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Posted inLoose Lips
by Erik Wemple September 10th, 1999 August 29th, 2020
In the early days of his administration, Mayor Anthony A. Williams coined a mantra for his new-look government. "I want to be held accountable," the mayor said at nearly every public appearance. "That's all I ask."
Most onlookers waded through Williams' rhetoric, dismissing it as political boilerplate that would be forgotten before the air went out of the campaign balloons.
Ward 3 Councilmember Kathy Patterson, however, took the mayor at his word. The only councilmember with the political courage to endorse Williams over three of her colleagues in last year's Democratic primary, Patterson has since exchanged her pompoms for a bullhorn.
Patterson's vigor for mayoral hounding looked pretty intense in May, amid Williams' scandal over consulting income. In a financial disclosure statement, Williams reported receiving $40,000 in income from Arthur Andersen Consulting and NationsBank during the primary campaign, in a deal that the candidate should have made public before the Sept. 15 elections. In a letter-writing campaign to the Office of Campaign Finance, Patterson seemed to enjoy exploring the various options for punishing the rookie mayor and proposed stiffer sanctions for campaign-finance violations.
And after Williams sacked procurement chief Richard Fite in late June, Patterson kept the pressure on, touting Fite's bona fides and accusing the mayor of violating the independence of the city's contracting operation. On Sept. 16, Patterson will begin a public investigation into the mayor's meddling in procurement matters.
By August, it seemed as if Patterson had nominated herself as the mayor's personal Ken Starr. Patterson was mightily upset about the real estate provisions in the D.C. appropriations bill now pending in Congress. As previously reported in this space, Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Okla.), chair of the House D.C. appropriations subcommittee, amended the bill in July to move authority over city properties from the D.C. Council to the mayor and to impose various restrictions on the leasing of city office space.
Framing the real estate language as a violation of home rule, Patterson called on Williams to present a united front with the council in demanding that Istook & Co. drop the objectionable provisions from the bill. As she expressed in an Aug. 12 letter to Williams, however, Patterson wasn't too impressed with the mayor's cooperation. "I have to conclude…that you wanted the provisions to remain in the bill—regardless of your letters and conversations with me," wrote Patterson.
Never one to let such loaded allegations go unsubstantiated, Patterson attached to her letter a meticulous time line documenting her various communications with mayoral staffers on the real estate issue, a document that could double as a log for tree-service requests from the Department of Public Works.
The time line includes 19 entries spanning July 20 to Aug. 6. Here are a few choice excerpts:
July 26—KP calls [Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development] Doug Patton, having been told he was lead on issue. He doesn't return call.
July 27—KP (and Councilmember [Phil] Mendelson) meet with Mayor (and [Williams' legal counsel] Max Brown) on appropriations issues including lease issues. KP expresses concern that letter must go to Hill that day to affect floor debate. Assurance given that Mayor's concurrence with Council position will be reflected in letter. No letter is produced.
Aug. 2—KP's chief of staff talks with Max Brown who assures that second letter will go to Hill later that morning, and that [Office of Intergovernmental Relations aide] Jim Wareck will be calling her by 9:00 a.m. KP's chief of staff calls Jim at 11:20, he tells her he will not be able to speak with Doug Patton until much later in the day; Jim tells her to contact Doug. At end of day KP calls Doug Patton again.
Perhaps the mayor now wishes he had soft-pedaled his appeals for accountability.
Those who endeavor to slog through Patterson's time line word by word—don't bother; that's LL's job—come away with two impressions, not necessarily in this order: (a) The councilmember needs a longer summer vacation, and (b) she's right.
After the unreturned calls and unmet promises outlined in the letter, Patterson decided that she and her council pals were getting quietly shafted by Williams. "Had the mayor really gone to bat and asked the Hill to delete these provisions, they probably would have been deleted," the councilmember told LL last week. History should have taught Patterson to tame her expectations: In the 1997 appropriations cycle, then-Chief Financial Officer Williams urged Istook's predecessor, Charles Taylor (R-N.C.), to vest him with authority over city real estate and contracting—an overture killed by D.C. Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and other home-rule-friendly types on the Hill. The current dispute, accordingly, represents just so much unfinished business for the mayor.
Williams has his motives, not all of them venal, for making a grab for more control over the city's real estate portfolio. The Istook amendments, after all, promise the mayor more control over a policy area in which he has pledged quick turnaround—namely, the conversion of city-owned properties to private ownership. And Williams is apparently done making conciliatory noises about the issue. "A lot of people think the current process sucks; there's no question about it," the mayor told LL this week.
"I don't know of any other municipal legislative body involved in disposition of properties," says Patton. "Someone's got to get their arms around the property issues, and we have to do that."
The dust-up should not be chalked up to the usual small-stakes shenanigans at One Judiciary Square. The fight is not a personal matter—neither Williams nor Patterson is petty or thin-skinned—and it's certainly not ideological.
"The mayor and I have an excellent relationship," says Patterson. "We talk frequently."
Yeah, the memo suggests as much. But nothing more trivial than raw power politics divides the two good-government soul mates. Prior to Williams' mayoralty, Patterson thrived in the power vacuum that was the D.C. government. In 1997, the control board assumed sway over the key D.C. government agencies but lacked the chops and the personnel to manage them. Against that backdrop, Patterson fashioned alliances with managers like Fite and developed a sense of ownership over agencies under the jurisdiction of her committee on government operations.
"Kathy is very, very aggressive in her oversight," Williams told LL in a fit of understatement. "I try to work with her as much as I can."
The Williams-Patterson dynamic also applies to Ward 4 Councilmember Charlene Drew Jarvis, who has watched Patton tread on the prized economic development turf that she has held since 1980. Jarvis this summer said that it was time for Patton to go after he perpetrated a mass firing of the members of the Committee to Promote Washington.
"Kathy and Charlene think they have the D.C. government divided between the two of them," says an administration official.
Responds Patterson: "That's not the first time I've heard that. [Whoever said it] needs to grow up."
Patterson insists that she harangues the mayor only when he runs amok—-for example, messing with the "independent" procurement function and acquiescing in the emasculation of the council's real estate powers. And while Patterson's colleagues don't share her anger over the Fite affair, her crusade on real estate could pick up some cohorts. "I'm not outraged—yet," says Ward 6 Councilmember Sharon Ambrose. "I would be happier if there were some more team playing."
"I don't indulge myself into thinking I'm liked [on the council]," says the mayor. Council-mayor squabbles are hardly the exclusive provenance of D.C. It's a relationship where various antagonisms come with the territory, but it's difficult to figure out why the mayor ends up at cross-purposes most often with the councilmembers who share his bent for reform.
NOTHING-SPECIAL
As parents of children with special education needs have discovered, D.C. public schools Superintendent Arlene Ackerman has little incentive to help them pursue their frequent petitions to the school system. After all, such parents commonly seek school system funds to finance their kids' placement in private schools with programs tailored for special ed students—thereby depriving Ackerman of resources for costly education reforms in the system at large.
In a move that had those parents reaching for the pitchforks, last year Ackerman championed a $50 per hour cap on fees for lawyers representing special ed children in administrative hearings. Since the cap took effect in the fall of 1998, private law firms have been rejecting cases brought by indigent D.C. parents.
Then again, parents can fall back on Ackerman's list of "free legal services" as advertised in a school system handbook on special ed cases. The list offers seven numbers to call for representation.
And only one of them works, as LL discovered after calling all of them last week.
"I was going down the list, and a lot of numbers were either private, out of order, or nobody's home," says Erveina Nichols, who was preparing for an Aug. 19 hearing on placement for her 14-year-old son, Tristan Nichols. "One person said, 'I've gotten a lot of calls like this before.'"
Beth Goodman, a special education lawyer at the D.C. firm Feldesman, Tucker, Leifer, Fidell & Bank, says the school system's handout is riddled with errors of both commission and omission. "That information is not only not helpful, but excludes information that could be helpful," says Goodman, pointing out that University Legal Services (ULS), an outfit absent from the sheet, is the most obvious provider of free assistance.
Devonya Smith, Ackerman's spokesperson, says the special ed office has recently released a new list, with updated phone numbers and a listing for ULS.
Tired of following Ackerman's telephonic cul-de-sacs, Nichols had no choice but to represent herself in her hearing, where she was petitioning for school funds to pay for Tristan's placement in Silver Spring's Chelsea School. "I was scared," says Nichols, who lacks a college degree, much less a law degree. She won anyway.
MICRO-BREW MANAGEMENT
Years ago, you couldn't attend a community meeting in the District without hearing a tirade on how poorly the city was enforcing its liquor laws. We have no enforcement personnel, the city treats liquor licenses as a matter of birthright, and neighborhoods have no leverage, went the cry from community activists.
Things have changed: This summer, a veritable liquor SWAT team—consisting of D.C. cops and inspectors from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board—has descended on restaurants across the city and hauled bartenders downtown. Funded by a $72,000 federal grant, the enforcers have visited 217 establishments and made 89 arrests, all for serving minors.
