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You are where I find calm.
The myst’ry “you” that is my rest. The undisclosed “you” of this psalm. Kisses under the palm. Lover’s steps coming from the west. You are where I find calm. Not compared to napalm, Sweetly we sleep, snug in your nest. The undisclosed “you” of this psalm. I praise You without qualm. Worshiping You pours out my best. You are where I find calm. Your presence is my balm. Singing songs, peace is also zest. You are where I find calm. The undisclosed “you” of this psalm.
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If it is true that most piano music in the 1800s was written for girls and women and one takes the view that the lyrics of the song “Du bist die Ruh” request a visit from an illicit lover, then that gives a different feeling to this popular Lied (classical music song in German) by Franz Schubert and Friedrich Rückert.
Was this poem that Schubert turned into a song written so young women could sexually fantasize or give coded messages to secret lovers? To wholeheartedly embrace that theory seems sensationalist, even as it feels perfectly in tune with human nature. I wonder what parental conversations were about this song. What was wondered, but never recorded? I can imagine one parent saying, “Don’t let our daughter learn that risque song! It will give her ideas about how to sneak around with boys. It could ruin her life!” And the other responding, “It’s fine! Everyone is singing it. You’re reading too much into it. It’s just music.” In modern times, “Duh bist die Ruh” is taught to student singers. Singers of classical music quickly get used to learning standard repertoire with lyrics that do not represent their own attitudes. They even devote themselves to learning songs that express ideas precisely opposite of their values. “Du bist die Ruh” is often interpreted as a beautiful love song. It can also be considered a spiritual song where the object of the singer’s devotion is God. But if it is true that this song speaks of afternoon trysts and booty calls, that is an uncomfortable thought. Imagine teaching this song, and this particular interpretation, to a high school or college student! Considering that some parents think that classical music is “safe” for their young adults, this particular interpretation may be jarring or offensive. Then again, it doesn’t take much looking into classical music to find all sorts of objectionable ideas set to song. From a different perspective, perhaps this interpretation makes the song more interesting to sing and more relatable to today’s mores. Maybe this is a reminder that humans are the same throughout history. The specifics may change, but the core motivations and concerns are constant. Franz Schubert wrote the music for the song “Du bist die Ruh.” Schubert wrote many songs and other compositions before he died at age 31. His lieder* (classical music songs, also called art songs, in German) are popular among classical music singers and listeners.
Schubert was a musical prodigy who sang and played multiple instruments. Although he studied music for several years as a child, he eventually became an academic teacher at his father’s school. While teaching, he continued to compose. After four years, Schubert quit teaching to pursue a career in music. He had some successes, but many setbacks. Despite his many compositions, he did not make much money. Eventually, in 1821, Schubert began selling his songs as a subscription service. Remember, this was the era when many middle-class households had pianos and well-educated young women were expected to play the piano. It was during this period that Schubert set Friedrich Rückert’s poem to music and titled the piece “Du bist die Ruh.” This subscription service did not meet Schubert’s financial needs. He tried to land music jobs, but couldn’t get hired. He did some academic teaching to try to get by. During this time, he contracted a chronic illness. Through it all, he continued to compose. In the last year of his life, Schubert experienced some musical success. Unfortunately, the illness progressed and he died in 1828. Now, almost two centuries after his death, Franz Schubert's Lieder, including “Du bist die Ruh '' are often sung by students and professional musicians. *Also written as “Lieder” Sources “Du bist die Ruh” on Oxford Song; Accessed 2023, September 8. “Female education, reading and Jane Austen” by Kathryn Sutherland on British Library; Accessed 2023, September 8. “Franz Schubert” on Biography; Accessed 2023, September 8. “Franz Schubert” on Wikipedia; Accessed 2023, September 8. “Gender-based social conventions influenced development of musical instruments” by Kilden on Psys.org; Accessed 2023, September 8. Friedrich Rückert (Ruckert) wrote many poems in many styles. Some of these poems were set to music by other people, including Franz Schubert.
