The Belfry

Well, the plans have been made and we’re going to southern France for our bike tour 2007. The date is the last week in April and the route is Avignon to Nice. It was a bit complicated organizing how we would get there. There will be three of us making the the tour, two from Hamburg and one from München. At first I was looking at taking the train. It is easy to take our bikes with us and there are good connections. But the trip from Hamburg to Avignon is over 20 hours and even as much as I enjoy train travel I had to admit that is a rather long time. So, the next idea was to fly. There are flights to Avignon but they require a couple of changes and are rather expensive. But from Hamburg (and München) there are many inexpensive flights to Nice. So, I thought, how about flying to Nice, taking a train to Avignon, bicycling back to Nice and flying home. And that is what we will do.
The only thing was to make sure that we could take our bicycles with us on the plane. I ended up going to the Lufthansa ticket office at the Hamburg airport and the woman I spoke with there was very helpful in getting us inexpensive flights on planes that had the baggage capacity for also carrying bicycles. (The bargain airlines generally fly small planes and were unsure if they could even take a single bike. And when you add up the landing fees, taxes, service fees, etc. they are only a few Euros cheaper than with a major carrier anyway.)
The happy result was that now I have tickets in hand for the three of us and we’ll soon be biking through Provence. The main goal for this trip (aside from the wine and cheese) is the the Grand Canyon du Verdon. Except for the Gorges du Verdon and a few other points of interest, the exact route we’ll take has not been decided and probably won’t be until we’ve done it. And since we’ll have seven days for cycling we should be able to take a pretty indirect route and see a fair amount of the region.

Just a quick post with a picture of “Hummel” (German for bumblebee), our new family member.

She’s been with us a week now. Both blackcat and I are very glad to have this new little “Wesen” (being, creature) sharing our home. We have the feeling that Hummel is happy with us too. It is obvious that she was mistreated in the past but she is quickly learning to trust us and that is good feeling.

Today, Sunday, we adopted a cat. Yesterday, my wife, blackcat, opened the bi-weekly newspaper for our neck-of-the-woods and turned immediately to the section that more often than not contains an article from the local “Tierheim” (animal shelter). There was a picture of “Hummel” (bumblebee). The description of this cat seemed to match what we had discussed as our desire for a new member of the family exactly. She was an adult cat (~six years old) and had had a less than pleasent life and needed a new home that was quiet and where she would be the only cat.
blackcat called the Tierheim the next morning and well, a short while later Hummel was being introduced to her new home. She seems to adapting well to her new surroundings. It will take a few days before she really feels at home. And she is at home. We made the decision to bring her into our life and she is now our responsibility. We can not, like those before, simply throw her away.
Follow-up and a picture will follow.

Music has been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. I don’t play a musical instrument but I do listen to music of all kinds both live and recorded. (Well, that’s not strictly true. I don’t listen to all kinds, just good music.) Since I listen to recordings I have also had a parallel interest in sound reproduction. You know, hi-fi and all that. I have a technical background and am fortunate enough to have the skills needed to have built some of the electronics I currently use.
But of course I can’t build a CD-player or pair of headphones (well, I suppose I could if I had the necessary equipment but then that would cost way more than the items would) so that means occasional product research and purchase at the HiFi store and/or on the Web. Some of what I see there just amazes me. I don’t mean in the sense of the current state of the art in sound reproduction. That has steadily improved to a point where a modest expenditure can give you a system that will produce fantastic fidelity. No, what amazes me is the complete disregard for physics, and logic, that permeates the “high-end” audio market place. Vinyl records played on 10.000 dollar turntables. Tube amplifiers. (”Vastly superior” sound than from a CD or transistor, respectively.) Shielded power cords. Specially braided speaker cables. CD demagnitizers. And all for LOTS of money.
I recently ran across a Web-site, http://www.bruce.coppola.name/audio/wisdom.html, by Bruce Coppola that does a good job of bringing together information for the rational among us that just want the best fidelity for our money (and a laugh at the expense of the “golden ears”). Check it out.

