"Song of the Earth" by Frank Oden

"This wonderful, beautiful, fragile, little tiny blue planet of ours,
in the middle of the million billion trillion twinkling stars ..."

"Song of the Earth," a lyrical concert program by poet/narrator Frank Oden, celebrated its World Premiere October 2008 with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. This one-hour program merges lyrical humor and verbal acrobatics with stunning visual images and evocative orchestral music to explore the awesome grandeur, subtle beauty, and delightful joys of our little blue planet -- as well as the significance of ecological balance, harmony and sustainability. The program was designed in response to mounting interest in artistic programming for environmental issues both locally and globally.

"Molten lava slagging down to jagged rock and frozen ground
Tidal waves and flooding rains, volcanoes, blizzards, hurricanes,
A cataclysmic furnace churning deep down inside,
Drawing from the sun an unimaginable power,
Spinning through space at sixty thousand miles an hour,
It's a wild and windblown, super spectacular ride!"

Join whimsical adventurer and "Earthropologist," Professor Equinox, for an educational and entertaining guided tour of Earth's essential wonders, ranging in scope from the entire known universe to the tiniest microscopic bacteria. Topics include Planets, Air, Water, Habitats, Flora and Fauna, including a literally breathtaking feat of recitation, a ridiculously rhymed catalogue of the entire animal kingdom in under three minutes!

"Insects, Reptile, Mammals, Birds ... Fish, Amphibians. flocks and herds
of countless creatures that co-exist. I'm not a true zoologist,
so if I undertake to make a list, there is no doubt I'd leave some out
some species would be missed... but I could try ... if you insist... "

Story poems are interspersed between the repertoire selections so that each narrative establishes the tone and context of the upcoming music and builds energy leading directly to the downbeat of each musical selection. Mr. Oden leaves the stage after each poem, the orchestra receives full audience attention in performance. This program is accompanied by projected visual images, there are numerous slide changes in connection with the narratives (cued live on stage by Mr Oden in performance). Each orchestral selection is accompanied by a single appropriate image to avoid distraction.

"It might be just a couple of drops, a little sprinkling then it stops.
but in a twinkling, grab your mops, call the cops, hey, we're happy for the crops.
It's not just pouring dogs and cats, it's forty pound frogs and baseball bats..."

This is a family-friendly concert, appropriate for all audiences. The Song of the Earth is a hopeful message for all humans to hear, one that parents and educators will find especially relevant to share and discuss with school-age children. A classroom study guide is available for educational bookings, and the concert event naturally lends itself to pre-show lobby activities with environmental themes.

"Every single thing alive, including you and me,
Needs a habitat to survive, environment is key..."

Our little blue planet is a living thing made up of all the various expressions of life and energy found in nature. The planet itself, the atmosphere, biosphere, oceans, volcanoes, ice caps, every plant and creature - including humans - are all functional parts of one living being. Each has an impact on all the others, and each depends on all the others for survival.

"What's the cause of this extinction? Well, that dubious distinction
goes to one more living creature that you've thought of now, I'll bet,
Not the biggest, or the strongest, or the tallest, or the longest,
just the smartest... and here's hoping we'll get even smarter yet!"

SUGGESTED REPERTOIRE:
(All selections are adjustable / replaceable according to orchestra needs)

STRAUSS - Also Sprach Zarathustra (2')
STRAVINSKI - Firebird Infernal Danse (5')
GRIEG - "Morning Mood" from Peer Gynt Suite (4')
WAGNER - Flying Dutchman Overture (3')
WAGNER - Meistersinger, Prelude Act I (5')
GLINKA - Ruslan & Ludmilla Overture (5')
SIBELIUS - Finlandia (7')
BEETHOVEN - Egmont Overture (ending only) (1')

Total Concert Length including poems and music is approximately one hour.


	"This wonderful, beautiful, fragile, little tiny blue planet of ours, in the middle of the million billion trillion twinkling stars ..." "Song of the Earth," a lyrical concert program by poet/narrator Frank Oden, celebrated its World Premiere October 2008 with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. This one-hour program merges lyrical humor and verbal acrobatics with stunning visual images and evocative orchestral music to explore the awesome grandeur, subtle beauty, and delightful joys of our little blue planet -- as well as the significance of ecological balance, harmony and sustainability. The program was designed in response to mounting interest in artistic programming for environmental issues both locally and globally. "Molten lava slagging down to jagged rock and frozen ground Tidal waves and flooding rains, volcanoes, blizzards, hurricanes, A cataclysmic furnace churning deep down inside, Drawing from the sun an unimaginable power, Spinning through space at sixty thousand miles an hour, It's a wild and windblown, super spectacular ride!" Join whimsical adventurer and "Earthropologist," Professor Equinox, for an educational and entertaining guided tour of Earth's essential wonders, ranging in scope from the entire known universe to the tiniest microscopic bacteria. Topics include Planets, Air, Water, Habitats, Flora and Fauna, including a literally breathtaking feat of recitation, a ridiculously rhymed catalogue of the entire animal kingdom in under three minutes! "Insects, Reptile, Mammals, Birds ... Fish, Amphibians. flocks and herds of countless creatures that co-exist. I'm not a true zoologist, so if I undertake to make a list, there is no doubt I'd leave some out some species would be missed... but I could try ... if you insist... " Story poems are interspersed between the repertoire selections so that each narrative establishes the tone and context of the upcoming music and builds energy leading directly to the downbeat of each musical selection. Mr. Oden leaves the stage after each poem, the orchestra receives full audience attention in performance. This program is accompanied by projected visual images, there are numerous slide changes in connection with the narratives (cued live on stage by Mr Oden in performance). Each orchestral selection is accompanied by a single appropriate image to avoid distraction. "It might be just a couple of drops, a little sprinkling then it stops. but in a twinkling, grab your mops, call the cops, hey, we're happy for the crops. It's not just pouring dogs and cats, it's forty pound frogs and baseball bats..." This is a family-friendly concert, appropriate for all audiences. The Song of the Earth is a hopeful message for all humans to hear, one that parents and educators will find especially relevant to share and discuss with school-age children. A classroom study guide is available for educational bookings, and the concert event naturally lends itself to pre-show lobby activities with environmental themes. "Every single thing alive, including you and me, Needs a habitat to survive, environment is key..." Our little blue planet is a living thing made up of all the various expressions of life and energy found in nature. The planet itself, the atmosphere, biosphere, oceans, volcanoes, ice caps, every plant and creature - including humans - are all functional parts of one living being. Each has an impact on all the others, and each depends on all the others for survival. "What's the cause of this extinction? Well, that dubious distinction goes to one more living creature that you've thought of now, I'll bet, Not the biggest, or the strongest, or the tallest, or the longest, just the smartest... and here's hoping we'll get even smarter yet!" SUGGESTED REPERTOIRE: (All selections are adjustable / replaceable according to orchestra needs) STRAUSS - Also Sprach Zarathustra (2') STRAVINSKI - Firebird Infernal Danse (5') GRIEG - "Morning Mood" from Peer Gynt Suite (4') WAGNER - Flying Dutchman Overture (3') WAGNER - Meistersinger, Prelude Act I (5') GLINKA - Ruslan & Ludmilla Overture (5') SIBELIUS - Finlandia (7') BEETHOVEN - Egmont Overture (ending only) (1') Total Concert Length including poems and music is approximately one hour.
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