the beautiful and the strange

Good evening, Clarice

Onto more highbrow music, now, as I feel moved to point you in the direction of this year's Rieth Lectures. Daniel Barenboim, who I'd never heard of until now, has been an absolutely brilliant choice to deliver them. Over the course of five weeks he's discussed issues of music - from the poetics of how it affects us to the abuse it may undergo in the wrong hands - with wit, sharpness, poetry, and perception. The only downside, as Marcel Berlins points out, is that he's a terrible snob who can't conceive of any good music beyond his own love of high classical. Still, just carry it over to whichever kind you're into. But still; go and listen! This is absolutely compelling radio.

After tea, tonight, I happened to glance down at the floor at what I'd assumed was a crumb of food. When I bent down to clear it up, I found it was a mouse's face that'd been carefully removed behind the eyes. It was truly one of the strangest things I've ever seen! Welcome to the world of Hannibal Lecter...