Magnificat SHADY ...has left us .....puuurring......

Over the past few days Shady has declined in health to an alarming degree, and I had booked him in at the vets for merciful euthenasia on Wednesday 17th., but today, he was stumbling about the house heartbreakingly, so I arranged to take him for 'release' this afternoon. Rosalind (Plowright) had arranged to come for a breathe, so she was able to help me take Shady down town for the appointment, thank you so much for that Rosalind X. We gently loaded a very weak Shady into a large, soft cotton beach bag, tucked in with a towel, and Rosalind drove us to the vets. We had to wait a little, during which time Shady lay quietly, snuggled up in the bag, occasionally stretching out a paw and stroking my cheek. I tickled him on the nose and under his chin and he purred softly......such a fond farewell.... Eventually we were called into the surgery and Shady was carefully removed from the bag - no fuss or bother. He could only just stand on the table as the vet examined him and explained that Shady's eyesight was almost nil, and he had lost so much weight because he hadn't eaten for about a week, only sipped water occasionally, just a little bundle of skin and bone. "You are very kind to let him go, if only more owners thought of the animals' welfare it would prevent so much unnecessary suffering; it's time for Shady to go .." He gave the furry bundle a big hug, and I left them there - that's how I'll remember my furry friend - still breathing...just...Yes, warm tears are trickling slowly down my cheeks, but they're not sad, only in celebration of a dear little soft, silky friend of many years, which started when I lived in the cottage with him at 'Fairways', Kiri's previous house in the middle of a golf course in Surrey - many of my Swedish breathers will have met him there too.....Goodbye Dear Friend, thankyou for protecting me over those years, for that is how I felt you to be, now a new era is beginning ... and maybe there'll be a winged 'Shadypuss' flying around the world with me, serenading with his amazing baritone ? It's all in the mind y'know.... - same as singing.. Without imagination it doesn't reach the heart of the listener, so keep creating vocal magic my wonderful breathers, and most importantly .....keep b.......g.......puuuurrr.....

The legendary 'Shady' - on his last legs.....mmmmm

Having been abroad for a few days I noticed a very marked difference in Shady's condition on my return to Berko.....for those who don't know him, Shady is the lovely old jet black, silky velvet furred cat whom I 'inherited' from Kiri (te K) when she moved out of Leatherhead, Surrey in to London - no pets allowed in the new home. Shady and I met originally when I lived at Kiri's, after I retired as Studio Controller of The University of Birmingham Performing Arts Department. Kiri was returning from a stint as principal soprano of The Metropolitan Opera, New York, and invited me to join her and the family, residing in their garden cottage - " to be around, restore their antiques which had suffered the ravages of central heating in their American house, drive them around as required, and 'just be useful' " ..! Those were very happy years, and several Swedish singers joined me there to 'have a breathe' at Kiri's invitation. Eventually the breathing took over, and when Kiri moved, I returned to Hertfordshire, but have spent much of my time since then in Sweden. Shady is quite a character, and whilst at the Leatherhead house was often in some crisis or other...he would climb out onto a low branch of an oak tree, several feet out over the lake, stocked with golden carp, try to catch a fish - fall in, and drag himself out through slimy, smelly mud, looking more like a large rat than a cat - !! One dark evening he went missing and a general search was made. He could be heard mewing loudly, but we couldn't see him - until a torch beam revealed him 20 feet up a tree, scared and unwilling to venture down. A ladder was found and Shady was retrieved by a brave man who brought him down on his shoulder - which Shady clung on to with very sharp claws - ouch...He, Shady then walked elegantly away, tail straight up, head held high as though nothing untoward had happened - tttttt..! What a feline character.... In his prime he loved to chase a woolly toy, stuffed with catnip, at the end of a long cane, jump on it, and scrag the hell out of it with his back paws - those were the days, such fun...Today he is looking very frail, haunches (hips) unsteady, thin, eyesight failing, not eating, only sipping water, nor singing in his usual impressive baritone, so I called the vet who thinks it would be better to let Shady go to 'catty paradise' before I go away again next week - it will be an awful wrench in the heart - he's over twenty years old and lived here in Berko since 1994 ....now his breathing is sounding a little bronchitic, so it's time to go Dear Moggy....hope you're all feeling fit and well.....k..p b.......g....

So many 'lost' voices.....mmmmm....

Have you noticed how many people, especially in showbiz, are 'losing' their voices lately - can't remember such a 'plague' being so rife ? Maybe it's connected with air pollution, one can often 'feel' an uncomfortable roughness when inhaling, especially inside aircraft, or even in the garden when under a flight path. On a long haul flight from the Far East, when the lighting was lowered to allow passengers to sleep, one individual reading light was left on - and in the tiny, bright beam, an incredible swirling mass of dust and particles was astonishing ! I immediately put a silken scarf over my head in an effort to avoid taking in lungfuls of heaven knows what, and still do, much to the amusement of air crew, and fellow passengers alike....Might be an idea to try using filter masks experimentally - can you imagine the outcry at such a suggestion, but it might save a lot of working hours, and medication costs for the N.H.S. (British National Health Service).... Now I always use nose oil prior to embarking, available easily in Sweden in a little 'squirty' bottle, and lately an American product, given to me by a kind singer friend, using drops on a cotton wool bud, applied up the nasal passages.....so far, so good.... No 'blogging', lately as I've been 'in orbit' to breathe with some really exciting singers, all very experienced, who shall be nameless, and it's such a treat to 'find' new inspiration with all of them. I must be the luckiest soul alive to be blessed with such a fruitful life at a time when most are declining into inactivity etc..... One of my best breathers told me that three elderly members of their family died on the same day Dec.2nd 2008 ...personally, breathing 'for a living' is keeping me healthy and active due to the inspiration I derive from my 'regular', devoted breathers - thankyou all so much... Have to confess that, apart from becoming tired more often- (well, there has to be something to complain about or life wouldn't be worth living), I feel healthier than ever before - must be something wrong with me... At this very moment I'm wrestling with an equally lively, ancient moggy who wants to help me write this - yes, Shady, K.te K's beloved, and very affectionate old cat - and he never loses his loud baritone catterwalling - but he never uses public transport.....hmmm.....Am about to go flying again, so won't be writing for a few days - and the first Christmas cards are arriving already.... please k..p b....... good luck...

"Showboat " in .... Eskilstuna ? WOOOOOW !!

My recent visit to Stockholm was originally planned around going to Eskilstuna and breathing with the South African ensemble singers from Cape Town, of the "Showboat" cast, then seeing a performance, all set up by Ulrika Tenstam and Margaret Brilioth, the producer, both 'breathing chums' of mine. Strangely, things were frought with disconnection from the moment I arrived in the country - lines of communication had broken down all round, so I found myself staying, and breathing, at the house of friends out in Nasby Park, a very desirable residential area with vast villas - and I was able to hide away in their music room, almost unnoticed by members of the household. One of the fun elements of being there was playing ping-pong (table tennis) with two delightful nine year old boys, Adrian and Frederik - and golly, are they fast!! They were very kind to me to begin with -(we worked out that there were 66 years difference in our years!) - until they discovered my competetive streak - and then it was fantastic!! Considering I hadn't played the game for about half a century, my muscle memory was better than the conscious one, but of course, eventually the boys made mincemeat of me , and it was such fun, we laughed so much our sides nearly split - I can thoroughly recommend the game for anyone who wishes to keep fit and improve their breathing ...When I eventually made the pilgrimage to Eskilstuna I was greeted by the singers - all wide awake and eager to learn - they joined in the little breathing exercises with relish, and then came the amazing session, one to one, with some of the most charming and joyful souls I've ever met, it was almost a spiritual experience. Initially they started to 'sing' in the restrained European manner - what I call 'singing at you', not 'for you'. Then I invited them to sing me one of their folk songs - and that's when we really began to make progress. They sang and moved with rhythms that were so different from anything I'd heard before - it was riveting and truly breathtaking - I learned so much from this generous, happy group, and as we worked individually again - throats opened , lungs expanded, diaphragms fluctuated into the most ravishingly beautiful and impressive sounds - from some of the most unlikely singers - they all have fabulous voices and a passion for music. It was one of the most wonderful experiences in my 'breathing career'. In the performance there was such a great atmosphere of commitment and the desire to entertain the audience from everyone - and they did it magnificently..It is one of the finest performances I have ever been privileged to witness....good luck to everyone involved, everything was as it should be for maximum success....Congratulations to all concerned . Ulrika gave another of her brilliant portrayals as 'Julie', and her second number - 'He's just my Bill' didn't leave a dry eye in the house, especially mine - such incredible dynamics and nuances....and her 'timing'... absolutely fabulous; it will stay in my memory as one of the highlights by one of my most distinguished 'breathers'. So yo' all ...keep breathing....and to all my dedicated entertainers, keep charming the customers ....they are our future....

Where have I been......? 'Lost in the ether' ..ooops !!

Over the past couple of weeks I've been having trouble getting 'on line', hence the gap in blogging. Some programme or other 'snuck in' and blocked any outgoing mails, but now my itchy fingers sre on the go again. We have a public service here that entitles us free access to computers at the local library, but the sessions are strictly timed - thirty or sixty minutes, and the stress of trying to write mega-fast, for me, outweighs the advantage of communication ! So, sorry folks - I am still alive and kickin' - even - breathin'!! Hope I find you the same ---tee heee hee...witchy cackle...On the subject of which/witch - did you notice a more subdued celebration of Halloween this year? Here it was almost unnoticable, no noisy fireworks - bliss. The same situation for Nov. 5th. Guy Fawkes Night - only about 45 minutes of ear shattering bangers and 'cannons', for which I, and all animal lovers are truly thankful. Shady (pussycat) didn't have to hide under a bed all night. The cost of fireworks in the current fiscal mess presumably deterred the usual buyers letting their money go up in smoke...Some of you may not know what Guy Fawkes is about - he was a gentleman who was in a conspiracy to blow up the British Houses of Parliament, London, some time ago and rid the country of an unpopular government - hmmmm..... My most recent adventure to fresh fields and pastures new, was to Zurich, Switzerland - and it was a wonderful introduction to new breathers, including a fascinating session at the impressive University Music Dept., with a very gifted guitar virtuoso, Anders Miolin. He plays a 'multi' stringed instrument which he designed - amazing range and tonal quality, passing on his skills to a young man - 15 year old, who made it look so easy to play a classical guitar, and achieved most glorious sounds with his sensitive playing. After a few breathing 'links' we all discovered it helps to breathe efficiently - surprise, surprise ...!! In Zurich, I was a guest of the delightful lyric - 'scrummy, luscious ping' Swedish soprano, Lisa Larsson, whom I originally met at the Royal Opera in Stockholm when she sang 'Anne Truelove' in 'The Rake's Progress', (I was the guest of Marianne Eklof, 'Baba the Turk'- the mind blowing magnificent mezzo !), and later her enchantingly memorable 'Euridice' to Anna Larsson's incredible 'Orfeo' - the perfect partnership....Happy to report that Mats Ek has just won a prestigious prize for his unique and fascinating production concept of this beautiful score - a 'charmed' event - congratulations all round - some great breathing from all concerned....breathtaking for the listener...We had a lot of fun at Lisa's, and some enlightening breathing sessions in her musical music room - entirely devoted to the Muse....overlooking the lake, and cradled in the nook of a wooded, spiritual hillside, 'twas like being in Elysium - very appropriate for a Euridice..... Two of Lisa's International colleagues joined us for some serious breathing - and the house rang wih wonderful singing, pinging, and a great deal of - yes, you guessed - very well supported laughter... the secret of good singing is that one should enjoy it ....we suuuure do...as all my regulars can confirm.....so, please, convey your lyrical, musical messages to your listeners - and enjoy the inpsiration you can give them...You all know how to find Anna (Larsson) on her blog - and tune in to her on You Tube - if you want to catch up on Lisa (Larsson), you'll find her there too, (or through Google) - go to = Lisa Larsson - chi sa qual sia ..and enjoy a vocal feast of Mozart arias ---Vado ma dove, and Alma grande - and there's some Bach on there too for good measure.... don't forget to ....k..p b.......g......

Bill Buckley and Ingrid.....

At the most unlikely hour 03.50 the other morning, having been woken by Shady ( 20 plus, K.te K. cat 'lodger' !) I was listening to Bill Buckley, wide awake presenter on LBC Radio. There was a quiz in progress, and the question was, "in which film was this the final phrase - "this could be the start of a beautiful friendship ". A caller said it was "Casablanca", to which Bill replied 'Oh yes, the one with Lauren Bacall'. At this, my sleepy brain kicked into gear - and I found myself calling the station to say that the star of the film was Ingrid Bergman, not Bacall. I asked the receptionist to tell Bill, and to my surprise she asked if I'd like to talk to him ! "Why not" said I. The lady told me to ring off and she'd call me back in a few minutes - which she did ....So, at about 03.15 I found myself having a very nice chat on live radio, with one of Britain's most stimulating hosts - would you believe ?. Anyone who knows me would... We covered several subjects, how I'd worked with Ingrid whilst Property Manager ( stage props. not real estate !) at Chichester Festival Theatre, in the 1970's; her disappointment when she saw the designs for her costumes In "The Waters of the Moon". When asked if there was a problem, she said that the play was set in the 1930's, and her character was a stage star. "I WAS a star in the 1930's, and I would never have worn anything like those designs...". So the bright young lady designer's drawings were scrapped, and a 'mature' gentleman, Finley James, (who started designing in the 1930's) , was commisioned to create new outfits - and they were gorgeous, so we had a very happy Ingrid on that count. The other concern for her was acting on a thrust stage - audience on four sides, but she soon adapted to it . At one of the first performances she managed to muddle her dialogue . Instead of saying ' Oh look, the children are throwing snowballs", it came out as "Oh look, the children are snowing throwballs !". She then collapsed in fits of laughter which 'brought the house down' - hysterics all round for several minutes...She was such a Dear, kind and generous lady - truly a legend....I've been so lucky.... Bill had said earlier in the programme that he'd had some problems removing stage makeup ealier in his career, so I mentioned that I had a similar experience with professional stage makeup remover - the perfume caused nasty eruptions on my usually unblemished skin. My Doctor recommended that I use Liquid Paraffin, a well known laxative - pardon me..? 'Just put a few drops in the palm of the hand, and when it warms up it is the most gentle makeup remover' he assured me - true enough, it is, and leaves the skin as 'soft as a baby's bottom'...mmmm. Going on tour, I decanted some L.P. into a quarter size brandy bottle, which I always placed on my dressing table in the theatre. One day a stage manager 'phoned in to say he was sick - and two days later, when he appeared, he asked me what was in that brandy bottle !! Yeeees , he'd taken a big swig of the liquid - and didn't stop running for days.....poor lad...I'm still giggling about it ....Bill has asked me to write a book of anecdotes - so I'm getting nearer to it every day ..I promise...Anna (L) will be pleased.... If you'd like to hear the 'Awesome' Anna Larsson sing in person - go to the Wigmore Hall, London, on Monday 24th. November 2008, singing a recital with Stephen Bishop, piano....a real treat to look forward to....'bye for now, k..p b.......g... and have fun...

Attitude - a la Whoopee G......what a breather.....!

Whilst living at Kiri's in Leatherhead some years ago, her daughter Toni (Antonia ) rushed in and burst out " Anna - Anna! You MUST go and see 'Sister Act', it's absolutely You ! " Hmmmm - wonder what Toni means ...? When I took her advice and went to see the film I understood exactly.... The story involves a gangster's girlfriend, played by the celebrated Whoopee Goldberg, who witnesses a murder, and the police decide to protect her by hiding her in a convent. Why not ? Where else would you hide a black lady other than in a convent full of white nuns ...? From this you'll gather, if you haven't seen the film, that it is full of high jinks, hysterical situations and some deliciously funny scenes - forbidden 'ice cream orgy', etc.. The part that Toni equated with me is where Whoopee decides to chivvy up the convent choir which is a little lack lustre to say the least, by explaining 'attitude', or 'projection' as it's usually termed in the business. One of my methods is to suggest that a taxi cannot be summoned by whispering 'taxi' in a hushed tone - "TAAAAXI" at full vocal throttle is much more effective - unless you have a tremendous whistle like Anna (Larsson) which can be heard for miles - one of her less known attributes.....This all came to mind when 'Sister Act' was shown on t.v. the other evening.....that's it for today folks, I have to go for my daily stroll and a breath of fresh air up here in the Chiltern Hills - pop over some time and join me.......mmmm, k..p b.......g....