Early Risers.

[monkeysarefun]

59 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Oh, I, er, had a, um, enjoyable significant teenage life moment to her music...#cough#.

 The theme song to Welcome Back Kotter for me!

Edited April 8, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

9 hours ago, Barry O said:

Best free gig.. sitting outside the Leeds Uni refectory listening to Santana..

Wasn't free but mine was seeing  Nirvana at The Big Day Out in Sydney just as Nevermind became a huge thing. They arrived in Australia pretty much  unknowns and were world famous by the time they played the  BDO, suddenly in huge demand back overseas but completed their Australian tour playing in the small venues they'd been booked for months ago.

Edited April 8, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Hroth]

19 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Some things shouldn't be translated but. I remember a telly version of some Italian or whatever opera and the words had been translated into  English. Beauty, I though, I'll be able to understand what's going on for a change.

 

Turns out it's mainly stuff like "Theres a knock on the door!".  " Well, go open the door!" " I'll go open the door!" "Yes go open the door!" and so on, like the Monty Python Gumbys or something but for 2 bloody hours.

 

Spoiled the magic, 2 stars.

 

Read Terry Pratchetts "Maskerade".  It's very informative about Opera...

 

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

I don't see why Shakespeare could not be 'translated' into modern English, much in the same way as the contemporary King James bible was. Shakespeare has been translated into dozens of foreign languages and almost certainly into the modern version of those languages.

Unless a production is 100% faithful to the original (and that brings up the thorny question of what folio do you choose as your source material), then every Shakespearean play I have been in there have been tweaks to the script. Sometimes removing minor characters (often, with small ensembles, there aren’t enough actors to go around to fill the minor “rude, mechanicals“ roles) or certain words are updated or passages truncated. 
 

A lot of the updating can be done through the performance and the delivery of the lines. When I played Sir Toby Belch in 12th Night, in one scene, (where I got into a most enjoyable stage sword-fight with the actor playing Sebastian) before drawing swords I had to say the lines “Come, sir, I will not let you go. Come, my young  soldier, put up your iron: you are well fleshed; come on” which were delivered with the tone, intonation and emphasis as though I was saying “come on then, if you think you’re hard enough, you w****r, c’mon you m**********r”.

 

The fight was great fun to do. It was very carefully choreographed (stage swords may be blunt, but they can still break bones or cause other injuries) and because - at the time - I was still using a walking stick that was incorporated into the fight: with Sir Toby Belch taking a swipe at Sebastian with the walking stick as Sebastian parried Sir Toby’s sword - most unsporting (as I played him in that version, Sir Toby may have been a knight - but he was no Gentleman)

[PhilH]

Good morning from the bottom. It’s a glorious one at the moment, whether it stays like that remains to be seen. Currently in recovery mode after a really good night out last night at a local ish live music venue, the Brook in Southampton. Went to see a Hendrix/Clapton tribute band called Voodoo Room. I used to be a bit sniffy about tribute bands but the ones I’ve seen lately have been excellent, and this one is no exception, they were good!

not a lot planned for today, going to let the cider induced headache subside a bit. Tonight it’s pizza and games night at my daughters with my son and family as well. Should be good.

 

Whatever you’re doing enjoy your day.

[monkeysarefun]

11 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Unless a production is 100% faithful to the original (and that brings up the thorny question of what folio do you choose as your source material), then every Shakespearean play I have been in there have been tweaks to the script. Sometimes removing minor characters (often, with small ensembles, there aren’t enough actors to go around to fill the minor “rude, mechanicals“ roles) or certain words are updated or passages truncated. 

No worries - Australian word scientists have been in the lab recreating most of Shakespeare's plays as Antipodean versions set here.

 

Awesome stuff, for instance, here's a sneak peak at John of Gaunt, 'This sceptred isle' speech from Richard II. ·

 

Old Version (Shakespearean Language):

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall, Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands; This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England, This nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings, Feared by their breed and famous by their birth, Renowned for their deeds as far from home For Christian service and true chivalry As is the sepulchre in stubborn Jewry Of the world's ransom, blessed Mary's son; This land of such dear souls, this dear dear land, Dear for her reputation through the world, Is now leased out - I die pronouncing it - Like to a tenement or pelting farm. England, bound in with the triumphant sea, Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame, With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds. That England that was wont to conquer others Hath made a shameful conquest of itself. Ah, would the scandal vanish with my life, How happy then were my ensuing death!

