For hearing me out. For sticking by my side. No former Muse has ever unconsciously done what you do to and for me. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s different this time. Nobody has ever had the power to make me feel this way. It’s strange, but I like it.''

''That’s good to hear because I don’t intend on stopping any time soon. How about a cup of coffee?''

''I’d like that.''

[revolutionoftenderness]

“When a poet’s mind is perfectly equipped for its work, it is constantly amalgamating disparate experience; the ordinary man’s experience is chaotic, irregular, fragmentary. The latter falls in love, or reads Spinoza, and these experiences have nothing to do with each other, or with the noise of the typewriter or the smell of cooking; in the mind of the poet these experiences are always forming new wholes.”

~ T.S. Eliot

[M. C. Escher]

#mcescher #revolutionoftenderness #convivium #tseliot #whole #fragment #amalgam #unity #poetry #writing #poet

[shreyagupta123posts]

Coated paper market and the fluctuating

paper industry 

Introduction

The paper industry has long been subject to fluctuations, with the rise and fall of demand dictating the market. In recent years, there has been a decline in the paper industry, though the coated paper has continued to hold its own. This blog post will explore the coated paper market, the types of coated paper available, and the advantages it offers over the uncoated paper. Additionally, we'll look at the paper industry's current state and where it's headed in the future.

The fluctuating dynamics of the paper industry

Rise of papers

The global use of paper has grown exponentially over the past two centuries. Between 1800 and 2000, world paper production increased from around 2 million metric tons to 400 million metric tons. This growth was propelled by the rise of mass media and education and the industrialization of economies worldwide.

However, this growth has not been evenly distributed across time or geography. In developed countries, per capita, paper consumption peaked in the 1970s or 1980s and has been declining ever since. In contrast, paper use in developing countries is still overgrowing, albeit from a much lower starting point. As a result, the share of global paper production in developed countries has declined from around 80 percent in 1950 to less than 50 percent today.

The decline of the paper industry

The rise of digital technology is often cited as the primary driver behind the decline in demand for traditional paper products. Indeed, there are now many substitutes for paper, such as electronic documents, e-books, and online newspapers. In addition, many businesses have replaced print advertising with digital alternatives such as online banner ads and social media marketing.

But, different factors are also contributing to the declining paper industry. For example, declining birth rates in developed countries have led to fewer school-age children and thus reduced demand for textbooks and other educational materials printed on paper. In addition, increasing environmental awareness has spurred a shift towards recycled and eco-friendly papers made from alternative fibers such as bamboo or hemp.

Paper and packaging in the next decade

Despite these challenges, the future of the global paper industry looks relatively bright. This is mainly due to the continued strong demand for packaging materials such as cardboard boxes and food wrappers. Packaging is currently the largest end-use market for paper globally, accounting for over half of all production.

Moreover, the rise of e-commerce is driving up demand for packaging materials even further. Online retailers require robust and secure packaging to protect their products during shipping. As a result, the global market for paper and packaging is expected to reach $556 billion by 2025, up from $426 billion in 2015.

The coated paper market.

The definition of coated paper

Paper that has been coated with an amalgamation of polymers or other materials for a matte, glossy or any other type of finish. The coating protects the paper from dirt, U.V. rays, and fingerprints and makes it more durable. Coated paper is used for magazines, catalogs, business cards, postcards, and greeting cards.

The types of coated paper

There are two types of coated paper- One side (O.S.) and Two sides (T.S.). One side of the coated paper has a shiny finish and a matte finish on the other. This paper is mainly used for printing magazines, brochures, and catalogs. Two sides of the coated paper have a shiny finish and are mainly used for business cards, postcards, and greeting cards.

The advantages of coated paper

The advantages of coated paper are that it is more durable than uncoated paper, has a higher print quality, and is available in a wide range of colors and finishes.

Coated vs. Uncoated Paper

difference between coated and uncoated paper

To know the distinction between coated and uncoated papers It is crucial to understand the various types of paper. Coated paper is paper with a thin layer of material, such as clay or polymer, applied to one or both sides. This coating helps create a smooth paper surface, making it ideal for printing. Uncoated paper, on contrary, doesn't have any coating on it. This makes it more absorbent than coated paper, which can be advantageous or disadvantageous depending on the intended use.

There are several critical differences between coated and uncoated paper. The most obvious difference is in appearance; coated paper has a glossy finish, while uncoated paper has a more natural matte finish. Coated paper is also generally smoother and brighter than uncoated paper. A further difference is how both types of paper are produced. Coated papers undergo an additional step in the manufacturing process, where they are treated with chemicals or heat to apply the coating. Uncoated papers do not go through this extra step, so they are usually less expensive than coated papers.

The last major distinction between these two kinds of papers is the way they print. Coated papers produce sharper images and brighter colors due to their smooth surface, while uncoated papers produce muted colors and less defined lines. However, uncoated papers tend to be more forgiving when mistakes are made during the printing process since they absorb ink more readily than coated papers.

Both coated and uncoated papers have advantages and disadvantages that make them better suited for different purposes. Choosing the correct type of paper for your project is essential to get the best results possible.

The paper industry.

The history of the paper industry

The paper industry has a long and complicated history. Paper industry is believed to have originated in China around 100 B.C. and slowly made its way to Europe via the Arab world. The first European paper mill was built in Xativa, Spain, in 1150 A.D. By the early 1500s, there were paper mills all over Europe, and the paper industry had begun to take off.

However, the paper industry soon ran into trouble. In the 1600s, a new invention called the printing press made it possible to mass-produce books and other printed materials. This led to a huge demand for paper, which the paper mills could not keep up with. As a result, paper quality declined sharply, and many people lost faith in the industry.

It wasn't until the 1800s that the paper industry began to recover. New technologies and production methods were developed that allowed the higher-quality paper to be produced more efficiently. In addition, new markets opened up as global trade increased and more people became literate. Today, the global paper industry is worth billions of dollars and employs millions worldwide.

The current state of the paper industry

The current state of affairs for coated papers finds itself in an interesting predicament as we see a general move away from print media as a means of communication and towards digital media such as e-books, blogs, and websites, etc.; there is still, however a large enough market that exists for print media that keeps coated papers relevant today but this may not continue into tomorrow or even next year has given how dynamic our current business climate is becoming with technology playing an ever-increasing role in our lives each day.

The paper industry is currently in a state of decline due to the rise of digital media. However, there is still a large enough market for print media to keep coated paper relevant today. This may not continue, given how dynamic our current business climate is becoming, with technology playing an ever-increasing role in our daily lives.

Conclusion

The paper industry has fluctuated throughout the years, with a rise and decline in popularity. However, the coated paper has always remained popular due to its many advantages. In the next decade, we predict that the paper industry will continue to grow as people become more aware of the importance of sustainability.

[marcusssanderson]

50 T.S. Eliot Quotes Celebrating Life, Love and Poetry

Our latest collection of T.S. Eliot quotes on Everyday Power blog.

Thomas Stearns Eliot was a poet, dramatist, literary critic, and editor who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948 for “his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry”.

Eliot is considered one of the greatest poets in the English language. His poems are some of the of the best-known, including “The Waste Land”, “Ash Wednesday”, and “Four Quartets”.

A highly influential poet, Eliot’s works played a key role in the literary transition from 19th-century Romantic poetry to 20th-century Modernist poetry. His works have been translated into at least twenty-two languages.

In honor of one of the most daring innovators of twentieth-century poetry, below is our collection of T.S. Eliot quotes, collected from a variety of sources over the years.

T.S. Eliot quotes celebrating life, love and poetry

1.) ”Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” – T.S. Eliot

2.) ”To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man’s life.” – T.S. Eliot

3.)” Sometimes things become possible if we want them bad enough.” – T.S. Eliot

4.)” Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.” – T.S Eliot

5.) ”You are the music while the music lasts.” – T.S. Eliot

6.)” If you haven’t the strength to impose your own terms upon life, then you must accept the terms it offers you.” – T.S. Eliot

7.) ”Love is most nearly itself when here and now cease to matter.” – T.S. Eliot

8.) ”Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal; bad poets deface what they take, and good poets make it into something better, or at least something different.” – T.S. Eliot

9.) ”There’s no vocabulary For love within a family, love that’s lived in But not looked at, love within the light of which All else is seen, the love within which All other love finds speech. This love is silent.” – T.S. Eliot

10.) ”Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality but an escape from personality.” – T.S. Eliot

T.S. Eliot quotes on life, poetry and art

11.) ”Most of the evil in this world is done by people with good intentions.” – T. S. Eliot

12.) ”The most important thing for poets to do is to write as little as possible.” – T. S. Eliot

13.) ”In life there is no time to grieve long.” – T.S. Eliot

14.)” Every moment is a fresh beginning.” – T.S. Eliot

15.) ”Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important.” – T. S. Eliot

16.) ”The journey, not the destination matters.” – T. S. Eliot

17.)” We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” – T.S. Eliot

18.)” If you haven’t the strength to impose your own terms upon life, then you must accept the terms it offers you.” – T. S. Eliot

19.)” What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?” – T.S Eliot

20.) ”Our lives are mostly a constant evasion of ourselves.” – T.S Eliot

T.S. Eliot quotes celebrating life, poetry and art

21.) ”Every phrase and every sentence is an end and a beginning, every poem an epitaph.” – T. S. Eliot

22.) ”When a great poet has lived, certain things have been done once for all, and cannot be achieved again.” – T. S. Eliot

23.) ”Only by acceptance of the past, can you alter it.” – T. S. Eliot

24.)” Not less of love, but expanding of love beyond desire, and so liberation From the Future as well as the past.” – T. S. Eliot

25.)” It seems just possible that a poem might happen to a very young man: but a poem is not poetry –That is a life.” – T.S. Eliot

26.) ”We die to each other daily.” – T.S. Eliot

27.) ”When a poet’s mind is perfectly equipped for its work, it is constantly amalgamating disparate experiences.” – T.S. Eliot

28.) ”At the beach – time you enjoyed wasting, is not wasted.” – T. S. Eliot

29.) ”All time is unredeemable.” – T. S. Eliot

30.) “We learn what poetry is – if we ever learn – by reading it.” – T. S. Eliot

T.S. Eliot quotes on love, life, and success

31.) ”Poetry is not an assertion of truth, but the making of that truth more fully real to us.” – T. S. Eliot

32.) ”Poetry may make us from time to time a little more aware of the deeper, unnamed feelings which form the substratum of our being, to which we rarely penetrate.” – T.S. Eliot

33.) ”The business of the poet is not to find new emotions, but to use the ordinary ones and, in working them up into poetry, to express feelings which are not in actual emotions at all.” – T.S. Eliot

34.) ”For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice.” – T.S. Eliot

35.) ”The old should be explorers, be curious, risk transgression, and explore oldness itself.” – T. S. Eliot

36.) ”Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right; decide on what you think is right and stick to it.” – T.S. Eliot

37.) ”In the life of one man, never the same time returns.” – T. S. Eliot

38.) ”To become what you are not, behave as you do not.” – T. S. Eliot

39.) ”Time past and time future what might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present.” – T. S. Eliot

40.) ”If we really want to pray we must first learn to listen, for in the silence of the heart God speaks.” – T.S. Eliot

Other beautiful T.S. Eliot quotes

41.) ”If you do not push the boundaries, you will never know where they are.” – T.S. Eliot

42.) ”Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important.” – T.S. Eliot

43.) “It is impossible to design a system so perfect that no one needs to be good.” – T. S. Eliot

44.) ”What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”- T.S. Eliot

45.) ”Those who arrive at the end of the journey are not those who began.” – T.S. Eliot

46.) ”Poetry should help, not only to refine the language of the time, but to prevent it from changing too rapidly.” – T. S. Eliot

47.) ”It is not enough to understand what we ought to be, unless we know what we are; and we do not understand what we are, unless we know what we ought to be.” – T. S. Eliot

48.) ”I don’t believe one grows older. I think that what happens early on in life is that at a certain age one stands still and stagnates.” – T. S. Eliot

49.) ”Think not forever of yourselves, O Chiefs, nor of your own generation. Think of continuing generations of our families, think of our grandchildren and of those yet unborn, whose faces are coming from beneath the ground.” – T. S. Eliot

50.) ”Whatever you think, be sure it is what you think; whatever you want, be sure that is what you want; whatever you feel, be sure that is what you feel.” – T.S. Eliot

Which of these T.S. Eliot quotes was your favorite?

T.S. Eliot is considered by many to be the single most influential poetic work of the twentieth century.

A leader of the Modernist movement in poetry, Eliot will always be remembered for his poetic genius. Hopefully, the above quotes will inspire you to pursue your dreams and become a success.

Did you enjoy these T.S. Eliot quotes? Which of the quotes resonated with you best? Tell us in the comment section below. We would love to hear all about it.

The post 50 T.S. Eliot Quotes Celebrating Life, Love and Poetry appeared first on Everyday Power Blog.

