Dublin today

I'm heading to Dublin for the weekend right after class today. Going to go see the sights and some good friends who are studying abroad in Notre Dame's Dublin program. Should be wonderful.

Incidentally, since Fall Break I rotated into a new and different Arts class. 'Intro to London Theatre' was replaced by 'English Composers'. The first class last week was wonderful; we listened to some Gregorian Chant/Jazz by Jan Garbarek, 'Spem in Alium' by Thomas Tallis, and the Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar. My favorite piece was 'Spem In Alium', but I enjoyed all the pieces enough to borrow the CDs from the professors and put them all on my iPod.

Tallis' 'Spem in Alium' is a 40-voice polyphonic piece from the 1500s, and it is haunting and amazing. After this weekend I'll find a clip to post and share.

Rome Pictures

I've posted pictures from most of Rome, including the Vatican museum but not including St. Peter's Basilica or the Square.

Pictures from Parc Guell and Sagrada Familia

UPDATE: Sagrada Familia is a cathedral in progress, also by Gaudi. My pictures are here, and embedded.




Parc Guell is an interesting park-on-a-hill in Barcelona by Gaudi. It has lots of organic-looking columns and structures.

Anyway, the album is here, and also embedded below.