Illuminati-R-Us

Speaking of Advent - I sang this once with my school choir. Less good, but it has stayed with me ever since. Must be well nigh 45 years ago now...

(The text is the translation into German by Martin Luther of the Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat)

I had no idea you could actually play songs on these.

Lance wrote:I had no idea you could actually play songs on these.

Check out Clara Rockmore, there should be lots of stuff on youtube. Absolutely mesmerizing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Rockmore

Leon Theremin the inventor of the instrument, was an electronics spod for the NKVD/KGB and invented many bugging devices including "The Thing".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Theremin

Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini died yesterday, at 82. Not a front-page event, but it gives me a little jab of pain - Pollini played three Mozart concertos with the Berlin Philharmonic when I first visited a proper concert, probably around 1980. It was an overwhelming experience, and it started my classical music affection, the Berlin Philharmonie becoming a kind of my living room in the 80s and early 90s. Pupils in those years could get hold of tickets, front line tickets sometimes, for something like two dollars or three. The artists I saw, the music I listened to, for almost no money - it seems almost absurd today these things existed.

Here is one of Pollini's most famous recordings, from the record with which he burst on the international stage in the 70s

I'm glad to see that subsidy of culture survived reunification for at least a while. It was with regret that I saw the museums of what had been West Berlin - the State Museums of the Prussian Cultural Property - introduce entrance fees. When West Berlin was West Berlin, they were free. ("NO!!!! They weren't! They were funded by taxpayers!!!!" OK, but I would say that's money well spent.)

It was one of a number of examples of increased charges following the end of the (then) Cold War. In the 1980s, US tourist visas were free - I always presumed it was because the Soviets didn't charge for theirs. Now you even pay for ESTA - albeit not much and even the fee for a full visa is a fraction of the exorbitant amount my own beloved country sees fit to charge.

As it's Easter. Apparently these two have been around for a while, but I only discovered them yesterday through a friend sharing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3NZEdHQaI

Some kids these days think they have outrageous hair. Pffft

g-one wrote:Some kids these days think they have outrageous hair. Pffft

Ha! For many, many years we referred to folk (where appropriate) as having "flock of seagulls hair".