Perfume: The Magical Personal Signature!

One of my favorite weekend gigs, when it is possible, is visiting the Nordstrom perfume area at my favorite mall, where the sales staff liberally distribute perfume samples of any you wish to try! It's such fun, and allows one to sample the new fragrances, as well as re-encounter old favorites and of course, the legendary. I will not give away which are my favorites, or in fact, which is my ultimate favorite. It wouldn't be right, as perfume is part of one's secret side, within one of the seven veils, a very personal and magical signature, as it were. Of course, fragrance smells differently on each individual, which is an insurance if people try to "copy", (though imitation is supposed to be the highest form of flattery! Ha ha !)

Perfume has always been important, but it truly came into its own during the reign of King Louis XV in the 18th Century. In fact, the court was nicknamed, "le cour parfumee", or perfumed court. Madame de Pompadour ordered loads of perfume, and the King fragranced his apartment with a different scent each day! My!!!

 King Louis XIV's court applied perfume to everything!including clothing, furniture, fans.  It became a substitute for soap and water, and by the 18th Century, aromatic plants were grown in the Grasse region of France to supply the industry with local material. Even today, France remains the perfume capital of the world.

Napoleon had two quarts of violet cologne delivered to him every week, AND sixty bottles of jasmine extract every month! His Josephine was partial to musk, and it is said that even sixty years after her death, her boudoir still held the scent.  The 1700's also saw the use of solid perfume.

Fashionable bottles were part of the ultimate experience, and were for the wealthiest in society. By the middle of the 19th Century, though, the industrial revolution changed that forever. Now, synthetic perfume allows the masses to partake, but of course, when something is not "the real deal" it always suffers somehow. Celebrity endorsed perfumes may smell interesting and modern, but they do not last (and it's probably a good thing....who wants to smell like Justin Beiber, or JLo for very long).

This bottle, at left,  is interesting with the face of a person seen when it is viewed from the front, while different faces are seen from the left or the right sides. From Staffordshire, which was a renowned enamel production center in the 18th century.

At right is one from England c. 1755 showing a jester in mask and colorful costume, his head is the stopper. From the Chelsea porcelain factory, it is whimsical and it was probably quite a conversation piece.

I hope to venture over to the perfume display soon again, and try one I've never tried before. Perfume is an adventure, not only the discovering of one you can't live without, but then planning how to wear it! What outfit, what mood, what mystery!

 

 

 

Birthday Greetings!

 This coming Sunday will mark the 257th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! I like to celebrate the event some way each year. There have been birthday bashes with German food and powdered wigs, as well as some more quiet and reflective evenings listenings to his glorious music. Inevitably there are some Mozart chocolates to go along with some fine single malt scotch. This year, I will be watching a new dvd on Wolfie, an account of his life and work, courtesy of a friend who gave it to me for Christmas.

I will also take the time to recall a most wonderful evening spent in London last year, along with friends, at the St. Martin in the Fields Church in Trafalgar Square. It was our first evening across the pond, and we took some time to relax and listen to a Mozart/Haydn program in a candlelight setting. To sit in that beautiful place, and hear such delightful music was a treat, indeed! One of the most moving for me was the EXSULTATE JUBILATE, K165 by Mozart, written in 1773.

It was composed when Wolfgang visited Milan, and it was written for the famous castrato Venanzio Rauzzini, a favorite of the composer. In modern times, it is usually sung by a soprano, which is the way we heard it. In three parts, it is comprised of an Allegro recitative, an Andante, and a final Allegro. It is truly jubilant, especially its final and well-known "Alleluia"! Below see the words in Latin as it was composed, translated to English. Give a listen here, sung by Anna Moffo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFfuoqdTpE

Exsultate, jubilate, O vos animae beatae exsultate, jubilate, dulcia cantica canendo; cantui vestro respondendo psallant aethera cum me.	Rejoice, be glad, O you blessed souls, Rejoice, be glad, Singing sweet songs; In response to your singing Let the heavens sing forth with me.
Fulget amica dies, jam fugere et nubila et procellae; exortus est justis inexspectata quies. Undique obscura regnabat nox, surgite tandem laeti qui timuistis adhuc, et jucundi aurorae fortunatae. frondes dextera plena et lilia date.	The friendly day shines forth, both clouds and storms have fled now; for the righteous there has arisen an unexpected calm. Dark night reigned everywhere [before]; you who feared till now, and joyful for this lucky dawn give garlands and lilies with full right hand.
Tu virginum corona, tu nobis pacem dona, tu consolare affectus, unde suspirat cor. Alleluja.	You, o crown of virgins, grant us peace, console our feelings, from which our hearts sigh. Alleluja

Some Miserable Work

This past weekend, I went to see the new Les Miserables movie, which I had been anticipating for quite a while now. I love the story, and became a fan of the musical long ago, when I first saw it in Los Angeles in 1980 when it debuted at the Shubert Theatre in Century City. No one had ever seen anything like it. The staging was incredible and very different, with a revolving set that became Jean Valjean's environment, his home, the streets of Paris, as well as the famous revolutionary barricade.
I was entranced!

