A Lark Ascending

Or, alternatively, the date when recorded classical music mythologies started to be constructed (one of those smiley things spelling out the (partially) tongue-in-cheek nature of this comment) . ************************

Whereas one of the first jazz records I think of is... And, more subtly, Ellington's 'Black, Brown and Beige. '

Only knew his music in passing but this 'tribute' album of 20 odd years back is marvellous: Might not be the real deal but made me realise what a good songwriter he was.

Tokyo, Japan: Visitors admire illuminated cherry blossom at Chidorigafuchi moat Photograph: Aflo/Rex/Shutterstock http://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2016/apr/06/photo-highlights-of-the-day-junior-doctors-and-wolves-in-chernobyl

I heard an interview on the radio a year or two back with composer Frederic Rzewski who had a bit of a classical hit in 1975 with "The People United Will Never Be Defeated!" He commented how at the time he believed music could change the world (I think Graham Nash sang something similar); but forty years on he'd come to the conclusion that music changed nothing but often reflected the political situations of the time in which it was written. I think I'd largely agree; except that political ideas in music, however naive, can often get to people, especially young people, who might not be paying very much attention to politics elsewhere.

Are you sure you weren't watching the news? ***************************** Finished this set last night. A wonderful...if very disturbing...series. As I remember the first two series had linked double episodes; in this one the storyline stretched over all six episodes. Beautiful landscape...the weather was remarkably kind compared with the earlier series. Don't get the DVD box. ITV as seen on BBC? I watched it via BBC. Creeping Whittingdalisation, I expect. **************************** This afternoon: Ireland's Treasures Uncovered With my new favourite TV historian (though I think she's a scientist), Dr. Alice Roberts. So calm! Not just a chance to look at precious historical artefacts but also coverage of they way they have been used over the centuries to construct Celtic, Irish and Catholic/Protestant identities)...not to mention British cultural plundering.

A few RVW pieces in a more neoclassical style than is usually associated with him, scattered over various discs: Violin Concerto Concerto for Double String Orchestra Concerto Grosso The lambkins are still there.

Sigh. Such ennui.

KW is interviewed in this month's 'Gramophone' magazine (long-running UK magazine that reviews classical recordings). He talks about his interests in classical music - Stravinsky, Hindemith, Prokofiev, Ravel - as well as his jazz music. In the regular last page slot where celebrities from all walks of life get a chance to talk about the music they particularly love. He chooses the Sony 'Stravinsky conducts Stravinsky' as 'The Record I Could Not Live Without'.

Somewhere in England http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/35943103

100 pages into this and very impressed - does exactly what I want, telling the story in considerable detail but clearly. I read a couple of short bios back in the 1970s (Blaukopf and Kennedy, I think) and then the huge first volume of the La Grange bio c. 1980. By the time volume 2 and 3 emerged in translation 20+ years later I'd forgotten the first volume and they were too expensive anyway.

Very April - a fair bit of rain but nice sunny bits every now and then. Fine enough yesterday to spend a couple of hours putting holes in the lawn.

S&B goes out next Wednesday in the UK. It's series 5. I have Marcella recording to watch later. There is so much good TV on at present I'm a bit swamped as I can't manage more than a couple of hours a day. Watched the third episode of 'The A Word' last night - I'm really touched by this series. The little boy who plays the key character is brilliant - it is beyond me how you get child actors to perform so naturally. Equally compelling - and recognisable from real family life! - are the tensions and jealousies of his family. A gently humorous series with more than one serious message.

Good news for Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax) fans....a new Scott and Bailey starts next week! Only three episodes but better than now't.

New Year Suite from first; SQ 3 from last.

When I see post-war I always assume it means after 1648. Now there was dividing line! I'm sure WWII was part of a wider series of social changes, but the big demarcation point I see in the UK lies between my generation and my parents (OK, that could just be a natural perception that your parents never really get it). When I grew up Afro-Caribbean immigration was already well established and substantial immigration from Asia was in process; black musical influences from the USA especially within rock and pop were part of the culture around me. My parents, by contrast were very uncomfortable with immigration having grown up in a Britain where non-white immigration was limited and where popular music was largely white with the occasional appearance of 'characters' like Louis Armstrong (think of the 'High Society' role) and Harry Belafonte. I remember both parents would grimace at the sort of gospel/soul inflections in the music that came to dominate in the 60s. Where the likes of George Formby, Vera Lynn or Gracie Fields just sounded ludicrous to my ears (many's the time I got the 'You'd not be so mocking if you'd lived through the war' lecture!). Interesting that the musical influences seem to now have been completely absorbed. It's popular music that does not phrase via those gospel/soul styles that seem unusual today. However, the issues surrounding ethnicity in every day life would seem to have changed far less than we once imagined if current debates about migration and Europe are anything to go by. A different experience from the USA, I know. I could also be controversial and suggest a more influential watershed than Vietnam was the dominance of free market dogma from the 70s/80s. Not sure how that has impacted on music but it's certainly upset the apple cart everywhere else. And then there's technology....

I'll go and see it when it arrives. That soundtrack is impressive (I know we'll only get tiny segments in the film). They could have played much safer.

No 5 of the latter Michael sings the blues.

I don't know that one.

Mozart - Don Giovanni (English Touring Opera at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield) Enjoyable performance if a bit Spartan - singing a bit rough in places, too. In English but mercifully surtitles too. The translation was very contemporary - rather funny but not exactly PC (the opera itself is hardly equality friendly...even DG's descent into hell is portrayed as a bloke staying true to himself until the end rather than a bounder getting his just deserts). Not sure what the set up of English Touring Opera is - the only time I've seen them before was in Tippett's KIng Priam a couple of years back. They're not up to the standard of Opera North but seem very busy. Their current schedule covers four months everywhere: http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/tour-dates/ The Guardian critic was impressed at an earlier performance: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/13/don-giovanni-review-english-touring-opera-lloyd-wood

The two Mingus Changes records were where I first heard him at the start of my jazz record buying. Had a couple of the Adams/Pullens too. Loved the roughness mixed with lyricism with the occasional jump into freer passages.

Today was International Tippett Day in Worksop. No 5 of the MD.

I recall seeing a few very good Chinese historical films many years ago. After watching Michael Wood's 'The Story of China' series I thought I'd investigate a little of what is out there. This one is based around the mid 19thC Taiping Rebellion. Didn't really take to it - all a bit kung fu. Lots of lightning sword moves, indestructible heroes (until they turn on one another) and endless flash shots of gory puncture wounds. Heroes emerge unscathed apart from the central figure who wanders off one battlefield with a grin on his face and a bloody great spear in his shoulder. Thin plot of brotherly unity shattered by differing ambitions and mutual suspicion. None of the complexity or depth of character you get in 'Ran' (I know, Japanese).