[vasilinaorlova]

a portrait of the artist as a young woman

what a great agglomeration of words. and what a beautiful word ruthless too.                                                                                                       Ruth brilliant in that glittering constume, so flexible too, a transformer of sorts, tranströmer, if you will, a gutta-percha android, a Catholic doubtlessly. Catholicism is an appropriate religion for robots, dark                   serene                stain-glass                    perseverance              mysticism                 imperial legacy             ruins                                          marble and it is easier for robots to comprehend the idea of the Creator, and                                      they are better in computing, in that high mathematics which alone would allow to solve the conundrum of filioque. porcelain shepherdess.                                                                                                softer. in the early days I adopted a manner to tell the truth whenever possible                                            and I try to observe it truth will never let you down                                                          truth will never betray you truth will not displease you                                                          truth will follow you whenever you go truth makes you invincible                                                          truth will make you nontransparent in short                                                          truth is the best lie letters dim and glittering“drinking stiffly to your own heart’s desire”                                                                                       (Rabelais)                         at the Lord’s grave sat an angel with an unsheathed light saber.    ovoid fruit   olive and oil unavoidably “I enjoy performing femininity,” she said and- - -. what, performed it?well it should be something more complete, an action. should this action contradict the first part of the statement? “I enjoy performing femininity,” she said and [should she subvert femininity performance here? how?} spitted on the ground. perhaps it’s better to conform to femininity standards “I enjoy performing femininity,” she said and adjusted a glowing flower in her hair. “behind my window even Bruegel is covered with snow.” Inga Kuznetsova to answer the question “what is delusion” one must answer the question “what is reality?” first the saddest thing though    is there is no one but us. you think someone else exist somewhere, some overarching enigmatic grand structures. those wise men and women, gate keepers; writers, too. that there are poets somewhere out there. but the truth is, you, in your formless stained hoodie, heartbroken, and alone, stand for the tremendous absence that is called the high culture of your country. you are the last survival from the planet that has exploded. and those gates             {burst into nonexistence]     those iron gates                                                                        open into a magnificent park,                                                              bedewed,                                                                     bejeweled with round water drops                                                                       magnifying the texture of leaves                                                        a park once very well-trimmed                                                                                    a garden                                                                                    a paragon                                                                              of classification,                                                                                    Linnaeus                                                                                          of aeternity                                                                    (or so you would like to think)                                                                with the now-broken sculptures                                (the surviving statue of Anaximander is also,                                                                                            as is his work,                           a park now wild                                                    decapitated),           with a dark pond in the middle of it;                           the pond is covered with algae,                 and the gates                    are perpetually open. burdock grows through them.         to the kingdom of rain   he was the blueless servant.  his talents and loyalty eventually earned him  the title of    dandelion         emeritus               wearing nothing                             but voiceconchoidal | abrasive                                                     glass luster | igneous                                                                          cubic | featherya glorious                                                                 voyeur                                                   miserecordia                             a      doppelgänger I wonder how Latin-alphabet fledglings perceive the Cyrillic at all, as a number of impenetrable symbols?–я представляю, смотришь, а там какие-то непонятные закорючки,*                             значки**                     и крючочки.*** voracious   ravenous desires that I don’t even want torment me I am ashamed embarrassed awkward helplessly I wonder, do you have soft or                           hard lips, and if I may know               their delineation, are you          a good kisser (are you a good kisser?) I have to renew writing as soon as I finish writing; nothing is satisfying. I can not linger in what I’ve just written; it slips away. predicament.Midas turned everything into gold– the horror of it: he touches his daughter she becomes a golden statue– and I, text.he died from starvation any grape, or pomegranate, or bite of meat he could satiate his hunger with was to transform into a useless piece of metal I take it even if he managed to pierce a fish or a fruit with his golden fork, it would turn into gold as soon as it reached his lips and even if he opened his mouth very carefully, a translucent slice of orange was already tinkling against his teeth, a meaningless nugget an aerial woman is detaching herself from the ground and flying into the sky like a fragment of paper, a flat silhouette; she rises higher and higher, and soon a colorful tent of the circus is but a circle; a city park, an amorphous form of green; and the building of Rathaus, a cube.                                                                                why am I not I?                                                                                  there, there AND IF I SHOULD CAPITALIZE A PHRASE, WHAT WOULD THAT PHRASE BE ABOUT, CAPITAL LETTERS? I HEAR, ALL-CAPITAL-LETTERS WRITING IS PERCEIVED AS SCREAMING ON THE OTHER HAND, UNLESS IT HAS A SINGLE sMALL LETTER, ONE CAN BE SURE IT IS WRITTEN IN CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY IF ONE KNOWS THE FONT AND THE FONT HAS DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THE CAPITAL AND LOWERCASE LETTERS, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE WITH FONTS Emily Dickinson liked to capitalize Nouns, German-style                                                                                 dizzy Passerby in what way is a number of quotes black-out poetry?worshipful Seniorias! in the interim “delightful, pleasing, matchless, full of grace” (Rabelais’s name, misspelled) “to battle the whole storehouse of abuses” (Rabelais’s name, misspelled) “Apollo and the Muses” “notable jester”                       Rabelais “they danced so gallantly, that it was a sweet and heavenly sport to see them so frolic” (Rabelais) пруд прут   тук тук   по сапогу останься тут**** tut tut   blood boiling   blood and oil a great material              to boil should I collapse for you,                           I would make sure I’ll list to you your crimes:                     a collarbone, a jugular, a knee,     a jaguar of light                        unscrewing itself like a magnificent spring across the room, waking up and yawning,                             unrolling its long blue tongue                                                               and displaying                                     for you to clearly see                                   the rows of excellent teeth                            (I was white and I turned whiter.)   there are rumors (spread I believe by Paracelsus) that for thirty years natural philosopher (and Dominican friar) Albertus Magnus was working on an artificial intelligent agent (golem), only for it to be destroyed by Thomas von Aquin in a surge of anger and fear. Thomas von Aquin paid a visit to his friend and teacher Albertus Magnus; a strange female automaton opened the door. since the automaton did not answer his questions, Thomas von Aquin suspected it was a demonic apparition, and hit it several times with his crosier. he knocked the poor servant to the floor; notched wheels ran out of it, ringing and jumping. it is sad (if this is true at all) that the first robot’s murderer was the pupil of the first robot’s creator the main Nabokov’s rival in terms of a polished asceticism of style (and a far better writer in my opinion) is Ivan Bunin, a winner of the Nobel Award of the 1933 and a nominee of the 1923, and also of 1930, 1931, 1932 (all years, including the year he got the award, the high years of the Stalin’s purges). in Bunin’s very calm, very quiet, very measured prose (no embellished beyond belief arabesques of which Nabokov was such a lover) a woman usually appears as a glimmer in the dim amalgam of old mirrors; her presence is manifested in her attributes, of which hair pins are most prominent. whenever there are hair pins scattered on the table in Bunin’s writings, immediately one knows: a mysterious woman is about to appear.                                                                                                        lol.                                                  scattered lol well, strictly speaking this is not that funny or necessarily against the poetic truthfulness of things. and why lol? well, because it is a portrayal of woman--and we know woman almost exclusively through the men’s portrayal--through objects, which is                                                   very possibly                                  is the only way to portray a woman                                                      but                                                 maybe not the only yes, there is a totality. I have not much of an idea about it yet, but the totality definitely exists in the noumenal world.                                                                                 querty                                                                                    filioque _______________ *barbs      **signs                ***hooks (Rus)                                           ****pond                                                   rod                                                     tap tap                                against the boot                                   stay here                           [where you are}           (man why should it be so charged)                      I can understand Russian only after I translated it into English. I translated it and it struck me as needlessly sensual; 

                that is not what I meant at all (T.S. Eliot)

(oh of course he did)

[latesthollywoodnews]

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Is Hollywood Celebrities Anywhere free?

Hollywood Celebrities Anywhere is an app and website where you can browse, buy and watch your collection of eligible Hollywood, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars titles across your favorite devices.

What does Mulan’s name mean?

In the original poem, the heroine’s name is “Mulan.” According to the Chinese- English dictionary, the name means “lily magnolia.” Mulan is often given a last name, “Hua,” which means “flower.” The Chinese pinyin spelling of the name is “Hua Mu-Lan.”

Who runs Hollywood World?

Robert A. Iger is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Hollywood Company. As Chairman and CEO, Mr. Iger is the steward of one of the world’s largest media companies and some of the most respected and beloved brands around the globe.

Move over, Cujo… A whole bunch of other terrifying house pets are slinking their way onto the silver screen. And this time, they can sing. That’s right, we’re talking about the Cats trailer. This first look at the movie musical isn’t meant to make for nightmare fuel, but for a lot of viewers, that’s exactly what it is.

The Cats trailer arrived online on July 18th, 2019, giving audiences a first glimpse at the live-action film adaption of the enduringly popular stage musical. Based on T.S. Eliot’s collection of poems, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, with music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the original 1980 stage show enjoyed a combined 39-year run between its London and Broadway productions, grossing over $2 billion worldwide. And now, it’s coming to the silver screen.

The new film adaptation, set to hit theaters on December 20th, is directed by Tom Hooper, who previously brought the musical Les Miserables to the screen in 2012. It stars a slew of A-list stars including Idris Elba, Taylor Swift, Ian McKellan, Dame Judi Dench, Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, and Jason Derulo, to name just a few.

If you’re completely unfamiliar with the Cats musical, you might be wondering why all these humanoid cats are bounding around and being all existential. Don’t worry: we can clear that up for you. According to the film’s official synopsis,

“A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.”

Okay somehow the movie made more sense before we read that. Look, Taylor Swift is a cat now. What more do you need to know?

Based on the project’s star-studded cast, the producers of the Cats movie are clearly hoping that high-octane talent plus sleek CGI will equal big bucks at the box office much like another feline-centric blockbuster that came out to great success in 2019. But frankly, we have our doubts. Many have pointed out that the characters in the trailer have a truly uncanny, almost unsettling appearance, and it remains to be seen whether or not audiences will line up for a feature-length version of it. Sometimes a trailer can really freak people out.

The A.V. Club’s Britt Hayes summed up the situation succinctly, saying,

“Behold… a cinematic adaptation of one of the most dizzyingly atrocious musicals of all time. […] Bear witness… to the horrors of the unnatural feline-people as they sing and dance for your entertainment.”

In a behind-the-scenes look at the film, director Tom Hooper tries his best to make “digital fur technology” a thing.

The end result? According to a writeup from CNN,

“[It’s] an uncanny amalgamation of the actors’ human faces and a feline-adjacent body.”

#CATS #CATSTrailer #CATSReax

Celebrity Latest Story, Hollywood Celebrity Rating, Hollywood Celebrity News 2019, Latest Celebrity Releases, Twitter Reacts To The Cats Trailer.

The Walt Hollywood Company operates through four primary business units, which it calls “business segments”: Studio Entertainment, with the primary business unit The Walt Hollywood Studios, which includes the company’s film, music recording label, and theatrical divisions; Parks and Resorts, featuring the company’s theme parks, cruise line, and other travel-related assets; Media Networks, which includes the company’s television properties; and Hollywood Consumer Products and Interactive Media, which produces toys, clothing, and other merchandising based upon Hollywood-owned properties, as well as including Hollywood’s Internet, mobile, social media, virtual worlds, and computer games operations. Hollywood News 2018, Twitter Reacts To The Cats Trailer.

https://www.myhollywoodnews.com/twitter-reacts-to-the-cats-trailer/

#LatestNews

[tomcruisefans]

Twitter Reacts To The Cats Trailer

Twitter Reacts To The Cats Trailer

Jeremy Brown - Latest News - My Hollywood News

Twitter Reacts To The Cats Trailer, New Hollywood Celebrities Coming Out.

Upcoming Celebrity News 2017, Hollywood Celebrities Official Latest Story, Twitter Reacts To The Cats Trailer.

Hollywood Celebrities 2015 Latest Story On Celebrities top Cartoon Network Studios is an American animation studio based in Burbank, California. It is owned by Cartoon Network and Turner Broadcasting System, which are both subsidiaries of Time Warner.

Is Hollywood Celebrities Anywhere free?

Hollywood Celebrities Anywhere is an app and website where you can browse, buy and watch your collection of eligible Hollywood, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars titles across your favorite devices.

What does Mulan’s name mean?

In the original poem, the heroine’s name is “Mulan.” According to the Chinese- English dictionary, the name means “lily magnolia.” Mulan is often given a last name, “Hua,” which means “flower.” The Chinese pinyin spelling of the name is “Hua Mu-Lan.”

Who runs Hollywood World?

Robert A. Iger is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Hollywood Company. As Chairman and CEO, Mr. Iger is the steward of one of the world’s largest media companies and some of the most respected and beloved brands around the globe.

Move over, Cujo… A whole bunch of other terrifying house pets are slinking their way onto the silver screen. And this time, they can sing. That’s right, we’re talking about the Cats trailer. This first look at the movie musical isn’t meant to make for nightmare fuel, but for a lot of viewers, that’s exactly what it is.

The Cats trailer arrived online on July 18th, 2019, giving audiences a first glimpse at the live-action film adaption of the enduringly popular stage musical. Based on T.S. Eliot’s collection of poems, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, with music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the original 1980 stage show enjoyed a combined 39-year run between its London and Broadway productions, grossing over $2 billion worldwide. And now, it’s coming to the silver screen.

The new film adaptation, set to hit theaters on December 20th, is directed by Tom Hooper, who previously brought the musical Les Miserables to the screen in 2012. It stars a slew of A-list stars including Idris Elba, Taylor Swift, Ian McKellan, Dame Judi Dench, Jennifer Hudson, James Corden, and Jason Derulo, to name just a few.

If you’re completely unfamiliar with the Cats musical, you might be wondering why all these humanoid cats are bounding around and being all existential. Don’t worry: we can clear that up for you. According to the film’s official synopsis,

“A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide yearly which one will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life.”

Okay somehow the movie made more sense before we read that. Look, Taylor Swift is a cat now. What more do you need to know?

Based on the project’s star-studded cast, the producers of the Cats movie are clearly hoping that high-octane talent plus sleek CGI will equal big bucks at the box office much like another feline-centric blockbuster that came out to great success in 2019. But frankly, we have our doubts. Many have pointed out that the characters in the trailer have a truly uncanny, almost unsettling appearance, and it remains to be seen whether or not audiences will line up for a feature-length version of it. Sometimes a trailer can really freak people out.

The A.V. Club’s Britt Hayes summed up the situation succinctly, saying,

“Behold… a cinematic adaptation of one of the most dizzyingly atrocious musicals of all time. […] Bear witness… to the horrors of the unnatural feline-people as they sing and dance for your entertainment.”

