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What Are We Reading? 18 January 2021
Justine wrote: "My first contact with the Beethoven story was in a children's book, a collection of 'great composers' lives'. The Beethoven one made me cry."As I noted in an earlier post, in much of 1969 my music diet mostly consisted of top 40 radio, only beginning to discover classical music later in the year, so my early exposures to Beethoven mostly coincided with the bicentennial year of 1970. Because of that, I think I heard many lesser known works alongside the most celebrated pieces. It was almost all new to me, though; I’d heard very little Beethoven before that. My mother had a music box that played what I later discovered was “Für Elise” and the unidentified music at the end of the “Huntley-Brinkley Report” turned out to be the Scherzo of the Ninth. I’m sure I’d heard the opening of the Fifth before, but I don’t recall where that was; I’d never seen Fantasia, so the Sixth was unknown, though it became an immediate favorite once heard. One piece that turned up regularly in popular culture was the “Minuet in G”, which hardly ever shows up in concerts or recordings, and which I don’t think I heard during the bicentennial.
Some lesser known pieces I regularly listen to:
• Variations on “Se vuol ballare” for Violin and Piano, WoO40 (Beethoven’s wit is often in evidence in his sets of variations; here the variations go through a variety of moods, subjecting Figaro’s exclamation of “sì” to a number of emotional colorings.)
• “Elector” Sonatas, WoO 47 (Early Mozartian classicism; Emil Gilels was one of the few big-name pianists to perform these gems.)
• Serenade for Flute, Violin, and Viola, Op. 25 (An unbuttoned, joyful chamber work.)
• String Quintet, Op. 29 (The style fits securely between that of the Op. 18 and Op. 59 Quartets, but that extra viola seems to have relegated this work to the margins.)
• The Creatures of Prometheus, ballet, Op. 43 (Beethoven wrote a number of dances for social use, in this balletic half-brother to the Eroica he gets a little more serious; his only use of the harp as an orchestral instrument.)
• Fantasy for Piano, Soloists, Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 80 (a kind of sketch for the Ninth Symphony)
• Mass in C Major, Op. 86 (Beethoven wrote few sacred works – this one is noteworthy, but overshadowed by its successor, the Missa Solemnis.)
• An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 (Beethoven invents the song cycle)
• Incidental Music to “The Ruins of Athens”, Op. 113 (nothing of genius here, but a number of memorable moments, including the fairly well-known Turkish March (subject of the Op. 76 variations) and a chorus of dervishes, as well as enjoyable choral and vocal pieces.)
• Rondo alla ingharese quasi un capriccio (“Rage over a Lost Penny”), Op. 129 (This, along with the introduction to the Choral Fantasy, may be the closest thing we have to a transcription of Beethoven’s improvising.)
Cabbie wrote: "Is anyone else missing the ability to give a post a thumbs up, like clicking the up-arrow on the original TLS?"👍 Yes
Berkley wrote"Hey BMac, good to see you make the way over. Was it you who recommended The Information by Martin Amis to me? I read and enjoyed it recently.
Gpfr wrote: "When will we be able to travel again? Ah well, I'm travelling through my current reading:Holland and particularly Amsterdam: A Cold Death in Amsterdam by Anja de Jager A Cold Death in Amsterdam (Lotte Meerman #1) by Anja de Jager
The heroine is a police officer working on cold cases and her current cases have worryingly personal implications. It's the first in a series, but I'm not far into it yet.
..."
If you fancy more Amsterdam crime, try David Hewson's Pieter Vos series.
AB76 wrote: "anyone heard from leathercol? hope he is ok?i know he will be missing the gym during lockdown 3"
Read my mind, was just thinking the same thing yesterday.
Reen wrote: "@Blue #57I'm glad if I brought you back to the pleasures of the harbour Blue. It was a lovely read; I'm finding Apeirogon more challenging just in adapting to the style and the volume of informat..."
Have you read any other books by Column McCann? I haven't got to "Apeirogon" but hope to read it later in the year. I read "Let the Great World Spin" which I thought was really like a book of short stories. The stories were excellent but I thought the attempt to draw all the stories together in the end was a bit contrived. I also read "This Side of Brightness" which I loved. I would love to read it again as I can't remember all the plot.
I am afraid to admit that I binge watched "Bridgerton" over two nights. I thought it was great fun.
