What do you "assign" to the Shire? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Anguirel · 05-21-2006, 09:35 AM

I thoroughly endorse Lucia di Lammermore...

The cast names alone! Lord Enrico di Ravenswood!

Lalaith · 05-21-2006, 11:25 AM

Agreed. I was fortunate enough to attend a Royal Opera performance of Lucia where they had a proper glass harmonica for the mad scene. An instrument so rare, with a sound so sublime, that it belongs, in itself, in the Shire.

Celuien · 05-21-2006, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Agreed. I was fortunate enough to attend a Royal Opera performance of Lucia where they had a proper glass harmonica for the mad scene. An instrument so rare, with a sound so sublime, that it belongs, in itself, in the Shire.

Now that sounds spectacular! I love the mad scene (Anna Moffo was the soprano in the recording I have), but never heard it with the glass harmonica. Sadly.

Mithalwen · 05-21-2006, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Agreed. I was fortunate enough to attend a Royal Opera performance of Lucia where they had a proper glass harmonica for the mad scene. An instrument so rare, with a sound so sublime, that it belongs, in itself, in the Shire.

You are so lucky - one of my favourite pieces of music, the Mozart Fantasia in F minor, was composed for glass harmonica but I have only heard it on the organ (albeit played by someone who is now Kapellmeister in a german cathedral...).

I rather like baroque opera - Handel's Rodelinda particularly. Nice to get a tenor villain and I am a counter-tenor fan (claim to fame meeting Andreas Scholl).
Handel at least must go to the Shire - ifnot for his opera for Zadok and Messiah....

JennyHallu · 05-21-2006, 01:06 PM

Now, now, don't overwhelm me, folks! This was but a first introduction to the medium for me. Heh, heh...I had an invitation to join the company...but I turned it down.

the guy who be short · 05-22-2006, 01:55 PM

I assign the Millenium Library.

To celebrate the turn of the century, the British government, in co-operation with the National Lottery, donated each secondary school in Britain a collection of books called the "Millenium Library."

This Millenium Library contains most of the "great books" of the last two thousand years, spanning from Virgil's Aeneid to Orwell's 1984, with everything in between. There's literally loads of books... probably more than a hundred. And all classics. And all in one place. And all free to loan. With no fees for lateness.

Encaitare · 05-22-2006, 05:15 PM

... Renee Fleming. I'm not a huge opera fan but her lovely voice makes it enjoyable for me. Plus, she's an alumnus of the college I'm going to, so that's sweet too.

Farael · 05-22-2006, 05:29 PM

I'll change the topic, with permission from the rest of you pending, to gardening. There are few nicer things than doing some gardening with your dad. Unless it involves picking up leaves (which given the amount of trees we used to have was a real pain) or mowing the lawn (as the mower makes so much noise it's impossible to talk over it). But other than that, it's pure joy.

Bêthberry · 05-24-2006, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Agreed. I was fortunate enough to attend a Royal Opera performance of Lucia where they had a proper glass harmonica for the mad scene. An instrument so rare, with a sound so sublime, that it belongs, in itself, in the Shire.

Interesting idea. However, given the armonica's association with insanity, perhaps that instrument was played excessively in Gondor until it affected Denethor--the staltwart, healthy hobbits being more impervious to such disorders?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

One example of fear from playing the glass armonica was noted by a German musicologist Friedrich Rochlitz in Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung where it is stated that "the armonica excessively stimulates the nerves, plunges the player into a nagging depression and hence into a dark and melancholy mood that is apt method for slow self-annihilation. If you are suffering from any nervous disorder, you should not play it; if you are not yet ill you should not play it; if you are feeling melancholy you should not play it."

Orominuialwen · 05-24-2006, 10:11 PM

Painting parties. They're definitely more fun than should be legal. My robotics team got almost as much paint on ourselves as on the walls of our build site.

Formal dinner parties. Especially how amazing it is that only 48 hours after our paint-covered adventures, my team was able to all appear formally dressed (on a school night, no less!) to host a dinner party for all our mentors to thank them for all their hard work and help.

