This may be of interest to some,

Ron Geesin / Blackbird Quadralogue

Photo © Don Ward

Locus+ and the De La Warr Pavilion are pleased to invite you to the launch of a new co-commission by Ron Geesin entitled Blackbird Quadralogue.

The astonishing vocal repertoire and intricate jazz-infused riffs of the Blackbird, one of the UK's most familiar songbirds, is revealed in a new octophonic sound composition that combines Geesin's long-term fascination with birdsong and his fundamental interest in jazz.

Sparked by hearing what he believed to be call and answer patterns between birds, Geesin initially made field recordings which demonstrated an abundance of varying pitch and rhythm in the calls between birds. This led to further recordings of a vast range of songs produced by four male blackbirds over two years. Blackbird Quadralogue draws together the calls of these four birds as they move through the seasons.

Launch: Saturday 4th October, 2014 from noon

Exhibition: 4th October - 30th November, 2014

Talk: Saturday 29th November, 2014 at 2pm. Ron Geesin in conversation with Peter Holden

De La Warr Pavilion
Marina
Bexhill on Sea
East Sussex
TN40 1DP

A short film about the artist and the project can be seen here

Ron Geesin is a composer, musician, producer, sound architect, writer, lecturer and collector of adjustable spanners. He is probably best known for his relationship with Pink Floyd, as the orchestrator of their 1970 album Atom Heart Mother. With everything he embarks upon, he brings his own particular brand of unbounded enthusiasm and inquisitive passion.

Peter Holden MBE joined the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) staff in 1969, and while running the RSPBs junior membership he devised the ever popular Big Garden Birdwatch. In 19945 he joined Bill Oddie in the BBC 1 series Bird in the Nest and he has contributed to Springwatch. Peter has written more than a dozen books on birds including the RSPB Handbook of British Birds.

I can't say that I particularly enjoyed Ron Geesin's collaboration with Pink Floyd on the tedious Atom Heart Mother, but this does sound an interesting, if slightly eccentric project if the video is anything to go by.

There's a recurring four-note phrase in Dvorak's "New World Symphony" which typically occurs at the very end of the Blackcap's song, but which never forms part of the Garden Warbler's.

Cheers Neil - will give it a listen

this is my playlist:

spotify:user:1110319899:playlist:36tat8MdBCRzORZrf4qxTY

Jeff Clarke wrote:

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It's time to get this thread active again.
I've been getting bored with bird representation in classical music, but have now found a recently discovered piece in Messaien's piano piece La Fauvette Passerinette (Subalpine warbler), broadcast on Radio 3 and still available on iPlayer at but you need to skip to 01:00:05 to find this, and be warned this is only for serious afficianados of modern classical music. Apparently the warblers are interrupted by a group of six Great Spotted Cuckoos in the middle section.

For those who are not into classical music try the zebra finches at - this is "music" that cannot be categorized and which makes me smile whenever I see it.

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A program presented by ex-county birder and occasional gull stringer Tom McKinney nonetheless.

There are quite a few in this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjWu_Y8x5rY

John Carter wrote:

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A programme entitled "Inspired by Birds" is to be broadcast on Radio 3 at 12.15 this lunchtime. It explores how birds have inspired music throughout history. Might be interesting! If you miss it you can still hear it for the next week on iplayer.

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More importantly (for me anyway), the programme is written and produced by plus presented by ex-county birder and still lover of all things GM; Tom McKinney. Having been fortunate to have been given an insight into the programme and what it contains (whilst out gulling with Tom) it certainly sounds like one not too be missed. Anything else and he'll never live it down

also you can't go wrong with gil scott-heron

One of my favourite local bands, they are from Glossop, is Rook and the Ravens.

Just listening to the album 'Lucky Shiner' by Gold Panda (electronica). Track 3 'Parents' ends with a nice burst of chiffchaff and a bit of swift screeching.

JOHN TYMON wrote:

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Bill Myerscough wrote:

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Time to resurrect this thread now that the days are getting shorter?

