Lizzo and the magic flute.

[swamp]

Is anyone following this story?

Basic outline. In addition to being a singer, Lizzo is a classically trained flautist. She was invited to play some flutes owned by the library of Congress. One of those flutes is a crystal flute owned by James Madison.

Certain conservatives are twisting their panties in a bunch about this.

Such snowflakes

[Opti]

CNN

—

Ever the pioneer, Lizzo crossed off another first during the Washington, DC stop of her tour – playing an approximately 200-year-old crystal flute that belonged to a former US president.



The “About Damn Time” singer and accomplished flutist carefully played the delicate woodwind, which was sent as a gift to James Madison in 1813 by the French flute maker Claude Laurent. The Library of Congress has maintained the flute in its vault for decades before allowing Lizzo to play it onstage.



In footage shared by concertgoers, Lizzo excitedly and delicately handled the flute under the careful watch of Library staff and Capitol Police. She briefly shared the history of the flute with her audience and said she was “the first person to ever play it.”

“B,***h, I just twerked and played James Madison’s crystal flute from the 1800s,” she said incredulously. “We just made history tonight!”



Lizzo then thanked the library for “preserving our history” and reminded her fans that “history is freaking cool.”



Earlier this week, the Library of Congress invited Lizzo to visit its collection of 1,700 flutes, the largest in the world, per the Library. She carefully played the flute there first before she “serenaded employees and a few researchers” with a “more practical” woodwind, the Library said.


www.cnn.com/2022/09/28/entertainment/lizzo-plays-james-madison-crystal-flute-cec/index.html

[Opti]

I wasn't actively following it, but I'm sure much was made of it being handled by Lizzo and played versus if some exceptional white female or better yet white male flautist had played it in some Washington concert televised on major channels.

It is a delicate thing, its crystal. Instruments generally degrade over time, so I think being played was great for awareness that the Library of Congress even had preserved something like that. But this is why Presidential gifts should belong to the people, not the President. Part of the undercurrent is probably hmmm messaging to cover up the fact that Trump's crystal flute equivalents aren't with the Library of Congress but in Mar Lago, Bedminster, or Trump Tower.

[giramomma]

I knew she played on James Madison's flute. I didn't know conservatives had their underwear wadded over such things. It's not shocking.

I love her stuff, except for her last song 2 b loved.

I read somewhere that Lil Nas X was planning to be comp sci major in college. That just blows my mind.

 

[Opti]

Oct 3, 2022 7:31:03 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I knew she played on James Madison's flute. I didn't know conservatives had their underwear wadded over such things. It's not shocking.

I love her stuff, except for her last song 2 b loved.

I read somewhere that Lil Nas X was planning to be comp sci major in college. That just blows my mind.

 

Why? Musicians tend to do better than average in the sciences and tech fields. I was classically trained in piano, cello, and even a children's church choir. Comp Sci majors were in their infancy when I went to college. I would have preferred to pursue acting and music, but being from a practical midwestern family I ended up being an electrical engineer, which is what my dad wanted. I course corrected to Elec Engr with an emphasis on computers in grad school but chose not to leap to the Computer Science side .


But on the Lil Nas X topic, due to lack of sleep, I lost it when I was told a story by my new coworker who is into Christian music. Apparently one of the musicians made the "mistake" of publicly saying at the Grammys or some such the thing he wanted to do most was talk to Lil Nas X. Coworker called the music demonic (why?) which really triggered me as I don't remember Satan starting bands or Beezlebub having a solo singing career.

(Crap, my spoiler for giramomma and others interested posted up there instead of down here as intended. Sugar.)

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I've been following it some.  It must be nice to live in such luxury and privilege that you have the time to get butt hurt over a black woman playing a 200 year old presidential flute.

[giramomma]

Oct 3, 2022 7:54:15 GMT -5 Opti said:

Oct 3, 2022 7:31:03 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I knew she played on James Madison's flute. I didn't know conservatives had their underwear wadded over such things. It's not shocking.

I love her stuff, except for her last song 2 b loved.

I read somewhere that Lil Nas X was planning to be comp sci major in college. That just blows my mind.

 

Why? Musicians tend to do better than average in the sciences and tech fields. I was classically trained in piano, cello, and even a children's church choir. Comp Sci majors were in their infancy when I went to college. I would have preferred to pursue acting and music, but being from a practical midwestern family I ended up being an electrical engineer, which is what my dad wanted. I course corrected to Elec Engr with an emphasis on computers in grad school but chose not to leap to the Computer Science side .


But on the Lil Nas X topic, due to lack of sleep, I lost it when I was told a story by my new coworker who is into Christian music. Apparently one of the musicians made the "mistake" of publicly saying at the Grammys or some such the thing he wanted to do most was talk to Lil Nas X. Coworker called the music demonic (why?) which really triggered me as I don't remember Satan starting bands or Beezlebub having a solo singing career.

