I lurk on the ClassicalNet list and got a snippet from there today *, from the contributor Deryk Barker, about the folk-song Star of the County Down. The John McCormack version is the best I know of. If I now understand this, the tune comes from a lot earlier and can be known as Dives and Lazarus. Vaughan Williams used it in a set of variations under this title – I will have to get hold of this piece.
* CLASSICAL Digest – 1 Feb 2007 to 2 Feb 2007 (#2007-19)
I managed to catch most of the science fiction writer Brian Aldiss’s appearance this morning on the revitalised Desert Island Discs. I am not familiar with his work. (I think I read one of his novels years ago, but all that sticks in my mind was that in this particular future, men had full conscious control of their erectile tissues. This novel was written before the discovery of Viagra.)
Anyway, he chose a couple of good records.
No Listen Again for this programme, but at least they archive the choices.
He also gave a writing tip given to him from Agatha Christie. Write your crime novel without knowing the name of the murderer yourself. Before writing the final chapter, decide which character is the least likely to have dunnit. Just go back through the book and make any necessary small changes to train timetables, etc, before you finally reveal them at the end.
US pollster Frank Luntz is best known in the UK for his appearances on Newsnight. He picked out David Cameron from the line-up of potential Tory leaders, at a time when David Davis looked a much surer bet. (His poll revealing the surprising popularity of John Reid as a replacement for Blair was also surprising, though this was just after a major terrorist incident and before the current Home Office problems.) I note that back on his home turf, he predicts continued bad news for the Republican Party.
