#avant-courier

[tartppola]

Stranded in another world, with no hope of going back or any magic to defend themselves with, this is the anecdote of the Ramshackle Prefect Yuulis Crowley's first week in another world called Twisted Wonderland.

warning : mentions of blood & dissection, didn't beta this so :P a/n : happy april fools :D

It was a chilly morning on the Night Raven College campus, and Sam’s first day coming back to the mystery shop. Oh, how he missed the purple overlay of the wallpaper; the diamond skulls and taxonomy and other knick-knacks that seamlessly blend together to form something quite avant-garde. Speaking of knick-knacks, he remembered that his new stock of goods his ‘friends’ salvaged from who knows where should be arriving today, how exciting!

His feet skipped up and about, the keys he spun around his finger chiming as he hummed a happy tune from the Port of Jubilee. Sam wonders what kind of faces the new first years would make the first time they step into the shop, or when they meet his ‘friends’ for the first time. 

Just as he was about to make a turn from Main Street, he stopped dead in his tracks. There was a pile of huge boxes at the doorstep, that must be his new goods, but there was something else, or rather, someone else. That someone–young enough to be a first year, but not wearing the school uniform–was waiting by the boxes. No student has ever been to the shop this early, and the school hasn’t allowed any of the local townsfolk to visit, so why?

“Excuse me!” Sam called out, making his way towards them, “I’m flattered that a line is already forming, but opening hours aren’t until lunch time!”

They stared blankly at him the moment he stood right in front of them. They held out a clipboard with a delivery receipt that listed the names of various magical supplies 

“I’m here to on behalf of the Headmaster,” Sam barely understood them through their thick accent, “Please double check the receipt and make sure to tell of any errors.”

Since when did the Headmaster hire any couriers.....and one so young at that. Oh well, as long as Crowley’s not breaking any child labor laws, it should be alright, shouldn’t it? The shopkeep noticed that his back grew colder and colder as he went through the new inventory. He stole a small glance at the youth, turning back immediately when he saw how intently their gaze bore through his soul.

“Phew! It’s getting pretty darn cold out here!” The hand that held his keys trembled a bit, “How about we go inside to warm ourselves up a bit?”

He took back his thoughts. This was far from alright.

“--and where do these charms go, Mr.Sam?” 

“By the aisle near the grimoires, next to the paper talismans,”

It’s been nearly half an hour of restocking, yet they haven’t left the store. Sam tried his best to breathe through the awkward atmosphere, but the tension was so thick he could harvest it, bottle it up and sell each for 500 madol. If only such a thing was possible, if only.

“Mr.Sam,” 

He felt his shadow jump to the ceiling at the sound of their voice. 

“What kind of store is this, exactly?” 

“Well, since you’ve seen my wares firsthand, should you be able to tell right away?” He put on an air of faux confidence, hoping they wouldn’t notice. 

“At first, I thought this was a magic supplies store, but none of them back at home sell dangerous herbs like oleander and wolf’s bane. How did you get a hold of this amount of them anyway?”

“Well, what can I say? There’s only so much exotic ingredients you can grow in the botanical gardens,” 

“But, there are also basic necessities like toothpaste and clothes,” They pondered, “Come to think of it, one of the new deliveries was a box of snacks, wasn’t it?”

“That’s what happens when you’re the only tuck shop in one of the most prestigious schools in the world!” He winked, “It wasn’t easy getting ahold of most of the inventory, but you gotta do what you gotta do, don’t you agree?”

A small chuckle escaped their lips, “That’s not a bad mindset for a businessman.”

In the end, no matter how eccentric they initially seemed, a child is still a child. He felt foolish for being so afraid, what could they do when he had his friends by his side?

“By the way,” it was hard to notice how much time passed by, “Shouldn’t you go back to your dorm and change into your uniform? It’s almost time for morning classes.”

“Ah, was Mr.Sam not present during the entrance ceremony? No wonder you didn’t recognize me,” 

There was some word on the street about a fiasco happening during this year’s entrance ceremony, something about the halls being lit on fire by a beast? He couldn’t believe it when  one of the friends that stayed to guard the shop told him about it.

“I was deemed unworthy to be sorted into a dorm, because I possess no magical capabilities whatsoever. It seems that there was an error during the student selection process,”

“Is that even possible?” his suave expression morphed into worry, “Then, why didn’t the Headmaster send you back home?”

“He tried, but the Mirror of Darkness said something along the lines of ‘The place from whence they came from can’t be found in this world’. 

“And so here I am, doing odd jobs and tasks on behalf of the Headmaster, the students and the staff of NRC,” Sam could hear a small sense of pride at their introduction, “I'm more capable than I look, please don’t hesitate to call upon me if you need any assistance.”

Of all the strange things to make their way into his shop, never in a million years would Sam expect an estranged secretary to be one of them, and one that possibly came from another world to boot. He had a feeling that this year was going to be much, much more eventful than any of the years to have come, and he couldn’t wait to see it all unfold.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, little demon,” The shopkeep tipped his hat in a fine, gentlemanly manner, “Make sure to drop by again, ‘till next time!”

The gap of knowledge between the first and second year was indeed a big leap to overcome, Crewel knew how unprepared his puppies were going to be.

But by the Great Seven, oh how much he overestimated them.

The likes of Riddle Rosehearts and Azul Ashengrotto couldn’t possibly make up for the utter incompetence these mutts have, even the students with subpar scores like Savanaclaw’s Ruggie Bucchi and Diasomnia’s Silver looked like geniuses. At best, there are students like Kalim al-Asim, who actually tries, yet their efforts seem to seep out through their ears the moment they leave class, then there’s the unpredictable ones like Floyd Leech.

He remembers how the eel turned in blank test papers, or how he mixes whatever ingredients he finds interesting together, bleeding the chemical supply. 2 days ago, he used up an entire month’s worth of imp spinal fluid during potions class. It’s not as if they were hard to get, but their effects are most potent when freshly harvested. The thought of harvesting it himself made him shudder; sure, he’s seen some grotesque imagery as an alchemy professor, but who knows how long it will take to restock if he made a report to Crowley?

Sigh. Looks like he’ll have to put practical sessions on hold for a while and haggle with Sam.

“Excuse me, is Professor Crewel here?” 

The door to the alchemy lab opened, bringing the professor back to reality. Someone he has never seen before let themself in, a plastic bag in hand. 

“Stay! I don’t recall allowing anyone without a lab coat to enter….!” Realization kicked in once he got a clearer look, “Huh--so it’s you, the magicless stray that caused a riot in the entrance ceremony.”

The sound of a whip resonated through the room, followed by faint chattering and murmurs from nearby students scrambling away from the alchemy lab. 

“Only authorized students and staff are allowed in the lab during school hours, didn’t the Headmaster tell you?” 

Most of his students would cower just by hearing his tone grow stern, yet they remained unfazed. Playing bold now are we? Looks like he’ll have to teach them a lesson. 

“The Headmaster,” they brought the plastic bag to his chest, “said that the lab’s storage room needed restocking.” 

Ah, was that it? Making a child do his job; how much of a slave driver was Crowley? Knowing Crowley’s tardiness, it was probably something he had already spent his paycheck on, although the bottom of the bag was unusually cold. 

Curiosity getting the better of the professor, he untied the knot and opened the bag. His face recoiled, from the shock of seeing the contents. Aurora moth’s scales--he had only requested these a few days ago! Not to mention all of that translucent mucus coating the scales, how long ago were these harvested?

“Is there something wrong, Professor?”

Crewel almost forgot about the intruder standing in front of him, “No, it’s just--this is the first time I've seen them so...fresh. The ones Crowley buys usually come preserved in bottles.”

“That may be because I just harvested them this afternoon,” they said nonchalantly.

“You--You what?!” the professor didn’t even try to mask his disgust, “You did this yourself?”

Their head tilted sideways, akin to a confused child.

“The Headmaster said that the locals needed help with pest control, so I’d thought I’d lend a hand, and they let me do whatever I wanted with the moths as payment, ” Despite having experience with that sort, Crewel’s stomach began to swirl, “The Headmaster gave me permission too,”

A scowl grew on his face. Typically a moth would've been killed humanely before their wings were plucked to relax their ligaments, but seeing the mess clinging to the wing's ends, it's clear that they didn't consider such option. He couldn't decide if they had a strong stomach to withstand seeing large bugs squirm underneath them, or an uneducated fool.

“Professor, are you alright? You look exhausted,” 

He snapped back to reality that instant, rubbing circles around his temple. Pull yourself together, Crewel, he edged himself, you’ve lost your composure twice already. Maybe he just needed a good serving of raisin butter with wine on the side, or a joyride on his prized car. He glanced back at the dismembered wings, at least he got what he wanted. Still, this has never happened before, perhaps if he could take advantage of this situation….