That's apparently not good enough for longtime D.C.ers. "I could point them to clubs with 20 minors in them," said Georgetowner Patrick Allen at an Aug. 30 meeting hosted by At-Large Councilmember Harold Brazil. "But they're busting white-tablecloth restaurants and places that don't serve minors," continued Allen, who deplored the liquor task force's policy of handcuffing bartenders and otherwise making a commotion at busted establishments.
Ever eager to pander, Brazil said, "It's an abomination, and it's certainly reprehensible….It's almost like a Gestapo tactic."
It's actually a good-government tactic. We asked for liquor enforcement, and we got it. Now we feel compelled to tell the police how to go about it. "It's the law, and they knew it was the law when they signed up for their liquor licenses," says Jacqueline Wallace, a spokesperson for the task force.
POLITICAL POTPOURRI
* University of the District of Columbia (UDC) President Julius F. Nimmons Jr. is a staunch advocate for a beleaguered institution. Over the past decade, everyone from Councilmember Patterson to former control board Chair Andrew Brimmer has hammered the university's academic record and demanded budget cuts and layoffs. The steady siege has threatened to reduce the university from a four-year college to a two-year junior college focusing on remedial education—a specter that Nimmons has fought with all the scant resources at his disposal.
Perhaps he should reconsider his position and sign up for a little remediation himself. In an Aug. 16 "President's Letter" to the UDC community, Nimmons opens with this line: "As I peruse the University environment, I find the state of our physical infrastructure absolutely unexceptable."
* Every time Mayor Williams announces new appointments, Ward 8's political hawks check their home addresses to see if the city's east-of-the-river backwater is gaining a toehold in the new administration. Which is why they'll be disappointed when the administration announces its appointments to the revitalized Citizen Complaint Review Board (CCRB).
Tally of Ward 8 CCRB members: 0. The ward's best hope, according to sources involved in the selection process, was activist Rahim Jenkins, a candidate in the 1995 race to occupy the Ward 8 council seat vacated by Mayor-for-Life Marion S. Barry Jr. Despite his history of community involvement, however, Jenkins didn't make it to the final round of selections.
Jenkins' disqualifying strike was neither his geopolitical origins nor his threadbare ties to the Williams camp. Instead, it was an ill-considered remark at a 1995 candidates forum, where Jenkins said he was unsure whether Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan had invited "faggots" to his Million Man March.
"He pretended not to understand it was an offensive statement," says Rick Rosendall, the public safety chair of the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance and a member of the CCRB selection committee.CP
Got a tip for Loose Lips? Call (202) 332-2100, Ext. 302, 24 hours a day. And visit Loose Lips on the Web at www.washingtoncitypaper.com.


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Pamona (also Poso or Bare'e) is an Austronesian language spoken in Central and South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is part of the northern group of the Kaili–Pamona languages.

Dialects
Ethnologue lists the following as dialects: Laiwonu (Iba), Pamona (Poso), Rapangkaka (Aria), Taa (Topotaa, Wana), Tobau (Bare'e, Tobalo, Tobao), Tokondindi, Tomoni, and Topada.

Phonology
Pamona has the following sound inventory:

Notes

Bibliography

Kaili–Pamona languages
Languages of Sulawesi

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Posts Tagged 'Court composers'
Composer Biography: Francesca Caccini (1587-1638/40)
Also Francesca Raffaelli, Signorini, Signorini-Malaspina, and La Cecchina
Francesca Caccini was an important Italian composer and singer of the late Italian Renaissance. The first female composer of opera of record, she was possibly the most prolific female composer of her time. She was among the earliest women to travel for her art, which later became common for professional musicians, much as it is today.
During her lifetime, her gifts as a singer, teacher, and composer were universally remembered as remarkable but reviews of her personality are mixed. One account calls her proud and restless, but she was a strong and intelligent woman, so it's hard to know if that was merely misogyny or sour grapes, or perhaps she really was a bit haughty. Others refer to her as always gracious and generous with the loan of her manuscripts. For a number of years, she was involved in a feud with court poet Andrea Salvadori (1591-1634) over his alleged seduction of female singers, so she was clearly a woman prepared to stand up for others.
Born in Florence to a very musical family, she was the daughter, sister, and wife of singers and composers, and was immersed in a musical world from earliest childhood.
Her father, Giulio Caccini (1551-1618), was one of the creators of the "new music" (ars nova), which was dominated by solo singing and marked the beginning of the Baroque era. Both of his wives (Lucia and Margherita—dates for both unavailable, but the former was the mother of all of Giulio's children) were also musicians, possibly students of Giulio. Both of Giulio's daughters (Francesca and Settimia, 1591-c1661), a son (Pompeo, 1577-1624), and at least one granddaughter (Francesca's Margherita, b.1622) were also musicians.
All of Giulio's children received a literary education in addition to singing and composition. Records show that Francesca wrote poetry and played the harpsichord, lute, and harp. I found some sources that say it was a guitar instead of a lute, but that seems unlikely as that instrument wasn't popular in Italy at the time (they were a big hit in Spain, but the Italians were more interested in the lute and would stay so until well into the Baroque era).
Francesca was one of "Le donne di Giulio Romano" (The ladies of Roman Giulio) who performed in Jacopo Peri's (1561-1633) Euridice and in Giulio's own Il rapimento di Cefalo in 1600. The group consisted of Francesca, her sister Settimia, her step-mother Margherita, some of Giulio's pupils, Giulio himself, and his son Pompeo. Notice the ratio of women to men—this is going to come up again later when discussing Francesca's compositions.
Sister Settimia (1591-c1661) made her first public appearance in 1600 or in 1602 in her father's opera. She sang mostly with Giulio's family consort until 1609 when she married Alessandro Ghivizzani (d.1632). She and her husband found work as composers and performers at various courts and were on friendly terms with the most famous composer of the time, Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643).
The family travelled to France to sing for English King Henry IV (1553-1610) and Marie de Medici (1575-1642) in 1604 to 1605. Francesca received her first independent job offer from Marie to be a salaried court singer with a dowry of 1000 scudi. Letters from Giulio intimate that Grand Duke Ferdinand I (1549-1609) refused to release her from his service back home in Florence, so Francesca came back with her family in 1605, spending the autumn in Modena, where she was tutor to the Princess Giulia d'Este (1588-1645).
At a time when women were barred from singing in church, Francesca and her sister were soloists in the church of San Nicola in Pisa during Holy Week, directed by their father. Francesca soon gained a reputation for virtuosity and had students from among the nobility whom she trained for court performances. That she was a teacher to the high and mighty is indication of both her skill and her significance in musical circles.
In 1606, Giulio tried to negotiate a position for Francesca with Princess Margherita della Somaglia-Peretti (d.1613), sister-in-law of Cardinal Montalto (1571-1623) and Virginio Orsini (1572-1614) in Rome. The offer included both a salary and a dowry, along with the assumption that a suitable husband would be found. But negotiations dragged on, and in 1607, the deal was off and Francesca took a post at court in Florence, having been promised in marriage to Giovanni Battista Signorini (d.1625), whom she married later that year. Although Francesca signed letters with her married name, she remained Francesca Caccini in the Medici court records. There may have been some truth to the rumor of her being proud, eh? She was certainly independent and strong!
Francesca was more sought after as a performer than either of her siblings, and she had no trouble marrying well. With her dowry of 1000 scudi (about $50, roughly $3200 in today's money), her husband (more on him in a minute) bought two adjoining houses in the via Valfonda near Sainte Maria Novella in 1610. They lived there until he died. They had one child, Margherita (b 1622), who grew up to become a singer and a nun.
The family dominated the polychoral singing of the Offices during Holy Week. Giulio and the Grand Duchess Christina of Lorraine (1565-1637) worked to ensure that Francesca didn't outshine the group, but when Settima left for Mantua with her husband in 1611, the group disbanded. It was replaced by a group described in court diaries as "Francesca and her pupils" and they continued to perform chamber music for women's voices until the late 1620s.
Court duties included singing the Office for Holy Week and singing at receptions given by the archduchess. She was also music tutor to the princesses, ladies in waiting, and at least one nun. In 1616, she was among those who traveled with Cardinal Carlo de' Medici (1595-1666) to Rome, and there, she was cast as La Bellezza and Venus opposite her husband, who played Adonis.
In 1617, she and her husband toured Genoa, Savona, and Milan, winning the praise of Italian poet Gabriello Chiaberra (1552-1638, sometimes called Pindar).
By the 1620s, she was the highest-paid musician at court. Clearly a woman who could land on her feet, when Signorini died at the end of 1625, she soldiered on as a single mother on the strength of her well-established reputation. Francesca left the Medici payroll two years later when she married Lucca aristocrat and patron Tomaso Raffaelli (d.1630). Their marriage only lasted three years, when she was widowed again. This second marriage left her a wealthy landowner and mother to a son, Tomaso (b.1628).
After being quarantined in Lucca during the plague for three years, she returned to the Medici payroll in 1633. Between 1633 and 1637, she appeared often at the Grand Duchess's court. She and her daughter Margherita (b.1522) performed as chamber singers during those years, and she composed and directed entertainments.
In 1637, Francesca forbade young Margherita from singing on stage at the Grand Duke's command, because she feared that the 15-year-old's chances of an honorable convent placement or suitable marriage contract might be at risk. She also feared that the social position of her son Tomaso would not only be tarnished, but that it would violate the terms of Raffaelli's will. So Margherita entered the convent of San Firolamo in Florence instead of rising to shine her own light at court.
Court documents tell us that Francesca was still in Florence in 1638 and that she had probably died by 1645, when guardianship of her son, now a teenager, passed to his uncle, Girolamo Raffaelli (dates unavailable).
In 1607, Francesca's first composition for the stage, a torneo called "La stiava," was performed at court. This was a setting of Michelangelo Buonarroti's (1568-1646, the grandnephew of the artist by the same name) poetry. Buonarroti was a family friend and the Medici court poet. Letters from her papa reveal that Francesca composed the piece by singing to the poetry, writing out what she'd sung, and then her father corrected her notation. The piece was written for castrati to sing, and according to court diarist Cesare Tinghi (fl. 1600-1625), it was pretty darned good. The piece was performed again in 1626, but sadly, none of the music survives. Giulio considered the commission—and likely income—for his entire household rather than specifically for Francesca, which probably accounts for the lack of credit for other pieces that she composed to Buonarroti's poetry. If we look closely at Giulio's works, we may find hers tucked in there, too.
From an early age, Francesca composed incidental and improvisational music for herself and her students, but the next documented work after "La Stiava" was incidental music for the 1611 Carnival entertainment of the masked ball. She also set Buonarroti's rustic comedy "La Tancia" that same year and in 1615, she set Ferdinando Saracinelli's (1587-c1640) balletto "Il ball delle Zingane."
In 1618, her father published some of Francesca's compositions in a book called "Il primo libro delle musiche," which is how they came to be preserved until modern times. The collection is one of the largest and most varied collections of early monody. One of its most striking features is how it's organized, grouping the music into four different tables of contents: by poetic form, by possible uses, by genres (such as motets, hymns, etc.), and a collection of homophonic ensembles (all one type of voice, like soprano) with a bass. There are 19 works set to sacred texts, seven of which were in Latin, and 17 secular works, four of which are duets for soprano and bass.
Nearly all the songs in the Primo libro are variations of other pieces, even the sonnets and madrigals. In the arias, Francesca sticks closely to the integrity of poetic lines and reserves ornaments for accented words, internal pauses, and penultimate syllables. She uses silence and pauses to break poetic lines into syntactical units.
Francesca carefully documented vocal ornaments, which was unusual for the time. She also unleashed the ornaments in secular music much more than in sacred. Her notation is finicky, especially regarding rhythm and the placement of syllables. She often displaced syllables placed on a short upbeat, which allowed her to document the rhythm of Italian speech with rare precision.
She may have written the poetry herself for 12 of the devotional pieces in Primo libro. The anthology represents the largest collection of early monadic music by a single composer up to that time. Despite this accomplishment, we have only one other piece from her, the opera La liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina about which you'll hear in a moment.
During Carnival in 1619, Francesca's setting of Buonarroti 's La fiera, a satirical comedy, was performed at court. It caused a scandal because it portrayed women in "unseemly" conditions, such as during pregnancy and labor, and it also affirmed capitalist and republican values over those of royalty.
In 1622, she collaborated with Giovanni Battista da Gagliano (1594-1651) in setting Jacopo Cicognini's (1577-1631) Il martirio di Sante Agata, and it's thought that the parts of Agatha and Eternita were played by her.
During his time in Rome with the Medici in 1623-1624, the poet Giambattista Marino (1569-1625) and her father Giulio compared the skills of Francesca and the singer-composer Adriana Basile (c1580-c1640). Marino said that Francesca's musical understanding was deeper but that Basile had the better and more agile voice. Members of Marino's academy wrote poems in praise of both women.
Francesca sang for Pope Urban VIII (1568-1644) in 1624. Later that year, her one surviving opera, La liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'Alcina was in rehearsal in Florence. It was performed in 1625 at the Villa Poggio Imperiale during Carnival in front of visiting Polish royalty, Prince Wlayislaw IV (1595-1648). The piece was commissioned by Archduchess Maria Maddelena (1589-1631) and allegorically explores women's roles in the wielding of power via a plot that contrasts a good and androgynous sorceress with an evil and sexually alluring one. Francesca uses different musical textures for the two main characters, and as a whole, the music is rich and varied.
The piece was originally billed as a ballet, but it had all the trappings of an opera, including a prologue, symphonies, recitatives, arias, choruses, instrumental ritornellos, and elaborate staging and sets. There were dances performed to music sung by the chorus or to instrumental music that weren't included in the published score.
The cast for La liberazione included six sopranos, two altos, seven tenors and one bass, an indication of the 17th century's fondness for high voices. The number of natural male voices and the absence of castrati used in the performance was unusual for the time as castrati and counter-tenors (men singing in falsetto) were the rage. Accompaniment included continuo, recorders, several short five- and six-part choruses, a brief chorus for six sopranos, and a double chorus madrigal in eight parts. The work was revived in the late 20th century in Europe, Asia, and the US.
Maybe it's time to revive the other pieces too.
"The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers," edited by Julie Anne Sadie and Rhian Samuel. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 1995.
"Women and Music, A History," edited by Karin Pendle. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 2001.
"Women in Music," edited by Carol Neuls-Bates. Northeastern University Press, Boston, 1996.
"Women Making Music, the Western Art Tradition, 1150-1950," edited by Jane Bowers and Judith Tick. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, 1987.
"A Dictionary of Early Music, from the Troubadours to Monteverdi," by Jerome and Elizabeth Roche. Oxford University Press, New York, 1981.
"A History of Western Music," by J. Peter Burkholder, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 2010.
Posted in Composer Biography, Music, Music: History
Tagged with 17th century Italian composer, Court composers, Court musicians, Famous Sopranos, Female composers, music women, Music: Italian, Music: Italian Baroque, Women Composers
Composer Biography: Marcabru (c1099-1150)
Marcabru was one of the most famous of the older generation of troubadours. What's a troubadour, you ask? In the 11th through 14th century, there were four "flavors" of itinerant musician.
Troubadours (trobairitz): Poets and composers from the Occitan region of France, who made their way to Italy, Spain, and Greece. Their songs dealt mainly with themes of chivalry and courtly love. Most songs were intellectual and formulaic (so they could be easily adapted to the audience or situation), and many were humorous or vulgar. The movement died out around the time of the Black Death in 1348.
Trouvères: The Northern France version of troubadour, roughly contemporary with them. The first known was Chretien de Troyes (fl.1160-1180), and they continued to flourish until about 1300. These were usually aristocratic performers, for whom the creation and performance of music was part of the courtly tradition. There were even kings, queens, and countesses among their number.
Minnesingers (Minnesängers): The German version of troubadours, writing of love and courtly endeavors in Middle High German from the 12th through the 14th century. Some were aristocratic and others were impoverished. They died out in favor of the Meistersänger, who were mostly commoners, like minstrels (English) and jongleurs (French).
Minstrels and Jongleurs: The impoverished version of troubadours and trouvères in England and France, respectively. Before the Norman Conquest in 1066, such a person was known as a scop (shaper), who sang his own compositions to the accompaniment of a harp. They mostly told stories of distant places or of imaginary historical events, and often performed for royalty and high society. Their main unifying feature was traveling. Their popularity began to decline by the middle of the 15th century, although some form of itinerant musician has continued to the present day.
Marcabru was one of the earliest troubadours whose poems are known. Two biographies attached to collections of his poems tell different stories. Both are based on elements in Marcabru's poetry rather than independent biographical information, so not much is known about him.
He was born in Gascony, France, probably around 1099. He wasn't of aristocratic descent, unlike most troubadours. One biography, written long after his death, says that he was a foundling, left at the door of a rich man. Marcabru himself said that he was the son of a poor woman named Marcabruna. He was brought up by Aldric del Vilar (12th century lord of Vilar), which kind of gives credence to the foundling raised by a rich man story, and he learned to write poetry from Cercamon (fl c1135-1145, an early troubadour also from Gascony).
People called him Pan Perdut when he was a young man, and later began to call him Marcabru. When he became famous, people said that he wrote bad poetry and worse satires, and he spoke evil of both women and love. Despite his bad mouth, he had a great reputation among his successors.
One of Marcabru's patrons was Guillaume X of Aquitaine (1099-1137). He was the son of Guillaume IX, thought to be the first troubadour (11 of his poems survive, although the music didn't). Eleanor of Aquitaine (c1122-1204) was the daughter of Guillaume X (who wasn't a troubadour himself) and was also a great patron of troubadours. Guillaume X's support of Marcabru and other troubadours contributed to Eleanor's becoming a patroness of troubadours by both tradition and inclination. As you know, she married Louis VII of France (1120-1180) in 1137, the year he became King of France. Louis was not sympathetic to the game of l'amour courtois as it was played further south, and the flirtatious habits of his wife ultimately led him to secure an annulment of their marriage in 1152. Eleanor promptly married a younger man, Henry of Anjou (1133-1189), who became Henry II of England two years later.
