Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Homer

Odysseus’ Journey Music Inspired by “The Return”

With Ralph Fiennes now in theaters as Odysseus in “The Return,” I’m girding myself for a cathartic dose of holiday bloodletting. To get myself in the mood, this week on “The Lost Chord,” I’ll have an hour of music inspired by Odysseus’ homeward journey.

We’ll hear Ernst Boehe’s symphonic poem “Departure and Shipwreck,” from his cycle “From Odysseus’ Voyages” (1903-05), and Benjamin Britten’s radio play “The Rescue of Penelope” (1943), narrated by Dame Janet Baker.

Odysseus, of course, is one of the heroes of the Trojan War, waylaid time and again on his homeward journey by Poseidon and the frailties of his own men. It takes him ten years to find his way back to Ithaca. When he gets there, he finds his wife beset by boorish suitors all vying for her hand and his throne.

What happens next pushes all the same buttons that are still pushed whenever the descendants of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone begin applying the camouflage, strapping on their bandoliers, and sheathing their big knives. In the process, there’s also some meaningful father-son bonding. Homer always did know how to lend class to the classics.

If you’re looking for angry gods, shipwrecks, cannibalism, gratuitous nudity, riotous drunkenness, blinded Cyclopes, and the vicarious slaughter of one’s rivals, I hope you’ll me for “Home Sweet Homer” on “The Lost Chord,” now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Clip and save the start times for all three of my recorded shows:

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday at 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday at 11:00 AM EST/8:00 AM PST

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST

Stream them, wherever you are, at the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

December 7, 2024
Odysseus’ Journey Home: Music & Adventure

Homesick for Homer?

This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” it’s an hour of high adventure and satisfied bloodlust, as we listen to musical evocations of Odysseus’ homeward journey.

We’ll hear Ernst Boehe’s symphonic poem “Departure and Shipwreck,” from his cycle “From Odysseus’ Voyages” (1903-05), and Benjamin Britten’s radio play “The Rescue of Penelope” (1943), narrated by Dame Janet Baker.

Odysseus, of course, is one of the heroes of the Trojan War, waylaid time and again, on his return, by Poseidon and the frailties of his own men. It takes him ten years to find his way back to Ithaca. When he gets there, he finds his wife beset by boorish suitors all vying for her hand and his throne.

What happens next pushes all the same buttons that are still pushed whenever Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger apply the camouflage, strap on the bandoliers, and sheathe the big knives. Along the way, there’s also some meaningful father-son bonding. Leave it to Homer, who always knew how to lend a little class to the classics.

Odysseus strings his bow, for “Home Sweet Homer,” this Sunday night at 10:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and at wwfm.org.

“The Slaughter of the Suitors by Odysseus and Telemachus” (1812), by Louis-Vincent-Léon Pallière

September 13, 2020
Homer’s Homesick Sounds on WWFM

As one who seemingly can’t find his way home, I thought I would offer up an afternoon of music inspired by the ultimate wanderer.

Our centerpiece will be a rarely-heard work, “Odysseus: Symphony in Four Movements,” by the English composer Armstrong Gibbs. Its four movements are meant to evoke the “Escape from Calypso,” “Circe,” “Cyclops,” and “The Return.” If you’re a fan of Vaughan Williams’ “A Sea Symphony,” you might also enjoy this.

“The Return,” of course, refers to Odysseus’ return to Ithaca, after 20 years’ absence, when he finally strings his bow and lays waste to his rivals in one of the most satisfying bloodbaths in all of literature. It also forms the climax of Benjamin Britten’s “The Rescue of Penelope,” a radio play for vocal soloists and orchestra. In the work’s only recording, we’ll hear none other than Dame Janet Baker as the speaker.

I’ll try to mix it up from there, with music suggested by “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey.”

We’re homesick for Homer, from 12 to 4 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

May 21, 2019
Odysseus’s Journey Home A Spring Adventure

Ah! Enchanted April…

What is it about spring that puts me in the mind of angry gods, shipwreck, cannibalism, gratuitous nudity, riotous drunkenness, blinded Cyclopes, and the wholesale slaughter of one’s rivals? Actually, I just felt like doing a rerun.

From “The Lost Chord” archive, it’s an hour of high adventure and satisfied bloodlust, as we listen to musical evocations of Odysseus’ homeward journey.

Odysseus, of course, is one of the heroes of the Trojan War, waylaid time and again upon his return by Poseidon and the frailties of his own men. It takes him ten years to find his way back to Ithaca. When he gets there, he finds his wife beset by boorish suitors all vying for her hand and his throne.

What happens next pushes all the same buttons that are still pushed whenever Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger apply the camouflage and begin strapping on their bandoliers and sheathing their big knives. In the process, there’s also some meaningful father-son bonding. Leave it to Homer, who always knew how to lend class to the classics.

Just in time for baseball season, I hope you’ll join me for “Home Sweet Homer” (the greatest stretch this side of the seventh inning), this Sunday night at 10:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and at wwfm.org.

April 2, 2017
Odysseus Epic Adventure for Mother’s Day?

Nothing says Mother’s Day like angry gods, shipwreck, cannibalism, gratuitous nudity, riotous drunkenness, a blinded Cyclops, and the wholesale slaughter of one’s rivals.

Okay, so maybe I wasn’t thinking when I did the programming for the latest installment of “The Lost Chord.” But dads should love this hour of high adventure and satisfied bloodlust, as we listen to musical evocations of Odysseus’ homeward journey.

Odysseus, of course, is one of the heroes of the Trojan War, waylaid time and again upon his return by Poseidon and the frailties of his own men. It takes him ten years to find his way back to Ithaca. When he gets there, he finds his wife beset by boorish suitors all vying for her hand and his throne.

What happens next pushes all the same buttons that are still pushed whenever Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger apply the camouflage and begin strapping on their bandoliers and sheathing their big knives. In the process, there’s also some meaningful father-son bonding.

So maybe it would have been a more appropriate choice for Father’s Day. Hopefully there are some mothers out there who were also classics majors. I hope you’ll me for “Home Sweet Homer,” tonight at 10 ET, with a repeat Wednesday evening at 6. You can listen to it on Father’s Day as a webcast, if you want, at http://www.wwfm.org.

May 10, 2015

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