Otium, a Latin abstract term, has a variety of meanings, including leisure time in which a person can enjoy eating, playing, resting, contemplation and academic endeavors. It sometimes, but not always, relates to a time in a person's retirement after previous service to the public or private sector, opposing "active public life". Otium can be a temporary time of leisure, that is sporadic. It can have intellectual, virtuous, or immoral implications. It originally had the idea of withdrawing from one's daily business (negotium) or affairs to engage in activities that were considered to be artistically valuable or enlightening (i.e. speaking, writing, philosophy). It had particular meaning to businessmen, diplomats, philosophers, and poets.^[1][2]

Etymology and origin[link]

In ancient Roman culture otium was a military concept as its first Latin usage. This was in Ennius's Iphigenia.^[3]

Iphigenia (241-248)

Our oldest citation for otium is this chorus of soldiers, singing about idleness on campaign, in an otherwise lost Latin tragedy by Ennius.^[6] Andre shows in these lines that Ennius is showing the soldiers in the field would rather go home tending to their own affairs (otium) than to be idle doing nothing.^[7] Its military origin meant to stop fighting in battle and laying down of the weapons^[8] - a time for peace.^[9] Even though originally otium was a military concept in early Roman culture of laying down one's weapons,^[10] it later became an elite prestigious time for caring for onesself.^[11] The ancient Romans had a sense of obligatory work ethics in their culture and considered the idle-leisure definition of otium as a waste of time.^[12] Historians of ancient Roman considered otium a time of laborious leisure of much personal duties instead of public duties.^[13][14] Author Almasi shows that historians Jean-Marie Andre and Brian Vickers point out the only legitimate form of otium was transpired with intellectual activity.^[15] Otium was thought of by the wise elite as being free from work and other obligations (negotium) and leasure time spend on productive activities, however a time that should not be wasted as was thought the non-elite did with their leasure time.^[16]

Greek philosophers[link]

Epicurus

The favorable sense of otium in Ciceronian Latin reflects the Greek term σχολή (scholê, two syllables, "leisure"); "leisure" having a complex history in Greek philosophy before being used in Latin. In Athens, leisure was one of the marks of the Athenian gentleman: the time to do things right, unhurried time, time to discuss in. From there it became "discussion", and from there, philosophical and educational schools, which were both conducted by discussion. Four major Greek philosophical schools influenced the Roman gentlemen of Cicero's time. Plato (and his contemporaries, if the Greater Hippias be not authentic) brought schole into philosophy; as often, Plato can be quoted on both sides of the question whether leisure is better than the business of a citizen. In the Greater Hippias, it is one weakness of the title character that, although he has the education and manners of a gentleman, he has no leisure; but Socrates, in the Apology, has no leisure either; he is too busy as a gad-fly, keeping his fellow Athenians awake to virtue.^[17] However, by the time the Romans encountered Plato's school, the Academy, they had largely ceased to discuss anything so practical as the good life; the New Academy of Carneades practiced verbal agility and boundless skepticism.^[18]

Theophrastus and Dicaearchus, students of Aristotle, debated much on the contemplative life and the active life.^[19]

Roman Epicureans used otium for the quiet bliss promised by Epicurus.^[20] An Epicurean proverb

The phrase "to be at ease" can have the meaning "to be of good cheer" or "to be without fear"  — these being interdependent. The Epicurean idea of otium favors contemplation,^[22] compassion, gratitude and friendship. The Epicurean view is that wisdom has as much to contribute to the benefit of the public as does that of contributions of politicians and laborers (i.e. sailors). The rustic otium concept incorporates country living into Epicureanism. The active city public life of negotium and an otium of reserved country life of reflection have been much written about by Cicero and Seneca the Younger.

Roman Republic[link]

In early and colloquial Latin, despite the etymological contrast, otium is often used pejoratively, in contrast rather to officium, "office, duty" than to negotium ('business"). Historian J.M. Andre concludes that the original sense of otium was related to military service and the idleness that happened in the winter,^[23] as opposed to the business (negotium) of the rest of the year. The most ancient Roman calendar divided the year into ten months devoted to war and farming, leaving the winter months of January and February vacant for individual otium.^[24] Andre shows that the beauty of the individual otium poses rest.^[25] Titus Maccius Plautus in his play Mercator says that while you are young is the time to save up for your retirement otium so you can enjoy it later, in his claim tum in otium te conloces, dum potes, ames (then you may set yourself at your ease; drink, and be amorous).^[26]

Cicero busy at work

Cicero speaks of himself, with the expression otium cum dignitate, that time spent in activities one prefers is suitable for a Roman citizen who has retired from public life.^[19][27] When Caesar ousted him from each office, this forced an inactive period, which he used for "worthy leisure". During this time he composed Tusculanae Disputationes, a series of books on Stoic philosophy.^[1] Cicero saw free time as a time to devote to writing.^[28] Cicero defines otium as leisure, avoiding active participation in politics. He further defines it as a state of security and peace (pax). It is often associated with tranquility. Cicero advises in his third book On Duties that when the city life becomes too much, one should retreat to the country for leisure.^[29] The term otium cum dignitate in Cicero's Pro Sestio was to mean peace (pax) for all and distinction for some.^[30] Cicero says in Pro Sestio, XLV., 98

