Yesterday, taught at the second of my school venues. The teaching certainly insn't as tough this year, although I'm waiting for other projects to kick-in. Completed the anthem but had another idea whilst in the shower just now: to extend the minor 3rds during what was a falling 4ths sections. I have a sketch to give to SHC this morning and will mention it. Otherwise listened to Tabula Rasa (Part), Schnittke's Concert Grosso #1, some recent music by John Bortslap, The Velvet Underground, David Sylvian, George Rochberg, Robert Fripp's Pie Jesu and other assorted goodies.
E-mails from David Fideler (I enjoyed your book very much, David), Jacob Heringman and Jacob Holm-Lupo. Then listened to White Willow's Sacrament. Was going to write something else, but can't remember which means it couldn't have been that important...oh yes! No time now: the train awaits.
6 09/28/2001 This is accompanied by a CD called 'Sufi Music' which I found the other day. The music is very beautiful.
I had many thoughts about musical postmodernisms yesterday. Surely, one of the abiding interests of the POMO scene is to break down distinctions between what was once considered 'high' and 'low' art so that one can no longer isolate, and analyse the different components. However, in the field of 'art' music, and I have labelled this as such for the sake of argument, there seems to be three clearly well-defined types:
1) that influenced by Conceptual art (i.e. Duchamp) and strongly associated with the USA: Cage, Feldman, Brown and into the UK with Cardew, Bryars, Nyman and Skempton. Into the minimalists such as Reich and Glass and then Adams and taken into The Beatles via Yoko Ono who was member of Fluxus, and influencing Andy Warhol/The Velvet Underground. I suppose the 'downtown NY' scene was touched by this area. It finally ends up within the output of John Zorn and, even, Sonic Youth;
2) that influenced by 'tradition', the 17th - 19th centuries in particular, but remaining open to the Fluxus influence: Schnittke, Part, Rochberg, John Bortslap, David Matthews (maybe?). How about Michael Tippett, or is his output more neo-classical showing the influence of Stravinsky? Does Neo-Classicism anticipate POMO?;
3) that influenced by the sacred: Part, Tavener, Gorecki who commonly termed the 'holy minimalists'.
Otherwise spent the day teaching, and completed sketch #1 of 'Ave Verum Corpus'. Stripped this back considerably throughout the day. I like it. returned home and collated papers for Sunday's meeting in bedford and prepared work for the RNCM (Saturday) and for Liverpool (Wednesday). Had to think well ahead because I can't do this over the weekend. Listened to The Durutti Column's 'Bread And Circuses' and Part's 'Tabula Rasa' which is reasonably close to Schnittke's first Concerto Grosso.
4 09/27/2001 Yesterday's Liverpool lectures seemed to go well. Two more to go, next week, and then the students come for individual tutorials which is when things really begin to move. Went into Virgin Megastore and found Arvo Part's 'Tabula Rasa' on CD (I've previously listened to this on vinyl) and a CD of Sufi music. I've been given a new room at Liverpool which is more suitable. The department is being re-built so Lecture Room 1, the usual teaching venue, is out of bounds: one side of it is minus a wall! On the journeys there and back I read something on astrology, besides having further ideas about the anthem. The beginning, which I haven't been happy with, fell into place on the return journey and this sparked-off a number of other ideas related to that. Wrote the ideas down on the back of an old receipt as I'd run out of space in the notebook. Arrived home and began Sallie Vickers' new book 'Instances of the Number 3', as well as doing some preparation for the weekend: there is a further meeting in Bedford for the next Riverrun project which is being attended by the singers/instrumentalists. It looks like being another busy weekend. Listened to the fragments that David and I wrote a couple of weeks ago. One or two of them have potential, but we await the go-ahead from Mark and Angela particularly.
4 09/26/2001 Completed preparation for today's lecture last evening at around 21-00. The day was spent teaching, although things look like they may not be as hectic on that front as in previous years. I came home feeling less exhausted than last week. Also completed sketching 'Ave verum corpus'. Some of this feels reasonable, but I'm still not entirely convinced about the opening. It will sound well in a big, open space. Also played through 'Between Two Worlds' which is better than I remembered it to be. Spoke with David Singleton on the phone. Jacob Holm-Lupo, from White Willow, also made contact. Jacob and I have been planning a collaboration for some time, and this might happen sooner rather than later depending on our schedules. I consider White Willow to be one of the very best bands to have emerged over the past few years. Gert-Jan also sent a CD of some new arrangements of Eno's music. Delayed putting pen to paper re next KC arrangement. Completed David Fideler's book.
