Serenata

On 24th August 2007 I documented the following on my other blog:

Well my dissertation is finally finished. I walked out of the printers this morning after having them bound with a silly grin all over my face. All 63 pages, plus the two editions (times two as two copies of everything have to be submitted) and the extra copies of the previous four assigments.

It sure feels good to know that it is all over. Just have to go into London on Tuesday to submit my portfolio and dissertation and then sit back and wait for the results.

Here he is...the man responsible for it all... Ernesto Cavallini (1807 -1874) Quite a debonair gentleman wasn't he?

Dissertation title:

Ernesto Cavallini - Virtuoso Clarinettist, teacher and composer. An overview of his life and music in addition to a performance and critical edition of two of his works.

What I never remembered to say was.... I got a DISTINCTION!

The reason I'm telling you this?

Well people have commented on my name 'Serenata' which of course isn't my real name, but a name I use online. Serenata is one of my favourite works written by Cavallini and one which I performed for my Masters recital and then again to a 'proper' audience on St Cecelia's day, 22nd November 2007.

This is my part of my post of that day:

Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians and church music. She certainly watched out for me. The recital went well and I was particularly pleased with my rendition of Serenata by Ernesto Cavallini. I had lots of lovely positive feedback and an invitation to play for the Leytonstone Festival in July 2008! The festival will be in its 15th year. Of course I said yes. It was so different performing for an appreciative audience as opposed to being assessed for an exam. We had a very good sized audience, with quite a few returning after hearing me play in March 2007.

Aren't these flowers unusual? Quite exotic. They were presented to me today after my recital.

During the performance.

Richard and I 'posing' after the recital.

These were my programme notes:

Serenata
Ernesto Cavallini (1807—1874)

In the 19th Century opera was king. Everything, especially in Italy, was dominated by this great social phenomena and not even instrumental music escaped its influence. The fantasy on operatic themes was a specific Italian genre. The 19th Century was also the time of the virtuoso and Paganini immediately comes to mind. Ernesto Cavallini, an Italian virtuoso clarinettist, has become known as the ‘Paganini of the Clarinet’. He is the clarinettist for whom Verdi wrote the clarinet solo Prelude to Act III in the opera La Forza Del Destino. Like many instrumentalists of the time Cavallini used opera, in particular the arias, to base many of his compositions and wrote primarily to display his virtuosic skills.

Serenata could be thought of as being in two movements. The first, a lyrical operatic slow movement, vocal and serious when necessary, as one would expect in a work with this title. The second, being broken into three distinct sections, each becoming more energetic and virtuosic leading to a lively, almost frivolous coda.

So now you know!

Sunshine Saturday

It was an absolutely gorgeous sunny day again today - the kind of weather weekends are supposed to be made of. I'm busy clearing my caviary ready for some new hutches tomorrow.

Some of the pigs went out on the grass to enjoy the grass. Here is a picture of my 'Motley Crew' in the enclosure enjoying some handpicked grass.

My MIL came round and helped to do some weeding and clearing. There is a possibility we might get a patio this summer! LOL, I've only been waiting three years!! The back is quite a mess as once we removed all the patio stones (we were going to have a conservatory built, but decided against it), it just became a dumping ground for all and sundry. Yippee I can't wait for it to look nice and tidy again.

Now remember this picture, because hopefully there WILL be an after picture!


One of my climbing roses has started blooming and is looking very pretty.

Yes, yet another picture of the blues from the wisteria and ceanothus.

Plus more pictures of our Norwegian Maple - Sorry I will never get bored with taking photos of the lovely contrast of greens against the blue sky.

Isn't it just the most beautiful contrast of green and blue?

I did manage to take a walk (with my good old colourful trolley bag) to our local carboot sale, but only came home with a tummy full of icecream. Didn't see anything of any particular interest...actually I thought it was all a load of rubbish.

Right well, better dash back outside to finish of the clearing up. Younger son was supposed to clean out the water bottles (you can see them sitting on the table above), but well, like anything it seems I'm going to have to redo them...

Ashridge Estate

After lunch today we decided to head on over to Ashridge Estate. This historic parkland includes the Ashridge Woods, which is about 2,000 acres of mature woodland with lots of trails to explore either on foot, bike or horse. The parkland was Ashridge's original deer-park and we were fortunate enough to see some deer, although couldn't get as close as we would have liked due to our 12 year old's incessant verbal diarrhea and inability to move without waving his arms around or treading heavily. He thinks to creep quietly involves much arm movements - picture a cartoon character here on tiptoes and arms bent at elbows in the air and you'll get the picture.

It is an excellent place to go for a walk and despite lots of visitors it is easy to venture off and hardly see or hear anyone (well that is if you don't have our 12 year old with you!). We started the afternoon off with a lovely slice of cake - in my case carrot cake and a cup of tea (hot chocolate for the boys). That was then walked off on our 2 1/2 hours hike.

Not quite a beach hut - but still an old hut - perhaps a woodsmans at some stage?

What is it about teenagers that means they always look like they are enjoying themselves (NOT) and that they seem to have to prop their heads up?

Zooming in to see the cottage in the distance.

Cow Parsley

Ah, there are some of the deer, before my Neanderthal Boy scared them off.

A solitary dead tree in the middle of the clearing - struck by lightening?

Living with a child with ASD....

