Background.

In June 2002, Lopez divorced her former back-up dancer Cris Judd to pursue a relationship with Academy Award winning actor and director, Ben Affleck, "Hollywood's Golden Boy". That November, Affleck proposed, resulting in a higher amount of attention towards the couple. The public and media began to refer to them as "Bennifer" and they became a prominent supercouple in the media and popular culture. Bennifer became a popular term, which was eventually entered into urban dictionaries and neologism dictionaries as notable, and the name blend started the trend of other celebrity couples being referred to by the combination of each other's first names.  Speaking of the publicity, Lopez told MTV News: "We try [to keep things private]." "I'm not saying there's not times that we wish [we] could just be going to the movies and come out and there's not a crowd there waiting. You just want to spend your Sunday afternoon not working, but at the same time we both love what we do. If that's something that's part of it, then that's fine. We feel the love and we're very happy about it," she stated. While speaking of the damage that could be caused, Lopez said: "I think [the media can cause damage] if it's not a real thing. I've been in relationships where they were kind of unstable, and so the media messed with it a lot." The overexposure from the media and public interest in their relationship resulted in less admiration for their work and negatively affected their careers.

Writing and recording.

Affleck became Lopez's muse when writing and recording the album. "I wrote a lot of songs inspired, in a way, by what I was going through at the time that this album was being made, and he was definitely a big part of that," she told MTV News. The singer took more of a "hands-on role", co-writing more material than she had on her previous albums. The album was titled "This Is Me... Then", as it was something she wanted to look back on in retrospection. Lopez explained, "Who you are at that time, what kind of music you like, what kind of beats you're into, what kind of state of mind you're in, what you're attracted to... it's all very telling of where you are in your life at that point.... Twenty years from now, if I give this [album] to one of my kids, I'll be like, 'This was me then, at that moment.'" Lopez dedicated the album to Affleck, with the words "You are my life... my sole inspiration for every lyric, every emotion, every bit of feeling on this record" written on the disc jacket.  Lopez wrote lyrics for the album in a small red leather diary, which she described as her "magic book". In it, she often scribbled down her thoughts and ideas. The album's artwork and liner notes were modeled after this book, which would "further the feel of an intimate portrait of Lopez's soul". "I wanted the pictures to look kind of aged, like it was a scrapbook.... All the writing [in it] is all kinds of crazy and upside down and sideways just as it is in my book," Lopez stated. While creating the album, she listened to a vast range of blues and soul music, which she listened to growing up. Artists such as Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross and Michael Jackson among other had a profound influence on the album's sound. According to Lopez, she attempts to "elicit a similar feeling" in her own songwriting from these artists' songs on the album, because they made her "heart sing". Vandross and Wonder's records "just stay with you" according to Lopez, who wanted to make something that was true to her upbringing as well as her current love life.  The majority of "This Is Me... Then" was recorded over two weeks. Lopez was drawn to the "contagious" melodies of Michael Jackson's album "Off the Wall" (1979), which led her to summon the record's mixer and engineer, Bruce Swedien, to work on "This Is Me... Then". Lopez felt that Jackson's "clear and spacious" records made her feel a "certain way". She said, "It has such a beautiful quality on it, and every time I looked at a record [I liked], it would be engineered and mixed by Bruce Swedien. I was like, 'Who is this guy? I want this guy.' So I tracked him down and he was like, 'I want to do something with her. I know exactly what she needs. I'm coming in.' And it made a huge difference." Lopez worked closely with longtime producer Cory Rooney on the album. Discussing the process, Rooney stated, "This is by far the best record that I've ever worked on or done [...] In the beginning of the recording [process] she said it's important that she makes a record that is a few notches above everything else she did. She wanted to show growth musically and vocally." Other producers Lopez worked with primarily were Troy Oliver, Loren Hill and Dan Shea. She had previously collaborated with Oliver and Shea on "J.Lo" (2001).

Composition.

"This Is Me... Then" was considered a departure from Lopez's previous work, with more of an adult-oriented contemporary R&B sound, which included multiple ballads. "The Age" newspaper described "This Is Me... Then" as a "declaration of love" for Ben Affleck. "Boston Globe"s Steve Morse wrote, "[the] love affair has fired up Hollywood and now pop listeners can now share the vibe. This is one hot album, as [Lopez] sings to lovers everywhere with a soulful passion that will quicken pulses and libidos." "Entertainment Weekly" described it as having a Minnie Riperton sound, while "The Guardian" noted the musical influence of Diana Ross and likened its sensuality to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" (1973). The album evokes 1970s soul music, and blends "streetwise" hip hop with "old-school soul".  The album's opening song, "Still" is built around a sample from Teddy Pendergrass' "Set Me Free", and its lyrics concern an ex-lover. "Entertainment Weekly" observed that it may be about Lopez's ex-boyfriend Sean Combs, with lyrics such as "Do you ever wish we never split?" The song was likened to the music of Deniece Williams. "Loving You" samples Mtume's "Juicy Fruit" and George Benson's "Never Give Up on a Good Thing", while the ballad "I'm Glad" incorporates a part of Schooly D's "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?". The instrumentation of "I'm Glad" consists of a piano, guitar and classical harp runs, which are laced throughout a computer-generated beat. In "I'm Glad", Lopez discusses finding true love, and declares "I think I'm in love/Damn, finally!"  Two versions of the song "The One" are featured on the album. The first version, which is the fourth track on the album, is based around "You Are Everything" by The Stylistics. "Dear Ben", originally titled "Perfect", opens to an "atmosphere of lush strings and sparse percussion", described as a "starry-eyed paean to fiancé Ben Affleck". It contains lyrics which detail the characteristics of Lopez's perfect man, such as "You will always be... To me, my lust, my love, my man, my child, my friend and my king" and "God made you for me". "Dear Ben" was considered a profession of Lopez's love for Affleck to the media, and has been described as the album's "glowing centerpiece". Lopez made the decision to change the song's title to "Dear Ben" the day before "This Is Me... Then" was sent for manufacturing.  "All I Have", a duet with LL Cool J which samples Debra Law's "Very Special", is a breakup song, and has been noted to conjure up her publicized split with Combs. "Jenny from the Block" features lyrics about Lopez remaining humble despite fame and fortune. It samples several songs, including "Hijack" by Enoch Light and KRS-One's "South Bronx". "The Age" wrote that the song intones Lopez's "modest childhood roots, vowing she wishes to remain simple despite her diamonds", while MTV said that she finds "the middle ground between Hollywood A-Lister and Big Apple B-Girl" on the "club-banging" song. In the ballad "Again", Lopez considers finding love again; "I was scared to let go and trust your love," she sings in the second verse. The theme of Lopez's relationship with Affleck is also evident in the vintage-sounding mid-tempo song "Baby I Love U!", which features a guitar and piano instrumentation that includes a "haunting" interpolation from the theme of the film "Midnight Cowboy" (1969). The song, described as "cheesy" and "blissful", has Lopez singing about being a hopeless romantic ("Can you love me for a lifetime/ In just one night?"). The album closes with the second version of "The One". Some slight differences are shown in this version, with the instrumental being different, the vocal effects are different, and a new verse was recorded in place of the original version. The song ends immediately after she sings the line, "I can be anything you need", like in the original, except silence is heard after that line is said.

Singles.

On September 26, 2002, a song entitled "Jenny from the Block" by Lopez featuring Styles P and Jadakiss of The LOX was leaked online. A pop radio station in Hatford, Connecticut, later picked up the song from the internet. "Jenny from the Block" was then immediately distributed to other stations owned by Infinity Broadcasting as the album's lead single. Cory Rooney later revealed in 2016 that it was Sony Music executive Tommy Mottola who leaked the song. Rooney and Lopez initially wanted a song titled "Glad" to be the album's lead single, but Mottola favored "Jenny from the Block". Rooney recalled: "When we played 'Jenny from the Block,' he said, 'This is your single.' So right away we both were like no no no that’s not the single. He told us, 'You guys are crazy. This is the single I don’t give a shit what you say you’re gonna destroy the album if you don’t listen to me.'" According to Rooney, Mottola leaked the single the following day without their knowledge, noting: "He pulled the trigger and all over the world they were playing that record that day." "Jenny from the Block" went on to experience international commercial success, peaking within the top ten in the United States as well as over twelve other countries. An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Francis Lawrence and featuring Affleck, was released. According to "The Spectator", "Before celebrities become stars, they dream about gaining fame, fortune, and being in the spotlight [...] The video is basically about how she cannot find privacy with her fiance Ben Affleck. A lot of glamour is associated with fame and fortune; however, along with that glamour comes the loss of privacy". The music video became one of the most controversial ones in pop culture at the time. Considered "the video that killed Ben Affleck's career", the actor stated, years after his engagement to Lopez ended, that he regretted filming it.  On December 14, 2002; "All I Have" featuring rapper LL Cool J was released as the second single from "This Is Me... Then". Not only did it become the album's second consecutive top-ten single in the United States, "All I Have" became Lopez's fourth song to top the "Billboard" Hot 100. The song also performed well internationally, ranking within the top ten of numerous charts. The song samples the 1981 track "All I Have" by Debra Laws. Laws later filed a lawsuit in 2003 against Lopez, LL Cool J and Sony Music Entertainment for "misappropriating her voice and name" in the song. More than three years later, the district court discovered that Law's music label had given Sony permission to use a 10-second sample of Law's song. The lawsuit was dropped, and Laws was advised to sue her own label and publisher for "breach of contract for entering a license agreement without her authorization". According to Lopez, she initially didn't want "Jenny from the Block" or "All I Have" to be released as singles from the album. She felt that the tracks were too similar to her previous singles such as "Ain't It Funny" and "I'm Real"; she felt like she was "visiting old territory". "Those tracks were like a different era for me, and I didn't want people to perceive it like I'm just trying to capitalize on the same thing. But the record company was like, 'Who cares what they think, those are hits mama!'". Lopez, who stated she "calls the shots", eventually agreed.  On April 8, 2003, "I'm Glad" was released as the album's third single. Unlike its predecessors, "I'm Glad" failed to enter the top ten in the United States, while performing moderately in the international market. Its accompanying music video was a remake of the 1983 film "Flashdance" which was based on Maureen Marder's life, who was a "construction worker by day and dancer by night". The music video, described as a "homage" to the film, impressed the filmmakers and they began talks with Lopez about creating a re-make. However, Paramount Pictures threatened to sue Sony over copyright issues. A representative for Epic Records confirmed that this issue was settled. Marder also filed a lawsuit against Sony and Lopez which was quickly dismissed by the courts. That August, "Baby I Love U" was released as the album's fourth and final single, but failed to gain notable chart recognition.

