The thirty-first classical recording: #115 George Frideric Handel - Music for the Royal Fireworks
The overture of this piece is one of the longest, in percentage, probably because it was leading up to the important main event. There's almost a bit of encouragement in there, getting people's excitement up while waiting. The main music, in comparisonm feels a bit tame, and that's probably because the fireworks bangs would punctuate and add aggression to the atmosphere. It's hard to blame it for not having as much oomph here. Instead it's a gentler piece, but one that doesn't emphasize it. I'd say it has confidence in its sound, if that makes sense.
The allegro La Réjouissance does speed up (even if that's relative), bringing in some more speed and support. The wind instruments add a different throughline that support some more exciting playing. It either follows or is followed by the menuet, which are more impressive, heavier pieces. They feel like they would go with fireworks better, but I can see how we'd have a build up here that works with the fireworks as they would be taking place. It would be impressive to see live, outdoors, given the chance.
The seventy-eighth TV show: #589 Black Books
It's freezing outside right now and I am working from home. My commute time? Let's finish another show.
We've watched Black Books before, but I have been looking forward to a rewatch, especially of the later seasons that we don't get to in a rewatch. Following Graham Lineham's work, this is as much if not (after the first season) more driven by Dylan Moran, who plays Bernard, one of the main characters and the owner of the titular book shop. He's a grumpy shopkeeper who's perpetually inebriated and unlikeable. Tamsin Greig plays Fran, the awkward neighbour, first as fellow shop owner, but later just hanging out. Manny, played by Bill Bailey, is hired in the first episode to help Bernard out in the shop, and tries to improve the shop and their life.
The show's comedy gets nihilistic, but veers towards the absurd rather than dark comedy, the latter initially following from what I've seen of other Graham Lineham show, but with its own feel. They're three friends encouraging their worst impulses, becoming shut ins and where that goes wrong. It's not moralizing, it just follows these bad people (especially Bernard) through their life. Mostly, it's hilarious and rewatchable, varied through its episodes.
The seventy-seventh TV show: #443 Have I Got News For You
Here'sa gameshow, of sorts, that I've seen plenty of before. The British panel shows often mostly ignore the game aspect of it, using as a structure to hang jokes and conversations on. Here it's done using the news, and this is probably part of the reason for its longevity. In my experience, it can be a mixed bag these days - the rotating hosts and up and down energy of the regulars makes it, at times, tiring to watch. With the right guests and stories, this is a helpful way of making sense of the news, but with other shows doing the same, there are times where this can feel staid and at times, with Ian Hislop and Paul Merton being old hands at it, feeling a bit out of touch with the younger audience. The right guests change this... but it can be mixed.
Still, watching older episodes, there are a lot of good episodes and the show stays funny. I've been lucky enough to be able to watch the show live and everything feels like it has paid off sof ar.
The ninety-first album: #91 The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico
This album starts with Sunday Morning, a quiet ballad that I wouldn't immediatley have expected from the band - I'm Waiting for the Man is the first song that feels like it's theirs, but the album stays calmer than I thought it would be, more haunting than I would sometimes expect.
This also allows the album to make use of moments where it speeds up - Heroin especially makes good use of it, both the tempo and harshness of the sounds enforces the journey the song takes.It's experimental in places, very interesting there, but never off putting, which is useful here.
The seventy-sixth TV show: #32 The Price Is Right
Let's be clear here, while the book starts this in 1956, we really want to look at what was known as "The New Price Is Right" for a few years starting in 1972 - the rework starring Bob Barker that is still ongoing, Drew Carey having taken over a decade ago. All shows revolve around the prices of items - a selection game on small items, "price is right rules" of who gets closest without going over. We then get different games each time for other prices, followed by spinnings of the great wheel to decide who gets to the end game - all about prices and winning money if you get close.
There's a lot of variety to it, which keeps the show watchable. The enthusiasm is incredibly loud (although not in the first episode of the format), with Bob Barker moderating it slightly, and it's easy to be swept up in it yourself. It's fun, but also such a sign of its times from both the prices you see and fashion. It's the presenting that really sets it apart. Bob Barker is a delight to watch, dealing with whatever comes in, staying positive but with his frustration showing through while keeping it entertaining. You can see clearly why it survived.
The thirtieth classical recording: #450 Camille Saint-Saëns - Carnival of the Animals
This piece written "for fun" sets itself an interesting challenge: 14 movements representing fourteen animals, which should sound like a single work but have to represent different animals. Elephants sound heavy, tortoises are slow, and there's hopping in the kangaroo section. It's fun, it's amusing to listen to and it really is evocative enough to give you an impression of the animal - I might not get them without help, but I could probably match a list of animals to the movements. There are injokes we're starting to recognise too - Fossils imitates, appropriately, the Danse Macabre, as well aas older pieces.
The final movement summarizes it all, bringing together the previous movements into a whole that works it out. On the whole this was great to listen to and a lot of fun - so good to have in here.
The ninetieth album: #90 The Who - The Who Sell Out
An album with radio station and commercial jingles mixed in. It's hard to argue The Who are trying to make a point here somewhere, although I'm not sure it's always that convincing, but as a concept it's a neat idea.
The songs are closer to ballads than I was expecting, occasionally wearing out my patience a bit, and possibly not the best for a quiet Friday afternoon. The lyrics tell more of a story, taking you through stages and often trying to impart more of a message than other rock albums - even when it comes from a fake deodorant adveret.
There is a fair amount of production in the tracks, but they don't override the music or vocals. The balance of the latter two is right, stilly bringing across what's being set while it's more than a backing track, it sounds good and interesting. It's not the most experimental, but they are solid.
The fourty-ninth book: #1005 Aithiopika - Heliodorus
Another Greek/Roman story, here's an early one that starts in media res, with the kidnap of Chariclea to become a slave, her subsequent adventures and explanations of how they got there. It's a fairly compelling story (marred a bit by the bad quality of the Google PDF I used) and moves along decently well. It's still also taken down by its age and it feels like it doesn't quite get its sound right - it's not been quite appealing enough to me.
The seventy-fifth TV show: #560 Sports Night
I believe this might be the first Aaron Sorking show that I've fully watched, and in a way that did not disappoint. The writing is strong, and clear, not fully natural but close to it. There are the infamous Sorkin monologues. Not everyone pulls them off and I felt they got a bit preachy sometimes, but there aren't too many of those, and outside it, the dialogue works well.
The great cast helps a lot with that. Josh Charles and Peter Krause, the on air talent of the fictional Sports Night, have amazing chemistry that shows throughtout. Banter, discussions, but no forced conflict, but it seems like they get along effortlessly. Felicity Huffman as the main female lead pulls off her role incredibly well and anchors everything else going on around her.
It's funny, not forcing the dramatic moments but addressing plenty. There are faults with it, but on the whole it's such an enjoyable time that it's a shame it ended this soon, while promising so much more for the following Sorkin series.
The fourty-eighth book: #45 The Sorrows of Young Werther - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I wonder whether epistolaries are just not the genre for me. I mean, this one was pretty good - snappy and on point, but the most memorable bit was at the end, where the format is broken and the compiler tells the story of Werther's end. The start of the book shows the start of a three way relationship between Werther, Charlotte, the woman he loves, and her husband Albert. The beats beyond that are familiar, but mostly well described. They drag on a bit once you get to the middle, though, and I feel I was unfortunately snagging in places. Still, it feels like there's progress.