Cicero explains that, while not necessarily his cup of tea, he recognized many different ways to spend leisure time and otium. In one passage of De Oratore he explains that Philistus spent his retirement writing history as his otium.^[32] He goes on to say in De Oratore Book iii that other men passed their otium of leisure due to bad weather that prevented them from doing their daily chores to playing ball, knucklebones, dice games or just games they made up. Others that were "retired" from public life for whatever reason devoted their otium cum seritio (leisure with service) to poetry, mathematics, music, and teaching children.^[33]

German historian Klaus Bringmann shows in Cicero's works that one can not characterize him as a hypocrite while in otium because of his sense of duty to serve the state.^[34] Cicero's concept of otium does not mean selfish pursuit of pleasure. It means the well-earned leisure which is a culmination of a long career of action and achievement. Its a reward. Idleness (desidia) had derogatory implications and unqualified otium was a problem for Cicero's elite group of followers. Its break away from civic affairs contrasted with negotia publica, participation in civic affairs of the republican aristocracy.^[35] To distinguish between plain "idleness" and aristocratic otium homestum, otium liberale, or otium cum dignitate, writers of the day said that literary and philosophical pursuits were worthwhile activities and that they had benefit to res publica (the general public). These pursuits were a type of 'employment' and therefore not mere laziness.^[36][37] Cicero praises Cato the Elder for his respectful use of otium in his expression non minus otii quam negotii (no less for doing nothing than business).^[38] Cicero was associating otium with writing and thinking when he admires Cato for pointing out that Scipio Africanus claimed he was never less idle than when he was at leisure, and never less lonely than when he was alone.^[39] Cicero in his De Officiis (book III 1-4) further says of Scipio Africanus Leisure and solitude, which serve to make others idle, in Scipio's case acted as a goad. Cicero's idea of otium cum dignitate (leisure with dignity) is considerably different than today's version of the concept. In his time this kind of "free time" was only for the few privileged elite and was mostly due to the toil of slaves. It was associated with an egotistic and arrogant lifestyle, compared to one that had to earn their own living with no slaves. Today technology and educatonal systems enter into the equation on making leisure time (otium) available to most everyone, not just the privileged elite, which is turned into hobbies.^[40] Cicero has a number of different concept versions for otium. In one concept he feels that a lifetime of loyalty attending one's duty (maximos labores) should be rewarded with some form of retirement. This then promotes great sacrifices which promotes civic peace with honor within the state. He points out that the tranquillity one enjoys is due to the efforts of the majority. This concept of retirement through a lifetime of work was enjoyed only by the ruling class and the elite. The common people could only hope to enjoy a leisurely retirement with dignity as an inheritance.^[41]

Catullus, a late Roman Republic poet, in his poems shows that the significance of otium of the middle Republican time of autonomy into the concept of how, why, and when a member of the patronal class might exchange political activity for literary leisure.^[28]

Imperial Rome[link]

A modern reconstruction of a Roman villa

The imperial dictatorship by Augustus during the fall of the Roman Republic put the Roman ruling classes into a state of change as their traditional role as always being in town was no longer needed. They were given much leisure time (otium) because of their wealth. The home of choice (domus) then became the countryside villa as the rise of the Roman Empire made them even wealthier. They could afford almost anything they could dream up in the way of a residence. Greek-style architecture became their new villa otium outside of town.^[43] In ancient Roman times the "otium villa " was a Dionysian idealistic rural home setting that evoked peace, leisure, simplicity, and serenity. Often in ancient writings is found the mention of restorative powers due its natural setting (otium) in the rural country home, contrasted to the busy city life with all the businesses (negotium).^[44] The Imperial Roman poet Statius writes of a "otium villa" that he plans on retiring to in Naples in his work Silvae: It has secure peace, an idle life of leisure, non-troubled rest and sleep. There is no madness in the market-place, no strict laws in dispute...^[45] Pliny the Younger exemplified the philosophy of the Roman elite in otium of the time by the life he lived from his "otium villas". He would dictate letters to his secretary, read Greek and Latin speeches, go on walks on the villas grounds, dine and socialize with friends, meditate, exercise, bath, take naps, and occasionally hunt.^[46]

Tibullus was an Augustan elegiac poet who offered an alternative lifestyle to the Roman ideal of the military man or the man of action. He preferred the country lifestyle. In his existing first two books of poetry he compares the lifestyle of his chief friend and patron Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus as a commander and soldier to that of a farmer.^[47] Tibullus in his poem 1.3 rejects the work style of the rich man, adsiduus labor, and military service (militia). He shows in his poetry that originally otium was a military concept, the no longer use of one's weapons.^[10] Tibullus prefers the rustic agricultural landscape and a simple life. He indicates that while he would do agricultural work, he would only be interested in doing it sometimes (interdum) and therefore inserts otium (peace and leisure time) into agricultural life.^[48] He expresses in his attitude of his poetry that the qualities of the Epicurean resolve to quietism (occultism—religious mysticism) and pacifism (abstention from violence) as the pursuits of ignobile otium (mean leisure) - peace of mind (peace with one's self) and detachment from worldy ambitions.^[49]

