Spam Roundup November, 2017

There's spam, and then there's spam so oddly written it's somewhat amusing. Here's a roundup of some of the "best" comments I received this month from spambots around the world.

Hitting on the highest (or something)
Translation programs can only do so much...

 - Definitely imagine that which you stated. Your favourite justification seemed to be on the web the easiest thing to take into account of. I say to you, I certainly get irked even as other folks think about issues that they plainly don't understand about. [And I say to you, I certainly get irked when I see spam like this cluttering my inbox.]

 - You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest and also defined out the entire thing without having side-effects. [About those side-effects. You should consult your doctor before reading any blog posts.]

 - That is really attention-gгabbing, Yοu're an overly skilled blogger. [Overly skilled, underly paid.]

I'm not sure I really need an apprentice to post about that little lumber truck.

"Lumbering along" with spam

The Straco Express Layout, Part 23 - Lumbering Along remains a top post for spam traffic. Just a short blog about an inexpensive and cheaply made toy.  Although these comments seem to suggest something much loftier. 

 - ӏ do tгuѕt all the ideаs you hаve introduced to уоuг post. They are really convincing аnd will ceгtainlу ωork.

Nοnetheless, the poѕts aгe tοο quick for startеrs. Mау јuѕt you pleаse prolong them a bit from next tіme? [I won't prolong my response: no.]

 - Magnificent beat! I would lіke tο apprentіce whilst you amеnd youг ωebsitе. [Sure, you could be my Johnny Tremaine.]

Thе aсcount hеlped mе a аρplicablе ԁeal. I hаve been a littlе bit acquainted of this уour broаdcast offerеd bright clear concept. [I am not at all clear of your bright concept.]

Thanks for the [poorly translated] thoughts!

- I pay a quick visit daily some websites and blogs to read posts, except this website. [Thanks, I -- hey, wait a minute...]

- Good info. Lucky me. I ran across your website by accident (stumbleupon) [Yes, lucky you (heavysarcasm).]

- I like what you guys are usually up too. this kind of clever work and coverage! [Yes, we're always up *too* something.]

That's all for this month. But not to worry -- the beat goes on, magnificently.

Henry Cotter Nixon: Complete Orchestral Music, Volume Two

I loved the first installment of this three-part series. This, the second, I have a few reservations about. Henry Cotter Nixon spent most of his professional life at the edges of the English musical world. Although his music won awards, his career outside of London hampered performances.

This volume features a variety of works that, to my ears, sound uneven in quality.

Among the best is the Concert-Stück (sic) for piano and orchestra. Perhaps modeled on the Konzertstück of Weber, this lyrical work is an expressive journey of beauty. The liner notes point out that some of the piano passages are harder to play than they sound.

I wouldn't know. The music seems to simply flow from Ian Hobson's fingers. His committed performance is a pleasure to experience.

The Concert Overture "Anima et Fide" is also an engaging work. The second of three concert overtures, "Anima" shows the influence of Schumann, especially in Nixon's harmonies. Still, it's a well-crafted work that holds up very well on its own. I especially enjoyed the rousing finale -- this would make an excellent opener for a concert.

The 1889 Dance of the Sea Nymphs is a pizzicato work for string orchestra. It's a light and lightweight composition. The music advance in a fairly predictable fashion. Since it was something of a novelty piece (and a short one at that), I gave it a pass.

The May Day Scherzo strongly resembled Mendelssohn. And perhaps because of that, I thought it sounded a little old-fashioned. After all, Mendelssohn died 37 years before Nixon wrote this work.

The release opens with the Prelude to the Witch of Esgair (1889), a romantic opera that (apparently) was never produced. It's packed with tunes and there's a major part for solo euphonium. I couldn't help but think of Gilbert and Sullivan. The solo euphonium also conjured up images of Sunday band concerts in the park.

And there you have it. If you like classic Victoriana, then you should enjoy every track. Even if you don't, the Concert-Stück and the Concert Overture No. 2 are both worth a listen. If you're in the latter camp, purchasing digital tracks a la carte may be the solution.

Make no mistake, though, I'm still looking forward to Volume Three.

Henry Cotter Nixon: Complete Orchestral Music, Volume Two
Kodály Philharmonic Orchestra; Paul Mann, conductor
Ian Hobson, piano
World Premiere Recordings
Toccata Classics 0373

Straco Express Layout, Part 60 - Jeep Life

Read all the installments of the Straco Express layout project here.

There isn't much I'd consider adding to the layout at this point. But when an unusual vehicle comes along, I can't resist. In this case, the vehicle was a Jeep. And it's a pretty interesting piece.

An early example

Based on the appearance and construction, I'd guess that this Jeep was one of the first toys to be made in post-war Japan.

The chassis is secured by crimping. Crimping was a labor-intensive process. Also, the piece is a little more complex than it needs to be -- which also requires more labor. The windshield was stamped as part of the body and then bent up.

In later versions, the seat would be bent down into the body with an open dash. Here, the seat is a separate assembly, which has to be placed into the body and then secured with tabs.

Immediately after the war, one resource Japan had plenty of was labor. Many women (and men) did piece work for toy manufacturers, assembling components and bending tabs.

More clues underneath

The underside of the Jeep also suggests that this was an early piece. The flywheel for the friction motor doubles as part of the wheelbase. The two front wheels are made of thin metal. 

Rubber was in short supply during this period. It was only in the early 1950s that the material was plentiful and cheap enough to be used for wheels. 

There's no indication as to who manufactured this piece. I have some examples of Line Mar vehicles with crimped chassis, but the technique is significantly different.

A clue in the payload

This isn't a military Jeep, although it does sport a star. In the back is a shovel, a spade, and some rope -- everything the modern prospector would need. At the time, Jeeps were one of the few ATV vehicles available.

In 1949 there was a uranium rush in the United States, mostly in the Southwest. The Atomic Energy Commission was paying a premium for uranium and many decided to seek their fortunes in this new gold. Prospectors armed wGeigeriger counters driving military surplus Jeeps were a common image in popular culture. 

Circa 1949

Based on those observations, I'm guessing this vehicle was built in 1949, and probably sold in the U.S. in 1949-1950. 

The Straco display layout doesn't present many off-road opportunities, so I'm currently placing the Jeep in the station parking lot. There it sits beside the convertable -- two unoccupied vehicles waiting for their owners to return. 

Layout construction:

• Pegboard: $4.95
• Flathead Screws: $0.40
• Molding: $2.49
• SilClear: borrowed from a friend
• Green Paint: leftover  from another project
• Wood Screws: $3.60
• Felt Pads: $1.99

Power Pack: $5.90
Small Houses: $3.00
Testor's Gray Paint for road: $1.29

Bandai Areo Station: $8.99
Bandai Station: $10.00
2 tinplate signs: $1.00
4 tinplate signs (with train) $5.99
Cragstan HO Light Tower $20.49
4 nesting houses $4.99
Tinplate gas station: $5.00

Vehicles:

• Two Japanese toy cars: $2.00
• A.W. Livestock truck: $4.99
• Taxi: $2.99
• Ambulance: $2.99
• Two Japanese patriotic cars: $6.99
• Haji three-wheel sedan $3.00
• Haji three-wheel tanker $5.00
• 1950's sedan $2.99
• LineMar Police Car $9.00
• LineMar Pepco Truck $8.50
• LineMar Bond Bread Van $8.00
• LineMar Fire Engine $4.95
• LineMar Dump Truck $12.99
• LineMar GE Courier Car $10.98
• LineMar County School Bus $9.99
• Nomura Red Sedan $5.00
• Nomura Police Car $2.52
• Nomura lumber truck $3.48
• 6 Nomura vehicles $16.99
• Shioji Express Truck $10.00
• Shioji Covered Truck $12.50
• Shioji Dump Truck $9.95
• Shioji Shell Tanker $10.50
• Orange Sedan $10.99
• King Sedan $9.95
• Indian Head logo sedan $4.99
• Indian Head (?) convertible $18.00
• Yellow/red Express truck $9.99
• Red limousine FREE
• Jeep $12.00

Total Project Cost: $312.30

Diabelli Project 172 - String Trio, Mvt. 1B

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme, these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

This string trio series is a bit of a departure. I'm still flash composing, with a 10-minute time limit to write as much as I can. Instead of starting over each week, I'll be attempting to pick up where I left off from the previous week for my 10-minute session. 

