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I think this was also the hallmark of Drummond's time as director of the Edinburgh Festival, notably in the 1983 Festival with the theme of "Vienna 1900" which combined art exhibitions, lectures, music and drama linked to the theme effectively providing a full insight into the culture of that period.The feeling one gets is that arts and music are coherently related (a story by Adolfo Bioy Casares precedes two programmes about Argentinian music and dance) and the schedule is aimed at "an audience" which will take an intelligent interest in a programme about Seamus Heaney (Poet of the Month!) as much as Annie Fischer plays Schumann or Wedding Music from Zanzibar.Comment
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A reminder that the Four Quartets is scheduled to be broadcast this afternoon, (Sat 18 Jan). R4, 14.30-15.45hrs. NOT R1. R2. or even R3 but R4!
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A considerable experience. I listened to the Paul Scofield recording a few days ago, originally broadcast in Nov 97, and sat with my worn copy of Eliot's Collected Poems - Faber, of course - ready to hear Jeremy irons, although for a moment I thought it was Scofield! - but, otherwise, it would be invidious to make comparisons as they both took me on a journey with unexpected revelations. Yesterday, I viewed Jem Cohen's film, "Museum Hours" (2013) - 'One of those rare films that may change the way you see the world', The Guardian - and quickly traced its origin to John Berger's 'Ways of Seeing' several decades ago on TV - but its fascinating impact has subsequently lingered on my mind. More Beckettian than Eliot, perhaps, until Cohen's imagery and attention to minutiae took on a new significance and meaning in East Coker iii:
"...I said to my soul, be still, and let the dark come upon you
Which shall be the darkness of God. As in a theatre,
The lights are extinguished, for the scene to be changed
With a hollow rumble of wings, with a movement of darkness on darkness.
And we know that the hills and the trees, the distant panorama
And the bold imposing facade are all being rolled away ---
Or as when an underground train, in the tube, stops too long between stations
And the conversation rises and slowly fades into silence
And you see behind every face the mental emptiness deepen
Leaving only the growing terror of nothing to think about;..."
I was engaged in many similar cross references throughout the reading which illuminated my on-going preoccupation with the imagery in the film. I'm eager to revisit both this evening.Comment
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Bookmarked. My copy of The Sleepwalkers arrived this morning and I'd just started it ...It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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One of the few quibbles I have with Clark's excellent book (if that is the one you mean) is that it has the same name as the trilogy by Hermann Broch, which is also well worth reading. Surely Clark must have been aware of this when he chose the title (rather like the philosopher J L Austin's mischievous Sense and Sensibilia).Originally posted by french frank View PostComment
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It was good, but I found Irons' delivery a little lugubriously monotonous at times - not enough range in pitch.Originally posted by Stanley Stewart View Post
Some resonance at the end of The Dry Salvages:
"...only undefeated Because we have gone on trying ...
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
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I have fond memories of an LP featuring Robert Speight which saw me through my younger years - am I alone in this ?Comment
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