Day: March 30, 2011

Ethical Gymnastics in SGU Body Snatching

I decided to re-watch both the ‘Alliances‘ and ‘Hope‘ SGU episodes Wednesday evening.  I tend to roll my eyes during the episodes that use the Ancient communication stones.  They strike me as a ‘cop out’ for the non-SF aspects of the show (i.e. human drama, human interest, family, friends, etc.  … all circumstances and situations I can find readily enough on most any prime time series).

I realized on my re-viewing that both episodes presented the ‘flip sides’ of the ethical dilemma presented by the body swapping consequences of the Ancient communication device.

In the ‘Alliances’ episode, we ponder the questions:

When it isn’t your body, do you take risks the original owner would not, especially since you get a ‘get out of jail free card’ when you return to your own body?

And, should you discover that your original body has been lethally damaged, why not just keep the body your currently occupying?

In the ‘Hope’ episode, the alternative questions:

When your soul or consciousness returns from the ether (since your original body was murdered while you were using the Ancient communication stones leaving your spirit in cosmic limbo), what’s a body to do?  <pun intended>

Are we obligated to find a willing host, either temporary or permanent, for your essence to subsume?

I found it interesting that Col. Young was adamant that Greer be returned to his body when the cowardly visiting scientist attempted to refuse (once he found out his body on Earth had been exposed to lethal radiation levels).  And the Senator, within only a moment’s hesitation, firmly stepped up and volunteered to return and diffuse the bomb, regardless of the consequences to her life.

Yet, the very next week, Eli and Rush are fighting to keep Ginn and Amanda in Chloe’s body, each understandably selfishly wanting their recent lovers returned to them.  Chloe seemed strangely willing to allow her guests to remain and the only person to voice any protestation was Matt, the other male of this bizarre love triangle.

I half hoped the Ancient communication device would remain offline so we could get back to the mission, whichever flavor that might be (Young’s ‘Let’s Get the Heck Back to Earth’ or Rush’s ‘Damn Earth, the Universe Beckons’), but Telford reared his head before the credits rolled on ‘Hope.’

Otherworldly Choral Compositions

Last night my daughter performed with the UNT College of Music Chamber Choir in concert in Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center.  Thanks to live streaming provided by the recording services at the UNT College of Music, my husband and I are able to enjoy outstanding audio and adequate video of most of my daughter’s concerts.

After the Intermission, the Chamber Choir moved on to some late 20th century choral compositions that challenged both the performers and the listeners.

One of the more difficult pieces was a 1981 choral composition by Sven-David Sandström entitled Agnus Dei, a 16-part piece which created a sensation when it premiered at the international choir festival in Stockholm.  Following that performance, members of the audience rushed the stage and pulled the music from the choir members, not something you normally envision happening at a performance of sacred choral music.

Another strange piece performed immediately following Agnus Dei utilized harmonic overtone singing, a specialty of the composer, Sarah Hopkins.  Past Life Melodies (1991), with its 11-part composition and other-worldly harmonic overtones with roots in Mongolia and Tibet, reminded me quite strongly of a sequence from the soundtrack of 2011: A Space Odyssey.  You may remember the visually stunning sequence, but the aural atmosphere was equally astonishing.

If only I still owned a turntable, I could ask my mom for the vinyl recording, which I listened to repeatedly in my youth.  I wonder if any choirs have attempted a performance of Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite?