Archive for the ‘Daily Life’ Category

September ducklings

Posted by Susan Tomes on 5 September 2012 under Daily Life  •  1 Comment

In spring of this year I noticed that there were no ducklings on our local ponds. I mentioned it to a couple of friends in other cities, and they confirmed that there were no ducklings on their ponds either. Eventually I even wrote to the Guardian letters page about the ducklings, asking if anyone could [...]

Pianists out of luck

Posted by Susan Tomes on 31 August 2012 under Daily Life, Musings  •  1 Comment

Today’s Guardian article about former concert pianist Anne Naysmith, who lives in a little shelter made of trees and bushes at the foot of a railway embankment in west London, got me thinking about pianists. As the article points out, her case has  echoes of the famous Miss Shepherd, also a former concert pianist, who [...]

The Olympics Closing Ceremony

Posted by Susan Tomes on 13 August 2012 under Concerts, Daily Life, Musings  •  Leave a comment

Last night we watched the Olympics closing ceremony, basically a long pop concert with eccentric dance interludes. I assume that the singers couldn’t really hear their support groups or backing tracks in the enormous stadium - at least, I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt, because so few of them sang in tune. Were they miming? I [...]

National Anthems

Posted by Susan Tomes on 11 August 2012 under Daily Life, Musings, Travel  •  1 Comment

The Olympic medal ceremonies have proved a parade ground for the national anthems of lots of different countries. And what a lamentable bunch these anthems are, from a musical point of view. I’ve been struck by how most of them fail to give the slightest flavour of the country concerned. Almost every national anthem appears [...]

Music at the Olympics

Posted by Susan Tomes on 6 August 2012 under Daily Life, Musings  •  Leave a comment

I’m having trouble getting used to the loud music which is played at the Olympics between events and even during pauses and breaks in the action. Last night we watched (on TV) a women’s basketball match with pop music carefully choreographed to plug any moments of quiet or inactivity during the game. At the quarter-time [...]