Only three important troubadour names from the period survive: Cercamon (fl 1135-1145), Jaufre Rudel (fl. mid-12th century), and Marcabru. Marcabru was probably Cercamon's student, and they seem to have flourished at the same time. Marcabru certainly knew Jaufre, and mentions him in one of his poems. Jaufre took part in the second Crusade (1147-49) and died while on his pilgrimage.
Over 40 of Marcabru's poems and four of his melodies survive. Lots and lots of music and even more poetry is lost, although approximately 2600 poems by more than 450 authors has been preserved. The music itself, sadly, didn't survive because music notation hadn't been invented yet (for more on that, see The History of Music Notation).
Biographical details in Marcabru's works point to a period seeking work in Portugal and Barcelona that led to employment with Alfonso VII of Castile (1105-1157). In the 1140s, he was a propagandist for the Reconquiesta and in his famous poem with a Latin beginning Pax in nomine Domini (the rest is in Languedoc), he called Spain a "laundry where knights could go to have their souls cleansed by fighting the infidel." In 1144, he returned to Provence, where he composed the song Cortazmen voill comensar ("dedicated men begin") inspired by preparations for the second crusade.
Marcabru and his patron William X didn't approve of the courtly love ideal of unattainable mistresses that would become so important in later troubadour music. Marcabru attacks it in his Dirai vos sense duptansa ("I shall tell you without delay"). It seems that he was a bit of a misogynist, as well.
He denounces the effeminacy and depravity of the courtly life and the conventions of courtly love. From this moral urgency and highly idiomatic style arises some of the most difficult poetry in the whole troubadour canon, the tobar clus ("closed form"), the so-called hermetic style.
But Marcabru's moralizing lyrics are only one mark of his range. At the other end are the songs extolling true love, and his songs dramatizing a profoundly medieval view of "right order" are among the most civilized utterances in Provencal poetry, according to one source.
There are 43 chansons attributed to Marcabru, remarkable for the complexity of their texts, most of which discuss the niceties of courtly love. Only four of his melodies survive.
The troubadours sang their own songs, but there is a peculiar lack of evidence that they accompanied their songs on or played instruments. It's possible, though, and it has a certain appeal to modern ears.
Troubadour melodies, using the works of others as well as Marcabru's, are on a par with the poems in their ingenuity and diversity of their formal structures. Some melodies are continuous, with a different musical phrase for each line of text. Others repeat one or more melodic phrases in a variety of patterns that often have little to do with the structure and rhyme scheme of the poems.
The predominant influence on the melodic style was surely the music of the Church. The relationship is most obvious in settings of the rhymed poetry of hymns and verses, but in range, melodic direction, intervallic progressions, and cadential formulas, troubadour melodies scarcely differ from Gregorian chant in general. A surprising number adhere to the Church's system of eight modes (for more on that, see Musical Modes, Part 1: Church Modes).
The style is syllabic, with occasional ornamental figures of two to five notes. These figures tend to come near the close of phrases, where they emphasize rhymes and strengthen the cadential (end pattern) feeling. They serve a musical function rather than being associated with particular words. Variants of the same melody in different sources most frequently involve the ornamental figures, suggesting that the singers felt free to modify vocal ornaments or introduce new ones. They might even have varied the ornamentation from stanza to stanza, something that became popular in the Baroque period.
Ornament aside, singers were left to decide for themselves regarding the rhythms of the melodies. In plainchant, and all other contemporary monophonic song, the notation of troubadour melodies gives no indication of note values or durations. Musical scholars seem to be unanimous in accepting the hypothesis that secular songs were sung in the triple meters of the rhythmic modes (for more on this, see Musical Modes, Part 2: Rhythmic Modes), but they disagree as to how those meters should be adapted to specific texts.
Literary scholars, on the other hand, reject the use of triple meters whether the words are in Provencal, French, or Latin, because in none of those languages does versification depend on the regular alternation of strong and weak syllables—there aren't any obvious poetic meters, in other words. The number of syllables in a line, the total number of lines, and the rhyming scheme were the only criteria for making succeeding stanzas of a poem correspond with the first. Constant variation of metrical patterns seems to be one of the subtlest techniques of troubadour verse.
The most frequent theme in Marcabru's songs is the distinction between true love and false love—true love is joyful, intense, in harmony with the welfare of a community, and includes divine intentions, and false love is bitter, dissolute, self-regarding, and destructive. He denounces the courtly class for its preciousness and lust. Courtly love in the high courts was on the way to ruin, he says, because it's infested with its own bastards. The women trick their husbands into raising the children of others, the men are cuckoo birds who lay their eggs in someone else's nest, and the troubadours pander to this cupidity, being a vile crowd of liars and madmen who defame love and glorify lust.
In Marcabru's songs, we meet the singer who takes a stand against the false lovers, whom he identifies as the other poets of the court. He goes on to distinguish the other sorts in the society he addresses; they become the characters whom future poets identify as their audience, besides the false lovers, there are the flatterers, slanderers, spies, the envious, the vulgar, and the true lovers, the last of whom will be the singer's friends.
The poets who came after Marcabru retained the same sorts of designations, although they didn't take up his religious values or his prophetic stance. They were concerned instead with defining the values of courtliness in terms of fictional love relations, and they stood before their audiences as constituents and spokesmen. The differences between their poetry and Marcabru's reflect the differences of their poetic task and their performing attitude.
However, these differences are not so great as they may seem. What Marcabru means by true love is a secular experience, not a religious one. This kind of love is good because it's involved in a larger life, the life of a society, one with a certain ethical and religious mandate.
His poems are erudite, often difficult, sometimes obscene, and are relentlessly critical of the lords and ladies of his time and their morality. He experimented with pastoral themes, which he uses to point out the futility of lust. One poem tells of how the speaker's advances are rejected by a shepherdess on the basis of class; another tells of a man's rebuffed attempts to seduce a woman whose husband was off at the crusades.
Marcabru was a powerful influence on later poets, not only on practitioners of the hermetic style, but also on others who chose from the wide variety of his poetic (and presumably musical) forms, or who took up his moral stance. But no one could recreate his irascible and exalted tone.
When he persisted in saying bad things about the lords of Gascony, they put him to death.
"The Norton/Grove Concise Encyclopedia of Music," edited by Stanley Sadie. W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 1994.
"A Dictionary of Early Music, from the Troubadours to Monteverdi," by Jerome and Elizabeth Roche. Oxford University Press, New York 1981.
"The Pelican History of Music, Volume 1: Ancient Forms to Polyphony," edited by Denis Stevens and Alec Robertson. Penguin Books, Baltimore, 1960.
"Medieval Music," by Richard Hoppin. W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 1998.
"Music in the Middle Ages," by Gustave Reese. W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 1940.
"Companion to Medieval & Renaissance Music," edited by Tess Knighton and David Fallows. University o California Press at Berkeley, Berkeley, 1997.
"Lyrics of the Troubadours and Trouvères, an Anthology and a History," translations and introductions by Frederick Goldin. Peter Smith and Doubleday, Gloucester, 1983.
Tagged with Court composers, Court musicians, Courtly Love, Courtly Love Songs, Middle Ages, Minstrels, Music, music Western, Music: Composer Biography, Music: French, Music: History, Music: Medieval, Troubadours, trouveres, western music development
Composer Biography: Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612)
Hans Leo Hassler was responsible for bringing Italian innovation to Germany during the somewhat dry spell that preceded Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). If it hadn't been for his lieder and his interest in polychoral music, there would have been no B minor Mass. Does that seem too strong? Read on!
Like Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) and others of the 17th century, Hassler wrote biblical motets of a rather large scale, which was a definite nod to the Venetian fashion. So much so, in fact, that one source said that Hassler out-Italianed the Italians. Not only that, but Hassler was considered the last great Lied composer of his century, a sound that remains distinctly German to this day.
Hassler was born in Nürnberg. His father was famous organist Isaak Hassler (c1530-1591), and he had two brothers who were also composers, Jakob (1569-1622) and Kaspar (1562-1618). Isaak taught all three of his sons to play the organ, and all would go on to make names for themselves. The three siblings were ennobled by Emperor Rudolf II (1552-1612) as a result of their awesomeness.
He worked for a time at the church or St. Moritz in Nürnberg and in 1600, became head of the town band. (In those days, important towns had their own bands that performed for state events as well as in the public squares and parks on the weekends.)
Hassler was the first German to study in Italy, and his style is tinged strongly by the Venetian element.
Hassler had heard the polychoral music that was popular in Venice through Leonhard Lechner (c1553-1606), who was an associate of Orlando Lassus (c1532-1594, biography to come) in Munich. These songs in multiple choirs intrigued him, and he visited Venice in 1585. While he was there, he studied with Andrea Gabrieli (1532-1586). Giovanni Gabrieli (c1554-1612), Andrea's nephew, became Hassler's friend and colleague.
After Andrea Gabrieli died in 1586, Hassler returned to Germany and was appointed court organist to Octavian II Fugger, of the great Augsburg banking family. Hassler's fame spread rapidly and in 1602, he returned to Nürnberg as chief Kapellmeister of the town and with the reputation of a composer "whose like has not been found among the Germans up to this time." In that same year, he was given the title of Imperial Chamber Organist in Prague, so he must have visited there periodically, although records are vague.