(Crap, my spoiler for giramomma and others interested posted up there instead of down here as intended. Sugar.)

Yes. I am a classically trained musician, and I had/have had musician friends and students who enrolled in both engineering and music majors.

I try to imagine little Nas X sitting infront of a computer working with big data instead of making music.

Have you watched the Montero Official video?  That might be why.

And you know, Nas X is gay and is out about it. Which I think is damn awesome. That's enough to make many people clutch pearls.

[teen persuasion]

Not following as such, more that I just can't escape seeing it ALL OVER Twitter. Yeah, it's library Twitter, so of course it's a BFD. We're all cheering , because it's validation that collections are to be used, not kept in storage forever.

I do love that LOC is tweeting back with pix of other (male) musicians that have played instruments from the collection in the past to little notice. Yeah, you people up in arms against this - it's only because Lizzo's female and black that you are suddenly concerned about someone touching the LOC collection.

[Tennesseer]

I posted this the other day on the Favorite Memes' thread.

[giramomma]

I'm sure it's not just the flute that's pissing old, white conservative men off.

It's her underlying message that women (of color) are strong and empowered.

Here's one of my favorites from her:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yzsh-PDF30

First line of the song "independent."

It goes on to say "And I don't do this for you." Several times.

There's also an amazing pole dancer in the video.

Shit, I listen to her music and I feel pretty damn amazing.

 

[saveinla]

I heard it was because she twerked at the LOC and that she did not wear proper clothes when she played it during her concert.

But we all know the reason why. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Oct 3, 2022 9:27:27 GMT -5 saveinla said:

I heard it was because she twerked at the LOC and that she did not wear proper clothes when she played it during her concert.

But we all know the reason why. 

Conservatives lost all credit as the moral police when they choose to ignore Melania's soft core porn career. 

[swamp]

Oct 3, 2022 9:03:24 GMT -5 teen persuasion said:

Not following as such, more that I just can't escape seeing it ALL OVER Twitter. Yeah, it's library Twitter, so of course it's a BFD. We're all cheering , because it's validation that collections are to be used, not kept in storage forever.

I do love that LOC is tweeting back with pix of other (male) musicians that have played instruments from the collection in the past to little notice. Yeah, you people up in arms against this - it's only because Lizzo's female and black that you are suddenly concerned about someone touching the LOC collection.

I think the fact that she is unabashedly fat plays a role in it too.  

[swamp]

Oct 3, 2022 9:27:27 GMT -5 saveinla said:

I heard it was because she twerked at the LOC and that she did not wear proper clothes when she played it during her concert.

But we all know the reason why. 

Did she actually twerk of did she just joke about it? 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Knowing how many affairs and mistresses presidents have had I would not be the least bit surprised if at least one of those other flutes has seen worse than twerking.

[giramomma]

[Opti]

Oct 3, 2022 8:55:56 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Oct 3, 2022 7:54:15 GMT -5 Opti said:

Why? Musicians tend to do better than average in the sciences and tech fields. I was classically trained in piano, cello, and even a children's church choir. Comp Sci majors were in their infancy when I went to college. I would have preferred to pursue acting and music, but being from a practical midwestern family I ended up being an electrical engineer, which is what my dad wanted. I course corrected to Elec Engr with an emphasis on computers in grad school but chose not to leap to the Computer Science side .


But on the Lil Nas X topic, due to lack of sleep, I lost it when I was told a story by my new coworker who is into Christian music. Apparently one of the musicians made the "mistake" of publicly saying at the Grammys or some such the thing he wanted to do most was talk to Lil Nas X. Coworker called the music demonic (why?) which really triggered me as I don't remember Satan starting bands or Beezlebub having a solo singing career.

(Crap, my spoiler for giramomma and others interested posted up there instead of down here as intended. Sugar.)

Yes. I am a classically trained musician, and I had/have had musician friends and students who enrolled in both engineering and music majors.

I try to imagine little Nas X sitting infront of a computer working with big data instead of making music.

Have you watched the Montero Official video?  That might be why.

And you know, Nas X is gay and is out about it. Which I think is damn awesome. That's enough to make many people clutch pearls.

The men are doing more than pearl clutching. A popular Christian musician no longer is part of his group and currently person non grata in the Christian music scene because of it. Very hard for me to miss the gay male flags with the costumes and the themes in one of his latest videos. In fact, I told a local Christian musician who I now work with, something like 'did you ever think what it might be like to be him? Being told by Christians he is of the devil and an abomination? Does it not make sense that of course he would use imagery like the apple, devil, etc. ?  

