Things that are utterly bloody fascinating

[ElizabethBest]

Let's hear it please - I love a good wikipedia rabbit hole. I'll start - The Willard Suitcases. Over 400 suitcases of possessions were found in an attic at the Willard Insane Asylum belong to patients who had died whilst inpatients so never left. The New York State Museum started a project to document the cases and their contents, and you can learn all about it and see the cases on their website.

I love looking at them too, and swimming pools.

Joseph Williams, lead singer of Toto (of “Africa” fame) is son of legendary composer John.

I always thought Stewart Copeland (The Police) was related to Aaron Copeland (American composer of Appalachian Spring) but it turns out not to be true (although Stewart referred to him as 'Uncle Aaron' as a joke). But the truth is almost as good: Stewart's parents were both spies. 👀

Tina Weymouth (Tom Tom Club and Talking Heads) is the daughter of a US Navy Vice Admiral Ralph Weymouth who went on to be an anti-nuclear campaigner.

There's no "e" in Aaron Copland's last name.

I'm a huge fan of his work, and live just a few miles from where he lived for the last few decades of his life.

https://www.coplandhouse.org/home/

The house is now run by a non-profit organization that promotes his work and provides residencies to up-and-coming American composers.

I’m also a big Copland fan @MissConductUS. It greatly amused me when that blockbuster film ‘Copland’ came out, and DH (a musician) and I liked to pretend it was a Hollywood epic about the mild-mannered Aaron and his compositional process . How interesting that you live not far from his home. I’d really like to visit.

It's lovely to find Copland fans who aren't American! His music is so heavily influenced by American music traditions and forms that I sometimes wonder how well it works for non-Americans. He grew up in NYC, and one of my favorite Copland compositions is "Quiet City", a musical portrait of the city awakening for the day.

The Copland House website has a "Shop" link where you can buy Copland House merchandise. Perhaps your DH would like a Copland House polo shirt or baseball cap. 😁

I'm a member of Copland House, and DH and I go there often for live performances. They do get quite a few tourists, so if your travels ever bring you to NYC, it's an easy one hour train trip from Manhattan and a short taxi ride.

In classical music circles in the UK he’s very well-known. Fanfare for the Common Man is often played. And Appalachian Spring is popular too.

In fact @MissConductUS his music is in 4 Proms this year and Fanfare for the Common Man opens the First Night of the season this Friday 😊 It’ll be televised and you may be able to see it Stateside?

(sorry for the derail, everyone else!)

I absolutely love In The Beginning, too, especially the "Let there be light in the firmament..." section (I'm a choral singer so I know more choral than orchestral music).