 

 

New version, Australian language-

 

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!

Oi!  Oi!  Oi!

 

 

 

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

 

 

The rest of the Bogglers arrive today.. could go a bit pear shaped as we meet up in the Victoria Hotel at lunchtime.. I may have to have a lie down in a dark room later today.

 

 

 

Baz

Be careful going into the Vic. I,bei g shy, got my mate to invite a pretty young peewee, as they were politely known, for a drink there whilst at Juvenile court.  The rest as you might say is history. 

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

For those of you who haven’t heard Annie Haslam

 

And of course Maddy Prior from Steeleye Span

 

The first, I've avtually got as a single on vinylsuperb.  I did see Maddy at Uni though. . 

33 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 The theme song to Welcome Back Kotter for me!

Amoureuse by Kiki Dee for me though listening to "just like a woman'by Dylan always takes me back to another pleasant place.  

 

Jamie

[iL Dottore]

26 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Some things shouldn't be translated but. I remember a telly version of some Italian or whatever opera and the words had been translated into  English. Beauty, I though, I'll be able to understand what's going on for a change.

 

Turns out it's mainly stuff like "Theres a knock on the door!".  " Well, go open the door!" " I'll go open the door!" "Yes go open the door!" and so on, like the Monty Python Gumbys or something but for 2 bloody hours.

 

Spoiled the magic, 2 stars.

That’s the beauty of opera - the libretto doesn’t have to make sense. It’s all about the beauty of the voice as an instrument (something explored by composers as diverse as Edward Elgar and Arvo Pärt). If there are rousing sing-along-with-the-lyrics arias/choruses - even better.

To illustrate:

 

Elgar’s Lux Aeterna (a reworking of Nimrod)

And Arvo Pärt‘s Nunc Dimittis

 

Elgar never fails to move and Arvo Pärt‘s work is transcendental: at 5:40 things get really celestial and the “Amen” at about 6:40 is so beautiful, it really pierces you to the core.

 

Arvo Pärt is an amazing composer (probably the best contemporary “classical music” composer of today) and writes both secular and ecclesiastical music. Nunc Dimittis (above) is an example of his superb ecclesiastical work - which knocks the “happy clappy, I luv Jesus” music (so beloved by today’s wanna-be trendy, right on, CofE vicars) into a cocked hat.

 

I may be old-fashioned, but ecclesiastical music (hymns, masses, oratorios etc.) should be moving, stirring, exemplifying the awe inspiring power and the glory of the deity you are worshipping.

[monkeysarefun]

34 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

That’s the beauty of opera - the libretto doesn’t have to make sense. It’s all about the beauty of the voice as an instrument (something explored by composers as diverse as Edward Elgar and Arvo Pärt). If there are rousing sing-along-with-the-lyrics arias/choruses - even better.

To illustrate:

 

Elgar’s Lux Aeterna (a reworking of Nimrod)

And Arvo Pärt‘s Nunc Dimittis

 

Elgar never fails to move and Arvo Pärt‘s work is transcendental: at 5:40 things get really celestial and the “Amen” at about 6:40 is so beautiful, it really pierces you to the core.

 

Arvo Pärt is an amazing composer (probably the best contemporary “classical music” composer of today) and writes both secular and ecclesiastical music. Nunc Dimittis (above) is an example of his superb ecclesiastical work - which knocks the “happy clappy, I luv Jesus” music (so beloved by today’s wanna-be trendy, right on, CofE vicars) into a cocked hat.

 

I may be old-fashioned, but ecclesiastical music (hymns, masses, oratorios etc.) should be moving, stirring, exemplifying the awe inspiring power and the glory of the deity you are worshipping.

Hey no need to teach us down here a thing or two about fancy singing,  I mean....

 

Check out our  Opera house!

Edited April 8, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[DaveF]

A fine morning and a bit milder, very nice.

 

Yesterday I had to do a bit of shopping in Homebase, as Aldi is just across the car park I called in there first to buy a few odds and ends.  I went to Homebase to buy some woodstain for the garage fascias - as the wood is in good condition I am not going to replace them with uPVC for now, even though the rest of the house has uPVC.  I got the woodstain, along with a can of varnish,  a tube of silicone sealant, some Copydex and a couple of plants so I will be occupied for a few days after Easter.

