REST

This site is currently at rest. I am still updating my other blog site...

An Enthralled synapse.

I will return here at a later date.
Hopefully my writting will have improved.

13. Faust again...

G's Faust Part 2 - The Royal Lyceum 23/03/2006.

I have been putting off finishing this, partly because I wasn't well and also because I didn't feel confident to say anything productive on this subject. It is almost as if I missed the first half because of the criticisms and limitations that are common whenever someone tries to make the second part digestable for the after dinner theatre crowd.
The problem was that the second part of Faust was obviously an interpretation and as I was unfamiliar with the original, I was unsure of how to proceed.Certainly I thought the acting was far better. Perhaps wearing colourful reproductions of ancient greek theatre helped centre the actors and allow them to project far better? Perhaps the more philosophical dialogues and metaphysical references meant that their "stagey" acting was more at home? Perhaps leaving behind the more familiar part of the story allowed the audience to enjoy the performance without dragging the usual cultural baggage that might have hindered enjoying part one? Perhaps my over the counter medication was finally kicking in? Whatever the reason I thought part two was very good. For the first time I noticed Douglas Rankine, physically tall and strong looking his broad voice could really command the stage despite his secondary roles. Sometimes it seemed like he was trying to shout his way to the front but when he was allowed to break away from the chorus and say something himself, he was good. Unfortunately this style was quite different from the rest and I think suffered because of this. Aaron Shirley had an interesting voice, while the two primary actors were able to evoke pathos or humour out of their lines with ease. Thus Rankine looked like all he had was his height when he played across from them.

It was certainly more "philosophical" and touched upon ideas concerning gender and human purpose but I left feeling that it would have been better to have read the original text and that this interpretation might have left out much of the more meaty concepts. So thats something for the "to do" list.

Afterwards I listened for a bit to some of the inane comments from the rest of the audience; "It's about life and death" Said one Lady. "I think Goethe speaks to our modern times and I think..." Mentioned one Man before being cut off by his female companion, "But he's not as good as Shakespeare!" "Oh, No. He's not as good as THE BARD!" The way he referred to Shakespeare as the bard in the same way and tone that some people call Adolph Hitler as "Die Furher" for some sort of effect. I was more than happy to escape this hubbub of inanity and rush home back to blankets, drowsy cough syrups and a gas fire.

At this point was going to go on about Goethe and offer up some sort of mini biography but then I realized that there are so many out there in Internet Land that it wasn't worth the bother. It would only make me feel smug and probably generate derision from anyone who accidentally came across the site. But I would suggest that one do seek further information on this pillar of Western culture and I think the public should be far more familiar with his works than they currently are today. All in all I enjoyed the production.

Today I received my Festival guide offering up all manner of cultural goodies to fritter my money on so that I can feel superior and all intellectual. Actually there are a number of things that look interesting and past experience has taught that tickets are still available until fairly late so I can save up and try and move a few seats up market.

12. Faust - Part One.

Goethe's Faust part one - Royal Lyceum 17/03/06

When I first heard that there was going to be a stage adaptation of this mammoth work I could not help but buy a ticket. The story of Man's temptation by the Devil and the folly that arises out of such bargains permeates throughout our culture to the point of being universal. But although I know the tale, I have never read the play or seen any production of it. Yet in a way I have, that is to say its various themes that have been reproduced in so many different story lines and dramatic works. The Faustian story has remained strong in the popular imagination and has been the inspiration for many artistic works. Apart from Goethe there are many other interpretations of the tale such as by Marlowe and Thomas Mann as well as the music of Schumann, Berlioz and Liszt to name the most obvious. I needed to get back to the source of it all, to see it in the original or at least as pure enough reproduction that I am able. This play was hyped up a little bit in the small press. You can imagine the tag line; "Far too long has Faust been labeled as too difficult, too large to attempt to place on the stage!" Even if this ends up like the Titanic and sinks beneath the waves it would still be an event worth attending for the event alone.

The newspaper reviews have been mixed, such as with the critic Robert Dawson Scott of The Times, and it would seem that the two parts might not make a competent whole. There has been some murmurs that this production only touches generally upon Goethe's Faust and that the first part suffers as it spends too much time making self conscious reference and analogy to our modern circumstance while the second part goes in the opposite direction and presents the heavy philosophical threads in an undigested mass impedes the drama of the play.

