Alphabet associations - I

[Nick Armstrong]

Would I care to elaborate? Well, not really, it was a pure guess!! There is Handel's Harpsichord Suite, Brahms 4th, Mendelshom's C Minor for Organ and Lully's Armide which have passacaglias but I don't know if those are the ones you are looking for? I think probably not, so maybe you can elaborate?

Yes they are, Anna! You have elaborated most elegantly.

The only one to add would be the amazing passacaglia "Amor" in the middle of Monteverdi's "Lamento della Ninfa" from Book 8 of the Madrigals - starts around 2:00 in this version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxcMZl6YwNs

You are right there's one in one of the harpsichord suites, but I think possibly my favourite passacaglia of all is a different one by Handel. I don't know what it is, it gets me every time, and I can listen to it time after time and it puts me in a wonderful frame of mind. He reused it a number of times (I've heard it in four different contexts in various of his works - he obviously knew it was a winner), notably in the Sinfonia-Passacaglia in "Radamisto" and wonderfully in a choral version in "Parnasso in Festa": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f3CW2L5zrQ

Rubbers - I have reason to know you know that! Track 20, Disc 1

[Nick Armstrong]

it's not every day that one gets to find Eisenach and Lowestoft in the same sentence!

I KNOW! My thought exactly... I was longing to deploy it for that very reason

[Nick Armstrong]

Apologies for the language - it was a charming exhortation I witnessed between the local "intelligentsia" last night, on the way back from buying "a pint of milk".

No need for apology as far as I am concerned. Hilarious.

[Anna]

I'll have a go with a Q then, but it's a bit pub quizzy.

"I'm thrilled and dizzy, that's a nice colour but what are you doing with those doors?"

[Nick Armstrong]

I'll have a go with a Q then, but it's a bit pub quizzy.

"I'm thrilled and dizzy, that's a nice colour but what are you doing with those doors?"

My only way in (excuse the pun) is via the third element - does one assume Mr Morrison is involved?

[Anna]

My only way in (excuse the pun) is via the third element - does one assume Mr Morrison is involved?

Sorry, not The Doors. There are four elements. Two of which refer to films.

[Anna]

Purple is a nice color and Michael Jackson thrilled us

It is, isn't it? And he did, didn't he? Care to dig a little deeper hercule?

[Anna]

well I think we're with that well-known Welshman Mr Jones but I can't get the doors reference, doubtless someone else will

Oh, so near and yet so far away! Someone must get it now?

[Anna]

as far as Italy?

Yes, you could say that!

[rubbernecker]

Quincy Jones

[Anna]

Quincy Jones

YES!! Quincy Jones. Care to fill in the gaps, hercule was there but suddenly it seems he was overcome with shyness.

[rubbernecker]

Hercule had it all along - he was just toying with you, Anna

[Anna]

Hercule had it all along - he was just toying with you, Anna

Well, it seems as hercule has retired from the fray the R belongs to you

Qunicy Jones produced Thriller, was musical director for Dizzy Gillespie, scored The Colour Purple and of course the doors was a reference to The Italian Job. Could also have put in a clue for We are the World or that he studied under Nadia Boulanger and Messiaen (not a lot of people know that!)

[rubbernecker]

Care to fill in the gaps

Oh, if you insist... Quincy Jones played trumpet with the Dizzy Gillespie Band and went on to lead it, produced Michael Jackson's Off the Wall and Thriller, and wrote the soundtrack for the Color Purple and the Italian Job, as in "you're only supposed to blow the..." A propos of which the wording of the clue was a bit misleading, as it was not the fate of the doors which was in issue

Anyway, since Hercule doesn't want R I'll try and come up with something.

Weirdly, my next door neighbour has just been on Private Passions, I kid you not...

[Anna]

the Italian Job, as in "you're only supposed to blow the..." A propos of which the wording of the clue was a bit misleading, as it was not the fate of the doors which were in issue

Anyway, since Hercule doesn't want R I'll try and come up with something

Yes, I agree with you, the doors clue wasn't very good, I should have put 'what in the world are you doing with the doors' or something. But I did warn it was very pub quizzy! And finally solved by the champion pub quizzer of Crick! Now, I must get back to the Rugby.