Alphabet associations - I

[vinteuil]

You aren't the only one! Sadly, things have reached the stage where not only the questions and the answers, but also the supposedly helpful clues, have to be explained - and sometimes the explanations also need to be explained. And some of the questions clearly seem to have more than one valid answer.
Still .... if it keeps a few folk happy.

I think part of the problem is the amazing power of google and wikipedia - it's quite difficult to devise clues that aren't immediately soluble by skilful use of google...

[Don Petter]

Bad morning! PC doesn't want to start, so using SWMBO's laptop.

Where was I? Well one thing I've learned in life is that when the question is about someone not being someone long, it's usually either one of Henry VIII's wives or a pope. Given the letter, it had to be the latter, which it seems is right.

I have since found, I think, that the third reference is to Handel's Semele. He used a ready-made libretto by William Congreve, but had some music left over which needed some more words, so he used some of the writings of Alexander Pope. Whether the word 'correct' in the clue means I've missed something, I'm not sure.

The other two popes must include, I think, one real one - John Paul I, who was only such for about a month in 1978. Why music benefitted from his death, I'm not sure. Either he was going to restore the Catholic Church to a less musical regime, or his successor, John Paul II, improved it?

The third pope, I guess (certainly had to google this) could be the composer Peter Pope (1917-1991, good time match for JP I, 1912-1978).

These suppositions have become increasing less sure, like going out along a branch - enlightenment please, vinteuil.

[vinteuil]

Bad morning! PC doesn't want to start, so using SWMBO's laptop.

Where was I? Well one thing I've learned in life is that when the question is about someone not being someone long, it's usually either one of Henry VIII's wives or a pope. Given the letter, it had to be the latter, which it seems is right.

I have since found, I think, that the third reference is to Handel's Semele. He used a ready-made libretto by William Congreve, but had some music left over which needed some more words, so he used some of the writings of Alexander Pope. Whether the word 'correct' in the clue means I've missed something, I'm not sure.

The other two popes must include, I think, one real one - John Paul I, who was only such for about a month in 1978. Why music benefitted from his death, I'm not sure. Either he was going to restore the Catholic Church to a less musical regime, or his successor, John Paul II, improved it?

The third pope, I guess (certainly had to google this) could be the composer Peter Pope (1917-1991, good time match for JP I, 1912-1978).

These suppositions have become increasing less sure, like going out along a branch - enlightenment please, vinteuil.

'Pope' is right: and one-third of your answers is correct...

In 'Jephtha' Handel incorporates in the great "How dark, O Lord, are thy decrees!" chorus at the end of Part 2 the line from Pope's 1733 poem 'An Essay on Man' -
"Whatever is, is right." - to superb effect. Hence "sure he was correct"...

Now for the other two-thirds. They were (almost) contemporary with one another, but not contemporary with us. And one of them emphatically was not a Pope...

[Nick Armstrong]

I think part of the problem is the amazing power of google and wikipedia - it's quite difficult to devise clues that aren't immediately soluble by skilful use of google...

That is certainly true, having tried to set a few myself.

[Don Petter]

I think part of the problem is the amazing power of google and wikipedia - it's quite difficult to devise clues that aren't immediately soluble by skilful use of google...

[PC responded to a metaphorical kick, and is running again - don't know for how long. ]

Actually, I think the last few questions have been fairly Google-proof, at least until some sort of key is found. Perhaps that is part of the problem. We are, subconsciously or otherwise, constructing more obscure clues for that reason.

To get something between these and a 'Google A, B and C and it's done' is quite difficult?

[Don Petter]

'Pope' is right: and one-third of your answers is correct...

In 'Jephtha' Handel incorporates in the great "How dark, O Lord, are thy decrees!" chorus at the end of Part 2 the line from Pope's 1733 poem 'An Essay on Man' -
"Whatever is, is right." - to superb effect. Hence "sure he was correct"...

Now for the other two-thirds. They were (almost) contemporary with one another, but not contemporary with us. And one of them emphatically was not a Pope...

I thought your 'correct' must be significant. 'My' Pope, in Semele, was boring old 'Where'er you walk' from his Second Pastoral.

I'm po(o)ped out on the subject for the moment, and it will soon be time to go out. I'll be back later this afternoon to see the final glory of the correct answer.

[subcontrabass]

Now for the other two-thirds. They were (almost) contemporary with one another, but not contemporary with us. And one of them emphatically was not a Pope...

That leads us to:

(1) Pope Marcellus II (Pope for 22 days: 9 April 1555 to 1 May 1555), in whose memory Palestrina composed Missa Papae Marcelli

and

(2) the composer Clemens non Papa (c. 1510-1556)

[vinteuil]

That leads us to:

(1) Pope Marcellus II (Pope for 22 days: 9 April 1555 to 1 May 1555), in whose memory Palestrina composed Missa Papae Marcelli

and

(2) the composer Clemens non Papa (c. 1510-1556)

Yes, exactly...
Palestrina's Mass in honour of Marcellus [1501-1555] was believed to have 'saved music' in the following sense - after the Council of Trent the Church had become very doubtful of the propriety of the kind of music used in the liturgy - partly because of fears that no-one could hear the words. Palestrina's Mass with its beauty and its intelligible polyphony persuaded the Church to allow polyphony to continue.

The Flemish composer Clemens non Papa ("Clement not the Pope') is thought to have been so called, jokingly or not, lest he be confused with the Pope Clement VII

so - a fight between don Petter and subcontrabass as to the honour of Q??

[subcontrabass]

so - a fight between don Petter and subcontrabass as to the honour of Q??

Definitely a job for Don. He did the hard bit.

[Don Petter]

scb finished it off, and you've had enough of my twisted mind for a while. I think he should give us one?

[Don Petter]

Can't keep up with this quick-fire repartee! I must go out, but if nothings been done by mid-afternoon, I'll have a go then. Really don't mind. (I'm thinking along the lines of a Q that could be a nice straightforward one to let everyone cleanse their palate.)

[rubbernecker]

Can't keep up with this quick-fire repartee! I must go out, but if nothings been done by mid-afternoon, I'll have a go then. Really don't mind. (I'm thinking along the lines of a Q that could be a nice straightforward one to let everyone cleanse their palate.)

I had Clemens non Papa but failed to make the papal connection. Don, you evidently haven't read, or have chosen to ignore, my post yesterday regarding the letter Q. If you are happy setting Q, then fine.

[Don Petter]

I had Clemens non Papa but failed to make the papal connection. Don, you evidently haven't read, or have chosen to ignore, my post yesterday regarding the letter Q. If you are happy setting Q, then fine.

rn,

Never chosen to ignore you! It was only a suggestion, I thought, and I had been mulling over Q in the hope that rather more of my research was correct.

I feel a bit of a fraud, as it turns out the only thing I got right in the last question was ‘pope’, but I don’t want to upset scb, now he’s made a welcome reappearance, so here goes, with an attempt to recover our lost innocence by reverting to Simon’s simple circular rule of three.


Solution is one word, starting with Q.

It’s early morning and we’re looking for a bit of fun.

(Remember, classic rules, so no diagonals.)

[Norfolk Born]

(Remember, classic rules, so no diagonals.)

What does this mean, please?

[vinteuil]

What does this mean, please?

i think it's a reference to 'Mornington Qrescent'...