Promotion.

Upon its initial release, 200,000 copies of "This Is Me... Then" included a four-panel insert that featured information about her fragrance Glow by JLo, and a peel-off fragrance label that allowed those who purchased the CD to test the scent. On September 27, 2002 a spokesperson for Lopez revealed that she planned to take a break from acting to launch a tour in support of "This Is Me... Then" in April 2003. However, in late July 2003, Lopez clarified that these plans had been canceled.

Critical reception.

According to the reviewer aggreatator Metacritic which sampled nine reviews of the album, it garnered mostly "mixed or average" reviews. Writing for "Billboard" magazine, Michael Paoletta gave "This Is Me... Then" a favorable review, stating that "even naysayers will have to serve props to Lopez for the considerable growth she reveals as both a performer and tune-smith". Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album a positive review, calling the feel of it "sexy, stylish, and fun, and there are numerous highlights, all feeling effortless". While Erlewine thought the title was "nonsensical and bewildering", he opined that this was the "strongest, sultriest, best music [Lopez] has recorded". Tom Sinclair of "Entertainment Weekly" stated "the girl has a way with hooks, even if they're often borrowed", and audiences are "seduced by the breezy pleasure of her new music".  Arion Berger of "Rolling Stone", however, was not positive. Berger criticized the songs as being "pitched too high for her register", while calling the production "cheap". Berger also observed that "love has dulled whatever street edge she might have had". Similarly, "The Village Voice"s Jon Caramanica was unfavorable, writing: "This Is Me is like the gift you get from your grandmother—awkward, unwanted, and blindly self-righteous. Used to have a little, and still does." Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani on the other hand gave the album a favorable review stating that ""This Is Me...Then" manages to find the right formula for Lopez's slinky vocal and is more unified than its predecessors". Cinquemani felt that "Lopez will no doubt earn a grain of respect from critics". Yahoo! Music's James Poletti was also positive, stating that while Lopez's voice "frequently sounds a trifle thin accompanied by the sort of sounds that we're better used to hearing behind a Creative Source or Gwen McCrae vocal", the "honeyed backing massages any real concerns from your mind".

Commercial performance.

"This Is Me... Then" was a commercial success, although not as successful as "J.Lo". Released on November 26, 2002, the album debuted on the "Billboard" 200 at number six, with first-week sales of 314,132. This marks the highest opening sales week of Lopez's career. "Rolling Stone" noted that despite this, "unlike her previous releases, the field wasn't empty for this album to dominate". In its second week, it dropped to number seven with 171,000 copies sold. Throughout December, the album remained in the chart's top ten, and was later ranked by the magazine as the twelfth most successful album of 2002. It sold 1.28 million copies within a month of release. For the week ending December 22, 2002, "This Is Me... Then" sold 345,150 copies, moving from number eight to number five as a result of holiday season gains.  For the week of January 2, 2003, the album remained in the top five of the "Billboard" 200, selling 233,000 copies. For the week ending January 18, 2003, "This Is Me... Then" made its biggest jump on the "Billboard" 200, climbing from number six to number two, with sales of 88,000 units, blocked from reaching the top spot by Norah Jones' "Come Away With Me" (2002) which sold 108,000 copies. Throughout February 2003, the album continued to perform strongly, averaging close to 80,000 copies sold each week, while remaining in the top ten. Additionally, the album peaked at number five on "Billboard"s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. By June 2013, "Billboard"s Gary Trust reported that "This Is Me... Then" had sold 2.6 million copies in the United States; her third best-selling album.  Internationally, the album entered the top ten of most countries. In Australia, the album debuted and peaked at number 14 on the ARIA Charts for the week ending December 8, 2002. Commercially, it became one of her lowest-charting albums there. However, "This Is Me... Then" remained on the ARIA Charts until July 6, 2003, allowing it to be certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments of over 70,000 units. In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number 13, selling 47,000 copies in its first week. This was eleven positions lower than her previous album, "J.Lo". It was eventually certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry in July 2013, marking shipments of over 600,000 copies. "This Is Me... Then" peaked at number five in Canada, and fell to number eight the following week with sales of 17,900. In total, the album has sold over 200,000 copies in Canada, earning a double platinum status in March 2006. In France, it debuted and peaked at number four for the week ending November 30, 2002. After re-entering the French Albums Chart on multiple occasions, it made its final appearance on August 1, 2004 at number 179. The Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique certified "This Is Me... Then" double gold, with sales exceeding 320,000 copies. The album peaked at number four in Germany and was certified Gold by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for shipments of 150,000 units. In Greece, the album peaked at number one and was certified Gold there for sales of 15,000 copies in 2004. Additionally, it peaked at number 10 in Finland, and has sold 19,998 copies there. "This Is Me... Then" has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.

Track listing.

Notes

Certifications.

!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)!scope="row"|Austria (IFPI)!scope="row"|Belgium (IFPI)!scope="row"|Canada (CRIA)!scope="row"|Europe (IFPI)!scope="row"|Finland (IFPI)!scope="row"|France (SNEP)!scope="row"|Germany (IFPI)!scope="row"|Greece (IFPI) !scope="row"|Hungary (Mahasz)!scope="row"|Netherlands (NVPI)!scope="row"|New Zealand (RMNZ)!scope="row"|Portugal (AFP)!scope="row"|Spain (PROMUSICAE)!scope="row"|Sweden (IFPI)!scope="row"|Switzerland (IFPI)!scope="row"|United Kingdom (BPI)!scope="row"|United States (RIAA)

This Is Me... Then is the third studio album by American singer Jennifer Lopez. It was released on November 25, 2002, by Epic Records. Prior to its release, Lopez began a high-profile relationship with Ben Affleck and a media circus ensued. Her relationship with Affleck served as her main inspiration for the album, which is dedicated to him. Initially scheduled to be released the following year, "This Is Me... Then"s release date was quickly pushed forward after its lead single, "Jenny from the Block", was purposely leaked by Tommy Mottola, the head of Sony Music Entertainment.


Biography.

French was a member of a precision ice-skating team which won several medals, and a member of the girls rowing team at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in St. Catharines.

Abduction and murder.

On April 16, 1992, as she was walking home from Holy Cross Secondary School, a Catholic school in St. Catharines, French was approached at the entrance of the Grace Lutheran Church parking lot by serial killers Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo under the pretense of needing directions. While French was assisting Homolka with directions, Bernardo attacked her from behind and forced her into the car at knifepoint. The kidnapping was seen by several eyewitnesses.  She was held in captivity for three days, during which Bernardo and Homolka videotaped themselves torturing and subjecting the 15-year-old to sexual humiliation and degradation while forcing her to drink large amounts of alcohol. They murdered her on April 19, 1992. Her naked body was found in a ditch along No. 1 Sideroad in north Burlington on April 30, 1992.

Aftermath.

While French was missing, her classmates, teachers and friends at Holy Cross Secondary School chose the Green Ribbon of Hope as the symbol for their search. French's school community also gave the name to the Green Ribbon of Hope Campaign, a national campaign continued by Child Find Canada, governments, organizations and individuals to raise funds and awareness for missing children.  The Green Ribbon Trail in St. Catharines was named in her honour, and a monument to French's memory stands at the beginning of the trail. The ribbon also gave its name to the Green Ribbon Task Force, the police group tasked with finding Leslie Mahaffy and French's killers, though they later found themselves embroiled in controversy over the role of media in police investigations.  French is remembered for declining cooperation with her abductors in the latter period of her abduction: "Some things are worth dying for". She said to Bernardo: "I don't know how your wife can stand to be around you." On one of the memorials dedicated to her is engraved "Her legacy proves an inspiration."

Kristen Dawn French (May 10, 1976 – April 19, 1992) was a Canadian schoolgirl who was murdered by Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo. She was interred at Pleasantview Memorial Gardens, Thorold, Ontario, Canada.


Background.

