Well, dear readers, I guess the allergies have demanded an encore presentation, so I just took a pill. I’m not really sneezing or anything, just having my usual allergy throat funkiness (not sore, just get hoarse from not doing much of anything). The pill has already kicked in and in has already kicked the pill, so they’re even. As to me, I am sitting here like so much fish, having just had a nice telephonic conversation with Elizebeth Sherman, catching up on things – I’m listening to the box set of Philippe Entremont piano concerto recordings for Columbia. I’ve always been a fan. I was going through iTunes and nuking stuff and came upon two of his Saint-Saens concertos, played them, loved them, and craved more. I went to Amazon as one does and found this box set, which is going for a LOT of money now, but happily it said I’d purchased it back in 2014. Imagine my surprise and delight. And it only took me about a minute to find it in a box that has all the box sets in it – it was right on top. I brought it in and realized I hadn’t actually played most of the contents, only about three of the nineteen CDs. This is one of those original jackets, front and back, things that I love so much. So, I uploaded all 19 discs and have been thoroughly enjoying them. The majority are conducted by Eugene Ormandy, a few by Leonard Bernstein, and a couple by the composers themselves, which is fun. No one ever talks about Mr. Entremont anymore – the aesthetes of classical music are totally dismissive of him, which is why I call those aesthetes ASSthetes. These know-it-alls really bore me to tears, as you know. Mr. Entremont was a great pianist and the proof is in both the pudding and this set. His Rachmaninov is superb, his Saint-Saens the best I’ve ever heard, even Mozart sounds good with him playing it. And his Ravel concertos are stunningly beautiful, if you must know, and you must. I also listened to disc one of three of the Klemperer led Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion and that’s just great and I’m enjoying it thoroughly. The ASSthetes complain about his tempos and it is, I believe, one of the longest on record, almost four hours, each CD running over seventy-five minutes. The sound on the 1962 EMI recording is incredible. And so is the sound on those Ormandy and Bernstein Entremont recordings. They don’t do it better today, dear readers, they just don’t, and I don’t care who knows it. I’m relaxing, I suppose, and a little sinus headache from the allergies has receded, thankfully.
Yesterday was mostly an okay day. I got seven hours of sleep, got up, immediately had a text I had to deal with – a bit of merde to smooth over, which I did as best I could. Once that was done, I added the mayonnaise to the tuna pasta salad and let it chill a bit more before having two helpings of it – very good. I do three helpings per day total, which gets me through half the first day, half the second. I did a few things on the computer, then chose a couple more songs for the November show. After that, I moseyed on over to the mail place and picked up a teeny-tiny package and no actual mail. I came right home and did more stuff on the computer whilst uploading the Entremont box. Then I had to deal with another text (same person – same merde), but that one I handled with humor and so we got past it fine. Still hoping the little miracle will arrive and sooner than later, if you get my meaning, which I know you do because we cannot pull the wool over your eyes. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I watched a Japanese film from Japan entitled Ugetsu, directed by Kenzi Mizoguchi, a very well thought of director. I’d seen it once before way back in 2004. I tried to love it back then but couldn’t and I tried to love it yesterday and couldn’t. I do love a lot of Japanese films and the ASSthetes of film will tell you it’s one of the greatest films ever made and possibly the greatest Japanese film ever made, so I must be deficient in being able to appreciate it. Certainly, it’s well made, but it moves at a snail’s pace despite being only 95-minutes in length. It’s also not a happy film so it’s a slog in that regard. Acting is fine, but I don’t think I need to see any more Mizoguchi films (I have some Blu-ray box I got years ago and hadn’t watched any of it). Amazingly, this region B box is going for $600 on Amazon now and that’s the cheapest price. Not that it would ever sell at that price, but I listed mine, just for fun, and undercut everyone by $350, so we’ll see if anyone wants it.
After that, I had the third helping of pasta and an apple with a little honey for Yom Kippur. They say if you have apples and honey it makes for a sweet New Year. I await. The rest you know, and you know the rest, not necessarily in that order.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up and I’ll do whatever needs doing. I think I’m supposed to have a conversation with someone, but I can’t really remember, frankly. Otherwise, I’ll eat part two of the tuna pasta salad, I’ll have an apple, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages and mail, and then at some point I’ll not watch any Mizoguchi movies, I’ll listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same, hopefully a little miracle or three, eating 1000 calories a day, and choosing songs and starting to think about how we’ll do our Backstage at Kritzerland show.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the tango, for today is the birthday of our very own dear readers, JohnG. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own dear readers, JohnG. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN DEAR READERS, JOHNG!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, perhaps have a conversation, eat part two of the tuna pasta salad and an apple, hopefully pick up packages and mail, and the watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: Can’t remember if we’ve done this recently, but here it goes – what are your favorite piano concertos, both beloved and perhaps obscure? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping that having had apples and honey will lead to a sweet New Year.