Just wanted to stop in again, and say hi.   Before going to play practice, yet again. We've been having a lot of late nights, and tonight we are running through the whole show. And tomorrow we'll be painting--directing painting set again.

            I've spent over a month learning a song called the misty rain, or evening, on the koto. The Japanese name is  Ko, Ame, No, Yoru.  

 It sounds so beautiful, and I've really enjoyed playing it. It's a little melancholy. Maybe I'll record it sometime.

        So to change it up a bit. My teacher gave me a new song. Though I sort of just came to me. A few weeks ago, my mom found a video on youtube called the last rose of summer, on Koto. She liked it, and showed it to me. And I showed it to my teacher. Who said, that it was funny because she learned to play that song, from the video, because a lady asked her to play it, for next year for her wedding.

            And my teacher wanted to know if I wanted to learn it too. 

             So that's what I'm learning now.

            That song. And I looked up the lyrics, and think they are beautiful. 

            It's a bit sad, sounding. But it's the kind of sad, that is beautiful. 

            Have a wonderful day. 

            Steph

             

 

The Last Rose of Summer

Thomas Moore

1779 –

1852

‘Tis the last rose of Summer,
   Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
   Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
   No rose-bud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes
   Or give sigh for sigh!

I’ll not leave thee, thou lone one,
   To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
   Go sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter
   Thy leaves o’er the bed
Where thy mates of the garden
   Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow,
   When friendships decay,
And from Love’s shining circle
   The gems drop away!
When true hearts lie withered,
   And fond ones are flown,
Oh! who would inhabit
   This bleak world alone?