Seneca compares the difference in the Epicurean and Stoic choice of otium. He confesses that classic Stoicism urges active public life while Epicurus has a tendency not to advance public life unless forced to. Seneca views Stoicism and Epicureanism as legitimate to inaction in the proper situations. He defends the Stoic philosophy as leaning toward otium. The main responsibility for the Stoic is to benefit the public in some manner. This could be done by the cultivation of virtue or the research of nature in retirement. This would mean a life of meditation and contemplation rather than an active political life. Seneca shows that otium is not really "free time", but a study of other matters (i.e., reading, writing) other than political and career gains.^[50][51]

The increase of retirees retreating to rural villas became more attractive as writers of the day wrote that Stoic ways included pursuits of reading, writing, and philosophy. This meant that the work of public duties was replaced by otium liberale (liberal leisure) and was sanctified if the retiree did pursuits of reading, writing, and philosophy.^[52][53] The benefits of the simplicity of rustic country life was reinforced in the intellectual legitimacy of otium ruris (rural leisure) because it drew out the spiritual implications of Horatian and Vergilian images of this type of life.^[54][55][56] Seneca's doctrine of De Otio describes retirement from public life.^[57] The contemplative life that Seneca revised was a Roman debate on otium (a productive peaceful time) and at some point in the evolution of the term was later contrasted to negotium.^[8]

These are some of the elements in Seneca's doctrine of De Otio:

1. virtue, freedom and happiness by reasoning.
2. the military metaphor.
3. that the virtuous person chooses statio, a specific place for doing one's 'employment'.
4. otium (leisure) is still negotium (business) even if withdrawal from public activity.
5. that the virtuous person's otium, as a citizen of the universe, is the field for the performance of his duty.^[58]

Later writers[link]

Augustine studying

While Seneca's doctrine appears to be close to the doctrine of Athenodorus's De Tranquillitate it is basically different. In De Otio 3.5 Seneca points out the benefits towards man in general, while in De Tranquillitate the theme is peace of mind.^[59]

Saint Augustine of Hippo reminded Romans of otium philosophandi, a positive element, that life was happiest when one had time to philosophize. Augustine points out that otium was the prerequisite for contemplation.^[60] It was because of otium that Alypius of Thagaste steered Augustine away from marriage. He said that they could not live a life together in the love of wisdom if he married. Augustine described Christianae vita otium as the Christian life of leisure.^[61] Many Christian writers of the time interpreted the Roman idea of otium as the deadly sin of acedia (sloth). Some Christian writers formulated otium as meaning to serve God through deep thought.^[1] Christian writers encouraged biblical studies to justify otium.^[62] These same Christian writers also showed otium ruris (secluded rural leisure) as a needed step to monastic propositum.^[63] Augustine describes the monastic life as otium sanctum (sanctified leisure or approved leisure).^[64] In Augustine's time the idea of philosophy had two poles of ambitions—one to be a worthy Christian (vacation - negotium) and the other to be a worthy friend of God (devotion - otium).^[65]

Petrarch, 14th-century poet and Renaissance humanist, discusses otium in his De vita solitaria as it relates to a human life of simple habits and self-restraint. Like his favorite Roman authors Cicero, Horace, Seneca, Ovid, and Livy, he sees otium not as leisure time devoted to idleness, passion, entertainment, or mischievous wrongdoing; but time ideally spent on nature appreciation, serious research, meditation, contemplation, writing, and friendship.^[1]

Petrarca

Petrarch considered solitude (i.e., rural setting, "villa otium", his Vaucluse home) and its relationship to otium as a great possession for a chance at intellectual activity, the same philosophy as Cicero and Seneca.^[66] He would share such a precious commodity with his best friends in the spirit of Seneca when he said "no good thing is pleasant to possess without friends to share it."^[67]

Historian Julia Bondanella translates Petrarch's Latin words of his own personal definition of otium:

Petrarch stressed the idea of an active mind even in otium (leisure). He refers back to Augustine's Vetus Itala in De otio religioso where in Christianity it was associated with contemplation and vacatio (vacate—be still). He points out that this is associated with videre (to see), which in Christianity is physical and mental activity aimed at moral perfection. He relates this concept of otium as vacate et videte (be still and see—a form of meditation, contemplation). Petrarch points out that one should not take leisure as so relaxed as to weaken the mind, but to be active in leisure to build up strength in the view of a unique character and religion.^[68]

Andrew Marvell’s seventeenth-century poem The Garden is a lyric of nine stanzas in which he rejects all forms of activity in the world in favor of solitude of the retiree in a garden. It is a type of retirement poem expressing the love of retirement—an ancient Roman concept related to otium. The poem shows the high degree of pleasure of rural retirement. Some critics see that he shows otium to mean peace, quiet and leisure—a goal for retirement from politics and business. Others see a Christianized otium with Marvell showing a representation of the progress of a soul from the pursuit for the pagan promised land of the peaceful countryside and contemplation to the search for the lost heaven on earth.^[69]