“Tell me, pup. Since you have...the appropriate experience to harvest wings, how good are you at dissecting imps?”

They pondered for a while. It’s the most animated he’s seen of them, “I suppose I do how to extract fluids, their lymph is a versatile ingredient in many types of salves after all. Although it has been a while since I’ve ever needed to.” 

Bingo

“Then, how about spinal fluid?”

It was their turn to be surprised, “I-I’ve never done that on an imp before. Just think of the amount of imps needed to fill a single bottle.”

“Tell you what, pup. Are you interested in a side-job?” 

Without giving them a chance to respond, Crewel tossed a few madol and a map of the campus in their direction, “There are some common imps causing trouble in the college lately coming from who knows where. If you can deal with them, I’ll give you the other half of the payment, and of course--.”

He shoved them a basket full of empty test tubes, slinging it over their shoulder, “Fill every single test tube here to the brim before tomorrow's Science Club activity, I won't take no for an answer.” 

And with that, they were pushed out of the alchemy lab. Spending their first sleepless night in another world catching imps wasn’t on their bucket list. Sighing heavily, they picked up their feet and staggered.

‘I wanted to creep him out a little,’ they thought, ‘but I ended up being the one getting creeped out.’

For such an important place, why did Crowley’s office have to be in a place so out of reach? For all his years in Night Raven College, Crewel always dreaded sending weekly reports to the Headmaster’s office, he could feel his leg muscles ache as he knocked against the two large gates. He peeked inside the office to look for the Headmaster. 

“There you are, professor! What took you so long?” 

There he was, sitting cross-legged on his desk as the portraits of the Great Seven floated up and about. Trein was there as well, as cold as usual and showing no sign of fatigue, peering at him as if he could see through everything. Maybe it was because he had a 20 year head start, either way, it was irritating how he was the only disheveled one.

“I don’t know, maybe it was the countless stairs I have to climb every week to submit a report when you can simply hire a secretary to fetch them for you?” 

The crow simply smiled, already figuring out a solution to Crewel’s ire, “How has the first week of teaching been for you, professors?”

“I don’t know which is greener, the topiary maze in the Heartslabyul dorm, or the new puppies I’m in charge of,” Crewel shook his head. 

“For once, I agree,” the history professor nodded indefinitely, Lucius yawning in his arms, “But that could be said for every first year in the history of NRC.” 

Dire nodded, “Seems like everything’s going smoothly then! I shall leave the future of our students in your capable hands!”

Both professors nodded in response, “As you wish, Headmaster.”

“Although, I’d like to inquire about something,” Crewel spoke up before raising his index finger to the large window. From above, the view of the setting sun looming over the campus could be seen, but his finger specifically pointed to Main Street, or rather;the magicless stray walking to the direction of the alchemy lab, with the basket in hand and the direbeast from before by their side.

“What are we going to do about that?”

Without needing to look, Trein simply closed his eyes, “If what the mirror spoke was true, then that child quite literally has no place to go back to. It comes to question how they even ended up here in the first place."

Crowley rubbed his chin. The ultimate decision lies with him, and honestly, there was nothing stopping him from just shirking them off his feathers and leaving them to fend for themselves, along with the cat-beast that terrorized the entrance ceremony.

"It would undoubtedly stain the reputation of our esteemed college if we just kicked them out," the Headmaster groaned, "Oh, why must I be plagued with such problems!"

"Best of luck to you then, Headmaster Crowley," The two professors turned their heels and left Crowley's office with not a care in the world, leaving him with his worries.

The Headmaster leaned against his chair and sighed against the beak of is mask. Dealing with the child was the last thing he wanted to do at this moment, with their odd mannerisms and such, however...

Being unable to return home wasn't an unfamiliar conundrum to the Headmaster.

Perhaps it's his boundless generosity speaking to him, but there was a pang of heavy emotion in his chest that told him he couldn't simply leave that child, Yuulis, alone. Was it guilt? or maybe atonement? Whatever it was, it overrode the rational side of his brain

Dire Crowley was the type of person to judge a book by it's cover, which is why he was surprised how his new errand runner, or rather, the new Ramshackle Prefect was able to hold up better than he expected. The reports he received from the staff members he had tasked them with helping have been amicable, and his workflow was much smoother now that he had divided the more menial tasks to someone else. He had thought he had envoked the wrath of the Great Seven with the mess that was thrown his way, but surely they were more pliant than they initially seemed, and now Crowley had a reliable aide at his beck and call.

That would've been the end of the story if Crowley's worries ended there.

Perhaps it's his intuition as a mage, one that's been sharpened by many years of experience, but there was something off about the Prefect. It was subtle enough for none of the other professors to pick up on it, perhaps not even the prefect the▅self were aware of it, but Crowley co▅ld fe▅▅ it.

The lingering mi▅▅ma ▅▅ p▅rmea▅▅ from ▅▅em, it ▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅ ▅ ▅▅▅ M▅▅▅l▅ ▅▅ ▅no▅▅ ▅▅▅▅ ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅ ▅▅ , ▅n▅▅d f▅rom the loo▅▅ ▅, if Crowley doesn't get it under control, it might spell disaster for the mages in his beloved college.

They'd succeeded his expectations as a prefect, so why not bestow upon them another act of kindness?

A knock resounded from the door to the Headmaster's office, before creaking open. Under the candles that lit the office dimly, the prefect looked like one of the many ghosts that toiled in the campus.

"Apologies for the delay," they nodded, curtly greeting the Headmaster, "It took a while to convince Professor Trein to let me into the library archives, but I got what you asked for."

"It can't be helped, I suppose. The lecture he gave me that time still rings in my ears," Crowley picked the bundle of files off of Yuulis' hands.

"Rightfully so," the monotone in their voice wavered, "With all due respect, I don't see why what you did was necessary, nor will it benefit you or your reputation, Headmaster."

His fingers intertwined and rested over his mouth, obscuring what's left of his face. A part of him thought that Yuulis wouldn't question his actions, but it seems they had not let their guard down completely. Not that he blamed them--in a world of villains, it's wiser to play your cards right.

"I've made it quite clear that it was a mutual agreement, yes?" he says, "One day, you'll understand, once you've proven that you're worthy of carrying my secrets."

He sauntered towards them, slow and heavy footsteps circling around the prefect, "Besides, don't you want my help? You won't have to isolate yourself anymore, drifting around from place to place, worrying about hurting other people. You'll be able to live a normal life. It'd be easier for me to help you with your more personal matters like this, wouldn't you agree, my dearest nephew?"

It was probably underhanded of him to take advantage of their ignorance, but it's too late for them. The pact has been made, Crowley isn't sure whether Yuulis could feel the invisible link that binds them together as well, but the matching blue vest he gave them, their new surname, was enough to send them the message.

"It's getting late, come now, I'll walk you back to that rickety old--err, Ramshackle dorm," says the headmaster, waiting for Yuulis to trail behind him, like they usually do.

With bated breath, they come to accept their new circumstances. They step closer to the Headmaster.

"As you wish, uncle,"

[the-puffinry]

sicilian pigeon migration festival? The smell of butter as a sign of a goddess? Jupiter changed into a pigeon?? More sicilian (sacred) dove favoritism?? this is so much fun to read about.

"And at Eryx in Sicily, there is a certain time which the Sicilians call The Departure, at which time they say that the Goddess is departing into Africa: and at this time all the pigeons about the place disappear, as if they had accompanied the Goddess on her journey. And after nine days, when the festival called καταγώγια, that is to say The Return, is celebrated, after one pigeon has first arrived, flying across the sea like an avant-courier, and has flown into the temple, the rest follow speedily. And on this, all the inhabitants around, who are comfortably off, feast; and the rest clap their hands for joy. And at that time the whole place smells of butter, which they use as a sort of token of the return of the Goddess. But Autocrates, in his history of Achaia, says that Jupiter once changed his form into that of a pigeon, when he was in love with a maiden in Aegium, whose name was Phthia. But the Attic writers use the word also in the masculine gender, περιστερός. Alexis, in his People Running together, says—

For I am the white pigeon (περιστερὸς) of Venus; But as for Bacchus, he knows nothing more Than how to get well drunk; and nothing cares Whether 'tis new wine that he drinks or old.

[p. 623] But in his play of the Rhodian, or the Woman Caressing, he uses the word in the feminine gender; and says in that passage that the Sicilian pigeons are superior to all others—

Breeding within some pigeons from Sicily, The fairest shaped of all their species.

[...]

And Nicander, in the second book of his Georgics, mentions the Sicilian doves and pigeons, and says,—

And do you in your hall preserve a flock Of fruitful doves from Sicily or Dracontium, For it is said that neither kites nor hawks Incline to hurt those choice and sacred birds.

from The Deipnosophists by Athenaeus (late 2nd to early 3rd century CE).

