1)INSTALLING THE THEME

2) SIR GRANVILLE BANTOCK AND THE HEBRIDEAN SYMPHONY

3) GRAPHIC SOURCES OF THE THEME

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1) INSTALLING THE THEME

Just extract all the files to your theme directory and activate the theme!

If you want to install the theme's special logo files then just click the hebridean.exe file. Keep this file and when you want to re-install your original windows logo screens then just click the hebridean.exe file again.

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2) SIR GRANVILLE BANTOCK AND THE HEBRIDEAN SYMPHONY

Sir Granville Bantock (7 August 1868 - 11 October 1946):
One of the most prolific of British composers of the edwardian era, Bantock began his career as a student of the Royal Academy of Music. There he studied until 1893, composing symphonic poems and symphonies on the grand scale. On leaving the Academy he founded and edited the "New Quarterly Musical Review". He gradually became involved with conducting. Having gained experience and toured the world, he returned to England prepared to bring to the audiences the music of Liszt and Wagner, Richard Strauss and Debussy, - and most important of all - he championed contemporary english music.


Bantock's music suffered much from the change of musical atmosphere during the turn of the century. He was a genius orchestrator but his style was considered old fashioned by the late '20s. Today, however, the time came to discard the considerations of fashion; Bantock's music is beautiful and accesible, his musical ideas fascinating and his orchestration colorful; His inspiration ranges from Persian mythology to Greek poetry, from the Romantic poets of the 19th century to the ancient celtic melodies.

One of Bantock's most inspired compositions is the "Hebridean symphony". It was completed in 1913 and first performed, under the composer's baton, on 14 February 1916 at a concert in Glasgow. It made an immediate impression.
Bantock used several Hebridean songs as a raw material for his vast symphonic canvas, bringing to life the gloomy aura  and resplendant glamour surrounding the Hebridean islands; His music begins quietly, evoking the sea; at times radiant, at times contemplative; from introspective music Bantock leads the symphony towards a storm of emotions, that ebbs and returns towards the end of the symphony to the contemplative mood.

I took the excerpts for this theme from the "Hebridean symphony" recorded by  Vernon Handley, conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; The CD was released by Hyperion (CDA66450), and it contains also Bantock's wonderful Celtic Symphony, his Tone poem "The witch of Atlas", and also the short Hebridean sea poem "The sea Reivers". Having enjoyed this CD and other Bantock releases from Hyperion I recommend him to all lovers of Romantic music: this much neglected composer comes as a true revelation.

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3) GRAPHIC SOURCES OF THIS THEME	

The graphics of this theme are not related actually to Art from the Hebrides. It was more important to me to find paintings that will capture the feeling of the Hebridean symphony.

The wallpaper: "Ships in distress of rocky coast" (1667) - Ludolf Backhuysen (1631-1708)- Ludolf was a dutch painter; His style is Realistic, often enhanced with fantastic dramatic elements.

The other graphics (And logo files) are also excerpts taken from creations of contemporary dutch painters; An exception is the "my computer" Icon which is taken from a 19th-century painting - not anything distinguished but it just fit so well that I used it :)

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Enjoy!