Part of Marvell's poem The Garden below:

Brian Vickers, a 20th-century British literary scholar, points out an expression made by Friedrich Nietzsche, a 19th-century German philosopher, on scholars' opinion of otium in his 1878 publication Menschliches, Allzumenschliches:

Private life and public life meanings[link]

Private life meaning of otium meant personal retirement—the opposite of business. It meant leisure only for one's own pleasure with no benefit to the state or public. Examples here is where one attends only his own farm or estate. Another is hunting. It was the opposite of "active public life". One would not be a historian in this case.^[72]

In public life otium meant public peace and relief after war.^[72] It meant freedom from the enemy with no hostilities. It was not only freedom from external assault (the enemy), it was also freedom from internal disorder (civil war).^[72] This then had the meaning of leisure, peace and safety at the homeland. This eventually became the status quo: acceptance of existing political and social conditions of the local laws, the custom of the ancestors, the powers of magistrates, authority of the senate, religions, the military, the treasury, and the praise of the empire.^[73]

Other uses[link]

Villa Otium
Norway US embassy residence

• The term cum dignitate otium ("leisure with dignity")^[74] is found in Cicero's writings and refers to an aim and purpose of the Optimates.^[75]
• Leisure without literature is death and burial for a living man. – a quote from Seneca the Younger.^[76]
• Leisure is a system of symbols which acts to establish a feeling of freedom and pleasure by formulating a sense of choice and desire.^[77]
• Mr. Morgan was enjoying his otium in a dignified manner, surveying the evening fog, and smoking a cigar ...^[78]
• The Art nouveau or Jugendstyle residence of the United States Ambassador to Norway is called the Villa Otium.^[79][C]

Synonyms[link]

Otium carried with it many different meanings (including but not limited to time, chance, opportunity), depending on the time period or the philosophers involved in determining the concept.^[80]

Positive sense[link]

Synonyms of positive connotations are:

• quies - rest, repose, relief from toil.^[80]
• requies - rest, repose, rest from labor, a hobby.^[80]
• tranquilitas - tranquility, calm, quiet.^[80]
• peace - as a state or condition of freedom from external enemies.^[81]
• pax - to pacify or appease, as the outcome of diplomatic conference and agreement with an enemy.^[81]

Negative sense[link]

Synonyms of negative connotations are:

• inhonestum otium - dishonorable leisure, idle self-indulgence leisure.^[72]
• desidia - slackness, idleness.^[80]
• inertia - sloth, idleness, indolence.^[80]
• ignavia - sloth, idleness, faint-heartedness.^[80]
• desidiosissimum otium - a sluggard's free time, he that fears labor; a man careless to attend to his duty first.^[82]

Modern scholars[link]

For a comparatively recent and exhaustive authoritative study on "otium"' in the history of Roman culture see André, Jean-Marie (1966). L'otium dans la vie morale et intellectuelle romaine des origines à l'époque augustéenne. Paris: Presses universitaires de France. ^[80][83][84]

Bibliography[link]

Footnotes[link]

1. ^ Nietzsche, Memchliches, Allzumemchlzches. 1.284, 'Zu Gunsten der Mussigen', in Friedrich Nietzsche, Samtlzche Werke, ed. G. Colli and M. Montinari (15 vols, Berlin, 1967) ) II (1967). 132.
2. ^ HUMAN, ALL TOO HUMAN, 'A Book For Free Spirits' Part I (1914), by Friedrich Nietzsche, translated by Helen Zimmern, FIFTH DIVISION - The Signs of Higher and Lower Culture, IN FAVOUR OF THE IDLE: As a sign that the value of a contemplative life has decreased, scholars now vie with active people in a sort of hurried enjoyment, so that they appear to value this mode of enjoying more than that which really pertains to them, and which, as a matter of fact, is a far greater enjoyment Scholars are ashamed of otium. But there is one noble thing about idleness and idlers. If idleness is really the beginning of all vice, it finds itself, therefore, at least in near neighbourhood of all the virtues ; the idle man is still a better man than the active. You do not suppose that in speaking of idleness and idlers I am alluding to you, you sluggards?
3. ^ By Norwegian architect Henrik Bull. The building was inspired by Russian architecture, and was built for Hans Andreas Olsen, who had encountered it when he was the Consul General for Norway at St. Petersburg, Russia with his wife Ester, the niece of Alfred Nobel. "Ambassador’s Residence in Oslo; "Villa Otium"". U.S. Department of State. http://norway.usembassy.gov/cmr.html. Retrieved 9 November 2011. 

Endnotes[link]

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• Trapp, Michael B. (2007). Philosophy in the Roman Empire: ethics, politics and society. Hampshire, England; Burlington, Vermnt: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.; Aldershot. ISBN 0-7546-1618-5. 
• Veblen, Thorstein (2007). The Theory of the Leisure Class. Cosimo, Inc. ISBN 1-60206-180-7.  Downloadable edition at Project Gutenberg.
• Vasaly, Ann (1996). Representations: images of the world in Ciceronian oratory. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-20178-7. 
• Vickers, Brian (March 1990. Article first published online: 29 August 2008). Leisure and Idleness in the Renaissance: the ambivalence of otium. 4 (1). The Society for Renaissance Studies (John Wiley & Sons. pp. 1–37. DOI:10.1111/j.1477-4658.1990.tb00408.x. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1477-4658.1990.tb00408.x/abstract. Retrieved 9 November 2011. 
• Wirszubski, Chaim (1950). Libertas as a Political Idea at Rome During the Late Republic and Early Principate. Cambridge, United Kingdom; New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-06848-7. 
• World Book Inc (2003). The World Book Dictionary. 1. Chicago: World Book. ISBN 0-7166-0299-7. 

Further reading[link]

• Carr, Arthur (1896). General epistle of St. James. Cambridge University Press. http://www.archive.org/details/generalepistles01carrgoog. 
• Kusch, Martin (2000). The sociology of philosophical knowledge. Dordrecht Boston: Springer;Kluwer Academic Publishers. ISBN 0-7923-6150-4. 

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Otium

• Italian Renaissance garden

External links[link]

Look up otium in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Hellenistic Philosophy
• Ode II-XVI “Otium”  — Horace

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2011)

Mark Snow (born Martin Fulterman, August 26, 1946, New York) is an American composer for film and television.

Born in New York, he grew up in Brooklyn, graduating from the High School of Music and Art (1964) and, afterwards, the Juilliard School of Music. He was a co-founder of the New York Rock & Roll Ensemble.

Among his most famous compositions is the theme music for sci-fi television series The X-Files. The theme reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart. Snow also wrote the music for another Chris Carter series, Millennium, and the background music scores for both shows, a total of 12 seasons' worth.

He also composed the score for the television movie Dirty Pictures, the series Smallville and One Tree Hill. He has also composed music for video games, such as Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror and Urban Assault (cutscene music only).

Snow has been nominated for 19 Emmy Awards and won 34 ASCAP awards. He was nominated for a César Award for his work on the film Coeurs directed by French director, Alain Resnais. Snow has also worked on Resnais's film Les Herbes folles.

His upcoming scores for 2011/2012 include: The Hunters, Vous n'avez encore rien vu (Alain Resnais next film), Just Like Her.

Themes for TV series[link]

Snow composed main title themes for a number of popular TV shows (and some episode scores+):

• Wonder Pets (2007)
• Ghost Whisperer (2005—2010) +
• The Lone Gunmen (all episodes; 2001) +
• Urban Assault (VG) (1998)
• La Femme Nikita (1997–2001)
• The Guardian (TV series) (2001-?)
• Millennium (all episodes; 1996–99) +
• Nowhere Man (1995) +
• The X-Files + ^[1] (1993–2002)
• Hart to Hart (1979–84)
• The War Widow (1976)

Snow stopped composing for Smallville; his final season was season seven, at which point from season eight onward Louis Febre—who had composed additional score on some of Snow's episodes previously—took over as composer.

Television Series and Television Movies (incomplete)[link]

Soundtracks[link]

Commercially released[link]

Mark Snow has released the following soundtracks commercially:

• Skateboard (1978) -- LP only
• The X-Files: The Truth and the Light (Seasons 1–3) [1996]
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea [1997]
• Disturbing Behavior [1998]
• The X-Files (film score) [1998]
• Crazy In Alabama [1999]
• The Snow Files (various) [1999]
• UFO: The Truth Is Here (rare CD) (2001)
• The Best of Millennium (Season 1–3) [2002] (iTunes exclusive)
• Helter Skelter [2004]
• Coeurs (A.K.A. Private Fears in Public Places) [2008]
• Millennium (Season 1–3; 2CD set, LaLaLand Records; SOLD OUT) [2008]
• The X-Files: I Want to Believe (film score) [2008]
• Jake Speed (BuySoundtrax Records; same contents, but remastered, as the old Varese Sarabande LP) [2009]
• Conundrum [2009]
• Smallville Score From The Complete Series Vol. 1 [2011] With Louis Febre
• Harsm Realm/The Lone Gunmen (selections from both shows, 1CD, limited, La La Land Records) [2010]
• The X-Files (selections from all seasons, 4CD set, limited, La La Land Records) [2011]

Mark Snow released The X Files theme song as a single in March 1996 which reached number 2 in the UK charts.

