Favourite Poetry

"And it was at that age...
Poetry arrived in search of me.
I don't know. I don't know where it came from,
from winter or a river.
I don't known how or when,
no, they were not voices, they were not words, nor silence,
but from a street I was summoned,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among violent fires
or returning alone,
there I was without a face
and it touched me.

I did not know what to say, my mouth
had no way with names,
my eyes were blind,
and something started in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering that fire,
and I wrote the first faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense, pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing,
and suddenly I saw the heavens
unfastened and open,
planets, palpitating plantations,
shadow perforated,
riddled with arrows, fire and flowers,
the winding night, the universe.

And I, infinitesimal being,
drunk with the great starry void,
likeness, image of mystery,
felt myself a pure part of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars, my heart broke loose on the wind.

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

Kind visitors have directed me to this site on Neruda

The City

The City is an amazing place. I went to an annual law lecture given an old friend and sponsored by my university in a livery company hall in Threadneedle St and was astonished as always at the number of eminent people who came, and of course the quality of the talk. But on the way there, I walked the familar streets in the early evening and felt the energy of the people flocking to the trains and tubes, and marvelled at the beauty of the buildings and the fresh vistas constantly opening up in the renewal of place and purpose in that small patch of London.

Click the heading for more photos of the City at night

Barak Obama Wins! 2008

"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today."

Martin Luther King
1963

Favourite Restaurants - The River Cafe

The River Cafe never fails. Superb atmosphere - the 'mise en scene' is perfect - wonderful lighting making women look more beautiful - the freshest of fresh ingredients used in deceptively simple dishes, charming and attractive staff and the constant presence of one of the founders to ensure its standards never drop. The tables are bit close together and the hubbub almost engulfs the room in the late evening (it's never less than totally full), and if you are seated too close to the open fire it can be a bit warm....but these are quibbles. Take your fullest wallet, your prettiest friends and a taxi (because you won't find it if you try and drive there and you want more of that delicious Pinot Bianco and a grappa to finish off with)

Favourite Songs - Kathleen Ferrier 'Land of Hope and Glory'

 

  Land of Hope and Glory, sung by my mother's favourite singer, Kathleen Ferrier

This was the note posted on YouTube with this recording (which has the characteristic scratching sound made by slightly damaged records)

"In 1951 KF was diagnosed with the illness which in October 1953 caused her early death. In November 1951 the Free Trade Hall in Manchester was packed for a Gala Reopening Concert (in the presence of the Queen - later the Queen Mother) following bomb damage in World War II. KF was recovering from her surgery, and subsequent treatments. Sir John Barbirolli asked if she was strong enough to sing the Final Piece. It had never been in her repertoire as she associated it with big contraltos with very big voices from earlier in the century. She readily agreed to Sir John's request and what we hear is her only rendition of Land of Hope and Glory by Elgar. She sings it in the unmistakeable Ferrier tradition, permitting the choir and audience to sing the patriotic overtones.

The music critic of the Manchester Guardian ended his critique thus "It was fine and it was right, but lovers of the tune will fear that never again can they hope to hear it in such glory".

Coventry's Awe-Inspiring Cathedral

Part of the ruins of the old cathedral, the Sutherland tapestry over the altar and John Piper's Baptistry window, said to be 'probably the greatest piece of stained glass since the Reformation'. Click each for a larger view

Coventry Cathedral was burnt down in German air raids on the night of 14/15th November 1940 and a new cathedral reconstructed beside the shell in the 1950s. The Queen laid its foundation stone in 1956 and the new Cathedral was consecrated in 1962. Herry attended the service with his mother Annette and grandmother, Lady Herbert. Sir Alfred Herbert had made donations towards the reconstruction and the commissioning of the art works within it, as well as to his museum The Herbert nearby, but died in 1957.

The new cathedral was designed by Basil Spence. Graham Sutherland's tapestry of Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph dominates the East End, while John Hutton's screen of Saints and Angels allows the light from the fomer cathedral ruins into the Lady Chapel. John Piper's Baptistry window is said to be 'probably the greatest piece of stained glass since the Reformation'. Epstein's St Michael and the Devil guards the cathedral steps. Other contributors include Elizabeth Frink who fashioned the bronze eagle lectern given by Sir Alfred Herbert's children and grandchildren, and Ralph Beyer whose beautiful carved calligraphy adorns the walls. The whole is extraordinarily moving and beautiful.

Click the heading for more photos of the cathedral

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry Reopening 2008

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry was reopened following extensive reconstruction on 29th October 2008, as the city's main art gallery, museum, history and media centre. The museum was originally constructed from donations by Sir Alfred Herbert and was first opened in 1960 by my grandmother, Lady Nina Herbert. My brother Piers and I were invited to the reopening as descendants of the Herberts (details of which can be found in Herry's Archive).

There are now eight permanent galleries for its own collections together with a new history centre, housing archives documenting the life of the city through almost 800 years of its existence. There are also five temporary exhibition spaces and another five visitor galleries in which they show work across the arts and from some of the great museums and galleries in the country. Gallery 1 currently has an exhibition of photographs from the V&A, the while Gallery 4 contains an exhibition of the unusual work of Ana-Maria Pacheco. Added to which, no less than three 'George Eliots’ circle the galleries declaiming lines from her writings and bringing a touch of amusing realism to everyday Coventry.

The Herbert must now be one of the finest city museums and art galleries in Britain - and the cafe is excellent too!

Click the heading for some photos of the Herbert

Favourite Galleries - the National Portrait Gallery

It is always such a treat to visit the National Portrait Gallery. Not only are many of the paintings stunning but one also immerses oneself in history.

Anne Boleyn

Click here for more photos

Dinner For One

Dinner for One - Freddie Frinton and May Warden

Strangely, this short film, recorded in 1963 for German Television, is hardly known in England. It is one of the funniest sketches ever filmed as well as being a wonderful reminder of the days of butlers and 'dressing for dinner'. It is still invariably shown at New Year on German and Scandinavian television where it is revered as a classic of 'British humor'.

Click the heading for the full story of the sketch (with thanks to our friends, the Wettons, for introducing us to it!)

The Most Amazing Toy in the World

When I first got an iPhone at the beginning of the year, I thought it revolutionary and wrote about it here. Since then, I have got the 3G version and loaded it up with apps from the Apps Store, most of which are free.

Today, it's an indispensable toy on which I can carry on the easiest of text conversations, check up on friends' doings on Facebook, post tweets (via Twitter), deal with my e-mail in darkest India, navigate my way to lunch (on Maps), record notes (on iDictaphone), find out what's nearby (on Vicinity), check on a tune (with Shazam - though sadly it's not much good on classical recordings), listen to radio (on WunderRadio), look at photos (on Mobile Fotos and Picasa), book a restaurant - by phone or on-line, read the paper (IHT or New York Times), buy stuff (on Amazon), move money around (using my bank's online site), and look for information (on iPedia). One can even find numbers by speaking at the phone (Say Who) or send an e-mail from the car using Dail2Do!.

Some of the best fun is amusing children by showing them Thomas the Tank Engine videos on YouTube while at lunch soemwhere or letting them play in the Koi Pond!

Recently, I have added the Cams Ahoy app, which emits buzzes and squeaks when you get within a pre-determined distance from a speed or red light camera - and even tells you what the current speed limit is. What is more, it emits a growl when you exceed the speed limit by 5mph - a true 'big brother' app!

In the evening, one can sit on the sofa and read a book on the very legible screen courtesy of eReader, or with the the phone on wi-fi look for a recording that one likes YouTube or iTunes, downloading it straight to the iPhone. It's the most complete and useful toy in existence.