Hero, Knight, Mentalist
Pausing briefly to hail this hero of our time, I must return to a story from yesterday (which I couldn't remark on, as the legendary NigeCorp technology was going into meltdown every time I went near the blog). When the latest international table of educational ignominy was unveiled, showing how 'our' 15-year-olds have slumped ten places or so to somewhere below Estonia in the reading and 'rithmetic league, the relevant minister, one Jim Knight, described the results as 'pleasing'. Yes, pleasing. I have been pondering this, slack-jawed, ever since. What exactly would Knight find displeasing? Presumably the UK suddenly powering its way to the top of the table. As that ain't going to happen, I guess we'll never know...
My mind is also boggling gently at the news that the noted TV mentalist (and Purley resident) Derren Brown (he's in Wikipedia) listens EVERY day - and before EVERY performance - to Bach's Goldberg Variations. He seems to favour Murray Perahia's version. Me I'm a Glen Gould 1981 man. But anyway, this must tell us something about Bach, or Brown, or both - or quite possibly nothing, what do I know?
My mind is also boggling gently at the news that the noted TV mentalist (and Purley resident) Derren Brown (he's in Wikipedia) listens EVERY day - and before EVERY performance - to Bach's Goldberg Variations. He seems to favour Murray Perahia's version. Me I'm a Glen Gould 1981 man. But anyway, this must tell us something about Bach, or Brown, or both - or quite possibly nothing, what do I know?
# posted by Nige : 10:43 AM
4 Comments:
At December 06, 2007 2:08 PM,
Elberry said…
Clarkson should have been given a special dispensation to beat them bloody with his Size 12 boots and ham-sized fists. Let's face it, you could win an election on the basis of having beaten a gang of hoodies to death.
What this country needs, in addition to perhaps First World standards of literacy, is more celebrity vigilantes, ready to take a stand against villainy and mobile phone users, men like Richard Madeley, Bryan, Clarkson, Paxman, Bill Oddie.
At December 06, 2007 3:06 PM,
Bryan Appleyard said…
I like the Gould 81 better than the fifties version. We are eccentric in this, apparently, Nige
At December 06, 2007 3:29 PM,
Nige said…
Eccentric maybe, but right. Perahia is very good though.
At December 06, 2007 6:50 PM,
Richard Madeley said…
Elberry, you've talking my language. That's why my blog is dedicated to celebrating such men.
As for Gould playing Bach: there's something so deliberate and precise about that recording. I find I can't listen to other versions without thinking that it's being played too fast and without the proper background humming. Everything just seems so perfect about it.
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