I arrived still feeling light headed and the usual Edinburgh crowd was there. The performance avoided being poe faced and august but by playing to the crowd it felt more comic than tragedy. It goes without saying that Mephistopheles, like all Devils, got the best lines which the actor Dugald Bruce-Lockhart took full advantage. But Faust, played by Paul Brennen, was not up staged and his voice, rather than his physicality, won me over. Sadly the women of the ensemble did not do so well. I thought they moved about the stage and their delivery of the dialogue was more stilted and reminded me of the amateur (stagy) acting beloved by amateur productions or school performances.

The first part is said to be the most accessible of the two so it will be interesting to se how the second half fairs. In the first part we are introduced to Faust and we see him taken on a journey with his tempter, Mephistopheles, through various adventures which culminate in Fausts seduction of the goodly Gretchen which causes her downfall. In the end Gretchen is condemned to death after she has lost her family and her child by Faust. She refuses to be rescued by Faust and he flees. But before the end the angels reveal that she has been "saved". Her salvation has meant that some question if this is actually tragic? All I can say was that I remembered when I went to the vet to have my dog put down. Up to that point I believed that I had acted properly; I dealt with the dogs disease rationally and kept a brave face for the family as getting upset would not benefit anyone. But being in that small room, saying goodbye to the dog was just too much. For all my reason and intelligence I realized I was helpless and so I, like Faust, bolted from the place. Whats done is done but knowing that one could do nothing was more chilling than failing to do something. Perhaps that is what was meant at the end; despite any power, intelligence or knowledge we may attain in life we are still small flawed creations in a World that we can never fully know or deal with. From dust we were created and to dust shall we return.

11 - Russian Gala

Usher Hall - 03/03/06 Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO)

It had snowed that night and there was much ice upon the pavements and roads.
I assume the ice bound nature of the city accounts for the number of late attendees who
slowly filtered in between the musical pieces.
But I did notice a fair number of concert etiquette violations that night.
There were the usual lost souls who couldn't find their seats but there
was also a smattering of watch beeps, talking and loud munching of
candy, Eccles cakes and even sandwiches. Perhaps the "Best of..." type
selection of music had attracted a baser audience.
As you may notice from my tone; I did not enjoy this particular
performance. This was a shame as Mr. Robert Yeomans exceptional violin playing was spot on and I would have liked to have seen him pushed a bit more with something more musically challenging than the pedestrian range that was on offer that night.
Previously I have commented on the poor attendance of some concerts, but this performance was obviously more popular and the behavior of some annoyed me profoundly. Why these people were not content to stay and home listening to their cut price compilation CD's was beyond me. I do not wish to appear bigoted but the blue rinse brigade was in full force as was parents towing their precious child darlings for a bit of self improving culture.
I will not bother to go into any details of the actual music but here is the list;
Glinka Russlan and Ludmilla Overture
Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Finale Nutcracker: The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
-this piece brought about much excitement from the crowds and a few giggles for some unusual reason.
Borodin Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances
Rachmaninov Vocalise
Mussorgsky/Ravel The Great Gate of Kiev from Pictures at an Exhibition
Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade (excerpt)
Glazunov Autumn: The Seasons Bacchanal
Tchaikovsky Symphony No4: Finale Sleeping Beauty Waltz 1812 Overture Eugene Onegin: Polonaise and Waltz

I left early, such was the state of my agitation and I hence forth promise to miss the more plebian choices for future dates. Thus I am slightly worried that the more recognized composers; Mozart, Elgar and Beethoven will attract the same sort. If that is the case, perhaps a small investment in a hip flask will somehow smooth over my nerves and make the night more conducive to my pleasure?

10. American Icons

Went to the performance of the "American Icons" by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) at the Usher Hall today. Unfortunately I was busy with my studies and thus was unable to attend the pre-concert talk but I was generally familiar with the works on the bill so it was not important.

The audience was smaller than expected, many elderly and perhaps attending so as to keep their heating bills low at home. It was a little disappointing to note that some of the shirts worn by the men ranged from a good strong black to a well washed charcoal gray and quite wrinkled. Once again I was on an aisle seat as requested, this and my habit to get up and leave after the first bow of the conductor was adhered to. I also clutched at my program and water bottle so tightly that my hand hurt afterwards. It is these little rituals that, at the time, appear insignificant but when looked back on must sound quirky if not out right eccentric.

One curious thing I've noticed is that a lot of the girls working as ushers seem to wear their black trousers quite tight and the one who came on stage to present the flower bouquets walked on with, what appeared to be tightly clenched butt cheeks. What is it with today's generation and the need o show off their big bottoms - please put them away thank you.

The conductor was a Mr Garry Walker and who, as the short bio mentions "holds the positions of Principal Guest Conductor of the RSNO, Permanent Guest Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Conductor of Paragon ensemble and Music director of the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra." At the risk of sounding like a pleb I must still confess that I am unsure of what the "guest" actually means as regards rank. You may recall that the actor
DeForest Kelley, who played the good Doctor in Star Trek was billed as "guest star". There must be some implication to all this but I am way to lazy to google it to find out.

The theme for the night was "American Icons" with the works of Aaron Copland, John Adams, Michael Daugherty and Duke Ellington being played.

The performance started with the "Billy the Kid Suite" by Copland. Copland holds such an important place in American music that any ensemble must include him. When the world was recovering from the 9/11 tragedy I immediately thought of his often played "Fanfare for the Common Man" which is probably one of those records I would take to a desert island with me. The music plays into the vast panoramic landscape that the mythical Wild West of Cowboys and Gun slingers and evokes the richness of such stories regardless of the reality.

Copland was the son of an immigrant and he actively composed with American themes and rhythms in mind. As a student he studied in Europe and was surprised that despite obvious national styles, his own country had, up to that point, failed to develop its own musical identity. He was also a keen advocate for the New Music that was emerging and tied the two forces together to create his distinctive style that still influences music today. Sadly he was investigated back in the 1950's as part of the Senate investigations into Communist infiltration and was both blacklisted and had his music pulled from official functions. Fortunately he did not suffer long as no evidence was found showing Communist party membership and became one of the most awarded composer of his time.

The second piece was "On the Transmigration of Souls" by John Adams. This was a commission piece for the victims of the World Trade Centre atrocity. Adams uses various sound sources to create an almost hypnotic collage that highlights both the collective and the personal aspects of that tragedy.
Listening to it one could not help but be reminded of the feelings that were evokes when the frightful images of the World Trade Centre buildings were hit and eventually collapsed. Yet I would not say that this music is overtly melancholic, it has a slightly comforting religious undertone that somehow reminds us that life goes on despite the most excrutiating circumstances and that the dead are not truly lost to us if we choose to remember them.

This is the second live performance of one of his works that I have had the singular pleasure to attend. I already heard this music on CD but it really is something else to experience it in the flesh. The intermission was after this and at the end, I could see that my fellow audience were also similarly moved.

The third section was two pieces by Michael Daugherty; the first "Dead Elvis" followed by "Red Cape Tango" which comes from his Metropolis Symphony. The second work I have heard in its entirety on CD. Both pieces were played with humor as would be expected from such obviously referential works would imply. The "Dead Elvis" is traditionally played with the star bassonist (and when do you find yourself saying that) dressed up as an Elvis impersonator. David Hubbard was the principal Bassoonist and came on dressed as Elvis and while playing struck all the iconic poses one would expect. I don't think I have ever heard the bassoon played so masterly and I am particularly sensitive to the bassoon as on account of my sister playing such a musical instrument.

"Dead Elvis" used the Faustian legend but with Elvis, Graceland and Hollywood as the story with Elvis as the bassoon with references both to Dies Irae which now invokes satanic imagery to today's ears as well as the bongo beat that so infused Elvis.
The second of the two was the "Red Cape Tango" from the superhero inspired "Metropolis Symphony". I thought this choice was a mistake as it also uses the Dies Irae musical reference and so both kind of bled into each other a bit. If they felt they needed for the Superman link, after all the bassonist returned now dressed as the man himself - red cape and all - despite not being centre stage, then "Oh, Lois" would have worked just as well.

The final item on the bill was "Harlem" by Duke Ellington which like Copland, links both popular music with high culture, and like Daugherty cites classical references within his own work so as to play with the audiences imagination. Here we can feel the jazz heart of Harlem back in the day.

Duke Ellington was born in 1899 which makes him the oldest of the four composers. He got the "Duke" sobriquet due to his dauper looks and obvious confidence. He must have cut an impressive figure back then as this was the time of American segregation and so his music, so rich in the flavour of Black music, similarly has a rich self confidence that demands respect. Although lacking the pathos of the Adams piece or the vividness of Copland, I feel that Ellington brought the strongest and most valid voice of "America" to that nights performance.

I don't think there could have been a single person in the audience that was disappointed; there truly was something for everyone. If there was a low point it was the poor attendance - something that I still find hard to imagine as I thought Edinburgh was a haven for culture vultures.

9. The Return of British Big Brother

Yes, I confess! I have been a Big Brother fan but I think that the recent BB celeb edition has cured my addiction. This latest edition of the franchise was thrilling and it must have fed many a family or work group chat. Many clamored in expectation when news spread that the next season of Big Brother was announced and auditions were to be made. But the success of celebrity big brother rested on the "famous" peoples personas and ego. The last civilian BB was decried as trash television and failed to pull in the ratings. Will the next seasons pantomime of bland wannabies drinking and acting badly be any different from last years wannabes?
It is one thing to see the once famous and the nearly famous get defeated by a total non-entity but it is another to see a parade of hapless contestants try and wow the electronic audience with their poor behavior. Once you have seen an eloquent politico pronounce "Do you want me to be the CAT?", one dare not hope to have that aced by something even more astounding. AND please don't mention the fourth place contestant Kinga and the glass bottle from last big brother!

The problem was that we all thought that the Big Brother franchise was tired. In Europe it has devolved into pornography, in other countries pure theatre with the contestants playing roles. But in Britain Big Brother 5 and 6 failed to capture the magic of the previous Big Brothers with the contestants finding even shorter Z-List shelf lives than previously had been the case. Many pundit prophisized the end of the show but despite the initial "Who are they again?" response to the celebrities, they soon won us over with their mind games, mental anxiety and petty arguments.
Of all this years contestants I kind of like George Galloway, I disagree with a hell of a lot of things he says and does but at least you know what you get with him; he's an old school politico who can string a tale and carry an argument with just rhetoric and gravitas. On the other hand, who the hell is Preston and Chantelle? The first is a working class tattooed boy with upper class antecedents who is so in love with his sophisticated French girlfriend that he cant help but fondle Chantelles bottom while complaining about media manipulation as he openly tells conflicting stories to different newspapers. As for Chantelle; she chose to ape the most vacuous self-indulgent "celeb" on the planet and yet the public where wooed by her down to earth nature. Can't wait to see the green digital movie of her and Preston while they "keep it real" in between their affirmations that its "just friendship". I woudn't mind this circus freak show but he's yet another cloned "here today gone tomorrow" boy toy and she's not very presentable. In fact I am amazed at how popular she is despite having no apparent talents or modicum of personality.

That might not seem fair for this plasticine couple but Preston is a big fan of BB and so should know the game and as for Chantelle, I think she's smart - after all she pulled one over the British public; it can't be that easy, can it?

The big question is whether it is an infatuation stoked by the media hype, a cynical publicity stunt or "true love". I put that in inverted commas because being kept behind high walls, putting up with second rate BB voices and the superficial adulation or hostility of the crowd, I'm sure such affairs of the heart can be explained away as a form of the Stockholm syndrome!

ANYWAY THAT'S ENOUGH. This sort of self indulgent rant should be kept over at my other site. Apologies to all!

NEWS FLASH: Chantelle and Preston are officially a couple! Chantelle, over eager to appear contrite least she loose the public vote, gushed that it wasn't completely her fault. This was mentioned at length in an unusually, for her, coherent interview in a throw away glossy magazine and which must come as some small comfort to Preston's long suffering ex-girlfriend; just think you loose your man out of the blue, in public and to a woman like that - all with the vacuous publics blessing! To think that this is the 21st century; no rocketships, no sentient androids and no moon base. Instead we have Preston and Chantelle; the slightly talented sucking the face of the untalented all for our delectation. Set phasers to kill!

8. Intermission

Photoshop Fog.

It's a slow day and I originally posted this because it seemed that this site wasn't updating that quickly. Everything seems AOK now but since I already made an entry, I might as well run with it and I do like the picture I made; its of a small graveyard not far from here.

I just love fooling around with Photoshop but despite all that, I'm not very good at it. I keep forgetting the processes and end up just doing the usual crop and resizing. One of these days I'll write everything down into a log but not today.

I have my tickets to see Faust (parts one and two) at the Lyceum as well as for two mixed concerts at the Usher hall. I'm looking forward to it and will write about what happened when the time comes.

For a short period I was thinking of mentioning some of the books that I have read, especially as my studies demand quite a wide spectrum of stuff, but I thought that would be one step to far towards those self-obsessed sites with their own poorly rendered poetry (standard Goth fare) or blinkered political analysis (wanna-be serious jurno hack jobs) with their oh-so serious pronouncements. While I'm on the subject, have you noticed that bigoted blogs can get away with their religious hostility, sexual harrassment or racial steriotyping by putting the words "It's not politically correct but", "You might have noticed that" or "They would be the first to agree".

I might not be popular to say but... Nuff Said!