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Music at Huntington, 2004

Huntington Estate, to give it its full title, is a winery in the New South Wales town of Mudgee. It produces some excellent wines. A visit there to taste wine is an experience not to be missed. You will often encounter Bob Roberts, the proprietor, who will be only too ready to complain: ‘My wines are too cheap’. More importantly, he is likely to give you really objective observations, too. I greatly appreciated that during my second visit a year or so ago.

Bob also plays host to the Huntington Estate Music Festival. Richard Tognetti, the artistic director and leader of the Australian Chamber Orchestra is married to Bob’s daughter. For the past many years, the orchestra and guests have put on a five-day festival of music, food, and wine (or ‘The Huntington Estate Variety Show’, as Richard has been known to put it). All who have been before maintain that it is a most memorable experience. I was fortunate enough to share in it myself, this year.

Huntington is probably the most exclusive music festival in the World. (This does not mean that it is elitist or unwelcome – far from it.) It is just that there is a very limited (450-500) supply of tickets. Although I was fortunate enough to get a ticket, none of my old Adelaide friends managed it this year.

There is very little about Huntington on the web and there was only one broadcast from it - and that was recorded - during the festival, this year. However, Australian Broadcasting was/were recording the whole event so we can look forward to hearing, or rehearing, some of the riveting performances during the next twelve months. Listeners, world wide, can do this on the web. I’ll explain a bit more about this, one day, if I can find the energy: I am finding my duties as Professor Emeritus of Indolence at Echidna University unusually taxing, this year.

I have a few, select musical memories that I hope I shall be able to tell to my great-grandchildren. Among these old treasures, to give you the flavour, was attending the Aldeburgh Festival - in 1964, I think it was.

The whole series of planned events was sold out but I found out that there was to be an impromptu chamber concert in Aldeburgh Parish Church. Two of the artists, already at the festival: Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich were to be performing and I somehow got a pair of tickets. The programme consisted, if I remember rightly, of Beethoven and Brahms cello sonatas. The playing was extraordinarily enjoyable but the most memorable thing about the performances was that Benjamin Britten was turning the pages.

Being present at the extraordinary Huntington Estate Music Festival clearly ranks with Aldeburgh in the 1960s and I will treasure it forever, accordingly. The Festival opened with a brilliant didge solo from the engaging giant William Barton and ended, five days later, with Bach’s cantata ‘Ich habe genug’ sung exquisitely by the giant Teddy Tahu Rhodes. During the next few days, I’ll try to tell you a bit more and ‘review’ some of the performances in detail. You won’t be bored; I promise.

posted by josh at 3:30 am

 
Reflections on the Conservative Party Conference

Today, at the Con Party conference, David Davis advanced the old ill thought out lines about having more prisons, tougher sentences, and more policemen. Not a word do we hear about the quality of the police. You can read the speech in full, here. Perhaps, though, before you do that, you should read these other items.

Last November, a woman was shot dead by her estranged husband despite having earlier called urgently for the police. They did not arrive for nearly forty minutes and they did not enter the house for another five hours although they had been assured that the gunman had long since fled. It is quite possible that prompter action would have saved one or two lives - there were two critically injured women in the house. A recent inquest report begins:

The family of a mother and son shot dead by the woman's estranged husband yesterday claimed police failed to offer her adequate protection even after she expressed fears that he would kill her.

You can read the report on the inquest here. Right from the start, it’s obvious that our friends in blue weren’t properly on the case.

Today, the police have reported on their reaction to the events of that tragic November 18th. Basically, they say: ‘Oops’. Have heads rolled? Bloody hell, no. Here's a more detailed explanation of that 'Oops', including a police apology.

Here is another story dredged from Josh’s joshings, dated 31 August 2002:

Several years ago, a musician left his car outside his house for half an hour. In it were several valuable and unusual instruments. When he came out, the car had been broken into and the instruments were gone. Naturally, he informed the police, giving them detailed descriptions of what was missing.

Several days later, while serving in his own music shop on the other side of town, a youth brought in one of his instruments, wanting cash for it. Containing his elation, the man told the youth that, because the instrument was so unusual, he would have to make one or two enquiries before he could suggest a price. He asked for, and was given, the youth's phone number.

