"Rave on . . . words on printed page" Van Morrison
from the Musekal-Memorial Library in the Tower of Song
And twenty-seven angels from the Great Beyond They tied me to this table right here In the Tower of Song . . . I'm just paying my rent every day Oh, in the Tower of Song Leonard Cohen
Re-VisionRadio is a Musical & Philosophical program broadcast from an imaginal window at 88.9 on your radio dial from the Tower of Song. It's hosted by the Gypsy Scholar and Bohemian Essayist, with a flower in one hand (or name) and a sword in the other.
The following is the Gypsy Scholar's Introduction and Overview to his "Troubadours & the Beloved" series of essays. It serves to acquaint listeners with the theoretical and philosophical underpinning to the Gypsy Scholar's topic, and explains why he sees the Troubadour/Courtly Love tradition (the eros/amor tradition) as revolutionary and, thus, as essential for a renewal of Western culture. It is posted here so as to allow listeners to read at their leisure, without taking broadcast time away from the main presentation of the series essays on "love" (amor) for Valentine's Day.
The first part of this Introduction is what the Gypsy Scholar has been reading in the first broadcasts of these essays, and for convenience it is printed in blue type. It is suggested that listeners read at least this first part in order to understand the context of the Gypsy Scholar's suceeding essays.
The following is the Gypsy Scholar's Polemical Introduction to his "Troubadours & the Beloved" series of essays. It serves to defend Romantic Love against its critics (religious, secular, and scientific). It was presented, after his initial (2/16/9) Valentine's Day broadcast on 2/23/9, because of the negative radio criticism around that day. It also went into the deeper historical origins of Valentine's Day.
The
following is for the Gypsy Scholar's
"Troubadours & the Beloved" series of essays. It serves to
acquaint listeners with the various theories of Troubadour origins--the origin of amor, or romantic love--and influences, including his own. In the interest of full disclosure, this long essay is generally derivative, based entirely on the work of authorities in the field of Troubadour research. It is offered here as a comprehensive study of the wide variety of views, all controversial, on the topic, since they can only be briefly touched upon in the Gypsy Scholar's on-air essays. It is hoped that these radio essays--the Essay-with-Soundtrack--generate enough interest that the listener will want to find out more about the Troubadour phenomenon by reading the following posted essay.
The following essay is an Introduction to the Gypsy Scholar's current series of essays, "The Troubadours & The Beloved: Heloise & Abelard: The Letters of Love & The Love of Letters." It serves to familiarize listeners to the story of Heloise and Abelard and to summarize what has already been presented on radio (up to part #3).
