Monday, March 2, 2009

THEO AND HIS DRUM

I am amazed by the fascination a drum holds for Theo. (The drum is a drum cover--the rest of the drum is history). Ever since he saw Dulaman being performed on the computer he is into drums. (Dulaman is a song about seaweed by a Celtic musical group.) He continues to watch Dulaman being performed, studying carefully every move of the drummers. The percentage of his waking day spent playing on his drum is up to 75 to 80 percent. He doesn't just hit the drum cover, he twirls the drumstick between his fingers and using either end, taps the drum--sometimes hitting the drum itself, other times hitting the frame. He is getting to be amazingly proficient. He moves in time to his drumming at the same time as he plays his drum; shifting his weight from one foot to the other while croaching low, periodically stopping to lift the drum and drumstick to his right ear while furiously playing a series of taps.

He takes the drum and drumstick to nursery school with him. The teacher asked Wendy to let her know what Theo is doing at the age of 25. I think she sees drums in his future as I do. Not only do I think they're in his future, I think he's inventing a whole new drum sound. There is a cadence and rhythm to his playing I've never heard before.

In case you're curious what Dulaman is about, I've copied the lyrics in English below:

Oh gentle daughter, here come the wooing men
Oh gentle mother, put the wheels in motion for me

[Chorus:]
Seaweed from the yellow cliff, Irish seaweed
Seaweed from the ocean, the best in all of Ireland

There is a yellow gold head on the Gaelic seaweed
There are two blunt ears on the stately seaweed
The Irish seaweed has beautiful black shoes
The stately seaweed has a beret and trousers

[Chorus 2x]

"What are you doing here?" says the Irish seaweed
"At courting with your daughter," says the stately seaweed

I would go to Niúir with the Irish seaweed
"I would buy expensive shoes," said the Irish seaweed

[Chorus]

I spent time telling her the story that I would buy a comb for her
The story she told back to me, that she is well-groomed

"Oh where are you taking my daughter?" says the Irish seaweed
"Well, I'd take her with me," says the stately seaweed

Seaweed from the yellow cliff, Irish seaweed

[Chorus]

Seaweed from the yellow cliff, Irish seaweed
Seaweed from the ocean, the best, the best
Seaweed from the yellow cliff, Irish seaweed
Seaweed from the ocean, the best, the best
The best in all of Ireland

5 comments:

JKB said...

That song sounds lovely! Now you know I have to go try and find a recording of it online.

You seriously think a grandson of yours would *not* be creatively inclined? *shakes head* Marsh, you silly.

I love the mental pic I have of him, tho!

Kerri said...

I think that song was written for me. Love it, love Celtic music, Irish music, anything w/ drums, harps, and flutes.

I love the idea of him watching and playing the drums. Kids amaze us, don't they?

marsh to the fore said...

Yeah, Jen, I would have guessed there'd be some creativity there but not of that magnitude. I mean, he is astounding. I'm going to try taking some pictures that I can post on the site. He is so intense about it too. It's not cute 3 year old--it's way beyond that.

Kerri, I've wondered whether there isn't a little Irish--Celtic blood in me. There's a certain primeval beauty in anything Celtic and if you respond to it--as so many of us do--it's pulls us back to the very beginning of man.

Jen, tell me if you find a recording online. That would be fun to find.

Heidi Willis said...

i find it fascinating that with all three of my kids, I could peg their innate and unique talent by the age of 6 months. I haven't been wrong!

Theo will probably be a great percussionist some day. The way you all let him indulge in it now sets the whole foundation for his greatness in the future!

marsh to the fore said...

Heidi, I find it amazing that you have been able to pinpoint so accurately what your kids are going to be good at. That shows your innate gift!

Yeah, I think Theo could have a drum in his future. Tonight, again, he had the drum in hand, expertly twirling the drumstick. He is really amazing.