The Art of Fugue (“Die Kunst der Fuge”) by Johann Sebastian Bach is an exercise in how far one can develop a single theme, in one key. With each successive fugue, Bach is treating his theme to a whole catalogue of contrapuntal variants— inversion, diminution, augmentation, mirroring, doubling…

It’s during Compline in St. Mungo’s Cathedral of Glasgow when everything begins in the 15th-century murder mystery “The Harper’s Quine” by Pat Mcintosh.

In the 15th-century murder mystery “The Harper’s Quine” by Pat Mcintosh,

When newly qualified lawyer Gil Cunningham finds the body of a young woman in Glasgow’s Cathedral he is asked to investigate. Thus starts the 15th-century murder mystery “The Harper’s Quine” by Pat Mcintosh where Gil has to ask lots of questions and must sort through many facts, all apparently disconnected from one another. But...

This was a pattern of the Super Sock Scarefest aka Scary Sock KAL 2012.

“The Bare Necessities” is a song from the animated 1967 Disney film “The Jungle Book”.

“Sheep may safely graze” (“Schafe können sicher weiden”) is the most familiar part of the “Hunting Cantata” BWV208 by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Giulietta is a main character in the opera “Les contes d’Hoffmann” (The Tales of Hoffmann) by Jacques Offenbach.

Senta is the heroine of Richard Wagner’s opera “The Flying Dutchman”.

René d’Aramis de Vannes (born René d’Herblay) is a fictional character in the novels “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas père. He and the other two musketeers Athos and Porthos are friends of the novels’ protagonist, d’Artagnan and the four of them have many adventures.

Olivier d’Athos de la Fère, Comte de la Fère is a fictional character in the novels “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas père. He and the other two musketeers Porthos and Aramis are friends of the novel’s protagonist, d’Artagnan, and the four of them have many adventures.

Porthos, Baron du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds is a fictional character in the novels “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas père. He and the other two musketeers Athos and Aramis are friends of the novel’s protagonist, d’Artagnan, and the four of them have many adventures.

This was the pattern for round #5 of Sock Madness 6, a speed knitting contest.

“Also sprach Zarathustra” (Thus spoke Zarathustra) is a symphonic poem by Richard Strauss. It’s best known for the initial fanfare “Sunrise” that was use as the opening theme in Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: a space odyssey” and in many other productions since.

This was the second pattern (round #2) of Sock Madness 5, a speed knitting contest. See the Sock Madness Forever group for more information.

in ‘The Magic Flute’, opera by Wolfgang A. Mozart, this story about good and evil, Sarastro is the high priest of the temple preserving the power-bestowing sevenfold sun circle. Symbol of the light, he represents the enlightened sovereign who rules according to principles based on reason, wisdom, and nature. After many twists and turns in the st...

This was the pattern for the semi-final (round #6) of Sock Madness 4, a speed knitting contest.

Papagena is this young, pretty and playful woman in W.A.Mozart’s opera ‘The Magic Flute’, whom I always imagined to be a sort of flower girl, as she enchants the birdcatcher Papageno.

in ‘The Magic Flute’, opera by Wolfgang A. Mozart, this story about good and evil, Sarastro the high priest of an enlightened brotherhood abducts Pamina, whose mother is the evil Queen of the Night. to save her daughter, the Queen sends Prince Tamino who immediately falls in love with Pamina. predictably, love and goodness triumph, Sarastro over...

Tamino is the handsome prince in ‘The Magic Flute’, opera by Wolfgang A. Mozart, who has to undergo many trials and pass ordeals to win the girl he loves. the meandering ways he has to go towards wisdom and final triumph are reflected in the serpentine cables of the pattern.

Petrouchka, ballet by Igor Stravinsky, depicts the plight of a clown-puppet named Petrouchka at a Russian carnival, who longs to be free from the strings of his creator in order to experience the emotions of life.

Igor Stravinsky’s ballet “l’oiseau de feu” (firebird) tells the story of Prince Ivan, who one day captures a bird with brilliant plumage, the Firebird. in exchange for her freedom, the bird gives him one of her feathers and her promise to come to his aid if ever he needs her. after the bird has flown away, Prince Ivan catches sight of 13 princes...

This was the final pattern of Sock Madness 3.

“Le Sacre du Printemps” (the Rite of Spring), a ballet by Igor Stravinsky, depicts the power and savage beauty of the arriving spring as a wild dancing celebration. The pattern of this sock pictures the cracking earth with the first sprouts emerging and at the same time you can imagine an intertwining whirlwind of dance.

Rhinemaidens are the three water-nymphs in Wagnerian mythology that are to guard the Rheingold, a treasure which can be made in to a magic ring whose bearer will rule the world. the maidens’ joy in the gold derives from its beauty alone, even though they know its latent power.

Legend has is that Lohengrin, knight of the Holy Grail, appeared in shining armor in a boat drawn by a swan to fight for the honor of Elsa, his future wife.