As soon as the youth had left the shop, the man telephoned the police and described the incident. Of course, he told them the phone number. Beside himself with pleasure, the man awaited events, knowing that he was, with one stroke, about to get back his cherished instruments while helping to bring a criminal to justice.

He waited a day, two days, three days...a whole week. Unable to wait any longer, the man rang the police to ask what had happened. Perhaps they were too busy to have notified him of the outcome, he supposed. What do you think had happened?

The answer is nothing – they had ‘forgotten’. When they did, immediately now, raid the youth's address, they found nothing.

Whenever I hear calls for more police, I remember this story. I also remember a school reunion I attended where, it turned out, most of the least intelligent boys had become policemen. They had all risen to very senior positions, too. It's about time cries for more police were also attended by provisos about the right calibre of police.

I understand that cardboard cut-outs of policemen were used as a crime deterrent in France, some years ago. If, instead of saying that the Cons would employ 40,000 more police, David Davis could, with advantage have suggested ‘employing’ 40,000 cardboard cut-outs: they’d be no less effective and a lot cheaper. Isn’t saving tax-payers’ money a central plank of Con thinking? Hypocrites!

posted by josh at 2:04 pm

 
Karol Wojtyla goes to Lourdes


I see from newspaper and TV reports that my esteemed friend Karol Wojtyla is currently making a pilgrimage to Lourdes (and that doesn’t mean to Madonna’s daughter). I refer, of course, to the holy shrine of Lourdes, France.

I have often had cause to rebuke the silly man for not being of the One True Faith but there are indications that I may soon have to reconsider my position on his grey eminence. Stories that, after his visit, he will be accepted as a late entry in the Olympic Marathon, run over the original distance, are probably slightly exaggerated. However, it is pretty likely that we will be seeing his Parkinson’s disease completely cured. Obviously, this depends on the waters of the shrine being ruffled by the wind at the appropriate time. Just wait for the pictures of the old darling dancing a celebratory Polka, shortly.

posted by josh at 7:57 pm

 
Some amazing intelligence

Have you been reading the most exciting piece of intelligence news to burst upon the scene since a tabloid journalist attempted to predict the next eviction from the Big Brother household? (He failed). I refer, of course, to Operation Sealion. Thank goodness our brave, transatlantic colleagues have caught on to it so quickly, despite their clear need to be involved in the campaign to re-elect the US Hebrew Gog (anag.).

In case you’re not completely au fait with the story, here it is in essence: there’s this rather nasty little former Austrian corporal by the name of Adolf Hitler who seems to have the need to widen his adoptive country’s boundaries. (No relation to those two contractionist states: the USA and Israel). He marches his armies into other countries and adds them to his empire, his ‘Thousand Year Reich’, as he calls it. Discovering this represents an amazing intelligence coup. It means that we must be doubly aware of the insidious plots around us.

Operation Sealion is the most worrying threat of all. In case you haven’t caught up with the details, it’s Hitler’s plan to invade the UK. Breathe a big sigh of relief that we found out – we might blithely have gone about our everyday lives and soon been caught out by lack of vigilance.

Cynics have suggested that this ‘intelligence’ is over sixty years old but it doesn't affect its veracity; we still need to be worried. Especially in the USA. I mean, once the UK comes under the heel of a Fascist government, can the US be far behind? Bear in mind that Hitler came to power by manipulating democracy. And with the US’s attention sidetracked by the forthcoming election, a Fascist leader could infiltrate by raising the spectre of a serious threat, albeit not 100% current.

Er, I’m not quite sure where this is going... so:

Telling all

I see that the erstwhile lady friend of Sven and Mark will be telling all with the able assistance of Max Clifford. May I, through your good offices, Myfanwy, draw Max’s attention to the many kiss-and-tell stories I have to offer the public?

I refer, of course, to my dalliances with Jeanne Kirkpatrick (the former US ambassador to the UN who seemed delighted that Argentina had invaded the Falklands), and April Glaspie, the former US ambassador to Iraq who gave Saddam Hussein virtually carte blanche to invade Iraq*. Then there’s the delectable Teresa Gorman and, the pick of the bunch: Miss Piggie. I’ll bet they were more exciting in the sack than Faria Alam. Still, I’m sure that’s not the point, eh?

* Glaspie to Saddam:

But we have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait.

I was in the American Embassy in Kuwait during the late 60s. The instruction we had during this period was that we should express no opinion on this issue and that the issue is not associated with America. James Baker has directed our official spokesmen to emphasize this instruction. We hope you can solve this problem using any suitable methods via Klibi or via President Mubarak. All that we hope is that these issues are solved quickly.

That’s from the international edition of the New York Times and it’s quite enough pillow talk for the moment.


posted by josh at 9:31 am

 
Smacking with pleasure

In my blog 'More on the smacking debate' a few days ago, I mentioned that I was asking Mrs Trellis to draw my views (see below) to appropriate members of the establishment (I believe I suggested that Myfanwy hobnobs with all sorts of riffraff – MPs and the like). Well there’s a Conservative: Gilbert Murray, MP for Gypping in the Marsh, who is just the sort of fellow who would be likely to know what I mean (know what I mean, eh, nudge, nudge, wink, wink?)

Gilbert Murray recently had a couple of entertaining trips to Amsterdam. Read about them here. Then click on ‘The Member of Parliament’.

Gilbert is a fascinating character; his uncanny resemblance to Lord Lucan is, of course, entirely coincidental. You can read of some of his other exploits, in different guises, elsewhere on the nominated site. Remember that I wrote, a day or two ago,

We would not want 'le vice Anglais' to die out, would we? Flagellation is such an integral part of sexuality, that we must, on no account, do anything to suggest that it is wrong. Half the aristocracy wouldn't know what to do in the brothel, otherwise.

This is a very serious point. I don’t know if, like his picture, Gilbert Murray is a member of the aristocracy. I would guess that he must be, given his proclivities. Anyway, check him out for yourself.




posted by josh at 3:19 pm

 
Bloke has nookie with woman

Or, to put it more accurately, ‘bloke has nookie with woman not his wife/girlfriend’. So what. Even the Guardian reports

The England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has come under increased scrutiny over his role in events leading up to the Football Association's incorrect denial of his affair with an FA secretary but the chief executive Mark Palios was cleared of misleading the organisation over his own liaison with her.

So, two blokes have sex with the same woman... Serious news. But not at the same time, please note. You can read the whole article here. The tabloids have been screaming about it all week.

Let’s be clear about this: when personal relationships of this sort are involved, lying about them is perfectly in order. Bill Clinton had a perfect right to lie about Monica in his own and his family’s interests. Sven Goran has a similar right: his personal life is a matter for those involved and no-one else. It isn’t as though his job description/contract (or Bill’s for that matter) make a bit on the side, or whatever, ‘unprofessional’; only medicine, and similar occupations, where the professional has power over the patient, can doctors who have relationships with patients rightly be disciplined.

Telling stories about people’s sex lives is reprehensible. It isn’t news; it’s prying. It reveals a nasty streak in the press. It will, of course be curbed when my new Official Secrets Act becomes law. The act provides that the doings of the Royal family (in all cases), soap stars, footballers, and all hangers on shall be regarded as official secrets; The one exception is footballers and their performance/behaviour on the field. I would also include team managers in this. It may be that the manager is running his team incompetently. This is a legitimate field for debate but to include information about his private life, even if he tells porkies about it, is irresponsible, sloppy, and lazy journalism. It should be heavily punished. It is not ‘in the public interest’.

The purpose of my legislation is twofold: firstly, it is to keep unjust pressure off people in the public eye; secondly, it is designed to encourage newspapers to print real news, not tittle-tattle.

I wonder if I could encourage Camra to form an offshoot... My Act would obviously have to be preceded by a vigorous campaign, ‘Campaign for real news’, anyone? .

posted by josh at 5:45 am

 
More on the smacking debate

The subject of smacking has arisen again. Since the government has ignored my oft-expressed views on the matter, I am repeating part of a posting I have made several times before in the expectation that Mrs Trellis will be able to pass on my views. I believe that she hobnobs with all sorts of riffraff, so it’s likely that she’ll be able to get the message over.

There have been so many occasions on which British legislation has flown in the face of public opinion: race relations, the wearing of crash helmets, the wearing of seat belts, speed limits and, of course, the abolition of the death penalty. These all represent infringements of individual freedom. It's about time we stopped allowing such namby-pamby restrictions on our civil liberties.