[jpbjazz]

LÉGENDES DU JAZZ

FRANK FOSTER, DE COUNT BASIE AU BEBOP

“I’m a hard bopper. Once a hard bopper, always a hard bopper.”

- Frank Foster

Né le 23 septembre 1928 à Cincinnati, en Ohio, Frank Benjamin Foster III était le fils d’un employé du Service des postes et d’une travailleuse sociale. Après avoir d’abord appris le piano, Foster était passé à la clarinette à l’âge de onze ans avant d’adopter le saxophone alto deux ans plus tard. À l’âge de quatorze ans, Foster s’était produit avec un groupe local appelé Jack Jackson and his Jumping Jacks avant de former son propre big band de douze musiciens dans le cadre de ses études au high school. Foster poursuivait toujours ses études secondaires lorsqu’il avait commencé à écrire des arrangements en autodidacte.

Déterminé à étudier sérieusement la musique, Foster avait tenté de se faire admettre au Oberlin College et au Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, mais sa candidature avait été rejetée en raison de sa couleur. Foster s’était alors inscrit à la Wilberforce University, une institution exclusivement réservés aux Noirs basée en Ohio. Ironiquement, Foster avait obtenu sa revanche des décennies plus tard lorsque le conservatoire de Cincinnati l’avait honoré lorsqu’il s’était produit avec un groupe d’étudiants de l’institution en 1987.

Durant son séjour à Wilberforce, Foster avait commencé à jouer comme soliste et arrangeur avec le groupe de danse de l’université, les Collegians. En 1947, le groupe avait remporté le Negro College Dance Band Poll, un sondage annuel qui était commandité par le Courier de Pittsburgh. Grâce à leur victoire, les Collegians s’étaient mérités un engagement d’une semaine au prestigieux Ballroom de Harlem, ainsi qu’une apparition à Carnegie Hall. Après avoir adopté le saxophone ténor, Foster avait finalement quitté l’université Wilberforce en 1949 sans avoir obtenu son diplôme pour aller jouer à Detroit durant six semaines avec le trompettiste Snooky Young.

DÉBUTS DE CARRIÈRE

Par la suite, Foster avait obtenu un contrat au célèbre club Blue Bird et dans d’autres clubs du centre-ville, où il avait accompagné des musiciens de passage comme le saxophoniste ténor Wardell Gray, qui avait été une de ses premières influences avec Sonny Stitt.

Mobilisé par l’armée en mars 1951 dans le cadre de la guerre de Corée, Foster avait été membre de la 7e Division d’Infanterie et avait subi son entraînement près de San Francisco, ce qui lui avait permis de participer à des jam sessions tous les soirs au club Jimbo's Bop City. Durant la guerre, Foster avait également combattu aux côtés de Shawn ‘Thunder’ Wallace, qui était devenu plus tard un ses plus proches collaborateurs. Démobilisé en mai 1953, Foster avait continué de se produire avec différents groupes de l’armée. Il avait aussi accompagné Charlie Parker au célèbre club Birdland avant de remplacer Eddie ‘’Lockjaw’’ Davis dans le big band de Count Basie sur la recommandation d’Ernie Wilkins.

À l’époque, Basie avait adopté depuis longtemps le concept de ‘’batailles des ténors’’, une formule qui avait été lancée par Herschel Evans et Lester Young dans les années 1930. Basie n’était donc que trop heureux de mettre en scène Frank Wess et Foster un contre l’autre. Le style agressif de Foster était d’ailleurs le parfait complément du jeu de Wess qui était principalement basé sur les ballades. La collaboration de Foster et de Wess avait éventuellement été immortalisée dans le cadre de la pièce ‘’Two Franks’’ composée par Neal Hefti.

En raison de son approche très moderne, Foster avait rapidement attiré l’attention pour sa technique irréprochable et son jeu énergique. Basie avait particulièrement apprécié les talents d’arrangeur de Foster. Comme Foster l’avait déclaré plus tard dans le cadre d’une entrevue accordée au journaliste Steve Voce, "Count would accept anything that swung and was simple." Foster, qui avait écrit plusieurs arrangements pour l’orchestre, les composait habituellement dans l’autobus du groupe ou dans les hôtels. Parmi les plus grands succès que Foster avait composés pour Basie, on remarquait ‘’Shiny Stockings’’, ‘’All Right’’, ‘’OK, You Win’’ (écrite pour le chanteur Joe Williams), ‘’Blues in Hoss' Flat’’, Back to the Apple", "Discommotion", ‘’Down for the Count’’ et ‘’Blues Backstage.’’ Il avait également écrit tous les arrangemements de l’album ‘’Easin' It’’ (1962). Les compositions et les arrangements de Foster avaient d’ailleurs joué un grand rôle dans la renaissance de l’orchestre de Basie à la fin des années 1950. Enregistrée sur l’album ‘’April in Paris’’ en 1955, la pièce “Shiny Stockings,” était éventuellement devenue le thème musical de l’orchestre et un standard du jazz. En fait, la pièce était devenue si populaire qu’on y avait ajouté des paroles à deux reprises, l’une pour la version d’Ella Fitzgerald, et la seconde pour celle de Jon Hendricks. Décrivant les circonstances de la composition de la chanson, Foster avait précisé:

"I wrote `Shiny Stockings' in 1955, We had a rehearsal at a place called Pep's Bar in Philadelphia. We had just arrived in town. Everybody was sleepy, tired, hungry, and evil. Nobody felt like rehearsing. We rehearsed `Shiny Stockings' and it sounded like a bunch of jumbled notes, just noise, and I said, `Wow, all the work I put into this, and it sounds so horrible. I know Basie will never play it.' And then something very strange happened. He continued to play and it came together. Finally, we recorded it and, well, it's the very best known piece that I have contributed to the Basie book.”

Parallèlement à sa collaboration avec Basie, Foster avait également enregistré sous son propre nom et participé à l’enregistrement de plusieurs albums de hard bop avec des musiciens comme Thelonious Monk, Kenny Burrell et Milt Jackson. Foster avait finalement quitté l’orchestre de Basie à l’été 1964 pour se consacrer à sa carrière d’accompagnateur, notamment en enregistrant avec des chanteurs et chanteuses comme Frank Sinatra et Sarah Vaughan.

Impatient de contribuer aux nouveaux courants du jazz, Foster avait formé un certain nombre de groupes ponctuels, dont le Loud Minority Big Band, tout en continuant de se produire avec groupes de New York. En 1968, Foster avait enregistré un de ses meilleurs albums en carrière. Intitulé ‘’Manhattan Fever’’,  l’album avait été publié sur étiquette Blue Note.

De 1970 à 1972, avait travaillé sur une base régulière avec les groupes du batteur Elvin Jones (qui était un des cousins de sa seconde épouse Cecilia) qu’il avait retrouvé sur une base intermittente par la suite. En 1977, Jones avait d’ailleurs collaboré à un album du Loud Minority Big Band intitulé “Well Water’’ qui comprenait une version de la pièce ‘’Simone’’ de Count Basie.

Au cours de la même décennie, Foster avait également joué avec George Coleman et Joe Farrell. De 1972 à 1975, Foster avait aussi collaboré avec le big band de Thad Jones et Mel Lewis.

Foster avait amorcé sa carrière d’enseignant comme artiste en résidence au New England Conservatory of Music de Boston en 1971. La même année, Foster avait occupé un poste de consultant dans le réseau d’écoles publiques de New York, plus particulièrement dans le District no 5 de Harlem, comme membre d’une équipe de six musiciens professionnels engagés dans le cadre d’un programme du gouvernement fédéral intitulé Cultural Enrichment Through Music, Dance, and Song. De 1972 à 1976, Foster avait été assistant-professeur à temps plein dans le programme Black Studies de la State University de New York à Buffalo (SUNY). Il avait aussi enseigné à Queens College.

DERNIÈRES ANNÉES

Habitué des festivals européens, Foster avait fait une apparition au festival Capital Jazz de Knebworth, en Angleterre, en 1982. Foster continuait d’enseigner et de se produire sur scène lorsqu’il avait reçu un appel de Basie l’invitant à revenir jouer avec l’orchestre. Après la mort de Basie en 1984, le trompettiste Thad Jones avait pris sa relève à la direction de l’orchestre. Après que Jones soit tombé malade à son tour en juin 1986, Foster avait pris sa succession jusqu’en 1995. Après avoir pris la direction de l’orchestre, Foster avait renouvelé le répertoire du groupe tout en conservant quelques vieux classiques. Même si certains vieux vétérans s’étaient montrés réfractaires à la modernisation du répertoire du groupe, le jeune trompettiste Byron Stripling avait apprécié le sens du leadership de Foster. Lorsque le groupe avait été engagé par le chanteur Tony Bennett pour enregistrer l’album “A Swingin’ Christmas’’ en 2008, c’est également Foster qui avait fait office d’arrangeur.