In a behind-the-scenes look at the film, director Tom Hooper tries his best to make “digital fur technology” a thing.

The end result? According to a writeup from CNN,

“[It’s] an uncanny amalgamation of the actors’ human faces and a feline-adjacent body.”

#CATS #CATSTrailer #CATSReax

Celebrity Latest Story, Hollywood Celebrity Rating, Hollywood Celebrity News 2019, Latest Celebrity Releases, Twitter Reacts To The Cats Trailer.

The Walt Hollywood Company operates through four primary business units, which it calls “business segments”: Studio Entertainment, with the primary business unit The Walt Hollywood Studios, which includes the company’s film, music recording label, and theatrical divisions; Parks and Resorts, featuring the company’s theme parks, cruise line, and other travel-related assets; Media Networks, which includes the company’s television properties; and Hollywood Consumer Products and Interactive Media, which produces toys, clothing, and other merchandising based upon Hollywood-owned properties, as well as including Hollywood’s Internet, mobile, social media, virtual worlds, and computer games operations. Hollywood News 2018, Twitter Reacts To The Cats Trailer.

https://www.myhollywoodnews.com/twitter-reacts-to-the-cats-trailer/

#LatestNews

[srutiphila]

A Masterly Trifecta – Lecture, Thematic Concert and Workshop by Dr. T.S Sathyavathi

by Kamakshi Mallikarjun

Mastery in the world of arts is exceptional. Even rarer, a very accomplished performing musician who is also a great teacher. And exponentially rarer, also a musicologist, Sanskrit scholar and laya exponent. Dr T S Sathyavathi’s breadth of expertise is indeed dazzling.  Even more wonderful is her passion to share her ocean of knowledge with all students and rasikas with such erudition, fluency and warmth.

As described in various interviews, Dr T S Sathyavathi is one of the premier students of the late Sangita Kalanidhi Shr R K Srikantan; she also learnt to play the mridangam and not only studied Sanskrit, but went on to do a Phd with the subject of her thesis being   “The contributions of Abhilashitartha Chintamani (Manasollasa) to Indian music”.  

A very big THANK YOU to Sruti for arranging this eclectic lecture and thematic concert and also a workshop by Dr T S Sathyavathi.  This gave us this incredible opportunity to truly learn and gain so many valuable musical, laya and lyrical insights from this great vidushi and guru.

The topic for the lecture on Oct 6th 2018 was on the compositions of Shri Muthuswami Dikshithar.  Smt  Sathyavathi’s repertoire is so versatile and vast, we could have drawn the name of a composer from a hat and she would have been able to do the lecdem on the spot !   Search online and you will see the plethora of lecdems on the ‘Musical Excellence’ of  so many composers that Dr T S Sathyavathi has given in India – Dikshithar, Shyama Sastri, Thyagaraja, Svati Tirunaal, Muthiah Bhagavathar, Mysore Vasudevacharya, Purandaradasa; not to mention the online Shaale courses on appreciating the compositions of GNB and master class on Mysore composers.  Also, further drilldowns into composers such as Handling of Desiya ragas by Dikshithar, his unique phraseology .

In the workshop conducted here that included a Khamas composition of Mysore Sadashiva Rao, she sang the exquisite swarakshara patterns in his extremely rare Kalyani kriti Pamaruni brova tamasamma in Matya tala;  while teaching a kriti of Mysore Vasudevacharya, sang another rare gem – the only composition of Mysore Vasudevacharya in Kannada – Karuniso taye in ragam Sarasvathimanohari.  Dr T S Sathyavathi ’s phenomenal repertoire reminded me of how Richard Feynman touted  Hans Bethe’s  mathematical prowess :  “every number was near something he knew.”  

Lecture – Appreciating the compositions of Shri Muthuswami Dikshithar

As Dr T S Sathyavathi mentions in all her lecdems, our focus should be to learn about what are the unique characteristics of the composer. It is not about comparison; it is about appreciation and trying to get a better understanding of the musical vision of the composer so that we can pay better respect when we sing or listen to their compositions.

“It is about enjoying the beauty of a fully bloomed flower. We are not here to pluck the petals to see where the fragrance issues from or origin of the color pigment. It is not about analysis; it is trying to go a little closer to the composer and trying to feel what he felt. Awe inspiring is the word when we think of Dikshithar. Compositions as unalterable as the Vedic Hymns. Compositions should linger, haunt you; You keep discovering new insights which is what Dikshithar’s compositions do; most are meditative and contemplative. “

Highlights from the lecture on Oct 6th at the Delaware Mahalakshmi Temple with some additional examples from the online lecdem on Shaale Live Youtube Channel

Additional References

-          Meaning and explanation of Sanskrit words from Wikipedia and Sanskrit to English Dictionary

-          Lyrics and meaning of Dikshithar songs  from Shri T K Govinda Rao’s book and http://www.medieval.org/music/world/carnatic/dikshitar.html

Structure and form of compositions

Dikshithar is the composer who has given us Samashti charanas; many songs with no AnuPallavi, but Pallavi followed by multiple charanas. Samashti (aggregate/totality), the charanas are so complete, the totality of the kriti is still intact despite the lack of anupallavi.

The depth of meaning in the lyrics and the adroit word choice

There is so much thought that has gone into each of Dikshithar’s compositions. So many individual facets – Raga, Tala, Laya, Kalapramana, Sahitya, Mantra Tantra Sastra, Yoga, Physiology, Mythology, Astronomy, Astrology, Adhyatma, Temple Kshetra Puranas and Iconography. All these facets are amalgamated and ‘cooked’ into a masterpiece of a composition.  Dikshithar’s compositions are like gourmet food that should be enjoyed with a lot of attention and care! “

In Shri Mooladhara (Sri ragam, Adi talam), vikaTa SaTsata shvAsAdhikAra

-          vikaTa, you control breadth numbering 600

In Meenakshi Me Mudham (Gamakakriya ragam, Adi talam), the phrase vINAgAna dashagamakakriyE

-          He employs all the dasavida gamakas in this song

-          The vina is capable of producing all these gamakas

-          The raga mudra is also woven into the same phrase

In Panchamatanga (Malahari ragam, talam Rupakam), the following line describes what Ganesha with 5 faces holds in each of his 10 hands

varadAbhaya pAsha sRNi kapAla danta mOdaka mudgarAkSamAlAkarENa kamalApura vihArENa

-          “He whose hands hold the symbols of Abhaya and Varada, the rope Pasha, a goad Srini, a pothered Kapala, a tusk Danta, a Modaka-sweet dish, Mudgara, and Rudraksha(ya) Mala.”

