Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Wondrous Words Wednesday - Music!

Can you stand it if I bring you something else from Les Miserables? I'm STILL reading it :) I promise that it will be interesting...

Cosette is living with her foster father, Jeam Valjean, who is away. She is playing the piano, and our author, Victor Hugo, tells us that she is playing, "the chorus from Euryanthe: Hunters Wandering in the Woods! which is perhaps the finest piece in all music."

It got my attention that Victor Hugo called this the finest piece in all music! That is pretty high praise - right? Also, I was wondering what a Euryanthe was - and that is my word for today!

While she is playing, Cosette hears someone walking outside (at night) in the garden. And, here, I think, is the difference between a good writer and a great writer, because now Hugo brings the plot of the music piece from "Euryanthe, which she is playing, into the plot of his book.

He says, "It was a hallucination produced by Weber's somber and majestic chorus, which opens before the mind startling depths, which trembles before the eye like a bewildering forest, and in which we hear the crackling of the dead branches beneath the anxious step of the hunters dimly seen in the twilight."

So, do you see what Hugo is doing? He is having Cosette play music about men walking around outside, when there is indeed, a man walking around outside! Clever!

So, of course, I looked this up(!) Turns out, according to Wiki (from which I got the above picture), that Euryanthe is an 19th century opera by Weber, about a 13th century story.

Briefly, Euryanthe (that is her name) is engaged to a man. Another man bets that he can get her to betray her fiance (nice - right?). Another woman wants the fiance for herself so she sets Euryanthe up. At this point there is a lot of running around in the woods, and in the end the other woman is found out for having framed Euryanthe and she is killed. Everyone else lives happily ever after.

One last thing...I am wondering whether the plot of Euryanthe in anyway foreshadows the plot of Les Miserables? I have never seen the play, so I do not know how this book is going to turn out. (If you know, please don't tell me in the comments!)

Oh, one last LAST thing, see the button on my top right? I am unveiling my first ever meme, challenge thing!! Push the button! It is about going to book-related locale's and blogging about it! If any of you know how to put the code in that column so people can actually "Grab the Button" please let me know - lol! Also...if there are any other problems, please tell me - I'm new :)

Here then, is the finest piece of music ever written!

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted at bermudaonion.net. We talk about and share new words that we have come across in our reading - go over to WWW and check it out!

17 comments:

  1. A very interesting post for WWW!!
    I am off to check out your meme challenge.

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    1. The meme is tailor made for you since you travel so much. :).

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  2. Interesting... and creepy! Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Great post today! That plot sounds a lot like modern day soap operas!

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    1. I notice that too reading historical fiction... People have not really changed. :)

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  4. Yep, wonderful post. Listening to music while writing comment. It does sound like men running around outside doing something or other. I love when books take you up a tree and won't let you go until a new discovery is made. Truly enjoyed your post. Thanx.

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    1. Exactly! I love these little adventures. :). I love sharing them too - it really adds to the whole experience. So thanks for reading and commenting and listening to Euyanthe!

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  5. I like your post, your explanations and to heard the music too ! I'm very ashamed because I'm French and never read "Les Misérables" (but I red Dichens' !). I think that after your posts I'll do it !

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    1. I wish I could read it in French! I hope you read it! It is a great story :). Thanks for commenting.

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  6. Enjoyed your post.

    http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/04/wondrous-words-wednesday_18.html

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  7. I really liked your story within a story. Also, you've created this great atmosphere with the music too! Great post!

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    1. Thanks - I was hoping people would like the music :)

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  8. Nice post Libby. you added a little fright to my day. I'm thinking what song would be playing in the background of my life at this very moment - hopefully not men chasing after me in a bad way!!! Lol

    As usual your thoughts and posts are entertaining :)

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    1. I like how you said "in a bad way!" Because it is ok if they chase after us in a good way - LOL! Thanks for the visit :)

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