Then of course I doubled down because I had it with the shit idea that Christians should not like Nas X's music simply because he is gay. So I decided to enlighten him about personal family history. Like my mom being on a church board during the time they were deciding how they would treat homosexuals officially. 

[Opti]

Oct 3, 2022 9:33:52 GMT -5 swamp said:

Oct 3, 2022 9:03:24 GMT -5 teen persuasion said:

Not following as such, more that I just can't escape seeing it ALL OVER Twitter. Yeah, it's library Twitter, so of course it's a BFD. We're all cheering , because it's validation that collections are to be used, not kept in storage forever.

I do love that LOC is tweeting back with pix of other (male) musicians that have played instruments from the collection in the past to little notice. Yeah, you people up in arms against this - it's only because Lizzo's female and black that you are suddenly concerned about someone touching the LOC collection.

I think the fact that she is unabashedly fat plays a role in it too.  

I love that about non-white women. Real hard for fat white woman to make it in the music, film or tv industry. Its part of the reason I am so pro Chapel Hart the black women country trio that was on AGT.

Fat people should not have to give up sharing their talents or being themselves until they reach an acceptable size or appearance. 

[Opti]

Oct 3, 2022 9:30:53 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Oct 3, 2022 9:27:27 GMT -5 saveinla said:

I heard it was because she twerked at the LOC and that she did not wear proper clothes when she played it during her concert.

But we all know the reason why. 

Conservatives lost all credit as the moral police when they choose to ignore Melania's soft core porn career. 

I think they lost it way before that. The American Taliban keeps thinking they are better than the Taliban because they don't require head scarves, just being subordinate to any zygote that might occur. 

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Oct 3, 2022 10:00:21 GMT -5 Opti said:

Oct 3, 2022 9:30:53 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Conservatives lost all credit as the moral police when they choose to ignore Melania's soft core porn career. 

I think they lost it way before that. The American Taliban keeps thinking they are better than the Taliban because they don't require head scarves, just being subordinate to any zygote that might occur. 

A nun's habit covers everything except the face. Non clergy women are still required to cover hair in the Vatican. I can't figure out how to post an internet image from my Mac, but Melania & Ivanka had to cover their hair when they visited. Granted this is the Catholic tradition and not other Christian tradition.

[swamp]

Oct 3, 2022 9:41:33 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Knowing how many affairs and mistresses presidents have had I would not be the least bit surprised if at least one of those other flutes has seen worse than twerking.

Lets all say thanks that Bill Clinton did not get ahold of that flute............

[Tennesseer]

Oct 3, 2022 10:18:15 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

Oct 3, 2022 10:00:21 GMT -5 Opti said:

I think they lost it way before that. The American Taliban keeps thinking they are better than the Taliban because they don't require head scarves, just being subordinate to any zygote that might occur. 

A nun's habit covers everything except the face. Non clergy women are still required to cover hair in the Vatican. I can't figure out how to post an internet image from my Mac, but Melania & Ivanka had to cover their hair when they visited. Granted this is the Catholic tradition and not other Christian tradition.

To be fair to Catholic nuns, at least in the U.S. most nuns now wear modest street clothes. Some even wear modest jewelry. I graduated from a Catholic high school in 1969 and many of the younger teaching nuns there were wearing habits with the dress just below the knee and head covering that barely concealed their hair. An observation I found interesting during my senior that the nuns who were wearing the more modern dress taught either the sciences or social studies.

Cloistered U.S. may be a different story. Many still do wear the head to foot habits as is traditional with their specific congregation.

[Opti]

Oct 3, 2022 10:18:15 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

Oct 3, 2022 10:00:21 GMT -5 Opti said:

I think they lost it way before that. The American Taliban keeps thinking they are better than the Taliban because they don't require head scarves, just being subordinate to any zygote that might occur. 

A nun's habit covers everything except the face. Non clergy women are still required to cover hair in the Vatican. I can't figure out how to post an internet image from my Mac, but Melania & Ivanka had to cover their hair when they visited. Granted this is the Catholic tradition and not other Christian tradition.

There are so many traditions. I don't want to get too off-topic with Lizzo playing that particular flute. Much of the cover women's hair thing comes due to verbiage and customs in some religions. My Lutheran church and all other ones I personally know about do not require nor expect women to cover their hair.

I will add to my list of to dos is to find a clip to have a listen to how the flute sounds and how Lizzo chose to play it.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Oct 3, 2022 10:33:44 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Oct 3, 2022 10:18:15 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

A nun's habit covers everything except the face. Non clergy women are still required to cover hair in the Vatican. I can't figure out how to post an internet image from my Mac, but Melania & Ivanka had to cover their hair when they visited. Granted this is the Catholic tradition and not other Christian tradition.

