All my shirts now come with purple buttons!
I am now the proud, happy owner of an iPod Shuffle thanks to non other then ehowton. You see, a while ago, he tried to persuade me that I didn't need to purchase the iPod Classic and that I would be just as happy with the Shuffle. Turns out, the bastard's right. Though I have only had Purple miniMe for two weeks, I can't imagine ever living without it. Yes, it does suck that it doesn't display p0rN Coverflow and only holds 240 songs, but those aren't really limitations--they're freedoms. Would it be nice to instantly recall any song that is in my collection and see the album cover for it? Sure it would. But it's not necessary. By limiting what I can take with me, I'm forced to focus and appreciate what I do have. This allows me to become more intimate with my music.
The Pearl of Great Price
I've read ehowton go on and on about how he will purchase music recorded on this label, but NOT that one. We actually had this conversation at the party of the decade. I had just given ehowton a copy of the Gold Disc version of the Amadeus score. As we were listening to it, E remarked that, "I get goosebumps when I listen to this." And I knew what he meant. The music had a full sound, was well played, well recorded and we had one heallva playback system.
Years ago, I saw this movie that greatly impressed me starring Anna Paquin and Jeff Daniels called Fly Away Home. For those of you who don't recall the movie, it's the one the opens with Amy (Paquin) and her mom in a violent car crash and the mother dying. Her father (Daniels) comes all the way from Canada to New Zealand to take her to live with him as the parents had divorced some ten years previously.
Cut to a tree-hugging setup where Amy finds some Canadian Goose eggs in an area that was being de-forested for an apartment complex. The geese imprint on Amy which leads to the conundrum of teaching the geese how to migrate. It just so happens that Tom is into flying lightweights and so they hatch a plan to migrate the birds to North Carolina.
Mark Isham scored the movie. I first became acquainted with his work via October Sky. That movie had a great introspective, coming-of-age score, but the album is all cut up making it very difficult to listen to. As moving as the October Sky score is, Fly Away Home (an earlier film) just puts it to shame. When I started collecting scores, I naturally wanted to add Fly Away Home to my collection. It turns out that it was never released commercially. There was, however, two albums that were released in hopes of garnering an Oscar; I believe there were roughly 1000 copies of each album made.
Two years ago I found the album on Ebay for $45 (which is the going street price), but turned down the opportunity citing the ancient Chinese disease, Fundsalow. I immediately regretted that decision. For the next six months after that auction expired, I would search Ebay for the Fly Away Home score, but it was not to be had. I even posted on my blog that I would pay a finder's fee to whomever could procure the goods.
While waiting for Purple miniMe to ship, something nagged me to see if the album were for sale on Ebay. Much to my surprise, there was not one, but two copies, each for the going rate of $45. I immediately made my purchase and must say that amongst the other songs that I have transferred to Purple miniMe, the Fly Away Home score has gone with me wherever I have gone.
The track that gives me goosebumps every time I hear it is one of the central themes of the film. This piece first occurs at the beginning of the film when Tom goes for an early morning flight with his glider (pictured above). "Dad's Glider" starts with an anticipation of flight--running down the checklist and making final adjustments. Take-off is presented by a two-measure cymbal-roll/crescendo and flight is a single violin. While there should be much joy at this point, the careful listener will notice that there is much sorrowful solitude in flight juxtaposed with the spectacular view. There is a yearning to be safe on the ground and yet a struggle to stay in the air. Finally, the landing comes in somberly as Death would take someone home from their long journey.
Enjoy with me now "Dad's Glider" by clicking on the cover for just a taste of what this album has to offer.