Every year since 1996 Hamburg has hosted a bicycle race, The Cyclassics, for professionals and amateurs. The amateurs can choose between a 55km, a 100km, or a 155km route. For the first few years I did this race I did the 55km course. Last year a friend and riding partner, Volker, convinced me we should try the 100km route. I was a bit concerned going into it. I mean I have ridden 100km and more in a day many times but had never done such a distance with the point being to do it in as short a time as possible!
Well, the short story is, we did it and though it was hard work it felt great. Certainly the high point of the 100km course is crossing the Köhlbrandbrücke, a rather impressive bridge over the river Elbe. It is a high point because, well, it’s high, it is very cool to have the opportunity to cross this bridge on a bike, and it marks the beginning of the home stretch to the finish line.
Here’s Volker and I (I’m on the right) as we begin the descent. Just a few kilometers more!

The picture was taken by a service company, First Foto Factory. I only just recently saw it because it was filed under their “unidentified” category. I bought a print for each of us. There we were on the Köhlbrandbrücke!
So, the registration just wrapped up for this years race. 22.000 particpants with 10.000 doing the 100km course! Volker and I will be among them on August 19th. I’m already looking forward to it!

I am always on the look out for recordings of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” that I have not yet heard. A couple of months ago, I purchased a new/old recording of a performance conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch with the Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper (EMI 0946 3 58607 2 6). This is a re-release of a recording made in 1972. It is very good and has become one of my favorites. A surprise came in the second act when I heard something new. A duet by Tamino and Papageno, “Pamina, wo bist du?” sung at the beginning of their trials.
The duet is rather light and I personally question whether it was even written by Mozart. I searched the Net and found only references to this recording. The question remained, where did the duet come from? Well, I thought, why not write to Mr. Sawallisch? So, I did. And he was very kind to write back with an answer.
Apparently the source of the duet is an entry in the appendix to the complete Köchel catalog. Mr. Sawallisch said that since it is so difficult to do something new with such an often recorded piece such as Die Zauberflöte, he decided to include the duet in his intrepretation. And he knows of no other performance.
The next step is to track down a copy of the Köchel catalog. None of the on-line listings that I have found has this duet. The university library lists a print copy so, when time permits, I will follow this up and will post an update when I know more.

Sixteen years ago a young cat showed up at our door. He had been abandoned. We lived in a rural area and he was not the first cat that someone had thrown away in the area. But this cat was not feral and was probably tossed when, as male cats do, he started spraying. We took a liking to him and after a few days we decided we would adopt him. That meant a visit to the Vet for shots and neutering. I named him Jupiter. He was a very gentle cat and we quickly became very attached him and he to us. Our other cat, Tasha, even gradually came to tolerate him.
Five years later, I got a job offer that meant moving from central California to Germany. My wife’s only concern about the move was whether we would be able to bring along our cats. We could and we did.
Sadly, Tasha died a couple of years later. That was in 1997. She was almost seventeen years old. Her death left a large empty spot in our “family”.
Today, it was Jupiter who left us. He was a good friend. We will miss him. Very, very much.

Well, blackcat and I were in London (Reading, actually) this past week and we had a great time. The main reason for the trip was to visit with our good friends P. and K. and cook up a Thanksgiving feast. Preparations began on Friday with shopping and making the desserts. The party was on Saturday. As usual, I did the turkey and stuffing. This year P. did a great dressing and I think that he should prepare the bird next year. (And I can spend more time on pies!)
This was our eighth year together. It has become quite a tradition. Many of the guests from previous years have also become regulars. Even though blackcat and I only see them once a year, it always seems like it was only last weekend. It’s that kind of group.
This year P.’s sister flew in from Athens to be there for her first Thanksgiving. It was great to meet her. Unfortunately, K.’s brother couldn’t make it this year. There’s always next year.
It was a fine day. I’m already looking forward to next year.

