Today's the Day

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

January 24th

Fancy a bit of plate smashing? Today is St Paul's Eve, "traditionally" celebrated by smashing pieces of pottery - in Cornwall, in the late 19th Century, miners would have the day off, and use the occasion to throw stones at a water pitcher until it was completely broken, club together to buy a new jug, and fill (and refill) it with beer. They called the activity "Paul Pitcher Day". Other traditions was for children to throw the broken bits of crockery at the doors of people's houses - or, into the Hallway, if anyone's door was open (in January???)

Makes one grateful for the invention of telly.

Today is also St Cadoc's Day, celebrating the Welsh priest whose activities include encounters (not always friendly) with King Arthur; and in Romania, today is celebrated as Unification Day (the union of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859). The discovery of gold in Sacramento today in 1848 sparks the Californian Gold Rush, and in 1984 (!), Apple puts the Macintosh Personal Computer on sale.

Birthdays of Emperor Hadrian (76), Frederick the Great (1712), Pierre Beaumarchais (1732), and Edith Wharton (1862) - and Eliane Radigue is 87 today.

Caligula died in 41, as did both Randolph Churchill (1895) and, exactly seventy years later, his son, Winston; Edwin Fischer (1960).


And, forty years ago today on R3 before noon:

Your Midweek Choice: Mozart, Schumann, the entire Symphony 67 by Haydn, Parry, Delius, and Rubbra's Fifth Symphony (all of it)
This Week's Composers (continuing the "Court of Frederick the Great" - presumably mentioning the anniversary of the monarch's death)
Music for Organ: Franck, Piet Kee, and a new work by Michael Barlow
Music for French Horn & Piano: Whettam (another new work), Danzi, McCabe (another new work)
BBCSSO/Bryden Thomson: Dvorak "Czech Suite"; John Maxwell Geddes, "Lacuna" (guess what!); Dvorak Fourth Symphony (every last semiquaver of it)

[cloughie]

Fancy a bit of plate smashing? Today is St Paul's Eve, "traditionally" celebrated by smashing pieces of pottery - in Cornwall, in the late 19th Century, miners would have the day off, and use the occasion to throw stones at a water pitcher until it was completely broken, club together to buy a new jug, and fill (and refill) it with beer. They called the activity "Paul Pitcher Day". Other traditions was for children to throw the broken bits of crockery at the doors of people's houses - or, into the Hallway, if anyone's door was open (in January???)

Makes one grateful for the invention of telly.

A new one for me, ferney. I’ll celebrate it with a pint and a song in the pub this evening!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A new one for me, ferney. I’ll celebrate it with a pint and a song in the pub this evening!

A pint for me, certainly - but if I started singing, I fear that the tradition of throwing crockery would see a revival.

[Serial_Apologist]

A pint for me, certainly - but if I started singing, I fear that the tradition of throwing crockery would see a revival.

The temporary revival, ahem. Ever tried sticking handles back onto favourite cups, using superglue? The usually stay intact for about two days at the most, cup and handle then mutually re-separating in the washing up.

[cloughie]

A pint for me, certainly - but if I started singing, I fear that the tradition of throwing crockery would see a revival.

Don’t tell me your voice is crocked.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The temporary revival, ahem. Ever tried sticking handles back onto favourite cups, using superglue? The usually stay intact for about two days at the most, cup and handle then mutually re-separating in the washing up.

Try Gorilla glue - I fixed a mug handle this way just before Christmas and it's still attached.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Don’t tell me your voice is crocked.

I think it was a similar-sounding word that people used to describe it.

[cloughie]

I think it was a similar-sounding word that people used to describe it.

I am amazed at the number of the serious music listening fraternity who claim they cannot, or prefer not to sing.

We had a really good sing down the pub, the beer was pretty good too.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I am amazed at the number of the serious music listening fraternity who claim they cannot, or prefer not to sing.

It's not me who claims that I can't sing - I reckon I give Paul Robeson a run for his money!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

January 25th

And so today is St Paul's Day - well, one of them; this one marks his conversion on the road to Damascus (he shares another feast day with St Peter on 29th June). Now - how was the weather on St Vincent's Day? (22nd Jan) Supposedly, if there was any sunshine on that day, it was a sign of decent weather for the rest of the year. But, if it was cloudy all that day where you are, don't lose heart - today is another of those "fine today, fine the rest of the year" dates. It has its own little ditty, too (another one recorded from Cornwall):

If Paul's Fair be fair and clear
We shall have a happy year
But if it be both wind and rain
Dear will be all kind of grain;
If the winds do blow aloft
Then wars will trouble this realm oft
If clouds or mist do dark the sky
Great store of birds and beasts shall die.

