Lizzo, a Black female superstar, collaborating with Carla Hayden, the first African American and first woman Librarian of Congress, to use a flute from James Madison, the Founding Father who originated the 3/5 Compromise and also the Library of Congress itself? The symbolism!!! https://t.co/n5AQsjJwKH
— Tiffany C. Li (@tiffanycli) September 28, 2022
Lizzo’s a classically trained flutist, stop panicking, haterz.
And, while I doubt this is a scenario Jemmy Madison could’ve imagined, I doubt that the man who married comely widow Dolley Payne Todd would’ve been horrified by Lizzo!
A fun detail in the LOC’s press release about Lizzo’s visit: The instruments kept in the library are MEANT to be played from time to time!
— Chelsea Cirruzzo (@ChelseaCirruzzo) September 28, 2022
For many reasons, this event would not have been what James Madison or many of his contemporaries would have wished for or expected from the future. But this is the future now. We can make the future what we want it to be—more vibrant, more just, more equitable, more free.
— Tiffany C. Li (@tiffanycli) September 28, 2022
Baud
The Crystal Flute sounds like an 80s sci-fi movie.
lahke
Definitely watch the video! What a delight.
Ruckus
Guess what just arrived in the mail?
It is amazingly beautiful. Thank you quiltingfool! I know what I’m going to do with it, how I’m going to frame it. It took about 2 seconds to figure out.
prostratedragon
Oh! I just dropped that at the end of the last thread. As I said there, sounds like her Poulenc is in good shape.
Ohio Mom
Yes, all of us have the ability to change the future. Just takes working hard in the here and now.
misterpuff
The twelve year old in me wants to comment, but he has been sent to his room, without supper.
SiubhanDuinne
Maybe it’s just me, but “James Madison’s Crystal Flute” sounds to me like a… a… well, a euphemism.
WaterGirl
@Ruckus: That’s awesome. Once you finish it, send me a picture and I’ll post it in a thread.
SiubhanDuinne
@misterpuff:
Huh. Not just me.
Baud
Racists are angry Lizzo is playing an instrument they didn’t know existed before today.
Baud
@SiubhanDuinne:
One day, talented musicians will be playing Baud’s Oboe.
gwangung
@Baud: I think, while Madison might be startled by the player, he’d appreciate that someone who can play the instrument is performing with it
So…PLAY IT, GIRL!
Danielx
@Baud:
this surprises you?
Baud
Lizzo should team up with Jethro Tull.
HumboldtBlue
@Baud:
Nah, that’s a Hallmark movie all day.
The Crystal Flute, a story of love, loss, music and tacos as Prince Fiddlefingers plays his way into Princess Quesadilla’s heart on a flute given to him by a friendly newt, Saturday, 8 pm Central, 9 pm Pacific.
Civil War Humor is way ahead of you
LeftCoastYankee
Very cool.
I love that her nails match the crystal of the flute.
Danielx
@Baud:
now THAT sounds like a euphemism.
Alison Rose 💙🌻💛
I used to play the flute, so obviously Lizzo and I should be best friends.
eclare
Feelin’ good as hell, indeed. Love her!
SiubhanDuinne
@Baud:
Wait ‘til Leon Bates or André Watts or somebody decides to give a recital on Ben Franklin’s glass harmonica.
JustRuss
I’m not much of a flute aficionado, but that’s one cool instrument. And of course Lizzo.
SiubhanDuinne
@Baud:
Oooh! Double reed and all!
Layer8Problem
Who the heck buys a crystal flute? I mean it’s better than a malachite swizzle stick or an amethyst toilet seat, but jeez.
bbleh
@Baud: Hey HEY!! Let’s not forget the misogynists here, OKAY?! (Boy, talk about hatin’…)
Ruckus
@WaterGirl:
Don’t hold your breath!