I recently purchased a vinyl record. In order to hear it, I had to purchase a record player. And a phono preamp to correctly apply the necessary emphasis/de-emphasis curve and boost the signal enough for my computer to capture. For the record (pun intended), the player is a Pro-Ject Debut III with an Ortofon OM 5E cartridge and the preamp is the NAD model PP 2. Basic, entry-level audiophile stuff.
I’ve listened to the album a number of times now on my iPod. In fact, I have not even heard the album via an analog signal path. I listened while digitizing but of course that was via the digital signal path in the Mac. Maybe I will plug my headphone amp directly into the phono preamp and see how that sounds. Or not…
I think I already know what the analog junkies are on about. Even on the ‘Pod the sound is indeed “warmer” than from a digital recording, i.e., CD. (Note that I didn’t say “better”. Read on.) So, apparently the medium itself (undulating grooves), the cartridge and the preamp are determining the “record” sound. So, what is the difference? I think that it actually has something to do with a slight lack of clarity and definition. There are probably a few more harmonics coming into play as well. That would explain the “roundness” that I see mentioned when people schwärm von (rave about) records.
But I don’t think that sound is what it really is all about. Playing a record is much different from a CD. It’s hands-on. Arguing that a record sounds better and all that is just an excuse. I think it is the physical act of preparing and playing a record that people don’t want to give up.
Compare:
1.
a) pop open a plastic container
b) take out CD
c) insert in player (CD disappears)
d) press button
e) hear music
to
2.
a) take up record jacket in left(right) hand
b) lightly press jacket against your bosom causing it to yield and open slightly
c) carefully insert right(left) hand and gently extract record in sleeve
d) set down jacket and transfer record in sleeve to left(right) hand
e) repeat forgoing procedure (more-or-less) to extract record from sleeve
f) gently cradling the record at center and edge, set down sleeve
g) now using both hands, touching the record only on the edge, center record over spindle and lower onto turntable (record remains visible)
h) press button (casual relationship), toggle a precious metal lever (relationship on firm ground) or rotate a hand-turned, oiled, rare-wood knob (mistress) to begin turntable rotation
i) clean record using a tactile and very personal technique based on your relationship and the needs of your partner, er, record (may involve fluids)
j) position the tonearm over the desired position on your record and gently lower the needle into place
k) revel in the THUMP delivered to your senses as your record receives the needle
l) swoon to the anticipatory hiss as the needle is guided to the beginning of your selection
m) hear music
Optional: Entertain yourself while listening by watching 1. cold blue digits incrementing or 2. the spectral play of light and the tone arm making subtle yet sensual undulations as your record spins.

Happy listening
– Michael

On a recent getaway to Copenhagen, blackcat and I were out strolling, taking in the city (looking for a restaurant we’d eaten at before and enjoyed, actually), and passed by a used record shop. We were a few steps past it when something I had seen in the shop window registered. “Was that what I think it was?”, I said out load and turned back. Sure enough, it was a copy of “Surf’s Up” from the Beach Boys. That was once a favorite record of mine and I hadn’t heard it in years. Since at least as far back as Oct. 17, 1989 at 5:04pm. That was when my HiFi system was trashed by an earthquake. (We used to live in California, you see.) I didn’t replace the turntable and sold all my records.
Anyway, after blackcat listened to me going on for a couple of minutes about how great “Surf’s Up” is she said “just buy it” and so I did. I recorded it to CD (how is covered in another post) and have listened to it at least a half a dozen times in the last week.
So, after all those years, is it still as good as I remember. In a word, yes.
The track “Disney Girls (1957)” is brilliant. It was and still is my favorite track on the album. This is a very dark song, almost creepy. “For reality is not for me and it makes me laugh”. This is a ballad about image versus reality which itself has a real split-personality. Beautiful, almost sugary melody with those creepy lyrics. This song captures the culture so well. It plays with disheartening relevance today. These guys are (were) just a few years older than I and grew up in more-or-less the same generation as I did. The Hollywood movies of the ’50s and ’60s fed us their Technicolor vision of a life that we were led to yearn for but simply wasn’t true. “Patti Page and summer days on old Cape Cod…Fantasy world and Disney girls I’m coming back.”
A much different mood in “Take a Load off Your Feet”. This is a fun song. If there is a deep meaning, I’ve missed it. But then again that line “Take good care of yourself ’cause nobody else will” is a bit odd.
To the tune of “Riot in Cell Block No. 9″ there’s “It’s Student Demonstration Time”. Listen to the lyrics. They really are pretty powerful. “The pen is mightier than the sword but it’s no match for a gun.”
And the Beach Boys also get in a couple of environmental messages with “Don’t Go Near the Water” and “Life of a Tree”. The former is pretty good. The latter is, well, kinda silly.
The title song and the one just before, “‘Til I Die” are both very sophisticated and very beautiful ballads. “Surf’s Up” is musically the better of the two, “‘Til I Die” lyrically.
One track, “Feel Flows”, sounds good but never really moved me. Ho hum.
It was great hearing this album again. If you only know the Beach Boys from their surfin’ music, this will surprise you. Good stuff even if a bit uneven.
– Michael