Arts Podcasts
Librivox: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu by Fujiwara no TeikaJoin Now to Follow
Hyakunin isshu (百人一首) is a traditional style of compiling Japanese waka poetry where each contributor writes one poem for the anthology. (Summary from Wikipedia)
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Librivox: Ballad of Reading Gaol, The (version 2) by Wilde, OscarJoin Now to Follow
In 1895, Oscar Wilde was sentenced to 2 years of hard labor for acts of ‘gross indecency’. During his time at Reading Gaol, he witnessed a rare hanging, and in the three years between his release and his untimely death in 1900, was inspired to write the following poem, a meditation on the death penalty and the importance of forgiveness, even for (and especially for) something as heinous as murdering one’s spouse; for even the murderer, Wilde argues, is human and suffers more so for being the cause of his own pain, for ‘having killed the thing he loved’; for everyone is the cause of someone else’s suffering and suffers at the hands of another. It is this that Jesus Christ could see; he could continue to see the beauty of our humanity, despite all that we may do to each other, and encouraged us to love each other just the same. “The Ballad of Reading Gaol” was published in 1898 and would gain Wilde greater recognition as a poet (in addition to being a great playwright); although his only other volume of poetry, one of his earliest works that he’d published, was also well-received. Sadly, ‘The Ballad’ would be his last. (Summary by Linda Leu).
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Librivox: Long Poems Collection 001 by VariousJoin Now to Follow
Librivox's Long Poems Collection 001: a collection of 5 public-domain poems longer than 5 minutes in length. (Summary by Alan Davis-Drake)
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Librivox: Jazz Fantasia by Sandburg, CarlJoin Now to Follow
As our weekly poem of 30-July-2006, “Jazz Fantasia” was a special challenge because it isn’t just about jazz, it IS jazz. The rhythm is central, but not so clearly defined, so we had to play around and improvise. Every reading is unique! (Summary by LauraFox)
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Librivox: Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, WilliamJoin Now to Follow
Romeo and Juliet is perhaps the most famous of Shakespeare’s plays and is thought to be the most famous love story in Western history. It concerns the fate of two very young lovers who would do anything to be together. The Montagues and the Capulets of Verona, Italy, are in the midst of a long-standing feud when Romeo Montague drops in on a masquerade party at the Capulets’. While there he meets and woos the daughter of the house, Juliet. She likewise returns his passion, and their secret meeting later that night on her bedroom balcony begins a series of tragic events that no one could have foretold. (Summary by Becky Crackel)
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Librivox: Leonce und Lena by Büchner, GeorgJoin Now to Follow
Das 1895 uraufgeführte Lustspiel Leonce und Lena von Georg Büchner setzt sich an Hand der Liebesgeschichte der Königskinder Leonce und Lena sartirisch mit Sinn und Rolle des Einzelnen im gesellschaftlichen Gefüge auseinander. Sowohl dem gelangweilten, sinnsuchenden Prinz Leonce, als auch der depressiv, erduldenden Prinzessin Lena, ist die zwischen ihnen arrangierte Hochzeit unerträglich. Unabhängig von einander fliehen sie nach Italien und stellen bei einem zufälligen Treffen, ohne Kenntnis der jeweils anderen Identität, fest, dass sie füreinander bestimmt sind. Als Automaten verkleidet lassen sie sich schlieβlich an Stelle des vermeintlich abwesenden Brautpaars bei Leonce und Lenas Hochzeitsfeierlichkeiten trauen und erkennen erst hinterher die schicksalhafte Fügung. (Zusammenfassung von Franziska)
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Librivox: Aesop's Fables, Volume 12 (Fables 276-284) by AesopJoin Now to Follow
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 12 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
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Librivox: To His Coy Mistress by Marvell, AndrewJoin Now to Follow
LibriVox volunteers bring you eleven different recordings of To His Coy Mistress, by Andrew Marvell, one of the greatest seduction speeches of all time. This was the weekly poetry project for the week of July 23th, 2006.
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Librivox: Picture of Dorian Gray, The by Wilde, OscarJoin Now to Follow
Dorian Gray, a young man of wealth and stature in late 1800's London, meets Lord Henry Wotton while posing for a portrait by his friend Basil Hallward. Once the painting is complete, Dorian realizes that it will always be young and attractive, while he will be forced to age and wither with the years. Carelessly, he wishes the opposite were true. What happens is a treatise on morals, self-indulgence and how crucial personal responsibility is towards one's self. (Summary by John Gonzalez)
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Librivox: Art and Heart by Wilcox, Ella WheelerJoin Now to Follow
This special poetry collection was assembled to celebrate the first anniversary of the creation of LibriVox. LibriVox volunteers bring you 38 different recordings of Art and Heart, by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. This poem, originally suggested by Betsie Bush, was chosen for this special collection due to a general concensus that the message of the poem corresponds with the spirit of LibriVox. The poem asserts that, “It is not art, but heart, that wins the wide world over.” And so it is with LibriVox: it is not only the books, the poetry, the literature that make LibriVox what it is; but it is also the people, the diversity of voices, and all of the different lives and experiences that affect the way a person reads a piece of text. The art is the foundation of LibriVox, but the many hearts behind it are the true essence and spirit of LibriVox. For more information on the the first anniversary of LibriVox, and to hear a one hour special audio program featuring interviews, bloopers, and samplers, please visit the Anniversary homepage: http://librivox.org/librivox-anniversary-2006/
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