Last week

I was just going to write my blog for Sunday when my 'phone rang. 90 minutes later!!! I was too tired to continue so here we are again.I read a rather fat David Baldacci last week.Some of his books are really exciting whilst I can't get on with others.I've as yet, to find an explanation of that for myself.
I have a novel in the loo and have found this a good way to read even more than usual. these books are always novels and the one I finished on Tuesday was by Barbara Delinski. She writes Romances but has an interesting writing style so, IPersonally am never bored. Similar to these are Susan Lewis's books. They have only one flaw for me; rather explicit and steamy sex, which I find gratuitous and skip. Her plots are so rivetting I'm sure she'd have readers without venturing into near porn.
Wednesday was Ash wednesday and so Lent begins. I decided to do various things so that what I'm giving up is in fact my time.I have two Lent books. 'the life of Jesus' pope Benedict and 'History of the Bible' karen Armstrong. I own quite a few of her books. She is so knowledgeable yet writes so clearly. she is a 'jargon free 'academic.I hate books which are full of such obscurantist phrases that I have no idea what is being said.This style is also unnecessary but so many academics writing fall into the trap. it's as if they feel they won't be taken seriously if their work is easily understood.
It was quite a good week for music too.during a night when sleep eluded me I listened to Two Requiems one was played after the other. the first was by Michael Hadyn, who is unknown to me and so I'll have to google him. He was followed by Mozart's Requiem. they couldn't be more different. The Hadyn is probably the jolliest I've ever heard and because I had never heard it before, very fresh. The Mozart is always a joy.
During Sunday night when there is an early music slot, I listened to the Harpsichordist Maggie Cole talking to Catherine But about Wanda Landowska and Violet gordon Woodhouse, both of whom are harpsichordists.I found the program particularly interesting because my gran was housekeeper to Ruth Dyson, a well known harpsichordist. who let me play (tinkle) her harpsichord and also her spinet and taught me to hear the nuances in music although I never learned to play. My voice is my musical instrument.Music by Scarlatti,Rameau and Mozart was played so a good variety.
Saturday, I began listening to La Traviata from Covent garden on Radio 3 and found I didn't like it.this performance I mean. Since then I've been trying to think why this was. I didn't like nebrenka (sic) and this is most likely heresy as she has had such glowing reviews.this was the second musical disappointment of the week. the other was the composer of the week,Oswaldo Golija. Had never heard of him but willing to give it a go since his music is meant to be influenced by the Tango and all things Latin American as he comes from there.I tried two days running but still found it a cacaphony. I think one really has to have a musical training to appreciate some of these really modern composers.This week is another unknown to me Herbert Howells.I'll have a listen.
Last night I finished reading 'Singled Out' Virginia Nicholson. This is about those women who found themselves surplus in 1918. Many of my teachers were single women,most had lost someone in the two wars.the book is very interesting because Nicholson manages her material so well. She hasn't confined herself to one class either but has written about memoirs as much from Factory Workers as the gentry.What did surprise me was that spinster didn't mean having never had a sexual encounter. The general view of 'dried up old spinsters' is not really true. But the sex was far more clandestine if one can put it like that. Today it is open to the point of tedium.
Art wasn't neglected either. BBC4 is running a series called 'The Art of Spain' led by Andrew graham Nixon. it is a wonderful programme and covers more than just painting. The first programme was based on the South and the Moorish influence. I've never been that far down but have holidayed in Spain for the last 6 years and the Moorish influence is seen in Salamanca and Toledo.Dixon looks at sculpture, architecture and history. A really satisfying series.
Now I've just done what stuck in a book said in his Norm interview was a no no, written a long post . Never mind I like reading long blogs . maybe I'll have solved someone's sleep problem.