My Occasional Thought For The Day

Tonight I saw the film, "The Wild Parrots Of Telegraph Hill", at the Verona Cinema in Paddington. This was the last night it was being shown there, which was the last venue still showing it. So I had to go or miss it, despite illness, and a long day expected tomorrow.

The film is good. The first half I found uplifting. The latter stages of the film contained some matters, which had to be mentioned for purposes of honesty, but yet which touched me more deeply than I would have thought; and I am not talking about a single still photograph which includes within its visual ambit, a Hawk. It is just that certain matters are recalled to my mind, which I find more distressing than I would have expected.

[Actually, it was showing monday to wednesday this week, at the Cemorne Orpheum.
This may be a reprise; or perhaps I misread the paper. - 1st December 2005]

This evening I was listening to "Paul Temple And The Geneva Story" by Francis Durbridge on CD. It is very much to my taste, but despite this I kept falling asleep and having to replay, but even with the replays I would be falling asleep ... Well, I shall have to replay this part of it.

Currently I am reading a novel about a threatened Islamic revolt. British secret agents are in action to prevent a jihad occuring across the Middle East and North Africa. This novel is "Greenmantle" by John Buchan. It was first published in 1916, shortly after it was written.

There was also lots of music today, especially Schubert and Beethoven. l was off work through illness, and resting seemed the wise recourse.

Fourteen minus four Chess games leaves ten, most of which must be done today.

Late evening: T'is done. All the chess games posted, including that belated win from the 2004 Qualifying Tourney. And this despite long incursions into housework & writing; this morning, listening to the entire 1980 BBC dramatisation of "Lord Peter Wimsey - The Nine Taylors" by Dorothy L. Sayers; this evening listening to Lully & Rameau Operas on ABC-FM. Or perhaps thses sidelines actually helped the day's main Chess service!

And I feel ill, also. Last night it began draining diseased fluid from my sinuses to my throat, making the later unpleasantly inflamed. Oh well! Fortunately, I am used to being sick.

This morning, for the first time, my Geranium is flowering; a handful of rich red blossoms at one extreme of its extent. Nearby, my Frangipani has put at three new leaves, while it still has three remaining leaves of the last summer season, which is unusual.

Around noon: Task - returning borrowings to three different Sydney City Library branches. That was all drama & books, on paper & discs & videotape: six in; five out.

My Correspondence Chess games adjournment, which began on 23rd October 2005, ended today. Sad, in a way. Despite my love of Chess, my currently long work hours made it impossible to play, and I looked not forward to having to cope with fourteen games all at the once. Be that as it may, despite having not had a chess thought, much at all, for four weeks, my merely glancing at the positions in the Purdy Pocket Sets, whilst lying in bed last night, brought the whole potential scenarios of the games back to mind, and even the fact that in one cases, I have yet to find a passably suitable scenario.

In the end, I was writing this morning; suddenly getting involved on a whimsey. Then the noon task at top; only following which I managed to get on with the games, beginning firstly with the ones in which the move I planned to play was direct & straight-forward. So only four did I complete, afore I departed for Angel Place in Town. I posted them after getting off the bus in Martin Place.

Carl Orff : Carmina Burana.

[--- "O FORTUNA" ... "VITA DETESTABILIS" !!!---]

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

Director: Brett Weymark.

Synergy Percussion.

Pianists: Jo Allan & Kate Golla.

Soloists: Penelope Mills [Soprano].

Douglas McRae [Baritone]. Tobias Cole [Countertenor].

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Venue: City Recital Hall - Angel Place.

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This is the Two Piano Version, rather than the original Orchestral version, which I do prefer, as the high extreme of the vast range of volume of this work, is even louder. The two Pianists, at times, seemed in real danger of injury, due to the energy with which they pounded the keys; yet they still could in no way challenge the . I did also missed the absence of the Childrens Choir. Even despite these reservations, it was a magnificent performance; very well received by the entire audience and not just by me!

The work itself, as is well known, is extracts from a German mediaeval manuscript of hundreds of songs. What is there is the lyrics, in Latin, German, French & even Spanish; plus an early type of Musical Notation, which is difficult to decipher. Orff took a small selection, and set them to his own composition. It begins and ends with "O Fortuna". In between are Pastoral Songs, Drinking Songs & Songs of Courtly Love. It gives a rich mix of life. But the most famous part is the "O Fortuna". The actual poem is not a great work of literature, but it has a power of intent, with its story of despair, railing against the fate's fickleness. It is no surprise, that when he composed Carmina Burana in 1935-36, with the rising tide of fascism all around, he found this Mediaeval Latin Poem perfect to bookmark the opus.

Of interest in the staging, is the use made of those famous balconies at Angel Place. The lower one was used for the first solo of the Baritone. The high balcony was used, briefly, for that short and very high noted aria by the Soprano.

Also, for the Swan solo, the Countertenor entranced from the rear of the hall, ground floor, and began singing while still far back. By the time he was finished he had only briefly been at the stage. He carried a white boa, in lieu of a real Swan.

The audience were not supposed to applaud before the end, but as the lights went off at intervals during the staging, to separate the different sections of the work, the obvious opportunity was taken.

John Peterson : "The Earth That Fire Touches".

Preceeding the main work, was this ten minute composition. It was a originally composition from 2000AD, which had been re-arranged to fit the instruments & performers available; consequently of the main work on the programme. Unusually, the composer is not only still alive; he was in the audience. It is difficult for me to give a considered response to his composition, as not only was I impatient for Carmina Burana, for I was seated twenty minutes early, but also my unused shoes were a bit difficult, & I had trouble getting a comfortable position due to the rail afront me [Q24 - front row on the second floor], plus the angle I had to turn to be towards the stage, this row of seats being at right angles to it. That is not an apology for not liking it; for I did like it. But exactly how much I would have appreciated it in more conducive mental conditions, is not a point which I may accurately pontificate on.

Encore.

What could be more appropriate for an encore, than to repeat "O Fortuna". At its completion, even more thunderous applause than before. Carmina Burana certainly has a strong following.

This afternoon, on the train as I returned home from work, a most joyous event on a friday, I finished "The Happy Highwayman" by Leslie Charteris. This is a collection of nine short stories about The Saint, the famous literary invention of Charteris, which I borrowed form the Haymarket Branch of the City Of Sydney library. I read it mostly in transit, although at one stage, when I was having trouble motivating myself to read, and did read some at home, lying down, to get me going. My main reason for reading related to my purchase of my two box sets of the "The Saint" television series, which is fairly closely based on the shor stories, but has the advatage of having Roger Moore play the title character.

The stories themselves are of an uneven quality, in the actual writing: My impression is that Leslie Charteris is a writer of ability who wrote quickly, for practical purposes, this being his income, and so this requires output, regardless of how one feels. A job is a job. There is also the questionable morality of the the character and the stories. The Saint is intended to be a Robin Hood style character, with the 19th century fictional character, Raffles, providing the template for the essential personality: the latter is a Gentleman to all outward appearance, who is also a Jewel Thief. However, The Saint has vigilante qualities, albeit with leftist tendencies, but he is judge, jury & executioner. The sense of a great world of corruption within government & the cusodians of the law, which requires vigilantes, has a strong depression era sense about it.

As to the individual stories. "The Star Producers": Tries far too hard to be clever, and here I almost stopped reading the book. "The Benevolent Burglary": This rescued it, as, while being fanciful, it is a very good story, with delightful twists, while the morality is fairly direct. "The Mug's Game": Not bad by any means, with rather clever little plot twists. "The Man Who Was Lucky": What is a good story is rather tarnished by an ending of highly dubious morality. "The Wicked Cousin": Again highly fanciful, but yet a pleasant & meandering story of justice, without any bloodshed. "The Well-Meaning Mayor": found this one did not at all gel, and this American set story had a very evil vigilante style immoralty. "The Charitable Countess": While the basic evil here is a deservedly in need of correction, the solution is too inbelievable. "The Man Who Loved Ants": My big problem is the physics, in that giant ants can not exist. While there is a small amount of interesting psychology, it failed to rescue the story for me. I have already seen the television version of this, and I also liked it not [see this page: 2th october 2005]. "The Smart Detecive": Very good story, with excellent twists, although the idea that it is alright to nail a dishonest person, through setting him up with a crime he did not do, is simply immoral, and has landed several Austrlain Police Detectives in prison.

Overall, my essential love of the "The Saint" television series, is due to the acting qualities of Roger Moore overiding the frequently dubious underlying morality of the stories.

There were the two young Noisy Miner Fledglings were in pretty much the same branch of the same bush, only about a metre above the ground. As it was sunny, they had seperated slightly and were not longer touching each other. One parent clearly distrusted me. It flew at my head, whilst making clicking nosies, veering away at the last momene, and landing in a nearby tree. I did not flinch, being well aware of their bluff, but I did take a few paces back to reassure the Parent of my good intentions. This seemed to satisfy.

3.16pm: As I waited for a train at Saint Leonards Railway Station, to go to my dental appointment at Chatswood, I watched two Leaden Flyctachers feeding on the wing across the roof of the other platform.

4.53pm: In Chatwood, I was returning from my dentist and heading for the Railway Station, when, as I passed a carpark entrance in a tall building, a Leaden Flycatcher flew past me. This was at high speed, and only a metre away from me. It had come out of the carpark, whose street level entrance declined steeply downwards. I can only presume that it has a nest in there, and was off to catch small insects for its children.

While I had heard the Fledgling earlier, when I arrived at their home territory, there was silence. A search, for about a minute & a half, much longer than usual, revealed a single Feldgling in that connecting tree, which is very old with a massive trunk and large branches. It was in a different part, high up and well hidden, near where a tree branch came next to the canopy of a tree in the next garden: a new bushy tree. Every so often I heard a low moan. I can only presume that this Fledgling Two; that Mum was off searching for food, and that the bolder Fledgling One had tagged along, realising with simple logic that Mum is where the food comes from, so stay close to her.

The logic of this disparite personalities of the siblings make good survival sense. If the environment becomes dangerous, the adventurous one is more likely to be lost, with the cautious one having a good chance of survival. But if things stay benign with much food, and the Pied Currawongs begin to overeach the available food resources, the adventurous one will be inclined to seek new areas, while the cautious one will stay with the current flock.

Waverton the Bird Paradise! Two young Noisy Miner Fledglings were side by side, huddled close for warmth, it being rather cold & wet. But they were only a mere above the ground, in a slender branch of a bush, which had only a scattered canopy. True the wirey branches above protect from Crows and such, while the trunks would not support a Cat's weight, and the the position is bove the reach of almost all dogs, it is no protection against people. I can only presume that these Noisy Miner parents have not experienced Human molestation.

Both Fledglings were in the connecting tree, both high up, and reall quite close to each other, albeit on different branches. Mum was on the ground, searching for food, but she still took time to give me the occasional glance. Naturally Bird Parents do not like having their chidren observed. Of course, if I had have been a Crow, I would have met with a very active repsonse!

Understandably tired from a long work day, I spent much of the evening lying down, and read Chapters 48, 49 & 50, of Jane Austen's "Sense And Sensibility", thus finishing the novel. Most excellent! I am glad I had the wit to start reading this once more after the hiatus. It is, of all her novels which I have read, the one which is closest to her early life. But more of this at a later time.

In similar fashion I had read Chapter 45 last friday, Chapter 46 the next day, and Chapters 47 that same day and the following day. Determination had at last settled.

1.20pm: In the very large garden I saw a parent Magpie Currawong with two fledglings, who seeemed healthy, and were squawking for food, which yet was ignored by the parent, who was looking intently at the grass. As I watched, a second parent flew in, landed near the fledglings and started feeding them. I was apparently completely ignored, although if I had have moved too close to them, I am sure that this would have changed dramatically. Unwise it would have been, for its size, the adult bird of this species is the most dangerous non-venomous animal in Australia. Every other animal treats it with great respect!

1.50pm: I saw the solitary Magpie Currawong on the footpath, near 60 Crows Nest Road. When it saw me, it cautiously walked behind a tree, out of habit. This Bird knows me well , and is well aware it has nothing to fear. For several years it has moved freely up and down Crows Nest Road. It is unusual for a lone Magpie Currawong to carve out a territory amongst the pairs. These Birds are very territorial, and even more dangerous to each other as they are to other species.

2.00pm: A solitary Top Knot Pigeon [or Crested Pigeon] ambled along the drive way of 44 Crows Nest Road, heading at amost leisurely pace away from the street. This may well be the one I saw in Mchatton Street on.

As I came along the street towards them, I noticed that one was in a tree growing on the footpath, but when it saw me, it flew to a bushy tree, just inside their garden. This bushy tree is one I have not mentioned before. It is on the fence, and directly behind it, in a line transiting into the garden, are the other two bushy trees. It quickly then retreated by wing, to the next bushy tree, then one further along. At this point I noticed the other Fledgling, in the fence-line bushy tree, but higher up than its sibling was. This one did not move, but stayed put, keeping its eye on me. Mum was feeding on a the ground, also keeping an eye on me.

I deduce from personality, that the first I saw is Fledgling One, which means that obviously the second is Fledging Two.

... ... ...

The ACO, in their final concert for 2005, were excellent. One can become lost in superlatives to no real purpose. It is enough to say that they played throughout was uniformly superb.

...

Claude Debussy
[arranged Richard Tognetti]:
Preludes Book One, Numbers Eight & Nine.

These two short works were down on the programme as a total of four minutes in length, & although my timing stretched this to five minutes, this is still on the short side for composition. These two are entitled respectively: "The Girl With The Flaxen Hair" & "Interupted Serenade". They are Piano works, but Richard Tognetti transcribed them both for String Orchestra, with the addition for the latter of a Cor Anglais and a Bassoon. It is good to hear a Cor Anglais, which is all too rarely used. It was played by, who played the Oboe after interval.

Oh yes! I did enjoy them, although I did wish them to be longer.

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César Franck
[arranged by Richard Tognetti]:
Sonata in A Minor [1886] for Cello & Strings..

Cello Soloist: Pieter Wispelwey.

Another Piano work which has been transcribed. The first two Movements contrast strongly with the last two. The former are very romantic, somewhat to excess; with the whole effect to my ears as being rather lush. But the latter have a strident direct honesty: very determined and driven. They reminded me in many parts, of the more dramatic parts of Elgar's Cello Concerto. This last being a later composition; it left me wondering as to what influence Franck may have had on Elgar.

It was of interest to me, that in the early part of the Third Movement, Wispelwey was repeatedly glancing at the Director, Richard Tognetti. When he was not enagaes in those small eye contacts, Wispelwey became emotional entranced in the work as he played it. This has happened each time I have heard him in concert.

After the Soloist returned for the applause the second time, he was given the ACO "traditional" bottle of wine, which is hidden in a tastefully colourful presentation bag. Wispelwey, however, pulled the wine out of the bag, and walked off with the bottle in his arm, to the amusement of audience & orchestra alike. Then, he came back for a third and final bow, sans bottle, and this time he carried off the empty bag.

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

Interval

I ate. It seemed wise. Even with an infected tooth, an insulin dependent diabetic wishes not to go into a coma. As I have always insisted, going into a coma is so anti-social.

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Second half of the Concert had the basic Strings plus Bassoon, augmented with two Oboes, two French Horns, & a Harpsicord. This arrangement was for both compositions, escept that the Horns fell silent for Rameau's "Dardanus Suite".

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Joseph Haydn:
Symphony Number Fifty-Nine in A Major ["Fire"].

This is one of the Esterhazy Symphonies, and I am sure I have heard at least parts of it before, realising it was J. Haydn, without knowing the number. It shows how good he was when he hit the mark. The opening Presto races along with passion; followed by slower introspection of the Andante & Menueto. The Finale is announced by the pair of Horns, before the String Orchestra begin, and the strong influence of the Horns & Oboes gives it a different feel from the earlier Movements.

A quirk, which many noticed: One of the Horns was highly polished, to a golden sheen which reflected with clarity; the other had never had a polish & was utterly matt. More subtely, while the keys of both Oboes were highly polished, one had a golden sheen [of her who played also the Cor Anglais] while the other had a silver sheen.

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Jean-Philippe Rameau:
"Dardanus" - Selections from the Incidental Music.

This is the Suite from that Rameau Opera, which was played recently on ABC-FM Radio, and which I am to see in early December, as performed by the Pinchgut Opera.

The Suite is well selected to bring out the range and quality of Rameau's work with "Dardanus". I read in the programme that his appearance on the Parisian Operatic scene created a revolution in the way that Opera was written & performed; freeing it from the strictures of the Sun King; adding important elements from Italian Opera to create something new that was French, not merely an imitation of the Italian form. This revolutionary aspect is quuite lost to me, some centuries on, as I am; but the sheer quality of the music has a timeless magnificence.

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

In the morning I read Chapter 44, of Jane Austen's "Sense And Sensibility", before going out to the Sydney Writers Group. But I had to leave early, as my infected tooth was giving me trouble.

There was a Fledgling in the same place in the low bushy tree, as yesterday. I took this to be the First Fedgling, happily perched in the same place. This is almost certainly the target tree. The other, presumably the Second Fledgling, was perched in the same tree, but higher up, and on the other side of the tree, closer to the street. This part of the tree has a common canopy with the tree it was in yesterday.