AB76 wrote: Durrenmatt...Brevity is key...Yes, indeed - where Durrenmatt is concerned, the shorter the better! ;-)
Justine wrote: "Hushpuppy (189) wrote: "Re TLS/RG,"Thanks for the update, Glad!"
Indeed... this site works well enough up to a point, but there are issues... probably, the inability to create 'side-threads' for us digressors is a major one, as it annoys some others!
Hushpuppy wrote: "there is at least the aspiration at our end to make it happen when staffing issues have been fully resolved"Encouraging news!
New UK Covid variant may be 30% more deadly, says JohnsonI see the old slippery percentages are at it again. 30% more than what rate? Not stated.
Guess these headlines are meant to scare people.
Bill wrote: "Variations on “Se vuol ballare”"Thanks for this suggestion.
A lot of musicians whose music I enjoy (well, Joe Jackson at any rate) consider Beethoven as the best, but I've never really got into him. Perhaps my sister's piano practising of Moonlight Sonata followed by its hijacking by Derek and Clive is at the root of it. I much prefer Purcell, Handel, Bach and Mozart. Hence my "ears" pricking up when I saw the reference to Se Vuol Ballare.
Mod
"If you fancy more Amsterdam crime, try David Hewson's Pieter Vos series."
Yes! You introduced me to it a while ago, after you'd got me reading his Nic Costa series. Both great recommendations, thank you.
Gpfr wrote: "giveusaclue wrote (214): "Gpfr wrote: "Holland and particularly Amsterdam: A Cold Death in Amsterdam by Anja de Jager A Cold Death i...""If you fancy more Amsterdam crime, try David Hewson's Piet..."
there is also the amsterdam crime series from the 1960s by AC Bantjer
CCCubbon wrote: " New UK Covid variant may be 30% more deadly, says JohnsonI see the old slippery percentages are at it again. 30% more than what rate? Not stated.
Guess these headlines are meant to scare people."
as is this flimsy lockdown, amazing amounts of traffic and people where i live, pretty sure the idea of shopping as little as possible for food is being ignored.
Some very interesting new translations from Germany in 2021, the "Aesthetics of Resistance" by Peter Weiss has its second volume newly translated, there is Koeppens "Pigeons On The Grass"(which i have just ordered and Mach mentioned on here) plus the Lenz novel"The Turncoat"Looking foward to reading them all
Mod
" more Amsterdam crime, David Hewson ..."
"the amsterdam crime series from the 1960s by AC Bantjer "
Thanks, I'll check it out.
There is also the Van der Valk series by Nicolas Freeling. And then, while I'm mentioning Freeling - not Holland though😊- his Castang series set in France and his stand-alone novels.
ABQuiet around here. We went to the supermarket on Wednesday and the assistants loading trolleys more than tripled ordinary customers.
Guess a 30% rise sounds much deadlier than one of 10 per 1000 rising to 13 per thousand.
Machenbach wrote: "AB76 wrote: "Watching an interesting documentary on Sky called "The BookSellers" in small 15 min chunks. Its about the antiquarian book market in NYC and is a fascinating study of books as objects...."sky do some great documentaries, i upgraded my BT TV account in sept to add Sky sports multi-channels and gained all the sky movies and documentary channels at no extra cost. (main reason was to make sure i get guaranteed cricket in the summer, sky had a crap deal with bT where i only got "main event", so halfway through a test, it was off to the All Mongolia Sheep Tossing tournement live from Ulan Bator).
NB. nothing against sheep tossing, just wanted my cricket
CCCubbon wrote: "ABQuiet around here. We went to the supermarket on Wednesday and the assistants loading trolleys more than tripled ordinary customers.
Guess a 30% rise sounds much deadlier than one of 10 per 1000..."
glad to see its sensible where you are!
Gpfr wrote: "AB76 wrote (223): "Gpfr wrote: "giveusaclue wrote (214): "Gpfr wrote: A Cold Death in Amsterdam by Anja de Jager" more Amsterdam crime, David Hewson ..."
"the amsterdam crime series from the 1960s..."
i loved De Kok and the Dead Harlequin by Bantjer last year and i can also recommend the Van Der Wetering detective novels.
Outsider in Amsterdam
Plenty of Amsterdam crime for you to explore GPFR!!
AB76 wrote: "CCCubbon wrote: "ABQuiet around here. We went to the supermarket on Wednesday and the assistants loading trolleys more than tripled ordinary customers.
Guess a 30% rise sounds much deadlier than o..."
