Hi, Rebecca Shear here. Before we get to our story, exciting news.
Circle Round is going back on tour. with live recordings across the united states our first stop Sunday, October 5th in Parker, Colorado at the Pace Center.
And Circle Round Club members are invited to a special post-show meet and greet with me and composer Eric Shimalonis.
Get your tickets at wbur.org slash circle around and click on events.
We're announcing more tour stops soon, so stay tuned.
We look forward to circling around with you live.
WBUR podcasts, Boston. Do you have a calling?
Something you feel you were destined to do or become?
We're about to meet a woman who feels called to play music. even after she gives up music altogether.
¶¶ I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today our story is called The Sweetest Sounds.
Versions of this tale come from the Roma people of modern-day Hungary in Central Europe.
Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this folktale. including public radio veterans Rachel Martin and Ayesha Rasko, along with guest musician Christian Habel.
Rachel Martin has hosted Weekend Edition Sunday, Morning Edition, Up First, and the new NPR podcast, Enlighten Me.
Ayesha Rasko currently hosts Weekend Edition Sunday and the Saturday episodes of Up First.
Christian Habel has toured with Sting, Barbra Streisand, and Billy Joel. and most recently performed John Williams' score for Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny.
You Broadway fans may have heard him perform the music. of Wicked.
So, circle around, everyone, for the sweetest sounds.
Thank you. Lillian, the traveling musician, made her way through life and the world. playing the one thing she treasured above all else.
Her violin. Thank you. In her worn-out shoes and faded coat, she journeyed from city to city, village to village, playing her violin in town squares and taverns, carnivals and cafes, festivals and fairs.
And each time Lillian put her bow to the strings, people would gather round close their eyes and begin to dance and sway.
Then, when the music stopped, They would toss some coins into Lillian's upturned hat.
Thank you. Thank you so much. And hurry back.
Glad you enjoyed the music! Despite the power of Lillian's violin, She didn't make a lot of cash.
Some days all she could afford to eat was a hunk of bread and a cup of tea.
And some nights she had no choice but to sleep under the sky with the twinkling stars above her head. and a soft clump of moss beneath it.
So after many years of roughing it, Lillian began to wonder, maybe I should just give up my music and settle down.
I could find a nice conventional job and buy my own place with my own land.
Maybe I could even raise some chickens and a cow or two.
But then she would remember her calling to play music, and she would let the daydream go too.
One day in early spring, Lillian found her way to a country fair Thousands of fairgoers crowded the village green to watch jugglers and musicians play sports and games, and gobble up sweets and treats sold by the many rows of peddlers and vendors.
Standing off to one side, Lillian took her violin out of its well-worn case.
She tucked her beloved instrument beneath her chin.
And the moment she touched the bow to the strings... and everyone around seemed to freeze.
In a trance, the people dropped what they were doing and crowded around Lillian.
Their eyes shut tight as they began to sway and dance.
Standing up front was a mysterious woman wearing a red velvet dress and cape, Unlike everyone else, her piercing gray eyes remained wide open, unblinking. as she stared at Lillian and her violin.
When the music came to an end, and the fairgoers tossed their coins into Lillian's hat, Thank you.
Thanks. Then returns to their revelries.
Glad you like the song. The mysterious woman stayed behind.
That was wonderful, my dear. Truly wonderful.
I must commend you on making such glorious music.
Lillian flashed the woman a smile. I thank you for the praise, ma'am.
Music is my passion, always has been. Well, it's a very powerful passion.
The sweet sounds of your violin seem to take people over, enchant them.
The moment they hear you play, it's like you have total control.
Maybe. If only I could control how much money they toss into my hat when I stop playing.
The woman tilted her head. So, are you saying your passion isn't the most personal? profitable thing in the world?
Sadly, I am. Last night I camped out by the river, and this morning all I had for breakfast were some berries I foraged from the forest.
But hey, that's the life of a traveling musician, right?
So you say, but what if I told you... It doesn't have to be that way.
