Stormy Weather

[Bryn]

This might offer a more considered projection than that of the Telegraph trying to ape the Daily Excess.

[BBMmk2]

Lovely day today. I hear that Southern England may7 be heading for a drought, if we don't get any rain, soon!!

[Serial_Apologist]

Tomorrow, lest it be forgot, is the longest day of the year. My goodness - how quickly it seems to have come around, this year! Anyone for Stone(d)henge for a sun-up?

[BBMmk2]

Once February is out of the way, the year seems to gather pace, imo.

[Serial_Apologist]

Once February is out of the way, the year seems to gather pace, imo.

Yes, there's a lot of truth in that, probably down to impatience to be done with it!

[Petrushka]

When is Midsummer Night? As in Mendelssohn and Shakespeare. Is it the night of June 23/24 or is it June 24/25? I've usually played Mendelssohn's incidental music on June 24 but now feel I could be wrong. Can anyone clear this up?

No such doubts about Act 3 of Meistersinger which will be getting an airing on Tuesday evening.

[greenilex]

Not at Stonehenge, alas, but dawn over London was beautiful.

Congratulations on the solstice to you all.

[Pabmusic]

When is Midsummer Night? As in Mendelssohn and Shakespeare. Is it the night of June 23/24 or is it June 24/25? I've usually played Mendelssohn's incidental music on June 24 but now feel I could be wrong. Can anyone clear this up?...

It really isn't easy to answer. There are two problems.

The defining action is that the Earth's axis is inclined (in the Northern hemisphere) as far as it will go towards the Sun. (The sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer.) This is what gives us the longest day. The precise time changes every year, partly because the Earth rotates slightly slower each year (think of how a spinning top loses momentum) and partly because the Earth's tilt changes, too. Apparently the moment of maximum inclination this year is at 1051 GMT on 21st June, but in other years it's different, and sometimes on 20th. Most countries (in N. Europe anyway) celebrate it as 21st June, as does the UK.

The second issue concerns the adoption in the UK of the Gregorian calendar in 1752. This was 11 days out from the previous Julian calendar. So what we call 21st June was, before 1752, 10th June. So Shakespeare presumably had 10th June in mind.

Here in the Philippines, the summer solstice occurs at the same time on June 21st, giving us the 'longest day'. But that longest day is just 12 hrs 59'. The shortest day last year was about 11 hrs 15'. By contrast, the UK will have about 17.5 hours' daylight today. The Arctic Circle will have continuous daylight.

24th June - which you mention - was certainly a Roman dating, though on what basis I don't know.

[Beef Oven!]

Beautiful sunny morning over London

[Anna]

June 24th is the nativity of John the Baptist. It would appear that Christianity superimposed this on the old Pagan festivities. This is from Chambers Book of Days:

"Considering the part borne by the Baptist in the transactions on which Christianity is founded, is it not wonderful that the day set apart for the observance of his nativity should be, in all ages and most parts of Europe, one of the most popular of religious festivals. It enjoys the greater distinction that it is considered as Midsummer Day, and therefore has inherited a number of observances from heathen times. These are now curiously mixed with those springing from Christian feelings, insomuch that it is not easy to distinguish them from the other. It is only clear, from their superstitious character, that they have been originally pagan. To use the quaint phrase of an old translator of Scaliger, they 'form the footesteps of auncient gentility;' that is, gentilism or heathenism.

The observances connected with the Nativity of St. John commenced on the previous evening, called, as usual, the eve or vigil of the festival, or Midsummer eve. On that evening the people were accustomed to go into the woods and break down branches of trees, which they brought to their homes, and planted over their doors, amidst great demonstrations of joy, to make good the Scripture prophecy respecting the Baptist, that many should rejoice in his birth."

[Petrushka]

Thanks Pabs and Anna. Anna, the Chambers Book of Days seems to settle it and Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream needs to be in the CD player on the evening of June 23.

So far as Die Meistersinger is concerned it is clear that Acts 1 & 2 take place on the 23rd (Polterabend) and Act 3 on the 24th (Johannistag).

[Anna]

Glad you thought that was helpful Pet. If you liked that, you'll like this:

"Towards night, materials for a fire were collected in a public place and kindled. To this the name of bonfire was given, a term of which the most rational explanation seems to be, that it was composed of contributions collected as boons, or gifts of social and charitable feeling. Around this fire the people danced with almost frantic mirth, the men and boys occasionally jumping through it, not to show their agility, but as a compliance with ancient custom. There can be no doubt that this leaping through the fire is one of the most ancient of all known superstitions, and is identical with that followed by Manasseh. We learn that, till a late period, the practice was followed in Ireland on St. John's Eve.

It was customary in towns to keep a watch walking about during the Midsummer Night, although no such practice might prevail at the place from motives of precaution. This was done at Nottingham till the reign of Charles I. Every citizen either went himself, or sent a substitute; and an oath for the preservation of peace was duly administered to the company at their first 'meeting at sunset. They paraded the town in parties during the night, every person wearing a garland of flowers upon his head, additionally embellished in some instances with ribbons and jewels. In London, during the middle ages, this watch, consisting of not less than two thousand men, paraded both on this night and on the eves of St. Paul's and St. Peter's days. The watchmen were provided with cressets, or torches, carried in barred pots on the tops of long poles, which, added to the bonfires on the streets, must have given the town a striking appearance in an age when there was no regular street-lighting. The great came to give their countenance to this marching watch, and made it quite a pageant."

On topic, it dawned a perfect cloudless Summer's day here. I believe our local Baptists are as usual holding an open-air immersion in the river to celebrate Midsummer/St. John.

[BBMmk2]

Great day here folks! Come south!! Brighton & Hove be teeming with people though! Watch out!! :)

[Serial_Apologist]

Great day here folks! Come south!! Brighton & Hove be teeming with people though! Watch out!! :)

Wonderful day here too, for my old school mate's conducted walk around the delights of (old) Southwark - namely the Borough district, a rabbit warren of historic relics, curiosities around every corner, and tourists from every part of the world! The main themes of the walk, as can be expected, were Chaucer, Shakespeare and Dickens, bringing out my mate's innate actorly disposition. Ending up in the crowded courtyard of The George - London's last remaining galleried pub - our applauding group of about 30 was joined spontaneously by everyone seated in the sunshine, as if at some given signal - one of the most extraordinary things I've ever known!

Afterwards I cycled on to Parliament Square to be in position for the arrival of the Anti-Austerity March and demo. Traffic around the square and, even, from the look of it, right up Whitehall and across to Westminster bridge and Victoria Street, was quickly closed off, with the square used as rallying point. 30 thousand were announced as in attendence: I'd divide that by about 10. I left at the point entertainment was announced, (Russell Brand on the roster), and am now back home enjoying a well-earned lager shandy.

Top temperature in St James park: 23 C; top temperature here: 22 C.

[BBMmk2]

Wonderful day here too, for my old school mate's conducted walk around the delights of (old) Southwark - namely the Borough district, a rabbit warren of historic relics, curiosities around every corner, and tourists from every part of the world! The main themes of the walk, as can be expected, were Chaucer, Shakespeare and Dickens, bringing out my mate's innate actorly disposition. Ending up in the crowded courtyard of The George - London's last remaining galleried pub - our applauding group of about 30 was joined spontaneously by everyone seated in the sunshine, as if at some given signal - one of the most extraordinary things I've ever known!

Afterwards I cycled on to Parliament Square to be in position for the arrival of the Anti-Austerity March and demo. Traffic around the square and, even, from the look of it, right up Whitehall and across to Westminster bridge and Victoria Street, was quickly closed off, with the square used as rallying point. 30 thousand were announced as in attendence: I'd divide that by about 10. I left at the point entertainment was announced, (Russell Brand on the roster), and am now back home enjoying a well-earned lager shandy.

Top temperature in St James park: 23 C; top temperature here: 22 C.

My direct ancestor, John of Gaunt became good friends with Chaucer.