When it comes to classical music, I'm a bit of a Luddite. I've heard a lot of the really famous pieces including the one below. Who hasn't heard of Rossini's William Tell Overture? The version below is conducted by a Korean gent named Myung-whun Chung. It embarrasses me no end to confess that I'd never heard of him. Proof of my Luddite status. Myung-whun Chung is much lauded internationally. He's even been awarded the Legion of Honour by the French Government and has in the past, been named Man of the Year by UNESCO. Here he leads the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra through a hectic version the classic. From what I've been reading, it's a quicker treatment of the work. It's also really nice to see the orchestra members enjoying the occasion. Breath taking stuff. The man is as cool as.
More of the wonderful Mr. Myung-whun Chung. This time with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Bizet's Carmen.
A dude indeed. Everyone in the crowd filming it on their phones. His mate is clearly filming it. Just watch it with your own eyes and enjoy, ****wits.
Yes Oddy. Similar with me. I've got both my kids learning guitar/keyboard so they may be able to do what I'd like to have done. My little lad played with his band (he's 8 ffs!) at school assembly a few weeks back. He said it went well but the negative was that it seemed to have made him popular with the girls. He'll learn .
Just to name-drop (or city-drop!) yet again, was staying at the Regent (think it was) Singapore years ago, just reading a newspaper in the vast lobby. There was a nice looking piano standing by a pillar, when a smartly-dressed gentleman walked up to it, opened the lid, and then quietly played a most beautiful rendering of Erroll Garner's "Misty". He was so good, really, that everything went quiet in the busy lobby while he was playing. On finishing, he silently shut the lid, got up, and walked away. I do not know to this day who he was, certainly not a visiting musician for the hotel. (My own son-in-law is a damn fine jazz pianist in his spare time, but he himself would concede to the stranger in Singapore that day.)
I got up to a decent standard when i was about 14 Oddy, but then sport took over my life, then drinking then girls, not necessarily in that order, and I never got back on the ole ivories. I do wish I had stuck at it for just a bit longer... Hey, ho...
A bit more praiseworthy than me red - I excelled at snooker in my youth I struggle to see the other end of the table these days
TheFlightChannel on YouTube recreates aircraft crashes using simulator software and gives a detailed explanation of exactly what caused the crash. This one is of the aircraft with the Chapecoense football team on board which crashed in Colombia. Even more sad and tragic as it was utterly avoidable.
Wow, shopping in Leeds can certainly be different! The Orchestra of Opera North appear from various corners of Trinity Leeds (UK) to perform a rip-roaring version of Ravel's famous Bolero, to the surprise of shoppers.
I love this masterpiece from the great Scottish poet and writer, Robert Burns. Oh, did I understand it all, you may rightly ask? Well, the 25% Scottish in me had to work pretty damn hard, I can tell you! …………………………………. To a Mouse By Robert Burns On Turning up in Her Nest with the Plough, November, 1785 Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie, O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Wi’ bickerin brattle! I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee Wi’ murd’ring pattle! I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion Has broken Nature’s social union, An’ justifies that ill opinion, Which makes thee startle, At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, An’ fellow-mortal! I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! A daimen-icker in a thrave ’S a sma’ request: I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave, An’ never miss ’t! Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin! An’ naething, now, to big a new ane, O’ foggage green! An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin, Baith snell an’ keen! Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste, An’ weary Winter comin fast, An’ cozie here, beneath the blast, Thou thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel coulter past Out thro’ thy cell. That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble, But house or hald, To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble, An’ cranreuch cauld! But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy! Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me! The present only toucheth thee: But Och! I backward cast my e’e, On prospects drear! An’ forward tho’ I canna see, I guess an’ fear! ........................................