telegrams tremble like leaves from a wintering tree and the spider grief swings in his bitter geometry – they’re bringing them home, now, too late, too early. (from "Homecoming" by Bruce Dawe) Last night I was lucky enough to attend a private function at which a small, local, male a capella group, the Pocket Score … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Contemporary poetry and music
Classical music
The illicit passions of Griffyns
The instruments await their players Ha! That got you in didn't it? Or, didn't it? It's been a while since I wrote about a music event. That's not because I haven't been to any but because I'm no expert and prefer not to put that on show too often. However, the Griffyn Ensemble is a … Continue reading The illicit passions of Griffyns
Introducing the Griffyn Ensemble
A painted Griffin, Knossos (Courtesy: Paginazero, via Wikipedia, using CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported) The Griffyn Ensemble is an exciting chamber music ensemble based right here in our (that is downunder's) national capital. The ensemble is named, in a fun wordplay, after Walter Burley Griffin, Canberra's designer, and the mythical beast (the griffin, gryffin, or gryphon). The … Continue reading Introducing the Griffyn Ensemble
Musica Viva, the Internet and Borodin
Tonight was the opening of our Musica Viva 2010 International Concert Season. The performers were the Borodin Quartet, and they performed two quartets by Shostakovich and one by their namesake, Borodin. I'm not going to review this concert in detail because, as I've said before, I have no musical training and so can't comment in any … Continue reading Musica Viva, the Internet and Borodin
Musica Viva concert: Steven Isserlis & Dénes Várjon
I haven't written about all the Musica Viva concerts I've attended this year because I don't really have any music review skills. However, I can't resist writing a little about this one. This is the third time we've seen the cellist Steven Isserlis, each time accompanied by a different pianist, and we've never been disappointed. … Continue reading Musica Viva concert: Steven Isserlis & Dénes Várjon
Musica Viva concert: Katia Skanavi
I have been attending classical (to use the popular definition of the term) concerts since the mid- 1970s, but I am not musically trained and so cannot comment with any expertise on technique, interpretation, etc. However, I do know what I like - and one of the things I like is a concert that mixes … Continue reading Musica Viva concert: Katia Skanavi
Whispering Gums 