He was a Protestant, but he directed the Catholic music services in Augsburg and wrote a number of Masses for them. Some the texts of his Latin motets are of a Catholic nature, some are more Protestant in tone, and many were usable by both faiths.
His secular music was set to German words, and his sacred music is mostly Latin motets and Masses. At the time, Latin motets, particularly those by Orlando Lassus (c1532-1594) and Jacobus Gallus (also known as Jacob Handl, 1550-1591), were used in the Lutheran church. It was these works that paved the way to his connection with the Protestant court of Dresden, when he began writing Lutheran hymns. By 1608, he'd become chamber organist and music librarian to the Elector of Saxony in Dresden.
Hassler was a teacher to Melchior Franck (c1580-1639, Protestant composer), and when it was time to move on, he was succeeded as organist at Augsburg by Christian Erbach (c1570-1635, organist and composer). Hassler was a composer, organist, and a consultant to organ builders. In 1596, with 53 other organists, he examined a new instrument with 59 stops at the Schlosskirche, in Groningen. He used his fame as an organ-construction expert to develop a clockwork organ that was later sold to Emperor Rudlolf II (1552-1612).
In 1600, with his old friend Giovanni Gabrieli, Hassler composed a wedding motet for Georg Gruber, a Nürnberg merchant living in Venice. Hassler was the chief town musician for Nürnberg from 1601-1608, and achieved the title of Imperial Chamber Organist in 1602. While there, he was appointed to Emperor Rudolf II's court.
In 1604, Hassler took a leave of absence and went to Ulm, where he married Cordula Claus. I didn't find any family information about her nor did I find her dates. He seems to have been a businessman with many interests in addition to his music, and perhaps he met Cordula through his business dealings.
Hassler composed sacred music, including Masses, motets, psalms, and Lutheran chorales, and he composed secular music, including madrigals, canzonettes, instrumental dances, and keyboard ricercars. He was most famous for his German Lieder, which were often in the Italian style, and about which there will be more in a minute.
Hassler's work is distinctive in that he borrowed from every conceivable source. He set two Italian texts into Italian-style motets, and he borrowed from such notable predecessors as Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c1525-1594). He let the qualities of the languages of the texts he chose influence and affect his melodies—German is weightier than lithe and limber Italian. (For more on this, consider reading The Sound of a Culture.)
His early works show the influence of Orlando de Lassus (c1532-1594), and his later ones reveal the deep impression made upon him by his studies in Italy. Like Michael Praetorius, he was a prolific composer of Latin and German sacred music, as well as secular and instrumental music. He was no innovator, but he coordinated and developed current styles and earned a lofty reputation for his practical approach and craftsmanship.
As the first German to go to Italy, it was his influence that made Italian music much more popular than German music in Germany, and started a trend for German musicians to finish their education in Italy. Italian musicians like Orlando Lassus (c1532-1594), had been working in Germany for years, but represented an older style of music, the refined Renaissance style of Italian polyphony. By Hassler's time, new trends were emerging in Italy that would ultimately define the Baroque era. Hassler, and later Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672), brought the concertato style, the polychoral idea, and the freely emotional expression of the Venetians to the German culture, representing the first non-German Baroque development of any importance.
Hassler's secular music, including madrigals, canzonette, and songs for voices, ricercars, canzonas, introits, and toccatas for instruments show the character of the Gabrielis, but with more restraint.
In the Masses and motets of his maturity, his natural propensity for writing light, almost poplar, melodies (like the Lieder) and for very careful workmanship is coupled with a grace and fluidity derived from the madrigalian dance songs and a fondness for polychoral structures. The result is a sacred style that makes up in charm and sonority for what it lacks in profundity. Hassler incorporated polychoral techniques, textural contrast, and occasional chromaticism in his works.
Polychoral writing appeared in Italy as early as 1544—by the end of the century, writing for double and even triple choirs was common in Italy, and unlike his earlier pieces, Hassler's later works attempt to capture the splendor and richness of the Venetian style. The Protestant composers who wrote in this German-Venetian style include Hassler, and Johannes Eccard (1563-1611), Hieronymus Praetorius (1560-1629), Georgius Otto (c1550-1618), Andreas Raselus (c1563-1602), Adam Gumpelzhaimer (1559-1625), and Philippus Dulichius (1562-1631). Giovanni Gabrieli was a real trend setter in this arena, and of course, no one topped Englishman Thomas Tallis (c1505-1585).
In his Italian secular music, Hassler shows his thorough familiarity with the up-to-date style of Orazio Vecchi (1550-1605) and Luca Marenzio (c1553-1599). The specifically Venetian influence is felt most in Hassler's double-choir madrigals and Lieder.
His "simpliciter" works are in four parts with the melody in the highest voice, but his "fugue-wise" pieces treat the successive phrases of the hymn in the motet style that would be followed throughout the 17th century and beyond. Hassler would be surpassed in both variety and probably in artistic achievement by Michael Praetorius, but Praetorius wouldn't have done it—nor would Bach—without Hassler's influence.
Hassler's Lieder, however, were a different story, and not as derivative. In them, he incorporates the Italian madrigal elements, but for the most part, he put the melody in the top voice—not polyphony, but distinctly chordal music. (For more on this, see Chords versus Polyphony.) His melodies are distinctive and easily memorized. One love song that was popular was "Mein gmüth ist mir verwirret," which he later adapted to the Passion chorale "O Haupt vol Blut und Wunden."
His compositions were first published in 1590: a set of 24 four-part canzonette. His 1596 "New German Songs in the Manner of Madrigals" includes music in four to eight voices, all of it too chordal to be truly madrigalian and using his own texts. His collection of choral and instrumental works of 1601, "A Pleasure Garden of New German Songs, Ballets, Galliards, and Intradas" is also strongly chordal. This latter collection is thought to be his best work and contains 39 vocal and 11 instrumental pieces.
Johan Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) borrowed one of Hassler's pieces. It was his five-part Mein gmüth is mire verwirret (My Mind is Confounded), which has a religious text only in the superius (highest) voice. Bach used it in his St. Matthew's Passion.
Hassler's style of writing the melody in the highest voice profoundly influenced his younger German colleagues. The affect is clearly evident in the Lieder of such men as Melchior Franck (c1579-1539), Valentin Haussmann (c1560-1613), Christoph Demantiums (1567-1643), Johann Staden (1581-1634), and Hermann Schein (1586-1630). The last two belong to the Baroque period more than to the Renaissance, partially because of this Lieder influence.
Despite his Protestantism, Hassler wrote many Catholic Masses and directed the music for Catholic services in Augsburg. Hassler dedicated both his Cantiones sacrae and a book of Masses for four to eight voices to Octavio Fugger, his long-time Catholic patron. Due to the constancy of Catholic patrons and his own Protestant beliefs, Hassler's compositions represent a blend of both religions' musical styles and could often work in either church.
Hassler only wrote two pieces specifically meant for Lutheran services while in Augsburg, the Psalmen simpliciter, written in 1608, which was dedicated to the city of Augsburg. Psalmen und christliche Gesange was written in 1607 and dedicated to Elector Christian II of Saxony (1583-1611).
Hassler is considered, like Bach and Praetorius, to be one of the most important German composers. His works sounded fresh and unaffected, combining vocal and instrumental literature without continuo (an improvised bass line), or with continuo as an option. His sacred music introduced the Italian polychoral structures that would later influence many German composers, including Bach.
In 1608, Hassler moved to Dresden to be the chamber organist to the Elector Christian II of Saxony (1583-1611) and eventually became Kapellmeister there too. By this time, he had already contracted the tuberculosis that would kill him in 1612. After he died, Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) and Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) were appointed to fill his spot as organist in Dresden.
"A History of Western Music," by J. Peter Burkholder, Donald Jay Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 2010.
"Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music," by Don Michael Randel. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1978.
"A Dictionary of Early Music from the Troubadours to Monteverdi," by Jerome and Elizabeth Roche. Oxford University Press, New York, 1981.
"The Pelican History of Music, Book 2: Renaissance and Baroque," edited by Alec Robertson and Denis Stevens. Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, 1973.
"Music in the Renaissance," by Gustave Reese. W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 1959.
"Companion to Medieval & Renaissance Music," edited by Tess Knighton and David Fallows. University of Berkeley Press, Berkeley, 1997.
Tagged with Church music, Court composers, Court musicians, Lieder, Music, music Western, Music: Baroque, Music: Composer Biography, Music: German, Music: German Baroque, Music: German Renaissance, Music: History, Music: Italian, Music: Italian Renaissance, Music: Renaissance, polychoral music, Protestant composers, Venetian influence, western music development

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Numbers of Adams awards vary
Worcester winners of scholarships
Jacqueline Reis TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
A look at the number of John and Abigail Adams Scholarship winners throughout the district reveals a few differences among schools.
The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced this month that more than 18,000 high school seniors statewide qualified for Adams scholarships, a figure that includes 390 in Worcester, according to the district. The city's share is roughly in proportion to the number of Worcester seniors.