 

After coffee and a simple old fashioned ice bun I continued cleaning the inside of the greenhouse - I just have the floor to do now.  Then I trimmed some dead bits off the weigela - after it has flowered it will need a hard cutting back as it is beginning to get leggy.  I was going to trim the winter flowering jasmine but a pair of blackbirds have decided to build their nest in it, right against the fence.  It's not the best of places, only a few feet from the door at the back of my garage and within reach of some predators.  I've noticed that blackbirds do nest in odd places - they are not the brightest of birds.

 

I had a walk along the Quayside on the way back from the shops, it was deserted - probably because the wind was cold but the walk did me good.

 

Once again much of the rest of the day was spent working on photos.  Then in the evening I listened to one of Andre Rieu's CDs and watched a bit of TV.

 

David

 

[polybear]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I don't see why Shakespeare could not be 'translated' into modern English, much in the same way as the contemporary King James bible was. Shakespeare has been translated into dozens of foreign languages and almost certainly into the modern version of those languages.

 

Shakespeare:  "Haile to your Grace."

 

Translation:  "Yo Bruvver - what's goin' down my man?"

[PupCam]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Morning (Pre-much) All!

 

Elgar’s Lux Aeterna (a reworking of Nimrod)

 

<Snip>

 

Elgar never fails to move .........

 

Oh Flavio!      You couldn't of picked a better piece of music whether in its original or later vocal form.        As you say, Nimrod never fails to move me.    

 

Many, many years ago when I was, shall we say, far more active in the model flying camp I happened to be alone at the field on a particularly fine but cold and frosty Remembrance Sunday morning.    At the time I had a 1/4 scale Sopwith Pup*  (WW1 fighter) and as 11:00 approached I stopped flying, sat down for some "moments of reflection" and listened to the Service on the radio.     The sound of Nimrod and the sight of a fairly large WW1 (model) aeroplane sitting on the frosty grass underneath a deep blue sky made for me an unforgettable act of Remembrance.

 

Speaking of Remembrance.   Faceache reminds me that it is 7 years to the day that we had the most recent opportunity to fly at ex RAF Coltishall where, over previous years, much fun was had but sadly generally curtailed with the the departure of the RAF and replacement by HMP.   "Phil" (in the middle with jeans and a baseball cap) the chap who organised all of the splendid Coltishall and subsequent Tibenham Fly-Ins ALWAYS stopped the fun shortly before 12:00 so that a 2 minute silence could be observed for the fallen.   In addition, as seen here, often with a small ceremony from The Spirit of Coltishall Association thrown in for good measure AND if we were particularly fortunate with a visit from the RAF at ~500 feet.  Sometimes they'd turn up in a Lancaster, a couple of Spitfires or maybe a Tornado at 500 knots.   Oh yes and on this occasion some short bloke turned up with his trumpet and bluffed his way through the Last Post 😀

 

Happy days!

 

 

 

 

Musically speaking; like many on here, I have very eclectic tastes - can't imagine the appeal of sticking to one narrow genre or indeed the logic for thinking that every piece from a particular genre must be good but each to their own and all that.        For me?  Amongst many ....  Elgar, Pink Floyd, ELO, Donna Summer, Bach,  Eagles, Glen Miller,  Vaughan Williams, Carpenters, Robert Palmer, Blondie, Barber,  Phil Collins, Eva Cassidy, Kate Bush, Genesis and others far too numerous to mention.  

 

Good luck with categorising that lot! 🤣

 

TTFNQ

 

* The Pup was the aircraft I did most of my development of airborne live video camera downlinks for "Onboard" videos  way before such things became cheap and fashionable with the coming of multicopter drones.     Hence "PupCam".     Sadly the Pup was lost on something like my 300th flight with it (it was second hand when I bought it!) at Tibenham airfield in Norfolk.

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by PupCam

[PeterBB]

On 06/04/2023 at 20:10, Ozexpatriate said:

I find that very hard to believe - even unintentionally. I can remember my classmates discussing Pink Floyd 

Its quite possible that i have unintentinally heard a Pink Floyd  song.

 

[45156]

Afternoon All,

 

All posts read sonce last visit yesterday - miracles will never cease.

 

As to music again - Annie Haslam was a much underrated singer - Northern Lights is but one of a number of excellent tracks - I have Sog for all seasons on CD and used to have it on vinyl - excellent album indeed.

 

I have met Maddy Prior on a number occasions, as one of the bands that I was in supported Steeleye a few times - I really never warmed to her in the way that I did to many other folk and folk/rock vocalists and musicians.