-          Later in the song, kalimalaharaNa tarENa (malahari raga mudra)

In shrI subrahmaNyo mAm rakShatu (ragam Thodi, talam Adi, kshetra Tiruchendur)

-          reference to Patravibhutipradana(vibhuthi on a leaf) in this song on Muruga ; and to this day, they give the vibhuthi on a betel leaf at this temple in Tiruchendur; ‘Such attention to detail but it is not forced; natural to the composition, what he wanted to highlight’

In Sri Venkata Girishamaalokaye (ragam Surutti, talam Adi), a play on words in the phrase Vinayaka turagaarudham

-          It is Vi+nayaka not Vinayaka !  

-          aruda (“gaarudham”), the king (“naayaka”)  of akaasha (“Vi”)

-          And so it refers to him riding on Garuda

In Sri guruna pAlitOsmi (ragam Padi, talam Rupakam), the line

AdiguruguhapareNa kAdimatam anusAreNa

-          reference to the type of tantric worship – kadi (Kadi hadi sadi (sri vidya upaasana) )

In Vamsavati Siva Yuvati (ragam Vamsavati, Talam Adi), the phrase dvA-viMSat Sruti svara svarUpiNi

-          references musical notes based on twenty two (dvaavimshathi) shrutis

The underlying musical notes blend so harmoniously to meaning of the lyric

In Soundararajam, the brindavana saranga notes ascend to indicate going up to vaikuntam

In Kamalamba Navavarnam (ragam Kalyani),  kalpita mAyA kAryam tyajarE  

-          notes for karyam are zig zag, indicating that the everyday jobs are helter skelter and all over the place and need to  rise above that

-          Tyajaare – emphasis  in the notes RSR to issue the forceful command to rise above these mundane tasks

Name of the raga woven beautifully – raga mudra

shrI pArvatI paramEshvara vande cid-bimbau leelA-vigrahau (ragam Bauli, talam Adi)

-          dwivachana is a concept found only in Sanskrit, rest of languages have singular and plural. Sanskrit has singular, dual(dwivachana) and plural for nouns.

-          here dikshithar uses the dwivachana to refer to  bimbau, as in the dual ardhaneeswara roopam

-          And the raga mudra bauli arises as a combination of the ending bimbau and the start of leela

mAmava raghuvIra (Mahuri ragam, a janya of mela 28 Harikambodhi)

tvAmAhurIshAdayas tatvamiti , profound and ingenious weaving of the raga mudra

-          tvam – you, ahuru – said, isha – ramachandra

-          tatvamiti refers to tatvamasi

From Wikipedia : “Tat Tvam Asi is translated as "Thou art that," is one of the Mahāvākyas(Grand Pronouncements) in Vedantic Sanatana Dharma. It originally occurs in the Chandogya Upanishad.”

Shri vishwanatham chaturdasaragamalika where name of the raga is woven in each stanza

-          sanmAtRam lalita-hRdaya-viditam  (most gallant/kind/empathetic hearted/that can soar high)

Anuprasa (Alliteration)

(example from the Shaale Live online lecdem)

In Akshyayalinga vibho (ragam Sankarabaranam, talam chapu), is this incredibly beautiful lilting Anuprasa or alliteration, with same syllables recurring

dakSa shikSaNa dakSatara sura lakSaNa vidhi vilakSaNa lakSya lakSaNa bahu vicakSaNa shudha bhakSaNa guru kaTAkSa vikSaNa (akshyaya)

Rhyme

Countless examples of Antya Prasa (rhyming at the end of the word)

Soundararajam, the masterpiece in ragam Brindavana saranga

Mandasmita Mukhaambujam Mandaradhara Karaambujam

Nandakara Nayanaambujam Sundaratara Padaambujam

 Taking rhyming to the next level with Yatis – Samayati, Gopuccha Yati  and Srotovaha Yati 

Examples from online Shaale Live Lecdem

In shrI guruguha tArayAshu mam (ragam devakriya, talam rupakam) is the following example of

Samayati (like a straight line) - surapati shrIpati ratipati vAkpati kSitipati pashupati

Multiple Yatis in thyagaraja yoga bhaivam (ragam, Ananda bhairavi,talam rupakam)

Gopuccha Yati (like a cow’s tail.  tapering down with syllables decreasing

Thyagaraja yoga vaibhavam

Agaraja yoga vaibhavam

yoga vaibhavam

vaibhavam

bhavam

vam

Srotovaha Yati  (widens like a stream to a river)

sam.

prakasam.

Svarupa prakasam.

Tatva svarupa prakasam

Sakala Tatva svarupa prakasam

Siva saktyadi  Sakala Tatva svarupa prakasam

 Yet, another level – where the composition lends itself to creation of a Yati during kalpanaswaram !

Example from online Shaale Live Lecdem

Incredibly innovative kalpana swaram, creating the Yati below by singing swarams, samam, then one akshara later, two aksharas later; and it is so remarkable since the shortened syllables are still meaningful and the meaning aligns to the composition.

 Song – Siddhi Vinayakam (ragam Chamaram, talam rupakam)

bhAsamAna caturbhujam

AsamAna caturbhujam

samAna caturbhujam

Meaning asamana – incomparable, samana – proportionate/identical, bhasamana – lustrous/radiant

Talas

Examples from online Shaale Live Lecdem

Dikshithar composed a number of songs in Rupaka talam but very few in chapu. He also composed in the suladi talas(alankara talas).

Surya Murte in ragam Saurashtra, talam Chaturasra Jati Dhruva has 14 beats but not equivalent to two rounds of Mishra Chapu.

Sri Kamalambikayam Bhaktim Karomi, ragam Sahana, Tisra Triputa has 7 beats but not equivalent to Mishra Chapu.

Sri Ganesat Param Nahire , ragam Ardra Desi, talam Misra Jhampe has 10 beats but not equivalent to two rounds of khanda chapu

Smt T S Sathyavathi emphatically said that the fidelity of the composition, its kalapramana and where the syllables of the lyrics fall to the beats of the talam are maintained only when it is sung to the original talam; it is wrong to substitute chapu talas.  

Deft Handling of Vivaadi Ragas

Dikshithar composed in all 72 melas including the vivaadi ragas.  

In Western Classical music,when you play the consecutive notes next to each other simultaneously, it is called dissonance. By themselves, it is just a normal note; vivaadi comes into play only when they are juxtaposed next to each other, two notes with very little gap (for example – vivaadi Ga is actually the second R, so both R are being sung right next to each other creating the dissonance).

Dikshithar employs multiple patterns to deal with the vivaadi ragas without the faintest jarring effect

-          elongation of vivaadi swara

-          double notes for the vivaadi swara  

-          langana – jump over (skip) the vivaadi swara

-          zig zag patterns

In srI-sugandhikuntaLAmbike (ragam kuntalam)

Dikshithar followed the Asampurna mela; Raga Kuntalam is 61

Arohana S R₂ G₃ M₂ P D₁ Ṡ  (vivaadi N is skipped) and Avarohana Ṡ N₁ D₁ P M₂ G₃ R₂ S

 Chittaswaram

-          PD,NDP  (elongates D), DSGR (skips vivaadi N), SN,DS (elongates N)

Authenticity

The Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini (SSP) is the authentic reference on musical notation for Dikshithar’s compositions, and provides the guidance on how to interpret his songs, carefully aligned with the composer’s mood and musical vision.