Me answering phone as we are just about to go out:

"Sorry P, but K has just gone out to get in the car, shall I get him to call you back later"

12 year old at the top of his voice standing beside me..." No he hasn't - he's here!"

Nothing like subtlety!

Got to love 'em!

Great Wood

Finding it difficult to be motivated these last few days we went for a walk in the Great Wood yesterday afternoon. It was a lovely afternoon and I did some experimenting with the camera. Click on the mosaic to enlarge. The late afternoon sun was coming through the trees casting shadows and it looked so lovely.

A Sewing Box!

Well I must have looked a picture last Wednesday afternoon, purple jumper, pink socks inside bright blue Crocs grinning somewhat like a Cheshire Cat. So much so that a passer by said ‘you look pleased with yourself’ and I sure did. I found a sewing box! I don’t know if you remember my last attempt to obtain a lovely sewing box/table that ended in tears. Well whilst this one is probably not as good, or filled with as many treasures I just love it. Not sure hubby was so convinced with it, but I am delighted with it. I will eventually do it up, but at the moment contented myself by taking out the lining of the draw as it was rather tatty and lining the draw with lavender draw lining paper.

Treasures inside (or tat as hubby called it!)

I've still got to sort through this lot.

Now sitting in my 'sewing corner'.

Draw lined and filled with cottons.

Some of my crafting displayed on the top.

Finished my crocheted cupcake - guaranteed sugar free and non-fattening!

I also found a really pretty tablecloth for £1. Each corner has a lady with a different coloured dress and the centre is surrounded by beautifully embroidered flowers. This looks as if it has never been used.

Blue Monday

Yesterday was such a beautiful day and in celebration of such a glorious blue sky I took some photographs to make a mosaic for Blue Monday today. For more Blue Monday posts pop over to Sally at Smiling Sally who hosts Blue Monday.

Sunday

It has been an absolutely fantabulous, beautiful, cheery sunny day today with the most gorgeous blue sky. I've managed to get loads done, although have a bit of a 'too hot headache' coming on. So taking a quick breather to upload this before starting dinner.

Hedge archway trimmed

Freezer defrosted, cleaned and moved into conservatory/utility room

Porch chair painted - I LOVE it blue, tried a stain wasn't happy so painted it blue!

Sewing corner tidied

Lots of 'blue' photos taken for tomorrow

Remember this quilt I managed to pick up at the local charity shop?

Well it has found its way on to our bed today, along with....

Pretty pillowcases

Saturday

Busy, busy, busy

Picnic table painted

Daisy, daisy, give me a daisy do - hubby thinks I'm odd because I LIKE daisies in the lawn

Conservatory wall painted finally after 10 years!

Fridge-freezer defrosted cleaned and moved - as a spare refridgerator this was a BIG job

Lots of other 'boring' jobs also completed

Gorgeous warm day - the sort of day weekends should be made of.

What a Week! My Weekend List

The rather wild look of our garden with all its blue, purple and green splendour.

Well it is the end of the week and I must say I'm rather pleased as it has been somewhat a distressing and stressful week. I'm hoping that the worst is over and that next week will be much better.

I can't say I'm surprised at what has happened to me as lots of people had told me that the school I was working at was run by a couple who could be rather unpleasant and dictactor like, but the children are great and that was why I was there - to teach music to some really lovely children.

However, no longer do I have to teach in a utility room, or clamber over and past obstacles on stairs, or move heavy amplifiers, simply to make a space to teach, or teach in poor light due to a window being boarded up for... well, must be at least three terms. Or turn up to teach to find that the children are not allowed to come due to other 'compulsory' activities such as cross country runs. Never mind the fact that these music lessons had been paid for and a timetable produced for the school before the beginning of each term.

Most of the children are coming to have lessons with me after school and I think they will enjoy them much more as we won't be continually interrupted either, by teachers coming into the 'supply cupboard/laundry room' to get stationery etc... Plus we will be able to breath easier as well as there will no longer be the stuffy laundry/dryer atmosphere.

As a consequence of above, much of my time this week has been dealing with the resultant stress and anxiety this has caused me, and lots of letter writing etc... so not a lot of what I wanted to achieve has happened.

Today I did manage to mow the front lawn and do a spot of weeding...pictures? The camera battery ran out of power, but I did manage to get three pictures. We also went to clear some of my FIL's property. This seems such a daunting task with end no where in sight. We have enough trouble keeping up with our own garden, let alone another that is twice as big!

The Ceanothus is looking beautiful.

William's plant is flowering.

This is William. He was a rescue piggy and he died in October last year. I was devastated as he was such a character, and it seemed we only had him such a short time, about a year. We think he was probably about three years old, but he could have been older. Animals bring such joy and heart ache into your life, but I wouldn't be without them.

So my list for the weekend is...

Finish tidying the lounge.

Clear the conservatory/utility room to move the chest freezer from the garage into it.

Clear the garage ready for the new cavy hutch blocks.

Paint my picnic table and porch chair.

Take some time out to see how my arm/shoulder will cope with a spot of flute or clarinet playing by exploring some new music books I picked up at a charity shop on Wednesday.

So what are my chances for completion of this list?

Ode to Roy.B.Biv - Day 7

Day Seven: Violet

Red and Orange and Yellow and Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet

I'll let you into a secret... I thought that indigo was a very light purple/violet until I looked it up yesterday so here is my original rainbow that I did for Jus.