Verdi Requiem Essay Example for Free

Verdi Requiem Essay All but one of Guiseppe Verdis masterworks are operas. This poses a problem for those of us who arent opera buffs. Fortunately, though, that one exception is his stunning Requiem, into which he poured the same vibrant emotion that thrills opera fans, but without the trite plots, simplistic characters and dull narrative stretches that tend to alienate others. Indeed, more than a few critics have hailed the Requiem as Verdis finest opera. Verdis inspiration was neither religious, egotistical nor fiscal. Rather, his gesture was one of national pride. He considered the opera composer Gioacchino Rossini one of the two greatest Italian artists of his time. Four days after Rossinis death on November 13, 1868, Verdi wrote his publisher Ricordi to propose a requiem mass to be given one year later in Rossinis heartland of Bologna. Each of the twelve sections was to be written by an Italian composer, so that the result would compensate for any lack of unity with a variety of universal veneration. Verdi himself would supply the concluding section. There was to be no foreign hand, nor hand foreign to art, no matter how powerful, to help us. To avoid petty vanity, all composers and performers were to contribute their services. To avoid exploitation, the score was to be sealed in the city archives and presented only on subsequent anniversaries of Rossinis death. While all the assignments were completed in ample time, the performance never materialized, the organizing committee was disbanded, Verdi refused to allow publication or performance of his portion, and in 1873 his score was returned. He soon found another appropriate use for it. Verdis other idol was Alessandro Manzoni. Although Manzoni had written only a single novel, I promessi sposi (The Betrothed), it was so popular that the author became the leading Italian literary figure of the century. A sprawling historical tale of peasant lovers buffeted by and triumphing over the repression of society, religion and injustice, it emerged as the driving literary force of the Risorgimento movement for Italian unification. Originally published in 1827, in 1840 Manzoni rewrote it in Tuscan, which he considered the pure indigenous Italian language. William Manning notes that beneath its plot and characters, it served as a kind of stylebook of the  language of a country which though politically united was linguistically chaotic. Alessandro Manzoni (1785-1873) As a teenager, Verdi had read the book following its initial publication and came to view it as serving two complementary and ideal uses of art for social ends not only did it transcend politics to rally people by appealing to their collective roots, but its popularity served as a cultural emissary to attract the worlds attention and admiration. When he finally met Manzoni in 1868, Verdi revered him as a saint. Although Manzonis death in his 89th year was hardly unexpected, Verdi was deeply grieved. The next day he wrote to his publisher Ricordi that although he wouldnt attend the funeral, I will come in a little while to visit his tomb, alone and without being seen, and perhaps (after further meditation and after having gauged my strength) to suggest something to honor his memory. The next week Verdi made his pilgrimage, condemned the many published tributes as superficial and resolved to write a requiem, but this time without the political snags and bickering that had thwarted his Rossini project. His proposal – to write the entire mass himself if Milan would fund its first performance. Despite opposition from the city council which already had funded a lavish funeral, the mayor accepted, the San Marco church in Venice was selected as the venue for its acoustics, the convention of using a priest to recite liturgy between musical numbers was bypassed, and the Archbishop gave special permission to use female performers on condition that they be veiled, dressed in black and hidden behind a grating. Verdis project was officially titled Messa da Requiem per lanniversario della morte de Manzoni, 22 Maggio 1874 (Requiem mass for the anniversary of Manzonis death, May 22, 1874). The resulting work was indeed as dramatic as any Verdi opera. George Marek calls it a prayer for peace by a man who had devoted his music to conflict. As George Martin has noted, it is suffused with Verdis personal doubts as to the efficacy of prayer, a concern perhaps heightened by his  advancing age and fear of what lay ahead. Indeed, the Requiems very strength lies in its exploration of Verdis ambivalent views toward religion, given reign through the unparalleled sense of theatre he had developed. Guiseppi Verdi (1813 – 1901) As Cecilia Porter notes, death is a complex character in the Requiem, playing multiple roles – an object of terror, a comforter, an emancipator – fully reflecting Verdis penchant toward intensely human drama rather than a staid presentation of liturgical dogma or an intellectual effort at theological exploration (a task which Verdi, a very plain man, could never have abided). Its indeed ironic that from this simple man, with no pretension of philosophical insight, arose a work that presents a far more potent sense of sophisticated (and quite modern) theology than the religious works of most of his predecessors. Martin further notes that since a requiem is an assortment of responses and prayers without a rigidly prescribed text, and since Verdi never intended his work to be sung as part of an actual church service, he could select and emphasize portions that ran the gamut of human experience, ranging from sadness to joy, simplicity to majesty, reflection to apocalypse. As a man of the theatre, Verdi chose to fashion these disparate elements into a drama from which solos would emerge as true individuals, rather than as offshoots of the massed choir. Indeed, his use of solo voices is daringly intricate – not the decorative figures of Haydn, nor the schematic personas in Bach cantatas, but multi-faceted roles that often complicate the texture to subtly question the apparent meaning of the wording presented by the underlying choral forces. The soprano, in particular, seems to voice Verdis own ambivalent skepticism, adding emotional intensity at odds with the faith-based text and affording a wide latitude for interpretation – indeed. in their respective recordings, Elizabeth Schwartzkopf whispers the final libera me, Galina Vishnevskaya nearly chokes on those words, and Herva Nelli snarls the passage as a stern defiant demand. Of Verdis primary models, Mozart had couched his Requiem in classical order, Cherubini had dwelled on the Offeratoriums hope for deliverance and Berlioz had deployed his massive performing forces only in the intensely powerful and vivid Dies irae, Lachrymosa and Sanctus sections, projecting throughout the remaining movements a somewhat meandering overall sense of peace and contentment amid ingenious sonic effects (including quadraphonic placement of voices and brass). In contrast, Verdis score is intensely melodic, tightly focused and bristles throughout with surging passion and challenging discomfort. Why did Verdi choose a mass, rather than an oratorio of Manzonis own words, to honor his hero? After all, although severely moral, Verdi was anti-clerical and an agnostic; his wife considered him an atheist and recalled that he would laugh and call her mad when she spoke of religion. Martin suggests historical and practical motivations – masses had been used by Cherubini and Rossini to honor departed public figures and thus a work in that genre was more likely to be welcomed elsewhere. Besides, Verdi already had a large emotional investment in his contribution to the aborted Rossini venture. Perhaps on a more personal level, Verdi found an outlet in the varied text of the requiem to explore his own ambivalent faith through his inherent sense of drama.

The Hobbit :: Free Essay Writer

The Hobbit The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is set in a fantasy world that has differences, as well as similarities, to our own world. The author has created the novel's world, Middle Earth, not only by using imagination, but by also adding details from the modern world. Realistic elements in the book enable readers to relate to the setting, yet have the ability to "imagine" exciting events and organisms not found on Earth. The majority of differences between Middle Earth and today's world are found in objects and the actions of characters that can not be carried out or created in our world. The most abundant example of this in The Hobbit is the presence of magic. Gandalf, the wizard, is able to help the adventurers out of a number of dangerous situations by using his magical powers to harm their enemies. He set Wargs afire while he was trapped in a tree and created a bolt of lightening to kill many of the Goblins who had surrounded the group in a cave. The magical ring, which was a key to helping the groups succeed in the book, allowed he who was wearing it to become invisible to others. Also, there was a black stream in Mirkwood that made he who drank out of it suddenly very drowsy and forgetful of previous events. All of these examples of happenings and objects found in Middle Earth are physically impossible in a world such as ours. Several of the organisms in the book are not known to exist on Earth. Hobbits, of course, are fictional characters, as are dwarves, elves, goblins, and trolls. Many species of animals are able to vocally communicate with humans and dwarves in the novel, which is not possible on our planet. Beorn, a human who is able to morph into other creatures at an instant, is an excellent example of such fiction. The dragon, Smaug, is the main adversary of the fourteen adventurers and is a type of creature that has long been used in fantasy writing. Although most of the characters' species are merely creations of the author, they all exhibit a sense of realism that causes them to seem almost human. There is a vast difference between Middle Earth and the modern world, but there are also several similarities. In Middle Earth, there live humans, and hobbits, which are very much similar to miniature people.

Law as A Social Institution Essay

What does it mean to say that law is a social institution? In the light of a legal positivist view, law embodies and is contingent to the social construct within our society. Legal positivism is the notion that law depends on social fact and that its merits do not and should not reflect its intrinsic nature1. Law is simply not a set of rules and regulations that govern the way in which our society should be, but rather, an exhibition of how our society exists as it is2. That being said, a social institution is a pattern of beliefs and behaviors over time, as defined by Nicosia and Mayer as ‘a set of activities performed by specific people in specific places through time3. Therefore, law encompasses numerous social institutions such as family, homosexuals, or more specifically the Indigenous community etc. – an exhibition of how society exists as it is. The concept that law is a social institution will be discussed in the legal positivist framework particularly in close regard to homosexuality. Traditionally, homosexuality was seen as an immoral act, it was encoded under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 Section 11 that an act of ‘gross indecency’ between two males led to a term of 2 years imprisonment. In the last century same-sex relationships have been considered acceptable in society. Harsh amendments in legislation against homosexuality grew unacceptable and argument arose that it was an ‘overreach’ in criminal law concerning homosexual behaviour4. As aforementioned, a social institution is the ‘interaction among activities, people, and places over time’5. The law essentially is a product of these institution’s morals, ideas and standards. The idea that law is a social institution is illustrated by the changes in law over time and the changes in attitudes towards homosexuality that arise simultaneously. There has been a gradual acceptance and legal recognition of same-sex relationships. This is evident in the evolving attitudes towards homosexuality reflected in various cases and legislation, in which the law has responded positively to the changes in these social standards. As seen in the case of Hope & Brown v NIB (1995)6, where the couple, Andrew Hope and William Brown attested to the Equal Opportunity Tribunal (EQT), arguing that NIB Health Fund Ltd had denied them access to a family health insurance policy on the basis of their sexual orientation. The EQT coerced  the insurance company to recognise the couple as a family in order for them to receive insurance. It was acknowledged that the policy was in fact discriminatory. A year later, the federal government recognised homosexual couples as a family unit in the 1996 consensus7. Additionally, amendments to the Health Insurance Act 1973 were carried through to recognise same-sex couples and their children as a family. In relation to the theory of legal positivism, these social standards have molded the law, reinforcing that law is dependent on a social construct. One of the most significant legislative changes was the passing of the Property (Relationships) Legislation Amendment Act 1999 (NSW)8, which granted rights to same-sex couples for the division of property and claiming finances, as well as access to the District Court in a relationship break down. This Act also gave same-sex couples inheritance rights in line with heterosexual couples. However, bearing in mind the theory of positivism, where law depends on social fact, there are other institutions such as religious groups, like the Australia Lobby Group that curb the acceptance of homosexuality in light of their own social standards. This is evident where the law does not encompass every aspect in the recognition and protection of same-sex couples. In addition, the Howard government passed the Marriage Amendment Act 2004 (Cwlth) consolidating that marriage in Australia is the union between man and woman only9. In effect, this governance affirmed their social institutional beliefs: opposition to same-sex marriages. Thus, demonstrating that law is a social institution because the law directly reflects the beliefs of the social institution, namely the government. We can infer that although the issue of marriage equality is shelved, it does not equate to the idea that the whole of society disapproves of marriage amongst same-sex couples, but that certain structured governances limit the extent to which these ideas are legislated. Law is based upon our morals and therefore should be an exact carbon copy of the beliefs and ideas of social institutions. However external systems, for example, law systems and governments, can limit the degree to which the law wholly represents social  institution, in this case, homosexuality. The fact that a policy may be seen as discriminatory, unjust, inefficient does not mean that policy is the law, or the fact that the policy is fair, just and efficient also does not make it law. By taking these authoritative systems out of the equation, law is intrinsically a social institution. In 2006, the Human Rights Commission published a report titled ‘Same-sex: Same Entitlements’, which