Archive of August 2010

August 08

Today I am sad....

and the reason is that this morning on BBC World Service I learned that [[David Fanshaw]] died recently at the age of 68....

It may not have been my favourite piece to perform, but [[African Sanctus]] was memorable for the fact that the composer, Mr Fanshaw, personally supervised our performance at the dress rehearsal and when he conducted and at the actual performance when he controlled the mixing desk.

He may have been an outspoken eccentric, I may not have loved the music he made, but even then he sang well enough and carried the piece of music with such enthusiasm it was irresistable.  He even told us of his student days in the area when he would hitch lifts to the coast.  And his wife was in charge of CD sales and many years his junior, so I really feel for her surviving him...

Sad day indeed - they played "Lord's Prayer" from the Sanctus dedicated to the composer and it was a lovely memory with which to pray for him... Amen

07:24 AM | 1 Comment | Tags: , ,
August 07
Uploaded pictures of our wonderful tandem from both sides, taken by the previous owners who clearly took good care of her!
03:24 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: , ,

Tandem thoughts

I have filed this post in the category of Poetry, though whether the verse below deserves that accolade is a little debatable.

It's the entire lyrics to "Bicycle Built For Two (Daisy Daisy)" written by [[Harry Dacre]] (Copyright Unknown) and I remember it fondly from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" when HAL is being unplugged it seems to be one of his last memories to go, which is sad but necessary.

Something not at all sad is that by some miraculous turn of luck I yesterday became the proud owner of a tandem!
Pictures posted above also, I couldn't resist!

Who knows, perhaps I need a new category to add to the blog now, cycling?  But for the time being I shall content myself with this posting and perhaps with a future one with a literary theme of cycling.  I have read "[[The Third Policeman]]" by Flan O'Brien (which definitely has a cult following) and the Autobiography of [[Henry Miller]], both of which feature bicycles prominently (though I cannot find the Millar work on Wikipedia and have lost the volume, was it called "New York Tales"? Be good to hear if anyone knows and cares to comment).  I wonder what other literary works I can find with bicycles as a theme or plot device or even, dare I say it, character?  In the modern age with scroogle at our fingertips it is entirely possible I suspect for me to contemplate many months of reading books exclusively centered around bicycles and cycling!


There is a flower
Within my heart,
Daisy, Daisy!
Planted one day
By a glancing dart,
Planted by Daisy Bell!
Whether she loves me
Or loves me not,
Sometimes it's hard to tell;
Yet I am longing to share the lot -
Of beautiful Daisy Bell!

Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do!
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you!
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle made for two.

We will go 'tandem'
As man and wife,
Daisy, Daisy!
'Peddling' away
Down the road of life,
I and my Daisy Bell!
When the road's dark
We can both despise
P'licemen and 'lamps' as well;
There are 'bright lights"
In the dazzling eyes
Of beautiful Daisy Bell!

Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do!
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you!
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle made for two.

I will stand by you
In 'wheel' or woe,
Daisy, Daisy!
You'll be the bell(e)
Which I'll ring you know!
Sweet little Daisy Bell!
You'll take the 'lead'
In each 'trip' we take,
Then if I don't do well,
I will permit you to
Use the brake,
My beautiful Daisy Bell!

Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer do!
I'm half crazy,
All for the love of you!
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage
But you'll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle made for two.

03:10 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: , , ,