Music – Froebel Decade

Upside down

Who’s to say
What’s impossible
Well they forgot
This world keeps spinning
And with each new day
I can feel a change in everything
And as the surface breaks reflections fade
But in some ways they remain the same
And as my mind begins to spread it’s wings
There’s no stopping curiosity

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I’ll find the things they say just can’t be found
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s songs
I don’t want this feeling to go away

Who’s to say
I can’t do everything
Well I can try
And as I roll along I begin to find
Things aren’t always just what they seem

I want to turn the whole thing upside down
I’ll find things they say just can’t be found
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
We’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s songs
This world keeps spinning and there’s no time to waste
Well it all keeps spinning spinning round and round and

Upside down
Who’s to say what’s impossible and can’t be found
I don’t want this feeling to go away

Please don’t go away
Please don’t go away
Please don’t go away
Is this how it’s supposed to be
Is this how it’s supposed to be

Songwriters: JACK HODY JOHNSON
© Universal Music Publishing Group
For non-commercial use only.

Forces of Good

We onward go, “To do what is best”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote in 1815, when everyone was seeking ways to balance each other and remain at peace:

“Versäumt nicht zu üben Die Kräfte des Guten!”

Do not fail to practice the forces of good!

An English translation:

The mason’s trade Observe them well,
Resembles life, And watch them revealing
With all its strife,– How solemn feeling
Is like the stir made And wonderment swell
By man on earth’s face. The hearts of the brave.
Though weal and woe The voice of the blest,
The future may hide, And of spirits on high
Unterrified Seems loudly to cry:
We onward go “To do what is best,
In ne’er changing race. Unceasing endeavour!
A veil of dread “In silence eterne
Hangs heavier still. Here chaplets are twin’d,
Deep slumbers fill That each noble mind
The stars over-head, Its guerdon may earn.–
And the foot-trodden grave. Then hope ye for ever!”

Symbolum

Des Maurers Wandeln,
es gleicht dem Leben,
und sein Bestreben,
es gleicht dem Handeln
der Menschen auf Erden.

Die Zukunft decket
Schmerzen und Glücke.
Schrittweis dem Blicke,
doch ungeschrecket
dringen wir vorwärts.

Und schwer und ferne
hängt eine Hülle
mit Ehrfurcht. Stille
ruhn oben die Sterne
und unten die Gräber.

Betracht sie genauer
und siehe, so melden
im Busen der Helden
sich wandelnde Schauer
und ernste Gefühle.

Doch rufen von drüben
die Stimmen der Geister,
die Stimmen der Meister:
“Versäumt nicht zu üben
die Kräfte des Guten.

Hier winden sich Kronen
in ewiger Stille,
die sollen mit Fülle
die Tätigen lohnen!
Wir heißen euch hoffen.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Good planets

Steve Forbert cares strongly for the environment. He recycles “everything from a water bottle to a toothpaste box” and lives by the motto “waste not, want not”.

The song “Good Planets Are Hard To Find” is written and performed by Steve Forbert. He wrote this song in 1996 to open the eyes of society towards the environment. He wanted the song to be “fun and upbeat” that everyone would enjoy. His hope was to inspire a movement of change and awareness towards the environment. He participates in many Earth Day celebrations with this song, which highlights the elements of the Earth from the soils to the forests to the mountains to the seas.

Steve reinforces how unique and rare our planet is throughout the verses of the song. He also sends out warning for us to protect our planet by stating in the chorus “the mind don’t know, what the heart can’t see.” With this, Steve is expressing that if our hearts are not open to the effects we are causing to the environment, then our minds will not comprehend what is happening. This causes us to be blinded by our actions and to not reflect on how they might have negative impacts to our planet and to our lives in the future.

In this song, Steve does not highlight one particular issue for he leaves the audience’s minds open to reflect on what issues really matter to them. Everyone can take something out of this song, whether it is to reflect on the beauty of the Earth and all it provides or to reflect on the harm that humans are creating upon it. Everyone, from old to young, no matter where you live or come from, can value the importance of the Earth and all it has to offer.

Jazz

David Dower is a London based pianist, teacher and composer.