I hit the tracks at 11-00 for Liverpool. Lectures at 14-00 and 16-00.
3 09/25/2001 Recovery began at around 10-15 yesterday when I put pencil to paper and began to write up the short anthem waiting to go into fair-score. I often have the impression that if composition isn't done then suffering (in a negative way) starts. Sometimes God hides. I managed to write up around half of the piece by around 19-00. (I've noticed before that if I'm deprived of creative work depression sets in). Then looked at Emails: Jan-Gert wrote a very encouraging one re the Soundscape orchestrations, and B. sent words of encouragement largely to do with ignoring the affluence-driven nature of much that passes for contemporary art with advice to forget it. Why is it in Holland there is a meshing of creative worlds which has never really been taken on board in the UK? Simple: in the UK it's a case of jobs for the boys (and girls) and all the boys and girls are fighting for the same space. Everyone is scared shitless of losing a foothold, which might just happen as money gets more and more scarce. This has created a stranglehold on the kind of creative work that has been done since the 1980's. But, things might be about to change...
Otherwise taught till 15-00, prepared work for tomorrow's Orchestration/Compositon lectures at Liverpool University and, at around 21-45, listened to The Durutti Column's 'live' album which is excellent. This is being written to the accompaniment of Bjork's 'Vespertine' which I like very much more for the way the arrangements are originally handled. Also had ideas about the ways in which 'Black Light' and 'Larks' II' might be handled. Also thought about 'Bolero' from Lizard, but this depends on time. On Sid's recommendation, I'll also listen to 'Providence'.
2 09/24/2001 Walked from Holbeck Lane into Ambleside during yesterday afternoon. Felt empty and drained. The tree are changing colour, although the swallows are still here. This week is even fuller than last. I don't feel like doing anything at all. Energy levels at an all time low. But, somewhere in all of this have to teach/arrange/write. Not sure how, but obviously will do. As each new year comes the activity of the previous one has ground me down even further. Can this continue forever? Not sure. One person mentioned making lots of money in the field of music the other day. No doubt there are ways. As for myself, I regard what I'm doing as vocational. It's a calling. Of this I've had no doubt...till now. Helping me through this is The Durutti Column's 'Rebellion'.
1 09/23/2001 It was reasonably cold yesterday in Manchester. Autumn is well on the way. Read 'Jesus Christ - Sun Of God' on both journeys. The teaching looks as if it may well be considerably easier at this venue. Arrived back home but felt shattered nevertheless. Aimed to write the anthem into fair-score but didn't. Stephen Carleston, who is organist and choirmaster of Bolton Parish Church, has expressed interest in seeing it when it's complete. Every time I think of the amount of work that has to be done throughout the course of this year I panic. No doubt this will pass once the first three weeks of term have finished. Read somewhere that in every crisis there lies an opportunity. These are always the most difficult. Today the sun is shining and we'll probably go out somewhere. Listening to 'LC' by The Durutti Column. The photos have come back from the Slovenian holiday.
6 09/21/2001 Rather late in the day to be writing. I'm usually awake early in the morning when the order of the day is: 7-10 - cup of tea; 7-35 - Diary writing. Not this morning! I slept soundly till 7-50. Yesterday was a very busy day, preparing work for students, preparing lecture for next week, teaching and...writing an anthem. On Tuesday, while teaching an A Level student, I demonstrated a series of chords at the piano with a melodic line singing, 'Ave, ave Maria' over the chords. Suddenly...there was a piece. I said to the student, 'Do not steal that. Do not!' whether he did or didn't remains to be seen, but I immmediately sensed there was a piece. I strode into the choir vestry and found a copy of Mozart's 'Ave Verum Corpus' for the words thinking I'd laid my hands on 'Ave Maria'. Got home to find it had different words. Excellent! In my experience the unconscious often allows for mistakes to be made to bring something else to fruition. The words fitted perfectly. So, I sat at the piano at 10-30 yesterday morning (Thurs.) and by 11-10 (break-time) something was developing: an anthem for SATB and organ. At 12-30 I sat down again, and by 14-00 more or less had the whole piece. This has not been written to commission. I sense, very often, the best things aren't money-motivated. I took the piece to school today, and by 14-00 the piece has developed into something approaching reasonable-ness. It feels 'right'. This has geared-me up into writing two more DGM arrangements, although the problem of fitting-in all the many things that this year looks likely to bring seems a problem. How to write/arrange whilst, at the same time, teach/lecture to make a living because funding isn't always forthcoming from creative work. I wrote last year that writing things for free can't be done anymore, which creates a paradoxical situation: the best things are often done for free, whilst time needs to be made available to allow those things to come into being which can only be done through funding. God will provide.
