‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ by Amor Towles
17 September 2021
‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ by Amor Towles (which I have just finished reading as an unabridged audio book, narrated by Nicholas Guy Smith) is perhaps the ultimate lockdown novel. Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is very much part of the aristocracy the Russian revolution intended to overthrow but, because he appears to have written some pro-revolutionary poetry, the Bolsheviks don’t know what to do with him. Their compromise, in 1922, is to place him under indefinite house arrest in the Metropol Hotel in Moscow. Moved from his grand hotel suite to a small spartan room on the top floor, the Count lives for years as a permanent guest, dining in the hotel restaurant, reading the newspaper in the lobby and having his hair cut by the hotel barber. A polite and thoughtful gentleman, he gradually becomes good friends with many of the hotel staff and some of the regular returning guests. Meanwhile the world outside the hotel moves on and Amor Towles cleverly shows us a dramatic period in Russian history through the microcosm of the hotel. This technique reminded me of the history of 20th century Germany recounted through its effect on the inhabitants of a small rural village in Edgar Reitz’s magnificent epic film ‘Heimat’. ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ is a remarkable book - charming, moving, clever and witty. It ranks with my two favourite recent historical novels - ‘Golden Hill’ by Francis Spufford (reviewed here in August 2017) and ‘Now We Shall Be Entirely Free’ by Andrew Miller (reviewed here in April 2020) - beautifully written, historically fascinating and playful. Nicholas Guy Smith’s narration is brilliant, particularly his characterisation of the novel’s many voices, but it is occasionally odd to hear this English narrator using the American author’s pronunciation (eg of basil and oregano) in this tale of the early 20th-century Soviet Union. Alexander Rostov is a wonderfully well drawn character: by the end of the novel he feels like a well-loved family member - slightly old-fashioned, occasionally pompous, but perceptive and caring, and deeply loved, by his friends, his colleagues and us readers.
Labels: Books
'Anything Goes' by Cole Porter
9 September 2021
Last Saturday we were at The Barbican in London to see ‘Anything Goes’ - our first visit to a theatre since March 2020. Cole Porter’s 1934 musical was written as feelgood escapism for a depression-era audience, making it perfect for 2021. Director and choreographer Kathleen Marshall has revived her 2011 Broadway production of ‘Anything Goes’, bringing its star Sutton Foster (who won a Tony Award for her New York performance as Reno Sweeney) to make her London debut. Foster is a mesmerizing stage presence, leading a huge cast but she always seems to be the focal point. It’s hard to go wrong with a score that features songs including ‘I Get a Kick Out of You’, ‘You’re The Top’, ‘It’s De-lovely’ and ‘Anything Goes’. The title song tap number which closes the first half of the show is worth the price of admission on its own. There is great support from British veterans Robert Lindsay, Felicity Kendal and Gary Wilmot, and Samuel Edwards impresses as the male lead Billy Crocker. But this is Sutton Foster’s show - a song and dance masterclass. And it was wonderfully emotional to be part of a sold-out audience brought to its feet by an old-fashioned stage musical. It was a joyous occasion. Watch the trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgKQSYBRRC0
Labels: Musicals, Theatre
SV Musicology - Female Composers Map
3 September 2021
Sakira Ventura is a music teacher from Valencia who has been working to put female composers on the map, literally. Her interactive online map features more than 500 composers - many of them previously forgotten or neglected: https://svmusicology.com/mapa?lang=en It’s great fun delving into the map at random and reading the short biographies before following the links to Wikipedia and Spotify. I’ve been listening to ‘All Things Majestic’ - an orchestral suite by the contemporary American composer Jennifer Higdon which is a tribute to America’s National Parks, inspired by the breathtaking landscapes of the Teton mountain range. I’ve also enjoyed the gentle, thoughtful instrumental music of the young Jordanian-Canadian film composer Suad Bushnaq, including her score for the 2015 film ‘Al Munataf (The Curve)’. Sakira Ventura admits she still has a long way to go to map female composers: she has already identified at least another 500 to be added to the website. I was a little disappointed by the absence of Ruth Gipps, whose wonderful Horn Concerto I discovered earlier this year through the performance by Annemarie Federle in the BBC Young Musician final. But if you’re stuck for something new to listen to the map is a great place to start. More details at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/19/they-deserve-a-place-in-history-music-teacher-makes-map-of-female-composers
Labels: Music, Website
