Folklore: An Almanach of Seasonal Glories

Subject: RE: Folklore: An Almanach of Seasonal Glories
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 05:40 AM

Best make that 1974; Hero and Heroine being released that April. I was still only twelve though...

Subject: Folklore: An Almanach of Seasonal Glories
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 05:34 AM

Sitting at my workstation on this benignly mild first day of October, my ears pricked up to hear the sound of geese in flight. Looking up, I see about thirty of them, flying eastwards in formation into the sun. Dear God, what a sight, especially for one such as I, for whom October is as much cherished for such glories as it is cursed for the early dark! So I thought a wee thread might be in order, to gather a few chestnuts by way images, curiosities, recipes, folklore, poetry, songs, and such like.

To kick off, here's a high quality image of the appropriate page from the Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry: October - worth a moment or two to ponder...

And here's the Strawbs at their derivative finest with their decidedly King Crimsonesque Autumn triptych from Hero and Heroine, which I bought on the day of its release back in 1973 when I was twelve. Oh the relief that the horrors of Part of the Union were well and truly behind them - though the white suits didn't bode well. Is this good music? I honestly don't know, as with other music that endures from my childhood (Gong, Soft Machine, Yes, Third Ear Band etc.) the associations are too rich for me to tell. Still feels right though - and I always was a sucker for a nice mellotron.