Bingo!

Posted on April 29, 2019 by Francis

As shopping malls have threatened local high street shops but are themselves currently threatened by on-line shopping with door-to-door deliveries (soon, apparently, to be carried out by drones), so bingo halls took over cinemas only to be themselves endangered by, of all things, gospel churches. For example, the Woolwich (London) Granada, a splendid art deco building with an interior designed by Russian set designer Theodore Komisarjevsk, was turned into a Bingo hall only to be changed into a gospel church. The former Cinema is now known as the Ebenezer Building or Cathedral of Christ Faith Tabernacle.

Woolwich has another fine art deco cinema, the Odeon, which now too has been transformed into a Gospel ‘New Wine’ church. The transition from cinema to spiritual centre was direct, without any Bingo hall intervention. At least the building still stands as a supreme example of modernist architecture – Sandra and I were part of the committee to safeguard its future and, indeed, saw the last film to be projected there: James Cameron’s 1997 ‘Titanic’.

No such transformations have affected Fornoli’s parish hall: it has unswervingly served the local community for many a year as a community centre. It was, therefore, with pleasure that we participated in a Bingo afternoon with my wife Sandra’s mum, who is now just two years short of her hundredth birthday.

The hall has a built-in Bingo display which still operates (although a couple of the lights weren’t working). We spent a storm-ridden afternoon playing the game which in Italy is known as ‘Tombola’.

Tombola/Bingo, incidentally, was born in the city of Naples in the 18th century. According to tradition it was created in 1734 as a result of a discussion between King Charles of Bourbon and Father Gregorio Maria Rocco for a game which could lead to friendly family-style gambling and would not interfere with ecclesiastical edicts.

Although we didn’t ‘tombola’ on any game and win one of the various prizes which ranged from pasta to pesto, we had great fun. Even more we were able to partake of a veritable feast in the shape of the ‘rinfresco’ at the end of a slightly mentally-challenging afternoon in which I almost ‘gave numbers’. This phrase, in Italian is ‘dare i numeri’, means that one is seriously in danger of losing one’s trolley!

The truth, however, is that, when Italians say ‘giving the numbers’, they are referring to those who interpret the cabal to try to guess the future through numbers, letters, dreams or through the intercession of supernatural beings. Unhappily, wizards, astrologers and aspiring prophets try to define human and universal facts with predictions that often turn out to be unsuccessful. It is, therefore, very common for sorcerers to advise those (willing to pay the) on how to get a little luck, and play the lottery. Unfortunately, the numbers sold are far from being the winning ones!

However, we did win in the end! The great and magnanimous Marco Nicoli, chair of the Mammalucco association who organises such events, gave Sandra’s mum the opportunity of extraction the winning lottery number and, moreover, presented her with a lovely marigold!

Of Waterfalls

Posted on April 26, 2019 by Francis

April showers, yes. Here in the Lucchesia, however, it’s more like April deluges: we’ve had more rain in the past few days than in all the time since the start of 2019.

It may be an interval to stay indoors and play a game of cards or the piano. However, stepping outside there are refreshing benefits: the smell of the damp earth, the thirst-quenching of the parched soil, the more vivid colours of the flowers and, near us the sound of rushing waters, amplified by the newly fallen drops.

As Wordsworth would have it:

Unfathom’d dells and undiscover’d woods;

Where rocks and groves the power of waters shakes

In cataracts, or sleeps in quiet lakes.

Here is our local waterfall, just ten minutes away from our house, yesterday.

Approaching the falls we were surprized by the huge bushes of white heather. Our cats, Carlotta and Cheekie were very curious about the water cascading into the hidden canyon. Fortunately, they were sensible enough not to fall down. We, however, would not have ventured so close to the edge.

Talking of waterfalls, here is a poem on the subject by my late uncle, Giuseppe Brunelli who died in 2016. The original is followed by my English translation:

LE CASCATE

12 Agosto 1943

Per balzi strapiombanti fra le rocce

dal fianco aperto del monte boscoso

si disserra il torrente, sparsi massi

scavalcando con gioco di gigante

che scordare non sa la sua potenza.