Mum must be relieved to finally have her young where she wants them. It is the practice of Pied Currawongs to nest in a high open canopied tree; then to move their one or two young to a nearby low bushy tree. In the best nesting places, as where I used to live in Cremorne, the nesting tree & the target tree are very close by each other, preferably on the same property.

Later, when I was nearly fifty metres away, Mum had obviously started feeding her young again. I heard a edgling begging for food loudly, then silence. The same repeated again shortly later. And so on. So she was feeding her young in turns once more. I am most impressed by this single mother, and the wau she is succesfully bringing up two demanding youngsters.

[Font is ''Paris''.][--- 'Birds Are Compulsive Viwewing!!---][Font is ''Paris''.]

"Harold In Italy"

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra [SSO].

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

8.00pm, at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

Conductor: Richard Gill.

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

Peter Sculthorpe:

New Norcia.

This is a Dectet, with the instruments line in a horseshoe shape: from the audience's left, they were two Trumpets; two Trombones; Side Drum; Gong; Tuba; Trombone; two Trumpets. The piece was fair enough, I suppose, except my front row seat [D27] proved a problem, since when the trumpets were silent, it was loud; when they are also played, painfully so. How do Trumpeters do not go deaf? Perhpas they do! In any case, I am hardly in a position to give a fair & impartial crtique; and leave this to sthose more distant.

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

Franz Schubert:

Symphony Number 5 in BFlat, D485.

Wonderful to hear this cheerful work! Four Movements, fairly short; with unabashed influence of Josef Haydn & Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on the 19 year old Schubert. It is just unreservedly good humoured, and wonderfully brught to fruition with the SSO under the baton of Richard Gill. The Orchestra is small, fairly full Strings, with only some Woodwinds attached; no Percussion, no Brass. From my point of view on the night, thankfully no Brass.

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

Interval

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

Hector Berlioz:

Harold In Italy, Symphony Opus 16.

Viola Soloist: Richard Benedict.

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

Not quite as good to my mind as the Symphonie Fantastique; yet excellent all the same, and as with the former, despite the excellence of the music, one does need the written explanation to follow the story unfolded.

Richard Gill had a much larger Orchstra now; the oddities being the Harp in centain position between the Violins to my left, and the Violas & Cellos to my right. The Viola Soloist was an unusual one, as it not a usual Soloist, but more, like the Harp, merely a slightly more prominant role, rather than a dominant role. The playing was all superb, as it usually is.

One curio I noticed is that it starts loud; ends loud. If you are to sleep, you must do so in between. I, for one, did not!

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

After the Concert I bough a CD: Schubert - complete incidental music for his Ballet, Rosamunde. It is the Vienna Philharmonic; an Eloquence release & only $12.00; so why not, a it has tempted me before.

One Fledgling was in the low bushy tree, close to where one had been on Wednesday. The other was in the tree which links the bushy tree, right across to the footpath trees, but higher up and loser to the footpath than the Fledgling that was there yesterday. I presume that the former is the First Fledgling, having been persuaded by Mum to go back to where it came from; while the latter is the Second Fledgling, having been finally lured across by Mum, and finally, despite its long detour, now heading back to where its parent wishes it to be.

Just before I left, I saw her bash a caterpillar against the trunk of the bushy tree several times, presumably to kill it. Then she flew across and fed it to the Second Fledgling.

[Font is ''Paris''.][--- 'Birds Are Compulsive Viwewing!!---][Font is ''Paris''.]

The Potato, which I planted on, sprouted today, and has come up very enthusiastically in a short time.

It seems that the Second Fledgling has moved two trees further along; a mighty effort in itself. Sadly, instead of cutting across as the other Fledgling had, has moved along the trees on the footpath. It has stopped in one of these, high up in the canopy, right next to a large tree whose canopy connects the footpath tree to the bushy tree. This Fledgling seems very much annoyed, with its calling having an especially mournful, desperate & irritated edge.

What I presume to be the First Fledgling has moved out of the bushy tree, into the connectig tree. I am sure this is not what Mum wanted, and is a response to the effort she is having to give to the errant child. Well, if Mum is always over there, that is where one goes.

The Second Fledgling saw Mum, squawked loudly and deserately, flapping its wings, and was duly fed. This prompted the First Fledgling to squawk and flap its wings, albeit with less volume & agitation, and it was duly fed also.

I am now convinced that there is definitely only one Parent feeding them, and hence I am now writing "Mum".

Today the First Fledgling had moved to a tree further in the garden, which is larger, with a greater spread of canopy, and is nearly as bushy. It did call a few times, but seemed mostly happy to sleep in the sun. The Second Fledgling had only moved a small distance. At first I thought it was only higher in the same tree, but then I realised that it had just crossed into the canopy of the next tree, as the leaves intermingle. It called for food a few times. This is a deep pleading sound, which is always mournful sounding, but in this bird even more than usually so!

[Font is ''Paris''.][--- 'Birds Are Compulsive Viwewing!!---][Font is ''Paris''.]

Finishd work earlier, and feeling rather better in the head & body than I was yesterday, apart form my left arm, which is often in considerable pain. This last is due to that isolated mobile lump of tissue pressuring the tendon. However, I felt no more in a mind to constructive intent than I was yesterday. But I did read, as I lay down esting & 2MBS-FM played, Chapter 43 and began Chapter 44, of Jane Austen's "Sense And Sensibility". Willoughby the rogue has made a sudden appearence at Cleveland, to the d of Elinor, while her sister Marianne lies asleep upstairs in her sick bed. Dramatic! Willoughby confesses that the pall hanging over all his bad behaviour is "my dread of poverty".

[Font is ''Paris''.][--- Who?? Sense And Sensibility!!---][Font is ''Paris''.]

In between these two chapters, I was up and watching Part Four of Doctor Who: Davidson Era: "The Five Doctors". Thus endeth the story! I recall that when I first saw this story, on its first release, I liked it not at all. But over the whole story as it replayd, beginning last thursday, I enjoyed it very much. Exactly what I thought wrong then is a bit of a mystery to me now!

Then later, as like now, while I busy myself with writing, I listen to the Jacob Brownowski's "The Ascent Of Man" - Episode Two - "The Harvest Of The Seasons". I love to listen to his words, even as I pen quite different words.

A surprise. The nest was empty. The First fledgling I found, had managed, under parental duress, to cross the street and into a medium height bushy tree in a garden, which has vines covering much of its trunk. It was asleep in the sun; either contentedly or from exhaustion. The Second I found later, had only managed its way to a tree immediately across the street from its nest tree. But it was high up and hidden from above by leaves. It is possible that the parents had deliberately separated their young, but it is more likely, I think, that the second child is more resistent to the move.

It is the way with Pied Currawong parents that, as soon as the Fledglings are able to fly a little, the parents move them from the high branch of the nest tree, which usually has an open scattered canopy, into the canopy of denser shorter trees. The young are most reluctant to leave the nest which has seen their whole existence. Quite understandable! So the Parents force them to leave by only feeding them if they do. Hunger forces the reluctant child. It is necessary. Pied Currawongs are serious Birds, not given to humour as are Parrots & People.

One of the Parents I saw briefly. On her or him perceiving my interest, it flew away, presumably so that the Fledglings would not call.

[This Font is ''Paris''.][--- Pied Currawongs Are The Most Devoted Of Parents!!---][Title Font is ''Park Avenue BT''.]

Last it was that I read from Jane Austen's "Sense And Sensibility". It seemed to me to make no sense to be reading so much of books, which while certainly very good, fall short of her talent & technique; and especially of others which fall so fr below her ability with words! So, as I was too tired to do anything else apart from lying down, reading, as I also listened to music, that is what I did. I enjoyed Chapters 41 & 42 immensely.

On the internet, via the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Science website: Pluto, the pseudo-Planet may have not one, but three Moons.

This morning I finished "The Mystery Of A Hansom Cab" by Fergus Hume, and spent much of the morning lying down to do it. Not an imposition by any means. Why is this both a good & compelling crime novel? Even though in 1886 it was first published in 1886, shortly after it was written?

Firstly it has that neccessity of a crime novel: a good & compelling plot, with lots of little twists, this way and that. But it has much more than just that. It is very well written, unlike so many popular novels. Hume is also equally at home with description & dialogue, as he is with narration, and uses all three to potential. It is full details of the life of both the rich and the poor in the Melbourne [Australia] of that time. There is much social satire & gentle parody. If the scenes between the two main characters, who are deeply in love, seem over the top by the standards of 2005, remember that in Hume's case, this is parody. There is also the wonderful scene where Madge, a genteel lady, is on the verandah of the house on her father's sheep station, hiding behind the blinds, peering at the sun scorched garden outside through a vertical crack between two blinds. There is the newspaper excerpts at the start of the novel, to quickly give the reader the details of the crime, and give it an air of authority. The court scenes have this rigourous tone of reality; and one learns who much more quickly justice was dispensed in those days, than they are in ours.

[Font is ''Paris''.][--- The Mystery of The Hansom Cab versus The Saint!!---][Font is ''Paris''.]

Weakened today & bought in Town, Box Set One of "The Saint". Soon after coming home, I watched the first ever episode: "The Talented Husband". And after the $112.00 spent at JB-Hi-Fi, I am glad to say that I found it to be very good. In making The Saint, the production company had the advantage that the character was so well known from the short stories, that they did not need to introduce the character. So they just jumped right in, which helps a great deal with the drama.

[Font is ''Paris''.][--- The Final ABO Concert For 2005!!---][Font is ''Paris''.]

...

"Virtuoso Violin"

The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.

7.00pm at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place.

...

These works were all played by a Baroque String Orchestra: Violins, Violas, Cellos, a Double Bass, and with an alternation between one Baroque Guitar & one Theorbo. The only exception being the use of a Solo Baroque Oboe in the Handel Opera excerpts.

...

Antonio Vivaldi.

Concerto in A Minor for Violin from La Cetra, Opus 9, Number 5, RV 358.

Violin Soloist: Gunar Letzbor.

This is an unusual Vivaldi work, for my mind, with many rather gutteral bow strokes on the Violins, which was accentuated by G's individual & eccentric method of playing, with many pauses occurring during the playing. I did notice that the ABO members were looking at the Guest Director for cues rather more than they usually do.

My ignorance of these matters is such, that this may well have been the original way of play; or perhaps we simply know not, one way or the other! Whatever may be the case, it sounded very fine & invigorating; and was rewarded with enthusiastic applause.

Tommy Andersen played Baroque Guitar.

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George Frideric Handel.

Concerto Grosso, Opus 6, Number 4, HMV 322.

Wonderfully played. It is amazing that Handel churned these Concerti Grossi out in rapid succession, whilst yet making them both individual & enthralling to listen to.

Tommy Andrsen played Theorbo. The Baroque Guitar was sitting on the floor in such a way that I could see the strings. I was surprised to note that while there is allowance for ten strings, it is strung with only seven.

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Johann Sebatian Bach.

Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042.

Violin Soloist: Gunar Letzbor.

This is a magnificent Concerto; a favourite of mine. It is a sad reflection that he wrote many more Violin Concerti than survive today. I was sure that I could hear the basic theme of the First Movement actually being used backwards at times, as the Movement progressed. The Second, Slow Movement has most of the instruments dropping out; and one of G strings breaking. So he left the stage to restring, and Movement was begun again. Then we moved to the continued to the Final Fast Movement. I have decided to buy the CD which includes Gs recording of this very piece.

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Interval

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Antonio Vivaldi.

Concerto in A Major for Solo Violin and Echo Violin.

Violin Soloist: Gunar Letzbor.

The Echo Effectwas done in an interesting way. There is a balcony above and behind the stage, and directly above that, as second smaller balcony. The distance form this higher balcony is considerble, as it is even higher than the third floor of seating at the auditorium. There, three Violinists, lead by Concertmaster Lucinda Moon, plus one Viola player placed themselves. The difficiulty of the co-ordination was shown by the way that Moon spent much time looking down at the balance of the Orchestra on the stage, to get her cues. That it all turned out magnificently in performance is a tribute to the ability of those involved.

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George Frideric Handel.

Overture to the Opera "Rodelinda", HWV 19.
Aria "Ritorna, o cara" from "Rodelinda", transcribed for Oboe.

Barqoue Oboe Soloists: Kirsten Barry.

This is from yet another Handel Opera, of which I knew naught before tonight. What we heard is the Overture & an Aria. The Oboe entered, with the Strings & Harpsicord, in the early bars of the Overture, but was then silent until the Aria, where it took the vocal part. Handel is a most wonderful composer of Operatic music; and if these two examples of Rodelinda, the Overture & an Aria, are true to the quality of the Opera as a whole, there is absolutely no reason as to why it should not be performed, irrespective of how ridiculous the libretto may or may not be!

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Giovanni Battista Pergolesi.

Concerto in B Flat Minor for Violin.

Violin Soloist: Gunar Letzbor.

Of the four hundred or so compositions attributed to Pergolesi, this is one of the forty odd he actually wrote. HIs name had such a prominance & popularity during the early 19th century, that vast volumes of works by other, now nameless composers, were passed off as his.

This Concerto is exactly what one would expect of Pergolesi: a soaring virtuoso Violin Solo, with the other instuments all but understated. It is excellent of its genre: the Italian version of the Galant style, with virtuoso Solo. In any sense of musical quality, it is undeniably good. And yes, I did enjoy it. Yet I do confess, it is not my favourite kind of music; it being what I gladly listen to at a concert, but not buy on CD.

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

Encore - an Austrian Folk Tune from 1686.

I did not catch the name, it being one rather unusual to my ears, but I did hear the year. The score was interesting: a single photocopied page for each musician. Letzbor explained that he was looking for something suitable for an encore, and an associate in his native Austria found him something at the last moment. Hence the appearance.

It was, as he explained, an Australian debut for the work. In musical terms, it was certainly not rustic; and while short, was rather intricate in the scoring, and most pleasant to the ears.

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

This was the final performance of the final Concert in the subscription programme, and it marked the retirement from the ABO of one of the Violinists. I believe this was Marina Phillips, Associate Concertmaster. So she got the flowers.

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

The last two days I have been watching a nest in Waverton. I will not say where, as there are those who would kill these young Birds under a spurious misconception: thes intelligent Birds are hardly evil. There are two healthy and plump Feldglings, which only just fit into the nest. This is a loose woven but strong twig structure, perched in a high fork of a tall, open canopied tree. Soon, I am sure, the Parents will move them to another tree. The parents react to my looking at the nest by flying away from the nest tree. This causes the Fledglings to quit calling for food. Once silent, their grey black foilage and their hunched sitting posture does give them a fair degree of camouflage. There are Crows in this area, so the parents have need of thier caution.

[This Font is ''Paris''.][--- Pied Currawongs Are The Most Devoted Of Parents!!---][Title Font is ''Park Avenue BT''.]

Tonight, being not up to much else, I listened to my newest CD, of some of Schubert's solo piano works. And then the same once more. Later, after some sleep, I listened to Jethro Tull's "Heavy Horses". Fell asleep right towards the end. I woke up around hald past midnight, and played the same once more, softly, it being of the late hour; not for me, as I was soon asleep again, but for the Budgies, who are light sleepers, and all the more so if they are made to sleep in silence.

1.20pm: In Mchatton Street, western footpath, only about ten metres from Crows Nest Road, a Crow flew across the road, pursued by three Noisy Miners. It disappeared into the canopy of one of the trees. This is such a common occurence! Even though I am only here for a few minutes each week day, I have seen this scene or similar, very often.

1.28pm: At the angle of the top end of Crows Nest Road, which is also near the base of the steep little climb, on the northern verge, I saw & heard a young Noisy Miner calling persistently for food. One parent flew off as I came to the tree. This may have been co-incidence, as the other parent ignored me, as much as it ignored the pleading youngster. This adult simply hopped to a higher branch and preened the feathers under its right wing. The youngster was actually bigger than either parent, and obviously so. It kept up the continual pleading for food, albeit without any hint of urgency in its voice; seemingly out of habit I suspected.

3.15pm: Quite by accident I surprised a Rainbow Lorrikeet, sipping nectar from a Grevillea flower. This tree was in the angle of the yard of 3C Crows Nest Road, which forms a wedge where Crows Nest Road & Carr Street meet. It flew to a tree deeper in the garden. I apologised profusely! It seems I spend much of my life apologising to Parrots. Then as I passed down Crows Nest Road, towards Bay Road, it flew back to it feeding tree.

There are a pair of good parents in Waverton: mature Pied Currawongs, although by the heights of their beaks, they are not that old. They have raised two chicks, which so far seem both plump and relaxed. Soon they will be out of the nest, and into the low bushes. Whenever I pass, the parents quickly leave the nest tree, so that the nestling cease calling for food.

I will not say where this nest is, because there are those who would harm these Birds. Pied Currawongs suffer all sorts of false inuendo about their habbits. They get wrongly blamed for what the Crows are doing. To know the truth of these matters, one need only compare the general tolerance of the small birds for Pied Currawongs, to these same birds' complete intolerance for Crows.

If the Commonwealth Government gets its way, very soon all the laws will be in place to turn Australia into a Stalinist state. It just will await a man of steel to wield this power.