Car rides at night just after it's rained with the windows down and your hair blowing around. The fact that the person giving me a ride home was someone whose company I quite enjoy didn't hurt either.

Perhaps I should just save a lot of time and assign my whole robotics team and everything having to do with it to the Shire.

I also assign prom. Sure, everyone says it's overrated, but I had a lot of fun, even without a date. The only bad thing was the weather (35-40 degrees F and raining) and the great discomfort caused by my high heels.

Thinlómien · 05-25-2006, 02:57 AM

I assign Ascension Day. It's great not to have school in the middle of a week.

Estelyn Telcontar · 05-25-2006, 12:37 PM

White asparagus.

I bet Hobbits would love a vegetable that grows underground! Especially when served with new taters, Sauce Hollandaise, and smoked ham...

Lalwendë · 05-25-2006, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

White asparagus.

I bet Hobbits would love a vegetable that grows underground! Especially when served with new taters, Sauce Hollandaise, and smoked ham...

It looks like all kinds of asparagus are in The Shire! I've already sent the green type! I've never had the white kind as you just get the green/violet type here which we all devour for those few weeks it's available. I think it's suitable for The Shire too, as it's a plant that takes such a lot of care to grow, and you cannot eat any that the plant produces for several years. It must be harvested by hand, and its actually a flower.

That sounds like one of my meals! Its nice with Lancashire cheese, too.

Ooh, and fresh new taters with lots of mint sauce on.

Elonve · 05-25-2006, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orominuialwen

I also assign prom. Sure, everyone says it's overrated, but I had a lot of fun, even without a date. The only bad thing was the weather (35-40 degrees F and raining) and the great discomfort caused by my high heels.

I assign prom too. Except that at my school this year it was called "Spring Fling" It was beautiful! Wild flowers everywhere! and Candles and storm lanterns with big cream coloured candles...
The food was good and my date didn't mind if I danced with loads of guys.

My curfew was 3:30 a.m. and my parents we're pretty narfed because I got back home a little later than that. I am going to get one of those museum clocks for the kitchen one of these days...

I don't know if I am allowed to do this but may I send Tolkien, the master, to the Shire? I really do believe that he should live forever in his work.
________
LovelyWendie

Lalwendë · 05-26-2006, 01:19 PM

No such thing as 'prom' when I grew up. Instead we had The School Disco. In the 80s this was at its height of fashion. It consisted of getting dressed up in as much plastic, primary coloured jewellery as possible (all bought for 20p from the market), your best Chelsea Girl pixie boots and sticking half a ton of gel and hairspray on your hair. Then you'd spend the night flitting between the bikesheds where you had some cider stashed and the school hall where you would dance round your handbag to Duran Duran, while avoiding the lads windmilling their arms around in a semblance of 'dancing'. Later you would all laugh and jeer when you found one of your friends snogging a horrible lad behind the stage and try to avoid more horrible lads when Spandau Ballet came on as the last song at the incredibly late hour of 9.55pm.

But the nostalgia for such events, especially when you reminisce with your old friends, firmly belongs in The Shire.

Bêthberry · 05-26-2006, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

But the nostalgia for such events, especially when you reminisce with your old friends, firmly belongs in The Shire.

Hmm. Hmmm. (and that's not Hooom, hooom.

) I would have thought that nostalgia belongs with the elves, in Rivendell or Lothlorien. Aren't the elves the ones who reminisce about the good ole days?

05-21-2006, 09:35 AM	#1
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	I thoroughly endorse Lucia di Lammermore... The cast names alone! Lord Enrico di Ravenswood! __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

05-21-2006, 11:25 AM	#2
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	Agreed. I was fortunate enough to attend a Royal Opera performance of Lucia where they had a proper glass harmonica for the mad scene. An instrument so rare, with a sound so sublime, that it belongs, in itself, in the Shire. __________________ Out went the candle, and we were left darkling

05-21-2006, 01:06 PM	#5
JennyHallu The Pearl, The Lily Maid Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In my luxury Barrow, snuggled up in a pile of satin pillows, eating fresh fruit. Posts: 1,628	Now, now, don't overwhelm me, folks! This was but a first introduction to the medium for me. Heh, heh...I had an invitation to join the company...but I turned it down. __________________ <=== Lookee, lookee, lots of IM handles!