Après avoir quitté le groupe de Basie en 1995, Foster avait repris la direction de trois des groupes qu’il avait fondé des années avant d’avoir pris la direction de l’orchestre: The Non-Electric Company (un quartet qui se transformait parfois en quintet), Swing Plus (un ensemble de douze musiciens), et The Loud Minority Big Band (un orchestre de dix-huit musiciens). Foster avait aussi dirigé le groupe Living Color. En 1983, Foster avait également co-dirigé un quintet avec son vieux compère du big band de Count Basie, le saxophoniste Frank Wess. Il avait aussi participé à une tournée en Europe avec le quintet de Jimmy Smith en 1985.

Au cours de cette période, Foster avait également continué d’enregistrer des albums importants comme ‘’The Legend, the Legacy’’ (1989), qui comprenait la Remembrance Suite de Count Basie.

Retourné à son rôle d’arrangeur, Foster avait publié trois livres comprenant ses principaux arrangements. Foster s’était mérité de nombreux honneurs au cours de sa carrière, dont deux prix Grammy pour sa collaboration avec l’orchestre de Count Basie (le premier pour un arrangement de la composition de Diane Schuur "Deedles' Blues" en 1987, et le second pour son arrangement de la composition de George Benson "Basie's Bag" en 1990). Foster aussi été mis en nomination pour deux autres prix Grammy: d’abord pour son arrangement pour big band de la composition de Charles Trenet ‘’Beyond the Sea’’ (La Mer), puis pour un album avec le saxophoniste Frank West intitulé Frankly Speaking (1985). Foster a également été élu ‘’Jazz Master’’ par la National Endowment for the Arts en 2002. Foster avait reçu son prix en lisant la déclaration suivante:

"Although jazz has been officially declared a national treasure in recent years, far too few of its representative artists ever receive sufficient acknowledgement in the mass media.  In view of this unfortunate reality, it’s quite fitting and honorable that a prestigious entity such as the National Endowment for the Arts recognizes the artistic, aesthetic and spiritual value of this home-grown music through the American Jazz Masters Fellowship. Therefore, it is with extreme happiness and gratitude that I accept the fellowship award for the year 2002."

En 1987, Foster avait aussi été récipiendaire d’un doctorat honorifique de son alma mater, la Central State Université de Wilberforce en Ohio.

En plus d’avoir écrit des arrangements pour ses propres groupes, Foster avait également reçu plusieurs commandes. En 1980, il avait même composé une suite de jazz pour les Jeux Olympiques d’hiver de Lake Placid intitulée ‘’Lake Placid Suite.’’ La Harpers Ferry Historical Association of West Virginia l’avait aussi chargé de composer une suite de jazz d’une durée de dix à quinze minutes pour commémorer le célèbre raid de l’antiesclavagiste John Brown à Harpers Ferry. La suite a été interprétée par l’orchestre de Count Basie à Harpers Ferry en août 2006. Le Jazz at Lincoln Center avait également mandaté Foster pour composer et arranger de la musique pour le Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, dans le cadre de performances dirigées par le trompettiste Wynton Marsalis du 13 au 15 mars 2008. Foster avait aussi écrit les paroles, la musique et les orchestrations des chansons ‘’I Love You (Based on Your Availability)" et "Romance Without Substance Is a Nuisance", qui avaient été interprétées par les chanteurs et chanteuses Dennis Rowland et Marlena Shaw. Le 20 mars 2009, le Chicago Jazz Ensemble, sous la direction du trompettiste Jon Faddis, avait également interprété une suite en trois parties de Foster intitulée "Chi-Town Is My Town and My Town's No Shy Town" au Harris Theater de Chicago.

Foster avait aussi composé des oeuvres pour le Carnegie Hall Jazz Ensemble, le Detroit Civic Symphony Orchestra, le Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble, la Jazzmobile Corporation of New York City, le Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, le Malaysia Symphony Orchestra, le Metropole Orchestra of Hilversum et le Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. En 1983, Dizzy Gillespie avait personnellement chargé Foster d’orchestrer sa célèbre composition "Con Alma" en vue d’une performance et d’un enregistrement avec le London Philharmonic Orchestra qui était alors dirigé par Robert Farnon.

Très impliqué socialement, Foster était très actif dans la Jazz Foundation of America, une organisation venant en aide aux musiciens dans le besoin, et plus particulièrement aux victimes de l’ouragan Katrina en 2005. Grâce au soutien de la Fondation, Foster avait d’ailleurs participé à un concert-bénéfice pour venir en aide aux victimes en 2008. Foster avait d’ailleurs fait don de son saxophone à la Fondation en vue que celui-ci soit mis aux enchères. Les profits de la vente ont éventuellement permis de supporter financièrement plusieurs programmes à but non lucratif de la Fondation, plus particulièrement dans le cadre de performances et de programmes éducatifs destinés aux victimes de l’ouragan Katrina à La Nouvelle-Orléans et dans le Golfe.

Victime d’une attaque en 2001, Foster avait été partiellement paralysé du côté gauche, ce qui l’avait forcé à cesser de jouer du saxophone. Après avoir continué de diriger le groupe Loud Minority dans le cadre de quelques engagements durant la majeure partie des années 2000, Foster avait confié la direction de la formation au vétéran Cecil Bridgewater. Même s’il ne pouvait plus jouer de saxophone, Foster avait continué de composer et d’écrire des arrangements à sa résidence de Chesapeake, en Virginie, où il habitait avec son épouse Cecilia Foster depuis près de quarante-cinq ans.

Frank Foster est mort d’insuffisance rénale à sa résidence de Chesapeake le 26 juillet 2011. Il était âgé de quatre-vingt-deux ans. Deux ans avant sa mort en 2009, Foster avait légué ses nombreuses compositions, arrangements et documents personnel au département des archives jazz de l’Université Duke afin qu’elles soient rendues accessibles aux générations futures.

Énormément apprécié par ses pairs musiciens, Foster était reconnu pour son style énergique ainsi que pour son tempérament sociable. Il laissait dans le deuil sa seconde épouse Cecilia (qui était également sa gérante), sa fille Andrea Jardis Innis et son fils Frank IV. Foster avait également deux fils de son premier mariage,  Anthony et Donald, ainsi que six petits-enfants.

Même si Foster était surtout connu pour sa participation à l’orchestre de Count Basie, il était beaucoup plus un musicien bop qu’un musicien de swing. Comme Foster l’avait déclaré lors d’une entrevue accordée dans le cadre d’un  programme d’histoire orale de la Smithsonian Institution en 1998, “I’m a hard bopper. Once a hard bopper, always a hard bopper.” Au cours de sa carrière, Foster avait enregistré plusieurs albums comme leader, dont ‘’Here Comes Frank Foster’’ (1954), ‘’Two Franks Please!’’ (1957), ‘’Fearless Frank Foster’’ (1965), ‘’Manhattan Fever’’ (1968), ‘’Shiny Stockings’’ (1987), ‘’Frankly Speaking’’ (1995) et ‘’Swing’’ (1998).

©-2024, tous droits réservés, Les Productions de l’Imaginaire historique

SOURCES:

CHINEN, Nate. ‘’ Frank Foster, Jazz Saxophonist, Composer and Arranger, Dies at 82.’’ New York Times, 26 juillet 2011.

‘’Frank Foster.’’ All About Jazz, 2024.

‘’Frank Foster.’’ Wikipedia, 2024.

‘’Frank Foster.’’ National Endowment for the Arts, 2024.

VACHER, Peter. ‘’Frank Foster obituary. Composer, arranger and sax player with the Count Basie orchestra.’’ The Guardian, 22 août 2011.