1.54pm - It was in Waverton, on the western side of Machatton Street, just up from the corner with Crows Nest Road. I heard two or three Rainbow Lorrikeets nosily chattering, as they fed on the nectar of the red blossoms of this tree, whose name I know not. It has thick foilage, such that I had trouble seeing the Birds. Their song was specific and not one of their characteristic calls. Clearly they were imitating the staccato call of the Leaden Flycatchers; slowed down & not so shrill, it is true; but the style is such that they could not have been imitating any other Bird.

3.25pm - This time, it was in a flower covered Bottlebrush Tree, between the footpath and the road outside 1 McKye Street in Waverton, close by the corner with King Street. A single Rainbow Lorrikeet stopped its nectar drinking to release quite a repetoire of song. Firt there were several typical Lorrikeet shrieks; which then broke without a pause into a long wolf whistle, at a lowr volume; which next ended without a pause, changing into the Leaden Flycatcher imitation. This was the same as what I had heard earlier. Whether it was one of the early Birds, or nor, I have no way of knowing.

4.19pm. As I walked southwards along the eastside of Herbert Street in Saint Leonards, I saw a solitary Peewee feeding amongst a small patch of grass, near an apartment block. These small black & white birds are not common in these parts. This same Bird, I saw wednesdy or thursday last week in the same vicinity. Several years ago, I used often to see a solitary Peewee in the top end of Crows Nest Road. But apart from that, they have been absent.

5.13pm - To minutes after I arrived home, I saw a Indian Myna perched on the balcony wall, looking intently inside. Three Budgies showed no obvious reaction, but Ludwig became very excited and started flapping his wings, whilst his feet firmly clutched the perch. The Myna fe away, but Ludig flew to the window end of his cage, continuing to show happy excitement. He often used to see a pair of Indian Mynas, Mickle & Muckle, when he lived in Cremorne. As I have rarely seen Mynas come to the balcony in Rushcutters Bay, I presume it is a similar novelty for him; albeit clearly a joyous one.

Circa One P.M. - I was at Circular Railway Station, in between a visit to City of Sydney Customs House & Kings Cross Libraries. There were about half a dozen Leaden Flycatchers which were flying about in the covered part of the Station, just under the steel beams & rafters, often loudly shrieking as they did. I presumed they were feeding. Two of them were often flying up to a horizontal area on a beam which was hidden from my sight, but they stayed not long there bfore taking off once more. The longest I saw them sit, was when the same to, or another two, alighted some while on the trains' electric transmission wire. Here they stretched their wings, but this is done at a much more frenetic pace than the slow considered wing & leg stretches which Budgies do. Leaden Flycatchers' wing stretches are but a quick little flick out and then back in.

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Ah! Weakness! I watched Second Mission of the "The Professionals":"The Long Shot". The direction is much better and the story line stronger; it flows. The "banter" between Doyle & Bodie is, if anything, worse. And whilst the script is generally tight & holds the demanded several strands together, the ending shows a deplorable lack of any sense of morality.

"Ode To Joy"

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra [SSO].

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

8.00pm, at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House.

Conductor: Gianluigi Gelmetti.

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

Ludwig Van Beethoven:

Symphony Number One in C, Opus 21.

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

The treatment of this Symphony is very interesting, and noticeably different from the version which I must recently heard, by the Australian chamber Orchestra [ACO]. The ACO, under Richard Tognetti's direction, played at the quick pace, as Beethoven indicated with his metronome readings, albeit they may have even accentuated the pace a touch. This was an emphasis on the speed & flow of Beethoven.

The SSO, under Gianluigi Gelmetti's direction tonight, are still playing at a god pace, but the first two Movements have been slowed somewhat, with an emphasis on very clean & delicate sound; the Violins expecially picking out their chords with a gentle precision. The idea I suspect is to emphasis the mainline Classical influence on this Symphony, especially that of Josef Haydn & Wolfgang Mozart. The last two Movements are a greater pace & flow; delineating the direction of the later Beethoven. And Gelmetti did not shy from those opening few deliberatly misdirected chords of the Final Movement; actually holding up the pace slightly, to emphasise Beethoevn's point.

His conducting during this Movement was even more entertaining than usual: he was admonishing the First Violins with gestures & facial expression, as if they were a petulant school child. Exactly how they were offending was a mystery to me. The First & Second Violins began with a brilliance which maintained consistently throughout: a precision of timing matched with a delicacy of touch [unless forté was asked], no matter how the composer demanded demanded the bow be used.

An astonishingly wonderful performance. Due to the small size of the Orchestra used, my front row seat [D33], which allow me leg stretch, did not interfere with my hearing of this Symphony.

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

Ludwig Van Beethoven:

Symphony Number Nine in D Minor, Opus 125, Choral.

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

To the SSO were added the Soloists:

Penelope Randall-Davis [Soprano]; Deborah Humble [Mezzo-Soprano]; Jaewoo Kim[Tenor]; José Carbó [Bass-Baritone].

and the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs,
directed by Brett Weymark.

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

Here my front row seat [D33] caused some problems with the desired perception of the music, due to the understandably crowded nature of the stage. I heard more prominantly than intended: the First Violins & the female Soloists; less prominantlty than desired: the Wind & Brass; Choir & Second Violins. the difference was often very slight, although during the Second Movement, when the Violins join the Wind & Brass in the crescendos, where they each group play a different score at pace, which need to mesh precisely; it was a small problem. But this is a problem of my choice of seat; if I had more and were several rows back, it would have meshed precisiely. These cresendos are those points in the entire Symphony, which require an absolute precision not only of musician timing, but an absolute precision where one sits.