The breakdown by school was: 104 at Worcester Technical High School, 96 at Doherty Memorial High School, 70 at South High Community School, 59 at Burncoat High School, 31 at North High, 22 at University Park Campus School; and eight at Claremont Academy, according to a letter Superintendent Melinda J. Boone sent the School Committee last week. University Park and Claremont are far smaller than their comprehensive counterparts and the technical school.
To qualify for the scholarship, students must be permanent legal state residents, score at the advanced level on one Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam and be proficient or advanced on the other, and rank within the top 25 percent of students in their district.
North High School students did not score advanced as frequently as their peers at the city's other three comprehensive high schools in the spring, which could be why the school had a low number of students qualify for the scholarship. North Principal Matthew C. Morse said the school's goals for the next year will include "increasing the number of students who qualify for this wonderful opportunity."
North's number might stick out, but the school is roughly in line with South, if you add together the percentages of students who scored in the advanced and proficient categories. (Proficiency is the goal under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.)
Worcester Technical High School's and Doherty's results might sound enviable, but University Park Campus School was the only one in Worcester where the percentage of 10th-graders who scored advanced or proficient was at least as high as the percentage of students who did so statewide. In fact, UPCS had a higher percentage than the state.
The Adams scholarship gives students free tuition (but not fees, room or board) for four years at any Massachusetts public college or university. To keep the scholarship, students must maintain a grade-point average of 3.0 or better while in college.


It's estimated that there will be more than 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs by 2021. According to the Bureau of Labor Statitistics, that's a 28% growth rate over the 10 year period from 2016 to 2026. It's not just about coding anymore!
The most important thing we can do to help build our cybersecurity workforce is talk with our kids. Too much of our public education system is focused on coding as the only IT career path. To be clear, software development is an important and needed skill, but it's not the only skill that our kids can pursue. It's our obligation, as parents and professionals, to educate our kids on all of the IT career options available to them and cyberecurity is a significant area of growth and need.
There are some excellent resources available at this link to help start these conversations. Download the tip sheet on that page and share it with your kids and your schools, to help start the discussion.
Veterans make up a significant group of individuals entering the workforce who have a strong foundation in cybersecurity. Hiring veterans for careers in IT is a great way to bring highly qualified and motivated technical professionals into your company. Many university's are now offering degrees in cybersecurity, so for college age kids or those pursuing higher education at a later age, there are more options now than ever. If you are a cybersecurity professional, think about becoming a mentor in the workplace or at local schools.
If you know kids that may be interested, have them check out the excellent CyberPatriot site where they can learn more and participate in online learning and competitions. Together, let's build the next generation workforce of technical professionals that our country needs.


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Well, it's that time of year! Our houses are about the inundated with candy, and, as we well know, this means trouble for our smiles! Our East Plano dentists are here with some tips on how you can limit the amount of dental damage candy causes this Halloween. Unfortunately, there's no magic formula to make candy good for your smile—but there are still things you can do help protect your teeth!
First and foremost, limit candy consumption as much as possible. When you coat your mouth in sugars, the harmful oral bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease are able to proliferate. Consider donating some of the Halloween candy that comes into your home, or develop firm parameters regarding how much candy can be consumed each day.
Next, make sure that you're drinking plenty of water throughout the day; water helps to rinse your smile of bacteria and debris, and it promotes your body's natural ability to create saliva. Saliva works to neutralize bacteria and re-mineralize dental enamel. Take the time to rinse your mouth vigorously with water after you consume candy for added benefits.
Consider also how and when you consume sweet treats. It is actually better for your smile if you consume candy in a short sitting, rather than snacking (on the same amount) continuously throughout the day. This is because the oral bacteria in your mouth remain active and feeding for about 20 to 30 minutes after exposure to sugar; your goal is to limit the amount of time that these bacteria are in a feeding frenzy.
Finally, make sure that you are keeping up with your daily oral hygiene routine. Reach out to your dentist if you think that your smile is feeling stale, or if it seems difficult to clean. You may want to schedule a professional cleaning post-Halloween to give your teeth and gums a refresh.
As always, our East Plano dentists are happy to give you more information and guidance. Just give our office a call to get started, or use the Contact Us page on our website to submit a personal inquiry!
Schedule your complimentary consultation today by calling (972) 600-2447 or Schedule Online.
Download our New Patient Special. $99 for comprehensive exam, x-rays and regular cleaning.
Download our Cosmetic Dentistry Information Packet.


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If Ominto Was A Private Company It Would Be Worth A Fraction Of Its Current Price – White Diamond Research
You are here: Home / If Ominto Was A Private Company It Would Be Worth A Fraction Of Its Current...
If Ominto Was A Private Company It Would Be Worth A Fraction Of Its Current Price
If Ominto Was A Private Company, It Would Be Worth A Fraction Of Its Current Price
Ominto, an online cash back provider, has risen over 150% solely on the hype and exposure of being uplisted to the Nasdaq from the OTC exchange on 2/14/17.
It has tiny sales, stagnant growth and consistently loses $1M-$3M per quarter over the past four years.
A CEO of a top cash back website we interviewed hasn't even heard of Ominto or its cash back website Dubli.com.
Ominto has made what appears to be a non-arm's length merger with a company that has a completely different business.
We estimate Ominto's value to be $1-$2 per share, for an eventual 90% decline.
Imagine Ominto was a private company looking to raise money on the TV series Shark Tank. Now imagine the CEO going into the room and saying:
"Hi Sharks, our business is in the online cash back industry. For the past four years, we have miniscule to no growth, average about $20 million per year in revenues, and lose about $10 million per year. We also acquired 40% of an animation company that has not produced anything notable. We'd like $10 million for a 5% stake in our company."
Upon hearing this, Mark Cuban would immediately fall back in his chair and say: "Are you crazy? I'm out! I'm so out!"
If Ominto was a private company, we believe it would at best be worth $10M-$20M, or below $2 per share.
Ominto (OMNT) is an online cash back company. It provides online cash back shopping deals through ominto.com and dubli.com, which have the same content. Cash back companies are a dime a dozen and it's a tough business due to high competition and need for constant marketing to entice more customers. Ominto has had low revenues and continual losses every quarter for the past four years. We've found that Ominto isn't even among the top 20 cash back companies. The company hasn't said it publicly, but it appears from a recent strange merger with no synergies, that it's transitioning into the animated film business.
Ominto is a former OTC exchange traded stock that just recently got uplisted to the Nasdaq on March 20th. The stock is up over 150% within the last three months due to the excitement and new investor exposure from being on the NASDAQ. The company has liberally distributed its stock to insiders and partners, and some are just now able to sell their shares. In one case, April 5th will be the sixth month mark which allows the private placement investors to sell who bought one million shares at $4 apiece on October 6, 2016.
Additionally, in December, Ominto engaged in a non-arm's length merger that has no apparent synergies and the Company didn't report it to be non-arm's length. It's with an animation company called Lani Pixels. Most of Ominto's executives are based in Europe, with the CEO and COO living in Dubai, and Lani Pixels is based in Denmark.
Note, we tried to contact Ominto's investor relations with questions and they replied:
"In accordance with Regulation FD, we are unable to provide you with any more details than what is in our filings with the SEC."
We asked them why do they have an investor relations department? They didn't reply to that question.
In our experience, companies that don't talk to inquiring investors are often bearish about their future. They don't want to give anything negative away. Companies that are bullish about their future are usually eager to speak to investors and explain their plans for the future.
If Ominto Was A Private Company – What Would It Be Worth?
Ominto is a struggling company that's flailing in the wind, with a history of paying employees in stock because they keep running out of cash. The cash back industry requires constant marketing expense to keep up revenues, which is why Ominto has had a $1M+ loss every quarter since 2013. The proof is in the pudding. The following are Ominto's quarterly revenues, losses and marketing spend since 2013:
Source: Ominto SEC filings
As shown above, the revenues are very small, and the losses are over $1M per quarter except for a couple of quarters in 2013. For its fiscal year ended 9/30/16, total revenues were $17.7M and the loss was -$10.6M. At a market cap of $200M, this puts its price/sales multiple (P/S) at about 11, and it loses money hand over fist. Why would anyone pay that much for this company?
Some hot internet stocks have a P/S of 10 or more because they have a unique, disruptive technology and their sales are growing dramatically. It's clear that Ominto doesn't have a disruptive technology and is not growing. Maybe it could grow revenues if it poured more money into marketing and took a bigger quarterly loss, like it did in quarter ended 9/30/15. It's an online cash back company that can't seem to book a positive quarter no matter how much it spends on marketing.
A Questionable Merger
On 12/13/16 Ominto announced that it had for some reason acquired 40% of Danish animation firm Lani Pixels A/S for $500K in cash and $8.5M in stock valued at $3.50 per share which equals 2.43M shares. At a $10 per share value, the dollar amount of stock given equals $24.3M.
Investors should ask what is the purpose of this merger? How would an animation company benefit a cash back company? What are the synergies between the two? We don't believe there are any synergies. In the announcement, Ominto says:
Ominto plans to continue to develop Lani Pixels as a marketing service company…
It also says on the Ominto announcement:
The expertise we gain from Lani Pixels animation content will advance our marketing acumen to a new level of sophistication
However, Lani Pixels isn't a marketing services company, it's an animation company. Look at the Lani Pixels website. Under the "what we do" tab, it says absolutely nothing about marketing:
In the list of things that the company does above, it says absolutely nothing about marketing. If you go around the website, you can tell the company is about animation, not marketing. It doesn't even hint at it.