Not commercially released[link]

Other soundtracks unofficially or non-commercially available are:

• Ernest Saves Christmas [1988] -- promotional CD
• Conundrum (longer than the 2009 commercial release) -- internet leak
• Murder Between Friends (two versions) -- internet leak
• Millennium: Season 1 [1996] -- promotional CD
• The X-Files: Jose Chung's From Outer Space [1996] -- internet leak
• The X-Files Season 5: The Post-Modern Prometheus, Christmas Carol [1997] -- internet leak
• Night Sins (TV mini series)- [1997] - internet leak
• The Dancing Cow [2000] -- official free internet download (website no longer up)
• Pearl Harbor II: Pearlmageddon [2001] -- official free internet download (website no longer up)
• Ghost Whisperer: Leap Of Faith [2009] -- Personally sent to a fan.
• Smallville Original Score TV Soundtrack [2001-2011]-- Even Without Launching

Personal life[link]

Snow married Glynn Daly in 1967. They have three children. Glynn is the sister of actress Tyne Daly and actor Tim Daly.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mark Snow at the Internet Movie Database
• GSA MusicAgency representation
• Biography
• Interview with Randall D. Larson, Soundtrax: Episode 2008-11, 23 May 2008

Tim Minchin
Birth name	Timothy David Minchin
Born	(1975-10-07) 7 October 1975 (age 36) Northampton, England, UK[1]
Nationality	Australian, British
Years active	2002–present
Genres	Comedy music
Spouse	Sarah Minchin 2001–present (2 children)
Website	timminchin.com

Timothy David "Tim" Minchin^[2] (born 7 October 1975 in Northampton, England)^[1] is an Australian-British comedian, actor, and musician.

Tim Minchin is best known for his musical comedy, which has featured in six CDs, three DVDs and a number of live comedy shows which he has performed internationally. He has also appeared on television in Australia, Britain and the United States. After growing up in Perth, Western Australia, he attended the University of Western Australia and WAAPA before moving to Melbourne in 2002. His breakout show, "Dark Side", launched him into the public eye, achieving critical success at the 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.^[3]

Minchin has a background in theatre and has appeared in various stage productions, in addition to some small acting roles on Australian TV. A documentary film about Minchin, Rock N Roll Nerd (directed by Rhian Skirving), was released theatrically in 2008 ^[4] and broadcast by ABC1 in 2009.^[5] He is the co-writer of the Olivier Award winning hit musical Matilda the Musical, based on the Roald Dahl book Matilda.

Personal life[link]

Minchin was born in Northampton, UK, to Australian parents^[1] and raised in Perth, Western Australia.^[6] He was educated at the private Christ Church Grammar School and started learning piano at the age of eight, but gave it up after three years because he did not enjoy the discipline. He redeveloped an interest in the instrument after he started writing music with his brother Dan Minchin, a guitarist, but still describes himself as a "hack pianist... a 'more you practise, the better you get' kind of guy".^[7] Minchin graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Theatre, and in 1998 completed an Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.^[8]

He currently lives in London with his wife, Sarah.^[9] They have two children: a daughter, Violet, and a son, Caspar.^[10] Minchin often refers to his relationships in his songs and stand-up routines.

Musical comedy[link]

Minchin playing the piano on stage

Minchin describes his act as a "funny cabaret show" and sees himself primarily as a musician and songwriter as opposed to a comedian; his songs, he says, "just happen to be funny."^[11] His reasoning for combining the disciplines of music and comedy was revealed in one interview when he said "I'm a good musician for a comedian and I'm a good comedian for a musician but if I had to do any of them in isolation I dunno."^[12]

He draws on his background in theatre for his distinctive onstage appearance and persona.^[6] In his performances, he typically goes barefoot with wild hair and heavy eye makeup, which is juxtaposed with a crisp suit and tails, and a grand piano. According to Minchin, he likes going barefoot in his shows because it makes him feel more comfortable. He considers the eye makeup important because while he is playing the piano he is not able to use his arms and relies on his face for expressions and gestures; the eyeliner makes his features more distinguishable for the audience.^[7] Much of his look and persona, he says, are about "treading that line between mocking yourself and wanting to be an iconic figure. Mocking the ridiculousness and completely unrealistic dream of being an iconic figure."^[13] The eccentric appearance removes Minchin from reality somewhat, allowing him to make outrageous statements onstage "without annoying (most) people." ^[14]

The shows consist largely of Minchin's comedic songs and poetry, with subjects ranging from social satire to inflatable dolls, sex fetishes, and his own failed rock star ambitions. In between songs, he performs short stand-up routines.^[11] Several of his songs deal with religion, a subject with which Minchin—an atheist and a fan of Richard Dawkins—says he is "a bit obsessed."^[15] He argues that as one of the most powerful and influential forces in the world, religion should never be off-limits to satirists. He says that his favourite song to perform is "Peace Anthem for Palestine", which reflects his feelings about religious conflict.^[16] In October 2010 he was made a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association. His comedy also deals with taboos more broadly.^[17] A prime example of this is the song "Prejudice" which parodies the power awarded to something as simple as a word.

