Tune Req: Kipling's 'Lukannon'

04 Dec 01 - 06:50 PM (#603739)
Subject: Kipling's 'Lukannon'
From: katlaughing

Anyone know if there's ever been a tune for this? Thanks, kat

Kipling: Lukannon

This is the great deep-sea song that all the St. Paul seals sing when they are heading back to their beaches in the summer. It is a sort of very sad seal National Anthem.

I met my mates in the morning (and, oh, but I am old!)
Where roaring on the ledges the summer ground-swell rolled;
I heard them lift the chorus that drowned the breakers' song--
The Beaches of Lukannon--two million voices strong.

The song of pleasant stations beside the salt lagoons,
The song of blowing squadrons that shuffled down the dunes,
The song of midnight dances that churned the sea to flame--
The Beaches of Lukannon--before the sealers came!

I met my mates in the morning (I'll never meet them more!);
They came and went in legions that darkened all the shore.
And o'er the foam-flecked offing as far as voice could reach
We hailed the landing-parties and we sang them up the beach.

The Beaches of Lukannon--the winter wheat so tall--
The dripping, crinkled lichens, and the sea-fog drenching all!
The platforms of our playground, all shining smooth and worn!
The Beaches of Lukannon--the home where we were born!

I met my mates in the morning, a broken, scattered band.
Men shoot us in the water and club us on the land;
Men drive us to the Salt House like silly sheep and tame,
And still we sing Lukannon--before the sealers came.

Wheel down, wheel down to southward; oh, Gooverooska, go!
And tell the Deep-Sea Viceroys the story of our woe;
Ere, empty as the shark's egg the tempest flings ashore,
The Beaches of Lukannon shall know their sons no more!

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04 Dec 01 - 07:49 PM (#603803)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Kipling's 'Lukannon'
From: Amos

I don't think we would be able to understand Seal Notation, kat ... the intervals don't reproduce well on Western instruments.

A

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04 Dec 01 - 07:57 PM (#603808)
Subject: Tunes for Kipling Poems
From: Joe Offer

Hi, Kat - this site (click) tries to list all the musical settings available for Kipling's poetry. Apparently, the definitive tune for this was published by Percy Grainger in 1898. This page (click) also has pertinent information. There should be an MP3 here: http://www.spod-central.org/~psmith/mp3list.txt - but I don't know how to access it.
That's a start - now, where to find it. I dunno.
-Joe Offer-

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04 Dec 01 - 08:10 PM (#603820)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Kipling's 'Lukannon'
From: Amos

Aw, Joe -- whoda thunk it?? I am abashed!

A

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04 Dec 01 - 08:33 PM (#603831)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Kipling's 'Lukannon'
From: GUEST,[e-mail]

I think Will Pint either put a tune to it or does someone else's...That is a cool site...reminds me I have to respond to him..I put Helen all Alone to music and keep thinking I will do Gift of the Sea. I also sing Gesthemane to Auld Lang Syne. It is a very sad song. mg

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05 Dec 01 - 12:05 AM (#604006)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Kipling's 'Lukannon'
From: katlaughing

Thanks, Joe and Mary. Joe, I couldn't get your second link to work. Also, I tried to find out how to get the mp3, but that guy is kind of odd, couldn't trace it back at his site.

Amos, ever heard of the Trans-Species Translation Specialists (TSTS?) No problem, darlin'.:-)

kat

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05 Dec 01 - 03:33 AM (#604071)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Kipling's 'Lukannon'
From: Steve Parkes

It would be very nice if there was a source of midis (or other format) of tunes that have been set to RK's poems. I've got all the words (paid for 'em too!), but I can't remember the tunes to the ones I've heard.

Steve

P.S. Barrie Roberts used to sing "Wetting of the jacket" to "Drover's dream", more or less.

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