The Shed

 

what, you've got clocks that do your planting for you?...

 

could I have one?...

 

i recently had to remove my bird table and add extra hanging feeders, nuts and seeds, as the pigeon population has alarmingly increased, leaving a mess of poo and feathers all over one side of my my roof .

 

i understand the little beggars have to live but if things had got  worse i may have received a "knock on the door" from the local council, as there were over 25 in and around my garden at the last count.

 

the bird table in question had to be encased in a piece of old garden fence as the pigeons were muscling in and eating the food i put out  every day, leaving the smaller blue tits, sparrows (hardly see many these days  ) and starlings with nothing.... the fence kept the pigeons out and allowed the smaller birds to feed but the pigeons still managed to get in eventually, scoffing all the grub then finding they were trapped inside, and as the table stood where they could see the pile of food my roof remained as their base.

 

since i removed the table the hanging feeders are being used by the smaller birds and the pigeons are becoming fewer as they have realised there is nothing more for them here, and should stick to Harrow town centre where copious amounts of food are supplied by well-meaning bird lovers - but the mess...

 

 

 

I've just taken a wander down the bottom of garden to release a mouse that foolishly hitched a ride inside the cat's mouth, I couldn't see the rhubarb for brambles - (last year was a bad gardening year for me, but a great autumn for apple and blackberry pie) - I think a decent scything is in order, or an industrial flame-thrower - and raised beds I think (three inches of top-soil, 2 foot of clay and 500 feet of chalk). On the way back up I picked up one of the bird-feeders that was lying in the flowerbed - the grey squirrels (damn tree-rats) had gnawed through the whole branch to get it down, but they still couldn't get the peanuts out - smart, but not that smart - all they needed was a 3mm open-ended spanner.

Also, if you have any thoughts on Mozart's Requiem, Vivaldi, and Chopin, that would be fantastic.

 

Hi Henry,

 

 

There are so many on the market these days, that you are spoilt for choice, however most critics still see one of the definitive sets as being Karajan's 1962/3 set on DG.  The recently released Claudio Abbado set, also on DG, is also to be highly recommended.  If you're looking for a budget set, then Zinman's set with the Tonhalle on Arte Nova is as good as they get... when it comes to Beethoven, this guy punches way above his weight with this orchestra.

 

 

Try and go for a 'Historically Informed' version (original instruments/ orchestra size) as opposed to a lagre Philharmonic.. the work needs to sound light and crisp, rather than stodgy and syruppy... there are a couple I would recommend... John Eliot Gardiner's on Philips, or Hickox's on Virgin (which happens also to be remarkably cheap).  One legendary recording which breaks the above mould however is Bernstein's on DG.

 

 

I'm not sure what you're after, but I'm biased towards Trevor Pinnock, and there is no two ways about it; his 5CD box set of Concerti on Archiv, recorded in the mid 80's is the way to go.  If however, you just want a taster as you haven't got the money, then try:

 

 

 

 

I must admit, I'm no expert here...but if you're after some Piano music, Vladimir Ashkenazy on Decca would be a good start... I'd ask Ricochet about this one...

 

I hope that has helped... if you need any more info, PM me...