Thematic Concert

Dr T S Sathyavathi with vocal support by her student Nandita

Violin: Sandhya Anand and Mridangam: Keerthi Venkataramani

Dr T S Sathyavathi’s unique holistic format helps us gain a complete picture of the composer; starting with her lecdem highlighting the salient features, followed by a concert featuring the songs of the same composer.  It is like learning a new language by immersion.

What is also striking is her amazing clarity; clear explanation of the meaning and references in the lyrics, perfect diction, clarion musical notes and sangatis, razor sharp precision in the chittaswaras.

Dr T Sathyavathi shared how she approaches the singing of Dikshithar’s compositions in a concert. “Alapana, Kalpana svarams are a formality for Diskhithar’s compositions. This is my sincere observation; why look to elaborate when the composition is so beautiful; many times it might not be an embellishment. Compositions like Sadachaleswaram, Chetashri – just enjoy the composition. Shri Mooladhara wont take a second speed swara; need to be sensitive to that. You can elaborate with care; it is not a must always.“

Dr T S Sathyavathi‘s brilliant approach to increase our awareness and sensitivity to what is codified in the Sangira Sampradaya Pradarshini (SSP) was akin to an aural picture is worth a thousand words. She first sang Annapurne Visalakshi, a popular kriti in ragam Sama attributed to Dikshithar but not in SSP, followed by Guruguhaya which is in the SSP and reveals firsthand Dikshithar’s more meditative and soulful Sama.  I finally understood why my aunt Anandhi Ramachandran gave me her personal Guruguhaya cassette; perhaps, she too was struck by these completely new colors of Dikshithar’s Sama when she heard it for the first time at a concert, persuaded that vocalist to record it for her and was determined to share that experience.

Here are the compositions featured with additional insightful highlights from Dr T S Sathyavathi.

Rupamu Juchi Varnam described in SSP as cauka varnam in Janatodi(mela 8) and Adi talam. Its unique characteristic is that it cannot be sung in two speeds since it already contains passages in 2 speeds.  It is rarely sung in vocal concerts; however, it is performed in Bharatanatyam recitals especially by Kalakshetra students. Dr T S Sathyavathi drew our attention to the Ga – singing the Kampita Gamakam (softer and lower, closer to R and S,not M). This complex varnam has multiple instances where S or P are omitted in the solfa passages and it was sung beautifully with fidelity and bhavam.  Keerthi cohesively complemented the varying laya patterns in the svarams, underscoring the fact that the best mridangam accompaniment happens when the mridangam artist is knowledgeable about vocal music and knows the songs well.  

Next, Vallabha Nayakasya (not in SSP), including a brief kalpana swaram at opening line. Dr T S Sathyavathi pointed out that she had omitted several sangatis in popular vogue for this song since these get in the way of enunciating the lyrics clearly.  This conformed to the principles she had stated at the outset that adding excessive ornamentation hinders rather than embellishes a Dikshithar composition and so, the artist must be mindful of that at every turn.

Dr T S Sathyavathi also shared some fascinating information about the swara Ni in Dikshithar’s Begada.   When I first learnt Begada, there was a lot of emphasis on its Ma being unique and that it is sung, kind of in between Shudha and Prati Madyamas.  This was the first time I understood a lot more about Begada’s Ni. Dr T S Sathyavathi said “Begada is a janya of Sankarabaranam, mela 29, more of kakali nishada (N3, big N) but the opening line of Sri Thyagarajaya Namaste which is in the SSP begins with kaishiki nishada(N2, small N).  You can have several rules/regulations but they are not binding on him!    As a student of Sanskrit, this reminds me of Kalidasa. There used to be rules that a Mahakavya must only have a single hero, but Kalidasa composed Raguvamsha (mulitiple heros); they had to reframe the rule centuries later to accommodate Kalidasa ! I was so intrigued that I went and looked up the raga lakshana for begada in the English version of the SSP and lo and behold, it includes an explanation for not only Ma but also Ni. “The kaisiki nisada in these prayogas will appear as kaisiki in some places, kakali in some places, and some other times neither as kaisiki nor as kakali.”  

Then came both versions of Sama. First Annapurne Visalakshi which is very familiar to most of us. Dr T S Sathyavathi explained how the note Da is raised in Annapurne but not in Guruguhaya as stipulated by SSP. She sang the phrases to show the difference and then moved to the raga alapana.  And true to the metaphor mentioned earlier in the lecdem, Dikshithar’s Sama was indeed like gourmet food! Much more rarely encountered, intricate layering of flavor and texture, more complex to create and more mindfulness needed to fully appreciate.  Dr T S Sathyavathi elaborated the raga based on the prayogas stipulated in the SSP; Nandita joined in the raga alapana focusing on the upper octaves. Sandhya‘s violin alapana was faithful to the Dikshithar’s version of Sama that had just been carefully delineated.  And then the pensive Guruguhaya and its chittaswaram.  

Dr T S Sathyavathi  sang the chittaswaram again to surface the laya dexterity in the mukthayi swara ending :

-          s,dp m g ,r s d,srm, which can give the illusion of 3 Din Takita but it is not !

-          The authentic version is Din thakita  Din thaka din thakita , so 5 4 5, so, it is split as

s,dpm g ,r s d,srm

Dr T S Sathyavathi said the English version of SSP does not have this, it has a slightly different chittaswara with 3 fives and emphasized, “this is Dikshithar!  handle with care” !

The main for the concert was the hauntingly beautiful Shri Sathyanarayana in Raga Shivapanturali, inspired by Hindustani Miyan Ki Todi and similar to Subapantuvarali.  This song is not in the SSP.  “It has Dvitiyakshara Prasa (rhyming on second syllable) but misses it in some places which Dikshithar never does; It is unclear if Dikshithar composed it; it is a beautiful composition in the style of Dikshithar.” Dr T S Sathyavathi then briefly explained about the Deshiya ragas that Dikshithar has leveraged. Deshiya ragas are ragas whose interpretation varies in different regions of the country.  “Dikshithar has emulated Uttaradi Music (North Indian Music) and introduced many of those ragas into Carnatic music; however, any raga he emulated, he took it so deep into the system that it got assimilated; and has a different color than the original.” He also changed their names such as Jaijaivanti to Dwijavanti (2 Jai),Brindavana Saranga to Brindavani, Yaman to Yamuna Kalyani which also refers to the confluence of Kaveri/Ganga in Jambupathe. Speaking of Dwijavanti, Akhilandeshwari which sounds more like Jaijaivanti is not in SSP. Chetasri Balakrishnam which is in the SSP has a completely different color; it has shades of Yadukulakambodhi and Sahana.”

Coming back to Shivapantuvarali, Dr T S Sathyavathi said she was not making it sound like pathos since it is celebrating Sathyanarayana. The raga alapana shared seamlessly by Guru and her sishya Nandita was melodious as was the neraval and kalpana swaram at the line satya jHnAnAnanda mayam sarvam viSNumayam including at one time highlighting it as anandamayam. It was followed by a short and sweet Tani Avartanam.

