We’re joined in the studio by TLS editors for arts, features and fiction, respectively, Lucy Dallas, Roz Dineen and Toby Lichtig, to pick through a selection of TLS writers’ summer reading choices – from reworked Classical myths to Deadpool comics – before offering a taste of our own, including books by Sally Rooney, Bruno Latour and an account of witchcraft and agrarian cults in early modern Italy. Go to the-TLS.co.uk to read our summer books feature in full.
Welcoming the gPhoto Project to the PIXLS.US community!
Helping the community one project at a time
A major goal of the PIXLS.US effort is to do whatever we can do to help developers of projects unburden themselves from administrating their project. We do this, in part, by providing forum hosting, participating in support, providing web design, and doing community outreach. With that in mind, we are excited to welcome the gPhoto Projects to our discuss forum!
The Entangle interface, which makes use of libgphoto.
You may not have heard of gPhoto, but there is a high chance that you’ve used the project’s software. At the heart of the project is libgphoto2, a portable library that gives application access to hundreds of digital cameras. On top of the foundational library is gphoto2, a command line interface to your camera that supports almost everything that the library can do. The library is used in a bunch of awesome photography applications, such as digiKam, darktable, entangle, and GIMP. There is even a FUSE module, so you can mount your camera storage as a normal filesystem.
gPhoto was recruited to the PIXLS.US community when @darix was sitting next to gPhoto developer Marcus. Marcus was using darix’s Fuji camera to test integration into libgphoto, then the magic happened! Not only will some Fuji models be supported, but our community is growing larger. This is also a reminder that one person can make a huge difference. Thanks darix!
Welcome, gPhoto, and thank you for the years and years of development!
Geisha are Japanese women who entertain through performing the ancient traditions of art, dance and singing, and are distinctively characterized by their wearing of kimono and oshiroi makeup. Geisha begin their study of music and dance when they are very young and continue it throughout their lives. The dance of the geisha has evolved from the dance performed on the noh and kabuki stages. The "wild and outrageous" dances transformed into a more subtle, stylized, and controlled form of dance. It is extremely disciplined, similar to t'ai chi. Every dance uses gestures to tell a story and only a connoisseur can understand the subdued symbolism.
The dances are accompanied by traditional Japanese music. The primary instrument is the shamisen. This shamisen, originating in Okinawa, is a banjo-like three-stringed instrument that is played with a plectrum. It has a very distinct, melancholy sound that is often accompanied by flute. All geisha must learn shamisen-playing, though it takes years to master. Along with the shamisen and the flute, geisha also learned to play a ko-tsuzumi, a small, hourglass-shaped shoulder drum, and a large floor taiko (drum). Some geisha would not only dance and play music, but would write beautiful, melancholy poems. Others painted pictures or composed music.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our collection of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
The Balkans, also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographic area in southeastern Europe with various definitions and meanings, including geopolitical and historical. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the whole of Bulgaria from the Serbian-Bulgarian border to the Black Sea coast. Balkan music is a type of music found in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. The music is characterised by complex rhythm. The term "the Balkans" is used more generally for the region; it includes states in the region, which may extend beyond the peninsula, and is not defined by the geography of the peninsula itself. The Balkans are usually said to comprise Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Greece, and Slovenia.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our collection of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
This year marks half a century since the establishment of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction. The TLS’s Fiction editor Toby Lichtig joins us to debate the point of literary prizes and discuss the most under- (or over-) rated winners; Joan C. Williams, the author of last year’s White Working Class: Overcoming class cluelessness in America, considers the political consequences of class divides in the US and Britain
Books
The White Working Class: What everyone needs to know by Justin Gest
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of more than a thousand islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians, and share many similar traits including language family, culture, and beliefs. Historically, they had a strong tradition of sailing and using stars to navigate at night.
Internationally, Polynesian music is mostly associated with twinkling guitars, grass skirts and beautiful relaxing sounds, Hawaiian hula and other tourist-friendly forms of music. While these elements are justifiably a part of Polynesian history and Polynesian culture, there is actually a wide variety of music made in the far-flung reaches of Polynesia.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our productions of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
Tim Winton discusses his new novel, The Shepherd's Hut, with the TLS's Fiction editor Toby Lichtig. Go to the-tls.co.uk to read an exclusive extract from the novel.