 

On the classical side, I was so lucky, as I've said here before, as my late father was a superb music teacher, as Jock 67B also remembered, and one of  his great favourites was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade a wonderfully evocative and descriptive piece of music - which he analysed and interpreted to the ten year old 45156 - there are many many good recordings out there, but not the Karajan rendition - too brassy and germanic.

 

Visited a number of the antique centres in Leomonster today, as well as the charity shops, a couple of purchases to be photographed and listed on Ebay, along with some other bits - so I thought I'd get my tuppence worth in here.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Edited April 8, 2023 by 45156

[petethemole]

The old shed is in pieces of varying sizes.  I still need to dismember one side wall panel into its component parts of planks and uprights.  This involves vigorous hitting with a hammer to start the nails, plus a crowbar to get them apart.  I was going to carry on for a bit late morning but realised from the tell-tale noises that nextdoor's new baby was outside, so I tried without the hammering.  The crowbar on its own worked but was slow and tedious so I gave up and went for lunch followed by an eyelid inspection.  Now I'm running late to go out.

[jjb1970]

7 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Quite frankly, I think that the greatest disservice you can do to a great work of literature, theatre or music is to dissect it, analyse it and “teach it“. I firmly believe that the worst thing you can do to Shakespeare (and other playwrights) is to study their works as “literature“.  Plays are meant to be performed and watched. A frequent criticism of Shakespeare is about the archaic language (but considering how many new words and expressions Shakespeare created for the English language, it’s not that terribly archaic), but a well performed play will be entertaining to watch, even if you don’t understand the language.
 

 

100%. I was put off Shakespeare for years by my school experiences. Being forced to deconstruct each part to an absurd degree, with no joy, no sense of the drama or comedy, turning great art into a turgid chore which made me hate the great bard.

 

I had similar experiences in music, though with less impact. I wonder how many people have been left with a lifelong aversion to some writers and artists thanks to school?

 

You are right about the language bit too, if you read Shakespeare the language can be quite difficult and archaic, but when delivered by a decent group of actors it is wonderfully poetic, with a real beauty.

[woodenhead]

I put three pieces of white bloomer under the grill, toasted one side and removed.  Turned the slices, added tomatoe puree, oregano, salt, pepper and grated mature cheddar, returned to the grill for 4 minutes.

 

Poured myself a nice cup of cold coffee and headed upstairs to each my dinner in my railway room/office.

 

Passed the living room on the way where Mrs W was learning her lastest fitness release to instruct later in the week.

 

All was good until I decided to skip a step onto the middle landing and all hell broke loose - toast all upside down on the floor, the coffee covering myself, the carpet and the white wall and me thanking the lord that I had not planted my face into the wall.

 

So after wiping down the wall, cleaning the floor and then returning to the kitchen to repeat the whole process except for the trip I have now had a nice lunch.

 

Guess who needs to do some decorating in the next couple of weeks, which also means the lounge as no point doing just a little bit when there is a whole other room I can paint too.

[jjb1970]

On opera, I think the two extremes are to treat the words as something necessary to give the singers something to sing, and at the other extreme it could be described as theatre with backing music. The former tends to be associated with Italian opera, some of Mozart's operatic works fall into that category though the operas he wrote with Lorenzo Da Ponte had very good libretti. The second part tends to be modern opera (I use the word 'modern' in the way associated with classical music.....). Actually I'm being unfair, while opera in the second group may lack the wonderful set piece arias associated with composers like Mozart, Rossini, Verdi and Puccini they can be strikingly powerful and blessed with a genuine musical beauty, and they tend to work well as drama quite aside from the music.

 

My favourite modern opera composer is John Adams, and in this case modern is a reasonable moniker as he is a contemporary composer. He often writes about modern historical events, I'd recommend 'Nixon in China' as a great starting point, with 'Doctor Atomic' worth trying, a very powerful work. His operas often have a powerful rhythmic drive, if they do not offer the glorious vocal fireworks of Verdi neither is his work impenetrable minimalism. Nixon in China has a sense of swing, importantly the libretti he composes to are often superb.

[jjb1970]

Another modern-ish (this one is indeed 'modern' in the way of classical music....) is Alban Berg's 'Lulu', the Pierre Boulez recording of the reconstructed final act with Teresa Stratos has really stood the test of time as a wonderful performance.

[Gwiwer]

8 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Hawkwind, Jethro Tull, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Clash, Black Sabbath,  Yes, The Rolling Stones and so on…

All bar Yes, who for some reason I have never quite "got into", I still listen to quite regularly.  

 

One of my earlier concert experiences - and experience it certainly was - was to attend a Hawkwind concert on the "Space Ritual" tour.  That remains my favourite of their albums many years later both musically and for the memorable experience.  Aided and abetted by Stacia's almost-undressed cavorting on stage which was something for a teenage Gwiwer to behold!   But then I also attended the Rolling Stones "Farewell Tour" in 1976 at the (late lamented) Earls Court and they just kept on rolling.  And being stoned.  

 

In other news an early trip was made to a respectably quiet Borough Market this morning.  Trains, buses and streets were almost empty although the market was comfortably patronised.  We returned with a selection of cheeses, condiments and a dry mix for turmeric latte which Dr. SWMBO enjoys.  I was tempted by some of the many breads and pastries on offer but we are well-stocked in that department already; it would be criminal to place artisan bread products in the freezer for another time.  

 

Whilst enjoying a rather good coffee at the market we received an email from our estate agent confirming the unconditional offer at the top end of our price range on the Aussie property.  This we reviewed, signed and returned meaning that - unless they are total scammers - we have sold the house and just await settlement.   That is due in 30 days.  With due diligence by their conveyancer having established their financial standing we don't anticipate any further problems but until we have the money at our end it's still a waiting game.  Two other parties made lower offers.  

[Gwiwer]

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Check out our  Opera house!

Ostentation!  Pure ostentation!!!  🤭

 

One of the best performances I have seen at the Sydney Opera House wasn't even inside; it was the Midnight Oil gig outside.  Who needs sails and a roof?  OK, Red Sail in the Sunset maybe.

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers all. Reports about my assimilation have been greatly exaggerated, to paraphrase a certain Starfleet captain!

 

Dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes, so I'll have to leave it at generic congrats and commies for the moment. 

 

Oh, and this is a major earworm right now: 

 

 

🤘🕺😎

[TheQ]

The Spirit of Coltishall room at RAF Neatishead radar museum https://www.radarmuseum.co.uk/ is alongside the History Room in which I guard guide.

 

Shakeshaft period groups of players were actually quite small, actors would play several parts. With study you can work out who had more than one part because characters never appear together.

One other problem with school dissection of the upstart crow's works, is that they never tell you the jokes, many of which are exceedingly rude.

 

Afternoon Awl,

Sat around most of the day while SWMBO chats to her brother and his wife.

 

I attempted to download the contacts list from his phone to his computer, due to a dodgy lead, most of it was lost.

We have been given the phone, and it's sim card is heading back to his former company. I'm going to unlock it, and put in a PAYG SIM in it. This will solve our problem of many more things needing a smartphone. It's only a basic cheap phone, as in his former line of work they were always getting damaged.

We've also gained a hp printer scanner it was on a contract for ink, so there are loads of spare cartridges, but being hp they'll need unlocking. Research says that is possible.

We now have a surfeit of lap tops, SWMBO's old and new ones, and his old one.

I intend one will become the 3D printer driver.

We have of course gained a bag of "these leads fit something"...

 

Time for some food.

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Ostentation!  Pure ostentation!!!  🤭

 

One of the best performances I have seen at the Sydney Opera House wasn't even inside; it was the Midnight Oil gig outside.  Who needs sails and a roof?  OK, Red Sail in the Sunset maybe.

I saw Crowded House doing their Farewell World concert at the same location in 1996.  Up to 250,000 people were there by estimates. Crowded Opera House!

 

When it comes to bands I've  found Spotify's ability to introduce new things to me  based on my listening algorithm invaluable. I've got around 11000 liked songs in my playlist currently,  I reckon I only knew about 500 of them before I joined up.

Bands too, just checking out my Most Played list shows my top 20  favourites are apparently Quiet Marauder, Half Man Half Biscuit, Goons Of Doom, Tramp Attack, Messer Chups, The Mekons, Frank Zappa, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Momus, Jim Bob, The Divine Comedy, Ween, The Specials,  Primus, T-Rextasy, Dog Trumpet, Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer  and The Tiger Lillie's.

 

All brilliant and none other than Ween,  The Specials Primus and Frank Zappa was I aware of before Spotify.

Another 5 stars from me.

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Shakespeare:  "Haile to your Grace."

 

Translation:  "Yo Bruvver - what's goin' down my man?"

Going by most stuff I see on YouTube I thought  a succinct "Orrigh?" was the standard greeting there..

Edited April 8, 2023 by monkeysarefun