What do you mean? Well, what if I could promise that you didn't have to struggle another day in your life?
What if I could promise that you could have your own place with your own land?
Maybe even raise some chickens and a cow or two.
Lillian's eyes grew wide. Would you believe I sometimes dream of doing that very thing?
Do you now? What a coincidence, because I know exactly how you can do it.
All you have to do is give me your violin.
The woman's mouth curled into a smile. Lillian's mouth dropped into a frown.
"'Give you my violin?' But I can't give you my violin.
It's the only instrument I've ever had. And I need it to... To do what? to starve every day of your life, to sleep on yet another rock by the river, Give me your violin and I will give you gold.
Heaps of gold. All the gold you can carry.
Lillian fell silent. After playing her violin for all these years, She couldn't imagine life without music. but she could imagine life without an empty belly.
And it was awfully appealing. So Lillian, What will it be?
A life of scraping by or a life of luxury?
The choice is yours. What choice will Lillian make?
What would you choose if you were in the musician's worn-out shoes?
We'll find out what happens after a quick break.
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Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear.
Today our story is called The Sweetest Sounds Ever.
Before the break, a mysterious woman offered a struggling musician named Lillian a trade. her beloved violin for gold.
Listen, ma'am, I will consider giving you my violin.
But I must see the gold first. Can you show it to me?
I'd be delighted. The woman waved her arms, and all at once, she and Lillian were enveloped in a cloud of red smoke.
When the smoke cleared, they were standing at the foot of a foaming, churning waterfall.
Beside a shallow pool lined with pebbles made of pure gold.
Is that... is that the gold you were talking about?
And how did you bring us here? Well, to answer your questions, yes.
That is the gold I was talking about. And I...
I am a wizardess. A wizardess? Indeed. And as such, I have the power to do all sorts of things.
But I don't have the power to do what your violin does to entrance people, to enchant them.
So in exchange for your instrument, I will give you all the gold in this pool.
Lillian took a long look at her violin. Then she took a long look at the gold pebbles.
With riches like these. She'd never have to forage for berries or sleep by the river again.
She could buy a house, some land, some animals, She could settle down and live easy.
All right. I will trade you my violin for your gold. after I play one last song.
She took her violin from its case and tucked it beneath her chin.
And then... She began to play. The song that came forth from Lillian's violin would stir any soul, melt any heart and jerk any tear.
Her own eyes misted over as she moved her bow back and forth.
Tears fell hot against her cheeks before sliding off her chin and landing on her violin with a plop.
And when at last her song came to a close, She brought the violin to her lips and gave it a kiss.
Then she slipped the instrument and the bow into their case, clasped it shut, and handed it to the wizardess.
The wizardess smiled a cold, triumphant smile. then waved her arms and disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.
Now that Lillian had made good on her promise, she knelt down by the pool and stuffed handfuls of gold pebbles into her satchel.
When she found her way to the nearest town, she used the gold to purchase food and clothing, She even bought the perfect house, a trim yellow cottage with vegetable fields out back. and a flower garden out front.
To the side was a coop full of chickens.
And in the barn was a whole herd of cows.
Lillian happily took to her new life. She woke up each day to feed her chickens.
Ciao time, ladies. And milk her cows. Nice work, Bessie.
You're next, Elsie. Then she went out to water her vegetable fields.
These cabbages are bigger than my head! and weed her flower garden.
Could these lilies smell any more divine?
After a life of hardship, Lillian was thriving and living her dream.
And yet, after a while, she couldn't help but feel like something... was missing.
My music! I'm finally living a life of comfort.
Yet in my heart of hearts, I'm anything but comfortable.
It just isn't the same without my violin.
But I made the wizardess a promise, and so I guess I'll just have to...
Oh, who could that be? Is someone in trouble?
Lillian raced to the door and threw it open.
And do you know who she found standing outside?
It was the wizardess! In her trembling hand was Lillian's violin case. and on her furious face was a scowl.
You! You cheated me! Lillian's mouth dropped open.
