MyOccasion

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Today I walked across Pyrmont Bridge, spent 20 minutes in the National Maritime Museum, then rode in the Ferry back to the Quay. My mind needed something to clear it.

It seemed to work. The technical problem, which has stopped me webposting this page since 15th February 2005, is solved. So this I post shortly. My writing did continue, inanely, pointlessly. - But now there is purpose in those words. Up to a point, Lord Copper [quote].

Easter [noun]: Originally, in the ancestral Germanic language, a certain Goddess.

Last night I was up until just after 3.00am, working hard at manipulating possessions, both actual & virtual in to some order. The sun me awake with not much more than three hours sleep. After little progress, I went in to town, which meant I spent over an hour walking between shops checking DVD prices, punctuated only by brief stop for a Cappucino plus Friand [five dollars]. In the end, I bought two movie DVDs: "Pulp" from 1971, starring Michael Caine & Mickey Rooney; "Time Bandits" from , starring John Cleese & Sean Connery. The first was $13.00 and the second, $9.00. All that walking saved me a solitary Australian Dollar off the price of each, but it was good for my health. Yet my eyes were itchy & my temper irritable all the while, albeit I managed not to snap at anyone.

Soon after arriving home, I lay down to rest for awhile. I fell asleep for no more than half an hour. However, this small somnambulance made all the difference. On awakening I felt fine!

Lasy night, on a whim, frustrated with slow progress I suppose, I just went out, to clear my head with a different air. I took a bus to Sydney Cove; the ferry to Cockle Bay, via Milsons Point & McMahons Point; walked to Town Hall; then a train home. As I walked up the second escalator out of the subterranean depths of Kings Cross Railway Station, it suddenly dawned on me that I had forgotten the Wednesday Student Concert at the Conservatorium of Music. My unspoken thought was: "Damn!". Well, they were very good last week.

Around noon today, I went to Mascot: train to Martin Place; 310 bus to Mascot. There was this memory scrap in my head that there was a retailer of rare videos in DVDs in King Street, Mascot. But while I found the said street, I found not the said retailer. So a 310 bus back.

At Waterloo, a 50 year old Koori with a didgeridoo, got on the bus. He was a very social man. After about three seconds he asked both me & the man in the facing seat, where we came from. I answered briefly. At first I was rather brief in my answers. After all, I was much longer out than I expected, and this annoyed me. But his natural good humour won me other. Soon I knew his age; his health history; that he was going busking so he could buy food today; tomorrow being Good Friday with shops closed; that he never took illegal drugs, but liked beer & cigarettes. The "beer" took off. He liked VB. I said they called that "Green Death" in North Queensland. Then to Queensland beer; how weak American beer is; French Beer; German Beer; Bavarian Beer; Belgium Beer. Upon which, he said that he had once lived in Antwerp, "but they call it Antwerpen". I had no doubt that he was telling the truth. But we were at Central, and this is were I was alighting.

Train to Town Hall. Much quicker than the bus. It avoids the heavy city traffic. Then I broused JB-Hi-Fi. Soon out. HMV. Here there was one target: The Persuaders, Volumes 1-3 [10 episodes] for $30.00. I liked the episodes I have seen in Volumes 4-7, I just had to have the companion volume. This is a really classy British spoof of the TV Spy/Thriller genre.

After cooking a surprising amount, upon arriving home, it was soon out to Angel Place. This time, I pressed the right switch on the VCR remote, so I arrived in due time.

"Mozart In The City" - The Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

... ... ... ... ... ... ...

7.00pm at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney.

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Il re pastore, K.208: Overture.

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The four works tonight were all unfamiliar to me, so any background I give is from the programme. This first work is an Overture to a "Serenada", a short Opera to impress the Nobility. But so that he use it again as a stand alone work, Mozart added an ending, as originally the Overture had given way immediately to an Aria. He seems to have objected to any composition of his being used only once!

The Overture has the typical characteristics of a Mozart Overture; yet is distinct in itself. That the music is good, and likewise the playing, is given due weight by the clear disppointment of myself & others about me, that it was only four minutes long. It was over almost as soon as it had begun.

The Orchestra was used the Early Classical String Orchestra, plus Timpani, and pairs of wind & brass. My mind went blank before the end of the Concert, about which actual breathing instruments were used, except that I remembered the Trumpets. Then the French Horns came back. And I knew there was one more pair, which was either Flutes or Oboes. I talked to the woman who sat next to me on the way out, and she said they were Oboes. Odd that I should forget, but in my defense I will add that the wind & brass was understated, essentially a Continuo.

Edvard Grieg - Two Elgaic Melodies, Op.34
Hjertsår (The Wounded Heart) & Våren (Spring).

These are two songs that Grieg wrote, which he later transcribed for String Orchestra, which latter form is what we heard tonight. This is Grieg at his best! And it was wonderfully played tonight. "Hjertsår" has a beautifully tragic melancholy. "Våren" is lighter & more cheerful, yet there is still an underlying deep & troubled sadness. It was very moving. There is much more to Grieg than "Anitra's Dance".

Aaron Copeland - Quiet City.

Copeland is a composer whose work, I either enjoy, or it leaves me rather cold. Tonight I gave it the thumbs up. This is an elegant piece: with a smooth, flowing charm. The Orchestra used was the Strings, backed with Wind & Brass, which included, this being a 20th century work, a Tuba.

The Solo is by Trumpet & Cor Anglais. Sometimes they each played a Solo in rotation. At other times they played a Duet Solo (if I may say that). The Cor Anglais, is one of the least used Wind instruments in a Sympony Orchestra. It has the appearance of a very long Oboe, with a bulge at the bottom, while the sound is essentially that of a Bass Oboe, a deep mellow melodic sound.

Daniel Mendelow played the Trumpet; Alexandre Oguey the Cor Anglais. Oguey's biography shows a long history as a distinguished Oboe player in Europe. Only when he moved to Australia in 1997, does he appear as a Cor Anglais player. When I read this, while waiting for the train home, I felt it confirmed my view of the Cor Anglais. Both Soloists are Principals in the Orchestra, and there ability clearly showed in the fluent proficiency of their performance.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony in D
from the Serenade K.250 (Haffner Serenade).

This Serenade was originally of nine movements. But the enerprising Mozart later removed the three Violin solo movements, and compressed the other six movements into a five movement Symphony. A Serenade in those times was generally only played once, so naturally young Mozart wished to get more milage out of this excellent piece of composing. It is a wonderful work, which was superbly played.

The same String Orchestra was used as in the earlier Mozart work. Again the percussion was just Timpani. But now we had five pairs of Wind & Brass: audience left to right, back row - French Horns; Bassoons; Trumpets; audience left to right, the row in front - Flutes; Oboes.

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The "Mozart In The City"series has four concerts, all with the Orchestra in Chamber mode. Last year, I thought that the audience was much smaller than the quality of the performances deserved, especially since each concert is a once only. And again tonight, it was only about two-thirds full, which is probably even less than last year. Mind you, those who were there showed their appreciation with the strength of their applause, which was clearly driven by pleasure received, & not by obligation.

There is the question of it being Maundy Thursday, with many people surely away for the long weekend. There is also the clash with the Sydney Philharmonia Choir, performing Johann Sebastian Bach at the Eugene Goosens Hall in Ultimo. Also, perhaps some object to paying for a concert a mere hour long. However, in resonse to this I would add that quality is everything! And one does not miss sleep for friday work. That is unless, like me, you are on holidays.

...

We were on the street just after 8.00pm. I spent a few minutes talking to the lady who sat next to me. We had the same seats last year. Then as I walked up Martin Place, I passed many people carrying musical instrument cases. When I arrived home, I was able to catch the last twenty minutes of the live broadcast of the Sydney Philharmonia Choir concert. The Three Budgies had heard that entire broadcast, & by their demeanour they had indeed enjoyed it.

The winds lashed even more dramatically this morning, before the hidden rising of the unseen sun. I know, as the panic flying of two Budgies woke me up. The cause was the unusually energetic contortions of the tree branches, with the leaves at times actually hitting the window pane, which is at no small distance from their usual position.

<<<<<<<- Rightly the ancient Aryans believed the Soul on Death became a Bird!->>>>>>>

~9.50am - Rushcutters Bay Park, light drizzle: Firstly I saw dozens of Leaden Flycatchers, feeding on the wing. They were making long sweeps across the grass, mostly at from ankle to knee height. The feeding must have been good, as they often gave little shrieks of joy. The long sweeps frequently crossed the path I walked along, and one Leaden Flycatcher was so unconcerned, as to fly past my ankle at a distance of only ~10 centimetres.

Under the trees, to my left, several Indian Mynas were on a leisurely stroll, looking for food in a most unhurried way. To my right, on a very damp grass covered field, there were about a dozen Silver Gulls, mostly just standing around. Every so often, one would arrive, or one would leave. Now and then a squabble would break out, but more noise than actual violence. Few flock Birds are quite so ungracious to their fellows, as the Silver Gull is.

Soon I arrived down at the Harbour, at the place where the concrete lined stream enters it. There is a barrier across the mouth in a long curve, to catch floating rubbish. Beyond the sea wall, but still inside the barrier, were a family of Ducks: two adults & two half grown young. They were brown speckled, and I do not think that they were the introduced Mallards.

Resident on the barrier, beside several Silver Gulls, were a family of Commorants or Shags: two adults & three half grown young. They were standing there silently, with wings folded. One parent had its beak on its back, presumably having a nap. The other parent, after some minutes, flapped its wings a couple of times, then leisurely slid into the water and paddled about nearby. The children just stood there. They must have been on the barrier for some time, for when a Shag first comes out of the water, it hangs its wings out to dry.

Shortly after I arrived, the Leaden Flycatchers came in twos and threes to sip water on the wing. This was done by flying at a low level across the surface, then a quick descent, a rapid gulp, and back to cruise level. There were drinking within the barrier, but beyond the sea wall. So the water there must be essentially fresh.

At this point, two Crows flew across from the north-west. They were immediately set upon by the Indian Mynas, who appeared in the air all of a sudden, with an astonishing alteration from langour to wild aggression, and a steely determination to drive the intruders away. This was achieved by each Myna flying just behind a Crow's head and loudly shrieking in its ear. I am sure this is extremely irritating! The Crows seemed to think so, as soon they disappeared. The flight manouvres of the small Mynas are very adroit, and the comparitively clumsy Crows can do nothing in return. One may almost feel sorry for the poor big black birds, harrassed as they are at every turn. But there is very good reason for this. Crows are easily the most notorious fledgling & egg thiefs.

I continued on my way, taking a path to my left, across the short bridge, which traverses the stream. Here to my right, close to the sea wall, a Magpie Currawong was on the ground, quietly feeding. Worms commonly come to the ground surface on wet overcast days. Further along the shore, a Pelican was quietly resting on the sea surface. And around me were still more of the delightful Leaden Flycatchers. Any bird which greedily eats mosquitoes & sandflies is a fast friend of mine!

[n.b. This is Sydney in New South Wales, Australia; not Sydney in Nova Scotia, Canada.]

...

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The Crypt of Saint Mary's Cathedral is a place I had never been in; albeit I had observed parts of it from the floor of the Cathedral, whilst leaning over the stone balustrade which corners off those stairs leading down into the Crypt. Tonight for the Concert, the audience entered through the eastern entrance of the Crypt, which is at ground level, due to the Cathedral being raised above the mere level of mortals. Actually I felt somewhat cheated, as I feel it in my inner soul, that a Crypt should be descended into, not merely walked in from the ground surface.

Yet the Crypt itself is impressive: a low stone roof, curved downwards towards its myriad of pillars; with all about the tombs of the Pope's underlings. "No Poppery" is certainly a cry which resonates within my nature, as a matter of principle; myself being of a true Northern European stock. Be that as it may, my Gothic inclinations find a Gothic Cathedral - Crypt and all, except, sadly, no Spire - to be a most irresistible edifice!

The Gods must have been with me! For although my departure was delayed until 6.32pm, with the Concert starting at 7.00pm, I was still able to arrive early at 6.50pm. I had pressed the wrong button on the VCR remote: the "record" rather than the "off". This rather obliged me to stay until the end of Doctor Who, so I could switch it off. With my new Digital Television, I am not quite au fais.

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... ... ...

.St Mary's Cathedral Presents

A CONCERT OF SACRED BAROQUE MUSIC.
FOR HOLY WEEK.
ON THE BIRTHDAY OF J.S. BACH.
21st March 2005.

[The above is how it appeared on the programme, in font & colour, as closely as I could elucidate!]

7.00pm in the Crypt, Saint Mary's Cathedral [Roman Catholic].

... ... ...

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The Artists

Soloists:

Soprani:

Tanith Bryce & Wei Jiang.1

Counet Tenor:

Timothy Chung.

Tenor:

Jason Clayton.

Baritone:

Cameron Hissey.

Bass:

Kurt Ison.

Ensemble:

Organist:

Peter Kneeshaw.

Viola da Gamba:

Jennifer Eriksen, Kathy Tabrett.

Baroque Violincello:

Karella Mitchell.

Oboes/Cor Anglais:

Diana Craig, Elizabeth Nurthan.

Flute:

Kellie Grennan.

Recorder:

Karen Carey, Sue Christie.

Chamber Choir:	Soprani:	Tanith Bryce, Jermaine Chau,
		Julia Pitt-Owen, Wei Jiang.

	Counter-Tenors:	Phillip Butterworth,
		Timothy Chung

Tenors:

Eric Petersen, Benjamin Loomes.

	Bass:	Timothy Robertson, Rodney Smith,
		Francis Vierboom.

BACH-BACH BACH-BACH BACH-BACH BACH-BACH BACH-BACH BACH-BACH

The programme also gave Cameron Hissey as a Tenor in the Choir,
but I cannot see how he can be a Baritone Soloist & a Tenor in the Choir.

BACH-BACH BACH-BACH BACH-BACH BACH-BACH BACH-BACH BACH-BACH

Gregorio Allegri - Psalm 51 (Misere).

This is a voices only work. It got off on the wrong foot, according to my ear, with two voices not where they should be on the first note. But after then I perceived no problems with the singing. It did flow well; being a very good work of this kind, without, however, having any particular features that would allow one like me, who is ignorant of the technical aspects of such works of this genre, to distinguish it from similar very good works of such ilk.

It also solved my mental query as to the acoustics. The heavy stone ceiling is rather repressingly low, as it should be in a good Crypt. No worries. The acoustics are very good. Too good perhaps, for we heard loudly & clearly the plastic chairs still being set out as the singing began. The chairs continued to be so roughly placed, at every halt in the performance, until almost the end of the concert. Also, rustling of the paper programmes, coughing, adjusting of chairs, indiscreet rude whispering & movement of feet all came through likewise, loudly & sadly clearly, into the infinitely more heavenly & harmonic noise, which emanated from the unraised stage.

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J.S. Bach - Excerpt from the Passion According to St. John.

The excerpts were a Chorale Prelude; Chorale;
Recetitive; Alto Solo; Evangelist; Soprano Solo; Chorale.

There were unfortunate ancient times, when a Catholic Cathedral would not tolerate a Lutheran work. But gladly such times are buried. Rightly so too, for the birthday boy could certainly compose!

We had instruments coming in here, but not all of them. There was a Cello; plus various Wind, which included a clear sound of an Oboe. Where I was, it being some way back & there being level seating & an unraised stage.

The Chorale singing went without blemish. The Alto Solo was actually sung by a Counter-Tenor. Everything was going fine, with the one exceptin that the number of intruments being small, at times the instruments were rther overwhelmed by the Voices.

The Soprano Solo is really Double Solo for Soprano & Flute. The way Bach intertwines these two "instruments" is sheer genius; and tonight's performance was beautiful indeed.

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J.S. Bach - Excerpt from the Passion According to St Matthew - Bass Aria.

This was sweet to the ear. A strong bass voice has a warm deep resonance, analogous to a mellow mature smoke flavour in food.

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J.S. Bach - Cantata No. 106 (Actus Tragicus)
Gottes Zeit ist Die Allerbeste Zeit.

Sonatina; Chorus; Tenor Solo; Bass Solo; Chorus;
Alto Solo; Baritone Solo, then Alti Chorus; Chorale.

Now for the first time this evening, we had the full Orchestra. The tuning of the Violas da Gamba took much longer than the other instruments. But this is what one expects of this instrument. As the Director said when they were finally tuned: "It takes a long time to tune a Viola da Gamba, but it's worth it." I definitely agree, as this contrary intrument has a melodic melancholy sound, which has a higher pitched sound than the four stringed flat necked Cello, which the six-stringed round necked Viola da Gamba. The latter also differs in that the bow is held "backhand".

A second announcement was that the Tenor, Jason Clayton had died on friday night. But the Director left the Tenor's name on the programme as a mark of respect, even though the Tenor Solo would not be sung this night.

This was very moving, both relaxing and uplifting as the once. With the full Orchestra playing, the power of the voices was balanced by that of the instruments. The Recorders played a very prominant role in the Sonatina, such that they were virtually Double Soloists.

When you find no fault with the performance of a composition, it makes it hard to write at length. A flaw can be explained; but when there is none, one can hardly pile superlative on superlative, as this just diminshes the words to triviality. It was sweet to the ear, and that is that.

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Afet the concert, I talked a few minutes with the couple beside me, about Violas da Gamba, Baroque Recorders and so on. Before departing, I stood some minutes under the arches outside the eastern entrance to the Crypt, stone of course, until the light rain eased to a misty drizzle.

The Digital TV Set Beside Box is finally set up properly. It runs through the Box to the VCR and then the TV set. All three must be switched on for it to work, but when they are, what a picture. Seeing is believing! To use the DVD player, I need to move a plug from the VCR to it, but this a very small problem.

I was driven to Digital Television through utter frustration at poor reception. This is due to a rather taller building being placed between the one I live in and the direction of the television signal; not that it helps that we are over the lip of a hill as well. It still amaxes me that a non-digital aerial, which had some much trouble providing a half decent analogue signal, can provide a good digital signal!

Squids are most remarkable in the way that they can change their skin colour; waves of colour rolling along their length in rapid time. It is their way of communication to each other.

This evening I listened to the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra's "Four Seasons" concert, which I was at, at the end of last month. Although this was recorded at the same concert given the following week. Even on a radio of less than best reception, it sounded very good. The Budgies certainly enjoyed it, if their happy noise is any indiction.

I made it to the Conservatorium of Music on time. Sadly, the woman in front of me took the last programme. As there were no announcements during the Lunchbreak Concert, I thus had no idea as to whom the Singers were, until after the Concert. However, some people put their programmes back on the stand after it ended, & so I was able to obtain one in the end.

The woman who was in front of the woman who took the last programme, took five of them. I sat on the right hand side of the Verbruggen Hall. That same five-taker was seated several rows behind me. I soon remembered that she was also here last year; as, like last year, she often broke into loud commentary to her quieter neighbours, between the two songs of each singer. Twice, her delight in her own raucous vocals delayed a singer singing.

...

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Lunchbreak Concerts - Sydney Conservatorium Of Music.

1.10pm at the Verbruggen Hall at the Conservatorium.

...

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I wish to make it very clear, that I am utterly unqualified as a judge of anything to do with singing, especially in the classical tradition. I have had no real musical training, and while as a child I apparently sang well enough for a Central Queensland school choir, since my voice broke I have overwhelmingly confined my singing to the shower. I can only come close to higher notes of songs, which require a voice with some reasonable range, by changing key. Even with my musical ignorance, I am well aware this should not be done; not even in the shower!

Nonetheless, I have listened to a lot of good voices in action, and on this basis, I compare. Yet, I feel no emnity towards those who may disagree. The desire to give an opinion, but to feel no great angst, if it is contradicted, is the result of natural instinct, and a tertiary geological education.

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Adam Player [tenor] [with pianist Lindsay Gilroy]

"The Infinite Shining Heavens" & "Bright is the Ring of Words"
from Vaughan William's cycle, Songs of Travel.

A competent and lively performance. However, I did notice that his voice faded very noticeably on a high note during the second song. His voice does need to develop a greater strength.

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Katherine Connor [soprano] [with pianist Lindsay Gilroy]

"Er, der Herrlichste von allen" & "Du ring an meinem finger"
from Robert Schubert's cycle, Frauenliebe und Leben, opus 42.

Very good. The voice could be stronger, but that should come with time.

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Matthew Willis [tenor] [with pianist Jeanell Carrigan]

"Midnight on the Great Western" & "Before Life and After"
from Benjamin Britten's cycle, Winter Words.

The first song was the longest in the Concert. While it was capably performed, I had a perception that Willis was taking it cautiously. The second, much shorter song, was performed with much more emotional power, and came across rather the better.

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Lucinda Mirikata Deakin [soprano] [with pianist Jeanell Carrigan]

"Schilflied" & "Die Nachtigall"
from Alban Berg's cycle, Sieben Frühe Leider.

It was immediately clear that her voice was very powerful, much more so than those of the previous singers. She sang beautifully, with a dynamic self-confidence.

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Andrei Laptev [tenor] [with pianist Jeanell Carrigan]

"At the ball" & "Spring"
by P.J. Tchaikovsky.

While these songs were well performed, I felt that his voice could have been stronger. I suspect it must be a terror for those students with still developing voices, to sing next to those, whose voices seem to be almost mature.

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Laura Chapple [mezza-soprano] [with pianist Natalie Ricci]

"Earling in the morning" & "Youth, Day, Old Age and Night"
by Ned Rorem.

She sang well, but her voice needs further strength. However, her diction was excellent. Every single word I heard and clearly understood, which impressed me no end.

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Simone Easthope [soprano] [with pianist Lindsay Gilroy]

"Frülingsmorgen" & "Hans und Grethe"
by Gustav Mahler.

She is almost slightly built, but she approached her performance with considerable self-confidence. Her voice is wonderful. The full range of emotion of the song's meaning was exhibited. It was an operatic performance, rather than just songs. At times, her voice was very quiet, but her projection was such that she could be easily heard. At the other end of the range of volume, she proved capable of an astonishing & very musical loudness! I was quite blown away!

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Sam Roberts-Smith [baritone] [with pianist David Miller]

"Chanson Romanesque" & "Chanson á boire"
From Maurice Ravel's cycle, Don Quixote A Dulcinee.

Another confident approach. The body language was all of an ease. The voice was very rich & deep & sonorous. Again there was the emotion of the work in the voice; operatic singing, rather than just singing well. During the second song, a woman to my right, in the gallery, who could clearly understand French, burst out laughing. Then, at the end of the song, all the women in that section of the gallery broke out into cheers & applause. Now! That must be most excellent for a young singer's confidence and ego!

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After the concert, I was waiting to cross Macquarie Street, when I heard the sound indicating a green light. My foot stepped out. Then I realised, that the sound was for the crossing behind me, while in front, the traffic was still flowing. Immediately I withdrew my foot. A woman to my right had pirouetted precisely the same as I had. This situation we both found amusing. Then we talked about the concert. While I was unfamiliar with all the singers, she had previously heard Simone Easthope. We both agreed that her voice is superb, and has astonishing strength. This is especially so, as she is slightly built. The woman to my right was somewhat surprised that she had not come across Sam Roberts-Smith before. Again we agreed, that he not only has an excellent voice and acting qualities, but also, quite obviously, a clear attraction to women. I suggested he would make a good Don Giovanni, with which she heartily agreed. Our paths parted near the Museum of Sydney.

When I came home, on a strangely calm determination, I set to getting my new set beside box correctly wired to have it connected through the VCR. Mostly this was done through cool logic. However, the last key thing was just a wild guess: Maybe I press this button? Well, it worked!

The DVD I keep separate. I merely unplug the video cord from the VCR & insert it in the DVD Player. All this electrical equipment with all these cords going everywhere is really inexpensive. How right "A Clockwork Orange" was in that regard about the then future.

This evening, at the Quarterly Meeting of the CCLA, I learned that Paul Saver had died on 13 days ago. This saddened me greatly, for while I had never met him, I had played him in some five correspondence chess games, the first twenty years ago. He was a Chess Master, and my good record against him was all down to an unusually generous good fortune.

Earlier in the afternoon I purchased a set beside box: digitally compressed television. It is Standard Definition, and $138.00 is a lower enough price for me. Yet while I was able to get the "box" connected to the TV, I could not get the VCR correctly in a triple sequence. The wonders of modern technology!

It was an insistent whim that got me there. I intended to stay only ~3 hours, but this extended to ~5 hours, misbegotten retro creature that I am. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

The key to this meeting was playing those Doctor Who episodes which rated the lowest for each Doctor & for each decade: Episode 3 of "Castrovalva" - Davidson Era; Episode 4 of "The City Of Death" - Tom Baker Era; Epiosde 3 of "Inferno" - Pertwee Era & 1970s; Episode 8 of "The War Games" - Troughton Era & 1960s. And there were some screenings I missed. But I did see "The Curse OF Fatal Death", which is a clever comic interpretation of the good Doctor.

Although these Episodes rated the worst, they were not, in my view, "artisticially" the worst .

Weakness gripped my brain. I bought the Cybermen Box Set for $60.00, which contains videos of "The Attack Of The Cybermen" [Colin Baker Era] & "The Tenth Planet" [Hartnell Era] & the video "Planet OF The Daleks" [Pertwee Era] for $28.00. I have long sought "The Tenth Planet", for reasons which may well make no coherent sense.

There was a "mystery guest", who was very interesting. He is one of the writers of the new Doctor Who. I have some notes somewhere. ... Somewhere.

...

"Poetic Tchaikovsky" - The Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

8.00pm at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

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Conductor: Gianluigi Gelmetti.

Soloist: Joaquin Achùcarro.

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[Once more I was seated in the front row, in seat D33, which I so love. I saw but little of the
Wind, Brass & Percussion. But the Soloist was right there in front of me. And I heard all.]

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Piotr Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto Number One.

The arrival of this great Basque Pianist was quite underwhelming. While his feet paced precisely from the wings to his Instrument, a Steinway; his back was arched, his shoulders bent, his head lowered, such that he had a world weary demeanour. Gelmetti greeted him warmly, which made Achúcarro smile, albeit he looked no less world weary. He quietly seated himself. Then almost immediately he rose a little & adjusted his seat with a slight turn of the handle, before settled back down. The conductor & soloist exchanged a glance. The Orchestra began. While he waited those few opening bars by the Orchestra, he stamped a foot; then a little later shrugged his shoulders in an understated manner, as he almost hunched forward. But when the Piano entered the work, his fingers moved with an astonishing fluency & delicacy. It was as if the body had performed on stage for sixty years, but the hands were somehow reborn anew. The dramatic range of emotion which Tchaikovsky encoded into this Concerto, from the peaks of agitation to the depths of melancholy, were all deciphered through those fingers; ably supported by the "fantastico" Orchestra under Gelmetti's baton.

It is, I have often thought, a most strange Piano Concerto. It is not easy to play, for sure. But at the same time, it is often almost a trifle, despite its virtuoso quality. Somehow it all holds together.

The First Movement is so full of mixed emotions & dramatic highs; with the Piano opening chords a bang-bang-bang, but soon veering into complex technical fingering. At all but twenty minutes long, it leaves one drained, even just to listen. The pastiche has an overall masterly quality; wierd but wonderful.

The Second Movement begins tranquilly, yet soon races through the higher end of the scales, at times pattering like a pallipating heart; riding through little peaks and troughs of volume, albeit always more quiet & composed than the the opening Movement. And it is almost brief at seven minutes length.

With the Third Movement, we are off again on the emotional fast train. Here, as the progamme says, he "alternates two blocks of thematic material". It is marvellous, an aggressive emotional cascade; but even slightly shorter than the previous Movement. All of a sudden, it ends. We have all run off a cliff, precipitously, and lie suspended silently in the aether!

At the end of the work, the applause was strong & sustained. After a few seconds, there was a small shrug of his shoulders, followed quickly by a slight smile. It was as if to say, self-effacingly: but I play this all the time; it is nothing special.

Be that as it may, when the applause recalled him to the stage, he was smiling broadly and all weariness had left him. Ajax was once more holding up the heavens with ease. This must be why, after sixty years, he continues to perform as a Soloist. It is the magical sense of being able to give.

Piotr Tchaikovsky - Symphony Number Six.

This Symphony is Tchaikovsky in all his moods: a bizarre range of emotions, enough to last a normal person a lifetime, all compressed in to forty minutes. Played tonight to perfection, I might add, apart from the ending, which I will come to later.

The First Movement is sheer split personality: the first half "Adagio" suddenly stops, with hardly a pause, then launches into the "Allegro non troppo". It is hardly a surprise that many in the audience, who were unfamiliar with the work, took this to be two Movements!

The real Second Movement, Piotr calls "Allegro con grazia". Yet I know a Waltz when I hear one. But this is no slight sugary Waltz of the Viennese, nor even the more robust Austrian country dance which begat it. This is the driven Waltz of the most catastrophically emotional Russian of all. Russians being what they are, Tchaikovsky's persona is by no means a small achievement.

The Third Movement, he terms "Allegro motto vivace", but I call it a March. Undeniably it is a March, but for no mere tune to keep a military beat for so many feet. It is an emotionally charged & driven March, an advance of the tortured soul. At its end, quite a few in the audience applauded, having understandably miscounted.

The Final Movement, "Finale (Adagio lamentoso - Andante)", is both magnificent & a problem at the once! The Adagio part is certainly a dramatic outpouring, even for Tchaikovsky. Lamentoso indeed! Then it all just collapses in to a quiet despair, the Andante, which lingers to a brief pause, then starts again, a longer pause ... and here the applause broke in, such that Gelmetti just gave up! There certainly is a little more to go. If I recall aright, it continues again a few bars; stops, for even a bit longer than the previous pause; then finally really does end.

The man to my immediate right also began applauding, but then stopped & said: "No! The Double Basses are not reconciled". However, it was clear to me that Gelmetti had given up this unequal stuggle, and so I began applauding too, as applause was well deserved, even without the actual real ending. I thought at the time, that a conductor of this work should announce at the start: "With this Symphony, it is difficult to know when it ends, unless you are very familiar with it. So when it has ended, I will raise my right hand. Then you may applaud, if you wish."

...

Once more I saw the Pigeon with the damaged wing. This was in Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross; near the junction with Bayswater Road. The left wing, instead of being folded on the body, is held away from the body, hanging down somewhat, such that the wing tip often drags on the ground. It has a reluctance to fly, even greater than that of your normal Pigeon. Yet I have seen in fly short distances. Whatever the injury is, it cannot be a serious break.

I have seen this Pigeon in this condition since last year, so it is clearly able to eat & roost somewhere safe. Pigeons are incredible unclaiming survivors. They are an inspiration.

Whilst searching the internet on Merlin the Wild, the celebrated Scottish Dark Ages man about the bush, I chanced upon the Scottish National Library. They have on-line this lengthy document named the Auchinlech Manuscript, which is a Middle Scots compilation of most worthy girth. Even the small part of it which I saved, "Of Arthour & of Merlin", is lengthy.

For the Three Budgies this evevning, I played the CD "New Day" by Peter Mumme. This is a favourite of theirs, & indeed it was specifically purchased for Parrots. It has keyboards with backing vocals of the Australian bush at dawn, in a wide range of locations. This means lots of Bird noises, which understandably hit a chord with them. There are also some Frog calls, which they seem to interpret as Bird calls.

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"Classical Feast" - 2.30pm, Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
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The Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Richard Tognetti - Artistic Director & Lead Violin.

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Symphony No. 31 'Paris'.

Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E Minor.

Ludwig Van Beethoven - Symphony No. 7.

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I am in a period when time is sadly short. It is called Sunday Evening. The Sword of Damocles hangs over my head. Work begins again tomorrow. So I shall, at this point, be strangely brief, making just one point about the glorious playing I heard tonight:

These three works are very different in charcter; yet within a brief period, each was given the correct colour & emotion: the gentle lyricism of the Mozart; the darker melancholy & resignation of the Mendelssohn; the stirring driven determination of that Beethoven!

...

Elgar's Enigma Variations & Cello Concerto first; followed by Khachaturian's Suites; then Beethoven's 5th & 6th Symphonies [Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra version]; and finally, the last a second time. This took me & the three Budgies almost to noon.

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"Beethoven's World"- Season 2005 Opening Gala.

7.00pm at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

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The Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

...

Conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti.

Soloists: Joaquin Achúcarro - Piano.
Jessica Pratt - Soprano.
Deborah Humble - Mezza-Soprano.
Rosario La Spina - Tenor.
Jose Carbo - Baritone.

& Sydney Philharmonia Choir, Directed by Brett Whymark.

... ... ... ...

Ludwig Van Beethoven - Composer of All This Evening!

... ... ... ...

Symphony Number Six.

Concert Aria - Ah! Perfido, Opus 65.

Mass in C: Gloria.

Piano Concerto Number Four.

Symphony Number Five.

Mass in C: Sanctum.

Choral Fantasy, Opus 80.

...

As I write, it is actually the next day. I only arrived back home at 12.19am.
So perhaps I cheat a little. Yet emotionally for me, it is still yesterday.
Wonderful it was to have repeated: "That night in Vienna, 1808".
Well, with an exccpetion: no glitches with the Music tonight.
The SSO, SPC & the Soloists were All Wonderful.
Hard to take it all in. Feet! To Earth!
Head! To Sleep!

...

It is not predestined that the beaches & the islands will drown,
the glaciers melt, and the deserts grow ever outward.

Last month, the building across, the road, where the Pigeons had moved after there old derelict "home" was demolished, expelled them. This was by the finesse of rows and rows of sturdy close set nails attached by the heads to the Pigeon favoured ledges, which prevent them perching.

What the Pigeon wants is a ledge which is wide enough for them to sit or stand on, which is well above the ground, but not at the top of the building. In short man made version of their primaeval cliff-ledge perch. Presumably, this is to avoid attack from Dogs, Cats & Snakes on the ground; and from Eagles & Hawks from the air.

No doubt they have now gone for the next closest roost to their "ideal" perch. Now doubt they do feel aggrieved, albeit it is chin up & back to job of survival. I feel aggrieved for them too. Thye do excellent work in cleaning up food scraps! Would the good citizens prefer rats?

While I did not manage to make it to the Macquarie Trio Concert at the Verbruggen Hall tonight s- too tired - I did manage to hear it in alive broadcast on ABC Classic FM.

In the early afternoon in Waverton, the Leaden Flycatchers were out in full force, feeding on the wing in several streets. This was for certain because the humid heat had brought their gnat sized insect food out in force.

Ah well! The Labor Government has been comfortably returned in yeserday's Western Australian State Election. This is despite many errors that Geoff Gallop and his Ministers have made. Partly their win is due to an inept & risky campaign by the Liberal Opposition. Partly it is due to a deep underlying distrust of Little Johnnie Of Bennelong.

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"The Four Seasons" - The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.

7.00pm at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place.

...

This year my seat for the subscription season is B Reserve, AA57. So I have come down to the ground floor and the front row. I may stretch my legs, which is a pleasant relief, given my chronic low blood pressure. Also, I get to see the Musicians close up, which is one thing I thoroughly enjoy. The down side is that the sounds of the instruments do not mesh as well as they do in the B reserve seats on second & third floor. Yet overall, it is a good change for my mind.

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Antonio Vivaldi - Concerto For Two Horns in F Major, RV538.

The French Horn is one of the more difficult instruments to play. With the keyless Baroque Horn, this difficulty is greatly increased. And I certainly saw a degree of tension in the faces of Baroque Horn soloist duo, before they began each solo. Yet they came through the compose's demands with style.

Sometimes the Horns were scored to play in unison, while othertimes they played complimentary. Vivaldi spaced out the the solo parts in the First & Third Movements, to allow the soloists to catch their breaths. The backing to the soloists is by a full Chamber String Orchestra, plus Harpsicord, Chamber organ & Archlute.

With the Second Movement, Vivaldi has something special, in that the only instruments playing are the two Cellos & the Chamber Organ. One Cello, Jamie Hey plays lead, while the second Cello, plays a complimentary role which intertwines with the solo, and while it is a somewhat simpler scoring, it is by no means easy. The Chamber Organ was playing a simple continuo.

Antonio Vivaldi - Concerto for Cello in G Minor, RV417.

The Orchestra here was similar to the previous work, except the Horns had left for the evening - a well earned rest - and Tommie Anderssen has exchanged his Archlute for the Baroque Guitar.

The First & Third Movements alternating the Solo with the full Orchestra. Usually the Solo Cello, Jamie Hey is backed by the second Cello, almost playing a duet, albeit with definite secondary but still demanding role. The Continuo is provided by the Double Bass, Baroque Guitar & Chamber Organ. Then when the Soloist falls silent, the Violins, Violas & Harpsicord are given full voice.

The Second Movement here is very similar to that in the previous Concerto. The cellos play the same tandem role, while the Continuo is played by the Chamber Organ, Double Bass & Baroque Guitar.

Evaristo Dall'Abaco
Concerto for Oboe, Strings & Continuo in C Major, Opus 5, No. 5.

This work I recognised immediately. It is on my Dall'abaco CD of Oboe Concertos recorded by Conceri Köln. It is a beautiful work. And it was beautifully performed tonight by Kirsten Barry. Now that I am in the front row, a little left of centre, I can see that the Baroque Oboe does seem more difficult to play than the Modern Oboe, albeit the latter is no breeze. It takes an enormous quantity of controlled breath to get such quality.

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INTERVAL

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Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons, Opus 8, Nos. 1-4.

The second half was dedicated to the title work of the Concert, with Lucinda Moon as Violin Soloist. She took especial care with her appearance; with success, for she looked radiant. The occasion certainly was especial, for Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" is easily the famous Baroque work of all. It has been recorded more than 400 times.

Those who play it as soloist, will have their efforts compared with the World's very best Violinists. It is not to be tackled by the faint hearted! Tonight the Orchestra played with acute energy, and Vivaldi should be played with passion. Lucinda Moon was excellent throughout. In those difficult racing passages of virtuosic intensity, in particular that Summer Storm, she played with consumate speed, but not too quickly; each chord she played cleanly & clearly; asolutely no slurring of notes occurred. What more can one ask?

A repeat perhaps? The encore was a repeat of the Summer Storm. Lucinda announced it as "the bit you liked best."

...

Just before the concert, I took the opportunity to finally buy a ticket to the third & final Jethro Tull concert at the Enmore Theatre on Thursday 5th May 2005. This was in B Reserve for $85.00. The other alternative is A Reserve for $115.00. I could not justify the difference in price to myself. My ears can still hear.

"Catalyst" tonight, on ABC TV, had promised a Martian exclusive. And so it proved. Professor Vittorio Formisano, of the Italian Institute of Physics and Interplanetary Space, has been working with data from the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer on the Mars Express. He has found that there are large amounts of Methane in the Martian Atmosphere. He has also found large amounts of Formaldehyde, which breaks down in only 7.5 hours in the atmosphere.

So these gases must be produced on a continual basis, and this is across several large localities along the equator. Professor Formisano suggests that this can only be caused by a very significant biomass of microrganisms, deeply beneath the Martian surface. I would agree with him, as inorganic sources simply can not produce this result.

On Mars more generally, it is clear to me that life on Mars was established way back with the Viking lander in 1976. However, the anti-Ockham's Razor mob have managed to delay the correct conclusions. They have done this by producing a fabricated pseudo-doubt, with their dubious and nonsensical rationalisations.

Today I went to my Dentist in Chatwood. Four fillings were repaired: three upper jaw, two right & two left. I have been through a difficult time with my teeth. But I certainly felt much happier hen I left after my maintenance.

12.13pm. As I walked along McHatton Street, opposite the Demonstration School, I heard up to a dozen Leaden Flycatchers calling very loudly & shrilly from the trees across the road. Normally they do not call that much during the day; restricting most of their calling to just prior to dawn. But today's midday effort was much more intense than the pre-dawn is.

