The next in the Ordered Universe symposia series starts today. The research group will be taking its final look, at least in session, at the treatises On the Liberal Arts and On the Generation of Sounds (De artibus liberalibus and De generatione sonorum). So, vowel shapes, musical measure, the powers (or not) of astrology, and Grosseteste’s rising familiarity with the De anima of Aristotle. Continue reading “Robert Grosseteste’s Early Treatises and their Reception”
Order, the Universe and Everything
This week sees the first symposium for the Ordered Universe project as part of the programme under the new AHRC grant. It will examine Grosseteste’s treatises On the Liberal Arts (De artibus liberalibus) On the Generation of Sounds (De generatione sonorum) and the Middle English translation and exposition of both The Seven Liberal Arts. Continue reading “Order, the Universe and Everything”
Creation Songs
Haydn’s Creation is being performed tonight at Durham Cathedral by the Durham Singers and Durham Singers Ensemble. With a splendid array of soloists from the Samling Academy and Samling Artist Bradley Travis, the convert begins at 7.30, under the direction of Julian Wright. There is a pre-performance talk for ticket holders, given by Giles Gasper, 7.00-7.20 exploring the deeper history to narratives of the Genesis account of creation. Continue reading “Creation Songs”
Being Human with Music and Light and a Fabulous Day
Saturday 14th saw the first two of four events organised at Durham as part of the Being Human, National Festival of Humanities 2015. Now in its second year, the Festival takes place up and down the country with a cornucopia of events for the public. Big questions, big debates and opportunities to engage with academic research of all sorts and interests. Continue reading “Being Human with Music and Light and a Fabulous Day”
The World Machine (now in entirety)
Although on the damp side, the penultimate night of Lumiere Durham was a great success. Various members of the Ordered Universe team gathered in Durham, for the start of the Being Human, Festival of Humanities (see forthcoming post!). We were very glad to be joined for the day and evening by artist Alexandra Carr whose work is heavily based around science and natural phenomena. We were able, from Keith Bartlett’s kind offer to use his offices, meanwhile, to see the World Machine from an unusual vantage point; the results are below. Continue reading “The World Machine (now in entirety)”
Lumiere and the World Machine
Lumiere is now underway, and despite the somewhat inclement weather (raging wind and howling gale, and rain) the installations are as captivating, eerie, mysterious, thought-provoking and spectacular as could be imagined. And the World Machine premiered tonight! Richard was there – a feast of colour, some fantastic imagery of the planets….more to come over the next two days. Shedding light on the Universe, and the World Machine Project introduces the team, especially the students and staff of the Institute of Computational Cosmology who made and modelled many of the sequences on the projection. Continue reading “Lumiere and the World Machine”
World Machine – a sneak preview
A few pictures and some footage from the rehearsals of the World Machine this evening. What a privilege, and the real thing tomorrow (and until Sunday) will be fantastic. Forgive the quality of the shots and sound, but they give an impression of what you can expect. These are also mainly of the medieval imagery – the Black Hole, Galaxy Quest and Astral Travelling you’ll have to wait for!Continue reading “World Machine – a sneak preview”
Sound and Light: ‘The World Machine’ at Lumiere Durham
Lighting up the whole of Durham City Centre later this week, Lumiere Durham is back in town. This festival of light, or artistic collaboration and of amazing sights and sounds has taken place every two years since 2009, and a wonderful, inventive, dynamic series of installations and shows have been included. Lumiere always includes a sound and light show on the Cathedral. This year, this show takes its title from Grosseteste’s treatise On light [De luce]. Continue reading “Sound and Light: ‘The World Machine’ at Lumiere Durham”
A very colourful evening at Oxford Castle
Hannah Smithson and Giles Gasper were privileged to give a talk last week in Oxford at the Oxford Castle Key Learning Centre, as part of the Westgate Talks series. The excavations beneath the Westgate shopping centre have uncovered the original Franciscan house, Greyfrairs, established in 1224, and for whom Grosseteste was the first lector. Continue reading “A very colourful evening at Oxford Castle”
Compotus ecclesiasticus
The Ordered Universe project now hosts a new resource, an edition and translation (with apparatus) of the Compotus ecclesiasticus by the late Jennifer Moreton, together with an introductory essay by Philipp Nothaff (All Souls College, University of Oxford). The Compotus ecclesiasticus is an early thirteenth century example of the medieval treatises on time and calendrical calculation, and the myriad of other subjects that medieval authors touched on in such studies. As Philipp’s introduction points out computus, the science of time, was an essential element in the organisation of Christian life and its religious ordering. Continue reading “Compotus ecclesiasticus”