5 09/20/2001 Feeling better today after yesterday's break. Now there are three days of activity. Today is pretty full. I also want to do further research for the Liverpool Orchestration and Composition teaching. Very fortunately, much of this has been done over past years. I also want to continue with the arrangement. If it's possible to do a little but often then something will eventually take shape.
Yesterday listened to the new album by the Durutti Column called 'Rebellion'. The evening before I listened to their 'A Night In New York' , 'live' in NY during the '80's. I've always liked Vini Reilly's playing. The first time I heard 'One Time', from 'Thrak' it reminded me of something that Durutti Column might play. There's a kind of fragility that appears on Durutti Column albums. Also listened to T. Rex's 'Electric Warrior'. I have an old vinyl version of this, and a first edition CD. I like 'Get It On' a lot, especially Ian McDonald's honking sax lines.
Nicholas has been successful in finding a job, but not in the field in which he trained.
E-mails from Bert, Jacob, Henry, Robert and IC friends.
4 09/19/2001 A day off after a day of rushing yesterday. New pupils; lots of teaching; a brief look at what an arrangement for full orchestra might be like of Larks' II; more teaching; returning home at 17-00; not sitting down till 22-00 after collating loads of teaching materials for RNCM on Saturday. Old Grey Whistle Test again at 23-20. The New York Dolls: rock and roll!!! But were they just re-doing the Stones? Many described this performance as being a quintessential moment for the subsequent generation. Certainly Ultravox formed up as a result. Beefheart: yowee zowee! The Sensational Alex Harvey Band: zowee yowee! Tim Buckley with Ian Wallace on drums: I liked this a lot. One can see from whom Jeff inherited his musicianship and style. The Average White Band: why was that sax out of tune? The main thing which struck me is that all the bands looked like they believed in what they were doing.
Today went into town. Bound copies of my music to be sent abroad. Finding it difficult to teach, compose, write, perform and so on. Far, far too much to do. Getting the mind going again is no easy thing to do at this stage of the academic year.
The world awaits to see if the powers-that-be in Afghanistan will give up Bin Laden. They are playing for time. But no-one has actually proved if BL was perpetrator of the terrible crime. If it's proved he was then...
3 09/18/2001 The teaching began yesterday, and it went reasonably well. This is my twenty fifth year in the profession. I have never had to claim income support from the state, and have somehow always managed to get by on my earnings. Teaching/instructing is not a stress-free job: I noticed the heart-palpitations begin again yesterday. Last evening also prepared work for the RNCM which begins on Saturday, and practiced the piano with that in mind, particularly the Chopin E minor Prelude. I have smaller groups to deal with at the RNCM this year, and several individual lessons to give which I find more appropriate when teaching Composition. Also spoke with James about the Liverpool teaching over the phone.
Today, in between the teaching, there are several things to be done: look through the Soundscape orchestrations; have a think about how 'Larks' Tongues Part II' might be dealt with as an arrangement; work further on the RNCM material; write a reference for a friend. Yesterday managed to complete a reading/listening list for another friend and posted it.
Last evening also listened to Dido's 'No Angel'. I like this very much but got a sense, that as the album progressed, the material began to wear a little thin. The first half is rather good, though. The production suits Dido's voice perfectly. The Old Grey Whistle Test was also shown. David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust period) and Rory Gallagher caught my attention perhaps more than the other musicians. What it did show me was that it's right for musicians to move on and to look to the future rather than live in the past. I thought some of the music wasn't anywhere near as good as I remembered it to be.
Ricardo has also sent some of his compositions which are interesting.
