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The painting selected for this graphic, Bertalda Assailed by Spirits, c. 1830, was executed by Theodor von Holst, grand-uncle to famed 20th century Planets composer Gustav Holst! Learn more about this artistic family here on Unraveling Musical Myths: DRAWING INSPIRATION: MUSIC, ART & POETRYAs many a reader may have observed, I have been noticeably absent from this blog, posting only at sparse intervals. I have been, during this lengthy stretch, focusing my efforts on a separate project that has proven to be an exciting, yet altogether a mammoth undertaking.
Unraveling Musical Myths will return with regularly scheduled postings at an as-yet undetermined date. I thank the reader as always, for your continued support.
As a token of gratitude, I will be taking a brief break from my project to
curate another
Hell-o-we'en soundtrack - which has proven to be
a viewer-favorite series on this site - which I aim to have up by
mid-October.
In the interim, enjoy below a personal seasonal favorite film of mine, Krzysztof Penderecki's Die Teufel von Loudun (The Devils of Loudun), an allegorical take on the infamous "mass-demonic possession" that took over a group of Ursuline nuns in the convent of Loudun, France in the early 17th century. The bizarre occurrence captured the interest of 20th century English writer Aldous Huxley who penned a non-fictional account of the affair in 1952 which was later dramatized by the English dramatist John Whiting (as "The Devils") in 1961. Whiting's stage play was also adapted into a feature film by the notoriously flamboyant British film director Ken Russell in 1971 under the same title.
Penderecki's treatment of the Loudun Possessions has been noted by scholars as having an underlying allegorical component, cleverly combining the known, recorded details of the so-called Affaire des possédées de Loudun with an unspoken commentary on the dichotomy between central and local political power, chiefly the many improprieties committed by totalitarian states in the mid 20th century.
The 1969 film adaptation of Penderecki's opera, directed by Rolf Liebermann,
is as chilling as it is eccentric, and the late composer doesn't disappoint: true to form, Krzysztof's soundtrack in and of itself paints a tale of
schizophrenic-like paranoia and horror, of the erotic and sublime, of
betrayal and intimidation, and ultimately, of the steely and unforgiving grip of
unchecked power.
(NSFW: adult themes)
Huxley's work of the same title can be read online at no cost to the viewer on archive.org, or by scrolling though the pages below:
-Rose.