Lani Pixels doesn't appear to have produced much animation at that. Here, it produced a film about the history of LEGO. Here is a short Happy Holidays video from Lani Pixels. These films are cute, but the movie/short film business is very hard to make money in. Very rarely is it a good investment.
Since animation is much different than the cash back industry, then why did this merger happen? What is the connection here? The devil lies in the details. Our research found that it appears to be a non-arm's length merger. The executives of both companies used to work together at LEGO Group.
In the merger announcement, it states:
Lani Pixels was founded by Kim Pagel and his son, Thomas Pagel, in 2000. Mr. Pagel has a long history in the creation and production of animated film content, including many years with the LEGO Group.
The key words here are "LEGO Group". That's also shown in Mr. Pagel's Linkedin profile:
Above, it shows that Mr. Pagel worked for 18 years for LEGO Group through the 80s and 90s. Looking at Ominto's CEO, Michael Hansen, LinkedIn profile, it shows that he also worked at LEGO in the 1990s:
From Ominto's latest 10-K, it says of the COO Betina Dupont Sorensen:
Ms. Sorenson was employed in a Danish marketing firm and spent two years with Modulex, a division of LEGO where she worked in the accounting and logistics department.
Former coworkers making deals together isn't illegal. But we have to question it because Ominto should have made it clear that executives had worked in the past with Kim Pagel at LEGO, given that this merger doesn't make any sense.
So what is the real purpose of the merger? Is it some kind of a reverse merger plan where Ominto will transition from a cash back company to an animation company? Or something worse (we don't want to speculate)? Maybe Ominto is getting ready to transition into an animation company because they can't get their cash back business to work.
How was the animation company, Lani Pixels, appraised? How did Ominto come to value the company at $22.5M? It's valued at more than double that now because Ominto's stock price has tripled in the past four months. Also of note is Mr. Pagel doesn't seem to have any restrictions on when he can sell his stock.
The Cashback Industry Is Very Competitive
Ominto has many competitors in the cash back industry. To learn more about the industry, we spoke with Frank DeBlasi, CEO of top cash back website Hoopladoopla.com. Note that in our interview, he stated he hasn't even heard of Ominto or Dubli.
WDR: Have you heard of Ominto or Dubli? Are they top competition in the cash back space?
Frank: I have never heard of those companies until you just mentioned.
WDR: How big is cash back shopping?
Frank: Cash back shopping is one of many types of deal type websites out there, along with regular coupon sites and daily deal sites such as Groupon. Cash back sites generally generate the most traffic of the three groups because they offer incentives to shop, and feature popular stores where people shop every day.
There are lots of coupon sites out there which are very easy to set up. We have many shoppers on our sites that we know use competitors because they see us on cash back comparison sites. The best rate gets the sale.
The overhead running the business is very low, being there is no brick and mortar, and we are the middle man in the transaction.
The top cash back sites we compete with are Ebates, Fat Wallet, and Mr. Rebates. The top earnings for some of my competitors exceed $100 million annually. With middle of the road competitors, it all depends on traffic. Anywhere between $10 and $50 million is respectable.
As shown earlier in this report, Ominto needs to spend a lot of marketing dollars to get revenues. Their marketing expense for the quarter is often higher than the revenue. We are not surprised that Mr. Blasi has never heard of Ominto or Dubli. They were not shown on websites that listed the top cash back sites.
Ominto Is Not Listed As One Of The Top Cashback Websites
If you do a Google search for "cash back companies" you'll have a hard time finding Ominto or Dubli. We've found that Ominto isn't even among the top 20 cash back/rebate companies.
Moneyjojo.com published on article on 1/5/17 listing the top 20 cash back and rebate sites for 2017. Ominto.com and dubli.com are not listed. Moneyjojo.com lists:
Mypoints.com
Hoopladoopla.com
Cashcrate.com
Uniquerewards.com
Couponsurfer.com
Inboxdollars.com
Topcashback.com
Cashbackhouse.com
Ebates.com
Gifthulk.com
Sunshinerewards.com
Gyft.com
Retailcashback.com
Savingstar.com
Ibotta.com
Refundsweepers.com
Quickrewards.com
DollarDig.com
Mrrebates.com
Rather-be-shopping.com published an article, updated on 3/22/17, listing what they believe to be the top 11 cash back sites. Again, Ominto and Dubli are not listed. You will notice in their list, they mention some of the same sites as the previous article we mentioned.
The ones they list are:
Topcashback.com, iBotta.com, swagbucks.com, befrugal.com, ebates.com, mrrebates.com, mainstreetshares.com, shopathome.com, mypoints.com, couponcabin.com, and couponcactus.com.
To see a third cash back website ranking site to confirm which ones are the top, gobankingrates.com published an article on 12/18/16 titled: Top 10 Best Cash-Back Websites. Again, no Ominto or Dubli. This site lists some of the same sites but a couple new ones. It shows:
Upromise.com, befrugal.com, couponcactus.com, topcashback.com, shopathome.com, extrabux.com, ebates.com, mrrebates.com, swagbucks.com, and mainstreetshares.com.
Ominto's Large Stock Issuances And Upcoming Insider Sales
Ominto has issued a lot of shares to employees when it was low on cash. As well as to a merger, did a PIPE on 10/5/16, and issued the CEO 500K shares upon the uplisting. Eventually, these shares will be sold.
Date Awarded Party # shares awarded Exercise Price Filing link
10/5/2016 Non-US Persons 1 million $4 link
11/17/2016 Michael Hansen 500k $0 link
11/30/2016 Michael Hanson 17k $0 link
11/30/2016 Mitch Hill 13k $0 link
11/30/2016 Betina Sorensen 13.5k $0 link
11/30/2016 David Pollei 4k $0 link
11/30/2016 Peter Harris 2.5K $0 link
11/30/2016 Gregory Newell 2.5k $0 link
11/30/2016 Gary Baughman 2.5k $0 link
12/1/2016 Jaye LaBelle 50k $2.80 link
12/8/2016 Gregory Newell 30k $2.80 link
12/8/2016 Peter Harris 30k $2.80 link
12/8/2016 Gary Baughman 30k $2.80 link
12/13/2016 Lani Pixels 2.5 million $0 link
Above are the many stock issuances that Ominto awarded late last year. Starting from the top, Ominto did a private placement on October 6, 2016 with "non-US persons", for 1 million shares at $4 per share. Those shares don't appear to have been registered per the SEC filings, so weren't able to be sold legally. However, per SEC rule 144, the securities can be sold after six months, in which case that would be April 5, 2017. So we may see some selling from that investor in the near future.
The second stock award on the above list, was to the CEO, Michael Hansen, who was awarded 500K shares upon the uplisting to the Nasdaq which was on March 20th.
The shares issued on 11/30 to employees were salary payments to employees at share prices between $3-$5, much lower than where the stock is today. Ominto paid its employees in stock because it was low on cash.
The shares issued to employees in December are stock options with an exercise price of $2.80 per share. They vest monthly in equal installments for 36 months. So those employees have fresh new options every month.
The Lani Pixels deal and stock issuance is explained earlier in this article.
In addition to the above shareholders that will sell at some point, the company itself plans on selling shares. Mr. Hansen stated in its Q117 earnings report:
"In addition, we believe trading on Nasdaq provides greater access to capital to support our future growth initiatives."
That makes it clear that the company will engage in at least one equity raise going forward.
In conclusion, we actually find Ominto's market cap unethically high to retail investors who don't know how to value internet companies. For it to hop on the Nasdaq with a $200M+ market cap, after years of failure, low revenues and consistent quarterly losses, it isn't right to sell stock to the market at this price. A market cap of somewhere around $10-20M would be the right price for retail investors wanting to make a gamble on a struggling company looking to make a profit in the cash back and animation business.
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View the current issue of the Birmingham Magazine.
Learn about upcoming holiday events at a BSD Merchant Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 24 from 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. at Evereve, located at 128 South Old Woodward Ave. Other topics on the agenda include: valet parking, Birmingham gift certificates, BSD assessment renewal and more!
Birmingham Shopping District merchants have an opportunity to purchase a booth at the Birmingham Winter Markt event for half off the regular price! Join us at this festive event and reach thousands of shoppers this holiday season! Download the 2018 Birmingham Winter Markt Vendor Application here . Learn more at www.BirminghamWinterMarkt.org.
- Santa's arrival during the Santa Walk at 9:30 a.m.
- A chance to win the following Oakland County Prizes: $5,000; $2,000; $500 Southwest Airlines voucher!
Learn more about plans for Small Business Saturday at the Merchant Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 24 from 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. at Evereve, located at 128 South Old Woodward Ave.
