Whoever plays, sings or renders the ''Star Spangled Banner'' in any public place...

15 Antworten [Letzter Beitrag]
lutes
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Beigetreten: 09/04/2020

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter264/Section9

I thought it was a hoax when I first read about it.

What a strange twist of fate for The Anacreontic Song.

PsychicEcho
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Beigetreten: 04/05/2020

haha

lutes
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Beigetreten: 09/04/2020

To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full Glee,
A few Sons of Harmony sent a Petition,
That he their Inspirer and Patron would be;
When this answer arriv'd from the Jolly Old Grecian
"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,
"no longer be mute,
"I'll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot,
"And, besides I'll instruct you, like me, to intwine
"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

PsychicEcho
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Beigetreten: 04/05/2020

ah, I thought you were saying "anachronic" at first.

lutes
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Beigetreten: 09/04/2020

Well, there is arguably some anachronism in the whole story. The law seems to still be in force in MA.

commodore256
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Beigetreten: 01/10/2013

Doesn't surprise me, Mass and the DNC is full of authoritarian neo-soviets.

lutes
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Beigetreten: 09/04/2020

I would happily sing the original lyrics without alteration, though.

According to that law, I might have to pay $100 depending on where the rendition takes place.

PublicLewdness
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Beigetreten: 03/15/2020

To quote Mel Gibson's character in Edge of Darkess: "Everything's illegal in Massachusetts".

nadebula.1984
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Beigetreten: 05/01/2018

US is far more democratic than China, so we hope every communist in US make best use of the democratic rights to wage a revolution.

Sadly, I saw many Chinese immigrants in Los Angeles joined the Falun Gong cult, rather than the Red Guards revolutionary group.

PsychicEcho
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Beigetreten: 04/05/2020

Let's compare China vs US foreign policy also then.

It was US-empire that caused China to be what it is.

Geshmy
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Beigetreten: 04/23/2015

I remembered this post while reading about the relationship between Rimsky-Korsakof and Stravinsky. Here is a historical note involving the Massachusetts law (from Wikipedia).

"Stravinsky's unconventional dominant seventh chord in his arrangement of the "Star-Spangled Banner" led to an incident with the Boston police on 15 January 1944, and he was warned that the authorities could impose a $100 fine upon any "re-arrangement of the national anthem in whole or in part". The police, as it turned out, were wrong. The law in question merely forbade using the national anthem "as dance music, as an exit march, or as a part of a medley of any kind", but the incident soon established itself as a myth, in which Stravinsky was supposedly arrested, held in custody for several nights, and photographed for police records." As a myth means misinformation, fake news ... "mis infor mation....has al...ways been..."

Rimsky-Korsakof was Stravinsky's teacher. I think a lot of Sheherazade which was playing on my car radio yesterday sounds like Petrushka. I haven't heard Petrushka for quite a while so I might be mistaken.

lutes
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Beigetreten: 09/04/2020

That also happens to be where I found out about that antiquated law.

Note that the police might still have considered his "unconventional dominant seventh chord" as an "embellishment", and thus rightfully fined him for that, as demoralizing as it may sound (the fine, not the chord):

"Section 9. Whoever plays, sings or renders the "Star Spangled Banner" in any public place, theatre, motion picture hall, restaurant or café, or at any public entertainment, other than as a whole and separate composition or number, without embellishment or addition in the way of national or other melodies,

or whoever plays, sings or renders the "Star Spangled Banner", or any part thereof, as dance music, as an exit march or as a part of a medley of any kind, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars."

This is a totally trivial example of Wikipedia being a great tool, to be used with caution.

Geshmy
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Beigetreten: 04/23/2015

So I read in the Boston Globe that the police claimed they were planning on ticketing Stravinski after the concert but they did seem to make a show of force before the concert started so who knows.

The story seems symbolic to me. From what I read, Stravinsky's efforts were to be an 'enhancement,' not an 'embellishment.'

Free speech in the spirit of ultimately making the country better should receive a wide discretion.

This evening I will listen to Stravinsky's "Petrushka" - Boston Symphony Orchestra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZy28xpxDK4

lutes
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Beigetreten: 09/04/2020

> an 'enhancement,' not an 'embellishment.'

Should one reasonably expect the police to tell the difference between the two?

Anyway, there has been an interesting rendition of that tune by one of the early electronic music tinkerers. I think I found it in the middle of a mixcloud track at the time, but not sure which one. Maybe this one, if you have time and patience to skim through: https://www.mixcloud.com/Axel_de_Pontbriand/electronic-music-pioneers.

Please do not play that mix in public if your current location is in MA, or be ready to pay the $100 tax.

EDIT: the purported crime happens at 16:30. The track itself (supposedly 'Hair' by Mort Garson) starts at around 15:10.

lutes
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Beigetreten: 09/04/2020

This one should be tax free: https://tube.cadence.moe/watch?v=7wX8gFX_-fk.

I look at all these illuminating faces, and I hear:

"If a foe from within strikes a blow at her glory
Down, down with the traitor that dares to defile
The flag of the stars and the page of her story"

How uplifting. Let's bring back the original lyrics.

Geshmy
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Beigetreten: 04/23/2015

As to embellishment, every pop star that sings it to open a game embellishes the heck out of it. Or maybe they are enhancing.

"If a foe from within strikes a blow at her glory
Down, down with the traitor that dares to defile
The flag of the stars and the page of her story"

Yeah, am sure the 3 percenters and oath keepers would love to sing that.