So, yes I did have fun and games*grin* And am
greatful that what I did find ....
SO.....
To the LINKS :
- European Composers
- Ludwig von Beethoven
- Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Aram Kachaturian
- Aaron Copeland
Another of the things I enjoy is architecture...
oh, not only "perving" at other people's homes and what they have done
there, but also in the designing of houses. Unfortunately, I have yet to build any of my designs, but one man who has, and who set new standards for architecture
is the designer of this home.
Fans will recognise it immediately as "Fallingwater" and know immediately who the Architect was. For those of you
who don't, click here.
As an architect, FLW was the complete designer, in some commisions
not only designing the house, but the bricks, windows and furniture. He did the same when it came to the Robie house and also the Johnson Wax head office.
It should be noted that when FLW was given the commision for the "Fallingwater", he didn't do any plans at all until he received a phone call from the owner, and FLW said "come on over... It is finished." The journey took Johnson 3 hrs... and in that time, the ground floor, first floor, second floor, elevation and cross-sections flowed from FLW's pen. The Plans were finished when Johnson arrived.
Links to those buildings can be found at the above page.
For those of you in the States, several of his homes are open to the public. To see what the complete Architect can do for you, may I recommend availing yourself of the opportunity of seeing them.
It has been rumoured that the character on whom Ayn Rand based "Howard Rourke" in her novel "The Fountainhead" was none other than the above Architect.
I am not going to argue either for or against other than say
that "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" are the only books of her's that I have read... And I have no intention
of throwing either of them out. Damn good reads, I mean, they contain romance, sex, violence and everything else that some modern millionaire authors include in there novels
... if a bit heavy at times, but what would you expect from a lady who was trying to set up her own movement.
I still would not hesitate recommending those two books for your library, along with a novel by an expat Aussie, Robert Hughes.
(Some of you may recognise the name, and yes... he is the art critic
and also the bloke who has made several television programs dealing with art, notably "Shock of the New").
This book, "The Fatal Shore",
may not be the definitive history of settlement in NSW... but it is thoroughly readable, as opposed to most "historical" Books, which could explain why so many australian historians felt threatened. Glass houses, don't you know*grin*
And to finalise the list, I would include James A Mitchener's "Alaska".... (I wonder if "Hawaii" was as interesting?) and a South African, Nicholas Monsarrat... and the novel he
failed to finish before he died, "The Master Mariner". In the hardcover editions, there are two books, the first finalised, the second partially complete but containing the basic sketches for
each chapter, and historical references. Again, a finally detailed work.