Psalm of Life - H. W. Longfellow (by Paul Scofield)

[FreeArtFreestheWorld]

I admit, I found this after Oancitizen's review.

Great stuff!

[hencchi1]

some stanzas are skipped

[Reifgar]

Truly beautiful in every single way. Does anyone know the piece that is playing in the background?

[royals1985brett]

Wow, that was the best one yet

[RodCornholio]

Utterly perfect delivery by Scofield.

[MasterForm555]

I watch this about 50 times a day. Not just because I'm practicing for my school's poetry contest semi-finals, but also because the way he speaks the stanzas of the poem, especially the last stanza he recites, is truly inspiring and very motivating.

[headlink]

@TruthSurge: I think it's not all negative if a company uses adverts - which are a kind of art today - in order to present itsself. Sure they use the poem, but, to my mind, they have left enough space for the work by just showing their logo for a few seconds independently after the reading.

The means may become important for society anyway... there's an American Express production with the Counting Crows and Jack Johnson, intended to raise money for music classes at public schools.

[raybradburywriter]

Every person on earth should watch this video. Twice. Once to appreciate the poem and it's true and very relevant message, and secondly to appreciate Paul Scofield, as we seem, sometimes, to be forgetting him.

[Zaza6076]

I am simply spellbound. What a great actor Scofield was, what voice!

[oancitizen]

Anyone know what the piece in the background is?

[salemwolves]

He skipped some stanzas!!!

[092868661]

this poem is our piece in chorale reading and we won as 3rd placer....

[TulseLuper]

Quite possibly the most underrated actor of the last 100 years.

[092868661]

still, a great poem. this would be our piece in our chorale....:)....

[wainscottbl]

Stupid that a Swiss bank, or any bank for that matter, should make use of a poem about the superiority and eternity of the spirit to press the mere exchange of material money. Really petty. Pissing advertising bastards abused a great poem for their materialist message. Great job by Scofield though and great, great poem.

[TruthSurge]

@wainscottbl I agree. Every time I see a big company glom onto a work of art to try and sell their shit it just sickens me. I'm sorry, but UBS just ruined a great poem by putting their letters in it.

[Hea7enOnEarth]

so this is what Satan looks like?

[richlandwoman]

Excellent! Thanks!

[tohoward33]

I'm old enough to remember my Mother, not well educated, but a lover of poetry reading this and many more to . Before TV.

[salemwolves]

@tohoward33 That's culture my dear. Something that many Ph.D's might not have and yet they call themselves educated. =o)

[AgingFishwife]

So this is where that quote comes from. Thanks headlink.

[AllenbysEyes]

Thanks for uploading these. Scofield has to have the greatest voice ever.

[Willcan40]

Does anyone know when these were recorded?filmed &

[xsaburt]

hey!! he didn't finish@!@@#@#!@!! =[

[globescape]

What a powerful rendition. I just wish he recited the whole poem.

[gnikhilg]

wasted actor on a poor poem

[mose3]

TELL me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream ! — For the soul is dead that slumbers,  And things are not what they seem.

[mose3]

Be not like dumb, driven cattle ! Be a hero in the strife ! Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant ! Let the dead Past bury its dead ! Act,— act in the living Present !

[SpokenVerse]

A great production.  However this isn't all of it. If you want to hear the rest, although without the gravitas of Paul Scofield, you can find it here.

[eclectorsdevices]

His performance of "Say Not the Struggle...", although exquisitely done, has the second verse omitted, This editing is, most likely, because they were made as commercials.

[JoeVialFilms]

Magnificent! R.I.P. Paul Scofield!

[Willcan40]

It is fitting that Paul Scofield should record Longfellow's words "Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime and, departing, leave behind us, footprints in the sands of time." Scofield, the most sublime of actors, has left us an incomparable legacy.

[joeLogpalayon]

not complete!!hehehe

[BLACKEAGLEPREDATOR]

impressive. perchance to dream of a life of eternally appreiated purpose

[lovelyirene2001]

Brilliant! Simply Brilliant! A marvelous oratory from one of the 20th century's greatest actors.