#cold genius

[countesspetofi]

Klaus Nomi_The Cold Song (live)

We had the first snow of the year this morning which means it’s time for the song.

[anicecirclewithinacircle]

[odense]

ROOMIE. FOR POSTERITY. I KNEW IT WAS BAROQUE. 

[gosherlocked]

Sherlock, Appledore, and The Cold Song

A good friend of mine who knows her Purcell really well recognised the similarity between "What Power Art Thou", the song of the Cold Genius from "King Arthur", and the Appledore theme from HLV by David Arnold and Michael Price.

It is interesting to read the lyrics to this opera as they can be applied in several ways to "Sherlock". Here is a link to the song with lyrics.

And the whole libretto is here: (x)

The most beautiful thing about this part of the opera is that the Cold Genius learns to understand the power of love. The coldness is thawing, people who had been freezing get warm and then there are the words of the chorus:

"Tis Love, 'tis Love, 'tis Love that has warm'd us." 

The music is harder and faster than Purcell's piece - after all this is the house of a 21st century media tycoon - but the similarity is obvious. 

The text may be seen as an allusion to Sherlock who in series 3 is waking up from his self-imposed emotional detachment. The piece is called "Appledore" because it is the place where coldness reigns (in the person of Magnussen) and where in the end Sherlock has to choose between heart and mind. He overcomes Magnussen's cruelty and callousness to save Mary and thereby John and his child, albeit at a high cost to himself. 

Magnussen himself, however, remains frozen, he never thaws and then Sherlock's bullet kills him. Sherlock, however, has learned to allow the warmth of love and friendship even if the ending of HLV shows him sad and on is own once again. But there is hope. 

To say it again with the lyrics of the opera: 

"Love was made for a blessing And not for a pain."

[dagwolf]

Nanette Scriba “The Cold Song” Ich Bin Dran (1989)

[bathosmtn]

[hannibalsmusic]

Visit Original Link

Purcell, "What power art thou..." (King Arthur)

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants

Cold Genius What power art thou, who from below Hast made me rise unwillingly and slow From beds of everlasting snow? See'st thou not how stiff and wondrous old Far unfit to bear the bitter cold, I can scarcely move or draw my breath? Let me, let me freeze again to death

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Hannibal's music : show only | extrapolated

[ke7in12]

Another performance of the Cold Song, in Falsetto ala Nomi