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| Spirit of the Plains, 1897, Sydney Long, Australia. |
An Australian bush nymph leads her dancing birds through the gum treed plains of the Australian bush, in a freize-like painting by Australian artist Sydney Long [1871-1955]. For many years, this popular work has fascinated visitors to the Queensland Art Gallery. Notice the elaborate treble clef formation of the procession, beautifully based on a European, Art Nouveau, sensibility.
The dancing birds, however, are brolgas, Australian native birds, and the official bird emblem of our state of Queensland. The brolga is a member of the crane family, and a common wetland bird species in tropical and south-eastern Australia. Best known for the intricate mating dances, their performance begins with a bird picking up some grass and tossing it into the air, then catching it, jumping a metre into the air with outstretched wings, with much strutting, calling and bobbing of the head. Sometimes they dance singly, or in pairs, and sometimes a whole group will dance together.
While I have occasionally seen brolgas in swampland, I have never seen them dance. I'm sure it is quite spectacular...
So why did I think of brolgas today?
Many readers have commented on my Christmas decor, with wintry scenes of snowmen, while outside we are in the middle of a hot Summer.
And I thought it time to introduce another Australian Christmas carol:
The Carol of the Birds.
The first line is 'Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing, lifting their feet like war-horses dancing'...
This carol is sung many different ways, faster and slower, with orchestral or organ accompaniment, but I chose this version because of the pictures.
You will see lots of Australian native birds, including my old friends, the lorikeets.
The word 'Orana' means Welcome!
Enjoy..
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Just beautiful! Both the art, music and our feathered friends. Thanks for sharing them xx
ReplyDeleteThank you Michelle. You will have to paint a portrait of brolgas one day :)) xx
DeleteLots on my list of "love to draw" Hopefully further travel will yield a good Brolga photo one day x
DeleteFascinating! Isn't nature awesome?
ReplyDeleteAwesome indeed Linda, and fun to imagine the brolgas dancing in celebration of Christmas.
DeleteThese are very beautiful...
ReplyDeleteboth the paintings and the birds that inspired the artists.
Thank you Hostess, the Sydney Long painting always attracts the attention of visitors at the gallery. Its delicate beauty stands out in the crowd!
DeleteI love that Brolga dance, they are so graceful.
ReplyDeleteI loved how they had set it to ballet music - what a clever idea!
DeleteFascinating! Always something new to find out, so thank you for telling us about them. Happy Christmas! xx
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas Amy, always something new to see in the world of birds! xx
DeleteLove the beautiful painting with its mystical qualities.
ReplyDeleteThe only birds that I have seen dance are pink Flamingoes during their courtship routine. A large group will dance en masse all moving exactly the same resembling a corps de ballet.
Now that is a sight I'd love to see, Rosemary: pink Flamingoes dancing a ballet together. Perhaps they are distant relatives of the brolga?
ReplyDeleteThe Brolga paintings are just so lyrical. Pure visual poetry. And I have never heard of this Australian Carol - about the only bird song I know is Kookaburra sing in the old gum tree :)
ReplyDeleteThe Australian carol is one of a set of six, published about 50 years ago. Around Christmas time they are usually played on Classic FM radio, and they are popular with church choirs too. Good old Kookaburra song - our kids used to do a hearty version of that! Happy Christmas Sarah Liz
DeleteJust love this Trish! Such beautiful birds and lovely art work. The song was great and it's so fun to see Christmas songs & traditions from other parts of the world. Thanks so much for sharing!! Xoxo
ReplyDeleteHi Carrie, It is fun to have a little bit of 'Australian' Christmas too - although admittedly most of our celebratory stuff is exactly the same as yours! Happy Christmas xx
DeleteI had never heard of these birds but they are wonderfully elegant, and how I would love to see them dancing! Wow! You do have some wonderful birds in Australia. If I ever make it out there the wildlife is something I really want to see.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see them dancing too! I like the way they combined the film with ballet music, so clever. We do have some amazing birds here - but then you have red robins for Christmas :)
DeleteI've never hear of these birds either. They look like a cross between a stork, a heron and a hadeda (ibis). Very beautiful too! I agree with Jenny. I'd love to see the wildlife in Australia. Do you think this is why Brolga of the Kangaroo sanctuary is called that? He's also long and leggy :)
ReplyDeleteYes Val, the brolgas belong to the family of swamp birds. I don't know the Brolga of Kangaroo sanctuary, I have to admit. Is that a film/book?? Long and leggy they certainly are, as well as artistic :)
DeleteYour native birds look so elegant. What a delight to see them. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering - since Xmas is so much about Santa Claus, reindeers and snow ( the latter you lack right now ), is there any other " big " celebration event in Australia? Something you ( all ) can relate to without imagining the snowy ding-dongs with it?
What a good question, Mette. I would say Christmas continues to be the biggest celebration, and we cheerfully enjoy the European style of trees, lights, cards, and Santa. The food has changed since I was a child, when my mother baked a hot English style roast meal with plum pudding, often in sweltering heat. Many Australians now prefer cold seafood on the beach on Christmas Day. Australia Day on the 26th January is the day we make more of our Australian culture, and there is a movement to make lamb the special dish of the day. But Christmas will always win!
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