Though it has not been an exceptionally hot summer, there have been many uncomfortable days. Today is one, where heat and humidity (and pollution) make it difficult to breathe outdoors. Green things are going brown, as they often do this time of year, due to burning sun and infrequent rain. We are considering a day trip to Detroit on Thursday. We shall see.
6 pm Update: We just had a deluge of rain! Looks like grass cutting is on for tomorrow.
I have embarked on my 2nd week of piano on the newest pieces. These works, two of which I have previously learned (decades ago), should come up fairly fast. The program will open with Bach's 2-Part Invention in F Minor. He wrote 15 of these pieces, each one in a different key. When I graduated from university one of the first piano projects I undertook was learning all 15 inventions. These works provide a wide variety of 2-part writing, and remain among my favouite keyboard works to this day. The 2nd piece on the program is a big step up in difficulty, Bach's 3-Part Invention (Sinfonia) in F Minor. Simply put, this is one of Bach's greatest works, and until now I have always put off learning it. It is quite daunting in its minimalist manner, with three notes essentially repeating and being varied throughout the entire work. Unlike the 2-part one in the same key, it is not really an audience pleaser. Rather, it is a meditation for the performer.
Concluding the first half of the program is Haydn's Sonata in C (#35), probably his happiest and most joyful work. It's a piece someone in the practice room at university is always learning (at least the first movement), but I have never wanted to play it until now. It will provide the major contrast in mood between the Bach pieces, which are somber, and the 2ndf half, which are very somber. There are three movements. The 2nd movement is slow, very melodic, and exceedingly well written and beautiful. The final movement is moderately quick, and quite short.
The 2nd half of the program contains (so far) only three works: Gnossienne #3 by Satie, Footprints in the Snow by Debussy, and Etude #20 by Philip Glass. The Satie piece is inspired by the mythology and art of Knossos, and is slow and reflective. The Debussy piece, like the Bach 3-Part Invention, is pure minimalism, this time toned down to mostly two notes that hold the piece together. The Glass etude is the most difficult piece on the program, mostly due to its large stretch requirements. It is my favourite of the 20 etudes, and I look forward to performing it.
In film news, here's the latest report. Chinese Odyssey 2002 is a Chinese wuxia film, one of the best we have seen. It is ridiculously funny, and whoever did the translations from Chinese to English did a great job. With its cross-dressing heroine disguised as a man, the Shakespearean element is noted and admired. A restless young emperor and his sister want to head out into the world and seek adventure, but escaping the palace and the Empress Dowager is no easy task. Meanwhile, in a village far from the palace lives 'Bully the Kid" and his sister. He has been away causing mischief, but has returned, much to the chagrin of the locals who fear him. This is an irresistible film, and great fun from start to finish. There is very little fighting, but plenty of action and laughs. Highly recommended. It is part of a series, but stands alone just fine.
Death In the Garden is from 1956, an overlooked gem by Luis Bunuel. A group of miners in South America are being bullied and run off the land by government soldiers, and a bloody and deadly dispute carries the first half of the picture. Filmed in Eastmancolor. There are a lot of major characters stirring up the pot, and once we know who they are they are on the run from the law. They hijack a boat and head for the border with Brazil, and freedom from capture. One of the men was accused of murdering a soldier, and despite his innocence he is forced to flee with his deaf-mute daughter. Along comes the local priest, also in trouble; a rogue of an adventurer; and a local sex worker. Their time in the jungle, once they leave their boat, is like no other walk through the jungle we have ever seen. The ending is a surprise, along with a few other surprises along the way. A memorable and pretty great film, actually, that virtually no one has heard of, let alone seen. Thank you Mubi!
In the 1970s American TV was saturated by really bad TV movies, from all genres. Inspector Ike, from 2020, is a spoof of the Columbo type of mystery of the week TV movie. There is bad music, bad acting, a bad plot, and the great detective Ike. Ike is a great character, and can somehow appear at just the right moment to remove all tension from a scene, making viewers feel that they are being looked after, as well as the innocent people threatened by the murderer. This is a laugh-out-loud film, and sure to please fans of earlier TV dramas. Anyone feel like having some chile con carne tonight?
The Skeleton of Mrs. Morales is a Mexican film from 1960. It has all the makings and trimmings of a cult classic, as a tormented husband finally does the deed, killing his wacko and puritanical wife. She is surrounded by friends and a priest who believe it is she who is being tortured and beaten by her husband. The husband is a taxidermist, and is well prepared to handle the aftermath of the killing. Even the killing is done using a tool of the trade, so to speak. This is definitely one of those pictures where you hope that the husband will get away with murder. There are several very funny moments of dark humour. One example is when the wife goes out, leaving her husband alone with the young maid. As soon as she is gone he sneaks up to the maid's room, where she awaits him with big smiles. Just when you think the worst of him, it turns out that he wants her to cook him a big thick steak. His eating meat disgusts his wife, and when she is gone he can indulge in a big meal. Another is after he has killed her and is preparing to get rid of the body. She always insisted on him washing his hands with alcohol before he touched his food, or came near her. At the last second he remembers her wishes and washes his hands. In black and white, this is a one of a kind film. Recommended for gothic horror fans.
Next time, a look at the first season of Picard. See you then.
Mapman Mike.
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