Good morning, my friend, reader of this post! Happy new week, and I wish you the best! How is the weather, today? Here, it is warmer than other days, alas. The temperature could reach around 30 celsius, at least on the thermic feeling. Overall, I am okay. Not particularly inspired, nor particularly sad. That can be a positive, just stable. Sometimes feels weird not having Europa Universalis 4 on my computer, but I feel less attached to the computer ever since, that is nice. I feel more in control of my own time… I may return to it eventually, but I would have to consider that very carefully. Yesterday, I mentioned I wanted to write about the brief but beautiful golden era of the harp in France, last stage of the rococo era. I should indeed mention it! What does this harp era entails?
Well, it was during the realm of Louis XVI that the harp enjoyed a brief period of popularity. That was hugely because of his consort, Queen Marie Antoinette.
Music was something the queen was very fond of. She loved the Opera, for example. But she went beyond just being an enthusiast. She was taught by many great names of music in her time, she had singing lessons with a great name of early classical music, Monsieur Gluck, from her native Austria, for example. Because of her practice and interest, she became a fairly competent, even talented, musician herself, going as far as composing for the harp. She loved to play this gracious instrument for her dear friends at the Trianon. Soon, it would become fashionable for ladies to entertain guests with the harp, displaying their beautiful delicate hands, and her talents and virtuousness through the heavenly sound of it. One of the most famous songs for the harp composed by Marie is the short piece “C’Est mon Ami”, lyrics done by the poet monsieur Florian. The piece talks about a lady longing for his friend, a lovely shepherd that she cherishes and misses dearly. She also has a less happy tune, the personal “Portrait Charmant”, where she laments the fact her friend is not close to her at the moment, and yet she sees a portrait with her face in it, moving her to tears and melancholy. The portrait brings only the memories of happier times, with charming conversations and cheer, but those memories are never enough. That would be one part of the legacy Marie Antoinette would left, if her life wasn’t deformed by the myth built around her by the revolutionaries. Her impact in the arts and culture of France was quite impressive, but it was to be buried away in the violence of the French Revolution. The myth of her has very little to do with whom she actually was.
This late rococo moment, the last, was characterized by the return to the antique style of the romans, and the greeks. One could associate it entirely with neoclassical, but I say that movement, contemporary to rococo, would take full force during the 1790’s, a time of tunics, long hairs, and an… artificial natural look. A return to nature, but not that far with it. It was already present in the 1780’s, but the freshness of that moment would be violently replaced by the political instability of the 90’s. With the awful and evil influence of Rousseau being felt. That was the first time, but unfortunately not the last, that his ideas would sow chaos in the world.
And, I am so happy that I finished today’s post! I really wanted to write more on this time period, and most likely will do it again, even! Until then, when can you expect to see me again, here on the blog? Hopefully before Friday! I am excited to be this active on the blog. Now that I write in bed, with my phone, even if it hurts my fingers, I can express myself even better and more clearly. Anyway, time to wrap up this post! Wish you the best, once again, and I see you again real soon!!!!!!!
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