[jogallice]

1️⃣

Aujourd’hui, dimanche 15/09/24, Journée internationale de la démocratie 🗳️, Journée internationale pour la liberté de l'instruction 🗽 et 18e édition de la Journée mondiale du lymphome 🙏

2️⃣

Viols de Mazan : un rassemblement de plusieurs dizaines de personnes a eu lieu hier près du centre Courier à Annecy en soutien à Gisèle Pélicot et aux victimes de viols❗️

3️⃣

Trois marchés le dimanche matin à Annecy : marché de la vieille ville (rue Sainte Claire), marché des Teppes (place des Rhododendrons) de 7h à 13h tous les deux et marché du quartier du Vallon (place Jean Moulin) de 8h à 12h 🧺

“Plan” annécien pour celles et ceux qui ne connaissent pas encore ce lieu d’accueil et d’échange ℹ️ Boissons sans alcool, livres, jeux 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 de 10h à 12h30 📍 Café du curé (6 quai de l’Évêché, vieille ville) ☕

La Marche Gourmande de la Mouette : plusieurs arrêts pour vous désaltérer, déguster entrées et plats chauds, fromage et dessert à l’arrivée ℹ️ Parcours de 12 km 🎫 27 € & 10 € (- de 10 ans) 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 de 10h30 à 16h30 📍 Butte Saint-Martin 🚶

Journée porte ouverte à La Cavale : découverte du club, atelier pansage pour les plus jeunes, démonstration de maréchalerie et d'ostéopathie équine, balade poneys de 10h à 11h et de 14h à 16h, vente de crêpes l'après-midi 🎫 Accès libre 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 de 11h à 16h  📍 Sevrier, Grand Annecy 🐎

Au fil des rivières : des visites pédagogiques pour découvrir les cours d’eau et leurs richesses  ℹ️  À partir de 6 ans (les enfants doivent être accompagnés par un adulte) ⌚️ 2h 🎫 Gratuit 🎟️ Inscription obligatoire au 06 22 54 92 68 (nombre de places limité à 20 personnes) 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 à 14h 📍 Le Vallon du Fier 💧

Initiation au battage de la Faulx ℹ️ Accès à pied uniquement par une randonnée de 50 min et 2,5 km depuis le parking le plus proche (Les prés ronds) ⌚️ 2h 🎫 Gratuit 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 à 14h 📍 Chalet des Crôttes, Talloires-Montmin, Grand Annecy ⛰️

Exposition : Illusions, quand notre cerveau nous joue des tours ℹ️ L’enfant doit être accompagné d'un adulte (inscrit lui aussi) 🎫 5 €, 3 € & 0 € (- de 12 ans) 🎟️ Réservation en ligne 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 de 14h à 16h et de 16h à 18h 📍 La Turbine sciences (Place Chorus) 🧠

Ateliers scientifiques : menés par les médiateurs du lieu, ils font appel à la manipulation, à la démarche scientifique et à l’apprentissage par la pratique ℹ️ Spécial adolescent·es 🎫 5 € & 3 € 🎟️ Réservation en ligne 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 de 14h15 à 15h45 📍 La Turbine sciences (Place Chorus) 🥼

Conférence : Les traces des maquis par Julien Guillon, docteur en histoire contemporaine, référent scientifique du Mémorial de la Résistance en Vercors 🎫 Gratuit 🎟️ Réservation obligatoire (archedep@hautesavoie.fr, 04 50 33 20 80) 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 à 14h30 📍 Plateau des Glières (Accueil Mémoire du maquis, Thorens-Glières, Fillière, Grand Annecy) 🗣

Entre mer et montagne : cette exposition d'Isabelle Jouan met en avant des paysages marins et montagneux, reflétant ses inquiétudes quant aux changements du monde et de l'environnement 🎫 Entrée libre 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 de 15h à 18h en présence de l’artiste 📍 Forum Exposition Bonlieu 🖼️

Rendez-vous des familles : un monument à portée de mains ⌚️ 1h 🎫 3 €, 2 € & 0 € (- de 8 ans) 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 à 16h 📍 Plateau des Glières (Accueil Mémoire du maquis, Thorens-Glières, Fillière, Grand Annecy) ⛰️

Rendez-vous des familles : La vie quotidienne des Français dans les années 40 (jeu de plateau) ℹ️ En cas de vigilance météorologique orange (pluie, orage, vent), la visite est annulée 🎫 3 €, 2 € & 0 € (- de 8 ans) 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 à 16h 📍 Site de Morette, Route de Thônes, La Balme-de-Thuy 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Queen a Man : spectacle de rue tout public (Cie Ô Captain Mon Capitaine) ℹ️ Dans le cadre de la 13e édition du festival Coup de théâtre (du 7 au dimanche 15/09/24) ⌚️ 50 min 🎫 Participation libre 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 à 16h📍 Plage de l’Impérial 🧑‍🎤

Théâtre : Danger Public ℹ️ Une comédie de Frédéric Sabrou mise en scène par Jean-Marc Patron ⌚️ 1h 🎫 12 € 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 à 16h 📍 Salle Pierre Lamy (12 rue de la République) 🎭 

Théâtre : Bienvenue à Loose Vegas ℹ️ Pour 1 000 000 $, ils sont prêts à tout mais bons à rien 🎫 18 €, 16 € (+ de 65 ans) & 12 € (enfants jusqu'à 12 ans) 📆 Ce dimanche 15/09/24 à 17h 📍 Théâtre Les Têtes de l'Art (36 avenue de Chambéry) 🎭

4️⃣

Qualité de l’air à Annecy (indices ATMO) : les conditions météorologiques resteront peu propices à la formation d’ozone, une qualité de l’air moyenne devrait se maintenir sur le territoire 💨

Dans la cité lacustre et ailleurs, au niveau de vos déplacements, privilégiez vélo, trottinette, marche à pied, etc. et au niveau de vos activités physiques, privilégiez les parcs, les zones piétonnes et les rues peu circulantes pour vos activités de plein air 🌬️

L’indice de risque pollinique à Annecy est moyen (niveau 2) ➡️ Ambroisies, graminées, plantain et urticacées : niveau 1 ; platane et saule : niveau 0 ➡️ Indice communal valable du 14/09 au vendredi 20/09/2024 inclus 🤧 Personnes allergiques : évitez de tondre la pelouse, pour ne pas aggraver les symptômes 😷

5️⃣

Trois dictons du jour pour le prix de deux (sixième jour) : « À la saint Roland c'est du vin, quand le buisson goutte au matin. » 🍷 « À la saint Roland tourne le vent. » 🍃 « Saint Roland aux champs, saint Tanguy (le 19/11) à l'écurie. » 🧐

Et deux autres dictons du jour pour la route : « La lune de septembre est la plus claire et en présage sept autres. » 🌝 « Quand pomme passe poire il faut boire, quand poire passe pomme garde ton vin bonhomme. » 🍏 ou 🍐

6️⃣

Je vous souhaite une très bonne journée annécienne et une excellente fin d’été à Annecy, dans les 33 autres communes du Grand Annecy, en Savoie ou ailleurs 🏖️

Bonne fête aux Roland (les Rolande sont fêtées le 13 mai) et demain aux Édith 😘

Bon septième et dernier jour de la semaine à tous et à toutes 🪷

📷 JamesO PhotO à Annecy le 10/09/24 📸

[lours-postal]

1733

[stjohnstarling]

Now hiring for the following career paths ONLY:

carnie

courier

rockstar

telegram boy

jolly swagman

gongfarmer

rag-and-bone man

railrider

pickpocket

nanny

drummer

young tough

stage magician

stage magician's beautiful assistant

avant garde mime

birthday clown

train conductor

bagman

hitchhiker

cunning folk

[dianeclancy]

Goddess Bags Connect You to Spirit Everywhere

Goddess Bags Connect You to Spirit Everywhere

[niftygridzpro paragraph_embed=”0″ grid_sort_method=”pulledorder” grid_sort_direction=”highlow” title_font_size=”14px” title_alignment=”center” include_product_names_in_titles=1 use_only_product_names_in_titles=0 cell_max_width=”240px” cell_border_color=”#aaaaaa” cell_background_color=”#ffffff” cell_font_color=”#333333″ cell_vlink_color=”#666666″ description_font_size=”12px”…

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Tuesday 28 April 1840

7 40/..

1

very fine morning R10 ½° at 8 a.m.  breakfast at 9 ¼ and afterwards sat reading Malcom vol. 1 and making notes to p. 10 – till 11 ¼ - out at 11 ½ and making calls till home at 2 20/.. sat reading till 3 ¾ when note in English from Madame Golovin to ask A- to ride this afternoon at 5 and myself to do with Madame G- in her calêche – wrote back Mrs. Lister and Miss Walker are very much obliged to Madame de Golovin for her so kind attention and will be ready at five o’clock – Tuesday “à Madame madame de Golovin” – one of the Cossack avant couriers brought the note and a hat of Mademoiselle G-‘s for A- and took back the answer on a ½ sheet paper – called on the Braikos, Kotzebues, Madame Vassilkovsky les dames Georgiennes Madame Gribōdoye as pronounced (Griboldoff as written for us by Madame Mendt) and her sister princess Dadian – the princess Tchevtchivadzeiff their mother and their aunt Madame Orbelianoff not speaking they promised to faire nos complimens and on return home we found the cards (2) of Prince Tchartchavadge général major – handsome house – fine view over the town on the Koutaïs road – well furnished – several Georgian ladies and 3 or 4 Russian high employés – the Georgian ladies pretty themselves and in their pretty picturesque costume, and the princess herself charmante – her sister Madame G- prettyish and very agreeable – their little sister beautiful little Georgian child of 7 or 8 – then to the Golovins, Madame Besoc Madame Mendt and Madame Latchinoff and Madame Orloff, and sent message to say we would go to Madame Chwastoff at 7 ½ this evening (accepted) and then to Madame Scallon for 5 minutes when we met the Golovins – did not have