While studying at Georgetown, Amerie befriended a Washington, D.C. club promoter who eventually put her in touch with producer Rich Harrison. During an interview with "Maxim", Amerie said she met up with Harrison at a McDonald's parking lot, and performed a song for him in her car. Rich Harrison—who had just worked on Mary J. Blige's albums "Mary" and "No More Drama"—began making/developing demos with Amerie. This led to her first record deal with Harrison's Richcraft Entertainment, in collaboration with Columbia Records. According to Amerie, she and Harrison immediately hit it off. In a 2002 interview, she commented "For some reason we had a very special chemistry. When we would work together something great would happen." Amerie recorded the chorus for the 2001 single "Rule", performed by Nas. The single peaked at number 67 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart in the United States. She also recorded a song with Detroit rapper Royce da 5'9", titled "Life", the third and final single from his "Rock City (Version 2.0)" album.

Release and promotion.

"All I Have" was first released in United States, for CD and vinyl LP, on July 30, 2002, through Columbia Records, Rise Entertainment and Richcraft Records. It was released on August 5, 2002 in Europe through Sony Music Entertainment. It was also released in Japan, on November 20, 2002, through Sony Music Entertainment Japan.  In April 2002, Amerie's debut single, "Why Don't We Fall in Love", was released, peaking at number twenty-three on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and becoming a top ten hit on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Dance Club Play charts. The song was an urban top twenty hit in Australia and reached the top forty in the United Kingdom. To promote the album, Amerie went on tour with Usher and Nas, traveling on Usher's Evolution 8701 Tour in 2002. Amerie also promoted the album by touring with rapper Nelly, performing on twelve dates while on the tour. The second and final single from "All I Have" was "Talkin' to Me", a top twenty entry on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, although it peaked outside the top foty on the "Billboard" Hot 100.

Critical reception.

"All I Have" received generally mixed reviews from music critics. William Ruhlmann of AllMusic gave the album the grade of two and a half out of five stars, stating: "The debut album by 22-year-old Amerie is basically a showcase for writer/producer Rich Harrison, who constructs a series of mid-tempo rhythm tracks and writes lyrics of romantic longing. Harrison's lack of originality is suggested by his inability even to come up with new song titles. Among the tracks here are newly written songs entitled "Need You Tonight" "Got to Be There" and even "I Just Died" (that's right, "in your arms"). Amerie has a pleasant-enough voice that she uses to express a tempered fervor and a degree of eroticism, but she seems to be just another modestly talented performer chosen mostly for her looks; record companies seem to be on an endless search for attractive young women of mixed racial heritage (apparently in hopes of demographic crossover) who can carry a tune, and this willing Georgetown graduate with a Korean mother and African-American father is just the latest in a long line. None of which is to say that she won't succeed (record companies make a lot of money taking such bets), but at least on the basis of her debut album, Amerie has nothing to recommend her beyond a fairly anonymous surface appeal." Vanessa E. Jones of "The Boston Globe" gave a mixed review, stating: Amerie's almond eyes come courtesy of her Korean mother, while her caramel skin was inherited from her African-American dad. On her debut CD, "All I Have", she proves that the melange makes a soulful combination. If there was a representative sound of the summer this year, it should have been the singer's shimmering single, "Why Don't We Fall in Love". With jazzy horns and romantic strings caressed by Amerie's strong, yearning alto, the song brought to mind beach holidays and summer fun every time it came on the air. Amerie follows up that effort with a 12-song CD with several distinctive cuts. It would be a great debut if it weren't for all the filler, and for lyrics (written by the CD's producer Rich Harrison) that revolve around the tired subjects of love, betrayal, and hate. When Amerie fails to follow her instincts, the results can be disastrous. "Float", for instance, finds her relying on histrionic yelling rather than crooning. But this is definitely a talent to watch, as the songs "Can't Let Go", "Talkin' to Me", "Got to Be There" and "Why Don't We Fall in Love" show." Sarah Rodman of "Boston Herald" gave the album positive review with the grade of three out of four stars, stating: "This 22-year-old Georgetown grad may be blessed with a lovely, flinty voice and great looks, but even she must have been shocked when her debut album, "All I Have", made a Top 5 debut in "Billboard". Amerie's music is two parts intriguing (a strong yet sultry R&B growl matched with the off-kilter hip-hop grooves of producer Rich Harrison) and one part run-of-the-mill (banal romance lyrics). There are tunes about Mr. Right, Mr. Right Now and Mr. Wrong. Amerie scores extra points for keeping things short, sweet and free from gratuitous vocal acrobatics. She stands out from the female R&B pack without resorting to affectation or gimmickry." Steve Jones of "USA Today" gave the album two and a half out of four stars, stating: "On her strings-laced hit single, "Why Don't We Fall in Love", 22-year-old Amerie shows a talent for subtlety and nuance not often heard from a debut singer. The sultry vocalist lets the intensity build rather than relying on over-the-top flourishes. She shows her versatility with the jazzy "Nothing Like Loving You", the edgy "I Just Died" and the infectious "Talkin' to Me". While the material is not consistently strong, it serves as a nice introduction to a singer with great potential for growth." Felicia Pride from PopMatters gave a mixed review, stating: "I like Amerie. Not that she has much of an image, but she still seems like such a sweet and positive young woman. A Georgetown graduate, her humbleness exudes in interviews as she basks in her childhood dream with the giddiness of a schoolgirl. When her first single exploded, the world was introduced to her sitting on a park bench singing wholeheartedly those rhetorical words, "Why don’t we fall in love?" The hip-hop track with the defined R&B voice, championed upon the winning chemistry mastered by the likes of Mary J. Blige and Faith Evans. Naturally the anticipation was bubbling for her forthcoming "All I Have". Even with all her charming characteristics, the brains, the voice and the looks, her debut is, well, boring. As I listened to the 12 tracks (11 if you dismiss the outro), I strained to find some spice, some personality. The tracks run into each other to the point that they become one very long song. The singular topic of love and relationships heightens its monotony, as does her lack of serious vocal experimentation. If you thought she sounded a little flat on "Why Don’t We Fall in Love", prepare yourself for a few more out of range notes. The album is by no means "Pretty Girl Who Can't Sing" revisited. It is worth the space in your CD collection, and has some bright moments. In terms of mood, it’s very laid-back, with a rainy day or I-just-fell-in-love vibe, and one you can listen to at work. I must warn that you have already heard the most animated track on the album and probably more times than you would’ve liked as her first single was definitely killed by the radio. Her second single, "Talkin’ to Me" is cute, and a little catchy, but a little personality deficient. The songs that really carry the album are "I Just Died" and "Show Me". Both are quiet storm ballads in which her vocals are richer, not as forced (quieter) and dance hand-in-hand with sexy hooks that allow the track to take the lead. The title track "All I Have" would have made a better second single as it shows the potential that Amerie has to explore the love ballad, the real meat and potatoes of the album. Props should go to Rich Harrison who is largely responsible for this project. He performed all the instruments, and wrote and produced all the songs except the outro. Besides being crazy talented, he is certainly a man in tune with his emotions, writing highly sensitive and female-perceptive lyrics perfect for any R&B diva. His tracks are simple yet artful and truly designed to let the singer define them. Unfortunately, this was not a consistent trend on "All I Have" because Amerie’s vocals were not always compelling enough to fittingly dominate the track. There were times when all was lost. For her first run, it might have been in the label’s best interest to employ a few hit makers. You know the ones that can make a hit for anyone despite their vocal capability. Not saying that Amerie is without, it just might have added a little pizzazz if she would have joined the Jermaine Dupri or even Darkchild roster list. But maybe that is what remixes are for. In her bio, Amerie proudly (as she should be) describes her debut, "The music and lyrics really put you into a zone. When Rich Harrison and I began creating the record, we knew that fusing beautiful melodies with hard, hip-hop beats would move people. I think we’ve accomplished that." I only wish. Well maybe next time—and hopefully there will be another time. Her debut was respectable, simple and unpretentious. The ingredients are there, she just needs to perfect the mix."

Commercial performance.

The album debuted and peaked at number nine on the US "Billboard" 200 chart in August 2002, remaining in the top twenty for two weeks only and dropping off the top one hundred in its fourteenth week. Nevertheless, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 3, 2003, and earned Amerie a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist in 2003. According to Nielsen SoundScan, as of July 2009, the album has sold 661,000 copies in the United States. It peaked at number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart by "Billboard". It was also minor success in Japan, peaking at number 181 on the Oricon albums chart.

Personnel.

Credits for "All I Have" adapted from liner notes.

All I Have is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Amerie. It was released on July 30, 2002 through Columbia Records, Rise Entertainment and Richcraft Records. Entirely produced by Rich Harrison, the album was recorded at Cue Recording Studios in Falls Church, Virginia and at Lobo Studios and The Hit Factory in New York City, New York. The album debuted and peaked at number nine on the US "Billboard" 200 chart in August 2002, remaining in the top twenty for two weeks only and dropping off the top hundred in its fourteenth week. It also received generally mixed reviews from the music critics. Nevertheless, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 copies on October 3, 2003, and won Amerie a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist in 2003. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold over 661,000 copies in the United States as of July 2009. "All I Have" produced two singles: "Why Don't We Fall in Love" (which peaked at number twenty-three on the US "Billboard" Hot 100) and a minor hit "Talkin' to Me".


Infinitive.

The infinitive is formed by the ending -t, formerly also "-ti"; on some words -ct (-ci):  Somewhat archaically:

Participles.

Participles are used for forming the past tense, conditionals and the passive voice in Czech. They are related to the short forms of adjectives. Therefore unlike other verb forms, they also express gender which must correspond with the gender of the subject.

