The Beethoven CD collection arrived today, and it is really something beautiful to behold. Even if one never listened to a single disc, it would still be a major investment. In addition to a large book with many full colour illustrations, each of the several sections comes with a booklet with essays and full track details. Nothing like this has ever been put out before; in addition to the complete works, there are many different interpretations of many of the main works. For example, there are 4 complete and different sets of the 9 symphonies, and two full sets of the string quartets, three of the piano sonatas, in addition to several single works being given several times with different performers. A miracle in a box!
The box is huge, holding 123 discs, one large hardcover book, and 9 smaller booklets. I have died and gone to heaven. Someday I will own the same kind of set, but of Bach's music. I may never leave home again voluntarily.
And speaking of mind-blowing purchases, I turn now to a brief discussion of maps. I own a CD-ROM set of all of the maps published by National Geographic. I've had the set for many years, but the program does not work on modern computers. Thus I have not had access to these maps for nearly a generation now. Recently, National Geographic has put all of their maps on-line. They can be purchased individually, but even better is that if one buys a print subscription ($19 US), then not only do you receive 12 issues of the magazine in the mail, but you gain on-line access to their entire map collection. even better than this, the quality of the scans is much improved over the old CD set. So guess who recently purchased a subscription to National Geographic? It's been an orgy of maps around here lately!
A map from 1922 that I have been perusing lately. Sections can be downloaded and copied, too. A Few things of note from the legend. First, there are no roads, only railroads and caravan routes! Secondly, many rivers on the map are marked "Unexplored." Be still my beating heart!!
Small detail from a 1922 National Geographic map of Africa, one of hundreds I now have access to.
In all the excitement we have hardly noticed that it has been unseasonably cold the past few days. We had our first wood fire Wednesday evening, and it was a beauty. It even attracted a cat. The furnace got tested Thursday morning, and the 50 year old boiler is performing magnificently again. We are all set for cold weather, though it is supposed to moderate by Tuesday of next week. That is good news, as that is when the new astronomy session kicks off, weather permitting.
In movie news, we have each watched one of our own selections, and I watched part 12 of Berlin Alexanderplatz. My movie choice this week was another TV undertaking of Fassbinder, a three and a half hour production shown in two parts called World On A Wire. We watched Part 1 this week, and really liked it. It's a fairly engrossing SF story about creating a computer program that simulates life as we know it, and people in the lab can communicate with their coded counterparts. People on our side of the equation keep disappearing mysteriously, and no one seems to remember them. Part 1 ends with a cliffhanger shock, so we are anxious to see Part 2 next week.
Now showing on Criterion. We watched Part 1, lasting 1 hr. 45 min. Liking it a lot so far.
Deb's film choice this weekend was directed by Robert Siodmak, from 1944. It is a well done noir film that has some very expressionist scenes, including a night scene at an El station in New York. We also get to watch a crazy jazz set in a very small room. Elisha Cook plays drums like a madman, and kisses the heroine, who is pretending to like him to get information from him. Her reactions to his kisses are classic, as she will do do literally anything to free the man she loves from jail, where is wrongfully imprisoned. Though hailed as a classic, the story is not consistent enough for me, but still worth a look. The sets and photography are excellent.
Now showing on Criterion.
Sculpture studio.
Elisha Cook, Jr. jams on drums.
Visiting her man in prison.
My favourite scene, an el station at night, where the stalker becomes the stalked.
Now that we are in a suitably artistic frame of mind, I had promised to reveal some more works from the DIA collection. I have some German Expressionist art that would fit in nicely here. However, by coincidence I heard from Dino again today, and he sent his latest creation. It's about as far from noir as one could get, but that's just fine, too. Enjoy his painting of a barn swallow! Thanks, Dino!
A recent work by Dino. Beautiful capture!