2 09/17/2001 We drove to Granada Services on the M6 yesterday and met with Kevin and Linda, then we drove to Ambleside, parked the car and walked up Low Pike which is the first peak on the Fairfield Horseshoe walk (se A. Wainwright - Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. The Eastern Fells, Volume 1). Christopher also went with us. It was a good, sunny day. There was a little light breeze on the summit, and on the way down a few drops of rain. A very open, green landscape, with good views of Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Great Rigg, Fairfield, High Pike, Little Hart Crag, Loadpot Hill (in the the distance), Hartsop Dodd (ditto), Red Screes, Wansfell and Coniston Old Man. The grass is changing colour to its winter shade, but it is still very green in the valleys. The trees are also turning.
Returned home at 21-00. Wrote out reading list for a friend. Prepared other teaching materials for the activity which begins again today. Must phone James tonight re L'pool teaching. All the rest seems to be in place.
1 09/16/2001 The final day of the summer hols has arrived. We are planning one final outing. Where to? No idea. The activity, proper, of the year begins again tomorrow. Last week's RvR project postponed it by one week.
Yesterday I bought Air's '10 000 Hz Legend' and it is rather impressive. I wasn't as impressed by this as I was by Bjork's 'Vespertine' album. The latter strikes me as having an originality that isn't apparent in other musics I've heard recently . For example, I can't help thinking that every time I hear Air I'm re-experiencing Pink Floyd's 'Atom Heart Mother' period: perhaps not in the foreground, but certainly in the background. This is more obvious when listening to 'The Virgin Suicides' rather than the new Air album. But I've come to expect this. However, Jacob Heringman played me something by The Art Bears when I was in London the other day. I found this compelling. But was Father Ted's Song for Europe entry influenced by this? (i.e.'Snakes and Monkeys').
Also discussed Postmodernism in music with a friend yesterday on the phone. The preparation for my work at Liverpool University and the RNCM Junior School begins again this week, as well as looking at Mark's project. This year, so far, various projects have emerged: a) RvR Greek modes; b) Mark's Theorbo piece; c) piece for Gothic Voices; d) possible recording of the Soundscape orchestrations; e) KC book project; f) KC arrangements. B, c & d depend on funding; a depends on whether the project devisors like what David and I have sketched; e depends on publishers.
Continuing to read David Fideler's book. This is really excellent. E-mails from Henry and IC friends.
7 09/15/2001 Monday evening to Friday of this week have been spent at Riverrun HQ, near Bedford, writing music with David Stoll based on modes from ancient Greece for a new work to be recorded next year. As we worked on the separate bits and pieces individually on Tuesday, David rushed up the stairs to my studio and said that he thought I should come downstairs and watch the TV. Minutes before the World Trade Centre towers had been attacked in New York. David and I, John Mercer and several of the RvR staff watched as the horrors unfolded before our eyes. There was a deep sense of shock which has taken hold of people in the UK as I was later to discover when I phoned home. Sue was able to tell me a lot more as I had returned to work on the composition project. Of course, the events became the talking point in our coffee breaks and at mealtimes. What is to be done? We have no idea. But something has to be done, and that's for sure. Will retaliation spawn an even greater problem? The offenders have to be found and that's for sure. However, I think we may just be dealing with an invisible enemy. I noticed, on TV interviews and addresses, that George Bush and Tony Blair looked visibly shaken by what's happened as we all are. Sending huge forces to seek out an enemy like that may not be the answer. But what is? They can't sit back and allow these people to get away with the crimes. Since Robert Fripp invited me to begin this Diary two years ago I don't think anything as awful as this has happened during that time.
David gave me a lift into London on Wednesday, and I had a meeting with Matthew Wadsworth to discuss a new piece he's asked me to write for the Theorbo. Matt gave me a guided tour of the instrument which is like a massive lute with huge bass strings which extend around three feet into the air. Spent the evening with Jacob and Susanna.
Returned to RvR on Thursday morning and continued with the project.We managed to complete the sketches for the project yesterday, and record them for the morning. There is a further meeting at RvR on Sept. 30 when some of the ideas we've had can be shared with Mark Tucker, Angela Voss and the instrumentalists. I caught the train back here yesterday (Friday) at 15-04. As usual it was absolutely packed. Arrived home to a Channel 5 programme on Tuesday's terrible events.
Currently reading David Fideler's book Jesus Christ - Sun Of God (Quest Books) which is excellent, as well as looking at something on Postmodernism for a friend. Listening to Syd Barrett's 'The Madcap Laughs'. It sounds to me like SB may have succumbed to mucho mind-altering substances by the time this was recorded. Now onto Eberhard Weber's 'Yellow Fields'. I once heard a soundtrack by EW which was brilliant, and saw him play electric double bass on a TV programme which I thought was terrific. This album also sounds good.
2 09/10/2001 Yesterday we drove to Thirlmere in the Lake District. This is the site of the massive reservoir, although it used to be a lake with two villages: Wythburn and Armboth. When Manchester Corporation took over the land they flooded the land, including the villages, to make the reservoir, in much the same way as they did at Haweswater where Mardale Green was submerged. We walked from Thirlmere up over the top to High Tove (the walk is described in A. Wainwright's Picrorial Guide to Lakeland Volume 3 - The Central Fells). We were particularly interested in the landscape because it is completely different from that in Slovenia. The landscape in Lakeland is divided by many stone walls, and the grass now has its winter look: a sort of yellow-brown. In Slovenia there are very few walls: the land is mostly open. There are also many more sheep on the Lakeland fells and, yesterday, the temperatures were really down. It was cold on the summit. The view from the top was quite excellent: Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Glaramara, Scafells, Great Gable, Pillar, Dale Head, Hindscarth, High Spy, Maiden Moor, Catbells, Coledale 'round' with Grasmoor at the back, then over towards Bassenthwaite with Lord's Seat and Sail Fell. We could even see the edge of Dodd's Wood (which has lost most of its trees) and Ullock Pike/Carl Side. We then walked some of the way down to Watendlath, a small hamlet nestling in the valley between the High Tove ridge and Grange Fell which is the entry to Borrowdale. I only had a a £20 note in my wallet and very much doubted that the people in the cafe had any change. So, we didn't bother descending the 300 or so feet down to the cafe, which saved time. Instead, walked back to the car drove to the Swan, had a drink then to Ambleside for something to eat. Arrived back at 20-00 and prepared a little more for the journey today.
This morning walked into town and went to the bank etc. As the morning has gone on I've begun to feel more and more exhausted. The train leaves at 13-00ish. Listening to 'Ludwig II. von Bayern' from Klaus Sculze's album 'X' (1978). KS used to play with Tangerine Dream, a band I know very little about but I do own a copy of Phaedre, probably along with 10000000 other people, and remember friends at college raving about them many years ago. Jacob Heringman lent me this because he felt that 'Meditatio', on the Opus 20 album, may have been influenced by it. Although it wasn't I'm finding the KS piece interesting. Too many classically-trained composers, interested in electro-acoustics, would do well to listen to this. I also wonder if Arvo Part has listened to this piece at some time in his life. Perhaps he was a Tangerine Dream fan?
1 09/09/2001 The ninth of the ninth: a day of triple 3s. Yesterday, I bought Salley Vickers' book, 'Instances Of The Number Three'. The opticians had changed my sunglasses. Cool! Then we walked along the old railway at Cockeram. The Lake District fells were very clear. They seemed to be saying, 'Come and walk on us'. They looked even greener through the new sunspecs which are tinted green. Answers to my question about how the Tambura is tuned. Went to Fleetwood library in the morning to do a little research, and ended up getting engrossed in an article about Indian music. Played John Foxx's 'Metamatic' for most of the day. The bonus tracks include this incredible piece called 'Glimmer'. Also playing 'Eternity's Sunrise' by Tavener. This has a marvellous piece included on the same CD called 'Petra - A Ritual Fragment'. Aslo listed to Scelsi, courtesy of Leigh James. The cover notes say that S. didn't write any music down after around 1958: he improvised on customised instruments especially built for him and then asked other people to write down what he played. I am not absolutely convinced about this. However, if he did then it's a first. But isn't this similar to what Bert and I have been doing with Robert Fripp's Soundscapes?
7 09/08/2001 Autumn winds have returned but, unlike yesterday, the sun is out. I feel like an outing in the Lake District is needed, which I've missed over the past few weeks. It has a special character all of its own. I often feel that each place I go to, especially cities, are imbued with this kind of aura. Liverpool emits this Liverpool 'thing'; Preston, this Preston 'thing'; London, Manchester, and so on are all the same. I've often wondered if others pick up on this feeling of place?