Figlio d’alti ghiacciai, le tetre forre

illumina in candore di scalee

nevose, vive qual frementi groppe

di cavalli selvaggi, archi iridati

tracciando fragili al piegare del vento.

Davanti alla cascata lo stupore

sacro ritrovo dell’antico uomo,

riapparso con la spoglia d’una fiera

a ripararsi i forti òmeri ignudi

nell’ebbrezza del gelido pulviscolo.

Fra l’inquieto agitarsi delle fronde

stillano i soliloqui di Tristano,

d’Amleto, la demenza di Chisciotte,

di Margherita, il pianto d’Ermengarda:

e si mesce nel vento un nuovo affanno.

Come ciottolo in fondo alla cascata

sotto il getto precipite fa gorgo

di se stesso, e sé rode, e a sé discava

nella roccia una nicchia senza pace,

così il mio cuor nel suo carcere inquieto

in un perenne turbine si volge.

Sopra il dosso insidioso, sull’abisso,

tu posi immota fisa sorridendo

alle acquatiche luci, che sul viso

tranquille si riflettono

Io miro

le alte masse che irrompono verdastre

infrangersi nel volo in bianchi nimbi

e in un tuono dibattersi sul fondo

con lotta irosa sempre risorgente.

Sui tuoi sciolti capelli un ramo muove

un aleggiare d’ombre e il verde piove

con ali lievi sopra il volto bruno,

su gli occhi chiari e il bianco tuo sorriso.

Alta sul gorgo col pensier ti libri

com’aquila impetuosa? A questa roccia

roccia io mi sento a frangere quell’urto,

urto io stesso, immoto nel tumulto.

Né più so di me stesso e invano un grido

levo a tratti al fragore dell’ignoto:

sento ed esito, e ancora faccio miei

sogni e presagi e brividi e terrori.

Prometeo incatenato un rostro invoco

a dilaniarmi in cuore quest’angoscia.

WATERFALLS

12 August 1943

Leaping precipitately among rocks

the torrent releases itself

from the wooded mountain’s riven side,

bounding over scattered boulders like a playful giant

unable to forget his own power.

Child of the high glaciers, lighting dark ravines

with a flare of snowy steps:

iridescent rainbows delicately traced by the wind,

like the shuddering backs of wild horses.

By the waterfall I re-live

the primal wonder of ancient men

returning clad in bearskins

protecting their nakedness

in a wild and freezing wasteland.

Tristan’s and Hamlet’s soliloquies,

Quixote’s madness, Margaret’s folly,

and Ermengarde’s lament

fall among the unquiet rustle of leaves

and a new anguish flows into the wind.

My restlessly imprisoned heart turns

on itself in a never-ending whirlpool

like a pebble underneath the waterfall

consumed by eroding a restless hollow

in the rocks below the rushing jet.

Motionless and smiling, you consider

the water’s light calmly reflected in your face

above the perilous bank upon the abyss.

I see lofty greenish forms breaking through,

shattering into white mists in flight,

thunder-like beating down onto the deep

and ever rising again in violent conflict.

A branch casts a soaring of shadows

on your loosened hair and greenness showers down

with light wings upon your olive face,

onto your bright eyes and your pure smile.

Will you fly away high above the gorge

like an impatient eagle? Before this rock

I, rock-like, feel like breaking that shock

I, in shock myself, remain unmoved in the turmoil.

I no longer know myself and vainly

raise a fleeting cry to the alien tumult;

I feel and exist and my dreams and forebodings,

my fears and terrors come to me again.

I call on Prometheus Bound for strength

to tear away this anguish from my heart.

Interestingly, I presented a translation of my own poem on the subject of waterfalls – this time a vanished one – for the Bagni di Lucca national poetry competition of 2012 where it won second prize. Here is the original English version written in the form of a villanelle and my Italian translation presented for the competition:

THE VANISHED WATERFALL

This tract of world’s eternal round struck proud:

hurled loose from rock into the forest’s void

relentless waters pounded sheer and loud.

Like giant’s veilèd scarf or ogre’s shroud

they leaped and sprang unbound and overjoyed:

this tract of world’s eternal round struck proud

celebrating descent from haloed cloud.

With shattered pines and dashing rocks destroyed

relentless waters pounded sheer and loud.

