Good Things No. 7

The two tenors' duet from The Pearlfishers, "Au Fond du Temple Saint" (In the Depths of the Temple).

One might say sublime rather than just good.

I remember this affectionately from Radio 2's Your Hundred Best Tunes, a much missed Sunday evening programme presented by Alan Keith and later Richard Baker. This tune was always the No. 1 selection.

Wonderland: The Curious World of Frinton-on-Sea

I watched this subjective documentary this evening courtesy of the BBC I-Player. I've never been a great fan of Frinton - I find the town quaint, and a little select - but it's always been a little closer to the 21st century than next door Walton-on-Naze was ever allowed to be, and not quite so horrid as it's portrayed in this programme. "After 9pm people go back into their coffins.", says one acerbic resident.

Some of the people's foibles are amusingly edited - and there's even a touching little senior citizen's love triangle - but the trouble is that the interviewing technique is dreadful. Nearly all the subjects become edgy and suspicious at the camera constantly poking its nose in where it shouldn't, and the interviewer's questions are banal and obvious. I'm not surprised the townspeople are in uproar over the programme.

The central furore is about the proposed new level crossing barriers instead of the gates that have stood there (and been threatened) for decades. For myself, losing the gates would be another British tradition gone down the plughole. The road junction is rather horrid for motorists, but the railway line itself is, like most of the area, a rather sleepy one. So I don't see what difference having new barriers would make.

Oh, and there are YOUNG people in Frinton, contrary to what Wonderland may suggest.

Good Things No. 6

The Easter weekend.

For one thing, it's a glorious four-day break from the working week, and for another, it's officially the biggest event in the church calendar - never mind that other, monstrously commercialised festival in December.

Good Things No. 5

Castle Park in Colchester.

The time my heart first broke

I sobbed upstairs when I heard the score from this FA Cup Semi-Final in 1981. Frank Bough declared on Grandstand that "it's Manchester City 1 Ipswich 0, with Power..."

I thought he was describing the impact of the goal. He was actually saying the name of the goalscorer, Paul Power. I think it's one of the best goals ever scored in a semi-final.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv5uufdRJJo

After that day, Ipswich just missed out on the League Championship (to Aston Villa), but scraped through to win the UEFA Cup. They could so easily have won the treble.

The spirit of the game

I was remembering the other day the first time I visited Anfield to watch a football match. The atmosphere was intense, cauldron-like and a little gladiatorial towards the home side's reception for the visiting team.

But one thing I also remember vividly about that extraordinary main stand, The Kop, was how the Liverpool fans would applaud the visiting goalkeeper as he went to stand in that end. The applause was sporting and perhaps even a little sympathetic, in admiration of the goalkeeper's courage at the onslaught he would soon be facing from the home team on the pitch, as well as from the fervent home fans massed behind.

Much has changed in football nowadays (including The Kop now alas, all-seater, and just not the same as in the old days) and money has gradually overwhelmed sportsmanship and the spirit of the game. But bits of this camaraderie still come through. One good trend I've noticed is for fans (the true fans) to applaud their side off the field at the end of a match, whilst some of the players in turn applaud them for their support.

It's for moments like these, that could only justify it being called the Beautiful Game.

The lure of Rachmaninov

Just before leaving the house on Saturday afternoon, I caught the "Listen Again" repeat of Radio 4's Film Programme, at the end of which was a trailer for a Radio 4 tribute to David Lean, which featured the music from one of his best films, Brief Encounter (coming to a blog space near you soon!)

Ah, the lure of bloody Rachmaninov again.

I often have that 2nd Piano Concerto in my head, and couldn't get it out of my system this time, so I had to go and get the CD. Luckily, it was with Vladimir Ashkenazy at the piano and Andre Previn conducting, two prime exponents of the beauty of Rachmaninov's music.

Things to do: 1.

Watch more Woody Allen films. They're diverse, thoughtful, and often very funny.

Good Things No. 4

The "Bar 24" (aka. "Ponti's") restaurant/take-away in Bishopsgate, London.


There's something Edward Hopper-ish about the place.