April 23 Round Up

Showers and Flowers

April was as April does. Lots of showers and grey skies, but lightened by the appearance of daffodils and bluebells. Early morning birdsong brings comfort too. We had a touch of frost a few days ago, so hoping it hasn’t damaged blossoms and young fruit.

A quiet month bookwise. But enough for a round up anyway.

Books

After my seven book haul last month, I decided I was going to tackle a few longer tomes. I do enjoy reading widely and discovering new authors, but I sometimes feel I’m speeding through the titles. I was in the mood for immersive, slower reads, so that’s what I’ve been doing. It means less reviews this month but I never want my reading habits to be dictated by this blog. And for my own reasons, I haven’t felt like reading every evening. Sometimes it takes a back seat, even for a book blogger.

The one book I did read will feature in my ‘best of list’ at years end - Notes on a execution by Danya Kukafka about a serial killer a few hours from the lethal injection on death row, with his story told largely by the women in his life. It was our bookclub choice for April and was ripe for discussion - the author left it to the reader to decide how they felt about redemption, nature versus nature and themes of justice and capital punishment. Beautifully written, with a great pace and thought provoking, this was my kind of book.

Music

Andre Rieu at the Odyssey in Belfast

Each year, my family do ‘Secret Santa’ for Christmas. I heard tickets for Andre Rieu being advertised on the radio back in September and I thought - I know who’s getting those tickets if I pull their name out of the hat. And so it came to pass, and I took my mum to Belfast to see the ‘King of Waltz’ with his Johann Strauss Orchestra.

After a walk in Victoria Park, right beside our cosy Airbnb, we had some drinks and tapas in the Cathedral quarter in Belfast before a stroll along the Lagan to the venue. I’ve seen snippets of his concerts on the Andre Rieu TV channel (or Sky Arts as it’s sometimes known) so I had a little idea of what to expect.

Firstly, the man knows how to give the audience what they want. There’s everything but the kitchen sink in this show. He begins by marching his sixty piece orchestra through the crowd, before the music starts. The show is separated by a short interval about an hour in, but I reckon he must have played for over two and a half hours. Definitely value for money.

The music surprised me a bit, I have to say. Strauss of course, Ravel’s Bolero and some fine singing from the three tenors and sopranos. I wasn’t expecting a pipe band to appear, nor a gospel choir. ‘Oh happy days’ and ‘Scotland the brave’ got an airing, so there were times when it was raucous and people were on their feet, but there was also the best of attention for the quieter numbers.

I get that people find it a bit cheesy and some of the critics aren’t fussed on Rieu’s brand of classical populism, but you can’t doubt the exuberance and joy of his concerts. I’m not sure how many encores he played, and was never sure what song was coming next (everything from ‘tutti fruitti’ to ‘eviva espana’) but everyone was on their feet having a blast. It was joyous, accessible, and a celebration (balloons came down from the ceiling at one stage) and there were plenty of beaming, happy faces by the end. Including my mam’s, the most important of all. I went along with it all and enjoyed it as well!

Movies

I suffer pretty badly from Tinnitus, which can be a bit of a curse. I’m not sure if it’s related, but when I get an earworm, it stays with me for days. For the past few weeks, thanks to Mr Rieu I’ve had ‘The Blue Danube’ on repeat. Literally note for note, and when it ends it starts again; it’s been with me constantly.

So naturally, this leads me on to the film that I’ve probably rewatched more than any other - 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s always been a dream of mine to see this on the big screen, but in the meantime I've downloaded it to and can watch it as many times as I wish on my TV. Just like ‘Barry Lyndon’, which is also now due a rewatch, every scene is perfect. It also makes me think of my old friend Eugene, and how we used to fanboy over the movie travelling between Belfast and Keady.

One of the things I love about is that I think I understand it a little bit more each time. There’s obviously a warning about AI, but I always enjoy peoples interpretations of the ending. I always found it quite optimistic, that man was reaching the next stage in his evolution. Maybe we need to find a new monolith before we destroy ourselves and the planet.

TV

I’m watching the snooker at the moment, the final between Selby and Brecel is just entering the final session. I get completely engrossed in this great tournament every year - there’s something meditative and relaxing about it, but the tension is unbearable at times.

As is ‘Succession’, also entering it’s final run of episodes. What a series it has been, absolutely note perfect. That episode at Connor’s wedding, wow. I have no idea how it’s going to end - (I have a soft spot for Kendall, as he has suffered as much as anyone), but I trust the writers to send it out on a high. The characters are deeply unsavoury, ruthless and unlikeable at times, but you do feel for them. Amazing writing and full of amazing one liners.

That’s it for this month. I wasn’t sure I’d have enough to write about but there you go. Gonna finish the snooker and listen to a bit of Strauss (no choice on the last one). Til next month.