Precipitous, the waters fell unbowed

and crashed on stones, all energy deployed.

This tract of the eternal round struck proud,

aslant drowned hills and on the liquid-ploughed

ravines; with consummation fast-enjoyed

relentless waters pounded sheer and loud

while falls rushed past as nature’s force endowed,

their joyful sound not maddened or annoyed;

this tract of world’s eternal round struck proud:

relentless waters pounded sheer and loud.

LA CASCATA SVANITA

Questo tratto del tondo eterno del mondo colpì orgogliosamente:

lanciate, sciolte dalla pietra nella lacuna della foresta,

le acque implacabili s’infrangevano a picco e fortemente.

Come la sciarpa velata di un gigante o il sudario di un orco

saltavano e balzavano, slegate e pazze di gioia:

Questo tratto del tondo eterno del mondo colpì orgogliosamente

celebrando la loro discesa dalle nubi aureolate.

Con pini fracassati e pietre audaci distrutte

le acque implacabili s’infrangevano a picco e fortemente.

Erte, le acque abbatterono indomite

e crollarono sulle pietre, ogni energia schierata.

Questo tratto del tondo eterno del mondo colpì orgogliosamente

attraverso le colline affogate e sugli orridi

arati limpidamente; con una consumazione goduta rapidamente

le acque implacabili s’infrangevano a picco e fortemente

mentre le cascate s’affrettavano e la forza della natura dotò,

il loro suono gioioso mai esasperato o importunato;

questo tratto del tondo eterno del mondo colpì orgogliosamente:

le acque implacabili s’infrangevano a picco e fortemente.

Easter Lunch

Posted on April 24, 2019 by Francis

Italian Easter eggs are a world away from the usual seasonal confectionery on sale in the UK. Here there are no crème eggs or those fabulous Cadbury’s mini ones:

(grateful donation from neighbours from the UK)

Italy, however, more than makes up for it in the sheer size of some chocolate eggs.

UOVO-ENORME

Unlike UK Easter eggs, Italian ones have their halves melded together so one must break them apart, not only to appreciate the fine chocolate (normally fondant) they are made of but also to get at the ‘sorpresa’ or surprize contained within. Usually, this prize is a simple enough thing like a piece of tinsel jewellery or a fluffy chick but sometimes (and of course one has to pay the price) it can turn out to be an expensive ring or silver statuette.

Here is one of our Easter eggs:

And here is the ‘sorpresa’ contained within. It’s an inflatable bunny at which you can throw inflatable rings. What fun!

Our Easter lunch was a happy mixture of UK and Italy. This is what we ate:

Antipasto (or appetizer openers):

Lasagne (not your frozen rubbish but meticulously handmade with béchamel sauce by Sandra)

Involtini (lamb parcels with Easter surprise filling: sage, walnut, thyme, rosemary and bread):

Home –made Tiramisu ringed with Savoyard biscuits.

In case you want to make your own Tiramisu (the word literally means ‘pick me up’ and it sure does!) here’s our recipe

INGREDIENTS:

2-4 eggs
mascarpone
espresso
ladyfingers (Savoyards or Pavesini biscuits)
A small spoonful of sugar
A drop of alcohol e.g. amaretto or rum)
A sprinkle of cocoa powder on top

METHOD

Separate 2-4 eggs, and place the egg whites in one bowl, and egg yolks in another.

Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the egg white bowl:

Use a hand mixer to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Put the stiff egg whites aside, and switch over to the egg yolk bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the egg yolks:

Whip this mixture for a couple of minutes, until the mixture goes from bright yellow to a pale yellow colour.

Add the mascarpone cheese (nothing else will do, not even cottage cheese…It’s a mild and creamy Italian cheese that typically comes in small tubs).

Mix in the mascarpone with the hand mixer until incorporated, and then gently fold in the stiff egg whites, 1/3 at a time:

Now build the tiramisu!

Make some proper espresso coffee. When the espresso has cooled to room temperature, combine it with a drop of amaretto or rum or suitable alcoholic drink.

Dip the ladyfingers into the espresso and alcohol mixture,

Place them in a square or circular bowl

Ring the bowl with further ladyfingers

Then pour over a layer of the mascarpone cream to cover, and repeat.

