Flood Stories

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE STORIES?
FLOOD STORIES
▪From the 4 stories we read the similarities are that in every story there's a flood to end up with life in earth because every culture's gods were angry and disappointed of human's behavior, another element is the arch or a boat in which special people got in and saved their life from the flood, they also took their families with and in the most cases animals to keep life on earth, and of course that they used birds to figure out if the water is gone and they can get out of their boats, mostly of them landed on the top of a big mountain and of course all of them were rewarded.

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE STORIES?
▪Although the stories talk about floods, saving life by staying on a boat, there are also some difference between each story, for example the time they stayed on their boats or the time it actually rained are in some stories longer than in others, that not all of them built their own boat, also that in one story were no animals inside the boat; another thing may be that in the greek's myth not everybody is death as in the rest of the stories.

WHAT ARE THE GODS LIKE IN THE DIFFERENT STORIES?
▪As every myth comes from a different culture the gods are different, in the first story one of them wasn't happy that somebody survived the flood, but in the second one God helped Noah and blessed him after everything had happened, on the greek's story there were also many gods, and on the third one one of the gods reincarnate on a fish who warned the man about the flood.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCES OF ANIMALS IN THE STORIES?
▪The animals are important in each of the stories because without them life in earth wouldn't be possible at all, they are also living organisms who share the environment with us, they give us food to survive, their skin to protect us from cold weather and the circle of life to keep going. They represent life, and without each other we can't survive.

WHAT WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE STORIES?
▪I guess that some words where really difficult to understood and as we grew up in another culture we don't have the whole background to understand what's really going on, for example a did understand the whole Noah and the Ark story because i knew it since i was a little girl.

WHY DO UTNAPISHTIM, NOAH, DEUCALION AND MANU DESERVED TO SURVIVE WHEN OTHER PEOPLE WILL DIE IN THE FLOODS?
▪I thing Utnapishtim, Noah, Deucalion, and Manu survived because the gods found good in them, they showed it with their good actions like helping the others, being honest and obedient while the rest of the people were doing what they wanted whenever they wanted and they didn't even care at all if what they were doing was right or not.

The mystery behind the rocks

Stonehenge a proof of human's power and vision.
Built around the year 3100 B.C. Is one of the most famous prehistoric monument in Britain. The Aubrey Holes, a bank and a ditch; the circe of sarsens, towers of giant rocks and bluestones clustered around them. But how did all of these came here? Who built it? What does it mean?
There are a lot of questions about its magnificence but where do we find the answers?

Some studies show us that these rocks can only be found 240 km away from the construction, but how did they manage to carry 1.5 ton stones?
Some archeologist have tested their theories and although they seem be good ideas and they actually work, we don't know for sure which technique the actually used. And look at the structure, I want to see you trying to lift up a rock of that size and weight without trucks and nowadays technology. And the shape, these stones are carved perfectly to fit one next to another and then how was it that they got up there, on the top of the towers? Imagine a group of hundred people working hour after hour, day after day as a team to create one of the most amazing structures in our history.

But there are still some questions left. Why do they built it? What was it for? At the beginning the theory was, that they use it as an astronomic base, based on the position of sunrise and sunset during the summer and winter solstice. But then an African archeologist came and based on his culture he said stones represent the ancestors and wood the living, which actually made sense! Hundreds of small bone peaces where found around Stonehenge, which explain part of the theory, the fact that the bones belonged to a selected group of men shows that the circle belonged to a family, or the leaders of the group; however, this was just half of the story until they found the wooden ring a couple of miles away and both circles are connected to each other through a river.

Even though we have many possible answers we'll never be sure about the truth, and there's the mystery behind the rocks.

Music Styles- Wave

Gal Costa

Wave has a soft melody and a fast rhythm, with instruments like piano and violin the song takes a different turn; the lyrics in Portuguese give it a great touch. Even if it doesn’t look difficult to play. This song will be usually heard in small concerts or in some special events.

This jazz song was written by Antonio Carlos Jobim; used for his own album in 1967. Known as one of his most successful albums, also sang by other artists like Gal costa and an English version from Frank Sinatra. The album is one of the 100 best Brazilian albums ever. The song talks mainly about love.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6ADChhquXM&feature=related

Music Styles- La Ballata di Billy M’Caw

Cats

La Balatta di Billy M’Caw it’s a really nice song, slow and soft. The lyrics and the different voices create a great combination of rhythm and emotion, however, the melody doesn’t sound difficult at all. Piano and violin contribute to the melody. The song forms part of Cats play on the second act.

This song was originally an unpublished poem written by T.S. Elliot in 1939, which Lloyd Webber introduced to the musical program in 2003 replacing the Italian Aria for UK productions. Growltiger and Griddlebone two Siamese cats on the play perform the song. The lyrics talk about the life on a bar, how they spent time with friends and “Billy” used to play and sing for them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhObvc70HN0

Music Styles- Malgueña Salerosa

Antonio Aguilar and Joselito

Malagueña Salerosa has a really special rhythm, which goes somehow fast, and slow, it has instruments like guitar and violin, they give the song some complexity, the voices and the lyrics give the song a great touch and of course the high tones the voices are able to reach. I think it will be often to hear it during serenades and concerts.

This song is a well-known Huapango traditional from México, has been covered by different singers like Antonio Aguilar and Ramon Vargas. It was composed by Elpidío Ramírez and Pedro Galindo in 1947. It’s about telling a Spanish woman how beautiful she is, and how he will love to be with her but that he also understands that he is poor and that understand if she rejects him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SHFAWOdvPw&feature=channel_video_title

Music Styles-Die Walküre (Ride of the Valkyries)

Richard Wagner

The ride of the Valkyries has different rhythms and speeds, it goes louder and in certain parts softer, there are a lot of instruments taking part of this melody, violin, viola, flute, clarinet, trumpet and drum for example. There are no voices in it, but that doesn’t mean it makes it easier to play, it’s a really complex melody mainly played by orchestras in operas and concerts.

This classic song is part of an opera known as Die Walküre, the beginning of the act III to be more specific. It was composed by Richard Wagner in 1851 and played with the Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin as part of an opera it shows a story, in this part, the valkiye sisters on the top of a mountain greet each other and then sing their battle-cry. This is one of the most famous pieces of Wagner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V92OBNsQgxU

Music Styles- I’ve Got the World on a String

Frank Sinatra

I’ve Got the World on a String is soft but not slow at all, it has a touch that connects you to the melody and of course to the lyrics. The song seems not difficult to play; the instruments that compose it are trumpet, violin and there might be a drum too. I think it will be really common to hear it on concerts or in small jazz clubs.

This jazz song was composed by Harold Arlen and written by Ted Koehler in1932 originally for the Cotton Pub Parade presented by Cab Calloway and Bing Crosby. Frank Sinatra also recorded the song in 1953 and reached 14^th place on Billboard’s most played list. I think the intention of the song, is to show the listeners that everyone has control over their own destiny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OetrRox4Vd4

L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPBm7MwYLhg

In the Opera Carmen by George Bizet composed in 1875

Heidelberger Schloss

Gothic and renaissance style
Signpost of Heidelberg

Heidelberg, Germany