Born in Australia, David completed his Performance Research Masters in music at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2015.

David has recently released a duo album with London percussionist Matt Fisher: sophisticated original music with piano, percussion, strings and vocals.

“The Frog, the Fish, and the Whale”, recorded at Porcupine Studios in London. To buy this CD follow PayPal link:

Digital copy available from CD Baby or iTunes

David and Matt love a broad range of music styles, including classical, world, pop, and jazz music. The combination of David’s enthusiasm and charisma at the piano, blended with Matt’s unique approach to grooves and instrumentation leads to music that is rhythmic, sensitive, engaging, accessible, and fun.

Source: David Dower & Matt Fisher

David Dower & Matt Fisher

Sophisticated original music with piano, percussion, strings and vocals.

Their new album, “The Frog, the Fish, and the Whale”, recorded at Porcupine Studios in London, is available now.

Physical copy follow PayPal link:

Digital copy available from CD Baby or iTunes

David Dower (piano) and Matt Fisher (percussion) performing David’s compositions “The Frog, the Fish and the Whale” live at St Paul’s Grove Park, London, October 2105

Source: David Dower & Matt Fisher

Villa Trapp

The home of the Sound of Music Family

Daughter of Georg von Trapp, Maria tells her story of the Von Trapp family in the place where an international career began. An illustrated book for all ages with text in German and English.

“It was Maria’s biggest wish to someday be able to return to the house where she had spent most of her youth. This was not at all easy, because Maria never really recovered from a disease she had suffered from in her early childhood. She had always been weaker than her brothers and sisters. But today she is not tired at all. On the contrary Maria von Trapp is looking back on her time at the Trapp Villa and thinking of her roots, here in Austria, in Salzburg.”

At the age of 94 years, Maria von Trapp flew from America to Salzburg. Going back to her family home with all the memories in the house was a very emotional experience for her.

“I was so excited last night, I couldn’t sleep” – Maria, daughter of Georg von Trapp talking about being back at her family home

Standing in the hallway she remembered sliding down the banisters with her brothers and sisters. She looked out of the window and remembered them all climbing the apple trees outside.

As the oldest von Trapp daughter, Agathe’s impeccable recall of her childhood brings fresh life to the events that forged enduring bonds within her devoted family. Her memories of her idyllic Austrian home transport readers back to the time before the von Trapps came to America and reveal a close knit group of siblings who adored their gentle father and mourned the tragic loss of their mother.

The von Trapps were Austrian nobility whose musical gifts enabled them to escape the Nazi threat during World War II and to entertain thousands of audiences in Europe and the United States.

Agathe von Trapp assisted in the operation of a Kindergarten near Baltimore, Maryland for thirty five years.

Nonnberg

Most famous as Maria’s convent, Nonnberg was founded at Salzburg in the eighth century by Bishop Rupert of Worms. The first abbess was St. Erentrudis, who was a niece or sister of St Rupert. The rule of St. Benedict was adopted in the ninth century.

Georg von Trapp acquired a villa in the Aigen district of Salzburg in 1923.

trapp-villa-hotel — Villa built by Valentin Ceconi in 1863 for Walburga Weinwurm and refurbished in 1883 for statesman and nobleman Hugo Raimund Reichsgraf Lamberg, who was Provincial governor (30 September 1872 – 14 June 1880)

After an opera singer heard the children singing, she entered them for a competition. Their subsequent success enabled them to tour Europe and the United States as a family choir.

Nonnberg – official website

Maria von Trapp

Maria was teaching children at Nonnberg, when Captain Georg von Trapp needed a teacher for one of his daughters, who was of delicate health.

Her book, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers was adapted to create The Sound of Music.

The original Broadway production of The Sound of Music opened on November 16, 1959 starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel.

The Real Story of the von Trapp Family

Nonnberg was established during the eight century and became the first Benedictine Abbey north of the Alps. Maria was a qualified teacher, when Captain von Trapp requested a governess for several months for his daughter, who was bedridden with rheumatic fever. She expected to remain with the von Trapp family for 10 months, at the end of which she would return to Nonnberg.