Yesterday after picking up the new glasses form the shop - which they'd managed to muddle and put the new lenses of the sun-specs into the ordinary ones, and the ordinary ones into the sun-specs (they were very apologetic and changed them round in an hour) - I went to HMV and bought the new John Foxx CD called 'Modern Art'. Excellent value: £6-99 for 73 minutes of great music. What is it that I like about JF? 1) He's honest: when he lost interest in making music in the mid-80's he went off and lectured in photography, graphics, art and so on; 2) music from the Ultravox 'Systems of Romance' period and then, his first solo album 'Metamatic', stand up very well indeed; 3) his influences lie outside the UK - New York Dolls, Bowie's US period, Neu!, Kraftwerk, Harold Budd; 4) he articulates his idea verbally, visually and musically; 4) he's an 'outsider' - he's never been one for bowing to fashions (except at the beginning where he was an innovator); 5) his music is highly evocative and has a kind of spiritual ambience; 6) he writes great counter-melodies and his textures are made probably in the same way as he paints (i.e. in great slabs of noise); 7) he rarely overdoes a texture - much of the music is empty, especially on 'Metamatic'; 8) it evokes the period in which it was written. The early '80's seemed to be, here in the UK, a period of cold, bleak beauty which 'Metamatic' represents, somehow, as a particularly appropriate metaphor. I'm listening to 'Cathedral Oceans' as I write this which is a Foxx ambient album from 1995. It reminds me very much of Faure in places. 'Metamatic' is quite a different, but related stylistically.
Have begun to think about the next RvR project and spent last evening busily scratching ideas down onto a piece of A4 paper to make things easier for beginning next week. This is, in essence, a collaboration between Angela Voss, Mark Tucker, David Stoll and myself. I think it's likely to change in the course of the next few months as ideas are presented by us all. It's largely a case of sticking to the parameters of the project (i.e. working with ancient Greek modes) yet allowing the unconscious to have its way. I got a feeling for the potential of the project as I researched it last evening.
This year looks like a year of flux. I had a dream a week or two ago where I was preparing for a change of career. Although I was the least qualified amongst the candidates I was the favourite. Someone sent me an E-mail yesterday that has implications for a change in circumstances. The ball lies very firmly in my court. Decisions may well have to be made. Gurdjieff writes that he thinks that most dreams are silly things. Compared to a thinker like G. dreams have a way of helping my slow mind to come to terms with what's been, what is and what might be. I also find it intriguing to discover how the inner corresponds to the outer within the field of synchronicity. This is certainly the most profound 'just so' story I know of. The present situation is probably best left for the unconscious to untangle.
6 09/07/2001 An early start: it's 6-00 and Nicholas is going to the station and then to the north-east for a job interview. This Diary entry is accompanied by George Rochberg's 'Music For The Magic Theatre' (1965). Act I represents a place in which the present and past are mixed up and it isn't easy to know what is reality and what isn't. I can hear Webern's Concerto Opus 24, the Prelude from Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde', Mozart, Berg's 'Wozzeck', Varese, Holst, Richard Strauss, Schoenberg and other musics alongside Rochberg's own. It shouldn't work, but it does - and brilliantly! This piece, in three acts, was written in 1965. It is a moment when suddenly one must have have felt that Modernism was under threat. This kind of quoting has always, to some extent, been fashionable. Composers have often quoted from other works, but the Rochberg begins with this kind of confusion of elements before, unobtrusively, slipping into the past suffused with nostalgic beauty in Act II, before collapsing back into the present in Act III. It must have been a moment when people saw that, perhaps, there may have been something that lay beyond Modernism. I think, to be perfectly honest, it could only have been achieved by an American composer being distanced, as he was, from European trends. In this sense it sounds as though he's sending up the music from that quarter of the globe.
Yesterday drove to Lancaster for an eye test, and then bought a new pair of glasses to be collected later this morning. Also several phonecalls to David Stoll trying to sort out next week's composition project at RvR HQ, and then contacting Jacob Heringman to ask if I can stay with him for a night after further research in London. Done! Also sorted out school timetables for next week, but it may be there isn't the amount of work I had at one of the venues as I can't be sure that Sixth Form students, who left last year, are being replaced. The beginning of academic years are always a little fraught. I've also been given more teaching at Liverpool University and offered even more if I'd like to take it on. Weighing things up at the moment. It took all day to actually feel like thinking again after the holiday.