Shain Park will come alive with activity during the City of Birmingham's annual Birmingham Winter Markt event on Friday, November 30 through Sunday, December 2. More than 15,000 attendees will enjoy European food and drinks, gift items, holiday greens, crafts, ice carving demonstrations, live reindeer, warming stations, a Kinderhaus children's activity area, the popular Santa House, horse-drawn carriage rides and live entertainment. The Birmingham Winter Markt event is made possible through generous sponsors. Download the 2018 Birmingham Winter Markt Sponsorship Packet for more information about sponsoring this year's event. Thank you for your support!
Sponsorships are also available for the Birmingham Tree Lighting, Santa House Warming Tent and horse-drawn carriage rides. For more information please contact the Birmingham Shopping District at 248-530-1254 or jbrook@bhamgov.org.
Take advantage of an opportunity to reach those walking and driving near the busy area of Henrietta and Maple by purchasing kiosk space! There are two openings for promotional posters (36" wide by 62" high) to be displayed during a three-month period for $300 per space throughout 2019. Learn more and reserve your space by calling the BSD at 248-530-1200.
At the Birmingham Shopping District Board meeting on Thursday, June 7, 2018, Frank Konjarevich from Frank's Shoe Service was recognized for 60 years of business in Birmingham. Congratulations, Frank!
At the Birmingham Shopping District Board meeting on Thursday, September 6, 2018, Harp's Lingerie was recognized for 71 years in business and for calling Birmingham home since 1992. Congratulations!
At the Birmingham Shopping District Board meeting on Thursday, October 4, 2018, Ceresnie & Offen Furs was recognized for conducting business in Birmingham since 1969. Congratulations!
Now through the end of the year, Oakland County is offering workshops titled: Starting a Business, Team SBA Financing Roundtable, Market Research Basics and more! Learn more and register on Oakland County's website .
As a reminder, please take a moment to review the City's snow ordinance so you can avoid fines. Remember property owners are responsible for salting in front of their buildings .
* If your store has sidewalk from the door to the street, the store or the property owner must shovel all additional snow to the street - past the curb. If your store has parking meters in front, you must clear snow around and between the meters. If your store has a grassy area in front, you may shovel snow to that area as long as you do not block a pedestrian right of way.
* You must also clear snow three feet around fire hydrants if they are in front of your store.
* When any snow or ice shall cease to fall or form during daylight hours, snow or ice shall be cleared within 12 hours after it stops.
* When any snow or ice shall cease to fall during nighttime hours, it must be cleared by 6 p.m. on the day following.
* If the specified area is not cleared, the Department of Public Services may determine that an area is unsafe. They will clear the snow at your expense.
* You are also responsible for daily salting, as needed, to keep your sidewalk safe. The BSD contractor does not salt in front of all stores.
* Store owners or staff: If you are unsure of who is responsible for snow removal around your building under your lease agreement, contact your landlord or property manager.
Please note the Birmingham Shopping District (BSD) has contracted privately for clearing a 48" path along the sidewalk. This service is in place to provide minimum snow clearing to make sidewalks safe and passable. Our contractor is Nick's Maintenance, LLC. For more information, contact the BSD at 248-530-1200.
The BSD will help promote your store news, events and promotions via social media! Simply e-mail your information to info@ALLINBirmingham.com and we'll help you spread the word. Like or follow the Birmingham Shopping District on Facebook and via Twitter and Instagram (@BhamShopping).
Tell Your Employees - Discounts in Birmingham!
Be sure your employees know they're eligible for an Employee Discount Card! The card provides discounts at participating Birmingham stores. Show them the complete list with participating merchants and discount information at www.ALLINBirmingham.com/employeediscount .


One of the most important decisions for a business owner is when to exit or transfer ownership of their company. This decision requires business owners to make an informed and honest assessment of the entire situation from a corporate, shareholder, employee and family perspective.
Most business owners have owned and operated their businesses for many years, but have little or no experience with the overwhelming task surrounding their exit. There are many questions an owner should consider when planning their exit. Is it the right time to sell? Should they retain an ownership percentage? What is the value of the business? How deals are structured and are they protected retaining minority ownership or holding a note?
At Transact Partners, our mission is to help privately held business owners navigate complex business sale transactions with expert legal and financial advice each step of the way.
Prepare the Business for Sale: We evaluate the business and suggest measures to enhance value. We develop our "Business Offering Memorandum" and assemble pre due diligence information.
Market the Opportunity: We will confidentially identify qualified buyers by utilizing our internal database, directly contacting qualified strategic and financial buyers including Private Equity Groups.
Identify the Right Buyer: All buyers must sign our Non-Disclosure Agreement before receiving any information. We qualify all buyers and create a spirit of competition to enhance the value of the opportunity. It is our fiduciary duty to present all offers and allow our clients to select the best option for their particular situation.
Manage & Close the Deal: In conjunction with an owner's advisory team, our objective is to determine the appropriate transaction structure while reconciling buyer and seller objectives. Furthermore, we play a key role in managing the due diligence process, negotiating terms and getting the transaction closed.
Transition & Post Transition Assistance: We can guide the client through post transaction issues including wealth management alternatives.
As a business owner, you have most likely entertained calls, and potentially an unsolicited offer, from a Private Equity Group or Corporate Acquirer. On the surface, some of these inquiries may be enticing; however, it is hard to determine if the buyer is committed to your company and is qualified financially to complete a transaction.
In response to market demand, Transact Partners has developed a unique service with no fee obligation on the part of the business owner. In our No Fee Buyer Introduction program, we confidentially approach well qualified prospective buyers through our relationships with domestic and international Private Equity Groups and Corporate Acquirers.
In this program, our role at Transact is "match maker" and our fee is paid by the buyer if a transaction is completed. Furthermore, you would not enter into any agreement with our firm and are under no obligation to complete a transaction with any buyer we introduce to you.
Determine the best possible acquirers by matching your company with the acquisition criteria of Private Equity Groups and Corporate Acquirers.
Please contact Transact Partners at 919-844-2929 or through the contact form for more information on our services for business owners. All information, inquiries and conversations are held in complete confidence.
© Copyright 2009-2018 Transact Partners International All rights reserved.


Call of Duty has always been a title that served as the template for some other shooters to be built upon. The controls are great, the mechanics are great, but the formula gets stale fast, and it seems like without something to cast some shine on a new title (like Zombies or Extinction), the games get pretty old pretty quick, which is good I suppose since there's a new game every year.
Well, we've seen games switch over to more COD like controls. We saw it with Halo 4, and Gears of War: Judgement, and Titanfall had very similar controls. So with all of the "This game is too much like Call of Duty" cries, is it finally time to give the game a critical look and check out what Sledgehammer has borrowed from other titles?
After today's Call of Duty Keynote, waves of people on twitter and other social media have been calling the game Copy Cat of Duty, check out the video below to see why.


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What World Space Week means to me
Astronomer-at-large, Fred Watson, reflects on the dawn of the space age.
Astronomer-at-large, Fred Watson, at the Siding Spring Observatory in the Warrumbungle National Park near Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia.
When we celebrate World Space Week, we're looking back to what most pundits consider as the dawn of the space age – 4 October 1957. On that day, the first artificial satellite took to the skies – the Soviet Union's Sputnik, meaning 'fellow traveller'. Of course, the world was stunned, since everyone expected the USA to be the first to launch a successful satellite.
For a youthful Fred Watson, however, Sputnik wasn't much of a surprise. I was already a seasoned 'fellow traveller' with space, courtesy of a genius by the name of Frank Hampson. Frank was not a rocket scientist, but a gifted British artist – albeit a very unusual one. His imagined vistas of colourful alien environments were enhanced by healthy doses of real science, from orbital dynamics to interplanetary communications. My peers and I were totally captivated by the adventures of Frank's space hero, Dan Dare, in the legendary 1950's kid's comic, Eagle.
Thus was kindled a passion that still burns brightly in your humble Astronomer-at-large. I was hooked, as we all were at that time. In fact, we were encouraged to be hooked, because there had recently been a world war fought with unprecedented scientific complexity – and everyone thought there would soon be another one. Science education reigned supreme.
As time went by, my colleagues took their schooling into practical realms like engineering, medicine and economics, but I remained steadfastly consumed by the world of space. Basically, I never grew up. University followed, and a career that has encompassed most aspects of astronomy.
But the fascination with the space environment has never left me, and I can't tell you how delighted I am that Australia now has its own Space Agency. Much of what the Agency focuses on will be concerned with the downward-looking exploitation of space in communications and remote-sensing – commercial ventures that will significantly improve Australia's one per cent share in the $400 billion global space industry. Agreements will shortly be signed with the European, UK and Canadian Space Agencies, hot on the heels of the Agency's first industry agreement – with Airbus.
While the Australian Space Agency's head, Dr Megan Clark, has recently described it as 'the most industry-focused agency in the world', it's already clear that astronomy and planetary science will not be ignored. The sky's the limit when it comes to exploring the Universe from space, with enormous potential once the detrimental effects of the Earth's atmosphere are removed. I look forward to being involved, along with many of my astronomy colleagues.
The theme of this year's Space Week is 'Space unites the world'. What more inspiring cause could there be? Particularly for someone who grew up in a world divided in the aftermath of war…
Email: OpticalAstronomy@industry.gov.au