Friday, January 28, 2011

soprano jeni bern


Amy (wife) and I began watching Daniel Deronda, a 2002 BBC production based somewhat on the George Eliot novel.

I liked the singer featured during the title credits, so I did a search to find out who it was. According to PBS online:

"Title and end credits music:
Act II: 'Cavatina' from Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro). This piece was recorded for Daniel Deronda featuring singer Jenny Burn."

So I checked around online for a Jenny Burn. Nothing. After a bit more searching, I found the problem. Whoever wrote the movie credits could not have spelled her name any more incorrectly if they had tried. Her actual name is Jeni Bern, not Jenny Burn.

Although the sample pieces on her website are not functioning properly yet, I found a youtube sample from the Deronda movie. Something about her voice is untamed? and beautifully haunting to me. Amy is often a better judge in such matters, and was not as enthralled - she is more inclined toward perfection in voice and difficult to impress.

Friday, January 21, 2011

new ring

OK, so for what I am working on today, thought I would use the experience gained on the garnet door pendant and use it to make a ring. I am also going to salvage the 'bezel area' from the pendant. It will have 'wood' sides as the base of the bezel, and 'stone work' as the shank.

It will probably not have a elaborate story like the door. Probably with a faceted 4x6 rectangle cut amethyst.