Ten or more degrees warmer this morning...

Than it has been the last couple of nights. Densely foggy. It is predicted to be in the 20s tomorrow and Monday nights-- in any event, chilly, so welcome. My understanding is that there have to be a certain number of days when the temperature is below the freezing point in order to... oh, I don't know, something about bacteria and bugs in the soil. 

It was brought to my attention on Twitter that yesterday is the feast of Severinus Boethius, he of Consolation of Philosophy fame. Am going to settle on referring to him as Blessed Boethius since his right to public cult is in fact based on Roman recognition of his feast in and for Pavia, the old imperial diocese. 

 

 

Am not myself a stickler for the legalities in such matters, at least not when the cultus is as ancient as Boethius's is.

Two concerts are possible today. The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra's performance of Shostakovich and Brahms is broadcast live at 0900 on Klassikaraadio. At about 0930, Daniel Barenboim is conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in a performance of the six symphonic poems of Bedřich Smetana's Má Vlast. I suspect that I've never heard any more of it than the Vltava, 'Moldau'. That is, certainly, the part most performed by classical radio station presenters. I can return to Klassikaraadio after the Smetana is finished-- they will record the concert (in my limited experience) and make it available for listening very quickly.

The Lithuanian Radio will be broadcasting live a concert of Chausson and Franck at 1600 GMT which is bound to be in the middle of the Smetana, eh. But we shall see. 

I found the Lithuanian Radio site but cannot tell if what I'm listening to is the 'Intermezzo' at 1605 or the one at 1810-- it is indeed 1900 now there. The women presenters are going on about Edgaras Montvidas, the tenor soloist in Chausson's Poème de l'amour et de la mer op 19, so am at the right page. There goes the bell so presumably we're about to begin. And after eight more minutes, the Chausson begins. The Smetana in 20 minutes.

Two harpists on stage for Má Vlast!

I am reminded that tomorrow is the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ King in the Roman Calendar as it existed prior to Paul VI's revision thereof. Pius XI placed the feast toward the end of the liturgical year on the last Sunday of October to emphasize the connection between Our Lord's Kingdom, the City of God, and our responsibility for holiness exemplified in the feast of All Saints on the Kalends of November a week later. Paul VI moved the feast to the actual final Sunday of the year, November 22 this time around.  

***