I glanced across towards the school. My eye caught what was certainly the cause: several Crows wheeling slowly above the School. The Crow is the Bird which all small Birds fear most, due to its fondness for eggs & fledglings, and its adeptness at stealing such.

Iraq is a quagmire. The Sunnis have an effective veto on any new constitution, as defeat in any three provinces defeats it, and they are a clear majority in three provinces. So if they collectively choose to veto any proposed constitution there is none.

...

"Bach To Battle" - The Australian Chamber Orchestra.

2.30pm at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

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H.I.F. Von Biber - Battalia in D Major.

J.S Bach - Keyboard Concerto in G Minor.

J.S. Bach - Keyboard Concerto in D Major.

E. Tüür - Passion.

J.S. Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BMV1050.

O. Golijov - Last Round.

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Soloists:

Angela Hewitt - Piano.

Richard Tognetti - Violin.

Alison Mitchell - Flute.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The playing of the Australian Chamber Orchestra was at its usual high level. I have jotted notes somewhere, which only I can decipher, and then but on a better day.

Yet there was a strange small discord, not in the music, but rather a degree of tension up there on the stage, as indicated by body language. Sitting as I was in the front row, I was well placed to notice. That this tension affected not the music, is laudatory.

The greatest risk taken was with the Brandenburg Concerto Number Five. The three soloists were Flute [Alison Mitchell], Violin [Richard Tognetti] & Grand Piano [Jennifer Hewitt]. Originally, I suppose that the keyboard part would have been played by on a Harpsicord; a decade or so later on a Fortepiano. But both these instruments are much quieter than the Grand Piano used tonight; a Steinway if I remember truly. So the Grand Piano threatened to overwhelm the other instruments, especially Flute. The performance held to the right line, but I felt the tension of the closeness.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

...

My obsession with my ancestors cost me $77.00 today. I had seen the book around midday in Abbey's Bookshop. I had perused it, one of two copies they had enshelfed. Although I returned home without it, it preyed on mind, weakening my pursuit of a non-shopping perfection. Thus I returned late in the afternoon and purchased it.

What is so especial for me in this book, is that it fills in that gap in surviving English writing, from 1154 to ~1250 Anno Domini [see My Thought of 30th January 2005, on Archive Page 12]. Thus English continue to be written the whole way through the reigns of the Norman Robber Barrons, and especially the chaos of the chronic misrule of William the Bastard.

As I lay down resting my low blood pressure, I began memorising from "Gawain And The Green Knight". This is a lengthy poem by a genius of Middle English, four of whose poems survive, but whose name is lost. I only managed two lines to memory. And my pronunciation may well be doubtful. Brilliant as it is, "Gawain And The Green Knight" is much more difficult to read than Chaucer. This is partly due to the North Midlands, rather than East Midlands dialect; but mostly as it is in a deliberately archaic English poetic language.

Just before evening, I lay down to rest a few minutes. I slept for two hours.

Tonight I was hoping to copy on to this page, those handwritten notes on the Mozart concert of last friday. But for some reason, my will was not working. As usual, I am tired from all that walking, carrying weights, in humid heat. When I arrived home, I almost immediately lay down and fell asleep for an hour and a half. After that, my mind went in curious directions. Through the evening I played the Symphonies of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as recorded by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Kurt Masur. This was three of the five CDs in that set: numbers 26, 28 to 36 inclusive, & 38. But while my mind was stilled, and the Three Budgies made very happy, I did not respond with what needed to be done. Rather instead, I spent much time reciting from memory, poems of Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Blake and myself; plus bits of Old English & Middle English which I have been memorising. With the Old & Middle, the problem for me is: do I have the pronunciation passably right?

Currently I am playing the Live Album [CD 2] of Pink Floyd's "Umma Gumma". The Three Budgies give every appearance of enjoying this. Wolfgang, especially, became very animated when the screams began in "Careful With That Axe, Eugene".

American Grilled Rice's visit to Europe was clearly a failure. True, the Europeans were unfailing polite to her. But en masse, even including the UK, they rejected the USA's plan regarding Iran's nuclear programme; preferring instead to continue with their own more sensible ideas.

The first piece of music for this morning: "The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan-Williams; by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by, with Dimity Hall as Viola soloist.

This was very popular with the Three Budgies, espeially with Wolfgang, who went quite feral. Normally the music is not on all night for Budgie appreciation, but it was not last night, and this explains perhaps the even-more-than-usual enthusiastic response.

The last CD I played this evening was the Studio Album [CD 1] of Pink Floyd's "Umma Gumma". This I bought this afternoon in Town, at JB Hi-Fi. It was $21.95 in all. I loved it, and it also gained the Budgie seal of approval.

Today I made it to the "WEA Writers Group". Except it is not to be called that any more, as it no longer is associated with WEA. We now meet at the Mechanics Institute at 280 Pitt Street in Sydney. As a new name, the "Sydney Writers Group" seems most probable, unless that name is already in use. This will take some www searches to determine. Almost all things are on-line nowadays, but rarely in any coherent & systematic order.

In Mediæval Europe, people were just like us; bar the absence of flush toilets.

A tangent goes nowhere at an odd angle. It is merely a thoroughly straight line, which manages a slight but complete touch on the circumference of a circle.

I went to town today, not shopping for DVDs. Looked indeed I did, but came away with none. It was, I suppose, browsing as a reward for having completed my five current Correspondence Chess games today.

Also, I splinted my left little finger today. It has been painful at times for a fortnight, and its failure to heal suggests that it is not just swelling or an internal escape of fluid, but rather a fracture of one of the bones. This is most likely a hairline fracture, as the finger still moves quite freely; with just pressure from certain dirctions caused the pain.

The splint, I impovised from an isolated pen cap. I tied it to the finger with light strapping.

As I lay in bed, Alpha & Beta Centauri caught my eye through the window. I tried to get my refracting telescope to work. But, in less than ideal conditions, I failed rather profoundly.

My Occasional Thought

For The Day