I like to watch Britain's Got Talent now and then during the initial stages, mainly because I can't get enough of the delicious Amanda Holden!
To be fair, most of the acts one sees at this stage are pretty much... forgettable.
Now and then though... the programme throws up some amazing gems... which leaves us 'drop jawed' and stunned... amazed in the realisation... that there ARE some fantastic hidden talents out there in Britain! Remember Paul Potts or Connie Talbot?
Saturday threw up such a moment... and brought us Susan Boyle, truly a gem from West Lothian!!
Susan Boyle's story is very ordinary... her looks are... it has to be said, with all due respect to her... very ordinary too. But boy... when she started to sing, her powerful rendition of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables (or Les Mis as it's popularly known), it really made everyone sit up!
Susan Boyle's beautiful voice, in perfect pitch, surprised everyone... especially the panel members who's stunned look was hilarious.... judge for yourself:
Note: Unfortunately... for reasons best known to YouTube, the embedding of this video has been "disabled by request"!! (Whose request I wonder... the programme makers??) Anyway... there's loads of Susan Boyle videos available on YouTube... click here!
Amazing right? They say... 'never judge a book by its cover'... but of course, we all did... but, this was yet another moment that brings home to us how true this phrase is in relation to people too!
Susan Boyle creates one of those moments... when the hair on the back of your neck tingles... and for no apparent reason... one stupidly feels like crying.... well those of us who have a heart that is!
Amanda Holden said it was a "complete privilege listening to that"... and I'm pretty sure you agree right? I hope you too thoroughly enjoyed Susan Boyle's first moment of stardom. I'm betting it won't be her last!
Good on yer Susan... I take my hat off to you!!
Update - Wednesday 15th April 2009 : Tonight... the sensation Susan Boyle has created... with nearly 8 million views of her various videos on YouTube... has propelled Susan to even make it on BBC 1's Evening News at 6 o'clock!
Those of you who read my blog regularly will know that I rarely comment on UK politics... I don't have any strong political affiliations or axe to grind. My politics have always tended to be liberal with a small 'l'.
Today though, I'm making an exception... as I really have had enough of Gordon Brown's morally defunct government!
In 1887, the historian and moralist, Lord Acton, in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton, expressed his opinion that "power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men".
Well, I don't for one second think Gordon Brown would ever fall into the category of 'great men' in anyone's mind... but I have come to the conclusion that this Labour government led by the un-elected Gordon Brown... is corrupt and morally lost!
This latest episode, involving the e-mails which planned the smearing of senior Tories by Damian McBride, the prime minister's former 'top adviser' and political press officer, which found their way to a Westminster blogger, Paul Staines who writes the Guido Fawkes Blog, is for me... the very last straw! I've had enough of this bunch of clowns... and yes I know... probably long after many of you came to this same conclusion. I do believe this Government has completely lost the confidence of the whole country now... if not maybe for a very small minority who perhaps blinkerdly... still read 'Red Rag'!
This latest blunder, at the very centre of No 10, when added to all the recent sleaze disclosures over Ministers' and MPs' expenses and most importantly of all to my mind, the Government's inability to deal properly with the Banks and the 'credit crunch' crisis... makes me think it really is time for Gordon Brown to call it a day!
The trouble is... if and when he goes... what next?
Saying something does not work is not good enough... unless you can say what WILL work... and I don't really have an answer to that! Once we arrive at the conclusion that Gordon must go, especially at a time when the UK and the world is screaming out for strong sensible Government and leadership, what are our alternatives?
David Cameron and George Osborne are unfit to govern, not because of any old photos, real or imagined, or visits to clinics, (the smearing planned by McBride) but because they don’t know what they want to do with power and are simply hoping Labour hand it over to the Tories... on a plate! After all... look what's happening to London under the buffoon Boris Johnson! How did this guy EVER get elected? Livingstone... though I didn't always necessarily agree with some of his politics... to my mind did a good job for London... didn't he? But that's a slightly different story... perhaps of electorates getting what they deserve!
As for alternatives to Gordon Brown and Labour... this really is a problem for the country.
I still remember vividly... the mess that Conservatives got us into during their last tenures... and I do NOT want to return to that. While I quite like Cameron as a person... and he IS particularly good during PMQ's at the 'despatch box' I don't think he has what the country needs right now... and this, to my mind, is firm and experienced intelligent leadership.
