Six Things, Volume 29
Photographs | Models | Barbie | Phone | LH/RH | Squirrel
Thing 1 – Photographs
Like many people in possession of a phone, I’m a frequent, casual photographer. Sometimes, thanks to modern technology and pure luck, I occasionally manage to capture a decent image – something acceptably composed, decently balanced, or perhaps capturing the character of the subject in an unusual or eye-catching way.
But to look at the work of experts is to put all one’s efforts, however worthy, into perspective (this is the lot of the amateur in any field). And all it takes is a visit to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year or an online perusal of the Audubon photography awards.
Audubon? AWE-dubon, more like.
Thing 2 – Models
If you want to get people into a cathedral, build a large model railway inside it. Chester Cathedral has done exactly that.
There were plenty of things to keep visitors of all ages entertained, not least this challenge.
I failed almost completely (“my eyes aren’t what they used to be”, I muttered disconsolately to anyone within earshot), but I did manage to find one of the birds of prey.
A further delight was the Lego model of the cathedral just inside the entrance.
I couldn’t tell if there was, according to the tradition of these things, a further model within the model – and perhaps, who knows?, a further model within the model within the model – but the interior detail visible if you squatted down and looked through this door was enough for me.
Thanks to Twitter, I also learned that Durham Cathedral has done the same, although it’s not on display at the moment.
And for those worrying that these attractions made me ignore the beauty of the building itself, I did at least spend enough time looking around to find these excellent wood carvings.
Thing 3 – Barbie girl
There are several things I love about this video by Josep Castanyer Alonso.
The pastiche is keenly observed and well executed – good musical pastiche is hard – but it’s the wit and precision of the captioning that take it to a different level. It would be easy for something like this to play only to the in-crowd, eliciting a wry chuckle at some musical sleight of hand that only those who really know can detect – but with the captions it becomes not just entertaining but subtly educational too. I’m particularly fond of ‘*depression*’ at 1’40” and ‘right-hand show-off (*yawn*)’ at 4’00”.
It also gives me an excuse to trot out my favourite examples of musical pastiche, by Dudley Moore. In this case the pastiche is painfully accurate – you don’t have to know Britten’s music to find it funny, but it does help – but Moore’s brilliance as a physical comedian draws the casual viewer into his arcane musical world.
His Beethoven parody is even more attractive to the casual listener, highlighting as it does one of that great composer’s more mockable habits – his occasional inability to damn well finish a piece.
Thing 4 – Wind Phone
The Twitter (no I will never call it X, thankyouverymuchINDEED) account @depthsofwiki comes up with some absolute corkers. This one – the Wind Phone – is a delightful, poignant idea.
Thing 5 – Handedness
A fun questionnaire on handedness. Left, right or a bit of both? Like many people who call themselves left-handed, I found the truth, as so often, lies somewhere in between.
Thing 6 – Squirrel
What you need – what you REALLY need – is the sound of a 7-week-old squirrel.
Thank you very much Mr Parikian. You bring joy.
That Britten pastiche....😂