I'm looking forward to this Prom concert on 16 August which features three consecutive Ralph Vaughan Williams symphonies, played by the Scottish Symphony Orchestra. For those more familiar with RVW through the pastoral beauty of The Lark Ascending, the concert may come as a shock, beginning as it does with the explosively aggressive opening statement … Continue reading The melancholy beauty of Vaughan Williams’ 5th symphony…
bbc
A growing appreciation for Quadrophenia (the album)…
Another week, another excellent BBC documentary revealing the story of a classic 70s rock album: a few week's back it was Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here; last week it was Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane; this week it's The Who's double album Quadrophenia. When Quadrophenia was first released, back in 1973, I liked … Continue reading A growing appreciation for Quadrophenia (the album)…
Arena: Jonathan Miller
is still available to watch on iPlayer. Well done to the BBC for their excellent Arena documentary on Jonathan Miller, dedicating an hour and a half to this fascinating man: someone gifted in both the sciences and the arts. There's a good piece about him by A.S.H. Smyth in The Arts Desk:- A director who is … Continue reading Arena: Jonathan Miller
when curiosity threatens 