Teacher training in Austria was deeply influenced by the ideas of Friedrich Froebel. Singing and nature walks were part of this training to nurture each child to be active and develop an interest in nature.

Maria developed a caring and loving relationship with all the children. She enjoyed singing with them and getting them involved in outdoor activities. During this time, Georg fell in love with Maria and asked her to stay with him and become a second mother to his children. Maria married Captain von Trapp on November 26, 1927.

Georg Johannes Ritter von Trapp (4 April 1880 – 30 May 1947) was born in Zara, Dalmatia, then a Crown Land of the Austro Hungarian Empire (present day Zadar, Croatia). His father was a naval officer, who had been elevated to the Austrian nobility in 1876, which entitled him and his descendants to the style of “Ritter von Trapp” for sons and “von Trapp” for daughters.

Ritter (knight) was an hereditary title of nobility. In order of precedence Ritter ranked above the lowest rank of the nobility, Edler (nobleman), and below Freiherr (baron).

The great grandchildren of the Captain and Maria von Trapp; Sofi, Melanie, Amanda, and August von Trapp have been singing on stages around the world to critical acclaim and packed houses.

Take down those old drapes and make some play clothes. A new production of The Sound of Music began touring in September 2015 to mark the 50th anniversary of the film version, which continues to be the most successful movie musical in history.

Strong and Smart

Towards a Pedagogy for Emancipation: Education for First Peoples

chris4__small — Dr Chris Sarra an internationally recognised Indigenous education specialist.

Dr Sarra is passionate about effecting sustainable change through positive leadership and mentoring with high expectations for a strong and smart Indigenous population.

He embraces a proud cultural identity and a holistic sense of what it means to be Aboriginal in contemporary Australian society.

Strong and Smart – Towards a Pedagogy for Emancipation tells the story of how Dr Chris Sarra overcame low expectations for his future to become an educator who has sought to change the tide of low expectations for other Indigenous students.

His book draws upon Roy Bhaskar’s theory of Critical Realism to demonstrate how Indigenous people have agency and can take control of their own emancipation.

Dr Sarra is passionate about effecting sustainable change through positive leadership and mentoring with high expectations for a strong and smart Indigenous population. He embraces a proud cultural identity and a holistic sense of what it means to be Aboriginal in contemporary Australian society.

Chris encourages other leaders to embrace the Stronger Smarter challenge of high expectations relationships. His advocacy of the Stronger Smarter approach has inspired transformation in schools across Australia.

IHHP guided the community through the whole creative process of writing, recording and shooting this video. A number of key health messages and community values were explored. The results are testimony of who Bidgy are, where they have come from and where they are going.

The film “Strong and Smart” tells the story of the rise of the Cherbourg State School from a situation of aimless despair and chaos to an institution with a sense of purpose, direction and unity. The film shows the turn around over 4 years, since the arrival of a dynamic new teaching staff led by Chris Sarra, the school’s first Aboriginal principal.

Friedrich Froebel advocated for education in the context of family and community.

Alma

The description Tom Lehrer himself made about the song:

“for further details of the life of Alma Werfel, the reader is referred to her autobiography ‘And The Bridge Is Love’.”

Of all the colorful figures on the twentieth century European cultural scene, hardly anyone has provoked more polarized reactions than Alma Schindler Mahler Gropius Werfel (1879–1964). Mistress to a long succession of brilliant men, she married three of the best known: the composer Gustav Mahler, the architect Walter Gropius, and the writer Franz Werfel.

Her admirers regarded Alma as a self sacrificing figure of inspiration to great artists, many of whom indeed exhibited a remarkable devotion to her.

Historian Oliver Hilmes drawing on a trove of unpublished material, much of it in Alma’s own words, succeeds in evoking the atmosphere of intellectual life on the Continent during the first half of the century.

Hilmes goes on to describe life in émigré communities on both coasts of the United States following the Nazi takeover in Europe.

First published in German in 2004, the biography was hailed as a rare combination of meticulous scholarship and sensational gossip. The whiff of scandal surrounding this reputed muse of geniuses helped make the book a runaway best seller.