I can say that over the years I have seen it in Las Vegas, in Canterbury in England, and on the London stage where it has played for over 25 years! Each performance is memorable, and the viewer gleans more of the subtleties with each production.

The new movie has the benefit of some computer-generated images that SUPPORT, not overwhelm, the film. Without giving anything away, the opening scene is monumental, with the hauling into drydock of an enormous tall ship that has been damaged in battle. Jean Valjean is part of a chain gang of hundreds and hundreds of men, pulling hand-over-hand the large ropes that have been tied to the ship. They sing the famous "Look Down" as they work relentlessly to bring the ship in. Guards stand above watching, chiding, beating the men whose exhaustion is more than apparent.  

I started researching the concept. In the previous productions, Vanjean works in a quarry, now he is up to his chest in water, chained around the neck, and to others. The chain gang, as it were, goes way, way back, but in the 18th Century, instead of slaves, it was convicts or indentured servants doing this type of work. No compensation save for sustainance, and perhaps the opportunity to do something other than sit in a cell.

At right is an illustration of a ship being righted in the water in a dry dock. The scaffolding is gigantic, and you can image how many men had to be employed.

In the original book by Victor Hugo, Jean Valjean was a galley prisoner, and was in danger of returning to the galleys. Police inspector Javert who relentlessly pursues Valjean had a father was also a galley prisoner. As always, various punishment was incurred that "fit the crime". Financial debt sometimes landed someone in the debtor's prison, like the famed Marshalsea (at left) in London. This concept is ironic, as the debtor is confined, unable to work, and pay off the debt. He must rely on someone else to work for him, or languish within the prison walls. But those who were involved in more heinous crimes "enjoyed" the harsher punishments of slave labor, life sentence, torture or execution. As you might recall, "slaves of the law" had very few rights in the 18th Century. Human rights and prison reform did not come into play until much later in the 19th Century.

With the holidays over, and all the decorations taken down and put away, it's time to get back to reality, but I have fond memories of a lovely holiday.

I received some wonderful gifts for Christmas this year, unexpected things, and it's fun to find a place for them now. One of the most interesting, fabulous and different is my Ship's Model! Given to me by those who know how much I love the tall-ship era, I was delighted when I opened all the wrapping to find Lord Nelson's "Victory", all trimmed and ready to set sail! When my daughter gave me the very large, silvery/glittery, handled gift bag, she said, "Be careful! This is more fragile than glass!" I dutifully took it home, placed it carefully near the tree, and wondered, "Whatever could it be?" I never peaked, or shook, or lifted the bag. I NEVER cheat at these kinds of things. It spoils the fun.

Anyway, on Christmas Eve, at midnight, when I open my gifts, I saved it for last. Finally, I carefully unwrapped my gift, and found the beautiful model.

I thought I'd look into the history of these models. They are not purely decorative.
They are scale models of actual ships, at their best, and can range in size from 1/6000 scale to larger vessels that are capable of holding people! They are as old as shipbuilding itself, though over time, they have gained more and more detail. Even the ancient Egyptians built these models, and placed them in tombs or pyramids along with the dead, as transport to the new life.

But my concern is the 18th Century, and I found something interesting. Until the 1700's, ships were built without formal drawn plans, so shipwrights would construct models to show prospective customers how a ship would look as well as highlight technical advances. A kind of promotional marketing tool. Ship models were constructed for the Royal Navy, called Admiralty Models, to illustrate warship design, showing the advances and advantages of certain style hulls, type of masts, decking. The models were used to help in financing, and even to avoid construction errors as the actual ship took form.

I remember a line in Master and Commander, when Captain Aubrey takes note of an enemy ship's model that a crew member "knocked up" for him. Ah, he realizes by the shape of the hull, that the walls were so very thick that nothing could penetrate them. He exclaims, " Oh, this fascinating modern age we live in!"

In the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, some incredible examples are displayed, so beautiful and ornate. A real treat to see next time you visit London.

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve is almost upon us, and so I thought I would give a little bit of information on the celebration, and its evolution. Some scholars believe the celebration can be traced to the Roman observance of the Winter Solstice, or "Saturnalia". The holiday was know for the letting go of discipline and rules of behavior, a free-for-all basically, under the night time sky! Think Woodstock, think Stonehenge Celtic new-agers.

By the 18th Century, revelers in cities in Philadelphia and New York often ended up in street demonstrations, bar room brawls, violence and vandalism. Groups of people would shoot off guns, scream, set off firecrackers, break down barricades, break windows. So what else is new?! We always think our times are the worst.

Of course, Auld Lang Syne was sang in more sedate gatherings, which goes back to 18th Century Britian when guests ended a party standing in a circle, singing the well-known song. By the way, the lyrics are by Robert Burns, written in 1788.

)Well, however you choose to celebrate it, the New Year, 2013, is on its way. When George Orwell wrote "1984", (written in 1949), 1984 must have seemed life-times away, a future no one could possibly comprehend. And, here we are now at 2013. There are technological advances that we thought were impossible, like even HAL in the movie "2001". We practically have Hal in our homes today, in fact with the Ipod phone and "Siri", we do have a Hal of sorts, (maybe a Halle, or Halley!

It has been a pleasure for me to research and bring tid bits of the 18th Century to you this year. I hope to be inspired again to not only bring 18th Century information, but perhaps some surprises, too. Stay tuned!

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

The Lesson of Boxing Day!

Today is Boxing Day! And what is that? Well, it is celebrated in England the day after Christmas, which is St. Stephen's Day. The name "Boxing Day" is derived from the custom of giving a "Christmas Box" to someone in need, either money or something helpful. The box was originally a receptacle into which the money or item was placed. It could be wood or clay, if clay sometimes shaped into a sphere, with a slit at the top (piggy bank?!). The gift was for the poor, or a gratuity of sorts to someone that provided a service, not a gift from equals.

The tradition goes way back, but by the 18th Century, people were complaining about the amounts that were considered the appropriate. There's always a Scrooge in our midst!

Another interesting take on the Christmas box, was that on the tallships, a box was provided by a priest while the ship was in port, it became a kind of good luck charm, where sailors hoping to ensure their returning home, would occasionally put money in the box. The box was stored safely shipboard, and if the ship returned successfully, then the money was given to the priest in exchange for a mass of thanksgiving, and the priest then distributed the monies to the poor.

Of course the lyrics of "Good King Wenceslas" sum it all up. It tells the story of the King and his Page on the Feast of Stephen. The King spots a poor man gathering fire wood, and heading home. The King drags the Page along through the snow to the man's humble home, bringing an offering. Their cold and arduous journey bring a blessing not only for the man, but for themselves:


Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing!

How true! So, remember to do an unexpected kindness this day, and count yourselves blessed!

Where Christmas Can Be Found!

Ever since the Holy Star pointed to the location of the Christ Child's manger, the tradition of celebrating Christmas and bearing gifts to those we love has filled the Winter season. Throughout December, Christmas is celebrated with the joy and excess of the groaning side-board, the enormous, glittering Christmas tree, singing of carols, outdoor lighting that has reached outrageous proportions. It is fun, and exciting, and racous, and delightful none-the-less.

But Christmas can also be found in quiet places of reflection. The further back you go in history, Christmas looked very different, definitely a religious feast day, and with very little gifting save something needed, or prized, like oranges! It was a real treat to receive a beautiful piece of the golden citrus, from some far-away exotic land!

And where were these exotic lands? If it were not for exploration and sailors finding Land, Ho! we would still think we could fall off the horizon line.

Sailors were at sea for months or even years at a time, making landfall to pick up supplies, or make repairs, and then they were on their way again. Once such sailor, that sailed for over 43 years, was British-born George Hodge. He worked shipboard from 1790 to 1833. He was self-educated and began a journal to document his journeys. He stepped aboard at age 13, and worked below decks. He not only wrote about the life, but drew as well. His diary was discovered not too long ago in the United States.

One of his entries regards Christmas: On Christmas Day in 1806 he writes: "Employ'd in wartering ship and seting up the riger ... fish for dinner." 
That's the long and short of it! But he did make note of the date.

I often remember the passage from Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" that describes the people at sea in a storm:

"Again the Ghost (of Christmas Present) sped on, above the black and heaving sea -- on, on -- until, being far away, as he told Scrooge, from any shore, they lighted on a ship. They stood beside the helmsman at the wheel, the look-out in the bow, the officers who had the watch; dark, ghostly figures in their several stations; but every man among them hummed a Christmas tune, or had a Christmas thought, or spoke below his breath to his companion of some bygone Christmas Day, with homeward hopes belonging to it. And every man on board, waking or sleeping, good or bad, had had a kinder word for another on that day than on any day in the year; and had shared to some extent in its festivities; and had remembered those he cared for at a distance, and had known that they delighted to remember him."

This year a great deal of the Christmas Season for me has been spent at the bedside of my Dad who is in a rehab/nursing facility suffering the ravaging effects of later-stage Pakinson's disease. It is heart-breaking to see a man so full of life reduced to the shell of the person I have known and counted on all my life.

But, still, Christmas is to be found even here. I have received many presents already, though they are different than expected. I have the gift of seeing the strength of my family, pulling together to be helpful at this time. I have the gift of friends who have called me to offer help, or prayers, or to relay a funny or happy story. They sustain me. The staff at the facility are compassionate and kind which is a gift. People always hear nightmare stories of nursing homes. It is not always true. I have the gift of being able to assist my Dad, even if only to wheel him down the hall of the facility to see the Christmas tree, or help him enjoy a couple spoonfuls of his favorite smoothie. I have the ears to hear his whispered voice, when he asks for something. I have the gift of him reaching for my hand, and telling me I am his pal.

We must remember that the Christ Child was born, not in the lap of luxury, but in a crude and cold barn. But, His Light brings warmth to all the world, a Light that fills even the darkest space. And here, then, is where Christmas is found.

Merry Christmas to all! God bless you, one and all!