I cheated you? How can you say that? I gave you my violin, didn't I?
Yes, you did. But you didn't give me its power.
I don't understand. Look. You don't know it, Lillian, but the day we met wasn't the first day I laid my eyes on you or my ears.
It wasn't? No. I had been following you for a very long time.
I heard you play at town squares and taverns, carnivals and castles. cafes, festivals, and fairs.
And based on what I witnessed, This violin should have given me power over everyone who heard it.
Everyone. The problem is, it didn't. She opened the case and held up the violin.
Lillian, when you played this violin, it made the sweetest sounds.
I played this violin and You know what it made?
Squeaky sounds. Squawky sounds. Screechy sounds.
So harsh, so shrill, people covered their ears and ran away.
I didn't enchant anyone. I annoyed them.
What happened to the violin's magic, Lillian?
Where did it go? The wizardess stared at Lillian.
Lillian stared back. Then she smiled. You really want to know what happened to the violin's magic?
Well, the truth is, there was no magic. There was just me.
What do you mean? What I mean is, when I play my violin, I give it everything I have, my entire soul.
It's my soul that inspires the music and makes those sweet sounds.
I may have traded the violin, but my soul I did not trade.
And I never would. Not for all the gold in the world.
The wizardess fixed her steel-gray eyes on Lillian's face.
She held them there, giving Lillian a most curious look.
And then, slowly, she placed the violin in its case placed the case in Lillian's hands, and with a strange little smile, she vanished. in a cloud of red smoke.
Lillian stared at the spot where the wizardess had been standing.
Then, she opened the lid of her case. took out her violin and her bow.
Then she tucked the violin beneath her chin. and began to play.
She played with tears in her eyes and joy in her heart.
But most of all, she played with passion in her soul.
And to Lillian? That was more precious than anything.
Hmm. Now it's your turn. Music can be truly powerful, especially when you make your own.
Pick some music you enjoy, or write some music of your own.
Then record yourself singing it or playing it on an instrument.
A grown-up can help you with the recording.
You can use an audio program on a computer or the voice memo app on a smartphone.
When you're done send the recording to someone you have fun with and if you'd like send it to us.
Our email address is circleround at wbur.org.
This week's episode, The Sweetest Sounds, was adapted by me, Rebecca Scheer.
It was edited by Sophie Codner. Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Our artist is Sabina Han. Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for all of our Circle Round stories, and you can print them out and color them in while you listen.
Grownups, visit our website, wbur.org slash circle round and click on it. on coloring pages.
And while you're at WBUR.org, you can support our public radio podcast by joining the Circle Round Club.
To show our thanks, we'll send you a Circle Round welcome box. activity emails, newsletters, plus early access to Circle Round events.
You can also get ad free episodes, bite sized bedtime stories, music, education videos, even a personalized birthday message from me.
Visit WBUR.org slash Circle Round and click Circle Round Club.
Special thanks to this week's actors, Rachel Martin and Aisha Rasko.
Rachel Martin has hosted such NPR favorites as Weekend Edition Sunday, Morning Edition Up First, and the new podcast Enlighten Me.
Ayesha Rasko currently hosts Weekend Edition Sunday and the Saturday episodes of Up First.
Our featured instrument this week was, yes, the violin, played by our guest artist Christian Habel.
Along with his lengthy stint in the Broadway musical Wicked, Christian is toured with Sting, Barbra Streisand, and Billy Joel.
He also performed John Williams' score for the latest Indiana Jones movie, The Dial of Destiny.
To learn more about the violin and to see a picture of Christian Habel, visit our website, wbur.org.
Grownups, if you enjoy Circle Round, please leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast app.
We also invite you to tell your friends about the show and talk about us on social media.
Our handle on Facebook and Instagram is at CircleRoundPodcast.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
Now that you've made it to the end of this Circle Round episode, we want to know...
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Thousands of fans just like you have been telling us about the Circle Round stories they like best.
Take a listen. Maybe one of their favorites is one of yours, too.
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Thank you.