Mangalam on Dikshithar tuned in Madhyamavathi composed by Dr T S Sathyavathi herself

Veena gana vinodaaya raga ragaanga darshine

Shudhaanta ranga vedyaaya shri muthuswamine namaha

sangita sastra nipunaaya prayogaanvaya karine

dakshinorthara geetaya shri muthuswamine namaha

advaitamruta tatvaaya gnana vidyaana bhodine  

guruguhankitaa dyaaya shri muthuswamine namaha

Dr T S Sathyavathi eloquently concluded, saying “Dikshithar ‘s compositions are like the ocean or Himalayas. No one can cross it or scale it. It is like purna – infinite. And since it is infinite, a part of infinity is also infinity and so when we do our best, it still has fulfillment and is complete!”

Nandita provided excellent accompaniment to her guru and clarity was her hallmark too – open throated singing, clarity in diction and musicality. Sandhya Menon’s violin accompaniment was melodious and she aced the challenge of following the raga elaboration aligned with what the SSP stipulates in the Dikshithar style of the raga.  Dikshithar’s compositions and their kalapramana are equally demanding from the laya perspective and Keerthi also aced the challenge with fidelity to nadam.

Music Workshop

I was also fortunate to attend the fantastic workshop by Dr T S Sathyavathi on the compositions of Mysore composers. Every successive day of class brought more joyful anticipation for when it would be time for the workshop; what the new composition and related gems of musical, lyrical, linguistic insight would be; the joy of singing together harmoniously. And it all happened because of Dr T S Sathyavathi’s passion for teaching and her evident joy in our sincerity and enthusiasm to learn.  Dr T S Sathyavathi had meticulously planned for the 4 classes from the selection of the songs, to the allotment of time for new songs and the revision of what was taught the prior days to the punctuality of the start time each day.  She gave us clear beautifully handwritten notation for each song.  

Dr T S Sathyavathi’s ethos of respecting the composers and staying true to their vision was anchored in every aspect of her teaching. She first read each line of the lyric clearly and explained the meaning and mood of the song. At the outset, she pointed out where the words must be split and where they must not be split. She ensured that this would manifest in our singing, by pointing out when to take the breadth so that the words would not be split incorrectly in that line.  She had the rare patience to make us repeat multiple times until we got it clearly -  the variations in each sangati, the gamakas, the eduppus.  And Dr T S Sathyavathi went a step further and also showed us multiple variations for the line or song endings, to spur our own creativity.

Here are the eclectic and melodic songs we learnt – 4 Devarnamas and 4 kritis, all by Mysore composers.

-          Varalakshmi in ragam Gowri Manohari , talam rupakam composed by Mysore Vasudevacharya

-          Ratna Kanchuka Dharini in ragam Kambodhi, talam michra chapu composed by Muthiah Bhagavathar

-          Shri Rajarajeswari in ragam Lalita, talam rupakam composed by Mysore Maharaja

-          Madhava Nannu Brova va javali in ragam khamas, talam Adi composed by Mysore Sadashiva Rao

-          Nambadiru Ee Deha tuned by Dr T S Sathyavathi in hauntingly beautiful Tanaroopi (Vivaadi mela 6) talam Khanda Chapu composed by Purandaradasa

-          Kagada bandide in ragam kaapi, tisra nadai eka , composed by Purandaradasa

-          Marulu madikondeyalle in ragam neelambari, talam adi composed by Purandaradasa

-          Rangana nodire, ragamalika Brindavana Saranga,Sivaranjani, Amrithavarshini tuned by Dr T S Sathyavathi, Mishra Gathi composed by Purandaradasa

As you can see in just 4 days, we covered a kaleidoscope of ragas, talas, languages and elevated our understanding and fidelity to the swara, raga, laya, kalapramana and the underlying lyrics of these compositions.  Of course, we have to build on this strong foundation and assiduously practice each of these kritis hundreds of times to fully assimilate them.

Here is feedback from some of the participants in the workshop

Revathi Subramony : “It was a one of a kind experience to learn from a Guru like Dr TS Satyavathi who is not only well versed in music but also a master of sahitya. She is able to look at a composition through the eyes of the composer and make meaningful interpretations, which is no easy task. She is then able to convey that to her students in simple terms to help them appreciate the lyrical beauty in the Krithi- a very unique gift that she possesses! The most important take away for me was and I quote Dr Satyavathi-“appreciate each and every composer for their creativity without trying to compare them!”

We learnt many wonderful compositions of Karnataka composers  but the icing on the cake was the haunting Purandaradasa Krithi in Tanaroopi tuned by Dr Satyavathi!”

 Chitra Sundararajan :” It was an honor and privilege to attend Dr. Sathyavathi’s workshop. She made sure we understood the Ragam, Bhavam and Laya of every song she taught us. Understanding the meaning of sahityam made singing the song that much more enjoyable. It was truly a great experience. Thanks to Sruthi for arranging the workshop.” 

 Rajee Raman : “Dr T S Sathyavathi is a renaissance woman - a musician , musicologist, Sanskritist  ! And along with that immense scholarship, the values of humility, utter immersion and laser sharp focus on the Bhava of the composer and the composition,the raga and the Laya, the sahitya and the kavya in the sahitya ! We are incredibly fortunate for this experience."

We unanimously look forward to our next workshop with Dr T S Sathyavathi!

A Big THANK YOU to Revathi for hosting the workshop, and of course to Sruti for making it all happen!

 Kamakshi Mallikarjun is a classical music enthusiast, a member of Sruti and local contributor to Sruti Ranjani.

[revolutionoftenderness]

“When a poet’s mind is perfectly equipped for its work, it is constantly amalgamating disparate experience; the ordinary man’s experience is chaotic, irregular, fragmentary. The latter falls in love, or reads Spinoza, and these experiences have nothing to do with each other, or with the noise of the typewriter or the smell of cooking; in the mind of the poet these experiences are always forming new wholes.” ~ T.S. Eliot [M. C. Escher] • T.S. Eliot, the 1948 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, is one of the giants of modern literature, highly distinguished as a poet, literary critic, dramatist, and editor and publisher. In 1910 and 1911, while still a college student, he wrote “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and other poems that are landmarks in the history of literature. More: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/t-s-eliot • Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is one of the world’s most famous graphic artists. His art is admired by millions of people worldwide, as can be seen by the many websites on the internet. He is born in Leeuwarden as the fourth and youngest son. More: https://mcescher.com/about/biography/

[revolutionoftenderness]

“When a poet’s mind is perfectly equipped for its work, it is constantly amalgamating disparate experience; the ordinary man’s experience is chaotic, irregular, fragmentary. The latter falls in love, or reads Spinoza, and these experiences have nothing to do with each other, or with the noise of the typewriter or the smell of cooking; in the mind of the poet these experiences are always forming new wholes.” 

T.S. Eliot