I didn't mean it as a spoiler, Mimi, honest - there are few greater pleasures than eating a good meal, and God knows the Italians know what they're doing when it comes to food.
The best icecream I've ever had was in Florence (the Italians, they so know icecream). The second best was in Scotland, but sadly we didn't go to that region (round Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway) in our recent travels.
The language does sing, doesn't it - opera never sounds half as good in English.
Lapin, I'm not in fact a big fan of French composers (past Rameau and Lully, that is). So I'm inclined to agree with you, except that I understand that French is an easier language to sing in than English (about the hardest language to sing in, or so I'm told).
Opera and the Italian language fit together in a way that no other language fits with opera, in my humble and not very knowledgeable opinion. However, when I said Italian sings, I referred to spoken Italian, which seems quite musical to me, in that it seems to have more "notes". I wonder if a study of the variations in pitch in spoken Italian, as compared to other languages, would bear me out.
Oh good oh good oh good!! I'm so glad I didn't sound like a wanker and that Lapin agrees with me on Lully and Rameau.
The third best icecream I ever had was in Paris, and if anyone ever said to me, "What's the best way you can think of to spend 200 quid in a profligate manner," I would say, "I would go to Paris just so I could buy an icecream at the Maison Berthillon on Ile St Louis on the Seine."
How wonderful that the instrument not only is beautiful but has a lovely tone. I had to look up the crow quill comment. Will you use a real crow quill, or a substitute?
Real quill. I've already revoiced several notes, that were either too loud or too weak. It's far easier than I had feared, tho' I do have prior experience working with Delrin, a synthetic substitute. Going authentically 18th century makes a very pleasant alternative to the internet.
Lapin, I've looked at the photos of your spinet and it is lurvely - such a beautiful-looking instrument. I've always wanted a harpsichord (or variant thereof). I've always quite fancied learning how to play the lute too, but that's one of those many things I've just never had the time for. I do have a viola (which I got free off Freecycle, so not quite such an object of beauty as the spinet) - I do know how to play it though it's years since I studied it, but there are not enough hours in the day.
I forgot to mention me piano! It belonged to my grandma originally and then was passed to my mother (that makes it sound valuable but, again, it isn't). I brought it out from Australia about three or four years ago. It was actually cheaper to do that than buy a new one, plus I missed it. It also is neglected because I just don't have the time to play it.
"The Piano" in reverse? Found a fine video of Andreas Scholl singing Purcell's Fairest Isle on YouTube this afternoon. Wonderful performance. More excellent stuff in the sidebar (check The Cold Song) from the same concert.
Now if it just said something about calories...
ReplyDeleteYes, Rmj. I was just wishing for the Italian Proverb that said, "You don't gain weight when seated for a meal." (sigh)
ReplyDeleteAh, you people who bring me back down to earth....
ReplyDeleteI doubt that you'll hear the cautions from Italians.
I've eaten in restaurants where I swear I've aged waiting for the staff to take me order.
ReplyDeleteSpoilers - all of you.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean it as a spoiler, Mimi, honest - there are few greater pleasures than eating a good meal, and God knows the Italians know what they're doing when it comes to food.
ReplyDeleteAlso, "a tavola non si invecchia" just goes to show how life sounds so much better in Italian.
ReplyDeleteCathy, I know you love to eat, m'dear. I've seen you dig in.
ReplyDeleteEverything sounds better in Italian. The language sings.
The best icecream I've ever had was in Florence (the Italians, they so know icecream). The second best was in Scotland, but sadly we didn't go to that region (round Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway) in our recent travels.
ReplyDeleteThe language does sing, doesn't it - opera never sounds half as good in English.
It is wonderful. Hat tip to The Old Foodie who runs a marvelous historical food blog from Down-Under.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing that can be said about opera sung in English, Cathy, is that it is not sung in French.
Lapin, I'm not in fact a big fan of French composers (past Rameau and Lully, that is). So I'm inclined to agree with you, except that I understand that French is an easier language to sing in than English (about the hardest language to sing in, or so I'm told).
ReplyDeletePS Hurrah for The Old Foodie!!
ReplyDeletePPS I don't mean to sound like a wanker on the opera bit.
ReplyDeleteOpera and the Italian language fit together in a way that no other language fits with opera, in my humble and not very knowledgeable opinion. However, when I said Italian sings, I referred to spoken Italian, which seems quite musical to me, in that it seems to have more "notes". I wonder if a study of the variations in pitch in spoken Italian, as compared to other languages, would bear me out.
ReplyDeleteCathy, you didn't sound like a wanker.
Agree with you totally on the Rameau/Lully thing.
ReplyDeleteOh good oh good oh good!! I'm so glad I didn't sound like a wanker and that Lapin agrees with me on Lully and Rameau.
ReplyDeleteThe third best icecream I ever had was in Paris, and if anyone ever said to me, "What's the best way you can think of to spend 200 quid in a profligate manner," I would say, "I would go to Paris just so I could buy an icecream at the Maison Berthillon on Ile St Louis on the Seine."
I had ice cream there!! It was lovely. I had something raspberry-y and chocolatey.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt would cost me quite a bit more than 200 quid to taste the French ice cream, but if I ever go to Paris again....
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I'm guessing you had "chocolat noir" with "framboise à la rose".
ReplyDeleteI removed my post before because I had misspelled "chocolat". This will not do.
ReplyDeleteMimi, we're going to have to do Paris, you realise that?? ....
Cathy, we will, along with New York, London, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
ReplyDeleteI posted some scans of my new spinet on Facebook while the pair of you were galavanting North of the Border, Cathy.
ReplyDeleteLapin, the spinet is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHas a lovely, round, sweet tone, Mimi. Now I'm learning to cut my own crow quill to "voice" it.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that the instrument not only is beautiful but has a lovely tone. I had to look up the crow quill comment. Will you use a real crow quill, or a substitute?
ReplyDeleteReal quill. I've already revoiced several notes, that were either too loud or too weak. It's far easier than I had feared, tho' I do have prior experience working with Delrin, a synthetic substitute. Going authentically 18th century makes a very pleasant alternative to the internet.
ReplyDeleteLapin, I've looked at the photos of your spinet and it is lurvely - such a beautiful-looking instrument. I've always wanted a harpsichord (or variant thereof). I've always quite fancied learning how to play the lute too, but that's one of those many things I've just never had the time for. I do have a viola (which I got free off Freecycle, so not quite such an object of beauty as the spinet) - I do know how to play it though it's years since I studied it, but there are not enough hours in the day.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention me piano! It belonged to my grandma originally and then was passed to my mother (that makes it sound valuable but, again, it isn't). I brought it out from Australia about three or four years ago. It was actually cheaper to do that than buy a new one, plus I missed it. It also is neglected because I just don't have the time to play it.
ReplyDelete"The Piano" in reverse? Found a fine video of Andreas Scholl singing Purcell's Fairest Isle on YouTube this afternoon. Wonderful performance. More excellent stuff in the sidebar (check The Cold Song) from the same concert.
ReplyDeleteCathy, you're a woman of many talents. I had no idea!
ReplyDelete"The Piano" in reverse, indeed. I'll check out those videos, Lapin.