The greatest sense of crisis I've had was at my eye-hospital visit yesterday. The waiting room was nearly empty, a contrast from just before Christmas, when there was nowhere to sit. That probably means a lot of the less immediately critical appointments had been cancelled. The doctors and other staff were visibly distracted and edgy, something I've never witnessed before. One technician-nurse whispered to me that she and other colleagues might be switched to a general hospital to replace over-stressed staff, and that she was very nervous about that. I took one look at the eyes of the woman doing my blood test, and said, 'You're tired!' and she replied, wearily, 'Yes'. Usually the blood-takers are very jolly and full of laughter. She looked closer to tears. So if '30|% rise' scares a few people into being more thoughtful about their behaviour here in London, I won't complain.
JustineI agree Justine, although most people will question this large figure. Unfortunately our PM has a reputation for not being truthful all of the time and some may dismiss such tactics out of hand.
Your visit sounds quite nerve racking.
Machenbach wrote: "AB76 wrote: "NB. nothing against sheep tossing."You remembered my Taffness just in time there.
Tbh, I barely watch TV at all these days, but my Mum says Sky Arts do some good programmes. I've be..."
sports means i watch a lot all year round but otherwise its news and documentries with some drama. i dont really watch any big series that are popular, though i always enjoy Spiral, The Bureau and the new BBC drama (from Denmark) about the Kim Wall murder "The Investigation"
plus with the new sky tv package i can watch all of GoT again at the click of button with no extra cost
CCCubbon wrote: "JustineI agree Justine, although most people will question this large figure. Unfortunately our PM has a reputation for not being truthful all of the time and some may dismiss such tactics out of ..."
thats the huge problem with someone as careless and cavalier as this PM in times of crisis. he is rarely "over his brief", likes to give false hope and seems unable to not smirk at least once during serious press conferences.
i am suprised that so many people are driving and supermarket shopping everyday here, a friend in north-west surrey has been amazed at how every house on his street seems to be making 2-3 trips a day. this is hardly in keeping with "stay at home"
i've been relatively unaffected by the first two lockdowns and this one but its the first new year in my life where planning trips/hols(nothing grand) is all in pencil with a likelihood they wont happen. (i've been very affected by all the death and suffering, even if i dont know anyone who has died from covid, its a dreadful disease)
Harry (204) wrote: "AB76 wrote: "its still a remarkable paper"It could be, if it stopped trying to court the left and went back to being middle-of-the-road.
Creatures like Lexit Larry Elliot should just be taken out..."
I guess as someone who considers herself to be 'of the left' I hardly feel 'courted' by the Guardian. Katy Balls, Martin Kettle, John Harris, Polly Toynbee, Barbara Ellen, Raphael Behr, and many others seem far from very left. There's Owen Jones and ... But maybe it depends on what one considers the 'left' and the 'middle'. I suspect most people think of themselves as the middle, and identify left and right on that basis. Some excesses of 'cancel-culture' are associated with the left, but I wouldn't put myself into that camp at all. I've always promoted open discussion, but find there are those on both left and right who try to close it down at certain points. I didn't even like Suzanne Moore as a columnist, but was appalled at the way she was treated. On most topics, however, the G seems pretty 'middle-liberal' to me.
Justine wrote: "Harry (204) wrote: "AB76 wrote: "its still a remarkable paper"It could be, if it stopped trying to court the left and went back to being middle-of-the-road.
Creatures like Lexit Larry Elliot shou..."
And Larry Eliot is a good case inn point, |I disagree with his viewpoint strongly, but believe he has the right to present his arguments.
Justine wrote: "And Larry Eliot is a good case inn point, |I disagree with his viewpoint strongly, but believe he has the right to present his arguments."He certainly has. In the Morning Star.
The Graun has lost it's way editorially, being swamped by the left, while it should be appealing to the middle - broad-brush, the section of society that covers the "right wing of the Labour Party and the left wing of the Tory Party".
Instead it has ended up deserted - even detested - by the vast majority of the very people who should be it's readership, and that's largely down to pandering to a minority of squeaky wheels, most of who are "of the left" or have some kind of "minority" axe to grind.
As a for instance: as a life long anti-racist with the scars to prove it, even I find them constantly finding an angle on every story annoying, and that's purely down to editorial choice. We're all bloody equal and should be treated as such, not feted because of the colour of our skin, but the Graun seems determined to stuff race in everybodies faces, and it's Moderators hammer anybody who dares raise even the most moderately written, well thought out post that doesn't trot along with that.
They wonder why they don't make money?
It's down to their own editorial choice, because they insist on being divisive instead of inclusive.
Harry wrote: "Justine wrote: "And Larry Eliot is a good case inn point, |I disagree with his viewpoint strongly, but believe he has the right to present his arguments."He certainly has. In the Morning Star.
T..."
the divisive element is a good point and i'm not sure if its become a formula adopted based on their strong american presence online, where the identity politics(left) and culture wars(right) is so ingrained in all public discourse
Pre the days of digital first, i think it was a paper for all, possibly(though i am happy with the paper right now), its become focused on a more trans-altlantic mentality of "free speech unless we want to cancel it"
i dont support cancel culture, identity politics or an agenda that seems unbalanced, some guardian opinion writers seem steeped in all these things
Harry wrote: "Justine wrote: "And Larry Eliot is a good case inn point, |I disagree with his viewpoint strongly, but believe he has the right to present his arguments."He certainly has. In the Morning Star.
T..."
And that's is before you get to the comments btl which are anything but tolerant
Gpfr wrote: "giveusaclue wrote (214): "Gpfr wrote: "Holland and particularly Amsterdam: A Cold Death in Amsterdam by Anja de Jager A Cold Death i...""If you fancy more Amsterdam crime, try David Hewson's Piet..."
So sorry, memory not what it was. I can never remember who recommended things to me. I must start making a note. 🙄
p.s. who were you on tls?
giveusaclue wrote: "Harry wrote: "Justine wrote: "And Larry Eliot is a good case inn point, |I disagree with his viewpoint strongly, but believe he has the right to present his arguments."He certainly has. In the Mo..."
the BBC comments pages are even worse for the content of posts, endless anti-BBC rubbish, flaming and insults
makes me wonder, are these people BBC or Guardian readers or just people who like to be rude to be people?
If its the BBC or Guardian itself being intolerant, thats not good either
CCCubbon wrote: "ABQuiet around here. We went to the supermarket on Wednesday and the assistants loading trolleys more than tripled ordinary customers.
Guess a 30% rise sounds much deadlier than one of 10 per 1000..."
The 30% rise has been disputed
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55779171
My village, population approx 6700 has 51 cases at the moment which is less than 1% to put things in context. Having said that, my hale and hearty neighbour in his 60's was admitted to hospital with covid a couple of days ago.
We can complain about Boris all we like (and I do) but the lack of responsibility in some parts of the population just add mightily to the problem - wedding party in London this week........
Cabbie wrote: "I much prefer Purcell, Handel, Bach and Mozart. Hence my "ears" pricking up when I saw the reference to Se Vuol Ballare."On the other hand, I first came to Mozart through his most Beethoven-esque work, the D Minor Piano Concerto (Beethoven wrote cadenzas for it).
Beethoven also wrote variations for ‘cello and piano on themes from The Magic Flute (two sets, Op 66 and WoO 46) and Handel (“See the conquering hero comes”, WoO 45). These are almost always included in recordings of the ‘Cello Sonatas, and hence are better known than the variations for violin, which for some reason almost never show up on complete recordings of the Violin Sonatas.
AB76 wrote: "where the identity politics(left) and culture wars(right) is so ingrained in all public discourse"The Guardian are always free to rise above such bullshit - instead, they employ people like Owen Jones who positively revel in it, and the whole editorial stance seems to be some tedious game of "let's troll anybody who isn't as perfectly woke as wot we is."
Then moderate them out of existence.
Not only doesn't it sell newpapers (or online adverts) it's a downright dereliction of duty for a newspaper with the Guardian's history to become immersed in crap that should be left to the Spectator and the Morning Star.
--
Kind of off topic / on topic from the other night, and the idle talk of how "it's like the 30's" - you and I will both be aware of how the French Left and Right colluded to destroy the Third Republic in the lead up to WW2....
To me, the whole "ID politics" thing and it's other arse-cheek, "Culture War" are just the left and the right working together to blot out the vast majority who simply want rational discourse and a sensible society, where people aren't lynched but also aren't put on pedestals - aka: shut up, we're all the bloody same.
Now where did the left and right last collude to drag a nation down...?
Brexit...
Mod
Not very different - gpfr48
No need to apologise, I don't often remember who recommended things either - or what I've recommended - but that stuck for some reason 😉
I would have liked some more Pieter Vos books...
Bill wrote: "Beethoven also wrote variations for ‘cello and piano on themes from The Magic Flute (two sets, Op 66 and WoO 46) and Handel (“See the conquering hero comes”, WoO 45)"Thanks for these suggestions too. Have quite a lot to listen to now.
Gpfr wrote: "giveusaclue wrote: "p.s. who were you on tls? ..."Not very different - gpfr48
No need to apologise, I don't often remember who recommended things either - or what I've recommended - but that stu..."
I know what you mean, it is disappointing when you "catch up" with the author. Problem is, we can read more quickly than they can write!
Kincaid was another great one for the crime novels but, although he (?) registered here he doesn't contribute.
Justine wrote(237:I guess as someone who considers herself to be 'of the left' I hardly feel 'courted' by the Guardian.Same here.
Apart from Owen Jones there are mainly Aditya Chakraborty and Nesrine Malik now. Sorry that Gary Younge has left, his articles were ever so thoughtful and thought-provoking..
I also like George Montbiot and Frances Ryan.
And then there was the hatchet job the Guardian did on Corbyn. Who, notwithstanding all his faults, I think is a decent human being,
"AB76 wrote: "makes me wonder, are these people BBC or Guardian readers or just people who like to be rude to be people?."You don't have to be very brave to be a keyboard warrior who can't abide anyone who doesn't have the same opinion! I know you and I disagree on several things but we manage to stay polite to one another.
giveusaclue wrote: "You don't have to be brave to be a key board warrior!"Having a brave Guardian Editor would be a start...
Harry wrote: "giveusaclue wrote: "You don't have to be brave to be a key board warrior!"Having a brave Guardian Editor would be a start..."
Or one who tells the mods to delete vicious abuse and leave honest opinions that differ from "the message" alone.
Harry wrote: "AB76 wrote: "where the identity politics(left) and culture wars(right) is so ingrained in all public discourse"The Guardian are always free to rise above such bullshit - instead, they employ peop..."
i hear you on brexit, harry...good points
i think anyone who has worked in the public sector in the UK over last 15 years will have seen similar censoring of opinion and attempts at cancel culture too. the left can be very unforgiving on dissenters from its own ranks....
giveusaclue wrote: ""AB76 wrote: "makes me wonder, are these people BBC or Guardian readers or just people who like to be rude to be people?."You don't have to be very brave to be a keyboard warrior who can't abide ..."
i really dislike the personal attack element in online discourse, it usually comes from a lost argument but its so childish.
One of the joys of reading is to find people who dont agree with you on things, otherwise it would be very dull!
Georg wrote: "Justine wrote(237:Corbyn. Who, notwithstanding all his faults, I think is a decent human being,"The ERG agree with you. Without his unstinting help with Brexit, they wouldn't have been able to make sure no British kids enjoyed Eurasmus.
A very decent human being. /sarc.
Harry wrote: "Georg wrote: "Justine wrote(237:Corbyn. Who, notwithstanding all his faults, I think is a decent human being,"The ERG agree with you. Without his unstinting help with Brexit, they wouldn't have b..."
i agree he dropped the ball on Brexit....badly!
AB76 wrote: "i agree he dropped the ball on Brexit....badly!"I doubt he was ever actually holding it tbh. How could a party leader be "neutral" on Brexit?
Have finished my brief 154 page assignment with swiss crime fiction, courtesy of Friedrich Durrenmatt and loved itNow i'm onto the South Seas's and Herman Melvilles "Omoo", set in French Polynesia. (Am sure it will make me pine for the thrill of a holiday on the sands, hearing the sea....(sighs))
I'm slowly working through Melville leaving the mighty novel till the end , maybe in 2030 if the world is still here.....i enjoyed:
WHITEJACKET as a non-british tale of the navy and the sea, an exploration of the budding american maritime spirit (read in 2014)
REDBURN for its depiction of Liverpool in the mid 19th century, a study of a city that literature has mainly left behind (read in 2018)
giveusaclue wrote: "AB76 wrote: "i agree he dropped the ball on Brexit....badly!"I doubt he was ever actually holding it tbh. How could a party leader be "neutral" on Brexit?"
so true
Mod
I think he/she does - as MK, no?
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Ersatz TLS
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I don't know much about music (history), but the 6th (Pastoral) Symphony - my favourite - is definitely 'playful..."
Funnily enough I once read a book about Beethoven (a biographic novel) - in which the music was described full of pictures like that! A German book:
https://www.amazon.de/Beethoven-Roman...
But then Beethoven was from Bonn.