Heard from a large UK publishing house re the KC book project. They have promised to get back to me in due course. The proposal chapter is also with a large American publisher, a journal, as well as a further possibility coming from the USA. I plan to wait and see what emerges, if anything.
Also read an interesting article about John Foxx in the latest issue of Record Collector. Read this in a clothes shop waiting for Sue and Elizabeth while they tried on various garments. When I looked up they had gone and I'd been left standing alone in the middle of the shop engrossed in the article. Looking outside the door I saw them disappearing down the street!
4 09/05/2001 The final day and we fly from Lubljana back to Manchester at 13-20. Stand on the bridge in Bohinj and look at the trout in the clear water and a final walk beside the shores of the lake. Coach ride to the airport. Grey and overcast and the flight is a little bumpy. Read Wei Huei's 'Shanghai Baby' on the flight. Arrive back to a grey, dripping Manchester. Packed trains, as opposed to the empty trains in Slovenia, mobile-phones, rushing and so on and so forth. All good things come to an end. Arrive back at home to find the house clean and tidy. Elizabeth has done the cleaning. Nearly 500 E-mails await, letters/phone-messages about musical activities for the coming year. I listen to Fotheringay and my mind goes back to the Lubljana. 'The Sea' is beautiful. Dear Sandy Denny. Also listen to Virelai playing 'My Lute, Awake!'.
3 09/04/2001 Today we took a train ride, a boat trip (during which there was an incredible storm) and then to a vineyard for wine-tasting, then wine buying and then a meal on the border between Slovenia and Italy. The temperatures are falling, and the trees are changing colour. Someone snow has already fallen on Triglav. Max Xaster's has closed down in Bohinj. the holiday season is winding-down. 2 09/03/2001 Walked up Studor which overlooks Stara Fuzina. SF is a beautiful old place. And yes! As we ascended Studor we saw an Ibec. It suddenly jumbed out of the bushes on the level above us. Later watched a woodpecker trying to drill a hole in the side of a tree. In about 10,000000 years they should have evolved platinum-tipped drills on their beaks to make the going a little easier. I wondered if it might like to borrow my new penknife? Drink in Stara Fuzina. Tonight is the final meal in the hotel, as tomorrow we are off for 'a taste of Slovenia'.
1 09/02/2001 Dream: 'a friend sends me a penknife with a red handle'. In reality we climbed Struda (808m) today. This was a beautiful and memorable walk through flower-filled meadows, with interesting insects/birdlife/fauna etc. We met two blokes on the summit. One asked us if he could borrow our plastic knife as he'd lost his penknife. My dream came to mind. When we arrived back in Bohinj I bought a penknife with a red handle from the shop. We drunk coffee in the cafe known as Max Xazter's in the middle of town. Listened to U2 on the sound-system. I like 'Pride', 'I Will Follow', 'Myserious Ways' etc. We talk about the times we saw U2 in the early days. We agree they were a bloody great little band, full of energy with an ability to energise an audience. I remember seeing them at thr Manchester Apollo in 1981, and when they walked out onto the stage the whole audience stood. They were on TOTP a few weeks back and, even now, I like them.
7 09/01/2001 To Lubljana. What a great city! It's a little smaller than Manchester but puts that city to shame. Why are Slovenian buildings so colourful? The market was just brilliant! Found the statue of the poet France Preseren looking towards the house where his beloved Julia lived. Her father wouldn't let her marry the poet because they belonged to different classes, and she was about 30 years younger. A frieze of Julia has been erected on the wall of where she lived, and she and F.P. gaze at each other across the square for all eternity. Coffee outside the Troubador Cafe. Found CD shop. Bought the Fotheringay album on CD. The chap who owns the shop has recently visited Lancashire for a punk festival. We had a good chat. He liked it when I said 'cheers' after buying the CD, and said he'd use it from now on. Crossed the 'dragon' bridge. Peter, our guide, said that if a virgin crosses the bridge one of the tails, of the dragons (set in stone - one at each of the four corners), moves. We looked closely but not one of them moved an inch. Also walked backwards and forwards across the three bridges set in the middle of the city. Fab day.