The un-noticed at the time flying by of time...

Playlist
Grieg  - String Quartet in G minor

Haydn - Op. 64, No. 5 ("The Lark")

Janáček - String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata"

Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 2

Corigliano - Snapshot Circa 1909

Corigliano - Black November Turkey

Corigliano - String Quartet No 1

Friedman - String Quartet No 2

The first month of 2013 away already - time does indeed fly...

A good walk this morning...

..but too stormy at lunchtime to go anywhere...

Back home, the second last of current awaiting to be delivered CDs arrived - string quartets by Corigliano and his pupil, Friedman...

These and other string quartets soundtracked the day...

In the evening, a new tasty pasta concoction from the Exec Producer, involving some very spicy chorizo - and two Tivo'd "Borgen" from last weekend were very much enjoyed...

Corigliano then bed...

Highlight of the Day : Borgen...

A day of quartets...

Playlist
Tchaikovsky  - String Quartet No. 1

Verdi - String Quartet in E minor

Bartók - String Quartet No 6

Beethoven - String Quartet No. 16

Berg - String Quartet, Op. 3

Borodin - String Quartet No. 2

Brahms - String Quartet No 2

Dvořák - String Quartet No 12

Elgar - String Quartet Op. 83

Grieg - String Quartet in G minor 

A day of quartets...

To a thing first thing through the rain...

Later on, the weather had cleared as I took a walk about...

On the way home, the cathedral was looking good, as usual...

In the evening, Anne was out to see Hearts v Dundee (1-0 late goal win) - leaving me at home with Meg the Black Cat watching "32 Short Films About Glenn Gould" and then listening to more quartets as I wrote this up...

Highlight of the Day : Quartets and Glenn Gould...

Birthday girl...

Playlist
Mogwai - Mogwai Young Team
Verdi - String Quartet in E minor

Annie's birthday today...

Many presents and cards, none of which I pictured I'm afraid...

My own contribution was a rather weighty tome on Matthew Bourne, the Exec Producer's favourite choreographer...

Meanwhile, in the post, three CDs of string quartets arrived...

...and, not content with that, I ordered today the last of the 21 on my list of supposedly "good" quartets through the ages, Stockhausen's Helikopter Quartett...

Here's the list (everybody loves one), in chronological order...

• Haydn - Op. 64, No. 5 "The Lark"
• Mozart - K. 465 "Dissonance"
• Beethoven - Opus 135: String Quartet No. 16 in F major
• Schubert - String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, "Death and the Maiden"
• Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 2
• Schumann - String Quartet in A Major Op 41 No 3
• Brahms - String Quartet in A Minor Op 51 No 2
• Tchaikovsky - String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 11
• Smetana - String Quartet No. 1 in E minor, "From my Life"
• Dvořák - String Quartet No. 12 in F major, "American"
• Borodin - String Quartet No. 2 in D major
• Grieg - String Quartet in G minor
• Verdi - String Quartet in E minor
• Sibelius - String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56, "Voces intimae"
• Janáček - String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata"
• Elgar - String Quartet Op. 83
• Bartók - String Quartet No 6 in D
• Berg - String Quartet, Op. 3
• Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110
• Stockhausen - Helikopter-Streichquartett
• Feldman - String Quartet II

Despite my suggestion, we did not venture forth into the wild and stormy dark for a birthday dinner but, instead, ordered in a Chinese to be delivered which, unlike last time, was very tasty and enjoyable...

We then both fell asleep before the end of "Death in Paradise"...

Rock'n'roll...

Highlight of the day : Birthday girl...

Quality time with the family at home...

Playlist
Tangerine Dream - Pergamon
Lee Scratch Perry - The Black Ark Years
Dusty Springfield - Hits Collection
Stockhausen - Helikopter Streichquartett

Met with Bobby in Fopp, not pre-arranged...

He advised he would try my solution re my MP3s and his iTunes tonight and let me know (later he texted re a successful outcome)...

Back home, after two episodes of Corrie and the last "Miranda" of the series, what was happening in Crispycat Towers?

I was watching a documentary on Karl-Heinz Stockhausen's "Helikopter Streichquartett"...

Meg the Black Cat was snoozing...

...and the Exec Producer was, for the first time ever, making some cakes - it's her birthday tomorrow...

That's enough probably...

No, wait - Impossible Songs featured the "influential albums" site - but you can only access it if you're a Facebook Drone - which I'm not..

However, thanks to Google (I am a Google Drone), here is the list - those in bold are those I have (from memory) - and not that it really matters...

The Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow
Ride - Nowhere 
Wire - Chairs Missing
The Jesus And Mary Chain - Psychocandy
Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold As Love 
New Order - Technique 
Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson
Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See
Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica 
Elliott Smith - Roman Candle
Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo 
Tim Buckley - Goodbye And Hello
Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers
Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter 
Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Van Morrison - Astral Weeks 
Yes - Close To The Edge 
Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn 
T. Rex - Electric Warrior 
Talking Heads - Remain In Light 
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace Of Sin
The Fall - Perverted By Language
Blur - Parklife
The Stooges - Fun House 
Love - Forever Changes
Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas
Magazine - Real Life 
Slint - Spiderland
XTC - Drums And Wires 
Donovan - A Gift From A Flower To A Garden
The The - Soul Mining
Nirvana - Nevermind
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left 
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
Lou Reed - Transformer 
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
AC/DC - Back In Black
Joy Division - Closer 
Bert Jansch - Bert Jansch
The Go-Betweens - Before Hollywood
The Cure - Disintegration 
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance
Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde
Belle And Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds 
The Breeders - Last Splash
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions 
David Bowie - Hunky Dory 
Ramones - Ramones
Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory 
King Crimson - In The Court of The Crimson King 
Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around
Neil Young - After The Gold Rush 
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
The Strokes - Is This It?
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV 
Massive Attack - Blue Lines
Slowdive - Souvlaki
REM - Automatic For The People
Mercury Rev - Deserter's Songs
Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks 
Patti Smith - Horses 
Gerry Rafferty - City To City
The Chameleons - Script of The Bridge
Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets 
Roy Harper - Stormcock 
John Cale - Paris 
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground 
Spritualized - Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
The White Stripes - Elephant
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen 
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Felt - The Strange Idols Pattern And Other Short Stories
The Clash - London Calling 
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?
John Martyn - Solid Air
The Delgados - Peloton
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Super Furry Animals - Radiator
Cream - Disraeli Gears
I Am Kloot - Gods And Monsters
Pixies - Doolittle
The Wedding Present - George Best
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
The Beatles - Revolver 
The Kinks - Face To Face 
Television - Marquee Moon
Can - Tago Mago
Radiohead - OK Computer 
The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness 
The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street 
Joni Mitchell - Hejira 
Kraftwerk - Computer World
Primal Scream - Screamadelica

Over 50 of the100...

Pretty shitty list though...

Much better is the half a wee cake Anne has just brought to me to scoff as I type - mmm, mmm...

Much better too is this list from the Guardian seven years ago - at least it explains why the 50 listed albums are influential...

I have over 20 of them...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Quality time with the family at home...

Fluffy, cheeky wee beastie...

Playlist

Bax – String Quartets

Various – Motown Dance Party

Various – Les Plus Belles Chansons du Siecle

Girls Aloud – Ten

Joni Mitchell – The Hissing of Summer Lawns

Feldman – String Quartet II

Duke Ellington – Nutcracker Suite

Cloudland Blue Quartet - Riverleaves

Up later than I'd normally like on a Sunday but, when you're tired, you're tired...

When we arose, Andy Murray was on TV, losing his final in Australia, after hopes had been raised upon his winning of the first set...

We watched with the sound down, better the quartets of Sir Arnold Bax than the inane chatter of that guy who used to be on breakfast TV...

A quick visit to brother-in-law Bobby to show him how "normal" MP3s can work with the Satanic entity that is iTunes...

Back home and a welcome visit from Meg's ex-mum, Julia and her new wee dog, Phoebe - to see how Phoebe and Meg got on with each other - the answer to which was "ok"...

Phoebe has grown since our last encounter and is a real wee sweetie..

Meanwhile, the spoils of Annie's unmentioned baking session of yesterday afternoon were very tasty and much enjoyed, along with her superb cream of broccolli and almond soup...

Later, a good part of the rest of the day was spent listening to and dividing up (so as to burn to a 5CD set) Morton Feldman's six hour long second string quartet, the third part of which I recorded whilst awaiting Julia's arrival...

I am very much enjoying this epic piece...

Much delight in the late afternoon as plucky Paisley Buddies, St Mirren defeated the mighty Celtic of Glasgow by three goals to two in the second semi final of the League Cup, setting up a final at Hampden in March against Hearts...

We will attend...

And, shortly thereafter, we will support Queen of the South in the Challenge Cup Final against the Thistle of Partick...

In the evening, the return of "Person of Interest" entertained, after some listening to the proposed new soundscape/instrumental CBQ project, "Riverleaves", which will hopefully see the light of day later this year...

