Monthly Archives: July 2008

‘Nige’ returns to the Proms…and how!

Posted by Wendy on July 27, 2008 No comments

If there’s one thing I love it’s a rebel - particularly of the musical kind - and there’s no one better to wear the cap than Nigel Kennedy. I suppose you could say that Nigel takes all those long-held traditions regarding classical music, all those rules and standards, and reshapes them; ‘bend ‘em like Kennedy’ you could say.

He is a musician who has cultivated a very sharp and individual image – one needs to stand out from the crowd these days – you could call his ‘look’ a gimmick…but it has worked and worked well.

But aside from that punk look and that faux accent is the music; the man can break your heart one minute and then rile you the next. Nigel returned to the stage at The Proms last week after 21 years and did all that and more; playing the luscious Elgar Violin Concerto…and then some of his own stuff.

No-one plays the Elgar like Nigel and there are passages where it seems as though God is speaking through this blessed bohemian creature; the accompanied cadenza ends with the most exquisite and profound silence before the final, literally foot thumping movement. His total absorption resulting in accented foot stamping was reminiscent of Leonard Bernstein’s leaps in the air while conducting.

Then we were treated to the other Kennedy; a jazz set with his own quartet combining Hendrix, Grappelli and his own compositions – who else would dare to do this at a Proms…? in the background could be seen the bust of Sir Henry Woods – minus a set of ear muffs which would have made a comic touch to the occasion. I would love to have seen the faces of the Proms heirachy who were said to have stood head to head with Kennedy in the early organising stages.

I think it is still too soon to say the performance was vintage Nigel as this guy is still evolving, refusing to be categorised. I have always spoken about pushing those boundaries and this is one musician who continues to do so. A Kennedy performance is like a downhill ride with no brakes and no crash helmet…and I love that.

Copyright © 2007-2012 Cultured Views. All rights reserved.

Qantas: the ‘no-worries-mate’ airline

Posted by Wendy on July 25, 2008 No comments

I would say there are very few people who are completely 100 percent laid back about air travel; no matter how many miles you have flown you possibly still have that little bit of apprehension when you board an aircraft…am I right?

Ever seen the film Rain Man? remember where Dustin Hoffman’s character, Raymond, stresses out when he realises he has to get on a plane…? he claims that only one airline has never crashed – Qantas – and the plane he was supposed to get on was not a Qantas plane…

He was correct – in a way. During WW2 Qantas flew flights as part of the RAF and there were eight minor incidents which resulted in loss of life. But since then, as a major commercial airline, Qantas have never had a fatal crash – never lost a jet. Only one incident back in 1999 when a jet overran the runway in Bangkok – but still, I think that’s a pretty good track record which is hard to beat.

I have flown plenty of times on various airlines but I have to admit – and this is not just partriotism speaking – there is something about a Qantas plane which gives me a feeling of security. On short haul flights, those lasting up to two/three hours I rarely relax enough to enjoy the flight – I listen for the slightest change or difference in engine sounds and I watch the cabin crew’s faces for any sign of anxiety…am I mad or what?

But when I get on a Qantas plane I instantly feel ‘safe’; maybe it’s the familiar accents of the crew or that ‘no worries mate’ attitude in the Captains voice when he speaks to the passengers prior to the flight…or even that brilliant red flying kangaroo on the plane’s tail.

Just recently passengers on a Qantas flight from London to Melbourne suffered a few scary moments when a faulty door caused a problem and a sudden drop in altitude and had to make an emergency landing in Manila. The passengers said that what calmed them was the demeanor of the crew and the expertise of the pilots; I can imagine though the ripe language in the cockpit when the problem occurred… :)

Despite all this Qantas will always remain the only airline that I could ever feel ‘at home’ on – why? because it’s Australian and that means it wont ever let you down.

Copyright © 2007-2012 Cultured Views. All rights reserved.

Some parents need to get their brains into gear

Posted by Wendy on July 24, 2008 No comments

I mean, how much simpler can it darn well be!

Just what is it with some parents right now?  in the past two weeks three small children have died after being left alone in locked cars in the middle of the summer heat – all the parents involved claimed the no-brainer excuse…” I forgot he/she was there! “

Just how the hell do you forget your child is strapped into their car seat in the back of the car !

Where on earth did they think the kids were then ??

I have seen more than my fair share of this kind of sheer stupidity; people leaving their dogs in the car while they go shopping only to return to a dead animal which died a slow and agonising death.

Women too are guilty of this with their kids; they leave the kids in the car and go into a shop ‘just for a few minutes’ but while daffy Mum is in the shop the temperature inside her car has risen to boiling point and the kid/s are gasping for air…and yes…some have died.

There has to be laws brought in to stop this shocking negligence from ignorant parents – make any parent guilty of doing such a thing sit in their own car in the blazing sun with the windows wound up and the doors locked for 30 minutes and see how they like it.  Even ten minutes should be enough for the facts to penetrate their thick skulls.

Better still – don’t forget your kids in the first place !!

Copyright © 2007-2012 Cultured Views. All rights reserved.