I know what wood I want to use to build the frame but now I have to find some. Wood has been rareish around here as of late, a lot is imported and Covid has wreaked havoc on a lot of things that would normally be in reasonable supply, especially hardwoods. But I’m looking as of tomorrow. There is a custom hard wood supplier that I just found, not far away, but I’m 4 projects deep (although there is no deadline on any of them) right now and actually making progress so what’s one more.
narya
Apparently, Newsom signed AB2183! All kinds of bits of good news today . . . which I sorely needed.
Alison Rose 💙🌻💛
@narya: Yes, just saw the news! Very very glad.
Baud
@narya: Found this article.
Major Major Major Major
@Layer8Problem: only one of those is a truly bad idea (the one that would slowly poison you)
eachother
She flattered the flute with a flourish.
A musical bullseye.
A reso-nation.
WaterGirl
@narya: I had to google. That is good news.
Anotherlurker
@JustRuss: Lizzo playing that historical flute is wonderful! The reactions of the racists are expected.
Meanwhile, I have an ear worm problem. I was thinking of my oldest friend’s late mother. She educated me in many areas especially music. She was a big fan of Gilbert & Sullivan.
So, in her honor, I listened to some of their greatest hits. Now I have of constant loop of “A Policeman’s Life Is Not a Happy One” “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General” and “I Am The Monarch of The Sea” playing thru my head.
It is wonderful!
HumboldtBlue
@narya:
That is good news.
Dan B
Pedant: Flautist
narya
@Baud: @WaterGirl: To be honest, I know about it because Jorts has been highlighting it, especially the farm workers’ march to the capital. After the signing, Jorts even called Newsom by his name/title, rather than calling him “Haircut.” Gotta love it.
SiubhanDuinne
@Anotherlurker:
Welcome to my world! I am never without a G&S earworm. Currently, it is the first scene of The Gondoliers, but could be anything, really.
Amir Khalid
@SiubhanDuinne:
The glass armonica, as it is also called, is that ghostly sound you hear in this cover of Neil Young’s After The Gold Rush.
Roger Moore
I hate the idea that we should defer to James Madison’s views on what should happen to the stuff he left behind. Yeah, he was an important dude who did some really cool stuff*, but he left office more than 2 centuries ago. Sure, we should pay attention to what a smart, highly accomplished person thought, but we shouldn’t treat him like some kind of infallible, one-of-a-kind genius whose every whim must be respected generations after he died.
This should be our attitude toward all those important dead people. Yeah, they had some good ideas, but we should treat what they said as good ideas rather than commands from on high. We need to decide for ourselves how to live our lives, not be constantly dictated to be people who are long dead.
*And, of course, some really uncool stuff, like owning his fellow humans.
Another Scott
@narya: I only know about it from seeing a headline a few weeks ago that he planned to veto it (and the newspaper story Baud pointed to said he vetoed the previous version). This version addressed some of his reasons, and he got an agreement for the legislature to address even more of his concerns, but still it was a bit shocking for him to reverse himself.
Good.
Politicians are supposed to respond to changed circumstances. It’s good that Newsom is doing so.
And good for Biden and Pelosi being willing to speak up and convince him to take another look. A major democrat being against a unionization bill is a very bad look.
Thanks.
Cheers,
Scott.
Baud
@Roger Moore:
What are you referring to?
The Moar You Know
@Layer8Problem: don’t judge me
brendancalling
Am I missing something? That article referred to Dolley as a slaveholder, who in fact sold her own slaves to stay afloat financially.
Yuck.
Anotherlurker
@SiubhanDuinne: A friend of mine spent many Summers working in the electric department of a NYC’ theater . One of the runs there featured “The Pirates of Penzance”. During some tech set up, the actor who played the Major General arrived and during the tech crew’s lunch break he launched into an acapella performance of that signature piece.
All involved went home with an amazing memory.
SiubhanDuinne
@Dan B:
Counterpedant: Flautist in the U.K., flutist in North America. I often default to British spellings, pronunciations, and idioms, but not in this case.
CaseyL
@SiubhanDuinne:
@Amir Khalid:
I once had an album of armonica music, and quite liked it.
I also saw it played at a faire, many oodles of years ago. Fascinating!
Roger Moore
@Layer8Problem:
Someone who thinks it’s cool. They aren’t that big a deal; I have one someone gave me as a reward for some fairly minor thing. They’re actually blown glass, which is cheap and fairly readily worked as musical instrument materials go. Seriously, Flute World has a collection that tops out at below $100.
Amir Khalid
@brendancalling:
If, at a given point, Dolly Madison had slaves to sell, then she was indeed a slaveholder.
SiubhanDuinne
@Amir Khalid:
I know the sound well. More than once have i thoughtfully dipped my index finger into the wine and run the moistened digit gently, yet firmly, about the rim of the glass, engendering a limpid and inarguably unambiguous B-flat.
Roger Moore
@Baud:
I’m referring to the idea that we should give a damn what James Madison would think of LIzzo playing his flute. I really don’t give a fuck, and I don’t think anyone else should either. I’m sick and tired of people giving more weight to the opinions of people who have been dead for centuries than those of us who are alive today.
Baud
@Roger Moore:
Gotcha. I thought you were saying Madison left specific instructions about his flute. Agree that speculation about what he would think is irrelevant.
Brachiator
@brendancalling:
Some background…
Her son Payne Todd inherited some of the slaves still retained by Dolley.
mrmoshpotato
@lahke: Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.
SiubhanDuinne
@Anotherlurker:
That really would be a great memory! Not to rain on it, but I’m guessing that the MMG was doing what every MMG in history has done: grab every opportunity to rehearse the song, make sure he didn’t forget the words or get the verses in the wrong order, and be careful Gilbert’s patter didn’t become tongue-tying. But for sure a lovely experience for the stage crew!
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
Bernie is right – straight, white men are the real victims.
Layer8Problem
@Major Major Major Major: I
I didn’t say it was practical, did I?
HumboldtBlue
We’ll do it live, a 36-second aria
And this is excellent as well.
mrmoshpotato
@HumboldtBlue:
I’m good with all the rest, but definitely intrigued by the tacos. Tell me more. 😁
Quiltingfool
@Ruckus: Yay! I think you got a Patron? I got to stare intensely at 6 of them today; they were being quilted.
I’m glad you like it, would love to see what it looks like framed!
ETtheLibrarian
There is a bit more about on a Library blog post and videos of her trip to LC and playing are on various tweets. If you want more #lizzoAtLOC is the hash tag.
Brachiator
@Roger Moore:
Surely we must consider the learned views of originalist flute historians.
//snark
counterfactual
Being an Old, I had never really heard of Lizzo. I did a quick sample of her latest album and discovered that the music of my youth has been rediscovered, again.
Lord I feel old. .
bbleh
@Dan B: Sigh, flouting your knowledge then?
Suzanne
I love Lizzo. I did her Peloton class. She is radiant.
mrmoshpotato
@Anotherlurker:
The racists can fuck themselves back to the 1600’s. And fuck themselves again.
bbleh
@Major Major Major Major: as opposed to the drinks you stir, which are good for you! And I put my liver where my mouth is! Or very soon thereafter, anyway.
Ohio Mom
@Roger Moore: Yes, it’s very silly. No one can know what Madison might have thought about something he probably could never have imagined, and if he was still around, I’d like to assume his thinking would have evolved over the centuries. All this conjecture (even mine) reflects more about the person making the prediction than anything else.
And duh, it’s not his flute any more.
HumboldtBlue
@mrmoshpotato:
Well, that tacos are the real meat of the story, a little cheesy, a little spicy, a little messy, but easy to handle and very popular.
Craig
@Baud: I did a job around 10 years ago where we had astronaut Cady Coleman playing flute on the International Space Station with Ian Anderson playing in London, and the audience was in Monterey Ca.. Pretty fun.
Roger Moore
@Baud:
I wouldn’t really care what his explicit instructions are, either, except that maybe refusing to follow his instructions might discourage someone else from donating. But more generally, I don’t like the idea that someone long dead can continue to control things centuries later. I can understand people giving away their belongings when they die- it’s a practical way of avoiding arguments, if nothing else- and I can kind of understand setting up a charitable foundation. But I think we need to avoid letting them control things more than that. When you give something to someone else, you shouldn’t be able to attach strings to the deal.
eclare
@Quiltingfool: I got mine today too! Kitty headress, along with a very cute card. I am going to make mine the front of a tote bag. Is there any protectant I can put on the square?
zhena gogolia
The sound is lovely. I’d like to hear her play more
Baud
@Craig:
Wouldn’t the signal lag mess up the timing?
Major Major Major Major
@bbleh: metal poisoning is a little different from having a G&T!
Anne Laurie
I thought so too, but spellcheck disagreed. So I googled, and now flautist is considered the British spelling!
eclare
@HumboldtBlue: Oh that aria is perfect!
Layer8Problem
@The Moar You Know: You wouldn’t be the first person sucked in by the Goop catalog copy. “Ms. Gwyneth P. sez: ‘I’ve never been as regular!'”
Tony G
“For many reasons, this event would not have been what James Madison or many of his contemporaries would have wished for or expected from the future. ” A very good point. The “founding fathers” lived in a culture that was so so different from ours that it might as well have been a different planet. Many of them had ideas that were advanced for their time, but they were all men (all wealthy white men) who were of their time. The fetishization of the “founding fathers” and of the “original meaning” of their constitution is obviously a tactic to support the powerful and oppress the powerless. And, of course, it is fetishization that is applied selectively. (I have never heard of an “originalist” who believes that the Second Amendment applies only to smooth-bore, single-shot, flintlock muskets.)
Craig
@Baud: it was a real bleeding edge bear of a thing. Apparently the MIT guy who ran the conference was friends with both of them and proposed it as kind of a joke. When they said ok, he went about figuring out how to do it. My boss spent months getting it organized. The satellite truck guy started out with No Way, but they figured out the latency issues eventually. Stuff is way easier now. A good friend is a systems engineer for a big audio company. For the recent Taylor Hawkins tribute at Wembley he said a bunch of bands monitor engineers phoned it in. My friend takes the full sized monitor desk to the venue and sets it up and the engineer can call in from their house in LA, or wherever and hear the mix and run the desk via software and a control surface. They even set up a 70″ tv monitor behind the desk so the band and engineer can see each other. Crazy stuff.
Layer8Problem
@Roger Moore: You mean like Waterford or Swarovski? Where’s the fun in that? If it isn’t made out of a single crystal of Iceland spar from the summit of Snæfellsjökull, isn’t infused with weird magicks, and can’t open dimensional portals when you play it I really don’t see the point.
Ken
Reminds me of yesterday, when they were angry about the CIA honoring Harriet Tubman. Their anger is our learning opportunity.
FelonyGovt
Lizzo and James Madison’s flute reminds me of what I love about America. And anyone who has a problem with it can go (as my grandmother would have said) do the other thing.
FelonyGovt + 1
Ken
Oh, that’s just the Hallmark / Lifetime / Romance Channel formula; “a story of love, loss, and X” with some randomly-chosen value of X. Lifetime did it with fried chicken, for example.
prostratedragon
Adagio and Rondo for Glass Harmonica and Some Other Stuff, W.A. Mozart KV617
You can see something of how it’s played here.
MobiusKlein
@Ohio Mom: People can change, and Madison could have become more enlightened. I am better than my 30 year ago self.
jlowe
Looked at the NASA FIRMS (Fire Information for Resource Management System) satellite imagery in Ukraine. Far fewer fires than seen this summer when lots of artillery and missiles were being fired. Think the war is running down for now. Russians are withdrawing, UA is probably running out of ammo, food, fuel and will need to stop. https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/#d:24hrs;@0.0,0.0,3z
NutmegAgain
@Amir Khalid: Is that related to the tubular bells, famously in the soundtrack to The Exorcist (well for us oldsters!) ?