SH:7/ML/E/24/00092

cards anywhere having sent them on Sunday and nowhere admitted except chez Madame Vassilosky and les dames Georgiennes, and Madame Latchinoff and Madame Scallon – A- seemed rather warm with walking but I not at [all] too warm – agreeable morning – a little air now and then and the sun couvert – had just written so far now at 4 ¼ - dinner in ½ hour till 4 ¾ - off from here at 5 the carriage having waited 10 minutes – alighted chez Madame Golovin for 2 or 3 minutes and then off she and I in the phaeton, and A- and Miss G- and her 2 brothers and Miss Kotzebue, and the aide du camp and colonel Broussiloff on horseback – thro’ the town on the Erivan road – drove to opposite the great hospital and back fine views of reaches of rivers and gardens and mountains – Madame G- set me down at home at 6 ¾ - the servants out – all locked up – walked on the balcony 25 minutes before George came then waited as much longer for Domna – then off at 7 55/.. and in 20 minutes walked to Madame Chwstoffs to tea – Madame Scallon there – tea very soon and sat long at table – Mr. C- all croaking about difficulties of our journey – as easy to go to Isaphan [Esfahan] as Baku – could as easily go to I- in a carriage as to B- nothing to repay us at B- the napthan springs curious but to a person who had seen Pausillippo [Pausilypon] etc. nothing worth going for – had better go on horseback – if any accident to the carriage en route must sent here to be repaired – the Germans very dear would charge 1000 S.R. for going from here to B- and back by Erivan – on arriving the C-s had left their carriage a hundred versts from here and they paid the Germans 50 S.R. for taking them to bring it here – or did he mean for going for the carriage and bringing it here empty – returned in their phaeton at 9 55/.. and home probably in 10 minutes – had Domna – tea – stood talking – wrote all but the 1st 4 lines of this page till now 12 ¾ - fine hottish dullish day – threatening rain this evening and much lightning as we walked to the C-s

[josefavomjaaga]

Eugène disobeys. Kinda.

As related before, in November 1813 Eugène had refused an offer made to him by his father-in-law to join the Allies, and he had sent a report of the event to Napoleon. Who had answered in his usual laconic way: 

Paris, November 28, 1813

My son, I receive your letter of the 22nd, 11 PM. I recognize Austria's politics very well in there; that's how she creates so many traitors.

(According to the secret envoy, Prince von Thurn und Taxis, the reaction of Eugène’s father-in-law on hearing that Eugène had refused was similarly brief: »Je les ai bien dit.« - »I had so told them that before.«)

So, that was that. In case Eugène had expected a pat on the head (which he clearly had), he got no such thing.

However, three months later Eugène would be in a position to be accused of treason (or at least disobedience) himself. On February 16, 1814, he received an order via Clarke:

Le Duc de Feltre (Clarke) à Eugène, Fevrier 9, 1814

Monseigneur,

l'Empereur me prescrit par sa lettre datée de Nogent-sur-Seine le 8 de ce mois de réitérer à Votre Altesse Impériale l'ordre que Sa Majesté lui a donné de se porter sur les Alpes aussitôt que le roi de Naples aurait déclaré la guerre à la France. D'après les intentions de Sa Majesté, Votre Altesse Impériale ne doit laisser aucune garnison dans les places d'Italie, si ce n'est des troupes d'Italie, et elle doit de sa personne venir avec tout ce qui est français sur Turin et Lyon, soit par Fenestrelle, soit par le mont Cenis. L'Empereur me charge de mander à Votre Altesse qu'aussitôt qu'elle sera en Savoie elle sera rejointe par tout ce que nous avons à Lyon.

***

Monseigneur,

the Emperor instructs me by his letter dated Nogent-sur-Seine on the 8th of this month to reiterate to Your Imperial Highness the order which His Majesty gave him to proceed to the Alps as soon as the King of Naples had declared war on France. According to the intentions of His Majesty, Your Imperial Highness must not leave any garrison in the places of Italy, except for the troops of Italy, and he himself is to come with all that is French to Turin and Lyon, either by Fenestrelle, or by Mont Cenis.

The Emperor charges me to mandate to Your Highness that as soon as he is in Savoy he will be joined by all that we have in Lyon.

This message was also supposed to be sent via telegraph, but it never seems to have reached Milan that way. Only on February 16, after receiving it via courier, Eugène writes back, asking Clarke for clarification. Leave? In the case that Murat attacks us? Or like – right now? Why? So far the Neapolitans still seem to be quite undecided; we can hold on a lot longer here.

Before Clarke can send another order, Eugène, on February 18, receives not one but two family letters:

Josephine à Eugène, (Février 9)

Ne perds pas un instant, mon cher Eugène, quels que soient les obstacles, redouble d'efforts pour remplir l'ordre que l'Empereur t'a donné. Il vient de m'écrire à ce sujet. Son intention est que tu te portes sur les Alpes, en laissant dans Mantoue et les places d'Italie seulement les troupes du royaume d'Italie; sa lettre finit par ces mots: « La France avant tout, la France a besoin de tous ses enfants! »

Viens donc, mon cher fils, accours ; jamais ton zèle n'aura mieux servi l'Empereur. Je puis t'assurer que chaque instant est précieux.

Je sais que ta femme se disposait à quitter Milan; dis-moi si je peux lui être utile? Adieu, mon cher Eugène, je n'ai que le temps de t'embrasser et de te répéter d'arriver bien vite.

***

Do not lose a moment, my dear Eugene, whatever the obstacles, redouble your efforts to fulfil the order the Emperor has given you. He has just written to me on this subject. His intention is that you should go to the Alps, leaving in Mantua and the places of Italy only the troops of the kingdom of Italy; his letter ends with these words: "France above all, France needs all her children! "

Come then, my dear son, hurry; never has your zeal served the Emperor better. I can assure you that every moment is precious.

I know that your wife was preparing to leave Milan; tell me if I can be of use to her? Farewell, my dear Eugene, I have only time to embrace you and to tell you again to arrive very soon.

And Hortense to Eugène (10 Février)

Je t'envoie la lettre de l'Empereur à l'Impératrice et la réponse de notre mère; je ne comprends rien à tout cela... Au reste, la paix se fait, car on en parle beaucoup; cela ne nous empêchera peut-être pas d'être pris à Paris, mais tout cela sera décidé dans peu de jours. Ce qui prouve bien que l'Empereur ne comptait pas sur toi pour venir en France, c'est que d'après sa lettre il dit ne t'avoir ordonné de quitter l'Italie que quand le roi de Naples lui déclarerait la guerre, et cette guerre à laquelle il devait bien s' attendre depuis longtemps, je parie qu'il s'est toujours fait illusion et ne l'a pas crue possible... Il est vrai qu'il est plus pénible de voir des torts à ceux qu'on a beaucoup aimés. Tes proclamations sont à merveille et tu ne dois jamais envier ton voisin victorieux et puissant. Tu vas t etrouver dans un grand embarras... Suis ta tête, elle te fera mieux juger ce qu'il faut faire étant de près, et je suis sûre que tu suivras toujours ton cœur en faisant ce qui sera le mieux pour servir l'Empereur, et que lui-même ne pourra jamais en douter. Comme c'est là la seule récompense que tu attends, il serait pénible de ne pas l'obtenir...  

***

I am sending you the Emperor's letter to the Empress and our mother's reply; I do not understand any of this... Besides, peace is on the way, because there is a lot of talk about it; this will perhaps not prevent us from being caught in Paris, but all that will be decided in a few days. What proves that the Emperor did not count on you to come to France, is that according to his letter he says that he ordered you to leave Italy only when the King of Naples declared war on him, and this war, that he must have expected for a long time, I bet that he was always under the illusion and did not believe it possible... It is true that it is more painful to see faults in those whom one has loved very much. Your proclamations are wonderful and you should never envy your victorious and powerful neighbour. You will find yourself in great trouble... Follow your head, it will make you better judge what to do being close, and I am sure that you will always follow your heart in doing what is best to serve the Emperor, and that he himself can never doubt it. As this is the only reward you expect, it would be painful not to obtain it...

Now Eugène, usually rather stoic and timid when dealing with Napoleon, and used to some level of verbal abuse from his step-father ever since he became viceroy of Italy, for once has had enough. What do his mother and sister have to do with any of this? He’s held out in Germany in 1813, after the Russian disaster, after Murat had left, and (as he seems to have told his Bavarian family) never even got a »thank you« for his efforts to keep the remnants of the Grande Armée together. Back in Italy he receives some lukewarm allusions about »Don’t forget to bring the silverware when you leave Italy!« - and now, instead of giving a clear order for once, Napoleon feels the need to make Eugène obey by getting involved the ex-empress? As if Eugène needed some extra incentive to follow Napoleon’s orders?

So Eugène does the logical thing: not follow Napoleon’s order. Instead, he indignantly points out how he has done nothing wrong and goes to great lengths to explain to Napoleon why he thinks this whole evacuation plan is crap anyway. (Which, admittedly, he is probably right about.)

Eugène to Napoleon, Volta, February 18, 1814

Sire, une lettre que je reçois de l'impératrice Joséphine m'apprend que Votre Majesté me reproche de n'avoir pas mis assez d'empressement à exécuter l'ordre qu'elle m'a donné par sa lettre en chiffres, et qu'elle m'a fait réitérer le 9 de ce mois par le duc de Feltre.

Votre Majesté a semblé croire aussi que j'ai besoin d'être excité à me rapprocher de la France dans les circonstances actuelles, par d'autres motifs que mon dévouement pour sa personne et mon amour pour ma patrie.

Que Votre Majesté me le pardonne, mais je dois lui dire que je n'ai mérité ni ses reproches ni le peu de confiance qu'elle montre dans des sentiments qui seront toujours les plus puissants mobiles de toutes mes actions.

L'ordre de Votre Majesté portait expressément que, dans le cas où le roi de Naples déclarerait la guerre à la France, je devais me retirer sur les Alpes. Cet ordre n'était que conditionnel; j'aurais été coupable si je l'eusse exécuté avant que la condition qui devait en motiver l'exécution eût été remplie. Mais, cependant, je me suis mis aussitôt, par mon mouvement rétrograde sur le Mincio et en m'échelonnant sur Plaisance, en mesure d'exécuter la retraite que Votre Majesté me prescrivait, aussitôt que le roi de Naples, sortant de son indécision, se serait enfin formellement déclaré contre nous. Jusqu'à présent ses troupes n'ont commis aucune hostilité contre celles de Votre Majesté; le roi s'est toujours refusé à coopérer activement au mouvement des Autrichiens, et, il y a deux jours encore, il m'a fait dire que son intention n'était point d'agir contre Votre Majesté, et il m'a donné en même temps à entendre qu'il ne faudrait qu'une circonstance heureuse pour qu'il se déclarât en faveur des drapeaux sous lesquels il a toujours combattu. Votre Majesté voit donc clairement qu'il ne m'a point été permis de croire que le moment d'exécuter son ordre conditionnel fût arrivé.

Mais si Votre Majesté veut supposer un instant que j'eusse interprété ses ordres de manière à me retirer aussitôt que je les aurais reçus, qu'en serait-il résulté?

J'ai une armée de 36,000 hommes, dont 24,000 Français et 12,000 Italiens. Mais de ces 24,000 Français, plus de la moitié sont nés dans les États de Rome et de Gênes, en Toscane et dans le Piémont, et aucun d'eux assurément n'aurait repassé les Alpes. Les hommes qui appartiennent aux départements du Léman et du mont Blanc, qui commencent déjà à déserter, auraient bientôt suivi cet exemple des Italiens, et je me serais trouvé dans les défilés du mont Cenis ou de Fenestrelle, comme je m'y trouverai aussitôt que Votre Majesté m'en aura donné l'ordre positif, avec 10,000 hommes à peine, et attirant à ma suite sur la France 70,000 Autrichiens, et l'armée napolitaine qui alors, privée de la présence de l'armée française qui lui sert encore plus d'appui que de frein, eût été forcée aussitôt d'agir offensivement contre nous. Il est d'ailleurs impossible de douter que l'évacuation entière de l'Italie aurait jeté dans les rangs des ennemis de Votre Majesté un grand nombre de soldats qui sont aujourd'hui ses sujets.

Je suis donc convaincu que le mouvement de retraite prescrit par Votre Majesté aurait élé très funeste à ses armes, et qu'il est fort heureux que, jusqu'à présent, je n'aie pas dû l'opérer.

Mais si l'intention de Votre Majesté était que je dusse le plus promptement possible rentrer en France avec ce que j'aurais pu conserver de son armée, que n'a-t-elle daigné me l'ordonner? Elle doit en être bien persuadée, ses moindres désirs seront toujours des lois suprêmes pour moi; mais Votre Majesté m'a appris que dans le métier des armes il n'est pas permis de deviner les intentions, et qu'on doit se borner à exécuter les ordres.

Quoi qu'il en soit, il est impossible que de pareils doutes soient nés dans le cœur de Votre Majesté. Un dévouement aussi parfait que le mien doit avoir excité la jalousie; puisse-t-elle ne point parvenir à altérer les bontés de Votre Majesté pour moi, elles seront toujours ma plus chère récompense. Le but de toute ma vie sera de la justifier, et je ne cesserai jamais de mettre mon bonheur à vous prouver mon attachement, et ma gloire à vous servir.

***

Sire, a letter I received from Empress Joséphine informs me that Your Majesty blames me of not putting enough eagerness into carrying out the order which you gave me by your letter in cipher, and which you had reiterated to me on the 9th of this month by the Duke of Feltre.

Your Majesty also has seemed to believe that I needed to be induced to approach France in the present circumstances, by other motives than my devotion to His person and my love for of my fatherland.

May your Majesty forgive this, but I have to tell Him I have not deserved either his reproaches or the little confidence He shows in sentiments which will always be the most powerful motives for all my actions.

Your Majesty's order explicitly stated that, in the event that the King of Naples should declare war on France, I was to withdraw to the Alps. This order was only conditional; I would have been guilty if I had executed it before the requirement for its execution had been fulfilled. But, nevertheless, I placed myself at once, by my retrograde movement on the Mincio and by spreading out towards Piacenza, in a position to execute the retreat which Your Majesty prescribed for me, as soon as the King of Naples, coming out of his indecision, had finally formally declared himself against us. Up to now his troops have not committed any hostility against those of Your Majesty; the King has always refused to cooperate actively in the movement of the Austrians, and, only two days ago, he informed me that his intention was not to act against Your Majesty, and at the same time he gave me to understand that it would only take a fortunate circumstance for him to declare himself in favour of the flags under which he has always fought. Your Majesty can therefore clearly see that I was not allowed to believe that the moment to execute his conditional order had arrived.

But if Your Majesty wishes to suppose for a moment that I had interpreted his orders in such a way as to withdraw as soon as I had received them, what would have been the result?

I have an army of 36,000 men, 24,000 of whom are French and 12,000 Italians. But of these 24,000 Frenchmen more than half were born in the states of Rome and Genoa, in Tuscany and Piedmont, and surely none of them would have re-crossed the Alps. The men from the departments of Lake Geneva and departments of Léman and Mont Blanc, who are already beginning to desert, would soon have followed the Italians' example, and I would have found myself in the defiles of Mont Cenis or Fenestrelle, as I will find myself there as soon as Your Majesty has given me a positive order, with barely 10,000 men, drawing after me 70,000 Austrians as well as the Neapolitan forces, which then, deprived of the presence of the French army which is still more of a booster than a brake, would have been forced at once to act offensively against us. Moreover, it is impossible to doubt that the entire evacuation of Italy would have thrown into the ranks of Your Majesty's enemies a great number of soldiers who are today His subjects.

I am therefore convinced that the movement of retreat prescribed by Your Majesty would have been very fatal to His arms, and that it is fortunate that, up to now, I have not had to carry it out.

But if Your Majesty's intention was that I should return to France as quickly as possible with what I could have kept of His army, why did He not deign to order me to do so? He must be well persuaded of this: His smallest desires will always be supreme laws for me; but Your Majesty has taught me that in the profession of arms it is not permitted to guess at intentions and that one must limit oneself to carrying out orders.

Be that as it may, it is impossible for such doubts to have arisen in the heart of Your Majesty. Such perfect devotion as mine must have excited jealousy; may it not succeed in altering Your Majesty's goodness to me, it will always be my dearest reward. The aim of my whole life will be to justify it, and I shall never cease to place my happiness in proving my attachment to you, and my glory in serving you.

In his letter to Josephine of the same date, he opens up even more, complaining loudly:

[…] I had not believed I had reached the point where I needed to give the Emperor proof of my fidelity and my devotion! I can, in all this, see only one thing: that I have enemies, and that they are jealous of the, I dare say honourable, way in which I have managed to get through the most difficult circumstances. To this, I will respond by the testimony of truth. Here it is in its entirety:

For over three months that I had remained without direction or instruction from the Emperor, I received from him, around the 1st of February, only a ciphered letter, which told me that, in the event that the King of Naples declared war on France, I was to withdraw to the Alps. This order was thus conditional, and seemed to say to me: " In such a case you will not be able to hold out in Italy; in this case you must cover the gates of France, etc."

