Alphabet associations - I

[Nick Armstrong]

an O please to link

a Norwegian witch, 'The devil takes a wife', and the first of the McCunn books

I am learning all sorts of things from trying to solve this most interesting puzzle...

For starters, John Buchan wrote a trilogy of books about one Dickson McCunn: are they the books of which you speak, o mercia?

[Anna]

The Devil Takes a Wife is by Niccolo Machiavelli. Oh!!
I dunno, offline now; see you lots later (I have to watch Corrie tonight, poor Eric!)
OK, how sad am I? Do not answer!

[mercia]

are they the books of which you speak

they are indeed the books of which I speaketh

[it's only a shared title]

[Flay]

they are indeed the books of which I speaketh

[it's only a shared title]

Respighi might feature here?

[mercia]

Respighi might feature here?

indeed, he is my O [apologies for disappearing]

so the three works are ?

[Flay]

indeed, he is my O [apologies for disappearing]

so the three works are ?

My apologies too - it's been a busy morning.

Ottorino Respighi... Here goes:

Belfagor arcidiavolo is a novella by Niccolò Machiavelli. (Thank you, Anna) It was written between 1518 and 1527 and published with Machiavelli's collected works in 1549. It is also known under the titles La favola di Belfagor Arcidiavolo or Il demonio che prese moglie (The devil who took a wife).

In the nineteenth century, William Makepeace Thackeray produced his own version of the tale. An adapted version of the tale is the base of Resighi's (sic - This Wike typo threw me for a while) 1923 opera Belfagor.

La fiamma (The Flame) is an opera in three acts by Ottorino Respighi to a libretto by Claudio Guastalla based on Hans Wiers-Jenssen's 1908 play Anne Pedersdotter, The Witch. The plot is loosely based on the story of Anne Pedersdotter, a Norwegian woman who was accused of witchcraft and burnt at the stake in 1590.

Huntingtower is a novel written by John Buchan in 1922. The first of his three Dickson McCunn books, it is set near Carrick in south west Scotland around 1920. The hero is a 55-year old grocer Dickson McCunn, who has sold his business and taken early retirement. As soon as he ventures out to explore the world, he is swept out of his bourgeois rut into bizarre and outlandish adventures, and forced to become a reluctant hero.

Ottorino wrote Huntingtower: Ballad for Band (1932)

I need to go and lie down for a while now...

Oh, and Anna, re your #31529 There is no need to apologise. We can't always be here. AA is about fun and learning. There is always somebody here willing to grab a letter. Glad you are feeling better, and I hope the family crises get sorted

[Flay]

An adapted version of the tale is the base of Resighi's (sic - This Wike typo threw me for a while) 1923 opera Belfagor.

I just signed myself up to Wiki and corrected their typo

[mercia]

I just signed myself up to Wiki and corrected their typo

that's very public-sprited of you - well done

Ottorino Respighi - Belfagor, La fiamma and Huntingtower - what a weird question

a lie-down is justly deserved

[Flay]

what a weird question

a lie-down is justly deserved

Indeed, it was flummoxing!

[Flay]

Forgive my twisting history. May I have a P:

Fancy a courtly dance, your Majesty? Shame about your daughter. Go on, have a good cry.

[Nick Armstrong]

that's very public-sprited of you - well done

Ottorino Respighi - Belfagor, La fiamma and Huntingtower - what a weird question

a lie-down is justly deserved

How frustrating!! I thought it was a great question and last night around 8pm I was having an interesting time delving into Buchan...and Respighi!! I got the Ottorino link with Belfagor and was hunting for another connection when work intervened I had been scanning Respighi's works but failed to see 'Huntingtower' among them I was looking for it too!!

Anyway, all due compliments to Flay for having a steadier eye than me

[Flay]

Curses! In York at the moment out and about. I posted before we left but hasn't worked. Need to think again!

[Resurrection Man]

Forgive my twisting history. May I have a P:

Fancy a courtly dance, your Majesty? Shame about your daughter. Go on, have a good cry.

Pavane?

[Flay]

Pavane?

Pavane it is! Care to flesh it out? (I see my post did work, but I feel sure I posted after Caliban

[Flay]

In the Minster at the moment. The choir are rehearsing part of Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise "I waited"