This is the second part of the first movement. I continued with the repeated 16th note patterns of the first part. The cello has a solo that I'll (hopefully) finish in next week's installment. I did refer back to the first sketch before writing this one. While that did give this sketch some direction, I didn't feel hemmed in by what I had written before.

The grayed measure is from last week's sketch,
.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

Maggalena Lombardini String Quartets deserve a second hearing

Maddalena Lombardini lived quite a life. Born in Venice in 1735, she was a renowned violinist by the age of 14. Guiseppi Tartini took her under his wing, and soon she had a thriving career as a performer and an instructor at the Mendicanti of Venice.

At 31 she married violinist Ludovico Sirmen and the two toured France and England, playing jointly written concertos and works by Lombardini alone.

By the 1770s Lombardini had published several volumes of music, including violin concertos, violin duets, a violin sonata, and the six quartets features on this album.

The set was published in Paris in 1769, and they're very much in the gallant style of their day. Five of the quartets are simple, two-movement works, with clear, appealing melodies and elegantly simple harmonies.

The fifth quartet is something of a puzzle. It's a far more substantial work, with four fully-developed movements. This quartet reminded me of the Op. 2 quartets of Haydn. Lombardini's Quartet No. 5 is lighter and a little shorter than those examples, but it's the same character.

Lombardini was a first-rate violinist, and her writing for strings shows it. Every quartet is well-crafted, with plenty of opportunities for the players to express themselves.

The Accademia della Magnifica Comunitá performs these works with zest, adding a liveliness that just adds to the enjoyment. Why aren't these works better known? It's easy to cite prejudice against women composers, but there may be another reason.

Lombardini's career as a violinist peaked in the 1770s. By 1785 her playing was considered old-fashioned by Parisian audiences. She transitioned from violinist to singer for the latter part of her career. Lombardini retired from the stage and died in Venice in 1799. So her eclipse may have had more to do with changing fashion than gender bias.

Only recently has her music been revived. I'm glad it has. Do Lombardini's quartets rival those of Mozart and Haydn? Not quite. But they're finely crafted works that charm the ear. And sometimes, that's enough.

Maddalena Lombardini: Six String Quartets, Paris 1769
Accademia della Magnifica Comunitá
Tactus

Alla Piffaresca - La Rossignol masters of the dance

La Rossignol puts together an engaging collection of Renaissance secular music. If you're a fan of early music, many of their selections will be familiar.

There are dances from Tielman Susato's 1551 "Danserye" and Michael Praetorius' 1621 "Terpsichore." The selections from Thoinot Arbeau, Adrian Le Roy and Pierre Phalèse are also found on many releases.

So what makes this collection different? The instrumental line up varies from track to track. A full ensemble, dominated by winds, is followed by another for lute and single percussion. A few of the selections even feature vocalists.

And of course, the performances of La Rossignol itself makes this an album worthy of attention. La Rossignol is not only concerned with renaissance music but renaissance dance as well. They perform in costume and strive for authenticity in dress, movement, and sound.

There's a ragged quality to their playing that (to my ears) sounds perfectly convincing. This isn't art music they're performing -- just tunes for an evening's entertainment. The performances are loose but full of energy. It's the kind of sound I like to think would get a 16th Century crowd out on the dance floor.

If you enjoy early music, I recommend adding All Piffaresca to your collection.

Alla Piffaresca
Mische del Rinascimento per alta e bassa capella
La Rossignol
III Millenio CDA 1046

Straco Express Layout, Part 59 - Rising Above One's Station

I don't often find things for the Straco Express layout at the York Train Meet. But every now and then something turns up. This time, I found a new -- well, newer -- train station.

I've had the previous train station since 2012 (see Part 17). The one I bought at the meet was in much better shape.

The graphics were different, but that wasn't surprising. I knew that Bandai changed them for different train sets.

What was a surprise was the actual shape. I had assumed that this new station would be the same as my old one. Not so.

Getting a rise

The two stations were similar, and served similar functions. Both were battery packs that served as power sources for their trains.

Both had basic on/off/reverse lever controllers. The differences were in the details.

My Aero station had the switch added to the front of the station (above). The new one had a lever attached to the side (below).

Different, yet the same

The new station also had a thicker base. Both use the same canopy shelter, though. And what I found most interesting is that both kept the same general graphic design. Both suggest that there's an arch for passengers in the middle of the building.

I like the way height of the new station. It lines up nicely with the Nomura passenger cars. I don't know yet which Bandai set this station came with. Yet.

Layout construction:

• Pegboard: $4.95
• Flathead Screws: $0.40
• Molding: $2.49
• SilClear: borrowed from a friend
• Green Paint: leftover  from another project
• Wood Screws: $3.60
• Felt Pads: $1.99

Power Pack: $5.90
Small Houses: $3.00
Testor's Gray Paint for road: $1.29

Bandai Areo Station: $8.99
Bandai Station: $10.00
2 tinplate signs: $1.00
4 tinplate signs (with train) $5.99
Cragstan HO Light Tower $20.49
4 nesting houses $4.99
Tinplate gas station: $5.00

Vehicles:

• Two Japanese toy cars: $2.00
• A.W. Livestock truck: $4.99
• Taxi: $2.99
• Ambulance: $2.99
• Two Japanese patriotic cars: $6.99
• Haji three-wheel sedan $3.00
• Haji three-wheel tanker $5.00
• 1950's sedan $2.99
• LineMar Police Car $9.00
• LineMar Pepco Truck $8.50
• LineMar Bond Bread Van $8.00
• LineMar Fire Engine $4.95
• LineMar Dump Truck $12.99
• LineMar GE Courier Car $10.98
• LineMar County School Bus $9.99
• Nomura Red Sedan $5.00
• Nomura Police Car $2.52
• Nomura lumber truck $3.48
• 6 Nomura vehicles $16.99
• Shioji Express Truck $10.00
• Shioji Covered Truck $12.50
• Shioji Dump Truck $9.95
• Shioji Shell Tanker $10.50
• Orange Sedan $10.99
• King Sedan $9.95
• Indian Head logo sedan $4.99
• Indian Head (?) convertible $18.00
• Yellow/red Express truck $9.99
• Red limousine FREE

Total Project Cost: $300.30

Diabelli Project 171 - String Trio, Mvt. 1A

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme, these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

This sketch starts a new series. Recently I've caught myself anticipating the end of the session. I have a pretty good idea of about how much I can write in the allotted ten minutes. For many of the recent sketches, the music seems to really get going in the last half measure with only a hint of what's to come.

So it's time to expand the challenge. For this sketch, I wrote for the ten minutes and stopped. Next week, I'll pick up where I left off and work for another ten. And another ten the week after that, and another ten the week following.

And following that, I'll start a sketch for the next movement, and follow the same process. Then I'll do the same with a concluding third movement.

Will it all hang together? Hard to say. It may all just hang separately. But I think it's worth a try. Here's the first installment.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

Wenzel Heinrich Veit String Quartets, Vol. 1 - an individual voice

Robert Schumann had this to say of Wenzel Heinrich Veit's music:

The form of this quartet contains nothing unusual, there is no boldness or originality, but it is proper and shows a well-trained hand. Both the harmony and the individual voices are worthy of high praise.

I think the first part of that assessment's a little harsh, but I do agree with the second.

This initial installment of Veit string quartet recordings starts at the beginning, with quartets Nos. 1 and 2.

Wenzel Heinrich Weit (1806-1864) was a Czech composer heavily influenced by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Schubert. His music laid the foundation for the next generation of Czech composers, which would include Dvorak and Smetana.

The 1834 String Quartet No. 1 in D minor was completed when Veit was 28 and is a relatively early work. Stylistically, it reminded me of the Op. 18 quartets of Beethoven with a dash of Schubertian harmonies. The third movement features the melody "God Save the Tzar.;" a nod, perhaps, to Russia's alliance with Czechoslovakia during the Napoleonic Wars.

Veit's second string quartet completed a year later, shows some growth. This is a much more dramatic work, with a thicker texture and darker character. To me, it sounds somewhat closer to Schumann's quartets. Perhaps that's what appealed to Schumann in his review.

I wouldn't say these works aren't original. True, Veit doesn't stray far from Haydn's string quartet model. But his melodies are interesting and the overall sound of the quartets is quite appealing.

Also appealing are the performances by the Kertész String Quartet. This period-instrument quartet has a wonderfully rich, warm ensemble sound. I am very much looking forward to volume two.

Wenzel Heinrich Veit: Complete String Quartets, Volume One
String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, Op. 3; String Quartet No. 2 in E major, Op. 5
Kertész String Quartet
Toccata Classics TOCC 0335

Clementi Monferrinas offer a selection of galant confections

A monferrina is an uptempo Italian folk dance in 6/8 time. Two collections of them are featured in this collection of Clementi piano music.

Clementi's monferrinas are lively little diversions, each less than two minutes long. Nevertheless, within the confines of the form, Clementi manages a great deal of variety. That's good since this album has eighteen of them.

In addition to the monferrinas and several other short works, the album includes Clementi's unpublished 1765 keyboard sonata in A flat. The sonata owes much to the galant style of Johann Christian Bach, though it hints at the more substantial sonatas to come. There's a lot going on in this work -- pretty impressive output for a thirteen-year-old boy.

Domenic Cheli is a young pianist who performs these works with an easy assurance. These are not major works, but Cheli gives them the attention they deserve. His light touch at times seems light-hearted as well.

You don't have to be a Clementi completist to enjoy this release. It's simply a pleasant listening experience for anyone who enjoys piano music.

Muzio Clementi
Harpsichord Sonata in A flat major, WoO 13, Allegro and Finale in E flat major, WoO 22-23; Rondo in B flat major, WoO 8; Canon ad diapason in C major, WoO11; Tarantella in A minor, WoO 21; Six Monferrinas, WoO 15-20; Twelve Monferrinas, Op. 49; Fourteen Melodies of Different Nations, WoO 9: No. 5, Air russe
Dominic Cheli, piano
Naxos 8.573711

Collecting -- and Collecting Information Part 31

Shioji and Coke

A new offering came available on eBay recently. It was yet another variation of the Shioji friction toy truck.

This one was a Coca-Cola delivery truck. And as often happens with items that appeal to more than one collecting interest, the bidding soon sailed past my maximum offer. Those Coke collectors can be ruthless!

Sometimes photos are enough

Still, the photos provided were detailed enough for me to place this vehicle in the evolution of Shioji's line. (See Part 28 for more details).

I own five of the known variations. Here they're arranged in chronological order.

The basic time line goes like this:

• First generation: Rivet head hubcaps, flat chassis bottom, six securing tabs.
• Second generation: Solid hubcaps (cheaper to make and install), rounded chassis bottom
• Third generation: Four securing tabs instead of six

Dialing in the date

The Coke truck has solid hubcaps and a rounded chassis. That makes it either second or third generation. 

The solid hubcaps help date the vehicle.

The use of just four tabs to secure the truck bed mark this a third generation vehicle.

It also has four tabs securing the truck body to the frame. And that makes it third generation. So I'm guessing this vehicle was probably made around 1961-63. 

An unusual work-around

I also found the overall construction interesting. Coke trucks have payloads that sit low over the wheels. Rather than create a new chassis for their version, Shioji simply worked with what they had.

The tabs in the middle of the chassis secure a flat bracket. The ones in the back hold an extension. It's those pieces that the truck body is secured to.

All of the previous examples of this Shioji truck I've found have
 the truck bed resting on top of the chassis.

Otherwise, the truck bed would sit too high, as it does on Shioji's express van and cattle truck (above).

Are there more variations out there? Perhaps. I'll only know if they come onto the market. 

Diabelli Project 170 - Percussion Duet

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme, these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

This week I decided to keep it really simple. This percussion duet uses pitched instruments, but exact tones aren't necessary. So although the relative shape of the melody remains the same, the range of notes will vary from one kit to another.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

Praetorius Lutherische Choralkonzerte - Models of Clarity

This release is part of CPO's "Music from Wolfenbüttel Castle" series. And in this case, it's especially fitting.

It was at Wolfenbüttel that Michael Praetorius served Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Praetorius served as court organist and composer. When Frederick Ulrich succeeded Julius, Praetorius remained. He was buried Wolfenbüttel.

Julius and Ulrich were staunch Lutherans, as was Praetorius (his father had studied with Luther). This release presents a selection of Praetorius' Lutheran chorales. Praetorius was familiar with Giuseppe Gabrieli's compositions. These works show that influence.

Like Gabrieli's canzonas, these chorales rely on contrast. They often separate the chorus into two smaller antiphonal ensembles. Some of the chorales also use cantus firmus, following the technique of Johann Walter for Lutheran choral music.

Clarity of the message was the overriding priority in early Lutheran church music. Praetorius holds to that ideal in these work. Though the settings are engaging, imaginative, and sometimes complex, the texts remain clear and easy to understand.

The Weser-Renaissance Bremen maintains that tradition. They perform these works in a straightforward manner that sounds absolutely authentic. The recording space in Wolfenbüttel Castle has an intimate ambiance that adds warmth to the ensemble's sound. The sound and performances seemed to transport me back to the early 1600s when these works were new.

Michael Praetorius: Lutherische Choralkonzerte
Weser-Renaissance Bremen; Manfred Cordes, director
CPO 555 064-2

Tishchenko Symphony No. 8 transforms Schubert

In order to fully appreciate this release, you need to have another one cued up. Boris Tishchenko continually pushed the boundaries of Soviet music. His compositions, even when they stayed on the right side of the Soviet authorities, sounded like no one else's.

Listening to this release was my first encounter with Tishchenko's 8th Symphony. It strongly reminded me of late Shostakovich. Not surprising -- Tishchenko studied with him in the 1960s. But it wasn't until I listened to the work the way Tishchenko intended that I fully understood what the piece was about.

Tishchenko's 8th Symphony picks up where Schubert's ends. The themes of the closing movement start Tishchenko's work, and initially, it continues in Schubert's harmonic language. But then things begin to change. The music seems to slowly break apart. Harmonies dissolve, motifs become distorted. By the end of the work, the music has completely transformed into something wonderfully unique, and yet closely tied to Schubert's work.

The other major work on this release is the Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Orchestra. This 2006 work features shimmering chord clusters and vast sweeping gestures. The violin and piano function more as a duo than two solo instruments. Violinist Chingiz Osmanov and pianist Nikolai Mazhara achieve that effect, performing as if in a conversation between old friends.

Yuri Serov leads the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra in solid performances. Tishchenko's music can be somewhat quirky, moving from one style to another -- sometimes quickly.

I just have one complaint. They really should have included a recording of Schubert's 8th with this release. Hearing the same orchestra move from one symphony to the other would have been an ideal way to experience Tishchenko's artistic vision.

Boris Tischenko: Symphony No. 8
Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Orchestra; Three Songs to Poems of Marina Tsvetayeva 
Mila Shkirtil, mezzo-soprano; Chingiz Osmanov, violin; Nikolai Mazhara, piano
St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra; Yuri Serov, conductor 
Naxos 83.573343

Think globally, vote locally

This off-cycle is on!

Normally, a non-Presidential election is considered unimportant. The turnout's proportional to the level of the candidates. Senate races bring out more voters than Board of Supervisor elections; gubernatorial contests have more participants than a sheriff's race. But it's all a fraction of the turnout for a national election.

This year (at least in Virginia), the state-wide races are being framed as a referendum. The President has personally endorsed some of the candidates running in the state. So if you vote for that candidate, it can be seen as a vote of support for the President, and vice-versa.

A matter of scale

That referendum concept might motivate some folks who have strong feelings for or against the President -- especially those who normally pass on the "unimportant" races.

But really -- every election is important. Because the results of every election affect your daily life. The county board of supervisors won't change what's happening in Washington. But they can approve that new strip mall to be built next to your house.

A town council won't influence State Department policy, but they could drain your community's coffers through cronyism.

Everyone rails against the IRS. But meal taxes, utility taxes, property taxes, vehicle taxes, business license fees, and many other such costs are determined at the local, regional and state levels. The people you help to elect to all levels of local government have a big say in your daily life through laws, ordinances, taxes, and fees.

Deciding not to choose is still a decision

If you choose to sit out this election? Then you help the side you're against. You've deprived the side you agree with of your support.

Don't like either side? Sure, I get that. It's not a perfect world. But remember, you're not voting black or white, but rather light gray vs. dark gray. You can sit this one out if you like, but know that you're going to get gray, regardless. Would you like it lighter or darker?

I choose to choose

There's another reason why every election is important. The results are what politicians use to gauge the will of the people. And that determines their actions going forward.

If 10% of the eligible voters turn out, and 85% vote the same way, it's considered a landslide. Clearly, everybody wants this candidate and his/her policies.

So policy is set on feedback from 85% of 10%. To plug in some numbers, if a district has 1,000 voters on the rolls, only 100 show up to vote, and 85 vote the same way. That Mandate of the People comes from 85 individuals out of a group of 1,000.

Do the other 900 agree with those 85 or do they think more like the 15? Doesn't matter. They didn't vote.

Every election is important. I consider it my civic duty to participate -- every time.

Diabelli Project 169 - Piano Piece

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme, these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

This week I went with something simple. The opening figure starts on the third, and on its return, starts on the tonic. While I kept adding notes, for the first time in a long time I wasn't thinking contrapuntally. Rather, just lookint for ways to fill out the line in an interesting way.

As I was trained, I wrote this away from the keyboard. Simple though it looks, the latter half of this sketch isn't exactily intiutive to play (at least with my limited skills).

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

Line Mar Match Box Construction 072 - Conveyer with Poles

I found a Line Mar Match Box Construction Set from the 1930s, complete and with instructions. The box claimed the set made 100 different toys. I decided to test that claim -- one toy at a time. You can read all the posts for the Line Mar construction project at 100 Toys.

072. Conveyer with Poles

The illustration for this toy wasn't especially helpful. The assembly for the base and the poles was pretty simple. I decided to go with the wooden discs instead of the fiber collars for additional stability.

The problem was the conveyor basket. It was difficult to see how the pully was put together. In the end, I managed, but it doesn't look nearly as neat as the illustration. The short arm isn't as short as the picture suggests. And since I had used the wooden discs with the poles, I had to create flanges with the fiber collars.

It sort of worked, but this was definitely a stationary model.

Boccherini Op. 6 String Trios - Classic performances

The name Lubotsky may ring a bell. Russian violinist Mark Lubotsky recorded Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto under the direction of the composer.

While this release is not likely to become as legendary as that Decca recording, there's still some fine music-making going on here.

Mark Lubotsky, along with violinist Katarina Andreasson and cellist Olga Dowbusch-Lubotsky deliver sensitive, yet full-blooded performances of Luigi Boccherini's Op. 6 string trios.

The 1769 trios were the third of seven such sets that Boccherini wrote, and aren't recorded or as frequently performed as the later sets. Personally, I thought the works quite attractive and well-written (in other words: typical Boccherini).

The articulation of the Lubostky Trio is impeccable, making it easy to hear the structure of music. My only complaint is with the recording itself. The strings seem to have an edge to their sound, that can sometimes sound a little harsh. A minor EQ adjustment on my system seemed to remedy the problem, though.

Luigi Boccherini: String Trios Op. 6
Lubotsky Trio
Brilliant Classics

Boccherini Op. 5 - Robust Works for Pianoforte and Violin

This release has me a little conflicted.

Luigi Boccherini published his Op. 5 pianoforte and violin sonatas in 1768. The works were dedicated to one of the premiere keyboard players of the day, Mme. Brillon de Jouy. She was a champion of the then-new pianoforte, and Boccherini's sonatas were his first compositions for keyboard.

My conflict? I love Boccherini, but I'm no fan of the early pianoforte. These works were also published in a harpsichord/violin version. But the pianoforte was the instrument the composer had in mind.

Boccherini titled the works "Sei sonate per fortepiano, con accompagnamento di un violino." In other words, the violin has a secondary role compared to the fortepiano. And that puts the keyboard instrument front and center.

In this recording, that also makes the faults of the pianoforte easy to hear. The action's noisy, there's a hollow quality to the sound, and it doesn't always stay precisely in tune throughout the work.

If you can't get past those distractions, best to give this release a pass.

But, if you can, there's something of value in these performances. Boccherini exploited the pianoforte's ability to play at various dynamic levels and respond to the force of the player's touch. Pianist Pierre Goy and violinist Liana Mosca deliver animated, expressive performances.

Goy and Mosca seem to have an informal conversation as they hand the melodies back and forth. The violin may be the accompanying instrument but it still has plenty to do.

I still don't like the sound of the pianoforte. But I understand why it was used. These sonatas show us the skill of the young Boccherini. His keyboard writing gives us a foretaste to the expressive works to come. I wouldn't have that same insight had I heard the harpsichord version.

Luigi Boccherin: 6 Sonate di Cembalo e Violino Obbligato, Op. 5
Liana Mosca, violin; Pierre Goy, pianoforte
Stradivarius 2 CD Set