Rückert wrote a poem that was either untitled or called “Kehr’ ein bei mir!” The free internet is unclear on this point. What is clear is that Franz Schubert used the text of the poem and titled his song “Du bist die Ruh,” the first line of the poem. Rückert was more than a prolific poet. He was university educated and taught himself Middle-Eastern and Asian languages. It is said that he knew 30 languages and worked as a translator. He was a professor of “Oriental” languages before resigning to devote himself to writing. Many of Rückert’s poems were inspired by current events. In the early 1800s, Germany was defending itself against Napoleon’s attempts to add the country to his empire. Rückert wrote poetry that expressed how the German people felt about these events. At other times in his life, Rückert wrote romantic poetry about his wife and laments when his children died. Among the hundreds of poems Rückert wrote, the one that became the song “Du bist die Ruh” is part of the Oestliche Rosen volume. “Du bist die Ruh” is among the many Rückert poems turned into songs that student and advanced singers might learn. Oh, and there appears to be a 20th-century field hockey player of the same name. I wonder who else had this name but didn’t make it into published history? Sources “Du bist die Ruh” by Richard on Figures of Speech; Access 2023, September 8. “Friedrich Rückert” on Britannica; Accessed 2023, September 8. “Friedrich Rückert” by Richard on Figures of Speech; Accessed 2023, September 8. “Friedrich Rückert” on Mahler Foundation; Accessed 2023, September 8. “Friedrich Rückert” on Wikipedia; Accessed 2023, September 8. 1. “Du bist die Ruh” is a German art song.
In the U.S., a song in the broad category of classical music is called an art song. If the song is in the German language, it might be called a “lieder,” which is German for “songs.” More properly, a single song would be a “lied.” 2. The lyrics of “Du bist die Ruh” are a poem. In other words, Friedrich Rückert wrote a poem. Later, Franz Schubert wrote music for the poem. This is different from when one person writes words intending them to be the lyrics of a song and someone else writes music for those lyrics. 3. “Du bist die Ruh” was first published in 1826. It is believed it was composed three years earlier in 1823. On the free internet, I was unable to find out why there was a delay in publication. Perhaps it was as mundane as that there was no reason for Schubert to publish it immediately. 4. “Du bist die Ruh” is a standard for student and professional singers. There are some songs, like this one, that a singer learns as a student, but continues to work on +throughout their life. Songs like this are simple enough to use as a learning piece, but also complex enough to challenge the most accomplished musician. 5. “Du bist die Ruh” has been arranged for male and female voices. You can hear basses, tenors, altos, and sopranos sing this song. 6. There is no clear object of the song’s text. For some songs, the lyrics make it clear that the text is addressed to a romantic interest or some other obvious recipient. In others, the history of the composer suggests who the lyrics are intended to address. In “Du bist die Ruh,” there is no such clarity. Some interpreters think the poem is erotic, but in the oblique way that would have been accepted by polite society in the 1800s. Labor Day starts the season.
Why? I see no reason. Workers died. Death tolls rose. The cheap pants on sale you chose. In my experience, Labor Day, called International Workers’ Day in some countries, is celebrated differently in the U.S. than I’ve read it is celebrated in other countries.
U.S.
There may be parades, speeches, and demonstrations in some places, but that hasn’t been something I’ve seen. Other Countries
The common theme for the holiday is a day with a big meal for family and friends. This meal is often cooked outside (AKA a BBQ). So, whether you see Labor Day as a time to be thankful for the sacrifices and work people made so that you don’t have to work 14-hour days, 7-days a week as a 12-year-old* or you see it as a long weekend break, food shared with others is an important part of the holiday. *There are plenty of countries where children still work. Bolivia is one infamous example. In the U.S. there are professions, such as healthcare, that require 12-hour shifts or longer and expect the workers to feel pride in the fact that they work so long. In general, working conditions in the U.S. in 2023 are better than they were in the late 1800s, but there is still a lot that needs to improve. Matthew Maguire is one of the two men who may be responsible for initiating the first Labor Day in the United States. Matthew Maguire was a machinist known for his socialist views. He led strikes to protest the inhumanely long working hours that were commonly imposed on skilled laborers. He was one of the organizers of the Central Labor Union of New York and was its secretary at the time of the first Labor Day celebration. Many free internet sites say that Matthew Maguire sent the invitations to the first Labor Day parade. His family’s lore is that he rode in the leading carriage of the parade. Beyond that and a few more bits and bobs about Maguire’s activist and political work and suggestions of evidence that he was the initiator of the first Labor Day, the free internet is silent on the details of Matthew Maguire’s biography. Even the New Jersey Historical Society doesn’t tell about his early life or give more personal information than the other sites. I wonder if the reason there is so little about Matthew Maguire’s full life is because of his more controversial political positions? Sure, being from a working-class background, there may be little recorded history about him, but even Peter McGuire, who appears to be from a similar background, has a slightly more extensive biography freely available. I wonder what the difference is with Matthew Maguire?
Peter McGuire is one of the two men who may be responsible for initiating the first Labor Day in the United States.
Peter McGuire was of Irish heritage. He was a union leader and a founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. He was also part of what would become the American Federation of Labor. These groups, reportedly led by Peter J. McGuire, were influential in strikes and other work that eventually led to the establishment of an 8-hour work day. It is thought that without his work, a national workers-rights organization would not have existed and survived in the U.S. Before all this, at age 11, McGuire left school to work to help support his family. At some point in his teenage years, he attended night classes at Cooper Union. Cooper Union was known to be where workers’ rights and “radical” ideas were discussed. In 1867, McGuire was apprenticed at a piano shop. He became part of the group that fought against wages being cut at the shop. His efforts for better working conditions eventually caused him to have to leave that job. He kept working for better pay and conditions for laborers. Throughout his life, McGuire was part of labor unions, strikes, and other work to improve working conditions. He is remembered for initiating many of the protests and other events. Some say that 15 years after beginning work at the piano shop, Peter McGuire suggested a Labor Day parade and celebration to showcase the strength and camaraderie of laborers. Conflict was part of McGuire’s life and is now part of his legacy: he may be the originator of Labor Day, but that is not a universally-accepted fact. 1. Labor Day in the U.S. is the first Monday in September.
Labor Day may have started in the United States, but it is celebrated in many other countries. The first Monday in September is when the U.S. and Canada celebrate Labor Day. Other countries celebrate it on May 1 and may call it International Workers’ Day. 2. Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894. Several states celebrated Labor Day, including adding the holiday officially, for years before it became a national holiday. Laborers in New York created the first Labor Day celebration in 1882. That’s 12 years before it became a federal holiday. 3. We don’t know who first proposed Labor Day as a holiday. It could be Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. It could also be Matthew Maguire, a machinist. 4. Labor Day honors manual laborers and people who died. Labor Day was started to honor those who worked in occupations that today might be labeled “trades,” like seamstresses, carpenters, and jewelers. In the 1800s in the United States, these workers were abused by their employers. Children often worked in dangerous conditions for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. People dying in workplace accidents was considered the cost of doing business. These workers, in organized groups, began to object to the inhumane conditions. Their employers objected to them objecting. People had to choose between keeping their jobs and hampering the protests or leaving their families without a way to buy food. People were killed because of the protests. After many years and many deaths, things improved a bit. These protesters are why a 40-hour workweek and weekends off are considered normal. Many of the protections and benefits workers have today are because of the work of the 19th-century labor protesters. Some things they achieved. Other things were possible later because of their success. 5. Labor Day means parades? Most of the free internet sites I looked at like these from DOL, History, and NPR say that parades were integral to the first Labor Day celebrations and continue to be part of the day’s events. This was news to me. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of a Labor Day parade or other formal celebration. 6. Labor Day marks a cultural season change. In the United States, many people consider Labor Day the event that changes the seasons from summer to autumn. This has little to do with the weather or meteorological events like the autumnal equinox (which comes near the end of September). The connection comes from the historical practice of schools being closed during the summer and starting their regular school year in September. Of course, nowadays, many schools start in early August, but the tradition of the start of September marking the end of summer persists. You composed much and taught many.
Yet, in books, you were forgotten. You persevered and played for pennies. Now, in concerts, your work is brought in. When researching for this week’s theme, I discovered that there is little unique about Florence Price on the free internet. On the one hand, it made it easy to confirm that multiple sources say the same thing. On the other hand, it made it hard to discover anything new.
