Voyages on the Dawn Treader

I've been listening again to my audiobook of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis, discovering yet another layer of literary and soulish beauty within it. This experience has led me to hear my playlist with new ears, evoking images of the valorous Caspian and his crew as I revisit some of my favorites.

"Caelum Infinitum" - Michelle Tumes
A shimmering, luminous paean to transcendent adventures in the "eternal maritime" (most
likely with Narnians on deck!).

"The Dream of the Innocent" - Helen Trevillion
A tender but dynamic symphonic voyage to an interior realm of lost innocence (where Narnia will always be the homeland of our imaginations). (NOTE: I've shared this before, but I share it now with this new sentiment.)

"The Land of Nod" - Natalie Merchant
A gentle, bittersweet anthem that reminds me of the aerial flight of the BBC Chronicles of Narnia theme song and which lyrically evokes the wonders of Narnia and innocently laments their fleetingness and the futility to trying to return to that land at will (all with a heartrending subtext about childhood wonder: "You are too old to go back to Narnia," though that's never been the case for me! ;-)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Christmastide Wonder…

Image
Merry Christmas to you all! It is a joy to be able to nestle into my burrow here in this Pensacola winter and reflect on which selections of my favorite Christmas music to share with you. Over the years, I have encountered seasonal music that miraculously combines the qualities of joy, beauty, peacefulness, and celebration simultaneously. These are some highlights that come to mind… Simon and Garfunkel- “Star Carol” : https://youtu.be/OTrp5QmjO5s?si=fj2IzBjA0ANKqwUl This tender little folk carol as performed by the duo Simon and Garfunkel was one of the first recorded Christmas songs I ever remember hearing as a very young child… Its innocent beauty has stayed with me ever since! Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel - The Gift : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA7SPe9JExqip7gsw5XyeQbiRbzcNbIO9&si=OflBGiZyzRYhGRGH While old enough to be a classic, this album is a new friend to me! Its timeless use of acoustic guitar and woodwind instrumentation and gentle contemporary freedom in inter
Read more

Saint Valentine’s Day & Ash Wednesday: Earthly Love and Divine Love Meet

Image
2024 is one of those exceptional years when Saint Valentine's Day coincides with Ash Wednesday, an alignment that has invited me to explore the meaning of love more universally, that is, to reflect on the nature of both human and divine love on February 14 this year. In keeping with such meditations, my musical highlights for this month pay tribute to earthly romance as well as to the mystical imagery of the relationship between God and humankind as being like that of a spousal relationship, the Lover and the Beloved. Let us begin the journey with earthly love… Earthly Love Pauline Scanlon-   Red Colour Sun “And I Love You So” https://youtu.be/fqLXVzh9ED0?si=59rU5KCmZKkXe2ut and “Valentine”  https://youtu.be/ng8GFqkNIAc?si=MnmRrrWBvl7LquRu Irish singer Pauline Scanlon's breathy vocals bring a warm, modern sensibility to traditional songs as well as to beloved covers from popular music, including "And I Love You So" by Don Maclean and "Valentine" by Willie Ne
Read more

Saint Patrick’s Day: Celtic Favorites

Image
Éirinn go Brách! Celtic music, including the traditional music of Ireland, is one of the greatest musical influences of my life, and it is a delight to be able highlight some of the Celtic currents that continue to flow through my playlists... Here I present to you a mix of contemporary Celtic folk as well as the kinds of very traditional Irish pieces without which Saint Patrick's Day would feel incomplete to me! Mary Black- “Colcannon” "Heartwarming" is the word that comes to mind when I think of this song... With its beautiful harmonies and the bright piercing voice of the inimitable Mary Black, "Colcannon" expresses nostalgia for home and the love of family, especially a mother's love in preparing favorite foods. Whalebone- "The Otter’s Holt" I have recently become infatuated with this downtempo interpretation of the traditional Irish reel "The Otter's Holt," which is usually performed at a breakneck pace... I love getting to savo
Read more