found that 58 federal laws discriminated against same-sex couples in areas of financial and work-related entitlements10. This caused social upheaval amongst the homosexual community. The law responded and shaped into these morals, by means of the Family Law Amendment Act 2008 (Cwlth)11. Changes and alterations were made in federal laws to remove the provisions discriminating against homosexual couples, and thus, they were granted rights pertaining to financial matters. The theory of legal positivism is demonstrated here, where the Amendment mirrors the social fact that there is no sufficient reason for same-sex couples to be discriminated based on sexual orientation and should receive the same benefits, as heterosexual couples. Homosexuality is now a greatly accepted institution12 whereby the law embraces same-sex couples as equals with heterosexual couples. The Family Law Amendment Act 200813 and the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 200814 is significant in the sense that same-sex marriage is now the point of legislative inequality between heterosexual couples and same-sex couples15. In essence, legal positivism is a construct that gives a greater understanding of law as a social institution. It is inextricably linked to the social order of society. Homosexuality exemplifies the positivist model through the alignment of developing attitudes and legislation amendments over time. This demonstrates the notion that the morals of our society set ideals for law to abide by. The way law and social construct interconnects means that law is man-made and built upon on patterns of beliefs and behaviour over a period of time. Word Count: 1318 References: Primary Sources of law: Family Law Amendment (De Facto Financial Matter and other Measures) Act 2008 (Cwlth) Hope & Brown v NIB Health Fund Ltd [1995] 8 ANZ Insurance Cases 61-269 Marriage Amendment Act 2004 Section 88EA Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 Secondary Sources of law: Austin, John (1832). The Province of Jurisprudence Determined. Ed. W.E. Rumble, 1995. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Anthony, T. Sanson, M. Worswick, D (2010) Connecting with Law (2nd Edition), Chapter 1: Introduction: Overview of the Book, 4. Baker, MJ and Saren, M. (2010). Marketing Theory: A Student Text (2nd Edition). 154 Wilson, P and Brown J.W. 1973. Crime and the Community. St Lucia: University of Queensland Press. Boesenberg, J, Derwent, B, Hamper, D, Hayes, M, Thiering, N. Legal Studies HSC (Third Edition), Chapter 18: Contemporary issues concerning family law. 278 -297 â€Å"Marriage Equality and Public Opinion† Fact Sheet: http://www.australianmarriageequality.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/AMEpollfactsheet@Jun11.pdf

Sleep Deprivation And Its Effects On Children Essay

Richard Simmons once said, â€Å"There is no such thing as sleep deprivation, there is only caffeine deficiency.† College students everywhere have claimed this as their motto. From art majors who stay up late practicing charcoal and shading, to nursing majors who are stressing all night studying for their exams and practicums, to engineering majors who think a good night’s sleep is three or four hours, sleep has rarely been prioritised in college. Psychology Professors at the University of Hong Kong, Cheung and Chung are correct in their claim that, â€Å"insufficient sleep and irregular sleep-wake schedules among adolescents has become a major international health concern† (185). Through a personal survey taken of around 200 incoming students at George Fox University, the majority (48%) allowed for six to seven hours of sleep a night, and only three of the students claimed to hit the necessary nine of hours or more of sleep a night for functionality and growth in teenagers (Thomas). Sleep deprivation is a major dilemma among college and university students, and it has been proven to specifically impair moods and affect memory, subsequently resulting in lower grade point averages and academic participation. This cumulatively results in the deterioration of quality of learning due to stress and increased risk of academic failure. The goal of this study is to help provide the public with statistical information to raise awareness of the seriousness of sleep deprivation and sleep debtShow MoreRelatedSleep Deprivation And Its Effects On Children Essay1511 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Sleepless in America (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2014), the documentary which co-produced by the National Geographic Channel, almost forty percent of Americans get less than five hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation often results in depression-like symptoms. Thus we heard suggestions that we should have at least eight hours of sleep a night. In fact, the duration of sleep affected by multiple factors, such as human has different sleep needs at the different age, and according toRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Children1996 Words   |  8 Pagesleast 9 hours of sleep each night, but nearly 10 out of every 15 students get under 8 hours of