Critic and novelist Margaret Drabble joins us to review the life and work of Muriel Spark, whose centenary we mark this year; Samuel Graydon discusses a new exhibition on J. R. R. Tolkien, including drawings and doodles, language trees and fan mail; the TLS's History editor David Horspool introduces a selection of new work on the medieval period
Works discussed
The Centenary Edition of the Novels of Muriel Spark, edited by Alan Taylor
Tolkien: Maker of Middle-Earth, an exhibition at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, with accompanying book by Catherine McIlwaine
‘Finding Henry – Why England’s most powerful medieval monarch should be better remembered’ by Claudia Gold, in this week’s TLS
Medieval Bodies: Life, death and art in the Middle Ages by Jack Hartnell
Sea of Caliphs: The Mediterranean in the medieval Islamic world by Christophe Picard, translated by Nicholas Elliott
The Oxford English Literary History, Volume 1: 1000–1350: Conquest and Transformation by Laura Ashe
Romani music or Gipsy music is the music of the Romani people, who have their origins in northern India, but today live mostly in Europe. Historically nomadic, though now largely settled, the Romani people have long acted as entertainers and tradesmen. In many of the places Romanies live they have become known as musicians. The wide distances travelled have introduced a multitude of influences of Byzantine, Greek, Arabic, Indian, Persian, Turkish, Slavic, Romanian, German, Dutch, French, Spanish and even Jewish musical forms. It is difficult to define the parameters of a unified Romani musical style, as there are many differences in melodic, harmonic, rhythmic and formal structures from region to region. Lyrics to Romani songs are often sung in one or more dialects of the Romani language, and dance frequently accompanies Romani music performance.
The quintessentially Spanish flamenco is to a very large extent the music (and dance, or indeed the culture) of the Romani people of Andalusia. Apart from Romani music for local use, in Eastern Europe a separate Romani music originated for entertainment at parties and celebrations. This music drew its themes from Hungarian, Romanian, Russian and other sources. Later on it gained popularity in Western Europe, where many Romani orchestras were active, playing sophisticated melodies of East European origin. Most Romani music is based on the folk music of the countries where the Romani went through or settled. Local music is adopted and performed – usually instrumental – and, slowly, it is transformed into Romani styles, which are usually more complex than the original styles. In its turn, Romani music has greatly influenced the local music.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our collection of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
We're joined by Arkady Ostrovsky to discuss Russia’s long history of using sport as a proxy for war and invasion; E. J. Iannelli draws our attention to the rise and (perhaps...) fall of the automobile in the US, and the distinctly American phenomenon of the car as teenage male rite of passage
Books
Machines of Youth: America’s car obsession by Gary S. Cross
The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated as its history. Greek music separates into two parts: Greek traditional music and Byzantine music, with more eastern sounds. These compositions have existed for millennia: they originated in the Byzantine period and Greek antiquity; there is a continuous development which appears in the language, the rhythm, the structure and the melody. Music is a significant aspect of Hellenic culture, both within Greece and in the diaspora. Greek musical history extends far back into ancient Greece, since music was a major part of ancient Greek theater. Later influences from the Roman Empire, Eastern Europe and the Byzantine Empire changed the form and style of Greek music. Greek folk traditions are said to derive from the music played by ancient Greeks. There are said to be two musical movements in Greek folk music: Acritic songs and Klephtic songs. Akritic music comes from the 9th century akrites, or border guards of the Byzantine Empire. Following the end of the Byzantine period, klephtic music arose before the Greek Revolution, developed among the kleftes, warriors who fought against the Ottoman Empire. Klephtic music is monophonic and uses no harmonic accompaniment.
Dhimotika tragoudhia are accompanied by clarinets, guitars, tambourines and violins, and include dance music forms like syrtó, kalamatianó, tsámiko and hasaposérviko, as well as vocal music like kléftiko. Greek folk music is found all throughout Greece, Cyprus and several regions of Turkey. The island of Cyprus and several regions of Turkey are home to long-standing communities of Greeks in Turkey with their own unique styles of music. Nisiotika is a general term denoting folk songs from the Greek islands, especially the Aegean Islands. Ikariótikos is a traditional type of dance, and also the name of its accompanying type of singing, originating in the Aegean island of Ikaria. The Cretan lyra is the dominant folk instrument on the island of Creta; it is a three-stringed bowed instrument similar to the Byzantine Lyra. It is often accompanied with laouto (laoúto), which is similar to both an oud and a lute. The violin is used also in Cretan music.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our collection of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
Moldova is a country in Eastern Europe. Moldovan music is closely related to that of its neighbour Romania. Moldovan folk is known for swift, complex rhythms (a characteristic shared with many Eastern European traditions), musical improvisation, syncopation and much melodic ornamentation. Moldova's traditional folk culture is very rich. Folk traditions, including ceramics and weaving, continue to be practiced in rural areas.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our collection of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
We talk to Michael Pollan about his new book How To Change Your Mind: The new science of psychedelics, in which he explores the history and landscape of psychedelic drugs, for therapeutic and personal use.
With Stig Abell and Lucy Dallas. On the first anniversary of Grenfell Tower, Terri Apter tells us about how art can respond to tragedy; former New York prosecutor David Pitofsky assesses the judicial heft of James Comey; and hear a bit of our interview with Michael Pollan on the beneficial return of psychedelic drugs.
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a mountain range system across Central and Eastern Europe. They are the third-longest mountain range in Europe after the Ural Mountains and Scandinavian Mountains. The Carpathians consist of a chain of mountain ranges that stretch in an arc from the Czech Republic in the northwest through Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Ukraine, Serbia and Romania in the southeast. The highest range within the Carpathians is the Tatras, on the border of Slovakia and Poland. The second-highest range is the Southern Carpathians in Romania.
The largest range is the Tatras in Poland and Slovakia. A major part of the western and northeastern Outer Eastern Carpathians in Poland, Ukraine, and Slovakia is traditionally called the Eastern Beskids. Section of the Carpathians within borders of Ukraine is commonly known as the Ukrainian Carpathians. Classification of eastern sections of the Carpathians is particularly complex, since it was influenced by several overlapping traditions. Terms like Wooded Carpathians, Poloniny Mountains or Eastern Beskids are often used in varying scopes by authors belonging to different traditions.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our collection of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
Jesmyn Ward’s most recent novel Sing, Unburied Sing won the National Book Award in 2017 and was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction this year. In this bonus episode, Jesmyn Ward talks to Roz Dineen about fiction, her characters, living through Hurricane Katrina, and the enormous burden of empathy. This continues a conversation started earlier in the year - and included in the podcast of April 26 - when Jesmyn discussed The Fire This Time, a collection of essays she had edited about racial politics and experience in America.
We explore the complex, brutal, swaggering history of pearls and those who found, traded and wore them, with Kathryn Hughes. Sam Byers talks about the self-authored creation that was Michael Jackson and the public's response to him.
Romani music or Gipsy music is the music of the Romani people, who have their origins in northern India, but today live mostly in Europe. Historically nomadic, though now largely settled, the Romani people have long acted as entertainers and tradesmen. In many of the places Romanies live they have become known as musicians. The wide distances travelled have introduced a multitude of influences of Byzantine, Greek, Arabic, Indian, Persian, Turkish, Slavic, Romanian, German, Dutch, French, Spanish and even Jewish musical forms. It is difficult to define the parameters of a unified Romani musical style, as there are many differences in melodic, harmonic, rhythmic and formal structures from region to region. Lyrics to Romani songs are often sung in one or more dialects of the Romani language, and dance frequently accompanies Romani music performance.
The quintessentially Spanish flamenco is to a very large extent the music (and dance, or indeed the culture) of the Romani people of Andalusia. Apart from Romani music for local use, in Eastern Europe a separate Romani music originated for entertainment at parties and celebrations. This music drew its themes from Hungarian, Romanian, Russian and other sources. Later on it gained popularity in Western Europe, where many Romani orchestras were active, playing sophisticated melodies of East European origin. Most Romani music is based on the folk music of the countries where the Romani went through or settled. Local music is adopted and performed – usually instrumental – and, slowly, it is transformed into Romani styles, which are usually more complex than the original styles. In its turn, Romani music has greatly influenced the local music.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our collection of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
Bulgarian music uses a wide range of instruments. Some folk instruments are variants of traditional Asian instruments such as the "Saz" (Bulgarian tambura), or the kemençe (Bulgarian gъdulka). Bulgarian folk bands, called bitovi, use instruments that commonly include: The gaida, a traditional goat-skin bagpipe. The kaval, an end-blown flute is very close to the Turkish kaval, as well as the Arabic Ney. The gadulka, a bowed stringed instrument perhaps descended from the rebec, held vertically, with melody and sympathetic strings. The tǔpan, a large drum worn over the shoulder by the player and hit with a beater ("kiyak") on one side and a thin stick ("osier") on the other. The tambura, a long-necked, metal-strung, fretted lute used for rhythmic accompaniment as well as melodic solos. The tarabuka or dumbek, an hourglass-shaped finger-drum. Other instruments arrived in Bulgaria in the 19th century, including the accordion and the clarinet. Regional styles abound in Bulgaria. Dobrudzha, Sofia, the region surrounding Sofia (Shope style), Rhodopes, Macedonia (Pirin), Thrace, Strandzha and the Danube shore all have distinctive sounds. Some folk music revolves around holidays like Christmas, New Year's Day, midsummer, and the Feast of St. Lazarus, as well as the Strandzha region's unusual Nestinarstvo rites. The distinctive sounds of women's choirs in Bulgarian folk music come from their unique rhythms, harmony and vocal production. The tradition of church singing in Bulgaria is more than a thousand years old, and can be traced back to the early Middle Ages.
Traditional Music Channel is for everyone who has a passion for music.
Music is an expression of human creativity. UNESCO reports that among all the performing arts, music is the most universal and is found in every society, most often as an integral part of other performing art forms and other domains of intangible cultural heritage.
Traditional forms of music are considered carriers of cultural heritage because they represent expressions and traditions transferred through generations of a community.
With recordings from more than hundred nations our collection of traditional music offers a staggering diversity of our humanity.
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