When I was in school, I really enjoyed the study of history. I always made good grades no matter in which history course I was enrolled, high school or college. Therefore, it was frustratingly amusing (and maddening at the same time) when this lady spent about 15 minutes trying to convince me that Benjamin Franklin was the second President of the United States. Now in my recollection, Benjamin Franklin was many things; author, printer, inventor, scholar, statesman, Ambassador to France; but he was never elected President. I finally told the lady that this would be big news to John Adams who not only spent 8 years as the second President but was also the first to reside in the White House. He was also the first and only President to have his son also elected President until George W. stole the 2000 election from Al Gore, however, I digress. At any rate, the lady left still utterly convinced I was crazy and she was right. It makes me wonder in which alternate universe she went to school wherein Benjamin Franklin was elected President and John Adams was the Ambassador to France. Just one of those things that makes one go Hmmmmmmm?
Moving on to a somewhat more sane conversation, I have a rather interesting piece of music in the video for today. The Piano Concerto in C Major, Opus 39 by Feruccio (Dante Michaelangelo Benvenuto) Busoni. Busoni met Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann and in 1888, in Helsinki, he met not only his future wife but began a lifelong friendship with Jean Sibelius. This Concerto plays more like a Symphony than a Concerto, including a Choral Interlude near the end. Today's performance is by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Mark Elder and featuring Peter Donohoe as the Piano Soloist. Following the video is rather striking collection of photographs of terrifically toned young men who are more or less clad in their Mondays Undies for your visual stimulation. Thanks for the visit, see you again soon. Until next time as always, Enjoy!
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