Gig-a-blog, 26th March, St Anne's, Gandalpho

Gandolpho: Eleanor Harrison, baroque violin, David Wright, harpsichord

Corelli: Sonata No 10 in F Major Biber: SonataNo3 inFMajor Babell: Variations on ‘Vo Far Guerra’ for solo harpsichord Handel: Sonata in D Major HWV 371

Phew! Made it back to London's Premier Lunchtime Gig Church(tm) today after another insanely busy period in my life.

Corelli: lovely, pretty melodies, lively.

Biber: absolutely insane, as advertised. Splendid.

Babell: Handel busked it, we're told, and Babell transcribed it. Fair play to both of them, then, as this was a stunning all-over-the-keyboard number. Go George. Go William! Go David Wright and his Magic Flying Fingers(tm)!

Handel: fabulous. Beautiful and spirited playing from these two very fine performers.

Lovely concert!

Location:Noble St,City of London,United Kingdom

More on Attlee and how to spell him correctly if you are, erm, 10 Downing Street

It has been pointed out to me by a delicate but usually reliable source that it may be construed as unhelpful to moan at 10 Downing Street (about their continued inability to purge the embarrassing misspelling “Atlee” from their webbity website) without actually explaining just what the current, ah, ishoos are.

I’m not sure about this (is it really a bit too spoon-feedy?) but the delicate but usually reliable source is someone I hate to argue with (and I never win) and maybe it will be useful or amusing or something, so here goes:

1. Parliamentary statement on Trident (4 December 2006) at http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page10532 – last paragraph contains “the Atlee Government” as illustrated above. Doh! indeed, Tamsin.
2. History Audio at http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/prime-ministers-in-history/history-audio – under the header “Welcoming the United Nations”, the Attlee graphic has a bad filename and bad alt text too – two instances of “Atlee”. The bad spelling is not visible on the main page, but still needs fixed.
3. Clement Attlee (in Welsh) at http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/welsh-history/welsh-pms-in-history/clement-attlee – main photo at the page top. Unsurprisingly it has the same problems as the page mentioned above – the graphic has a bad filename and bad alt text.
4. Syr Winston Churchill (in Welsh) at http://www.number10.gov.uk/history-and-tour/welsh-history/welsh-pms-in-history/winston-churchill – visible on the page, under the second-to-last subhead “Y Prif Weinidog nesaf” we have this: “Clement Richard Atlee 1945-51 Llafur.” I’m like no way man.
5. Italian Attlee at http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page12769 – same problems as the second and third examples above – bad filename and bad alt text for the graphic.

These were found on a quick Google search but I am sure that if you worked there you could do better than this when you were on a search-and-destroy mission for “Atlee”. Also please note that this Google search finds a couple of instances which no longer have the problem, so presumably the pages were corrected after the last time Google indexed them.  These are “Spanish Attlee” and the main Attlee page in Prime Ministers in History – so that’s good, and well done No. 10 because these are fixed already – hurrah!

And that concludes the voting of the Belgian jury.

Open letter to the web managers at 10 Downing Street

Hey guys,

Here’s a suggestion.

Learn to spell “Attlee”.

Come on, it’s not rocket science. Make a big notice and put it on the office wall or something. Make the next person to misspell it buy doughnuts for the whole office. Work out a strategy for checking and correcting (ermmm, quality control anyone?). Just do something.

Having it still spelt wrongly now is, frankly, pathetic and shameful. He’s been dead since 1967 – it’s not some novel new name of whoever won X Factor last week! I mean, dammit, I’ve been writing to you about it for years. You haven’t really taken any notice, and I must, sadly, conclude that you’re a bit incompetent. Is that unfair? If so, I’m sorry, and do please explain how so.

Here are a few Handy Hints on getting it right:

1. Do a site search for the spelling “Atlee”. Use Google, use your own web software, whatever. If you don’t know how to do this, please write for instructions (and send money).
2. Search again, more carefully, because, to be honest, you’re not very good at this, are you?
3. Have another go. This time check source code, look at the names of graphics, check in your alt text. Check carefully.
4. I know it’s pretty tough but you’re 10 Downing Street, you can do this.
5. Do it again and again until it is impossible for me or anyone else to find Attlee spelt incorrectly anywhere, in no matter how obscure and trivial a place, on your site. Don't guess that you might have done it right: know that you have.
   
6. Hurrah! You’re done. Have a nice cup of tea.

There you go. Have a great day.

With best wishes

Vogel von Neustadt
Concerned Citizen

Gig-a-blog™: Brooks, Sändig, Pells & Knizia

My first G-a-B for a while as I struggle with, er, stuff.

It's utterly delightful to be back at St Anne's for this concert of lovely music by Purcell and Buxtehude.

In my ignorance, before I started coming to this fabulous concert series many years (nay, gurt yonks) ago, I thought that Buxtehude would just be a sort of square version of Bach. Yes, I know, sorry. In fact, being shown round some of his clever, intricate music has been one of the greatest pleasures here for me. Wonderful.

Oh and he's on here in a double bill with Purcell. My cup, frankly, runneth over, yes indeed.

Great players; a lovely concert. They've even arranged some sunshine.

Verdict: nicer than bunny-wunnies.

Location:Foster Ln,City of London,United Kingdom

The back pew of this church discriminates against chubby chaps!

... and I should jolly well know!

Something must be done.

Ahem.

Yes.

Carry on please.

Location:Gresham St,City of London,United Kingdom