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Jul. 19th, 2003 04:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
liadnanJust a quick update between bits of reading a very large lever arch file...
Last night.... did make it to the Proms, and somewhat to my surprise actually get in. Shostakovich Festival Overture, OK if you like that kind of thing, a very unusual (and to my mind good, though opinion was divided) rendition of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1, and an arrangement of the film score by Prokofiev for Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible Parts 1 and 2 (Part 1 was applauded, Part 2 condemned for portraying "historical fact" about that wise and completely balanced man in such a negative light. Yes, this was under Stalin. Eisenstein died fairly soon after). The last I'd never heard before, and I'm not really sure what I think yet. There were some great moments, certainly, but some where I lost interest.
It probably isn't fair to call it a film score actually. Eisenstein saw Prokofiev and his cinematographer as equal partners with him in producing what was supposed to be a masterpiece of new Soviet art. Shame it was about a Russia ruled by a man who became psychopathic and surrounded himself with secret police really...
The BBC SO is also clearly slipping. Hmm.
I then managed to gatecrash the BBC party (wasn't that hard as the father of a friend runs the Proms). The place was swarming with celebs and notorieties but frankly far more interesting was the free food and champagne... Oh, and the theme of the party seemed to be one of Tiberius' flings on Capri, including statuary and lots of beautiful androgynous people in white tunics wearing laurel leaves wandering around offering you more champagne at every possible moment. And reclining couches. No, I am not kidding you.
Frankly, I think I managed to recoup a sizeable chunk of my licence fee...
I have just left Marna and her other kittens in the V&A. We didn't manage to get tickets for the Art Deco exhibition in advance, and I couldn't go to the one they were selling tickets for on the desk, which is a shame because I really wanted to see that. Sadly, however, needs must, devil drives, &c. But we went round the Frank Lloyd Wright room, and the Turkish and Indian galleries, and the history of dress, among other bits. Inevitably I managed to fit in my usual visits to the Medieval Treasury and the Sekrit Rodins hidden away at the top of the stairs...
Sorry, this is all a bit telegraphic... but I'm pushed for time.
Last night.... did make it to the Proms, and somewhat to my surprise actually get in. Shostakovich Festival Overture, OK if you like that kind of thing, a very unusual (and to my mind good, though opinion was divided) rendition of Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1, and an arrangement of the film score by Prokofiev for Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible Parts 1 and 2 (Part 1 was applauded, Part 2 condemned for portraying "historical fact" about that wise and completely balanced man in such a negative light. Yes, this was under Stalin. Eisenstein died fairly soon after). The last I'd never heard before, and I'm not really sure what I think yet. There were some great moments, certainly, but some where I lost interest.
It probably isn't fair to call it a film score actually. Eisenstein saw Prokofiev and his cinematographer as equal partners with him in producing what was supposed to be a masterpiece of new Soviet art. Shame it was about a Russia ruled by a man who became psychopathic and surrounded himself with secret police really...
The BBC SO is also clearly slipping. Hmm.
I then managed to gatecrash the BBC party (wasn't that hard as the father of a friend runs the Proms). The place was swarming with celebs and notorieties but frankly far more interesting was the free food and champagne... Oh, and the theme of the party seemed to be one of Tiberius' flings on Capri, including statuary and lots of beautiful androgynous people in white tunics wearing laurel leaves wandering around offering you more champagne at every possible moment. And reclining couches. No, I am not kidding you.
Frankly, I think I managed to recoup a sizeable chunk of my licence fee...
I have just left Marna and her other kittens in the V&A. We didn't manage to get tickets for the Art Deco exhibition in advance, and I couldn't go to the one they were selling tickets for on the desk, which is a shame because I really wanted to see that. Sadly, however, needs must, devil drives, &c. But we went round the Frank Lloyd Wright room, and the Turkish and Indian galleries, and the history of dress, among other bits. Inevitably I managed to fit in my usual visits to the Medieval Treasury and the Sekrit Rodins hidden away at the top of the stairs...
Sorry, this is all a bit telegraphic... but I'm pushed for time.
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Date: 2003-07-20 02:55 am (UTC)