Alphabet associations - I

[Pianorak]

Piano,

Last night I also didn't think I could find SN for Singapore. But now if I google 'Singapore SN' there are a host of entries coming up right at the top. Strange - perhaps it was getting too late?

It was certainly long past my bedtime! Trouble is my mind just won't switch off when there are unresolved questions. Hence I'm steering well clear of cryptics tonight.
Listening to In Tune with Christian Blackshaw appearing any minute. A very fine pianist who seemed to have disappeared from the scene. Still remember his Wigmore Hall debut - quite a few years ago now.

[Tapiola]

But is he looking at his Lyric Suite or that of Edvard Grieg? Or, is this a rather technical one, to do with Berg's numerology and palindrome 12 tone thingys. Could one of the Fs be Hannah Fuchs and anothe F be fermata. I'm sure it's not but just thought I would ask.

Anna,

You are extremely close here, in fact you have mentioned the answer already. There is only one F which applies to all three elements.

The blurry-eyed Berg cunningly examines his Lyric Suite

And, yes, it is Berg's own Lyric Suite.

[Anna]

Oh, so is it Fuchs Hannah, Fuchs Dystrophy causing blurry eyes and Schlauer Fuchs in German which is a cunning fox? Is that it? Have I solved it?

[Tapiola]

I couldn't have explained it better myself, Anna. :cool2:

Over to you for "G".

[Anna]

Oh dear, that's two I have got, whatever is the matter with me today? Problem is, I can't seem to do cryptic like you can, my two questions were more general knowledge pub quiz type which you got in an instant. Give us a moment to think of a G.

[Anna]

OK, here we go, but I will be off-line for about an hour. So, another easy-peasy one.

Which G had his career ruined by scandal, which resulted in a novel, play and opera and was involved with a famous Opera House?

[Tapiola]

You are on a roll, Anna.

I am no expert at cryptics (I cannot do crosswords) and stumbled upon this thread a few weeks ago and have found myself quite addicted to it!

Getting nowhere with this G though.

[Tapiola]

Oh, so is it Fuchs Hannah, Fuchs Dystrophy causing blurry eyes and Schlauer Fuchs in German which is a cunning fox? Is that it? Have I solved it?

I neglected to say that OFCACHAP's recent activities might have got a mention in this one - Fuchs apparently is a big lubricant firm. Do you know this company, Ofca?

[Anna]

You are on a roll, Anna

Must be all those Fuchs lubricants! Indeed, the things we have learnt today! Including e.e. cummings using punctuation! Good fun isn't it? Shall I give another clue to the G?

[Tapiola]

Shall I give another clue to the G?

Perhaps the teeniest one, if you wish...

[Norfolk Born]

Is it Carlo Gesualdo? He murdered his wife (who was also his first cousin) and her lover. Franz Hummel and Alfred Schnittke wrote operas, Werner Herzog made a film, and Anatole France wrote a novel, all based on Gesualdo's life. I haven't discovered the connection with an opera house yet.

[Anna]

He was primarily known as a conductor, although also a composer, and the son of a conductor and born in Britain, he conducted a very important premiere in London. His fall from grace involved sex and magic. Personally, I think he is a really interesting person! Edit: just seen Ofcachaps, no not Gesualdo, although he was interesting as well!

[Norfolk Born]

Clearly, not Gesualdo then!

[Norfolk Born]

I think it may be Eugene Aynsley Goossens, who was caught up in a scandal involving witchcraft and conducted the British premiere of The Rite of Spring.

[Anna]

I think it may be Eugene Aynsley Goossens, who was caught up in a scandal involving witchcraft and conducted the British premiere of The Rite of Spring.

SPOT ON!! He was involved with Rosaleen Norton "The Witch of Kings Cross". He was responsible for Aaron Copland writing 'Fanfare for the Common Man' and, also, there was one reference to him in The Goon Show it appears "At the start of a 1956 episode "What's My Line?", a brief violin solo is heard, and the Americanized announcer says, "Thank you, Eugene Goossens!" Not a lot of people know that. When he was arrested evidently Percy Grainger hid a lot of his personal, what could be called, incriminating evidence. Has anyone heard his compositions? He was evidently a cracking conductor, particularly his Respighi. He was instrumental in getting Sydney Harbour Opera House built on that site. The novel was Pagan, the play The Devil is a Woman and the opera Eugene and Roie.

Ofcachap, you have the H. Well done!