To be fair to Catholic nuns, at least in the U.S. most nuns now wear modest street clothes. Some even wear modest jewelry. I graduated from a Catholic high school in 1969 and many of the younger teaching nuns there were wearing habits with the dress just below the knee and head covering that barely concealed their hair. An observation I found interesting during my senior that the nuns who were wearing the more modern dress taught either the sciences or social studies.

Cloistered U.S. may be a different story. Many still do wear the head to foot habits as is traditional with their specific congregation.

Oh, I agree. Just pointing out that it isn't exclusive to some Muslim faiths.

[Opti]

Oct 3, 2022 10:52:44 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

Oct 3, 2022 10:33:44 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

To be fair to Catholic nuns, at least in the U.S. most nuns now wear modest street clothes. Some even wear modest jewelry. I graduated from a Catholic high school in 1969 and many of the younger teaching nuns there were wearing habits with the dress just below the knee and head covering that barely concealed their hair. An observation I found interesting during my senior that the nuns who were wearing the more modern dress taught either the sciences or social studies.

Cloistered U.S. may be a different story. Many still do wear the head to foot habits as is traditional with their specific congregation.

Oh, I agree. Just pointing out that it isn't exclusive to some Muslim faiths.

Its common or was to certain faiths that restrict their women in home-made clothing in the US. Wasn't there a pic somewhere on the board recently with that? 

I guess women are so magical some men in some cultures can't handle us as we are.

[nidena]

There are so many factors that come into play as to why folx got their panties in a twist:

Lizzo's fat
Lizzo's Black
Lizzo's a woman
Lizzo wears whatever the heck she wants to, which often includes clothing that reveals more of her than it covers
And she's strong enough in her self to not GAF what the haters say which pisses them off more.

[resolution]

Oct 3, 2022 10:18:15 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

Oct 3, 2022 10:00:21 GMT -5 Opti said:

I think they lost it way before that. The American Taliban keeps thinking they are better than the Taliban because they don't require head scarves, just being subordinate to any zygote that might occur. 

A nun's habit covers everything except the face. Non clergy women are still required to cover hair in the Vatican. I can't figure out how to post an internet image from my Mac, but Melania & Ivanka had to cover their hair when they visited. Granted this is the Catholic tradition and not other Christian tradition.

The Vatican doesn't require women  to cover their hair when they visit. It looks like Melania did it specifically for a meeting with the pope, but there are a lot of women who haven't. 

It is starting to become trendy for ultra conservative catholic women to cover their hair, but its not a church requirement and most women don't do it. It's always depressing for me when I go to mass and see a few young women with their heads covered. 

www.npr.org/2017/05/24/529852165/why-did-melania-trump-cover-at-the-vatican-but-not-in-saudi-arabia

[resolution]

I had no clue that the Library of Congress even had a musical instrument collection. Just a casual review of their site doesn't list anything like that. I wonder how people can get so worked up over something that they didn't know existed until it ended up in the news.

[dannylion]

Oct 3, 2022 13:51:52 GMT -5 resolution said:

I had no clue that the Library of Congress even had a musical instrument collection. Just a casual review of their site doesn't list anything like that. I wonder how people can get so worked up over something that they didn't know existed until it ended up in the news.

The white conservatives who are whining the loudest about Lizzo playing Madison's flute would not have batted an eye if the musician invited to play the flute by the LOC had been white and male and an outspoken evangelical Christian with extra points for being a country music star.  

They're also really mad that she played it so well, so many of them are pretending she didn't by ridiculing her performance (which some of them likely didn't even see).  

i am now a huge Lizzo fan as I consider being able to play the flute to be evidence of magical powers.  I've always wanted to play the flute, but I have no talent.  And it makes me dizzy.  Also, she annoyed a bunch of Republicans and made them say stupider things than usual.  

[chiver78]

Oct 3, 2022 13:51:52 GMT -5 resolution said:

I had no clue that the Library of Congress even had a musical instrument collection. Just a casual review of their site doesn't list anything like that. I wonder how people can get so worked up over something that they didn't know existed until it ended up in the news.

  also, I didn't really know much about Lizzo before this hit the news. I don't really listen to pop, or pay much attention to pop culture. I was vaguely aware she's a fat black lady with a body-positive attitude, but that's about it. but I watched a video clip of her playing the flute on stage, and then another one of her in the LOC with the curator, and she definitely knows her way around a flute. there was a tweet I saw shared this am that also added the detail of the flute being a "simple system" one from before the development of the current Boehm system. the key is different, the fingering of keys is different, and she rolled with it. I'll try to find it again, I saw it on FB. if I can, I'll post it here.