Annie Fischer was born in 1914

I didn't realise Annie Fischer was born 100 years ago.  I really admire her in the way I admire Clara Haskil, Géza Anda, Murray Perahia, Leon Fleischer, Maurizio Pollini and Stephen Kovacevich.  As an undergrad in Toronto, I bought every Mozart piano concerto CD that she recorded for EMI (KV 466, 467, 482, 488, 491 and 595).  She plays Busoni's cadenza in KV 482 and it's really out there in comparison to Géza Anda's tasteful cadenzas.  I really love how she plays this concerto (Mozart's longest piano concerto I believe).  The passage work is so clean and she doesn't play 'dainty' Mozart.  It is quite a contrast to Wilhelm Kempff's recording from 1982 (when he was well into his 80s).  I like that recording too, but I think Kempff's age kept him from playing it so fast and fluid like Annie Fischer did in 1959 with the Philharmonia.  In grad school, my Hungarian colleague bought two Hungaraton CDs for me on a trip back to his homeland.  One was a Mozart concerto disk (KV 456 and 466) and the other was Beethoven's 3rd Piano Concerto with some Mozart and Schubert solo fillers. I finally cracked open this 2 CD set.  I listened to Opus 111 first and yes, it's a winner for me.  I'm putting together an Annie Fischer MP3 CD for my car.  Brava!

A fine fall omega block will mean a glorious week

This is why we're going to have a beautiful week in Saskatoon this week.  It's the classic omega block that arcs the jetstream north of Saskatoon.  With the clockwise rotation of the high pressure system, we'll get nice warm air pumped up from the American midwest.

Our driveway is also getting mudjacked by Superior Slabjacking today.  It was great they could get the job done today!

Thanksgiving 2014

I was sent an email from BibleGateway today which was from Gospel for Asia.  I recalled that they sent me a book a few years ago.  I found it in the basement and saw that it was from 2004 - they sent me Revolution in World Missions back then.  They have some free resources here.  I also put some here.  Anyways, I decided to sponsor a girl in India.  GFA puts 100% of my donation to the child I sponsor, so it's quite an impressive record.  I sponsor a boy in Nicaragua through World Vision too.

We had a turkey lunch today.  Much to give thanks for!

Harvest Sunday 2014

It has been just beautiful the past week.  Above normal temperatures make for a pleasant fall.  The 1/2 split at Lakeridge School were given some plants last spring and we actually got some tomatoes from the two plants.  Our last Russian mammoth sunflower is starting to bloom as well.  The largest head I cut off was rotting when I cut it off.  The seeds from a second head are harvested and a third head is still out to dry.  I gave the neighbour a fourth head.

A glorious start to Thanksgiving Weekend

What a beautiful fall day.  It's not an omega block, but it was sunny and warm today.  And, it's going to be a great weekend too.

edX Design and Development of Educational Technology started yesterday

This interesting course started yesterday. The course syllabus can give you an overview of what this course is about as well as the intro video: