Musics

Wow. It's been ages since I've posted here. I'm not dead. I've just found some very satisfying projects which have been my creative outlet. So to my reader, I'd like to apologize for my very long silence.

The classical music radio show -- "The Sunday Classics" -- I do on KPOV once a month takes a lot of time (listening, researching) and it's amazingly rewarding. Mrs Elliott watches TV programs in the evening, I listen to music. Both on headphones, both in the same room.

I have set myself a personal challenge: to warm up to Brahms.

People love Brahms. He's the third "B" of the "three Bs."

And yeah, the guy knew how to write his music. It's late romantic music, meaning it comes at the end of the Romantic period of classical music. Before musicians and music critics got fed up with the dead-end of the overly-upholstered shmaltz of the style.

I like Romantic music. Mozart was heading in that direction and his late (for a guy who dies in his early 30s) compositions are swell. Beethoven, who bridged the gap between the cerebral Classical period and ushered in the emotionality of the Romantic period, is one of my absolute faves.

But then here's this Johannes Brahms guy. I have not yet been able to warm up to him. His music feels . . . over the top, too assured. It does not sound like someone who is feeling his way forward, but like someone who knows what he needs to do to appear to be great.

I am really in the minority here. I am clearly missing something.

But I push on. His Concerto for Violin in D major is on the hi-fi right now. Gidon Kremer/Karajan/BSO, etc, and maybe I'll play it on the show.

MORE FUN FOR ME are the upcoming concerts by the Central Oregon Youth Orchestra and the Central Oregon Symphony later this month. I've been invited to to record those performances -- for personal use.

Rigging microphones, stringing cables, and recording. What more could an audio geek and lifetime classical music ask for????

Fuel Lines and Clamps

Here's what I see for fuel lines on our 1.9l Vanagon.

A Question About Propane on the Westy

To my non Vanagon Westfalia-owning friends, apologies for bringing you to this page, which has zero non-Vanagon content.

To my Vanagon Westfalia-owning friends, I'd like to know if modifying the propane setup under the van to allow connecting a 5-gallon propane tank to the van to permit longer stays before refilling is possible.

I don't think my setup is standard. Here's what I got:

I don't know why the photo makes it look so green. It's not green.

If this is a standard setup, then what's a good kit? If it's not standard, any thoughts about a means to attach a propane bottle to this?

Old Guys Rule but . . .

The Central Oregon Classic Chevy Club’s Flashback “Cruz” car show is back in town. I don't find cars very interesting, so I haven't visited.

A lot of the guys that do find older cars interesting are the sort to wear "Old Guys Rule" t-shirts. You see those pretty frequently.

The obvious counter is "Young Guys Get Laid."

A Detroit Watering Hole

Big city charm.

Another Detroit Picture

Inside the Guardian Building.

In Detroit

Mrs Elliott has a conference in Detroit. I tagged along. Here is my picture from Detroit.