sleep and 6 out of every 15 get under 6 hours of sleep. Students and teachers that get enough sleep wake up feeling confident and ready to start their day off right with good work ethic. Not getting enough sleep will cause several different physical, mental, and emotional health issues for a teen that is forced to wake up early in order to get ready for their school day. Sleep deprivation is a huge issueRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Children1182 Words   |  5 PagesFor those who work long shifts; For those who try to compensate for their lack of sleep during the weekends; For those who simply like to stay up all night: lack of sleep could cause irreparable brain dam age. Deprivation of long-term sleep hours could weaken brain energy even after days of sleep recovery. And it could be a sign of permanent brain damage. The consequences of not sleeping or not sleeping enough are serious, not only for the person who is not resting enough, but also for the peopleRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Children974 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction 1. My opening/attention getting material is as follows: Sleep deprivation was a factor in some of the biggest disasters for example the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the massive Exxon oil spill, and the 1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl. Sleep deprivation is affecting many Americans today especially college students. â€Å"A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that only 30 percent of students sleep at least eight hours a night, which is the average requirement forRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Children1427 Words   |  6 Pagesor substances and people suffering from sleep deprivation. Effects of fatigue are thought to play a part in between 16% and 60% of road accidents and in the United states were estimated to cost in vicinity of $50 billion. This essay will argue just how dangerous driving under the influence of sleep deprivation really is. This essays argument will be supported by two major papers the first one is â€Å"Impairment of D riving Performance Caused by Sleep Deprivation or Alcohol: A Comparative Study† which wasRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Children1994 Words   |  8 PagesThe Effect Of Sleep Deprivation Sleep deprivation has been an increasing problem with people of all age, specifically young adults. Many young adults in today’s society fights to stay awake and consume in cups of coffee. Sleep deprivation has not only affected many young adults life-style, but also their health. Some research shows that sleep deprivation â€Å"affect ones’ cognitive performance† (Grundgeiger et al). People with sleep deprivation performance are lower with the more resource-demanding prospectiveRead MoreThe Effects Of Lack Of Sleep Deprivation On Children1315 Words   |  6 Pages Do teens know how many problems can come with the lack of sleep? with sleep deprivation comes many long term effects on people s mental and physical health.lacking sleep is a cause of depression, obesity ,and makes it hard to function in school. School shouldn’t start as early as it does.because, it s unhealthy and lowers academic scores. Lack of sleep puts teens at risk for mental and physical issues.Less amounts of sleep put teens at a higher risk for depression,obesity,and motor-Read MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Children s Routine Performance And Interaction Skills979 Words   |  4 PagesSleep deprivation has likely harmed most people’s routine performance and interaction skills at least enough to alarm them of its profound impairment to their mental and physical state. Everyone knows the feeling of being short-tempered and irritable because they didn’t get enough sleep the night before, but many also know the feeling of delirium and decreased cognitive abilities associated with many frightening consequences such as surmountable drops in their ability to communicate well with othersRead MoreSleep Deprivation : Symptoms And Treatments1417 Words   |  6 Pagesexperiencing sleep deprivation or not having enough sleep will cause one to be frustrated. It is not a decent experience to have. Whenever we have sleep deprivation or have little sleep, we become less productive and not concentrated the next day. As these things happen, bosses will scold us or we will fail our tasks. While we fail, or get scolded, the mood at that moment is always annoying and unsatisfying. People who encounter with lack of sleep will know that having not enough sleep is the mainRead MoreSleep Deprivation Essay684 Words   |  3 PagesSleep Deprivation It’s seven thirty in the morning, the time that most American high schools begin class. Instead of being chipper and ready to learn, most teenagers, at this time of the morning, can barely remain awake. These puffy eyed pupils are by no means ready to learn. Sixty percent children under 18 reported being sleepy during the day, with another fifteen percent reporting that they had fallen asleep during the school day within the past year (National Sleep Foundation, Dozing)