Put the tiramisu in the fridge for around five hours minimum so as to let the layers soak into each other and combine the flavours.

Serve the tiramisu cold, with a dusting of cocoa powder on top.

***

The other essential ingredient of the Italian Easter is the cake. Nationally it’s ‘La Colombina’, or little dove, a delicious cake with candied fruit and almond nuts. Here is the one we bought:

Locally, there will be regional variants. In Lucca, for example, the classic Easter cake is the ‘pasimata’. I’ve only bought this from good bakeries within the town walls and have never made it myself. La Pasimata is leavened bread, flavoured with anise seeds and orange peel. It is traditionally consumed during Lent and, blessed in the church, on Easter day.

Formerly, pasimata was prepared with the addition of saffron and fennel and was called pangiallo (yellow bread). There are actually two distinct types of pasimata: the Lucca version and the Garfagnana version.

Lucca’s version is kneaded like bread and divided into rectangular loaves mixed with aniseed seeds.
The Garfagnana version includes raisins and resembles a panettone (typical Milanese fruit cake, now gone nation-wide).

It would be nice to find a recipe for our area and make our own next year.

How was your Easter lunch. Any local touches we don’t have over here? Do let us know…

57882266_10217076014147052_284320306644910080_n

(Our Easter recital with audience)

Meanwhile, outside…

Easter / Pasqua 2019

Posted on April 21, 2019 by Francis

EASTER HYMN

Easter bells are ringing,

joyousness is spread,

and earth’s choirs are singing

our Lord is not dead.

Risen from the stone grave

we have seen him now,

returning Christ, to save

us with one great vow:

to destroy death and sin,

restore God’s image,

reveal the love within,

live from age to age.

***

INNO DI PASQUA

Le campane di Pasqua stanno suonando,
la gioia è diffusa,
e i cori della terra stanno cantando
‘il nostro Signore non è morto’.

Risorto dalla tomba di pietra
lo abbiamo visto ora,
ritorno di Cristo, per salvare
noi con un grande voto:

per distruggere la morte e il peccato,
ripristinare l’immagine di Dio,
rivelare l’amore dentro,
vivere da età a età.

FLP

1771214_orig

Civil Union at Vicopisano

Posted on April 20, 2019 by Francis

Cast your eyes back to an Italy of the nineteen sixties, the swinging age and the time of sexual liberation in so many countries especially in the UK and the US of A, and you’ll find a nation still entrenched in religious dogma and old-fashioned prejudice. At that time there was no Italian State law to allow divorce; abortion was a crime and same sex relationships were, if not quite anti-Wildean in their anathematic intolerance, pretty close to it…

Yet one must not consider Italy in the last century as an intolerant society. While (often innocent) victims were being regularly hanged in the UK, Tuscany had long since abolished the death penalty. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany, on November 30th 1786, under the reign of Peter Leopold Habsburg Lorraine, for the first time in the world, stopped torture and capital punishment with a formal act.

Under a united Italy the death penalty was abolished in 1889. That is, indeed, some aspect of civilization and freedom: just compare the UK where the last woman hanged was Ruth Ellis in 1955 and the last man, Peter Anthony Allen, in 1964.

However, Italy lagged behind in laws regulating sexual matters and equality of women. The ‘crime of honour’ (if murdering a female partner could ever be described as an honourable thing…) was only eradicated from the statue book in 1981. Since that year there has been no leniency shown for murdering a female partner. Yet the law cannot automatically change men’s attitudes. In 2018, for example no less than 94 women were bludgeoned to death by their jealous male partners who felt that that their own ‘honour’ in society and that of their family would have gone for ever. (One recent and particularly horrific case involved setting alight to the car where ‘his’ woman and her two children were confined.)

On 1 December 1970, divorce was introduced into the Italian legal system. Before that time annulment of marriage was a lengthy and costly procedure involving the tribunal of the Vatican City in the ‘sacra rota’.

In 1978 law no, 194 established rules for the social protection of maternity and the “voluntary interruption of pregnancy”, and, for the first time, decriminalized and regulated the modalities of access to the abortion.

Just over two years ago, in 2016, a new law called ‘legge Cirinnà’ after the female politician who encouraged its establishment, came into effect. The law regulates the civil union between persons of the same sex: gay couples, qualified as “specific social formations”, were able for the first time in Italian history to take advantage of a new legal institution of public law called civil union. In this regard, reference is made to article two of the constitution which deals with the equality of citizens without distinction of sex, and article three, on equal social dignity of citizens without distinction of sex.

It was with great happiness, therefore, that we attended the civil union of two of our oldest friends in Italy, Giovanni and Andrea. The ceremony took place in the Pretorian palace of Vicopisano, part of the magnificent fortress designed by Brunelleschi – he of the dome of Florence cathedral – and was presided over by the mayor of the district.

(For more on the fortress see my post at https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/vicopisano-and-brunelleschis-military-architect).

The ceremony was very well attended. As a professor, local historian and guardian of the fortress and of the temple of Minerva (for this arcane temple see my post at https://longoio.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/a-mysterious-temple/), Giovanni is loved and respected by a wide section of Pisan society. What was also wonderful was the fact that everyone who attended accepted the new law as if it had always been in place. There was real jubilation that the love (‘that once dared not speak its name’) between them (they’d known each for over 25 years) had finally been legally recognised by the Italian state.

After the ceremony there was a reception in the palace which houses an interesting museum.

From thence we went to a fine local restaurant (Chez Mes Amis at San Giovanni della Vena) for a truly gargantuan spread….

(PS. It’s good to know that Italy is moving forwards fast. Meanwhile in those islands north of Calais a nation is turning its back on the future in search of a long lost dream of ‘taking back’ its sovereignty. I do not doubt for a minute that if another lie-ridden referendum were held in that part of the world on capital punishment the results would be to bring back hanging. )

Ponte a Moriano Welcomes the Bard’s Scottish Play

Posted on April 17, 2019 by Francis

When teaching English at the Da Vinci secondary school in the San Concordio area of Lucca I collaborated with a colleague in the writing and production of a play with the theme of English history from the Romans to the Beatles. We felt that this would be a great way for our pupils to really speak the language and express themselves through theatre. We obtained the help of a choreographer who taught our classes dances appropriate to various period of England’s history: pavanes for Shakespeare’s time to twist and jive in the 1960’s.

The play was a great success, both with the pupils and with the audience, and it had to be repeated outside the school hall at Lucca’s San Girolamo theatre.

The medium of the theatre is, indeed, a great way to improve language skills both in speaking and in comprehension. It was, therefore, no surprise that the majority of the audience were school children at the English Theatre group‘s production of Shakespeare’s Scottish play in Ponte a Moriano’s Nieri theatre last week.

Five actors played all the parts in this, the bard’s most concise and fast-moving play.

The performance was generally convincing and certainly the attention of the young audience was fully engaged.

But who are the English theatre company? They are a touring group of actors based in Pisa. Some are native English speakers others are speakers of English as a second language. The company’s main aim is to present both classic and original plays in English (with subtitles) so that the audience can get something of the cadences of the language and see it truly work in dramatic situations. In one word …communication. That’s why I feel that English first language speakers in the Bagni di Lucca area who lack confidence in speaking Italian would do well to attend plays in Italian. We have completed a successful and very varied season at Bagni di Lucca’s own theatre. I wonder how many residents from English speaking areas attended any of the plays.

Our Lady

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Francis

My heart is burning,
melting snows of winters past:
tears of Our Lady.

***

Brucia il cuor mio,
scioglie la neve d’inverni passati:
lacrime della Nostra Signora.

paris01

(1986)

Borgo is ‘My Flower’

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Francis

Every April Borgo a Mozzano hosts a lovely flower festival. On even numbered years it’s the azalea festival and on odd numbered years it’s the ‘my flower festival.’ Although the latter is on a smaller scale than the azalea festival it’s still a very lively and enjoyable event.

The flower show is also a way of publicising the various towns and villages which make up the comune of Borgo a Mozzano. Here are some of the displays which I liked most, especially those with models of the villages they represented:

Here is Bagni di Lucca’s contribution:

The forestry department had a poignant display, complete with model water bomber, reminding us of the terrible fire which raged for several days on our hills last month (see https://longoio3.com/2019/04/03/our-forests-on-fire/):

Local schools had displays illustrating games from by-gone times:

Borgo’s symbol is, of course, the magnificent bridge spanning the Serchio river and built by order of the countess Matilda in the eleventh century. Here it is represented with flowers:

Here is a selection of further displays. Note the Japanese cherry blossom garden, the real cat among the bunnies, the old agricultural items, the modern technology used in making necci (chestnut pancakes) and much else.

In addition to the street displays there were also art and photographic exhibitions.

The phenomenon of David Bonaventuri and his brilliant photography is on display in its all-defying virtuosity at Borgo a Mozzano’s Library until the 28th of April. The show is titled ‘Beyond Pain’, a reference to the fact that David had to have his left leg amputated in 2012 as a result of a work accident – absolutely not his fault – when a tree fell on it. This has in no way limited David’s activities as a photographer and explorer of our area. In fact, at 5 pm on April 27th, at the Circolo dei Forestieri, a book on ancient rock engravings in our mountains in which he participated is being presented at the Sala Rosa of Bagni di Lucca’s circolo dei forestieri.

fznor

Meanwhile, here is a taster of the photography exhibition and its opening ceremony (forgive the inevitable glass reflections).

It’s a real pity that the weather on Saturday wasn’t of the best. Sunday was much worst, however, with dismal downpours most of the day. I was, therefore, glad to visit when I did.

If you want to compare this year’s festival with that of the ones we have visited in previous years you can click on any of my previous posts regarding the event:

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/legging-it-in-leghorn/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/blooming-azaleas/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2016/04/13/astounding-azaleas-are-arriving/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2017/05/21/my-flower-is-at-borgo-a-mozzano/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2016/04/17/another-fabulous-borgo-azalea-festival/

https://longoio3.com/2018/04/15/borgo-blooms-again-for-its-azalea-festival/

An Evening of Joy and Beauty in Lucca Cathedral

Posted on April 12, 2019 by Francis

Take one of the finest youth choirs in the UK, place them in one of Tuscany’s most glorious cathedrals, Lucca’s San Martino, and hear them singing a wide repertoire ranging from renaissance through baroque to Britten and one has all the ingredients for a lovely evening of music, full of joy and beauty.

Taplow Choirs was founded in 2004 by Gillian Dibden and Philip Viveash as a centre for local singers and to bring together children and adults wishing to build their singing skills. They have become a centre of singing excellence in the area.

There are four Taplow choirs: children’s choir, boys’ choir, girls’ choir and the youth choir.

The Taplow youth choir, formed in 2006, currently has seventy five members, aged between 15 and 18. It was awarded BBC Radio 3’s “Youth Choir of the Year” in 2008 and won the prestigious ‘Music for Youth’ award in the same year. The choir participated in the International Choral Competition in Tallinn, Estonia, in April 2009, and won 2nd prize in the Youth category. Regular visitors to the Windsor Festival, the choir also sings Evensong in St. George’s chapel, Windsor castle every year. It participates in the young singers program with the Gabrieli Consort, and has performed Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ with the Consort at the Royal Albert Hall.

The choir’s Music Director, Gillian Dibden, has a long career in music, especially working with young people. In 2009 she received the MBE for her work with young people and children’s choirs. We were able to meet Gillian after the concert and she felt that this year’s choir intake was one of the best she’d had. We fully concurred.

Every other year the Taplow youth choir goes on a European tour and this year it was Italy’s turn to be feasted by their singing. Florence and Siena follow on from Lucca where the concert in the Cathedral formed part of the “Music in the Cathedral” series of events.

Here, in Lucca cathedral, is a snippet of the choir singing that sweet Henry Purcell anthem ‘Rejoice in the Lord Alway’. The cathedral’s accoustics lent themselves particularly well to this anthem.

And this piece, ‘Ave Virgo Sanctissima’ by the Spanish Guerrrero, shows how well the choir performs renaissance polyphony:

This section from Faure’s consoling requiem was most affectingly sung:

It’s rare enough to hear one of my favourite composers, Gerald Finzi, in the UK; to hear him in Italy is really special. “Come Away, Come Away, Death” (the words are from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night) is the first item in Finzi’s song cycle ‘Let Us Garlands Bring’ composed in 1942 for Vaughan-Williams’ 70^th birthday. The highly bizarre note intervals are a real challenge to any singer but the soloist did pretty well, I feel.

The Allegri ‘Miserere’ is the piece that fourteen year old Mozart heard during Holy Week and wrote down entirely from memory. It was beautifully performed with the famous stratospheric sections sung from the cathedral pulpit by a select group from the choir.

Here are the concluding items in the wide-ranging repertoire the Taplow Youth Choir sings

It’s somewhat unfortunate that the audience was rather less than the forty members of the choir, despite very widespread publicity. There were clearly more British in the audience than Italians, although Elio Antichi, director of one of Lucca’s most notable choirs ‘il baluardo’, was present and was astounded by the quality of sound from such young singers. Perhaps Monday night is not a very good weekday for a concert in Italy.

However, I am quite sure that Florence has received this lovely choir with much greater presence. Youth choirs from the UK have truly much to teach their Italian youth counterparts.

(For other concerts in the “Music in the Cathedral” series of events see http://www.musicaincattedralelucca.com/).

PS In the UK I studied the Javanese court gamelan orchestra with distinguished teacher Nikhil Dally. I learnt about the concert through him; his daughter is an alto in the Taplow choir on its Italian tour.

Ways to spend Easter-Time in the Lucchesia

Posted on April 10, 2019 by Francis

Question: What to do over Easter if you’re around Bagni di Lucca? Answer: plenty!

My own selection (at present!) would be as follows:

April

17th

At Bagni di Lucca. Via Crucis. Traditional Good Friday procession

18^h

At 21.00 ‘Processione dei crocioni’ at Castiglione della Garfagnana. Re-enactment of Christ’s Via Dolorosa procession with Last Supper, Kiss of Judas, flagellation and Cross-bearing chained and barefoot white-hooded local as Christ. For more about this incredibly evocative manifestation see my posts at

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/feet-washing-and-cross-carrying/

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/the-passion-according-to-castiglione-di-garfagnana/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/passionate-events-in-tuscany/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/a-passion-evening-in-castiglione-della-garfagnana/

21^st

Pasqua (Easter Day)

As the Italian saying goes: ‘Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi’ (Spend Christmas with your family and Easter with who you like).

22^nd

Pasquetta (Easter Monday).

A traditional time in Italy for excursions, walks, cycling, perhaps even seaside Easter is so late this year.

How about this event?

Marlia, Villa Reale. All day. Botanical treasure hunt. (Specially for children but adults will find it amusing too). Discover new plants and flowers and enjoy the royal villa’s gardens.

25^th

Giorno della liberazione. Italian liberation day. National holiday. It’s liberation day in Italy from the axis powers. Perhaps there might soon be a liberation day in the UK from brexitism?

27^th

Lucca piazza dell’anfiteatro. Festa di Santa Zita. Flower market in celebration of Lucca’s patron Saint, Santa Zita. For more about this delightful festival and the sweet story of Saint Zita see my posts at:

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/from-flour-to-flowers-festa-di-santa-zita/

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/four-great-luccan-spiritual-women/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/iced-up-in-lucca/

https://longoio3.com/2018/04/27/luccas-saint-zita-converts-flour-to-flowers/

28^th

At 15.00 Fornoli parish hall. Tombola (otherwise known as Bingo).

May

12^th Messa di Maggio (May Mass) at 11.00 at the Convento dell’Angelo, Ponte a Moriano. Singers from Accademia di Montegral directed by Gustav Kuhn. Shuttle service from Ponte a Moriano car park (behind theatre) at 9.30 returning at 12.00

For more on Easter time at Montegral see my posts at:

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/an-angels-monday/

https://longoio.wordpress.com/2014/04/21/easter-morning-on-the-mountain-of-the-holy-grail/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2015/04/06/our-way-to-spend-easter/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/how-we-spent-our-easter-2016/

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2017/04/17/mshiha-qam/

https://longoio3.com/2018/05/16/stereo-tipi-choir-shine-on-holy-grail-mountain/

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For those of you unable to attend Bagni di Lucca’s Spring Jazz concert packed Chiesa Anglicana here are some photos of the event plus some video bits: