User talk:QwertyAZ

I just wanted to welcome you to Wikipedia, and thank you for your well thought out contributions to the Big Five (orchestras) article today. I created that article back in March, but didn't have much to say about it, other than what I could google. Your contributions make it much better. We're glad to have you here, and if you have any questions about how to do things here, I am at your service. --Arcadian 7 July 2005 01:35 (UTC)

I'm still getting the hang of editing. My apologies for not consistently marking minor edits as minor. --QwertyAZ 23 July 2005

Anacreon and the "Banner"
I'm looking at The Flag, the Poet & the Song: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner, by Irvin Molotsky, 2001. He refers to it as a popular drinking song, and the lyrics and context reinforce that assertion... especially the sheet music on page 96, which is headed, "The Anacreontic Song, as sung at the Crown and (something I can't read) Tavern." If that ain't a drinking song, I don't know what is. Wahkeenah 22:49, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

The lyrics and the fact it was sung in a tavern are very suggestive of it being a drinking song, and there may have been some drinking going on. But the purpose of the song was not drinking. It was written as the official song of the "Anacreontic Society" of London. The group's primary purpose was giving music presentations (they invited such luminaries as Haydn to present for them). They met in a tavern because the space was large enough. The Society named themselves after the Greek poet Anacreon (Sixth Century B.C.), who entertained guests with lyrics celebrating, among other things, the drinking of wine. The tune was popularized, both in England and the United States with a variety of different lyrics beyond the Society's original ones. A librarian at the Library of Congress, Loras John Schissel, has done considerable research on the "Banner" and written extensive program notes for a variety of concerts he has conducted around the country. There's a lot of good information to expand the article with, along with sources, including Schissel's research itself. I am working toward this, but thought I'd start by ditching the old-saw about it being a drinking song. QwertyAZ, 29 July 2005

Well, from what you're telling me, it was a drinking song. Wahkeenah 23:29, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

In any case, armed with some new facts, you'll probably want to start with the page To Anacreon in Heaven, which also says it was a drinking song. Then watch the "edit wars" begin. >:) Not with me, though, since it's not a hot-button issue. 0:) Wahkeenah 23:36, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

Also, I would think the average citizen would have to get pretty well sloshed in order to hit the high notes in that wretched tune. Wahkeenah 23:38, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

FYI, I can sing it, in fact I know all 4 verses (my favorite is the one about "foul footsteps pollution") but I have to downshift an octave in the middle of it. Wahkeenah 23:45, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

We will see, indeed. I smiled at the discussion page about verses 2-4. Actually, there are discussions in musical and presenting organzations about whether to include these or not. I've been in on such discussions, and people do say "oh, this verse is too violent, let's not do it." QwertyAZ   29 July 2005

When I hear stuff like that, I'm reminded of the continual denial this country is in about its ever-present willingness to exert violence "when our cause it is just". Someone once said that the Federation is what we like to think we are, and the Klingons are what we really are. Wahkeenah 00:19, 30 July 2005 (UTC)

How to say it?
Is it a-na-CRE-on, or a-NA-cre-on, or what? Wahkeenah 03:48, 1 August 2005 (UTC)

ArbCom elections are now open!
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 13:05, 23 November 2015 (UTC)

ArbCom elections are now open!
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 13:32, 23 November 2015 (UTC)