h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Enjoy the show...

*eats another biscuit*

laters.

*enters carrying a large pile of different books and papers*

Hi there! Just stopped by to say that I'm working with Handel... So I haven't forgotten it... The draft will be online in a few days probably... We'll see...

*grabs some more material with her and disappears out of the door*

That's great, Alien. Thanks for the update. My draft of the main article is in about the same state.
*Pours cup of tea and sips*
I really enjoyed the Mozart seminar last night - quite something. It was very much as you described it, Princess - musical detective work. I'll write up a short description and post it to you (another promise!) when I get a quiet moment.

Joanna,
Checked out your Mussorgsky draft. From memory, it matches what I know, though I have something nagging me about the "Gnome". I have the piano version of it all at home. (BTW - I think there's an organ version ... but can't recall who arranged it.
I'll check it out when I go home, and let you know what I find.
Nice article, Princess. (and thanks for giving maurice a "plug"!)

*Gulps tea, rushes off towards the Baroque, via Wolfgang ...*

A promise kept, Princess!

I've written a short account of the Mozart thing in my Journal. Check out my home page when you get a chance!

Cool, I shall be there shortly...

...what prompted me to write about Mussorgsky was plucking up the courage to go into a music shop and by the music for it.. most of it is waaaaaaay to difficult, but I have hopes that if I practice for ever I may some day be able to play the Promenade and the Old Castle...

Yes. The first Promenade is actually the least difficult (even if the longest). You might find that the Great Gates is not too bad if you don't mind rich chords - it borrows from the Promenade.

I found some of my dad's notes on the piece, plus a few of mine. They agree closely with what you've written (apart from just one word), and there's some more material. I will write it up sometime today.
(Oh no, another promise!)
*Grabs a biscuit and runs to next posting ...*

This is setting a dangerous precedent! Another promise kept!
Pour yourself a big cuppa, grab a slice of sponge cake, and settle down for a good read. I hope you find some of the material useful:

OK, Princess. Here we go: Pictures at an exhibition.
Yes, yes and yes to all you've said. I'll put a few comments here - more detail - I'll give more rather than less, and you can decide what (if anything) you want to use. If I haven't commented about a section, it's because I have nothing to add to your notes.

Promenade(s):
The alternating time signature - especially in the first one - of 5/4 then 6/4 for the first 8 bars, then every other bar (9 - 12), depicts a casual amble. Each Promenade is also a different length - again suggesting a random "amble", looking at pictures on a wall. Note that the last one throws in a bar of 7/4 just for variety!

Gnome:
(The only word I didn't like) You described it as "evil". I always thought perhaps "grotesque".

Tuilleries:
The only one with a subtitle, and it is "Dispute d'enfants apres jeux" hence the "naa naa na naa naa"

Bydlo:
A Polish farm cart, pulled by two oxen. Now hear the plodding hooves, trudging through the mud ....

G&S (no pun intended):
Yes, they were two separate paintings. It's suggested that Mussorgsky combined them deliberatley to create a rich man\poor man contrast.

Catacombs + Cum Mortuis:
The painting was derived not from the actual site, but from Victor Hugo's descriptions in Les Miserables. The thing about the glowing skulls is that the source of light was candles or burning oil placed inside skulls.

Baba Jaga:
AKA the Witch of Death.

Gates:
The theme is the Promenade them, in strict 4/4 time, treated very richly. The inference is that many feet will pass through the gates. The bells at the end suggest some sort of celebration - possibly a victorious army marching back home.


Last thought: Any plans to mention the 1970s Emerson, Lake and Palmer rock version? Not terribly faithful, but interesting?

*finishes tea* *makes note to self to look for older manuscripts of any other pieces she takes it into her head to write about*

Yes I can do either hand of the first page of the Great Gate of Kiev at a time... someday I shall be able to play them both... at once!!

Wow! thats all very illuminating. I shall take it all under advisement, and you can see the result later...

Oh, and we're thinking of having a Musician's guild on h2g2. There's a few of us... so watch this space and when it gets slightly more of the drawing board come & participate

Yes please - I'd love to be in that.

Good - glad the info was interesting.

*Takes three biscuits, throws them in the air, and quickly proves that can't juggle. Makes a mess - doesn't mind. Tidies up*

I'm happy. Guess what. I just got another edited guide entry. (I suppose all new authors are the same - just put up with me - I'll go away in a bit)

A407512 (Zaventem)

Whoopee!
See you around
Kes

Yay! trust me, I get that excited too... I'm desparately looking forward to my next one being edited...

... and something nags at my conscience ... a little matter of Baroque music. I'm working on it, honest I am ....
*Grabs typewriter and hides in corner*

*hides in opposite corner w/ typewriter and mussorgsky entry* *& cup of tea*

tip tip tap tappity tap tap

tap tap tappitytap tip tip

tip tiptap B@#@!#!**t

Hey, Princess ... got any correcting fluid?

Yeah sure I nicked my mums (Hypatia's) *considers chucking it over, then considers the potential mess if she misses, & elects for taking it to Kes*

Thanks.

Is there a spell checker on this thing?

tip tip tap ....

What time is it again??

well as I write its 11.52 am BST

Kes, I don't think it does have a spellchecker need to use something else for that...

Kes, congratulations! Ravel is one of the first two entries to be 'recommended' under the new system!

Wow! That's great - must take a peep.

I shall publish a first draft of the baroque article (work permitting) today - I'll post here to tell you its ID. I did some work over the weekend. It's nothing like done, but would benefit from some review and criticism, I think.

CU soon