Early career (1998–2007)[link]

After completing an Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Music in 1998, Minchin started out composing music for documentaries and theatre. In 2000 he wrote and starred in the musical Pop at the Blue Room Theatre in Perth.^[18] He released a CD titled Sit with his band Timmy the Dog in 2001, but achieved little success.^[19] In 2002, after only one professional acting job, he moved from Perth to Melbourne to pursue work.^[20] Minchin struggled initially; he could not get an agent for a year and had been unable to find any acting work.^[19] While several record companies gave him positive feedback, they were not sure how his music—a mixture of satirical songs and more serious pop songs—could be marketed. He decided to compile all of his humorous songs into a single live show to "get the comedy stuff off [his] chest" before going back to more serious music.^[21]

Minchin says he entered into comedy "naively", having never even attended a live comedy gig before performing one himself.^[15] His break-out show, Darkside (co-produced by Laughing Stock Productions), achieved critical success at the 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where it won the inaugural Festival Directors' Award and attracted the notice of Karen Koren, the manager of the well-known Gilded Balloon venues.^[22] Koren backed the show's run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where Minchin received the Perrier Comedy Award for Best Newcomer.^[6][23] His 2006 show, So Rock, was nominated for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's top prize, the Barry Award, and in 2007 he was given the award for Best Alternative Comedian at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival.^[11][24]

Live recordings of his 2005 and 2006 shows, Darkside and So Rock, have been released as CDs. In 2007, he released a DVD entitled So Live, featuring a live recording in the Sydney Opera House Studio with material from both of his previous shows.^[13] As this DVD was only released in Australia, he released a DVD in 2008 entitled So F**king Rock Live in the UK, containing largely the same material as So Live.

[edit] Ready for This? (2008–2010)

In August 2008 Minchin debuted his third solo show, Ready for This?, at the Edinburgh Fringe and subsequently took it on tour across the UK. During the Edinburgh run, he contributed to The Guardian newspaper's podcasts,^[25] despite his new show containing a song about a Guardian critic who once gave his show a negative review.^[26][27]

A recording of this show, recorded live at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London was released as an album for download via iTunes on 20 July 2009. An Australian recording was released on DVD, solely in Australia on 9 September 2009^[28] and a UK release in the second half of 2010.^[29]

In December 2009, the track "White Wine in the Sun" was released as a downloadable single online. Fans on Minchin's official forum launched a campaign to get this festive track into the UK Christmas charts by purchasing it from various online download retailers.^[30] A Facebook group was also launched to support the campaign^[31] as well as a drive on Twitter in which celebrities were contacted about the campaign and a succession of e-mails to radio DJs in a bid to get them to play the song. It was later announced that 50% of the December profits from the song would be donated to The National Autistic Society.^[32] The bid was ultimately unsuccessful.^[33]

It was announced at the end of 2009 that one of Minchin's beat poems, Storm, was to be made into a short animated movie to be released in 2010.^{[dated info][34]} A blog was launched to accompany the film-making process and a short trailer was released on 8 January 2010.^[35] The full movie was launched on YouTube on 7 April 2011.^[36]

He performed Ready for This? for what he envisages as the final time on 27 February 2010 in Sydney.^[37] He did however perform a set at The Big Libel Gig on 14 March 2010 in protest at Britain's libel laws, along with other performers including Dara Ó Briain, Marcus Brigstocke, Shappi Khorsandi, Robin Ince and Ed Byrne. As well as this, he performed at Camp Bestival as part of the Jestival Sessions in July 2010.^[38]

Minchin was the subject of the winning entry in the 2010 Archibald Prize, Australia's most important portraiture competition. The winning entry was painted by Sam Leach.^[39][40]

[edit] Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra (2010–2011)

Minchin embarked on a new arena tour starting with Birmingham on Wednesday 8 December 2010. A departure from the structure of his previous live shows, his act has been scaled up to be performed with the Heritage Orchestra. It contains a mixture of material: there are new songs on the subject of prayer and of rationality — themes which often appear in his previous work. Minchin has stated that the aim of incorporating the orchestra into his act is to create a comedy show that would not be ruined by being performed in arenas, as stated in the special features of the DVD and Blu-ray. The show is touring the UK and Australia. It was filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in London for a Blu-ray and DVD that was released in November 2011.^[41]

Television and radio[link]

Tim Minchin has made appearances on Australian TV shows, including the ABC's Spicks and Specks,^[42] and The Sideshow,^[43]. He has also made appearances on Network Ten's panel shows Good News Week (February 2010)^[44] and Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation (March 2010).^[45]

Minchin has also appeared on various British radio and television shows, including the BBC's Never Mind the Buzzcocks (four times, once as guest host),^[46] BBC Radio 4's Mark Watson Makes the World Substantially Better^[47] and two specials on BBC Radio 2. He often performs on his TV appearances, such as his spots on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in October 2009 and July 2010.^[48] He performed a specially-written song entitled "Five Poofs and Two Pianos", a parody of the show's house band, 4 Poofs and a Piano. Minchin also appeared as a special guest on the 2009 edition of The Big Fat Quiz of the Year performing a song written for the show ("It's Like 1984") in reference to a question regarding Google Street View.^[49] On Saturday 13 August 2011 Minchin hosted Prom 40: the first BBC Comedy Promenade Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. He appeared on Desert Island Discs on 6 May 2012.^[50]

A heavily cut-down version of the show released on DVD as So F**king Rock Live has aired several times on British TV channel E4, first on 23 July 2009.^[51] It aired at the turn of 2011, forming E4's New Year's coverage.^[52]

On 8 May 2010, Minchin's musical sitcom pilot Strings was broadcast on BBC Radio 2. Minchin plays the protagonist Jonny, who leaves Australia to live in the UK.^[53] Well received as it was by Radio 2, he decided against creating a full series. ^[54]

In January 2011, Minchin made his American television debut on TBS's Conan, where he performed "Inflatable You".^[55] On 12 May 2011, he performed "If I Didn't Have You" on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and on 7 June 2011 Minchin made his second appearance on Conan, singing "Prejudice".^[56] Minchin made his third appearance on Conan on 9 April 2012, singing his "3-Minute Song".