Past participle.

The past participle (also known as the "active participle" or "l-participle") is used for forming the past tense and the conditionals.

Passive participle.

The passive participle is also called "n/t-participle" and is used for forming the passive voice. There are two types of endings:

Agreement between subject and predicate.

The predicate must always be in accordance with the subject in the sentence – in number and person (personal pronouns), and with past and passive participles also in gender. This grammatical principle affects the orthography (see also Czech orthography) – it is especially important for the correct choice and writing of plural endings of participles.  Examples: The example mentioned shows both past (byl, byla...) and passive (koupen, koupena...) participles. The accordance in gender takes effect in the past tense and the passive voice, not in the present and future tenses in active voice.  If the complex subject is a combination of nouns of different genders, masculine animate gender is prior to others and the masculine inanimate and feminine genders are prior to the neuter gender.  Examples:  Priority of genders:

Transgressives.

The transgressive ("přechodník") expresses an action which happens coincidentally with or foregoing some other action.  The transgressive ("přechodník") is an archaic form of the verb in the Czech and Slovak languages. Nowadays, it is used only occasionally for artistic purposes or in unchanging expressions. Transgressives were still used quite widely in Czech literature in the beginning of the 20th century (not in the spoken language). For example, Jaroslav Hašek's The Good Soldier Švejk contains a lot of them.  The Czech language recognizes present and past transgressives. The present transgressive can express present or future action according to the aspect of the verb it is derived from. The past transgressive is usually derived from perfective verbs.  Examples:

Aspect.

Czech verbs are distinguished by aspect, they are either perfective or imperfective. Perfective verbs indicate the finality of the process. Therefore, they cannot express the present tense.  Perfective verbs are usually formed adding prefixes to imperfective verbs:  Some perfective verbs are not formally related to imperfective ones:

Tenses.

Czech verbs express three absolute tenses - past, present and future. Relativity can be expressed by the aspect, sentence constructions and participles.  The present tense can be expressed in imperfective verbs only.

Present tense.

The present tense is formed by special endings:  Verbs are divided into 5 classes according to the way of forming the present tense. They are described in more detail below.

Past tense.

The past tense is formed by the past participle (in a proper gender form) and present forms of the verb být (to be) which are omitted in the 3rd person. The following example is for the male gender (animate in plural):  "Dělat" - to do  For the choice of past tense form when the number or gender of the subject may not be clear, see.

Future tense.

In imperfective verbs, it is formed by the future forms of the verb být (to be) and the infinitive:  "Dělat" – to do  "Budu, budeš,..." with infinitive has the same meaning as “(I, you,...) will” in English. If not followed by an infinitive, it means “(I, you,...) will be” (i.e. I will be = "budu", not "budu být").  In some verbs of motion, the future tense is formed by adding the prefix po-/pů- to the present form:  In perfective verbs, the present form expresses the future. Compare:

Tenses in subordinate clauses.

There is no sequence of tenses in Czech. The types of clauses like in the indirect speech use tenses that express the time which is spoken about. The tense of the subordinate clause is not shifted to the past even though there is the past tense in the main clause:

Imperative.

The imperative mood is formed for the 2nd person singular and plural and the 1st person plural.  In the 2nd person singular, it takes either null ending or -i/-ej ending, according to the verb class.  The 2nd person plural takes the ending -te/-ete/-ejte and the 1st person plural takes -me/-eme/-ejme.  Examples:

Conditionals.

The conditionals are formed by the past participle and special forms of the verb být (to be). Following example of the present conditional is for the male gender (animate in plural):  "dělal bych" - I would do  There is also the past conditional in Czech but it is usually replaced by the present conditional.  "byl bych dělal" - I would have done  "By" also becomes a part of conjugations "aby" (so that) and "kdyby" (if). Therefore, these conjunctions take the same endings:

Passive voice.

There are two ways to form the passive voice in Czech:  1. By the verb být (to be) and the passive participle:  2. By adding the reflexive pronoun se:  However, the use of "se" is not exclusive to the passive voice.

Reflexive verbs.

Reflexive pronouns se and si are components of reflexive verbs ("se/si" is not usually translated into English):

Negation.

Negation is formed by the prefix ne-. In the future tense and the passive voice it is added to the auxiliary verb "být" (to be).  Unlike English, a negative pronoun must be used with a negative verb (using a positive verb is ungrammatical) (double negative):

Verb classes.

Class I.

In imperative, "0/-te/-me" endings are in most verbs, -"i/-ete/-eme" or "-i/-ěte/-ěme" if two consonants are at the end of the word-stem.

Class IV.

Irregular verbs.

Irregular future tense:  Irregular negation:

Czech conjugation is the system of conjugation (grammatically-determined modifications) of verbs in the Czech language. Czech is a null-subject language, i.e. the subject (including personal pronouns) can be omitted if known from context. The person is expressed by the verb:


In Canada.

Over seven million Canadians identified as a member of a visible minority group in the 2016 Census, accounting for 22.3% of the total population. This was an increase from the 2011 Census, when visible minorities accounted for 19.1% of the total population; from the 2006 Census, when visible minorities accounted for 16.2% of the total population; from 2001, when visible minorities accounted for 13.4% of the total population; from 1996 when the proportion was 11.2%; and over 1991 (9.4%) and 1981 (4.7%). In 1961, the visible minority population was less than 1%. The increase represents a significant shift in Canada's demographics related to increased immigration since the advent of its multiculturalism policies.  Based upon the annual immigration intake into Canada since the last census in 2006, accompanied by the steady increase in the visible minority population within Canada due to the higher fertility levels of minority females when compared to Canadian women of European origin, researchers estimate that by 2012, approximately 19.56% of the population in Canada will be individuals of non-European (visible minority) origin. The Aboriginal population within Canada, based upon projections for the same year (i.e. 2012), is estimated to be 4.24%. Hence, at least 23.8% of Canada's population in 2012 were individuals of visible minority and Aboriginal heritage. Projections also indicate that by 2031, the visible minority population in Canada will make up about 33% of the nation's population, given the steady increase in the non-European component of the Canadian population.  Of the provinces, British Columbia had the highest proportion of visible minorities, representing 30.3% of its population, followed by Ontario at 29.3%, Alberta at 23.5% and Manitoba at 17.5%. In the 2006 census, South Asian Canadians superseded ethnic Chinese as Canada's largest visible minority group. In 2006, Statistics Canada estimated that there were 1.3 million South Asian people in Canada, compared with 1.2 million Chinese. In 2016, there were approximately 1.9 million South Asian Canadians, representing 5.6% of the country's population, followed by Chinese Canadians (4.6%) and Black Canadians (3.5%).

List of Canadian census subdivisions with visible minority populations higher than the national average.

National average: 22.3%<br>Source: Canada 2016 Census

Legislative versus operational definitions.

According to the Employment Equity Act of 1995, the definition of visible minority is:  This definition can be traced back to the 1984 Report of the Abella Commission on Equality in Employment. The Commission described the term visible minority as an "ambiguous categorization", but for practical purposes interpreted it to mean "visibly non-white". The Canadian government uses an operational definition by which it identifies the following groups as visible minorities: "Chinese, South Asian, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Southeast Asian, Arab, West Asian, Korean, Japanese, Visible minority, n.i.e. ('n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere'), and Multiple visible minority". However, a few exceptions are applied to some groups. According to the "Visible Minority Population and Population Group Reference Guide" of the 2006 Census, the exception is:  The term "non-white" is used in the wording of the Employment Equity Act and in employment equity questionnaires distributed to applicants and employees. This is intended as a shorthand phrase for those who are in the Aboriginal and/or visible minority groups.

Controversy.

The classification "visible minorities" has attracted controversy, both nationally and from abroad. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has stated that they have doubts regarding the use of this term since this term may be considered objectionable by certain minorities and recommended an evaluation of this term. In response, the Canadian government made efforts to evaluate how this term is used in Canadian society through commissioning of scholars and open workshops.  Another criticism stems from the semantic applicability of the classification. In some cases, members of "visible minorities" may be neither "visually" discernible from the majority population nor form a "minority", at least locally. For instance, many Latin Americans living in Canada self-identify as White Latin Americans and are visually indistinguishable from White Canadians. Moreover, some members of "visible minorities" may form a majority minority population locally (as is the case in most parts of Vancouver and Toronto). Since 2008, census data and media reports have suggested that the "visible minorities" label no longer makes sense in some large Canadian cities, due to immigration trends in recent decades. For example, "visible minorities" comprise the "majority" of the population in Toronto, Vancouver, Markham, Coquitlam, Richmond, Ajax, Burnaby, Greater Vancouver A, Mississauga, Surrey, Richmond Hill and Brampton. In the United States, such cities or districts are described as majority-minority. But, the term "visible minority" is used for the administration of the Employment Equity Act, and refers to its statistical basis in Canada as a whole and not any particular region.  Yet another criticism of the label concerns the composition of "visible minorities". Critics have noted that the groups comprising "visible minorities" have little in common with each other, as they include both disadvantaged groups and groups who are not economically disadvantaged. The concept of visible minority has been cited in demography research as an example of a statistext, meaning a census category that has been contrived for a particular public policy purpose.

A visible minority () is defined by the Government of Canada as "persons, other than aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour". The term is used primarily as a demographic category by Statistics Canada, in connection with that country's Employment Equity policies. The qualifier "visible" was chosen by the Canadian authorities as a way to single out newer immigrant minorities from both Aboriginal Canadians and other "older" minorities distinguishable by language (French vs. English) and religion (Catholics vs. Protestants), which are "invisible" traits.


