On Becoming a Hermit, Sort of ... Days 33-34

Days 33 to 34
(Saturday & Sunday, 18th & 19th April)

It is a small blessing that a number of sources of normal entertainment - that requires attendance at a public gathering of more than two people, like theatres and cinemas and opera houses - are being streamed in full, so we can watch them at home on our TVs. On Friday evening we both enjoyed watching the Royal Opera House performance of Cosi Fan Tutte, a 'comedy', sort of in the Shakespearean mould. On Saturday evening I enjoyed watching the England Rugby Union team go to Wales, during the 2017 Six Nations Championship. What a match it was ... and what a result for England! Next Thursday, 23rd April (Shakespeare's birthday), the National Theatre is streaming a performance of Twefth Night. This is the play that both B and I studied at 'O' Level. Looking forward to that.

I finally managed to record my (bass) part of Hallmark's latest song, which Tim Briggs is going to put together in a compilation of individual recordings from all the members of the chorus to present to the BABS Live event, which will be played on line and replace the now cancelled convention at the end of May. The song is Hannah Briggs' arrangement of Bruce Springsteen's Dancing in The Dark. For the Basses, it is probably one of the most challenging songs certainly I've ever had to learn, because it is relentless and leaves little or no time for breathing! Not helped because we cannot meet to rehearse this live and there's ultimately no substitute for that. So above all else it has been a challenge of our musicianship. I think the result will be worth listening to, if what Tim has already put together with the few submissions he's so far had.

I mowed the lawn (aka cutting the grass) on Sunday. To call it a lawn is a bit of a stretch. Also cut the expansive from lawn, all two square metres of it!



And, speaking of music, Clemency Burton-Hill's choices for the weekend, from her book, "Year of Wonder" are here ...

Saturday: "Stabat Mater 7: 'Eia mater, fons amoris' - 'Oh mother, fount of love'. by Antonio Vivaldi. One of many, many interpretations of the poem (of unknown authorship), "Stabat Mater Dolorosa" that down the ages has been given an extraordinary range of translations into choral and musical. In the mean time here is my poetic interpretation of this deeply moving Easter account: "A Ballad for Stabat Mater".

Sunday: "Valse Lente - slow waltz" by Germaine Tailleferre. 

However you may be affected by anything I've written about, do leave me a comment below or, if you prefer not to, talk to a loved one, a friend or someone you trust.