I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Laramie, Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES— an exhibition entitled Mirage: Energy, Water and Creativity in the Great Basin— the vast expanse of land covering much of the American West, defined geographically as a closed system, its rivers draining internally rather than to the sea — will be at the Boise, Idaho Museum of Art through February 21st.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this lengthy essay in the NYT Sunday magazine by Timothy Snyder (whom Rachel has had on her show) about the Trump coup entitled American Abyss— and if you run into paywall problems: here is his appearance on Democracy Now (both audio, as well as a transcript) to discuss it.
TODAY’S POLL is what I hope will be the last Trump-centric poll in this space for some time (barring a surprise Senate conviction) until he faces state prosecutions. I will be reserving other worthy miscreants until next week.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Charlie the Cat— who went missing in South Carolina six years ago … then a nurse (battling the coronavirus) spotted him on on a missing pets Facebook page (with his notable broken tail) after he had been fed by a local dentist’s office … then a transport company brought Charlie to where the nurse now lives … 900 miles away near Rochester, New York.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is this comparatively short essay by Timothy Parker in The Bulwark stating that there is no longer a need to ever use the term alt-right— as that in fact, is the GOP of today ... with those who are not … being the outliers.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #3 is this account (first in a series?) by Axios reporter Jonathan Swan called Off the Rails— the account of the Trumpster watching the election returns (with Diamond & Silk at his victory party) seemingly confident of an early lead in red states to enable him to declare victory …. then absolutely flummoxed when the Fox Decision Desk (before any other network) called Arizona for Joe Biden … then bellowing to his son-in-law, “Jared, call the Murdochs!”
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Little Alfie the Cat— a Scottish kitteh who went missing two weeks ago (with temps as low as 14°) then rescued by Good Samaritans who spotted him clinging on to a nearby river bank, now recovered from hypothermia.
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
THERE WAS a late Friday Night News Dump Watch at several networks, awaiting a Pardon Palooza …. which I now suspect may be announced on Inauguration Day, so as to satisfy the urge for overshadowing.
Reader suggested FATHER-SON? from Audri— Academy Award winner Al Pacino and TV star Rob Morrow. Whaddya think?
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… over three months ago, I noted the passing of the English classical guitarist Julian Bream— who performed the music of Spanish composers (in general) and the playing of Andrés Segovia (in particular) … yet also wanted to celebrate others (including Englishmen Benjamin Britten and John Dowland). Someone who does tip the hat to Dowland yet sees himself as carrying on the legacy of Segovia (who died in 1987) is the American guitarist Christopher Parkening— who earned this from the Spanish maestro, “Parkening is one of the most brilliant guitarists in the world." By design he planned to retire at age thirty, so that he could indulge his favorite hobby … yet was brought back to music by a ….. church sermon. Here is his story.
Born in Los Angeles in 1947, his cousin (a staff guitarist at MGM Studios) introduced him to the playing of Andrés Segovia at age eleven, and at age fifteen took a master class from the maestro himself at UC Berkeley. He became quite adept, yet when he attended the University of Southern California in 1965, he had to study cello (as the school did not have a guitar program at the time).
The school remedied the situation two years later … by hiring him to begin a guitar studies program (a junior!) where part of the appeal was obtaining …. a faculty parking pass. In addition, a tape of some of his early public performances reached Segovia, which is when he proclaimed his admiration for the teenager. Parkening released recordings, wrote instructional books and toured.
Yet the constant touring schedule (which for classical music is concentrated from September — May) got to him: and at age thirty he decided to retire, bought a ranch in Montana and indulged his other great passion in life …. fly-fishing. Aside from a small amount of teaching at Montana State University, he seldom even picked up his guitar. Yet after four years ….. he fretted about his aimlessness.
Then (on a winter trip to his old Southern California home) he was invited to a megachurch where the sermon led him to want to return to music, citing J.S. Bach: “The aim and final reason of all music is none but the glory of God”.
And so he resumed his career: partly focusing on sacred music, yet also resuming his works of Spanish and other classical composers. Among his twenty recordings include Parkening Plays Vivaldi, as well as a Grammy-nominated album Pleasures of Their Company with opera star Kathleen Battle. He made several appearances on the Grammy Awards as well as the Today show, the Tonight show, several news magazine shows and also the White House.
At age seventy-three, he has retired for good from public performances and is a professor at Pepperdine University, plus teaching master classes. The school also hosts an annual Parkening International Guitar Competition for young players.
He has a 2006 autobiography, a 1993 compilation album, was inducted into Guitar Player magazine’s Gallery of Greats, made several transcriptions of classical works adapted for the guitar (as Julian Bream was adept at) … and even won the 1987 International Gold Cup Tarpon Championship— a renowned fly-fishing championship.
Two selections: one from his traditional devotion to Spanish guitar masters:
And also one from his later spiritual adventure: the 1848 Shaker song Simple Gifts, which achieved wider recognition due to Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring.