Oh- so curling- that's what that is... I thought they were just sweeping the ice for the figure skaters-with one of those auto-vac robots. Maybe that is why it is so darn spippery!

Oh- one of my favorite flute concertos that I forgot to mention- William Bolcom Lyric Concerto

Ah, Uncle Rico… you are a wise and insightful flutist. I didn’t think any of those actually existed. Thanks for setting me straight!

Just a note on the curling: Really! Why IS this a sport? The only time I EVER see it is at the Olympics. But I do enjoy watching the people “sweep” the ice. I wonder what that does? Do you suppose they have not only a “smoother” but a “frictioner” as well?

Thanks Smack!!
and you I know I think you rock...

ok-ok we should probably get off of the curling business because it is not on topic..shame shame on us!- but here is my theory on how it came to be. Since many olympic athletes work at l'home Depot I think "curling" is what they do with the brooms in the aisles when business is slow... Maybe musicians who are on the audition or competition curcuit can strike a similar deal to work at a big chain store while they are in training, but are able to take the time of when needed?

I've got to weigh in on this curling issue before we completely put the topic to rest...i've got to say i've been watching a lot of curling these past few days and it's a really interesting sport, and, no cygnus, however easy it looks i guarantee you couldn't come close to beating them! it takes a LOT of finesse and knowing the ice and knowing how much weight to throw to send the rock 94 feet down the ice to land precisely where they want it to. it's like a big version of pool, where you aim at the side of a ball with the cue ball to bounce it off this other ball to then get it to go in the pocket...a lot of strategy and a lot of good aim and a lot of really good practice. the ice is not completely smooth; it's got little bumps and ridges in it, and the sweepers are trying to smooth the ice to allow the rock to travel a little further before friction stops it. Really interesting if you give it a chance and learn the rules. Okay! Just had to weigh in. Now we can go back to talking about flute.

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Can you imagine if that happened in orchestra concerts. If we had commentators- "OOhh-she missed that trill- left out that appogiatura and didn;t quite rotate well on the nachschlag. Give me a break!!!

Sorry, still kinda off topic, but wanted to comment on this. I just wondered, Uncle Rico, if you have heard the P.D.Q. Bach recording that does just that? Sorry, can't remember the name of it right now, but it's a commentated version of Beethoven 5, well worth a listen!

I haven't heard that PDQ Bach but it sounds like a hoot- I'll have to give a listen!

thanks!

It's from "The Stoned Guest" when a singer holds a very long note and gasps to grab a quick breath, and someone yells out, "I heard that!!" The other instance is Beethoven's Fifth Symphony as if it were a horse race.