Crumbs! It's almost a relief to turn to National Nutrition Day in Indonesia.

Wonder what the weather was like today in 1533, when Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn - or in 1858, when Albert married Queen Victoria (on which occasion, Mendelssohn's Wedding March was first used in such a context). Cruella de Ville was hoping for "great stores of beasts" dying - Disney's adaptation of Dodie Smith's novel was premiered today in 1961, as was Strauss' Elektra in 1909.

But, of course, it's Burns' Night - where across the world, Scots and their friends and guests to gather for a supper commemorating the birthday of Witold Lutoslawski, born today in 1913. Sharing the birthday are Somerset Maugham (1874), Virginia Woolf (1882), Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886), Ewan MacColl (1915), Raymond Baxter (1922) - and John Cooper Clarke is 70 today.

Last days for Ava Gardner (1990), Robert Shaw (1999), Demis Roussos (2015), and John Hurt and Mary Tyler-Moore (both in 2017). Oh, and Al Capone in 1947).


And, on Radio 3 today in 1989, the 7:00am - 1:00pm schedules were:

Morning Concert (Elgar, Bridge, Holst, Bax, the complete Haydn Symphony #104, the Barber Violin Concerto [complete], his Second Essay, and Knoxville, Summer of 1915, and a piece by David Measham)
Piano Sonatas by Mozart and Schubert, played by Allan Schiller
Britten's Les Illuminations (complete)
Midweek Choice (Sibelius, Haydn [a complete 'cello concerto], Balakirev [his Octet - complete], and the first piano concerto of Dohnanyi [complete])

[cloughie]

It's not me who claims that I can't sing - I reckon I give Paul Robeson a run for his money!

Well whoever it is just ignore them and give your Paul Robeson karaoke full flow.

Talking of St Paul, my singing ‘road to Damascus’ was hearing a male voice choir in 2003, and ‘having a go’. This has led me to many interesting singing experiences since.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I am amazed at the number of the serious music listening fraternity who claim they cannot, or prefer not to sing.

Wot? You listen to the i***ts who text/tweet such stuff to R3?

[cloughie]

Wot? You listen to the i***ts who text/tweet such stuff to R3?

My answer is clearly no as I don’t know what you’re referring to!

[cloughie]

And so today is St Paul's Day - well, one of them; this one marks his conversion on the road to Damascus (he shares another feast day with St Peter on 29th June). Now - how was the weather on St Vincent's Day? (22nd Jan) Supposedly, if there was any sunshine on that day, it was a sign of decent weather for the rest of the year. But, if it was cloudy all that day where you are, don't lose heart - today is another of those "fine today, fine the rest of the year" dates. It has its own little ditty, too (another one recorded from Cornwall):



Crumbs! It's almost a relief to turn to National Nutrition Day in Indonesia.

Wonder what the weather was like today in 1533, when Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn - or in 1858, when Albert married Queen Victoria (on which occasion, Mendelssohn's Wedding March was first used in such a context). Cruella de Ville was hoping for "great stores of beasts" dying - Disney's adaptation of Dodie Smith's novel was premiered today in 1961, as was Strauss' Elektra in 1909.

But, of course, it's Burns' Night - where across the world, Scots and their friends and guests to gather for a supper commemorating the birthday of Witold Lutoslawski, born today in 1913. Sharing the birthday are Somerset Maugham (1874), Virginia Woolf (1882), Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886), Ewan MacColl (1915), Raymond Baxter (1922) - and John Cooper Clarke is 70 today.

Last days for Ava Gardner (1990), Robert Shaw (1999), Demis Roussos (2015), and John Hurt and Mary Tyler-Moore (both in 2017). Oh, and Al Capone in 1947).


And, on Radio 3 today in 1989, the 7:00am - 1:00pm schedules were:

Morning Concert (Elgar, Bridge, Holst, Bax, the complete Haydn Symphony #104, the Barber Violin Concerto [complete], his Second Essay, and Knoxville, Summer of 1915, and a piece by David Measham)
Piano Sonatas by Mozart and Schubert, played by Allan Schiller
Britten's Les Illuminations (complete)
Midweek Choice (Sibelius, Haydn [a complete 'cello concerto], Balakirev [his Octet - complete], and the first piano concerto of Dohnanyi [complete])

Enjoying Burns Night with the Haggis, Tatties and Neeps and a dram! ...and Nicola’s Scottish Fantasia.

[Bryn]

Enjoying Burns Night with the Haggis, Tatties and Neeps and a dram! ...and Nicola’s Scottish Fantasia.

Hmm. Not sure whether to go with Ed or George but a dram, for sure. Hmm. It will have to be the latter, the former being too singular.