But I had put myself in direct contact with the king; I sent him every day, since his arrival in Bologna, an officer who made him think of peace as being near, who confided in him the indignation which the army felt, who told him that he would be lost forever in history if he dipped his hands in French blood; finally, that it was quite obvious that the enemy was playing with him. […]

And so on, and so on. He’s clearly feeling hurt by what he sees as Napoleon’s distrust. He – of course – also tells his (pregnant) wife Auguste about it, who is not too happy about Napoleon’s behaviour towards Eugène anyway and only too ready to share Eugène’s indignation.

And this in turn will set the stage for the final chapter of this tragicomedy: the big question of Auguste’s confinement.

[frangvski]

I dunno why but I thought of a hc where courier suzette just goes around telling everyone she knows how to tap dance

spoiler : she doesn't

everybody on the mojave would be like "yo did you heard about that courier who does the tap dancing?"

fiends would never attack her bcuz they'd see her and be like "omg it's the tap dance gal"

benny finds out she's alive bcuz everybody on the strip would be talking bout tap dance

as the story passes ear to ear, information gets out of control and things get a lil bit confused. the dancing rumors start including the companions as well

"ive never would thought that this has always been his true passion" manny vargas kept thinking to himself, shocked by the news that craig boone was now a cabaret dancer

suddenly, it's not only a courier who does tap dancing, it was a whole ballet company who murdered caesar with a performance of stravinsky's le sacre du printemps

when all them homies go back to freeside, arcade decides to go to the old mormon fort to check out if the followers need something and julie farkas be like "yo, do a grand-plié in 2nd position" and he be like "lmao why"

after hoover dam, both courier suzette and veronica keep telling people they're professional dancers, and one time someone hires them to do a performance at the tops, and since they didn't really know what they were supposed to do, they kept walking and jumping around the stage, when people asked them wtf was going on, they already had the answer : "it's called avant-garde, pal"

[heavendreams]

Graphtober, week 1, day 3. Courier + Sadness

Un gif tout simple. La typo m’a posé quelques problèmes mais finalement, c’est un personnage qui m’a inspirée. Lorsque quelqu’un ne va pas bien mais dit que tout est OK alors qu’il y a des signes qui montrent l’inverse. Mais que les autres ne le voit pas ou pas avant un long moment. Donc la souffrance et tristesse intérieure pour cette personne puis celle de ses proches en découvrant tout.

A simple gif. The typography gave me some problems, but in the end, he was a character that inspired me. When someone is not well but says everything is OK even if are signs that no, that everything is not ok. But the others don't see it in beginning. So the suffering and inner sadness for this person then that of his loved ones by discovering everything.

[anne-lister-adventures]

Tuesday, 28 April 1840

7 40/’’

1

Very fine morning Reaumur 10 1/2º at 8 a.m. breakfast at 9 1/4 and afterwards sat reading Malcolm vol.[volume] 1 and making notes to p.[page] 10 – Till 11 1/4 – 

Out at 11 1/2 and making calls till home at 2 20/’’ sat reading till 3 3/4 when note in English from Madame Golovin to ask A-[Ann] to ride this afternoon at 5 and myself to go with Madame G-[Golovin] in her Calêche – Wrote back 

Mrs. Lister and Miss Walker are very much obliged to Madame de Golovin for her so kind attention and will be ready at five o’clock – Tuesday ‘À Madame Madame de Golovin’ – 

One of the Cossack avant couriers brought the note and a hat of Mademoiselle G-‘s[Golovin’s] for A-[Ann] and took back the answer on a 1/4 sheet paper – 

Called on the Braikos, Kotzebuis, Madame Vassilkovsky, Les Dames Georgiennes Madame Gribōdyef (as pronounced but Gribodoff as written for us by Madame Mendt) and her sister Princess Dadian – The Princess Tchevtchivadzieff their mother and their Aunt Madame Orbelianoff not speaking they promised to faire nos complimens and on return home we found the cards, 2, of Prince Tchartchavadge Général Major – 

Handsome house – Fine view over the Town on the Koutaïs road – Well furnished – Several Georgian ladies and 3 or 4 Russian high employés – The Georgian ladies pretty themselves and in their pretty picturesque costume, and the Princess herself charmante – Her sister Madame G-[Golovin] prettyish and very agreeable – Their little sister beautiful little Georgian child of 7 or 8 – 

Then to the Golovins, Madame Besoc Madame Mendt and Madame Latchinoff and Madame Orloff, and sent message to say we would go to Madame Chwastoff at 7 1/2 this evening (accepted) and then to Madame Scallon for 5 minutes where we met the Golovins – 

Did not have cards anywhere having sent them on Sunday and no where admitted except chez Madame Vassilkosky and les Dames Georgiennes, and Madame Latchinoff and Madame Scallon – A-[Ann] seemed rather warm with walking but I not at too warm – Agreeable morning – A little air now and then and the sun couvert – Had just written so far now at 4 1/4 – Dinner in 1/2 hour till 4 3/4 – 

Off from here at 5 the carriage having waited 10 minutes – Alighted chez Madame Golovin for 2 or 3 minutes – And then off she and I in the phaeton and A-[Ann] and Miss G-[Golovin] and her 2 brothers and Miss Kotzebue, and the Aide du Camp and Colonel Broussiloff on horseback – Drove thro’ the Town on the Erivan road to opposite the great hospital and back fine views of reaches of river and gardens and mountains – Madame G-[Golovin] set me down at home at 6 3/4 – 

Old Tbilisi – Lev Lagorio (Image source)

The servants out – All looked up – Walked on the balcony 25 minutes before George came then waited as much longer for Domna – Then off at 7 55/’’ and in 20 minutes walked to Madame Chwastoffs Madame Scallon there – Tea very soon and sat long at table – 

Mr. C-[Chwastoff] all croaking about the difficulties of our journey – As easy to go to Ispahan as Baku – Could as easily go to I-[Ispahan] in a carriage as to B-[Baku] nothing to repay us at B-[Baku] the naphta springs curious but to a person who had seen Pausiliffo &c. nothing worth going for – Had better go on horseback – If any accident to the carriage en route must sent here to be repaired – The Germans very dear would charge 1000 S.[Silver] R.[Rubles] for going from there to B-[Baku] and back by Erivan – On arriving the C-s[Chwastoffs] had left their carriage a hundred vv.[versts] from here and they paid the Germans 50 S.[Silver] R.[Rubles] for taking them to bring it here – Or did he mean for going for the carriage and bringing it here empty – 

Returned in their phaeton at 9 55/’’ and home probably in 10 minutes – Had Domna – Tea – Stood talking – Wrote all but the 1st 4 lines of this p.[page] till now 12 3/4 – Fine hottish dullish day – Threatening rain this evening and much lightning as we walked to the C-s[Chwastoffs]

[symbols in the margin of the page:]         N         N         ✓         ✓         ✓

Page References: SH:7/ML/E/24/0091 and SH:7/ML/E/24/0092

[montagnarde1793]

Camarades nous apprenons la prise de Verdun nous redoublons de Courage et d’activité dans nos mesures marchez de votre Côté avec Courage serrons nous armons nous et nous nous sauverons nous Venons d’expedier des couriers [sic] pour la marche active des forces que nous attendons Le conseil g.al permanent

Lettre rédigée par Pierre Louis Prieur (de la Marne), administrateur du département envoyé en commission, de l’administration du district de Reims à celle du département de la Marne (signée par Prieur et les administrateurs de district). Reims, 1er sept. 1792 (AD Marne 1 L 877).

Prieur et l’autre commissaire, Quillet, donnent des explications plus détaillées à leurs collègues dans une autre lettre du même jour, racontant ainsi leur arrivée à Reims :

arrivés a Reims sur les 5 heures du matin Le conseil General du district s’est réuni au Conseil General de la Commune, nous avons rendu Compte de L’objet de nos depeches et de notre mission dans une séance publique qui s’est tenue a la municipalité et les citoyens nous ont paru Bien disposés soit a marcher, soit a cedder [sic] leurs armes a ceux qui iraient aux frontieres.

Ils vont encore se rendre à Soissons avant la fin de la journée avant de revenir à Reims à temps pour l’assemblée électorale le 3.

[lours-postal]

1705

manifold fut l’un des noms de lours

avant lours

avant aussi, j’imprimais moi – même mes cartes postales sur un papier mat assez épais et les pliais ; de ce fait, je me servais du verso

manifold was one of lours’ names

before lours

also before, my postcards were self - printed on mat paper, folded and cut by me

I used also the back side of the postcard

[aleclikesmacintosh]

Linotype QuickDraw GX Font collection preview