The lovely Virginia Belmont was known for her "singing and talking birds," which were TV (mynah), Dick and Prince (canaries), Bambi (parrot), Marmaduke (Conure), Cleopatra (Cockatiel), Precious (Parakeet), Siksy (Finch), Shamy (Thrush) and Bravo (Cardinal).
Her infamous recording includes wan "conversations" between herself and her birds, advice on owning pets, and examples of various tweets and bird talk. There are also some ambitious attempts at mating bird noises to classical music.
The album ends with her masterpiece, "Ave Maria" (the Schubert version) as sung by George Sawtelle accompanied by a pipe organ and all her birds. Here it is.
Virginia's musical farewell begins with earnest good wishes to all...but there's a musical question to be asked. If peace may be defined by a church organ solo, or perhaps a tenor raising his voice in song, or perhaps the twitter of a charming bird, or the hoots and calls of a pair of lovebirds...
...would putting them all together result in heavenly peace? Find out for yourself.
Sorry the Norwegian Blue wasn't present for the recording, but he was stunned.
AVE MARIA for the BIRDS
1 comment:
Beautiful.
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