Sunday, May 04, 2008

Dum dum-dum dum dum . . .

Bloody Blogger . .just had a brain freeze. Anyway what I was saying is . . I'm totally impressed with talented people. If I have a talent, I'm not sure what it is apart from being an empathetic ear and able to mash up a decent BBQ. I'm amazed at the small contingency on my blogroll who comprise artists, writers both published and hopeful, photographers, builders - people who make stuff - people who have found their special niche and excel in it. You know who you are. Kudos to you. I have never been good at anything in particular. I'm a Jill of All Trades . . but I would love to be able to have something concrete to mark my meagre achievements.

Tonight, I'm typing to the dulcet tones of Beethoven's 7th. It's been a beautiful day with sunny weather, coffee with BabySis and being bombed by pecan nuts from her laden tree. Watching kids in their pyjamas at 3 in the afternoon creating games in a river oak in her front yard. Chasing about 20 ducks who seem to think my swimming pool is a sanctuary. But now, I am in awe. I love this music. Remember watching Torvill and Dean skating to Ravel's Bolero . . it was ground breaking and beautiful and I just wanted to be her all fragile and passionate at the same time.

I gave my kids every opportunity . . . from tennis lessons to trumpet . . Piano to ponys . . .Only Adam has pursued a musical career and to this day I don't know how drummer's get their 'dumb' reputation. You try making four limbs act independently and come up with some sort of rhythm. He's good, very good but doesn't make music that gives you the "Oh my God, I'm going to cry . ."feeling. Oddly bagpipes and native American drums do that to me and Elton John's Circle of Life . . and Phantom's "Say You Love Me" . I have no idea why . .something to do with discordant chords.

I am no aficionado of classical music, although the Sydney Opera House makes almost anything sound wonderful and January's Symphony in the Domain is always well worth a visit. I once fell asleep listening to Mahler and after sitting through the entirety of Handel's Messiah realised that the Hallelujah Chorus is the only decent bit . . it's repetitive ad nauseum but Beethoven's 7th - Sad, beautifully constructed (thanks to the documentary notations of Richard Gill, Sydney Symphony's resident conductor who explained it's structure) and written by a man who never heard more than the high notes. He was the punk of his time. An outsider, out there, different, arrogant and one who many thought should have been sent to the Asylum. (I just think they were jealous . .hey Tchaikovsky was not appreciated any more than Abba until after his death.)

I have never peeled Sunday roast veggies to a nicer soundtrack . . I think it might be my funeral music . . unless I choose . . .Wheels on Fire . . .Burn Baby Burn . . Disco Inferno or Don't Leave Me This Way . . or some other inappropriate exit.



I would have liked to post Richard's version but embedded code was withheld. So here's some foreigner conducting our mob of musos. I also have a a great fondness for Moonlight Sonata which my mother played admirably on a Baby Grand, still sitting dormant in her living room. Kiddies, if your mother says play the piano . . play the fucking piano!


14 comments:

Thriftcriminal said...

Indeed, I do tend to be in awe of people with talent. However in a lot of cases classical music is lost on me due to being pretty tone deaf. Gotta love that Flight of the Valkyrie though! Messiah was first performed in Dublin, there's a nugget you may or may not have known.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you Baino, I'm impressed by the talented as well, though I don't get jealous or bitter, I'm very philosophical about my own strengths and weaknesses, I just carry on enjoying my own stuff and other people's better stuff!

I don't appreciate much classical music, and absolutely loathe bagpipes, I'm totally a rock music person and that's what stirs my soul - Brandi Carlile just now but also early Goldfrapp, Bonnie Raitt and Annie Lennox.

I tried learning the piano but it was a disaster. My piano teacher gave up in disgust!

Anonymous said...

I watched the London Philharmonic Orchestra strutting their stuff last night and I was in awe of them. It amazes me how they all play in unison ..... I know about that condutor guy .... but one would expect someone to slip up somewhere ... but no .... sheer bliss to the ears.

Unknown said...

You do yourself an injustice saying you have no talent. You write remarkably well and you're starting to take some really great photos!
And yep, I'm finally back in the blogosphere!

Anonymous said...

Being an empathetic ear is a wonderful talent given only to very few.

Anonymous said...

Hello Mrs Baino,


I like Beethoven but I like Bach better and Johann Strauss. I have a record player, it is 28 yrs old and I blast it all over the house and everybody is like “turn that bollox off you freak” and I’m like “get out of my fuckin house, I hate you all”. I can play the guitar but it is reserved for when I am drunk outta my box and play immature republican ballads and Johnny Cash. I can also play a little peenano, I keep saying I’ll get more lessons.


I think my blog is broken, I’ll have to start a new one.


Oh and that horse with the white eyes scared the pants of my niece when we opened your blog.



Nonny

Anonymous said...

"If there is music in hell it will be bagpipes." -Joe Tomelty. :-)

Unknown said...

You take it seriously. Yes, Bach, Handel etc were talented as well but billions of people has lived whom name you haven't heard. It doesn't mean that all of us are untalented just we don't have World fame. For example your kids can be good at a subject at school and it is a talent still they aren't in the Guinness book.

Baino said...

Thrifty: I'm certainly not a classical music buff . . some of it moves, some leaves me cold. Thanks for that little nugget. I'll file it in the annals.

Nick: My choice of music is also very contemporary and I don't know what it is about bagpipes. Can't stand em either but they get that lump in the throat thing going.

Paddy: G'day! We have free concerts in a park in Sydney in January as part of the Sydney festival. Symphony in the Park is particularly good because they tend to play popular classics. We also have Jazz and opera on successive weekends. Very nice sitting with a wine and some cheese listening to the Sydney Symph on a warm summer's eve!

AV: Thank you . . Kind words indeed. You can be my personal ego coach

GrannyMar: Tis true, I just wish I'd stuck at the piano or learned how to paint. I guess being an 'all rounder' isn't too bad.

Well hello Nonny. . .been a while. Your blog is indeed broken! Keep annoying your housemates! Sorry about the neice I thought it was a pretty pony (another friend commented on it's freakiness actually - they're blue)

Ian: Maybe it's men in kilts I really like. We had a single piper for my father's funeral . . .blasted us out of the chapel it did . . a rather funny moment in an otherwise awful event.

Ropi: That's true but I'm not talking about fame though. For instance, you speak two languages . . that's a talent I cannot master. And you can ice skate . . I just hang onto the barrier!

Anonymous said...

Baino - what d' ya mean "you'd love to be talented"? You're so multi-talented, I feel positively inadequate!

I love the idea of choosing the music for your own funeral.

I think mine would have to be...

Monty Python's "Always look on the bright side of life"
de dum, de dum, de dum de dum!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a perfect day :) I agree with Absolute Vanilla! You should be marry some of those excellent photographs I see in Flickr on your blog to your writing ...

Kath Lockett said...

You're a great writer Baino, so don't sell yourself short...

Agree with you re 'Hallelujah' - went to see it in London several hundred years ago (my backpacking days) and my friend got kicked out by the usher for coughing too much. I told her that apart from the actual chorus she hadn't missed out on anything much.

(Hanging head in shame) - yes, I also get emotional hearing the bagpipes. It must be the Scot heritage lurking within, but I can't say the same for haggis or whisky.

Anonymous said...

Baino, never underestimate the talent of being a great wordsmith! And that you most definately are!

Me - I'm an intellectual desert when it comes to classical music, but I agree - the bagpipes are beautiful but the song that chokes me up is "Damage" by You Am I - whatever happened to You Am I - always loved them - Good local boys too!

Baino said...

Steph: Thanks Steph, I'm pretty versatile I guess as for funeral songs . . .It's one of many, the dark side of me has the whole thing planned! I have more "It's gettin' Hot hot hot . . hehehe

Anony: Thanks, I try to link my own pics as often as possible but I haven't been out and about mit camera for a couple of weekends.

Yay Kath . .you know what I mean . . makes you sort of well up and feel stupid even though it sounds so awful. Throw in a few drummer's and I'm moosh!

Babysis: I don't know the song but then I'm not a big you am I fan . . they're still around. They're touring in the US with the Kills I believe!