Notebook
Throughout my life I have always used a series of notebooks – they started as daybooks, incorporated journal entries and then became repositories of thoughts, impressions and questions. Whenever I came across a new word, theory, artist, musical movement or author that I wanted to explore further I jotted it down. Now that my life has become irrevocably tied to my ‘virtual notebook’, I thought I’d make these entries here; I invite anyone who does know more to share their opinion. So: mini-posts that require more investigation and perhaps food for thought?
Joaquin Rodrigo - Homenaje a La Tempranica
Better known for his Concierto de Aranjuez, I had never heard the Homenaje before and so didn’t know what to expect at a recent concert of the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana. The piece was whimsical, charming and very accessible to a first-time listener (it also, to my North American ears, sounded quintessentially Spanish). I will have to explore more Rodrigo…
Daniel Defoe - Robinson Crusoe
One of the best stories I’ve ever read. I’ve long been a fan of Defoe - I remember gleefully learning that he’d been (between jail terms) a secret agent of the queen… Credited with being one of the first English-language novels, Robinson Crusoe is a wry, often very funny account of a young man’s folly - his ‘refusal to make anything but bad decisions’ makes the story human, compelling and amazingly relevant nearly 3 centuries later. if you haven’t already, give it a read…