Do your own research. Maybe things will catch your attention that were less interesting to me. These sites focus on Florence Price. Florence Price.com: This website, devoted to composer Price, appears to be from pianist Karen Walwyn. IMSLP List of Works by Florence Price: This list of works is divided by type of composition. International Florence Price Festival: This website gives a short biography of Price, as well as a list of works, and information about the festival. These sites have a page dedicated to Florence Price. Afrocentric Voices in “Classical” Music, “Florence Price Biography”: This longer post about Price ends with links to to learn more about the composer and includes a bibliography. BBC, “Florence Price”: This article tells how musicologist Samantha Ege is reconstructing lost piano compositions from Price. ClassicFM, “The Inspirational Life of Florence Composer Price”: This post looks at why Price’s story matters in the mid-21st century. It also has links to suggested listening for select works by Price. There are other websites that talk about Florence Price, but this short list should get you started. You can also check the links in my post about Price’s piano teaching compositions. Florence Price taught piano for most of her adult life. Because she was a composer, it’s no surprise that she wrote music for beginning piano players. Reportedly, there are two volumes of beginner piano music. The pieces range in difficulty from beginner to more advanced beginner. Some pieces are only a few measures long. Many give limited musical directions, allowing the teacher to customize them for each student’s needs. Most are complete musical compositions that don’t sound like a learning exercise. If this is true, why are so many beginner piano books filled with boring, barely-musical exercises? I’m not a pianist, but the description of these volumes makes me want to own them. According to musicologist Samantha Ege, there are many works by Price that are yet to be published. I wonder what teaching pieces are hidden in these archives? Based on the description of the music in the Beginning Pieces volumes, maybe one day a piano studio will give a recital where each student plays a Florence Price composition. I think I’d like to hear that. Sources “Florence Price Biography” by Randye Jones on Afrocentric Voices in “Classical” Music. Accessed 2023, August 31. “Florence Price: Composer, Teacher…” by Elizabeth Busch on The Catoctin School of Music. Accessed 2023, August 31. “Florence Price: Forgotten Work…” by Mark Savage on BBC.com (2021, March 8). Accessed 2023, August 31. “Florence Price’s Piano Teaching Music” by Dr. Lillie Gardner on Music by Women (Winter 2022). Accessed 2023, August 31. “Florence Price, Teacher,” by Michael Cooper on Linkedin (2020, August 17). Accessed 2023, August 31.
Florence Price, a composer from the U.S., wrote over 300 musical works. This is impressive on its own, but when you consider that symphonies, concertos, and the like require writing many parts and ensuring they all work together, it’s like she wrote thousands of pieces. Even a simple solo with piano accompaniment means writing three parts that fit together and suit each instrument.
In her compositions, Price used western classical and popular styles combined with themes from African traditions like syncopation, spirituals, jazz, and blues. Here are four examples. At the Cotton Gin The title of this piano composition shows how southern U.S. culture influenced Price’s compositions. My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord This is a full orchestral setting with a solo singer in the convention of western classical music and was inspired by a spiritual. Songs to a/the* Dark Virgin This art song for voice and piano is part of four poems by Langston Hughes that Price set to music. *I've seen the title with “a” and “the.” The Wind and the Sea This song for full choir, piano, and string quartet sets to music the text of Paul L. Dunbar’s poem. If you get a chance to hear a work by Florence Price, take the opportunity! You might discover a new favorite. Florence Price was a classical composer in the early to mid 1900s.
1. Her birth name was Florence Beatrice Smith. Women get their names changed in many cultures. This makes it harder to trace their genealogy if sufficiently-detailed documents aren’t kept. This observation has little to do with Florence Price, but can be an inescapable fact of researching the history of a specific woman. 2. She played her first piano recital at age 4 and published her first composition at age 11. Some people find child proteges inspiring. I don’t begrudge them their talent or commitment, but their stories seem far removed from the average experience. I also wonder what these children give up in exchange for their young accomplishments. 3. She composed and played piano and organ. That’s a busy woman! Composing requires practice as much as playing the piano and organ do. Composing might even be harder because it is creating something new where playing is usually interpreting what someone else has created. 4. In 1933, history was made when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra played Price’s Symphony No. 1 in E minor. This is a significant recognition for any composer. For Price, her race and gender combined with the time period makes this an even greater honor. Unfortunately, this event did little for her enduring success or to create acceptance for other American composers of African heritage. 5. Price taught piano for 41 years. She also worked at the Cotton Plant Academy and was the head of the music department at Atlanta University. 6. Florence Price hasn’t been included in music education about classical composers. I was taught classical music from the ages of 7 - 21, including earning a B. A. in Music. As an adult, I continue formal and informal classical music education. Before writing this post, if you had asked me to pick out the composers from a list of female names, Florence Price isn’t a name I would have recognized. I hope that with the changes in the U.S. over the past decades, Florence Price and other hidden talents will be included as a matter of course in any classical music education. A black squirrel is an odd site,
Reputed to gleefully bite. Put to the vote by the board, The council’s of one accord: Furry mascots bring tourists. That’s right. Black squirrels (melanized gray squirrels) are rare enough that when a town has a population, the black squirrel may end up as a mascot or the theme of a festival.
Here are some of the places that celebrate black squirrels.
There are other places around the U.S. that use the black squirrel as an official or unofficial mascot. Where there’s a mascot, there might be a festival. Visiting these odd festivals could be an interesting way to see parts of the U.S. that don’t make it onto most road trip itineraries. Having learned that black squirrels are a melanized morph of gray squirrels, I remembered that reptiles and amphibians have extensive color variations - to the point that individuals from the same species may appear to be from a different species. That got me to wondering what other animals, besides squirrels, have black morphs (melanized individuals). What I learned is that melanized animals might not be entirely black. They may still have green, gray, or other colors, but overall they are darker than the non-melanized morphs. Here are a few melanized animals I found interesting. Barn owls in Britain have a black (melanized) morph. Black pheasants can have shimmery green, blue, and purple feathers, as well as the expected red faces and black and brown-striped tail feathers of non-melanized pheasants. Panthers are melanized leopards or jaguars. Leopards and jaguars are different species, but the black morphs of each species are commonly called a “panther.” Peppered moths formed a black morph in sooty industrialized areas in Britain. This is thought to be because the darker color is better camouflage. Poison dart frogs can be black instead of the more common bright warning colors. Silver foxes are melanized red foxes. This one is interesting because this melanized form features white or grey markings, leading to a silvery appearance.
A general internet search suggests a predominant theory that black squirrels, typically a melanized morph of gray squirrels, are darker because it helps the squirrel to retain heat.
A general internet search also suggests a predominant theory that humans have darker skin because it protects them from damage from sunlight. Some sites suggest that darker human skin absorbs heat more easily than lighter skin. It appears established that black squirrels tended to originate in more northern climates while people with darker skin tended to originate in warmer climates. Why is it believed that darker fur retains heat but darker skin protects from sun damage? Why did squirrel genetics change to promote heat-retention in the colder climates, but human genetics changed in a way that may promote heat retention in the hotter climates? The free internet is quiet on the most intriguing questions and I’m not important enough to start cold emailing researchers.  1. Black squirrels are also called melanized squirrels.
Black squirrels in North America are usually a dark morph of the Eastern grey squirrel or the fox squirrel. “Morph” is a way of saying “color variation” when talking about animals. 2. Most melanized gray squirrels are found in Ontario, Canada. Melanized squirrels can be found in many parts of North America, but the largest populations are found in Ontario, Canada followed by Ohio, USA. 3. Scientists estimate that 1 in every 10,000 squirrels are black morphs. I would like to know who counted enough squirrels in enough locations for people to create this theory. 4. Black squirrels might stay warmer than gray squirrels. Scientists theorize that squirrels with black fur retain heat better than the lighter individuals. I didn’t see this claim on many sites. I would love to hear the opinion of a squirrel scientist or a scientist that specializes in mammalian body heat. 5. Black squirrels have a reputation of aggression. Plenty of sites claim that black squirrels are aggressive, but others say this reputation is undeserved. Until I can ask a squirrel scientist, it seems best to conclude that the answer is unknown. I do want to know how one determines the aggression of a squirrel. I wouldn’t want to antagonize one. Those things are fast! 6. Black squirrels are omnivores, sort of. Squirrels mostly eat seeds, fungi, berries, nuts, and other plant matter, but they have been known to eat insects, eggs, and smaller mammals. In short, squirrels, including black squirrels, are scavengers who will eat all kinds of things, even if it’s not good for them.  Wall used, lines standing
Hopes declared to all Enticements calling Bright hues, word spacing Skilled artists paint tall Tall scaffolds yawing Strong winds, rain falling Years to the days call Deep desires changing Once new, now chafing Signs resting in fall Histories fading |
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Jill Hames is a writer, musician, biblical studies teacher, and ESL tutor who finds life too interesting to pick a niche. She has a B.A. in Music and Spanish, a Masters in Library and Information Science, is TEFL.org 168-hour certified to teach English as a second language, and is working towards a Master of Divinity. Jill is a member of Delta Omicron and the International Women's Writing Guild.
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Copyright 2025
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Copyright 2025