Background.

In January 2003, Anastacia had discovered that she had breast cancer when she was preparing for breast reduction surgery due to orthopedic reasons. Anastacia subsequently established the Anastacia Fund through The Breast Cancer Research Foundation to promote awareness of breast cancer amongst younger women.  After this traumatic experience, Anastacia entered recording studios in September 2003 to record the "Anastacia" album with Glen Ballard, Dallas Austin, and Dave Stewart for release in 2004. Anastacia was after more of a rock feel on the album, as noted in tracks such as "Seasons Change", "Time", and "I Do" (which features Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D.).  Anastacia explained on her website that her illness made it more difficult to record the album: "... the experience was not pleasant. I usually look for the bright side of things, but so far nothing about making this record was positive for me. My doctor told me I'd be tired, not stupid. I could not focus on anything. I'd write a verse and then I couldn't write the chorus or I'd write the chorus but couldn't write the bridge. I couldn't talk, I couldn't think straight, I was totally out of it. The doctors said I'd be tired—but of course I had insomnia. It was tough..." She struggled through the process to finish the album for release in March 2004.

Commercial performance.

"Anastacia" proved to be a huge commercial success, topping the charts in 11 European countries, including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, while reaching number two in Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. The album's lead single "Left Outside Alone" was equally successful, peaking at number one in Australia, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, and reaching the top five in several other countries and on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. The album also spawned another three singles: "Sick and Tired", "Welcome to My Truth", and "Heavy on My Heart". "Sick and Tired" was the most successful of the three, charting inside the top five across numerous European nations, almost matching the success of "Left Outside Alone". "Welcome to My Truth" earned Anastacia her best-selling single ever in Spain and gained moderate European airplay and sales success, while "Heavy on My Heart" fared slightly worse, while proceeds from the single were donated to the Anastacia Fund.

Track listing.

Notes

Anastacia is the third studio album by American singer Anastacia. It was released on March 29, 2004, by Epic Records. The album represents a shift from the disco-inspired sound of Anastacia's previous albums, incorporating pop rock. It was a commercial success, peaking at the top of the albums charts in several countries, including Australia, Belgium, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and becoming one of the top 10 best-selling albums of the year in much of Europe.


Biography.

Origin and early career.

Isaac was the son of Manuel Erotikos Komnenos, who reportedly served as "strategos autokrator" of the East under Emperor Basil II and defended Nicaea against the rebel Bardas Skleros in 978. His mother's name was Maria, about whom nothing else is known. Manuel's native language was Greek and modern scholarship considers the family to have been of Greek origin. It is said that the family name was derived from the city of Komne, near Philippopolis in Thrace. Isaac was born.  As Maria had died early, on his deathbed in 1020, Isaac's father commended his two surviving sons Isaac and John to the care of Emperor Basil II. According to Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger, the two children were raised with the outmost solicitude: they were raised at the Stoudion monastery with the best tutors, while care was taken to teach them how to hunt and military exercises. As soon as they came of age, Isaac and his brother joined the imperial bodyguard, the "Hetaireia".  At a young age, perhaps as early as 1025, Isaac married Catherine of Bulgaria (born ), a daughter of Ivan Vladislav (), the last Tsar of the First Bulgarian Empire. From he held the post of "stratopedarches" of the East—likely denoting that he was "domestikos ton scholon", commander-in-chief, of the eastern field army, but this title is not explicitly attested—and the ranks of "magistros" and "vestes". He was dismissed by Empress Theodora in 1054, and replaced by her eunuch confidant, the "proedros" Theodore.

Revolt of the eastern generals.

Michael VI and the military leadership.

When Michael VI Bringas came to the throne in 1056, Isaac was chosen to lead a deputation of eastern generals to the new emperor. Michael VI engaged in mass promotions of individuals—in the eyes of the contemporary courtier Michael Psellos, to an excessive degree—and the military sought to partake in the emperor's bounty. This was not a trivial matter: the debasement of the Byzantine currency under Constantine IX Monomachos () had affected military pay—not coincidentally presided over by none other than Michael Bringas, who was then military logothete—and while civil officials were compensated by being raised to higher dignities (which commanded higher salaries, "rogai"), the army was not. This exacerbated the already simmering dislike of the military aristocracy for the "regime of eunuchs and civilian politicians" that had dominated the empire during the last decades of the Macedonian dynasty. At Easter 1057, the traditional time when the emperor paid title holders their stipends, the delegation presented itself before the emperor. Along with Isaac, the delegation included the "magistros" Katakalon Kekaumenos, who had just been dismissed as "doux" of Antioch; the "vestarches" Michael Bourtzes, whose namesake grandfather had captured Antioch for Byzantium a century earlier; Constantine Doukas, married to a niece of the Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Keroularios; his brother John Doukas, a friend of Psellos; and others not explicitly named. As the historian Anthony Kaldellis comments, this was a formidable assemblage, as the families represented in it, all of them descended from military men promoted by the warrior-emperor Basil II, would define "the future of the empire for the next thirty years, indeed for the next century and more".  Psellos himself was an eyewitness at the reception of the generals' delegation, and claims that the emperor began abusing them at once; he then made Isaac, as the leader of the deputation, and his second, Kekaumenos, stand forth, and proceeded to denounce him, claiming that he was responsible for "all but losing Antioch" and "corrupting his army", being a coward and incompetent, and of having misappropriated army funds for his own use. John Skylitzes, who wrote later in the century, reports that the emperor treated the generals courteously, but agrees that he refused outright to consider the honours they claimed for themselves, notably the promotion of Isaac and Kekaumenos to the rank of "proedros".  The effect of the emperor's attitude on the army leadership was profound, and turned them against Michael. A second delegation to the chief minister, the "protosynkellos" Leo Paraspondylos, was received in similar manner, and according to Psellos Isaac could barely restrain his colleagues from attacking the emperor then and there, in his own throne room. At length, a plot was formed against the emperor, and despite Isaac's own reluctance, according to Psellos, he was nominated as its leader.  The conspirators contacted the veteran general Nikephoros Bryennios—who had unsuccessfully tried to usurp the throne from Theodora—but had recently been recalled by Michael VI as commander of the Macedonian army, and he apparently agreed to support them. Soon after, however, Bryennios left with his troops for Asia Minor, to campaign against the Turks. Once in the Anatolic Theme he quarreled with the army treasurer, threw him in prison, and appropriated the funds to pay his soldiers as he saw fit. This was seen by another local commander as a sign of rebellion; Bryennios was arrested and blinded.

Proclamation of Isaac as emperor and the Battle of Hades.

Fearing that their plot was about to be discovered, the eastern generals hastened to act: the conspirators resident in the Anatolic Theme, Romanos Skleros, Michael Bourtzes, Nikephoros Botaneiates and the sons of Basil Argyros, hastened to find Isaac Komnenos at his estates near Kastamon in Paphlagonia, and on 8 June 1057, at a place called Gounaria, proclaimed him emperor. It is unclear whether any of the rebels held command of troops; rather, according to Kaldellis, "they had to canvass for support among the officers and soldiers and forge orders of imperial appointment for themselves". Thus Skylitzes reports that Kekaumenos had to forge imperial letters to mobilize the regiments of the Armeniac Theme. With this force he went to join Komnenos. Leaving his family for safety with his brother at the fortress of Pemolissa on the banks of the Halys River, Komnenos advanced west towards Constantinople.  At the same time, the western regiments, and some of the eastern ones too, remained loyal to Michael VI. The emperor placed them under the command of Theodora's eunuch favourite, the "proedros" Theodore, and Aaron, Isaac's brother-in-law; unlike previously, he now showered his commanders with honours to secure their allegiance. The loyalist army assembled at Nicomedia, controlling the direct route to the capital. Therefore Komnenos turned south and seized Nicaea as his base of operations.  The two armies met at the Battle of Hades, near Nicaea. In a hard-fought battle with many casualties, the loyalist left defeated the right wing of the rebel army. On the other flank, Kekaumenos broke through the loyalists to capture their camp and decide the battle, while Isaac held the centre.

Negotiations and downfall of Michael VI.

Michael VI then attempted to negotiate with the rebels, sending Psellos, Leo Alopos, and the former "mesazon" of Constantine IX, Constantine Leichoudes, to Isaac's camp. Michael offered to adopt Isaac as his son and to grant him the title of "Caesar", making him effectively his successor, but this was rejected in a public audience. Psellos claims that Isaac was inclined to accept, the pressure of the assembled troops, who vocally refused it, forced him to agree with his supporters. At a private meeting afterwards Isaac insisted that he had accepted the title of emperor only under the pressure of his followers, and secretly accepted the offer, provided that Michael would also share "some, at any rate, of his imperial power", so that he could make appointments and reward his followers, especially in the military.  The envoys returned to Constantinople, and rapidly secured Michael's consent to the proposal; the Emperor explicitly agreed to pardon Isaac's followers, and to accord Isaac additional honours above those of "Caesar", setting him up almost as a co-emperor ("symbasileus"). As a sign of good faith, furthermore, Paraspondylos was dismissed from office. When the envoys returned to Isaac with these news, he publicly accepted the proposal and prepared to enter the capital.  Back in Constantinople, however, a crowd of officials assembled in the Hagia Sophia and began protesting that by making a deal, the Emperor was forcing them to renounce their oaths to oppose the rebels. Going a step further, they began themselves acclaiming Isaac as emperor. After a short while, on 30 August, Michael Keroularios and the clergy joined their cause, raising suspicions that this "spontaneous" assembly had been planned by the ambitious and wily Patriarch all along. Pressured by Keroularios and wanting to avoid bloodshed in the city, Michael agreed to abdicate. He was quickly tonsured and retired to a monastery. On the next day, 31 August, Isaac and his entourage crossed the Bosporus into Constantinople and entered the palace; on 1 September, he was crowned emperor by the Patriarch in the Hagia Sophia.

Reign.

The first act of the new emperor was to reward his partisans: his fellow conspirators were named to high offices—his own brother John was named "domestikos ton scholon" of the West and received the high title of "kouropalates", which was also awarded to Kekaumenos and Bryennios. The troops that had followed him received a donative and were quickly sent back east, to avoid any trouble with the populace of Constantinople. Patriarch Michael Keroularios was also rewarded for his support, by receiving sole authority for all personnel and financial matters of the Church, which were previously under the purview of the emperor, while the Patriarch's nephews received high court titles.

Fiscal reforms.

Isaac's rise to power was a turning point in Byzantine history, marking the definitive end of the long-lived Macedonian dynasty. Although powerful generals had previously suborned power, they had ruled alongside the Macedonian emperors; Isaac was the first military strongman to usurp power outright since the 9th century. This was reflected in the coinage struck in his name, which uniquely showed him holding a drawn sword; while it may have simply indicated his intention to restore "capable military rule" (Kaldellis), it came to be understood as a claim to rule by right of conquest, and even as expressing an impious belief "that his accomplishments came not from God but from his own prowess". Certainly it highlighted Isaac's determination to make reforms and restore the effectiveness of the army.  The task he faced was truly herculean, as the politically weak emperors of the previous thirty years had fostered corruption and inefficiency, handing out titles and their attendant state salaries ("rogai") in exchange for support. The devaluation of the coinage under Constantine IX had been a first reaction to the brewing crisis, but Isaac was the first emperor who certainly faced a budget deficit. To fund his cherished army, Isaac was therefore obliged to begin strict economies: he reduced or abolished the "rogai" of those who had been awarded titles, enforced a stricter and more efficient collection of taxes, reclaimed misappropriated imperial estates, and cancelled grants of such lands and tax exemptions made under Constantine IX and Michael VI, particularly those that had been granted to monasteries and churches, using a law of Nikephoros II Phokas. Even though salaries of officials, especially members of the Senate, were cut, Isaac's efforts were enthusiastically received even among some senior members of the civil bureaucracy, judging by the comments of Psellos and Michael Attaleiates.

Downfall of Keroularios.

The only point of criticism raised by Psellos is his haste and severity, judging that by a more gradual and judicious, step by step approach, he would have reaped greater success with far less opposition. Thus his appropriation of Church lands provoked the reaction of Michael Keroularios, with whom Isaac's relations had been steadily deteriorating. The Patriarch's role in Isaac's accession and his extensive new powers over the Church quickly went to his head. He is said to have admonished and berated the emperor, and even going as far as threatening to destroy him "like an oven he had made". He is also alleged to have worn imperial purple boots, a privilege restricted to the emperor, and which may indicate, according to Kaldellis, that Keroularios was influenced by Papal theories and conceived of the secular and clerical powers as co-equal, a traditional Byzantine approach known as a symphonia.  Finally, on 8 November 1058, while Keroularios was visiting a church outside the city walls, and hence was away from his supporters in the urban mob, Isaac sent the Varangian Guard to arrest him and take him to Prokonnesos, where he was placed under house arrest. Isaac applied considerable pressure on Keroularios to resign, but the latter steadfastly refused. In the end, the emperor decided to convene a synod against the Patriarch. This too was to take place away from the capital, somewhere in Thrace, with Psellos, who had himself been earlier persecuted by Keroularios, as the chief accuser. In the event, Keroularios died on 21 January 1059, before the synod could take place. Isaac appointed the bureaucrat Constantine Leichoudes as the new patriarch.

Military situation.

The rebellion and civil war that brought Isaac to the throne had concentrated Byzantium's military might away from its borders. The contemporary Armenian historian Aristakes Lastivertsi reports that the Georgian lord Ivane took advantage of this opportunity to capture two Byzantine frontier forts as well as an imperial tax collector, and lay siege to Theodosiopolis. The Byzantine "doux" at Ani drove him off, but Ivane then called upon some Turks for assistance. About a month after Isaac's coronation, these raiders reached Melitene, whose inhabitants were allowed to depart before the city was plundered by the Turks. Local Byzantine troops managed to blockade the mountain passes, forcing the raiders to winter in the region of Chorzane. In spring 1058, the Turks were ambushed and defeated while they attacked the fort of Mormrans, leaving most of their captives behind. At about the same time or shortly after, another Turkish raid into Taron was heavily defeated by the Byzantine defenders. Melitene was repaired and refortified, and made the seat of a "doux".  Constantine IX had famously abolished the military obligations of the Armenian thematic troops in exchange for cash payments, a step widely regarded, both by contemporaries and modern historians, as having catastrophic consequences for Byzantium's eastern defences, especially against the mounting Turkish threat. While Isaac does not appear to have acted to restore the thematic armies, according to Kaldellis, the reaction of the local forces to these events does not appear to indicate a degradation of Byzantium's defensive abilities in the East, but rather the continued and successful application of old-established counter-raiding principles as codified in Nikephoros Phokas' "De velitatione bellica" a century earlier.  Isaac led only one military expedition, in late summer of 1059, into the Balkan provinces that had been suffering raids by the Hungarians and the Pechenegs. The details of the campaign are obscure, but the two had possibly entered into an alliance. At Serdica, the emperor made a treaty with the Hungarians—who appear to have kept the fortress town of Sirmium—before moving against the Pechenegs in the area of Moesia. Most of the Pechenegs submitted again to imperial authority. The only major combat was against the fortified stronghold of a certain Selte, a recalcitrant Pecheneg leader.  On its return march the army was caught in a sudden storm on 24 September. Many men and supplies were lost, while Isaac barely escaped death when a tree struck by lightning fell next to him. This was followed by the false rumour that a tax assessor in the eastern provinces was plotting rebellion, and Isaac hastened back to the capital. Despite these events, Psellos claims that at this point Isaac's character changed markedly, and that he became "more haughty to such an extent that he held everyone else in contempt", including his own brother.

Illness, abdication, and death.

Isaac was a passionate hunter with both the horse and the falcon, spending much time at a hunting lodge outside Constantinople. On a hunt he fell ill. As the fever lasted for several days, Isaac, fearing he would die soon, named Constantine Doukas as his successor on 22 November 1059, and agreed to resign and retire to a monastery. Psellos claims that he was the main author of this nomination, even against the initial opposition of Empress Catherine.  According to Psellos, Isaac began to recover soon after Doukas' nomination, and started reconsidering his decision. Psellos again took the decisive step of having Doukas publicly acclaimed as emperor on 23 December, with Psellos putting the purple sandals on his feet. Isaac then resigned to his fate, and was tonsured as a monk, retiring to the Stoudion monastery. Psellos' prominent role in these events may simply be exaggeration and self-promotion, especially as he was writing this part of his history during the reign of Constantine Doukas and his son Michael VII Doukas (). No contemporary or later source, not even during the Komnenian dynasty (1081–1180), described or implied a coup by Doukas and his supporters, and the legality of the transition was never questioned.  Empress Catherine remained at the palace, and was even allowed to be mentioned first in the imperial acclamations, with Doukas coming second. This joint reign lasted for a brief while, before she too retired to the Myrelaion monastery under the monastic name of Xene. Isaac lived the remainder of his life as a simple monk in Stoudion, readily performing menial tasks until he died in late 1060.

Family.

Isaac was married to Catherine of Bulgaria, a daughter of Ivan Vladislav, the last ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire. Isaac raised her to the position of "Augusta". The couple had at least two children:

Isaac I Komnenos or Comnenus (, "Isaakios ho Komnēnos"; – 1060) was Byzantine Emperor from 1057 to 1059, the first reigning member of the Komnenian dynasty.


Etymology.

The name San'in in the Japanese language is formed from two kanji characters. The first,, "mountain", and the second, represents the "yin" of yin and yang. The name means the northern, shady side of the mountains in contrast to the "yang" "southern, sunny" San'yō region to the south.

History.

Early history.

The San'in region has numerous Paleolithic and Jōmon period (14,000 – 300 BC) remains, but its Yayoi period (300 BC – 250 AD) remains are the largest in Japan. The Mukibanda Yayoi remains in the low foothills of Mount Daisen in the cities of Daisen and Yonago, Tottori Prefecture are the largest in Japan. The site is still only partially excavated, but indicates that the San'in was a regional center of power in the period. The mythology of the Shinto religion is largely based in the Izumo area of the region, and the Izumo-taisha, or Izumo Grand Shrine in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, is one of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan. The eastern part of Shimane Prefecture also had cultural and economic connections to the Asian mainland from an early period.

San'indō.

The San'in region corresponds to, one of the gokishichidō, or five provinces and seven circuits established in the Asuka period (538–710) under the Ritsuryō legal system. San'indō refers not only to the ancient geographic region, but also the main road through the region that connected it to the capitol in Kyoto. The San'in encompassed the pre-Meiji provincial areas of Tanba, Tango, Tajima, Inaba, Hōki, Izumo, Iwami and Oki.

San'indō route.

While the San'indō route was used for military logistics in numerous conflicts after the Asuka period, it more importantly served as a route for the transport of good to and from the region. The route reached its highest period of importance in the Edo period (1603–1867) when the Tokugawa shogunate formalized its route and shukuba post stations. The "daimyō" regional rulers used the San'indō for their "sankin-kōtai" mandatory journeys to Edo (modern Tokyo).

Modern usage.

The San'in region now has no administrative authority. In modern Japanese usage it generally refers to the prefectures of Shimane, Tottori and northern area of Yamaguchi. The northern areas of Hyōgo and Kyōto prefectures are sometimes included in the region as well. Japan Route 9, the San'in Expressway, and the JR West San'in Main Line follow the historical route of the San'indō, and remnants of the shukuba, some well preserved, remain throughout the region.

Geography.

The San'in Region has a long coastline along the Japan Sea that dramatically sweeps south to the Chūgoku Mountains along the length of the region. The area is primarily mountainous with few plains. While the climate of the San'in region is not as harsh as that of the Hokuriku region to the north, winters are characterized by heavy snow and rainfall typical of areas on the Japan Sea.

Economy.

The San'in region is far from the industrial and cultural heartlands of Japan, and the region is consequently economically undeveloped compared to the other regions of Japan. The landscape remains rural and unindustrialized, and the urban areas of the region are decentralized. Tottori and Shimane are the least populated prefectures in Japan, and the population is aging at a rate faster than the rest of Japan. Cities in the region with a population of over 100,000 remain only the prefectural capitols of Tottori and Matsue, the more recently industrialized Yonago, and Izumo, a city formed from numerous smaller cities and villages after World War II. The agricultural output of the San'in region, however, remains very high. Its broad coastal and mountainous areas are protected as national, prefectural, and municipal parks, and these areas are now popular tourist destinations.

Transportation.

The San'in region is connected by several JR West rail lines and some highways, but transportation is relatively undeveloped compared to other regions of Japan. Projects to connect the region to the wider highway network of Japan continue.

The is an area in the southwest of Honshū, the main island of Japan. It consists of the northern part of the Chūgoku region, facing the Sea of Japan.


Geography.

Microregion Horňácko is located in the northwest foothills of the southern part of the White Carpathians, close to the border with Slovakia. The highest peak of the region is Velká Javorina (970 m. above sea level), a traditional place of meetings between Czechs and Slovaks. Horňácko consists of nine municipalities: Lipov, Louka, Malá Vrbka, Hrubá Vrbka, Javorník, Kuželov, Suchov and Nová Lhota (the village of Vápenky, a part of Nová Lhota, is sometimes considered as the tenth village of Horňácko); the centre of the area is the village Velká nad Veličkou. The highest located village is Nová Lhota, 467 m. above sea level; the lowest is Lipov, located at 240 m. above sea level. The climatic conditions are different from the nearby region of Slovácko, Hornacko is a subregion of Slovacko. the hilly and somewhat isolated landscape has influenced crafts, folk costume, arts, traditions, the development and distinctive regional character of the area. The extraordinarily well-preserved historical landscape of the Horňácko region was shaped by traditional ways of farming, by the natural diversity and historical development of the area, and by remoteness from industrial centers.

History.

The Horňácko region was already inhabited during the Neolithic era. There are no archaeological remains from the time, such as pottery, that indicate permanent settlement in the area, however, some stone tools and weapons have been discovered nearby Velká nad Veličkou. The 9th century is marked by the beginnings of a Slavic settlement in the area. The Slavs apparently settled in the valley between Lipov and Velká nad Veličkou, but the lack of findings and evidence precludes accurate dating of their arrival. The first written record about the area dates back to 1228. A part of the estates nearby Velká nad Veličkou was attributed to the monastery in Velehrad in a document confirmed by the Bohemian king Ottokar I.  In the early 15th century, some villages in the Horňácko region were heavily damaged or destroyed during the Hussite wars. The 16th century is marked by the emergence of new protestant churches, such as Lutherans. The colonization of the area in the late 16th century caused significant cultural and economic growth, however, conflicts and wars of the 17th century interrupted the promising development. The religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics during the Thirty Years' War influenced the composition and density of the population, as many followers of the protestant religions were forced to flee to neighboring countries to escape recatholization. After the Thirty Years' War, 216 of 253 houses in Velká nad Veličkou were abandoned and empty.  Another disaster came in the second half of the 17th century, during a conflict between the Ottoman Empire and European powers. Turkish armies captured and burned the town of Velká nad Veličkou; the inhabitants were killed and raped; young boys were kidnapped as future Turkish spies. The bad situation in the area in the late 17th and 18th century worsened by epidemics of plague, military conflicts, and continuing counter-reformation. Moreover, the Napoleonic wars and subsequent epidemic of cholera (1831) negatively affected further development of the region in the early 19th century. The 19th century is generally characterized by strong influence of the Slovak population on the opposite side of the border. In Horňácko, it is particularly apparent in dialects, folk customs, music and songs.  In the 20th century, during the Second World War, the Horňácko region became an important strategic area in the fight against the German invaders. At the end of the war, the border region around the White Carpathians became a place where many partisan groups were formed. Bishop Gorazd of Prague, executed by Nazis for his participation in the assassination of SS-Obergruppenfuhrer Reinhard Heydrich, was a native from Hrubá Vrbka.

Traditional folk culture.

Music.

Horňácko is the only region in Moravia where the development of traditional music remained uninterrupted. The culture of the region is considered ""to be among the purest and most well-preserved in the Czech Republic"". Composer Leoš Janáček regarded Horňácko ""the most important center of traditional folk music in Moravian Slovakia"". The early bagpipe music of Horňácko, an unusual element in the Moravian traditional music, was replaced by the string instruments in the second half of the 19th century. The initial line-up of a traditional band consisted only of violins (it was called ""hudecká""). Other instruments, such as viola, clarinet, double bass and occasionally even brass instruments joined in the late 19th century. Cimbalom, a traditional part of today's Moravian folk ensemble, appeared in Horňácko only in the 1930s. Traditional music of Horňácko is formed by several distinctive stylistic elements. The ornamentation of the melody varies by instrument and musician. The first violinist (called ""primáš"", usually a leader of an ensemble) plays the most complicated variations. The other musicians accompany the primáš with their own ornamentations, following only the basic structure of a song. Folk musicians from Horňácko often use unusual combinations of tones and harsh harmonies, seemingly omitting the standard procedures of musical theory. The structure is, however, firmly anchored by rhythmic and harmonic plan.  An important feature of Horňácko folk songs is the communicative function. The lyrics of the songs serve as the means of expression for various opinions and feelings: love, joy, sadness, powerty, unfulfilled expectations etc. The most important form of musical setting of the songs was dance music.  A significant type of folk song in Horňácko is called "„táhlé“" (in slow tempo). The style of this music varies for males and females due to their respective roles in traditional society. The male repertoire consists largely of military and dance songs, but also contains songs with explicit sexual content (called ""ščeglivé"" in the local dialect). On the other hand, the female repertoire often makes use of balladic type songs.  The role of a folk musician, called ""hudec"", is still prestigiously regarded in Horňácko. The most famous violinists and their way of playing sometimes become subject of "cultish adoration". Jan Ňorek, Jožka Kubík and Martin Hrbáč rank among the legendary violinists of Horňácko.  "Horňácko Folk Festival" (in Czech: "Horňácké slavnosti") is the most important event in the region. The festival, focused solely on the authentic folklore of the region, is held annually from 1957. It features local musicians and artists and attracts visitors from the every corner of the Czech Republic. The festival is traditionally held around the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene (on 22 July).

Costume.

Traditional costume of Horňácko represents an important and characteristic part of local folk culture. The folk costume is classified as a "mountain-type", similarly as the folk clothing at Moravian Wallachia or Kopanice. The oldest influences may perhaps come from the pagan eras. The white color is considered funerial, which is similar to the customs of the old Slavs. The characteristic embroidery of Horňácko has its roots in the Renaissance period.

Horňácko (, "Upper Moravian-Slovakia") is an ethnographic microregion situated in the Hodonín District, South Eastern Moravia, Czech Republic. The region is home to approximately 10,000 people. It is significant for its traditional folk culture, especially the folk music. The region hosts annually the "Horňácko Folk Festival".


Overview.

Inequality and inequities have significantly increased in recent decades, possibly driven by the worldwide economic processes of globalisation, economic liberalisation and integration. This has led to states 'lagging behind' on headline goals such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and different levels of inequity between states have been argued to have played a role in the impact of the global economic crisis of 2008–2009.  Equity is based on the idea of moral equality. Equity looks at the distribution of capital, goods, and access to services throughout an economy and is often measured using tools such as the Gini index. Equity may be distinguished from economic efficiency in overall evaluation of social welfare. Although 'equity' has broader uses, it may be posed as a counterpart to economic inequality in yielding a "good" distribution of wealth. It has been studied in experimental economics as inequity aversion.

Taxation.

In public finance, "vertical equity" is the idea that people with a similar ability to pay taxes should pay the same or similar amounts. It is related to the concept of "tax neutrality" or the idea that the tax system should not discriminate between similar things or people, or unduly distort behavior.  "Vertical equity" usually refers to the idea that people with a greater ability to pay taxes should pay more. If the rich pay more in proportion to their income, this is known as a "proportional tax"; if they pay an increasing proportion, this is termed a "progressive tax", sometimes associated with redistribution of wealth.

Health care.

Horizontal equity means providing equal health care to those who are the same in a relevant respect (such as having the same 'need'). Vertical equity means treating differently those who are different in relevant respects (such as having different 'need'), (Culyer, 1995).  Health studies of equity whether particular social groups receive systematically different levels of care than do other groups. There are many ways to identify preventable or unjust disparities, including the study of health outcomes using quintile analysis or concentration indexes.

Fair division.

Equitability in fair division means every person’s subjective valuation of their own share of some goods is the same. The surplus procedure (SP) achieves a more complex variant called proportional equitability. For more than two people, a division cannot always both be equitable and envy-free.

Equity or Economic equality is the concept or idea of fairness in economics, particularly in regard to taxation or welfare economics. More specifically, it may refer to equal life chances regardless of identity, to provide all citizens with a basic and equal minimum of income, goods, and services or to increase funds and commitment for redistribution.


Biography.

Born in Vysoké Mýto, Tauberová moved with her family to Vienna at the age of 9. She entered the Vienna Music Academy where she initially studied piano and then singing with Ferdinand Rebay. She later pursued further vocal training in Milan with Fernando Carpi in 1934. She began her career in Vienna, portraying the title role in Fritz Kreisler's operetta "Sissy" for a total of 360 performances.  In 1936 Tauberová made her débuts in Plzeň and then at the National Theatre in Prague, where she continued to sing until 1973. She made her debut with the company as Gilda in "Rigoletto". Among her signature roles at the house were Susanna in "The Marriage of Figaro", Despina in "Così fan tutte", Zerlina in "Don Giovanni", Eurydice in Talich’s interpretation of Christoph Willibald Gluck’s "Orfeo ed Euridice", Marguerite in "Faust", Zerbinetta in "Ariadne auf Naxos", Olympia in "Les contes d'Hoffmann", Rosina in "The Barber of Seville", and Violetta in "La traviata". In the Czech repertoire she was admired for her portrayals of Karolina in "The Two Widows" and the title roles in "The Cunning Little Vixen", "Mirandolina", and "Julietta". She made a number of recordings with the National Theatre on the Supraphon label.  In 1937-1938 Tauberová was a guest at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and in the late 1930s and 1940s she made appearances at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the Lausanne Opera, Den Norske Opera, the Royal Opera House in London and the Berlin State Opera. In 1946 she and her husband were committed to the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro. In 1970 she sang at the Edinburgh Festival with the Prague National Theater. In 1957 she toured Russia with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Throughout her career she was a frequent guest artist at the Vienna State Opera and at the opera houses in Budapest, Bucharest, and Sofia. In 1994 she was honored with a Thalia Award. She died in Prague in 2003.

Maria Tauberová (née Proskeová) (28 April 1911 – 16 January 2003) was a Czech opera singer who had an active international career from the 1930s through the 1970s. A lyric coloratura soprano with an excellent technique, she possessed a warm bright voice that was even in all registers. She was particularly admired for her portrayal of Mozart heroines. In addition to an almost four-decade career at the Prague National Theatre, she sang throughout Europe and in South America, frequently with her husband, conductor Jaroslav Krombholc.


History.

The secondary school was founded in September 1953 as the 14th 11-year secondary school by unification of the 3rd national school, the 4th national school, the 3rd high school, and a language-oriented high school in Slezská street. (The term "national school" originally referred to what is now called the first level of primary school, and the term secondary school referred to what is now called the second level of primary school.) The school was formerly located in Wilhelma Piecka street (1990 renamed to Korunní) in Vinohrady, in the building of today's Archbishop Gymnázium.  In 1990, due to the renaming of the street, the school's name Gymnázium Wilhelma Piecka (informally called "Píkárna") was changed to Gymnázium Korunní. When the building had to be abandoned for the Archbishop Gymnázium in 1993, the school moved to the building of a former industrial secondary school in Zborovská street, which in turn moved to a new building in Pankrác in 1993 and was renamed as Gymnázium Zborovská.  For long-lasting excellent results in physics competitions, on January 1, 1999 the school received its current name, honoring the 19th-century physicist Christian Doppler known for his discovery of the Doppler effect. The school currently has the status of a faculty school of the Faculty of Science, Charles University and the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University.  In 1998, doc. RNDr. Zdeněk Kluiber, a science popularizer who had been teaching physics at the school since 1990, was appointed as the principal. Under his supervision, preparatory courses for Grade 9 students were established, including FYGYK, later renamed as FYGYZ. The course has been gradually transformed into a series of lectures for primary school students on a variety of topics from mathematics, physics, and computer science. Apart from FYGYZ, the students organize science competitions Pražská střela and Dopplerova vlna.

The present.

Gymnázium Christiana Dopplera offers 4-year and 8-year study programs ended with the Maturita exam. Every year GChD opens one 4-year class of the educational field 79-41-K/41 Gymnázium - "Per partes ad astra" focused on mathematics (with a further focus on physics and computer science), one 8-year class of the educational field 79-41-K/81 Gymnázium -" Myslím, tedy jsem " focused on mathematics (with a further focus on physics and computer science), and one 8-year class of the educational field 79-41-K/81 Gymnázium - "Cizí jazyky – brána do světa" focused on foreign languages. Every class has a maximum capacity of 30 students.  The mathematics part of the exit exam comprises a 4-hour written exam (which is created by Doc. RNDr. Jaroslav Zhouf, PhD, a member of the Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Education of the Faculty of Education, Charles University), and an oral exam. Students of all three programs are required to study at least two foreign languages at the B2 or C1 SERR levels. Gymnázium Christiana Dopplera is a Deutsches Sprachdiplom-certified school. The diploma (equivalent to the C1 level within the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is awarded to the students of the language classes.  The school resides in an 1896 building which has been reconstructed several times during the last few years (building of a new dining hall, modernization of computer equipment).

International Competitions.

In past years (since 2006), students of Gymnázium Christiana Dopplera won the following prizes:

International Physics Olympiad.

2013: Lubomír Grund – Silver medal  2012: Lubomír Grund – Silver medal  2010: Jáchym Sýkora – Gold medal  2009: Jáchym Sýkora – Bronze medal  2006: Radek Žlebčík – Bronze medal

Middle European Mathematical Olympiad.

2012: Lubomír Grund – Bronze medal  2011: Lubomír Grund – Honorable mention  2009: Radek Marciňa – Bronze medal

International Mathematical Olympiad.

2010: Jáchym Sýkora – Honorable mention  2010: Radek Marciňa – Honorable mention

International Astronomy Olympiad.

2008: Jana Smutná – Bronze medal  2008: Tereza Kroupová – Honorable mention  2007: Jana Smutná – Honorable mention

Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

2014: Aranka Hrušková – Silver Medal

Universities.

Gymnázium Christiana Dopplera ranks among the most successful Czech high schools in terms of the percentage of graduates admitted to universities and colleges. GChD graduates attend – among others – the following universities:  Teachers' websites:

Gymnázium Christiana Dopplera (commonly abbreviated as GChD) is a public secondary school located in the Malá Strana district of Prague, Czech Republic. The school offers both 4-year and 8-year study programs, and students can specialize in mathematics and physics or in foreign languages.


Content.

In this essay, Umberto Eco describes a special kind of musical works that can be organized and re-organized by the performers before they are played to the audience. He then applied this idea of "open works" to literary texts and other works of art.  Every work of art can be read, according to Eco, in three distinct ways: the moral, the allegorical and the anagogical. Each is not only distinct but can be fully anticipated and directed by the author (or the artist) of the work. An example of this kind of reading is found in the stories by Kafka, in which his symbolic actions cannot be read in one definitive way; each reading will end up with similar and multiple meanings.  The reader will read a certain work differently every time, depending on his/her emotional state, physical state and political world view. We can find an example of this in plays written by Brecht, which are "open" in the same way that an argument between two people is open: both sides (the actors and the viewers) want and anticipate a solution at the end, but no solution ever comes, leaving us to wander to find meaning.  Umberto Eco makes a distinction between these kind of works, which are "open" in their interpretation, to the musical works from the beginning, which are open in their structural sense. These kind of "openness" is not only for musical works, it might be any kind of artistic work (painting, poem, performance etc.)  This kind of "openness" is derived from the science of the time, he says. When people believed in a geocentric world, they expected every work of art to have only one definitive interpretation, but as people found out about the universe and the magnitude of stars in the sky and their hierarchy, they began to expect more ideas to be interpreted from every work.  He continues by comparing open works to Quantum mechanics, and he arrives at the conclusion that open works are more like Einstein's idea of the universe, which is governed by precise laws but seems random at first. The artist in those open works arranges the work carefully so it could be re-organized by another but still keep the original voice or intent of the artist.  Every work can be read in infinite ways, depending on an individual's state of mind and perspective, and it also depends on a third person intervention, either the players of the orchestra or the curator at the museum. Eco understand the difficulties with this perspective, but he ends by saying that this article, as all works, is still a "work in movement", an "open work" and still a "work in progress".

In semiotic analysis (the studies of signs or symbols), an open text is a text that allows multiple or mediated interpretation by the readers. In contrast, a closed text leads the reader to one intended interpretation.