Imaginary

Fictional Narratives

Open the links for lists of books that invite children to learn about the world.

“. . . more than just prolific, Prose is interested — in everyone and everything, from Anne Frank to Caravaggio to gluttony.”

• Francine Prose, The Vixen: A Novel (Harper, 2021): “If there were a George Bernard Shaw Prize for Crisp Compassion and Amused Disappointment in the Species, Prose would have won it many times over, for searingly clever novels . . .”
• Francine Prose, Mister Monkey: A Novel (Harper/HarperCollins Publishers, 2016): “. . . Prose’s 15th novel is a sophisticated satire, a gently spiritual celebration of life, a dark and thoroughly grim depiction of despair, a screwball comedy, a screwball tragedy.”
• Francine Prose, Household Saints: A Novel (St. Martin’s Press, 1981).
• Francine Prose, Blue Angel: A Novel (Harper, 2000).
• Francine Prose, Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932: A Novel (Harper, 2014).
• Francine Prose, A Changed Man: A Novel (Harper, 2005).
• Francine Prose, Judah the Pious: A Novel (Atheneum, 1973).
• Francine Prose, The Glorious Ones: A Novel (Atheneum, 1974).

Poetry

Music: Composers, artists, and major works

To spark and assess their interest in playing a musical instrument, many school districts in the United States begin young children on the recorder, a wind instrument popular during the Baroque era. Also known as the Blockflöte (block flute) in German, flûte à bec (beaked flute) in French, flauto dolce (sweet flute) in Italian, and flauto de pico (beaked flute) in Spanish, the instrument in its several forms is contrasted from the more commonly played transverse flute, which is held off to the side, as opposed to the recorder, which the player holds facing forward. As with the clarinet, oboe and saxophone, the mouth is placed around the embouchure (wind opening), but unlike those other woodwind instruments, the recorder has no reed. This makes it easier to produce a sound, and therefore makes it a suitable instrument for beginners. The instrument was in vogue during the early 1700s, as illustrated by this eight-CD set from Michael Schneider, and this album from Stefan Temming. The links above and below are to great compositions for the instrument, performed by master musicians. As with all music, their art began with their taking an interest.

• Though Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) composed for the recorder as a supporting instrument, he “wrote compositions involving recorders throughout his creative life.” Erik Bosgraaf has recorded two albums billed as Bach Concertos for Recorder, Volume 1 and Volume 2.
• Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) composed several short works for the recorder as the primary instrument, including RV 86, 94, 95, 101, 103, 105, 108, 441, 442, and 444. Erik Bosgraaf, Michala Petri, and Ensemble Mathius have recorded albums billed as Vivaldi’s recorder concerti. László Kecskeméti recorded two albums of these and other works (“Recorder Concertos” and “Complete Recorder Concertos”). Giovanni Antonini & Il Giardino Armonico, Ensemble Senario, Marion Verbruggen & Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Vincent Lauzer & Orchester Baroque, and Isaac Makhdoomi & Ensemble Piccante have given us albums of various of these compositions.
• Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) composed recorder duets, TWV 40:101-107. These are represented on disc by Clas Pehrsson & Dan Laurin, and by Michala Petri. Telemann’s TWV 40:118-129, too, are represented on disc by Clas Pehrsson and Dan Laurin. These and other of Telemann’s works for recorder are included in a compilation set by Ricercar Consort.
• Telemann’s recorder sonatas include TWV 41:a4, TWV 41:B3, TWV 41:C2, TWV 41:c2, TWV 41:C5, TWV 41:d4, TWV 41:f1, TWV 41:f2, and TWV 41:F2. Erik Bosgfraaf has recorded an album of these, with harpsichordist Francesco Conti, as has Caroline Eidstein Dahl, with Kate Hearne and Christian Kjos. Frans Brüggen recorded some of these sonatas, along with some of Telemann’s fantasias from TWV 40.
• Telemann composed trio sonatas for recorder and viola da gamba, including TWV 42:C2, TWV 42:d7, TWV 42:F3, TWV 42:F6, TWV 42:g9, TWV 43:G10, and TWV 44:6/55F2. These are represented on disc by Dan Laurin, Ensemble Senario, and Ricercar Consort.
• Telemann composed the works of TWV 51, which includes two suites for recorder (TWV 51:C1 [see also here] and TWV 51:F1), and two overture suites within TWV 55 (TWV 55:a2 and TWV 55:Es2). Erik Bosgraaf has recorded an album billed as Telemann's complete suites and concerti for recorder. A Baroque music group called Rebel has recorded the two suites from TWV 55 on an album that also includes a flute concerto; similarly, L’Orfeo Barockorchester and Bart Coen (TWV 55:A2).
• Telemann composed several double concerti with recorder, including TWV 52:a1, TWV 52:a2, TWV 52:B1, TWV 52:E1, and TWV 52:F1. Clas Pehrsson & Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble, and Erik Bosgraaf & company, have recorded these double concerti.
• George Frideric Händel (1685-1759), recorder sonatas (HWV 360, HWV 362, HWV 367a, HWV 369, HWV 377, HWV 378), are represented on disc by Marion Verbruggen, Jaap ter Linden & Ton Koopman, Weidanz & Temming, Erik Bosgraaf & Francesco Corti. Recorder sonatas with organ, Op. 1 (HWV 360, HWV 362, HWV 365 and HWV 369) have been recorded by Hans Oskar Koch & Arlette Heudron, and László Czidra & Zsuzsa Pertis.
• Francesco Barsanti (1690-1772), Six Recorder Sonatas, Op. 1 (No. 1 in D Minor, No. 2 in C Major, No. 3 in G Minor, No. 4 in C Minor, No. 5 in F Major, No. 6 in B-flat Major), have been recorded by Michael Schneider, et. al., Ensemble Arcadia and Barnaby Ralph, Huguette Brassine & Louise King.
• Charles Dieupart (1670-1740), Six Sonatas for a Flute with a Thorough Bass: recording by Isabel Favilla on recorder; Six Suites for Rerorder: recording by Hugo Reyne & La Simphonie Du Marais.
• Francesco Maria Veracini (1690-1768), Sonatas for flute solo with bass (1716): recordings by Muriel Rochat Rienth, Thor Jorgen & Andrés Alberto Gómez; and Christoph Ehrsam, Attilio Cremonesi & Eunice Brandao. 

François D’Agincour’s works for harpsichord are workmanlike baroque compositions that convey the feeling of taking an interest in something. 

Albums:

• Christina Petrowska-Quilico, “Vintage Americana” (2021) (69’) is an absorbing collection of works from the United States, performed by a dedicated pianist.

Music: songs and other short pieces

Songs:

• Beck, “The Golden Age” (lyrics)
• Elton John, "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" (lyrics)
• Francis Magalona, “Kaleidoscope World” (lyrics)

Visual Arts

Film and Stage

Films about people who had difficulty being interested:

• La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life), “a salutary moral warning” and “withering commentary upon the tragedy of the over-civilized”
• Desperately Seeking Susan, in which a bored suburban housewife desperately seeks self-fulfillment