Downton Abbey is very well made, and even entertaining, albeit heading towards ‘in a UK soap opera’ way, (wait for it, that’s a rant for later) but the built-in political assumptions made it difficult to watch. The wealthy, upper class are terribly brave, facing a less certain future where they’ll have less money, but are noble, and upstanding in this uncertainty, are kind and compassionate to the staff, who they help out, treat well, and who know their place and loyalty.
And the lower classes can even (once) move into the upper classes, and are taken-in and loved, even though they aren’t really of the right background, and seem to get more hate fit this from the below stairs, whose station, they are getting above of.
So yeah, it’s fiction.
And all of this from Julian Fellowes, and extremly popular viewing while the most upper-rank Eton/Oxford/Bullingdon government took it upon themselves to guide us into Austerity policies (and worse) and rule us wisely while being compassionate and acting in our best interests.
And yes, my immediate family and rather a lot of my extended friends, loved it.
[After a pause: Note to @lamaranagram - that was more political then intended, if it derails your topic or, you think it downs the tone, I’ll zap it.
Don’t especially like being ranty.]
Is a five string fiddle like a combination violin and viola, with brighter violin tones and darker viola tones on the same instrument?
I have played a viola da gamba. Kind of like a guitar with weird floppy adjustable frets (yep, adjustable frets) played with a bow. Much softer tone than a guitar or even a cello. I can see why such an instrument went extinct.
I know what a Hardanger fiddle is, but I’ve never seen one up close. I know it’s a Scandinavian fiddle with sympathetic strings, usually ornately painted. I’ve never heard one, but I’m imagining viola meets 12-string guitar.
For no other reason, here’s “Rolling In The Deep” played on a Stroh fiddle:
I once had to deal with some Microsoft nannyware that decided to “correct” my discussion of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand into something about “buttbuttination”.
A violin with one lower string, a fourth I think. Considering what solas can do with a standard fiddle, the idea always gives me the giggles. Shite, considering what seasick Steve does with a one string diddly bow just proves the point, “it’s not the tool, but the craftsman”.
Unfortunately for people like me, it is an expensive game of Pokemon. Gotta collect them all. Pink tenor saxophone selmer mark 6 hanging at the MiM in Arizona? The only one ever? I was fifteen seconds from becoming a felon.
Seasick Steve is a true craftsman if there ever was one.
There are so many different saxophones out there, many of which are extremely rare, if not rarely used. I tell people there’s a bass sax, they think I mean a baritone sax, but I really mean this monstrosity:
I do remember it though.