05-22-2006, 05:15 PM	#7
Encaitare Bittersweet Symphony Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: On the jolly starship Enterprise Posts: 1,814	While we're on the topic of opera... ... Renee Fleming. I'm not a huge opera fan but her lovely voice makes it enjoyable for me. Plus, she's an alumnus of the college I'm going to, so that's sweet too.

05-22-2006, 05:29 PM	#8
Farael Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: In hospitals, call rooms and (rarely) my apartment. Posts: 1,538	Given that I'm fairly ignorant about opera... I'll change the topic, with permission from the rest of you pending, to gardening. There are few nicer things than doing some gardening with your dad. Unless it involves picking up leaves (which given the amount of trees we used to have was a real pain) or mowing the lawn (as the mower makes so much noise it's impossible to talk over it). But other than that, it's pure joy. __________________ I prepared Explosive Runes this morning.

05-22-2006, 01:55 PM	#6
the guy who be short Shadowed Prince Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Thulcandra Posts: 2,343	I assign the Millenium Library. To celebrate the turn of the century, the British government, in co-operation with the National Lottery, donated each secondary school in Britain a collection of books called the "Millenium Library." This Millenium Library contains most of the "great books" of the last two thousand years, spanning from Virgil's Aeneid to Orwell's 1984, with everything in between. There's literally loads of books... probably more than a hundred. And all classics. And all in one place. And all free to loan. With no fees for lateness.

05-24-2006, 10:11 PM	#10
Orominuialwen Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2003 Location: Umbar, but before the corsairs took over. (Ave Maria University, FL, USA) Posts: 632	Painting parties. They're definitely more fun than should be legal. My robotics team got almost as much paint on ourselves as on the walls of our build site. Formal dinner parties. Especially how amazing it is that only 48 hours after our paint-covered adventures, my team was able to all appear formally dressed (on a school night, no less!) to host a dinner party for all our mentors to thank them for all their hard work and help. Car rides at night just after it's rained with the windows down and your hair blowing around. The fact that the person giving me a ride home was someone whose company I quite enjoy didn't hurt either. Perhaps I should just save a lot of time and assign my whole robotics team and everything having to do with it to the Shire. I also assign prom. Sure, everyone says it's overrated, but I had a lot of fun, even without a date. The only bad thing was the weather (35-40 degrees F and raining) and the great discomfort caused by my high heels. __________________ Gone for lentSeeyou at Easter! (And on Sundays too, maybe.)

05-25-2006, 02:57 AM	#11
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	I assign Ascension Day. It's great not to have school in the middle of a week. __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris

05-25-2006, 12:37 PM	#12
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	White asparagus. I bet Hobbits would love a vegetable that grows underground! Especially when served with new taters, Sauce Hollandaise, and smoked ham... __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

05-26-2006, 01:19 PM	#15
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	No such thing as 'prom' when I grew up. Instead we had The School Disco. In the 80s this was at its height of fashion. It consisted of getting dressed up in as much plastic, primary coloured jewellery as possible (all bought for 20p from the market), your best Chelsea Girl pixie boots and sticking half a ton of gel and hairspray on your hair. Then you'd spend the night flitting between the bikesheds where you had some cider stashed and the school hall where you would dance round your handbag to Duran Duran, while avoiding the lads windmilling their arms around in a semblance of 'dancing'. Later you would all laugh and jeer when you found one of your friends snogging a horrible lad behind the stage and try to avoid more horrible lads when Spandau Ballet came on as the last song at the incredibly late hour of 9.55pm. But the nostalgia for such events, especially when you reminisce with your old friends, firmly belongs in The Shire. __________________ Gordon's alive!