Magical Majestical by Larkenlyre

By 1651 the Italian priest/astronomer Giambattista Riccioli had observed for years with great interest the patterns he saw on the moon. He believed that, as on earth, the dark areas were seas (Maria) and lakes (Lacus), surrounded by the lighter areas of land.

It was then he decided to name these areas. He chose strange and wonderful names that are used to this day. Some he imagined to be quite peaceful -- Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquility), Mare Serenitatis (Sea of Serenity)-- while others he thought might be more menacing -- Mare Vaporum (Sea of Vapors), Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold).

We have since learned that they are not water, but their evocative names still inform our observations and expectations of these magnificent and colossal landscapes.

Let us go now and Hail these Seas, some of the most wondrous, desolate, and fantastically beautiful places anyone has ever seen. Maybe there is no better place to meditate on the state of men, their place in the universe, and their fate.

Sheet music: https://matthewlabarge.com/

Matthew Labarge works tirelessly in a tiny studio in Blacksburg, Virginia to bring you albums that unfold like a novel, are worth listening to carefully, and still yield new insights after many listens.