Went into HMV the other day and bought a copy of a cheap and incredible value compilation by the awesome Crosby, Stills and Nash (CSN). Just so this post has both a birding and GM context! - then I'll point out that Graham Nash is a Lancashire lad who spent many of his formative years in GM! Yes it's a bit flimsy that excuse but must keep the webmeister (I McK) happy! Whilst driving along the next day listening to the incredible harmonies of CSN in general and Suite Judy Blue Eyes in particular and heard the following lyrics:-

Chestnut brown canary
Ruby throated sparrow
Sing the song, don't be long
Thrill me to the marrow

Voices of the angels, ring around the moonlight
Asking me, said she so free
How can you catch the sparrow?

Don't think any of you listers will catch up with either of the first two birds..... as they are using a bit of lyrical licence!

Those who want to catch up with a bit of absolute class, then you can do so at:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEkDB4I9_yA&feature=related

On this CSN are all a bit older (and heavier!) than when they first performed this song but hey what voices! Please persevere and watch all wonderful 11 minutes of it....awesome!....if it doesn't send shivers up your spine then you probably have no taste at all!


Do do do do do, do do do do do do
Do do do do do, do do do do


Bill.


-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Friday 2nd of October 2009 02:52:32 PM

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Friday 2nd of October 2009 03:33:51 PM

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awsome 3 some-seen em at the appollo about 15 years ago,the cros what a voice,and stills,better than hendrix,without the hype,and graham nash,what harmoney in that voice.i have a great david gillmore from the floyd dvd,just one night and crosby and nash are with him fantastic!and when they want to they rock harder than any modern day rock band

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Suite: Judy Blue Eyes.

A classic.

Written about Judy Collins

There's also an excellent American band called Shearwater whose lead singer (Jonathan Meiburg) is a real birder and done research on birds in the Falklands! Album names include Rook and Winged Life.

There are a couple of excellent of excellent interviews with him on Birding blogs:

http://birdist.blogspot.com/2008/08/interview-with-jonathan-meiburg-of.html

http://www.talking-naturally.co.uk/interview-jonathan-meiburg-shearwater/

(From Simon not Jo!)

Prefer Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird !!!!!!

OK. It's time to open this thread to the world of classical music. Beethoven's Symphony No6 (quoting Cuckoo, Nightingale and Quail) and Rautavaara's Cantus Arcticus have already been mentioned, Here are a few more from my own collection, some more obscure than others.

• Beethoven - The Quail (song)
• Delius - On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring (orchestral piece)
• Englund - Symphony No2 "The Blackbird"
• Handel - Organ Concerto No13 "The Cuckoo and The Nightingale"
• Harty - With The Wild Geese (orchestral piece)
• Haydn - Symphony No83 "The Hen"
• Hindemith - Viola Concerto "Der Schwanendreher" (The swan turner)
• Holbrooke - The Birds of Rhiannon
• Hovhaness - Symphony No63 "Loon Lake"
• Kodaly - Variations on "The Peacock"
• Mahler - The Cuckoo, The Nightingale and The Donkey (song)
• Mozart - Mass No.10 "Sparrow Mass"
• Puccini - La Rondine (The Swallow) (opera)
• Raitio - The Swans
• Rimsky Korsakov - The Golden Cockerel (opera)
• Rossini - The Thieving Magpie (opera)
• Saint Saens - The Carnival of the Animals (includes Hens and Roosters, The Cuckoo, and the Swan)
• Schubert - The Nightingale (song)
• Sibelius - Swanwhite
• Schoenberg - Song of the Wood Dove
• Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake
• Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending (orchestral piece)
• Vivaldi - Flute Concerto "The Goldfinch"

There is some marvellous music in this list and there must be many more pieces that I have missed out.

Sightings of "The birds" and "Starlings" at the men arena this evening. Courtesy of the wonderful Elbow.

TART THE GYR (by BILLY KOEL)

This is worth a look
Cheers, John


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y01_xf0UprM

The excellent website 'Caught by the River' regularly has bird-themed compilations, and as luck would have it, there is another due tomorrow (you need to sign up - free - to be able to download the album).

http://caughtbytheriver.net/2010/08/birdsongs-7/

Heard this on the radio the other day, see if you can spot the wader reference in this motown classic:
Click here (YouTube link)

New US girl band called Siskin reviewed in Mojo this month. Cover appears to have a swift on it for some reason!

Well I saw them at Wembley about 35 years ago with Neil Young (which improved them by 100%). Joni Mitchell even joined them for one number... I must have been there because I can't remember it very well

why am I writing this? It's got nothing to do with birds. Am I trying to prove that I'm the forum's most boring old f***?

Time to resurrect this thread now that the days are getting shorter?

Went into HMV the other day and bought a copy of a cheap and incredible value compilation by the awesome Crosby, Stills and Nash (CSN). Just so this post has both a birding and GM context! - then I'll point out that Graham Nash is a Lancashire lad who spent many of his formative years in GM! Yes it's a bit flimsy that excuse but must keep the webmeister (I McK) happy! Whilst driving along the next day listening to the incredible harmonies of CSN in general and Suite Judy Blue Eyes in particular and heard the following lyrics:-

Chestnut brown canary
Ruby throated sparrow
Sing the song, don't be long
Thrill me to the marrow

Voices of the angels, ring around the moonlight
Asking me, said she so free
How can you catch the sparrow?

Don't think any of you listers will catch up with either of the first two birds..... as they are using a bit of lyrical licence!

Those who want to catch up with a bit of absolute class, then you can do so at:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEkDB4I9_yA&feature=related

On this CSN are all a bit older (and heavier!) than when they first performed this song but hey what voices! Please persevere and watch all wonderful 11 minutes of it....awesome!....if it doesn't send shivers up your spine then you probably have no taste at all!


Do do do do do, do do do do do do
Do do do do do, do do do do


Bill.


-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Friday 2nd of October 2009 02:52:32 PM

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Friday 2nd of October 2009 03:33:51 PM

dave broome wrote:

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There's a review in the Sunday Times for a new album from a band called 'Woodpigeon'.......

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They're on in Manchester (at the Deaf Institute) on Feb 24th. Promoted by my mate Dunk, posters printed by yours truly.

A Tribe Called Quest - "Can I Tick It?"

The Real Thing - "Smew To Me Are Everything"

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe at 17:42, 2008-11-13

Bands.

How about "A Flock of Seagulls"? Anyone remember them?

Younger members of this forum might like to view a video of their greatest hit "Wishing" at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=iS9RPyznAPg
Have a look and enjoy a good laugh imagining your Dad probably wore his hair like that in the early '80's!!
Memorable song - even more memorable hairstyle!

Not forgetting "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark"...... Kestrel.... oh well!

Ah, the 1980's weren't they just...........

Cheers,

Bill.

Andy Bissitt wrote:

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Without wading through all of the terrible puns, I don't think I can actually see any references to actual bird sounds/songs/calls on tracks. I can think of three off the top of my head and I'm sure there are more.

At the end of 'Senses Working Overtime' by XTC the sound of calling rooks is clearly heard.

On one of Jean Michel Jarre's albums that I own, as one track fades at the end of that side of the LP, what sound like house sparrows singing/calling can be heard.

Then of course there's 'Loving You' by Minnie Ripperton which has a 'canary' (DJ Mike Reid always called them chaffinches which they clearly aren't) or similar singing at various points.

Any more come to mind?

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Andy - I can't claim to have a great knowledge of classical music but when I mentioned this thread to a non-birder who is an expert on classical music he mentioned a lesser known Finnish composer - Einojuhani Rautavaara - who composed a piece of music "Cantus Arcticus" otherwise known as "Concerto for Birds and Orchestra". I have recently borrowed this CD and listened to it and it is surprisingly good - the sleeve notes state "the birds sounds were taped in the Arctic Circle and the marshlands of Liminka". The piece comes in three short movements and the first features the "sounds of bog birds in spring". In the second movement "the featured bird is the Shore Lark". In the third and final movement - called in English "Swans Migrating" the sounds of migrating Whooper Swans dominates the whole piece.

The CD is produced by Naxos - the classical music label - short snippets of the piece can be heard on www.emusic.com/album/Laura-Mikkola-RAUTAVAARA-Cantus-Arcticus-Piano-Concerto-No-1-MP3-Download/10870550.html

I think HMV online do the CD (with other stuff on it) for a penny under a fiver, with free postage and packing, if you are interested!

Cheers,

Bill.