And the weekend is away once more...

Highlight of the Day : A visit from Julia...

Eat your veg sexy boy...

Playlist

Feldman – String Quartet II

Duke Ellington – Black Brown and Beige

Duke Ellington – Anatomy of a Murder

Various Composers – The New Anthology of Music

Ian Sclater – New Songs

Tchaikovsky – String Quartets 1&2

Various Composers – Music of Our Century

Various Composers – Music of Our Time

Slow Electric - Slow Electric

Berasin Quartett – II

Tangerine Dream – Pergamon

Up at seven and today's main project, other than phone calls to the police in London and ordering a new driving licence, was to rip all the discs purchased during the trip...

At midday, with this still not fully achieved, a quick drive into town and discs returned to the library...

In the afternoon, the project continued while we kept one eye on today's League Cup semi-final between Hearts and Inverness...

Ten man Hearts won 5-4 on penalties, after a goalless period of extra time had followed a match in which Hearts had gone a goal down but their latest signing, Mr Ngoo, had equalised...

A good result - though always a shame for the man who misses the all important spot kick...

Some tip top music seems to have been acquired in London and via last weekend's cheap second hand classical CD frenzy - with a few of those discs still to arrive...

Kudos too to old chum Ian Sclater with his latest batch of songs, one recorded with Kat McKenzie, which also entertained...

In the evening, over to Dunfermline to meet up with chums Chris, Vicky, Kerry and Angie for drinks at the Seven Kings, followed by a very tasty Indian at Kushi's (including a nice wee discount due to the restaurant sponsoring Dunfermline Athletic Ladies Football team, for whom both Kerry and Angie play)...

Chris and I both documented the evening...

Angie and Kerry (and, to be fair everyone else) got wired into the BYOB...

Dishes selected...

Poses posed...

Toasts proposed and seconded...

...and group shots achieved...

Hot work for the Chris-meister...

Over the road for some further late night drinks at Fabric, where a Bloody Mary has a big piece of celery included...

Cocktails enjoyed...

...and celery put to use...

Drinks mixed...

...and off home...

Late to bed but, as I was driving, a distinct lack of worse for wearness...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Curry with chums...

The return to Crispycat Towers...

Playlist

Various – January 2012 Acquisitions

Cloudland Blue Quartet – Starlightnight

Cloudland Blue Quartet – Riverleaves

The Bad Plus – Made Possible

Arriaga – String Quartets

Duke Ellington – Such Sweet Thunder

Sly & Robbie – Master of Ceremony Dub

Bersarin Quartet – II

Various – The New Anthology of Music

Simon Haram – Alone Again or at Last

Tchaikovsky – String Quartets

Ligeti – Etudes

Up early again and breakfast at 8, this morning enjoying Eggs Benedict with lashings of coffee...

Out into the cold grey morning and heading for Fopp, which the internet had told me opened at 9...



Through New Bond Street and environs - shopping opportunities a bit out of my league...

Would have liked to have seen some of this Shakespeare...



Onwards...

Had intended going here and to Ronnie Scott's for some jazz...



Alas the internet was wrong given the "we open at 10" sign on the door of Fopp...

So back to Foyle’s, preceded by a wander round the area...

Not quite open so, a coffee in Ray’s Jazz café...

A four disc set comprising eight Duke Ellington albums (until today I had just one Ellington disc in the collection) was snapped up along with a disc of string quartets by “the Spanish Mozart”, Juan Crisostomo de Arriaga...

Met up with chums Prog Rock Willie and Raymondo for a trawl through Sister Ray (some reggae), Reckless (a disc by an act who will be witnessed on a return trip to London in April) and the Record Exchange (4CD set of mainly classical stuff from across the spectrum) before heading back to the hotel check out...

...via Fortnum and Mason's for some goodies for the Exec Producer...

A taxi to King’s Cross and a ginger beer in the waiting room after witnessing these Harry Potter fans...

It's for children!

...before a subdued journey through the snow back to Scotchland...

Sampling the new acquisitions...

...and finding out about Hearts' new signings...

Through the snow once more...

The Exec Producer picked me up at Waverley and we enjoyed a reasonably relaxed evening sorting out stuff re the wallet and watching some TV, enjoying some tasty pasta and listening to some new music...

A further seven discs have arrived via Amazon’s market place following my spree last weekend...

The string quartet history is almost complete now with a couple of discs still to arrive...

So good to be back home...

Highlight of the Day : The return to Crispycat Towers...