In December 2011 Minchin performed a specially written song called "Woody Allen Jesus" ^[57] on The Jonathan Ross Show. However, despite the show's producers and ITV's lawyers approving the composition for broadcast it was removed at the last minute. Responding on his blog, Minchin stated:^[58] "[...] Someone got nervous and sent the tape to ITV's director of television, Peter Fincham. And Peter Fincham demanded that I be cut from the show. He did this because he's scared of the ranty, shit-stirring, right-wing press, and of the small minority of Brits who believe they have a right to go through life protected from anything that challenges them in any way."^[59]

Acting and theatre[link]

Minchin's background is in theatre and he has appeared in various stage productions. His most recent dramatic theatrical performance was in the title role for the 2006 Perth Theatre Company production of Amadeus, a fictional play about the downfall of Mozart at the hands of the reigning court composer.^[19] His other stage acting roles have included the title role in the 2004 Perth Theatre Company / Hoopla production of Hamlet, and The Writer in the original PTC production of Reg Cribb’s The Return. He has also acted for The Australian Shakespeare Company (Twelfth Night), the Black Swan Theatre Company (Cosi, One Destiny) and in various other plays, short films and TVC’s. Roles from his days in musical theatre include Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha and Pontius Pilate (and understudying Judas twice) in Jesus Christ Superstar. He has also appeared playing small parts on the ABC telemovie Loot and on the show Comedy Inc..^[60]

Minchin also plays the role of Tom, in the contemporary family drama Two Fists, One Heart,^[61] released 19 March 2009.^[62] He also wrote the song Drowned for the film's soundtrack.^[63]

He co-wrote an Olivier Award winning musical version of Roald Dahl's novel Matilda – entitled Matilda, A Musical – with Dennis Kelly and the Royal Shakespeare Company, which is produced by the RSC. It showed at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon running from 9 November 2010 to 30 January 2011^[64] and began its West End run at the Cambridge Theatre on 25 October 2011 to great critical acclaim.^[65][66]

Minchin has been cast to play Judas in the Summer 2012 UK tour of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar.^[67]

Atheism and skepticism[link]

In an interview with IIG member John Rael, Minchin explains that what upsets him most about paranormal beliefs is "special pleading" by people who say vague things such as "there is no harm in it". Minchin states that there is very little harm in something like reiki, but asks "where do you draw the line?" when it comes to needing real evidence if a therapy works or not. He states that he is an atheist as well as a skeptic, and cannot understand how someone can call themself a skeptic and still be religious. "If you apply doubt to anything...the whole religion thing is obviously a fantasy." ^[68]

In his beat poem, Storm, which centres on Minchin having an argument with a "hippie" who believes in various New Age alternatives in lieu of pharmaceutical medicine, he states: "Science adjusts its views based on what's observed. Faith is the denial of observation, so that belief can be preserved." ^[69]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Sit (with band Timmy the Dog) (2001)
• Darkside (2005)
• So Rock (2006)
• Ready For This? (2009)
• Live at the O2 (2010)
• Tim Minchin and The Heritage Orchestra (2011)

Singles[link]

• "Drowned" (2008)
• "White Wine in the Sun" (2009)
• "The Pope Song" (2010) - As a free download from his website^[70]
• "The Fence" (2011)

Compilations[link]

• Laugh-a-poolooza (featured artist) (2005)

DVD[link]

• So Live (2007) Australian DVD
• So F**king Rock Live (also known as So Fucking Rock Live)^[71] (11 October 2008)
• So F**king Rock Live (Special Edition) (also known as So Fucking Rock Live (Special Edition)) (5 October 2009)
• Ready For This? (29 November 2010)
• Tim Minchin and the Heritage Orchestra (14 November 2011)

Filmography[link]

Actor[link]

• 2008 – Two Fists, One Heart – Tom^[72]
• 2010 – The Lost Thing – The Boy (Voice)^[73]
• 2013 - Californication - Coked-up Rock Star(Guest)^[74]

Awards[link]

• 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Directors' Choice Award for Dark Side^[75]
• 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Perrier Comedy Award, Best Newcomer^[23]
• 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Groggy Squirrel Critics' Award^[76]
• 2007 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, Best Alternative Act^[77]
• 2009 Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performer ^[78]
• 2009 Green Room Awards, Cabaret: Best Original Songs^[79]
• 2009 Green Room Awards, Cabaret: Best Artiste^[79]
• 2010 Chortle Awards, Best Music or Variety Act ^[80]
• 2012 Olivier Awards: Best New Musical for Matilda The Musical ^[81]

References[link]