That aside. ... It was magnificent!! The directing, the playing, the singing: all spot on! ... I noticed things that I had no really thought about that much before, despite the numerous times I have heard the Ninth on CD & radio; and this the third time live. Like Beethoven's clever use of the Cellos, which shows such a clear understanding of the quality of their most particular resonant melancholy sound. The flow of the ideas, which often begins with the Second Violins, then to the Violas, the Cellos & Double Basses, finally the First Violins. For the Ninth, as happened tonight, the Violins must be opposite, with the Violas behind the Second, the Cellos behind the First; all else this singular effect of Beethoven's is lost.

The very different, yet equally brilliant character of the Movements is so well know, I hardly need comment at all. I never really tire of any of them; such that it was a point of some sadness to know that a Movement was coming to a close.

The final, choral movement, when those patiently sitting Soloists & Choir finally get to give voice, remains unrelently uplifting. One feels good about the World with all its imperfections; good about Oneself, which is even more difficult; a Singular Sense of Hope!!

Is the purpose of getting to the end of five day shift,
merely the means to prepare for the next five day shift?

Today, whilst sitting in my armchair, I finished the final two short "epilogue chapters" of the novel: "Thrones, Dominions", which was begun by the late Dorothy L. Sayers, and finished by Jill Paton Walsh, over half a century later, which included the bulk of the writing.

It is in the style of Ms Sayers, but is more complex and involved, with even more long, intricate digressions than usual. These are always entertaining; whether they are on the old storm water drains of London, cut perpendicular by the Victorian sewers; or the problems of writing novels when you no longer have to do it to survive, with the question of excellence coming in to the equation; or the questions of how a "modern person" deals with aristocratic protocol; or the delving into what a genuine love really is.

There is the classic late Sayer's idea of late introduction of the murder: it is not announced until page 129, out of the 367 pages.

While the differernces in regard to the complexity, as mentioned above, seems a real difference, Walsh can argue persuasively that this was the direction in which Sayers was heading: using a crime novel in part, as a discussion of other matters. Certainly this is what Sayers did in "Murder Must Advertise", with only incomplete success. One can imagine that she would have perfected that style, if her energies had have been arraigned in that direction.

After the praise, my one real gripe. The opening scene did not really come together as it was supposed to, and for some pages I was in doubt whether, with my notorious finishing books problem, that I should be attempting this long novel. But it came together in time; such that I was able to read the novel at a good pace, with enjoyment.

Finally I weakened, albeit still with considerable doubts as to wisdom of the purchase: to wit, the four DVD box set, with "Missions" 1 to 14 of "The Professionals". I knew the promo from other Umbrella releases: the music is good; the title sequence looks good, with the car going through the plate glass window & those repeated stylised "potraits" appearing one by one in quick sequence, in lines & rows across the screen. But Helen H. remembered it without love: too much violence! And a review I read on the internet was scathing of it, although praising most other 60s/70s UK thriller cult TV. In the end I bought it for $72.00 at HMV in the Pitt Street Mall, in Town.

Well, I watched the First Mission tonight: "Old Dog With New Tricks". That the story was confused and erratic was not unexpected. What was was how static & slow moving it was, which I put down to poor direction. Like, the actors stood immobile as they delivered their lines; and even the seige seemed to drag on endlessly. The characters are poorly developed in this First Mission; something which will hopefully improve.

The outstanding scene was where the psychotic Joe is holding Nurse Bolding captive, with the original idea of holding a grenade in her cleavage. Doyle shoots him. The grenade, naturally falls down. Then, as planned by the misogynist pair, Bodie runs across the carpark to her. He reaches her as she struggles to extricate the grenade, which is now somewhere below her cleavage. He knocks her out with a slap; cuts her blouse open from neck to thighs with a single vertical cut of a stanley knife; retrieves the grenade & hurls it into a suitably placed bin. A young Pamela Stephenson plays the nurse, in a clear case of early typecasting. She plays it well, & despite having all but no dialogue, provides the one good acting performance in the whole fifty or so minutes.

Value for money? Perhaps only for the delightful Ms Stephenson! No doubt it will improve. And it any case, my expectations were well inside the moderate range.

Early in the evening, I finished watching the second video of the 1993 BBC dramatisation of Jane Austen's "Persuasion". It is a very good adaption of an excellent novel. I even went al mentally soppy as it all came together at the end. This video I borrowed from the Haymarket Branch of Sydney City Library.

Then I went on to watch two Episodes of "The Saint": 1- "The Russian Prisoner"; 2 - "The House On Dragon's Rock". The first is a good, well worked and acted story; while is the secod is complete nonsense, with a Giant Ant and all! Although this is the first colour series of The Saint, I found myself recalling the Giant Ant scenes shortly after it ended in, in black & white. Some perhaps I did see this episode at least when I was young. If I was equally unimpressed - for I was not always naieve as a young child! - then this may be why I had never bothered to pursue The Saint, literaturally speaking, until earlier this year!

I had watched "The Russian Prisoner" late last night, but was not fully attentive, although I formed the opinion of it which I confirmed today. Naturally I wished to flesh out what I missed then, today. A similar desire to rewatch "The House On Dragon's Rock" has not occurred.

I purchased an internal digital aerial this morning. It worked not well enough, so I took it back in the early afternoon and was refunded the $70.00.

Then in a different place in the same shopping complex, in HMV, I bought "The Saint" - Series Four Box Set. This was $122.00. Series One Box Set was not on the shelf. So denied the debut of the series, I passed by the next two seasons, to go for the colour debut. A different kind of debut, but a debut yet still!

[Font is ''Paris''.][--- DVD & Video Mania!! Is Nothing More Insanier?? ---][Font is ''Paris''.]

Earlier in the morning I had begun a literary morning with Jacob Bronowsky - "The Ascent Of Man" - 1 - "Lower Than Angels"; continued with CD 2 of the BBC full cast dramatisation of Dorothy L. Sayers - "Have His Carcasse" [Customs House Library loan]; & then began the BBC video of Jane Austen's "Persuasion" [Customs House Library loan].