One of my old posts "The Music You Are Listening To Timothy Is German Music" has been receiving a lot of hits recently. It vaguely concerns Richard Strauss and the soprano Elizabeth Schwarzkopf and their Nazi connections, but, as I remember, it began as a joke I wanted to make about Johann Sebastian Bach obviously not being a very good composer since he never wrote any symphonies ... ha ha, er.
For some reason I never elaborated on the joke part of the post and the whole thing withered away into an apology for the poor quality of that week's blogs.
The Timothy referred to in the title was the recipient of a diary in Humphrey Jennings' famous war time film, later spoofed in Beyond The Fringe.
Speaking of war time films, the release on DVD of Powell and Pressburger's A Canterbury Tale means that the Criterion Collection can now offer us yet another opportunity to pay forty bucks for an old black and white film by including another disc crammed with worthless and unwatchable "extras" - but in in this case they're worth the money.
On a final note, both Syd Barrett and Arthur Lee, two of only a handful of decent pop musicians ever to emerge from the dark cellars of contemporary music, have died recently. Let us hope that the Texan freak genius Roky Erickson will not be joining them just yet.
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I'm delighted to see that someone still remembers that wonderful bit with the strains of the Moonlight Sonata drifting toward the micorphone as Beyond The Fringe did their thing.
"Never you mind, my dear. You just put on a cup of hot tea."
Posted by: Davei | August 07, 2006 at 23:52
very chilling. Liz Schwarzkopf died August 3, 2006! You mention her and a few days later recount a seance experience. First of all, who knew she was still alive? And second, where exactly were you at the moment she passed? I believe she is trying to send you some sort of message,..but what?
Posted by: rorosen | August 08, 2006 at 08:43
I had no idea that Schwarzkopf is currently humming "Moonlight Sonata" with the angels. That is kind of bizarre.
Posted by: stephenesque | August 08, 2006 at 09:10
maybe you should start taking those powers a bit more seriously. I'd make an appointment with Madame Blafatsky,..
Posted by: rorosen | August 08, 2006 at 10:20
sorry. I just discovered the 'preserves' so now I realize you have been taking this other worldliness rather seriously.
(next time, check in there and ask if you are the funniest person who has ever lived)
Posted by: rorosen | August 08, 2006 at 10:28
Answer comes back: Peter Cook is the funniest man who ever lived.
Posted by: stephenesque | August 08, 2006 at 10:37