The lovely haunting piece of classical music 'Lark ascending' by quintessentially English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, keeps me happy in winter when larks are not themselves singing.
The composer cleverly captures beautifully ever nuance, trill and silvery quivering notes drifting earthwards as the lark ascends until he is a mere speck high up in the blue.
Interestingly, the poem 'lark ascending' by George Meredith was the inspiration behind Vaughan Williams piece which he entitled 'a romance for violin and orchestra'.
I'm in Bushy park one early March afternoon and before me among the brown bracken and grasses about thirty skylarks are cavorting and chirupping to one another no doubt intent on choosing mates and territories. Suddenly, one bird begins to sing but on the ground, probably because there is a stiff chilly breeze and fitful sunshine .
Skylarks can sing constantly without a break for several minutes at a time as they soar high above seemingly voicing breathless music. However, while our larynx does not allow us to sing and breathe at the same time, lark possess a syrinx through which they can sing and breathe constantly.
It is with horror that we realize that way back in the seventeenth century people ate larks and boxes of lark's tongues, considered a delicacy were delivered to Leadenhall market in London.
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