When Wendy Cope was on Desert Island Discs this week she chose some beautiful music. This made a welcome change from some of the stuff I’ve heard on the programme recently.
Here are the pieces I liked:
Thomas Tallis: Glory to thee, my God this night.
Gilbert and Sullivan: Tit Willow.
Mozart: duet from The Magic Flute.
JS Bach: Concerto for Two Violins and Strings in D minor and Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, the voice is calling us).
Her interviewer mentioned Wendy’s parody of Wordsworth and I thought you might like to read it alongside the original 18th century rhyme.
A Nursery Rhyme
as it might have been written by William Wordsworth
The skylark and the jay sang loud and long,
The sun was calm and bright, the air was sweet,
When all at once I heard above the throng
Of jocund birds a single plaintive bleat.
And, turning, saw, as one sees in a dream,
It was a Sheep had broke the moorland peace
With his sad cry, a creature who did seem
The blackest thing that ever wore a fleece.
I walked towards him on the stony track
And, pausing for a while between two crags,
I asked him, ‘Have you wool upon your back?’
Thus he bespeak, ‘Enough to fill three bags.’
Most courtesly, in measued tones, he told
Who would receive each bag and where they dwelt;
And oft, now years have passed and I am old,
I recollect with joy that inky pelt.
(Copyright Wendy Cope)
Bah, Bah, a black Sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes merry have I,
Three bags full,
Two for my master,
One for my dame,
None for the little boy
That cries in the lane.
By the way her book is The Compleet Molesworth and luxury; writing materials.
The best post this week. I felt it warranted a response:
What joy beheld I this winter morn,
When, to my favoured blogger I repaired,
To find my soul from worldly pleasure torn,
And by the plaintive tones of Tallis stirred.
If only every day be such as this;
My feeble spirit would be charged with hope.
Dear blogger, cleanse thy heart from carnal bliss,
And tread the heels of such as Wendy Cope.
Bravo!
What a clever parody. A courtesly sheep speaking in measured tones — perfect.
Also agree, her musical choices that you list are all excellent (even the Bach double, which my sister and I were made to play endlessly when we were children. It is so inventive and lovely that repetition only dimmed its charms for a decade or so, before we both could enjoy listening to it again).
With her humor and wordplay, it is no surprise to find G&S on her list, though how to choose just one?
Two years ago Wendy Cope attended our Literary Festival in Chalfont St Giles. We arranged “Afternoon Tea with Wendy Cope”.Best china was borrowed from around the village, tiny sandwiches cut and delicious cakes made. It was a sell out; she was marvellous and we ran out of books to sell.