Finally, there is another, perhaps stronger, reason to keep our laws on punishment unchanged, in particular in upper classes educational establishments, including nurseries. How otherwise can we be sure that there is a continuing supply of children that accept, or even like, physical punishment? We would not want 'le vice Anglais' to die out, would we? Flagellation is such an integral part of sexuality, that we must, on no account, do anything to suggest that it is wrong. Half the aristocracy wouldn't know what to do in the brothel, otherwise.

Go to it, Mrs T.


posted by josh at 8:07 am

 
Butling and other musings

Well, here I am, having awoken after the longest hangover/party in history. (More of that anon.) The imbroglio of the Iraq situation, aided by piss-poor planning and administration, have been marginally illuminated by the publication of the Butler Report. You can read it in full here, but note that it is very long and in pdf format.

Having read parts of the report, I have come to a very firm conclusion: Blair must go. If I were the voting sort (which, or course, I am not: don’t vote - it only encourages them), I would find myself in agreement with a lifelong Labour voter with whom I spoke recently. He said that he would never vote Labour while Bliar led the party. Strong but just. I wonder how many more core Labour voters will feel and act the same way. Many, I suspect. The kicking Labour received in the recent by elections should also serve to concentrate the mind. I wonder, then, if New Labour still sees Blair as an electoral asset. I hope not.

Butler - more on the ball than Hutton - is still too elliptical and insufficiently direct. Private Eye has one of the most apposite comments on its front cover: ‘An insult to the intelligence’, they suggest in their inscrutable way. Note the small ‘i’ in ‘intelligence’. That doesn’t come near eclipsing their very succinct comment on Hutton. On the front cover, dated 6-19 February 2004, Hutton was to be seen, saying "...and in conclusion, I find Dr Shipman innocent of all charges". Perfection.

It also appears that the BBC will not let the matter go. Having been so unjustly slated by Hutton and seeing the government get away with so much, I applaud Auntie’s continuing enthusiasm for the fray, despite the possibility of further restriction by this vindictive and authoritarian government. Watch out at BBC Charter renewal time. One must hope that opponents of this misguided government will continue to get their retaliation in first, second and, most effectively, last

I have blogged repeatedly in the past that Tony Blair, among others, lied to us in stating frequently that the UNSCOM weapons inspectors were expelled from Iraq in 1998 when they were, in fact, withdrawn.

Even the Grauniad recently repeated the ‘expelled’ line but the next day, Friday 16th July, they were obliged to print a correction (but they did not print my letter). Here’s the correction:

History was oversimplified when...we said that Saddam Hussein had evicted the UN weapons inspectors from Iraq in 1998. Iraq had employed obstruction and finally ceased all cooperation with Unscom in October that year. The US and Britain responded with a bombing threat and advised the UN inspectors to withdraw for their own safety, which they did on December 15, the day before Operation Desert Fox began. Tony Blair, in a statement in September 2002 said: "Eventually in 1997, the UN inspectors declared they were unable to fulfil their task [and] finally in late 1998, the UN team were forced to withdraw".

Now, an obvious lie should immediately make us suspicious of any other, related pronouncements: if one twists the truth (OK, let’s be generous), when the twist becomes apparent, one's biased agenda is exposed. Blair was so messianic about the threat of Iraq that he was able to carry Parliament with him, oft repeating the lie that the inspectors were expelled. Tut tut.

Then there’s the matter of judgement: Blair backing Bush and his extraordinary nasty (should that have been ‘hasty’ as my fingers first typed?) and simplistic (that’s kind) administration. However, I have been somewhat heartened by an announcement on steam radio. It appears that at least one of our Conservatives (Alan Duncan) will, instead of supporting the US Republican party, as our Conservatives have done since the dawn of time, be hopng/praying and, perhaps more actively, working for John Kerry.

When this sort of thing happens, you have to think that either our Cons may be about to position themselves to the left of Labour (lots of room there) or be convinced that the dear Lieder has got it dramatically wrong. It’s about time the penny dropped en masse.

What do you think, Mrs T.?



posted by josh at 3:29 am