As I scan the political panorama, the only person who shines... and seems to me to be possibly capable of providing what the UK needs right now... is Vince Cable. He's about the only balanced voice that has consistently sounded like knowing what he's talking about on the economy... and the only voice that has provided a sensible approach to dealing with the financial mess that Gordon Brown has been... if not directly responsible for... has been incapable of providing any real leadership over. Brown's certainly not making things better... and Vince Cable just might!
Trouble is, the country will never elect a Liberal government... and I wouldn't want one led by the insubstantial Clegg anyway.
Here's a thought... in times of crisis in the past, the UK has chosen to go for Coalition Governments... and there's no question the country IS in crisis, over the economy... and society generally!
How about Vince Cable, as Leader of a sound, sensible, non-sleaze coalition Government, perhaps with Ken Clarke as his Chancellor of the Exchequer... and William Hague as Foreign Secretary (he has been sympathetic towards Gibraltar in the past)... now I'd vote for that!!
Oh and yes... I know... I did say I didn't want more of the old Conservatives and I've chosen two for my 'fantasy cabinet'! But... the difference is, both Clarke (a wet in Thatcher's day) and Hague are from the more acceptable side of Toryism... plus, with their experience they do still inspire confidence with most people... well, at least with me anyway!
One can dream... but I really worry for what's coming. The one thing I do know for sure is... Gordon Brown and his clowns... must go... and Gawd 'elp us with what comes next. Whatever it is... I can't see it being much worse than the mess Brown (and as a result the UK) is in... can you?
Since it's Easter... and since this week also marks the 250th anniversary of the death of George Frideric Handel, one of the most celebrated English composers... I thought I would tie these two moments together and offer you a little bit of the much loved 'Hallelujah Chorus' from Handel'sMessiah!
'Messiah' was conceived originally for secular theatre and was first performed during Lent, because of the theme it covers... the presentation of Jesus' life and its significance according to Christian doctrine, it is very much also tied to the Easter period.
Whilst it may have become more common practice, especially since Handel's death, to perform Messiah during Advent, the preparatory period leading up to the Christmas season, rather than during Lent or at Easter, Messiah is still often performed in churches as well as in concert halls at Easter.
Christmas concerts often feature only the first section of Messiah plus the 'Hallelujah' chorus, although some ensembles feature the entire work as a Christmas concert.
Nevertheless, the work is still also very much heard at Eastertide, and selections containing resurrection themes, along with the much loved 'Hallelujah' chorus, are often included in Easter services, particularly because the text of this most famous movement, which concludes the second of the three parts, is drawn from three passages in the New Testament book of Revelation:
"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Revelation 19:6)
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever! (Revelation 11:15)
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings... and Lord of Lords! (Revelation 19:16)
This video offers the more traditional 'Hallelujah' chorus, performed here by the Ambrosian Singers, a small professional London choir founded in 1951:
For best results... turn your speakers UP!
All Stand for the 'Hallelujah' Chorus
In many parts of the world, it is the accepted practice for the audience to stand for this section of the performance.
Tradition has it that King George II rose to his feet at this point. As the first notes of the triumphant Hallelujah Chorus rang out, the king rose. Royal protocol has always demanded that whenever the monarch stands, so does everyone in the monarch's presence. Thus, the entire audience stood too, initiating a tradition that has lasted more than two centuries. It is lost to history the exact reason why the King stood at that point, but the most popular explanations include:
As was and is the custom, one stands in the presence of royalty as a sign of respect. The Hallelujah chorus clearly places Christ as the King of Kings. In standing, King George II accepts that he too is subject to Lord of Lords.
He was so moved by the performance that he rose to his feet.
He arrived late to the performance, and the crowd rose when he finally made an appearance.
His gout acted up at that precise moment and he rose to relieve the discomfort.
After an hour of musical performance, he needed to stretch his legs.
There is another story told (perhaps apocryphally) about this chorus that Handel's assistant walked in to Handel's room after shouting to him for several minutes with no response. The assistant reportedly found Handel in tears. When asked what was wrong, Handel held up the score to this movement and said, "I thought I saw the face of God"!
A Soulful Celebration
The 'Hallelujah' chorus is also very popular with Gospel Choirs around the world. Here is a very typical example from the Celebration Gospel Choir:
This is a cover song from the award-winning CD Take 6 produced by Mervyn Warren et al, a Black Music Version of the oratory of Georg Friedrich Handel from 1741. The Original CD featured many well known R&B artists like Al Jarreau, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Quincy Jones, Patti Austin, and many more, and won a Grammy in 1993.
According to the YouTube video, the Celebration Gospel Choir are the first to perform the whole work live. This performance was filmed on Dec 13, 2008 at the Capitol in Mannheim, Germany.
Personally, while I can enjoy both, I tend to favour the more traditional version which is one of my all time favourite choral works. Singing the 'Hallelujah' chorus in the safety of a church congregation (lost and hidden away in the crowd) is a great pleasure. It's also great for singing along at bath time, the only time I should ever be allowed to sing. That in itself is debated by some and it is said, an exercise certainly not for the appreciation by others!
BBC Radio 3 Programmes - Handel's Messiah, Handel Week
BBC Radio 3 will be broadcasting a special concert of Handel's Messiah, during their Handel Week, at 19:00 BST on Tuesday 14th April 2009. The concert will be broadcast from Westminster Abbey to mark the 250th anniversary of Handel's death.
Westminster Abbey is the place where Handel is buried, and during his lifetime it was the focal point for much of his religious music.
If you miss this broadcast... you may be able to catch it later on the BBC iPlayer (UK residents only) using this link... but you'll have to hurry as it will only be available for a short time. If you missed it... there's always a very reasonably priced recording available at Amazon... see below!
Today is Good Friday... and on Good Friday Catholics and Christians across the world commemorate and remember the day that Jesus was killed on the cross... an event that is central to Christian theology.
He was nailed to a wooden cross by Roman soldiers. This is the reason why the cross is an important sign for Christians today. There are crosses in churches and many Christians wear a cross on a chain. At Easter people eat 'hot cross' buns which have a cross shape on the top... and are delicious (I love them toasted with a little butter and jam).
Christ's Crucifixion is remembered across the world today. In Jerusalem large crowds of Christians take the same path as Jesus along the Via Dolorosa. This is replicated in many other countries, where people act out the story of Jesus' last day while others march in processions or watch and think about the events which happened long ago.
Good Friday, for Christians, is traditionally supposed to be a sad day and churches never have flowers or decorations on this day. However, with society moving into more secular times these days, many do not celebrate, remember or even know what Good Friday is about. If you want to know or need to refresh your memory, you can find out more about Good Friday here.
Now to get to my point... and I know you may have been a little surprised by my blog post's subject heading... having said a little bit about what this day is about... what I want to especially do today, as my contribution to Good Friday is... to remind you about the universal Christian belief that Jesus gave up his life for the good of everyone.
To do this, I am sharing with you today, a lovely song from an old favourite of mine... Yusuf Islam... who used to be known by his stage name of Cat Stevens:
A is for Allah is the title song of a double album created for Muslim children by Yusuf Islam, (formerly known as Cat Stevens), released in July 2000 and was posted on YouTube... in support of peace across the world!
This song was written in 1980 upon the birth of his first child, a daughter named Hasanah. Because she was the first of five living children to come, Yusuf Islam's concerns about how she was to learn the Arabic language, to read and understand the Qu'ran, while living in Western society struck home. He himself was raised in London, the same city where they still lived, and had kept a home there throughout his life. Islam was a recent convert to Islam himself, and was just realizing the great task laid before him, and many other Muslim families in securing an Islamic education as well as schooling that could be considered the very best he could give his children.
Thus, Yusuf Islam as a Muslim musician, used the song as a vehicle to teach children about the 28-letter Arabic alphabet, creating a very lovely song and video in the process... and giving us a little bit of an antidote against all the 'bad press' that we are bombarded with these days... about Islam and Muslims.
Today, on this Good Friday... I am using it to remind us that, as the song says, there is only one God... who died for all of us on the Cross at Golgotha.
Have a Good Friday all... and a Happy Easter!
Read more about Good Friday and Easter @ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Yusuf's Latest Hit Album
Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) is an incredible songwriter. We know this because he's released a heap of inimitable songs through the years, beginning with his classic album, Tea for the Tillerman, to which, no doubt, his latest effort, An Other Cup, refers. 'Tea' was a refreshing blend of folk and contemporary pop music, infused with the inspirations of nature and peace, two things still vital in his latest album, An Other Cup.
I like to watch Britain's Got Talent now and then during the initial stages, mainly because I can't get enough of the delicious Amanda Holden! 
produced by Mervyn Warren et al, a Black Music Version of the oratory of Georg Friedrich Handel from 1741. The Original CD featured many well known R&B artists like Al Jarreau, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Quincy Jones, Patti Austin, and many more, and won a Grammy in 1993.
at Amazon.com