Subsole
@Amir Khalid: That was quite beautiful.
Thanks for sharing it.
Subsole
@Roger Moore:
Funny enough, the founders quite explicitly agreed with you.
They would probably be far, far more disgusted by some loathsome theocratic toady like Scalia, or Barr. Both for their aim, and for hiding behind the ghosts of better souls to achieve it.
Another Scott
(via Popehat)
Cheers,
Scott.
Subsole
@David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch:
Ugh.
That stupid, stubborn, selfish fuck just refuses to learn.
If we get an airtight grip on the senate, stick his ass on meet the press. He certainly has the mindset for it…
Seriously, folks.
What is with this constant infantilizing of the rural classes? I mean, what? Our socialist betters think these people aren’t smart enough to know they’re sacrificing their future to stick it to some other group?
You think because they work in a warehouse or live in the sticks they lack basic pattern recognition? They can’t say “huh, I voted for Republicans for 40 years and they fucked me at every turn. Better try something else!”
Put it this way – anyone who is still getting their worldview from Tuckup Carlson has made a very deliberate, calculated decision to turn off their brain. They have voluntarily surrendered their reason in favor of wallowing in pure, weapons-grade tantrum. That is a grown ass adult choice that they knowingly made.
Enough with the babying. No more coddling. They are choosing bigotry and spite over their wellbeing. You want to “respect the puir wee whayt werkin’ class”? Tell em to grow up or go fuck themselves. They’re old enough to burn down democracy, they’re old enough to catch the smoke.
WaterGirl
@mrmoshpotato: Thank you for that, especially the first sentence. I laughed out loud.
The Lodger
@prostratedragon: First time I’ve seen a glass harmonica that wasn’t a series of goblets filled with precise amounts of water. There are IIRC a few of them in historical museums back East.
Frankensteinbeck
@jlowe:
I doubt it. Those are exactly the things their fellow countries are pouring into their coffers.
Subsole
@mrmoshpotato: Nominating this for rotating tag.
trollhattan
Here’s a thing that happened.
Impossible to guess what could have gone wrong.
trollhattan
@Frankensteinbeck: If “running out of ammo” means capturing more ammo than they know what to do with then yes, definitely running out of ammo.
Layer8Problem
@trollhattan: Mr. Taylor Greene’s voicemail will be flooded with offers from publishers and prospective ghostwriters for the salacious tell-all book.
trollhattan
@Layer8Problem: Heh. Stipulation: “No photos, please!”
trollhattan
@Frankensteinbeck:
They keep finding stuff the farther they advance.
It’s one advantage of having so much Soviet-era weaponry, weird ammo can still be used.
Soprano2
I got to see a crystal flute up close at the 2018 SAI convention. I even got to handle it, such a scary thing. It was pretty amazing, the presenter played it for us. Lizzo is an amazing flutist, the haters can bite me.
Feathers
Yes, these instruments are played. A friend of my mother’s worked at the Smithsonian and part of her job was arranging things when one of the people on the list to play the rare instruments in the Smithsonian collection. My parents worked nearby and were presentable so they got invited several times. Imagine hearing world class musicians playing Stradivari just running through favorite material for the love of it.
Paul in KY
@Baud: Paul’s plastic flutaphone still exists (for posterity I have kept it).
Paul in KY
@counterfactual: She’s badass. Have seen her 4 times. 1st two were to decent sized crowds at the #3 stage of a fest. Last 2 have been madhouses (especially set at 2019 Austin City Limits Fest).
Love her from the first time I saw her (Bonnaroo years ago).
Paul in KY
@trollhattan: He said she was ‘his best friend’. Pro tip: When your best friend is MTG, you need to find other friends.