“Darius Green and His Flying Machine” was written c.1870, and I’m including it in the podcast because the poem captures the mixture of wonder and disdain that many people felt toward those who aspired to build a flying machine during this period.
You can read the text of the poem here.
“Darius Green and His Flying Machine” is in the public domain. This recording ℗ 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved.
The dream of human flight is ancient in origin. While technologies to make small objects fly existed for a surprisingly long time, the engineering problems of scaling these up to human flight proved a tremendous challenge.
Playlist:
Fanfare
Opening Theme
Roman Carnival Overture
Composed in 1844 by Hector Berlioz. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Army Band. Public domain recording. Source.
Gymnopédies No. 1
Composed in 1888 by Erik Satie. Public domain.
Performed by Accou. Public domain recording. Source.
Closing Theme
Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5. Enjoy more of David Bovey’s work here.
The 1906 general election gave the Liberals a landslide victory, but it was still an uphill fight to enact the new government’s policies. The working classes and the Labour Party were asserting themselves, and the House of Lords was becoming increasingly activist and obstructionist, a marked change from British tradition. A frustrated women’s suffrage movement grew increasingly militant, even violent, while over everything loomed the Irish Question.
Playlist:
Fanfare
Opening Theme
Enigma Variations, Theme and Variation V.
Composed in 1899 by Edward Elgar. Public domain.
Performed by the Skidmore College Orchestra. Public domain recording. Source.
“God Defend New Zealand”
Composed in 1876 by John Joseph Woods. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Navy Band. Public Domain recording. Source.
Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.
The History of the Twentieth Century is off for the Labor Day holiday, but we will be back next week!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVPIkvHKRB8
A modern production recreating the Ballets Russes premiere performance of Rite of Spring. Nijinsky’s choreography was not so carefully preserved in this case, but modern reconstructions rely on photographs and the reminiscences of the original performers, so it’s probably pretty close. This is the ballet that sparked a riot.
Rudolph Nureyev stars in a re-creation of the original Ballets Russes production. Nijinsky’s choreography for the piece was carefully documented in a series of still photographs, so this production is very authentic.
Vaslav Nijinksy bursts onto the scene as a new kind of ballet dancer for a new kind of ballet, becoming the star of Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Over a five year period, 1909-1913, these two men would redefine ballet.
Playlist:
Fanfare
Opening Theme
Shéhérezade
Composed in 1888 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Public domain.
Public domain recording. Source.
Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune
Composed in 1894 by Claude Debussy. Public domain.
Performed by the Natalia Ensemble, and used pursuant to a Creative Commons license. Details.
Closing Theme
Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.
The Russian aristocrat Sergei Diaghilev brings Russian art to the Western world, and becomes a hugely influential figure in the world of art.
Playlist:
Fanfare
Opening Theme
Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp Minor
Composed in 1892 by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Public domain.
Performed by the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra, Neal O’Doan, piano. Recording used pursuant to a Creative Commons license. Details.
Closing Theme
Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.
In his final years as President, Theodore Roosevelt continues to pursue an aggressive foreign policy, while at home, racial tensions, an earthquake, and a stock market panic roil American politics.
Playlist:
Fanfare
Opening Theme
“El Himno de Bayamo”
Composed in 1867 by Perucho Figueredo. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Navy Band. Public domain recording. Source.
“Jacob’s Ladder”
Traditional. Arranged by Mark Painter.
Closing Theme
Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.
Theodore Roosevelt is re-elected in 1904, breaking the Vice Presidents’ curse. William Howard Taft emerges as Roosevelt’s most trusted advisor and spokesperson, and Roosevelt begins to speak of Taft as his preferred successor. 1906 proves to be Roosevelt’s best year yet, as he gets much of his legislative agenda through Congress.
Playlist:
Fanfare
Opening Theme
“The Cascades”
Composed in 1904 by Scott Joplin. Public domain.
Public domain recording. Source. Thanks to Ragnar Hellspong.
Closing Theme
Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.