May Day with Clouds and Scattered Showers...

Being May Day I looked out for the marching workers, red banners waving, storming the capitalist fortresses and freeing the workers.  Unfortunately the police had sent them back home, telling them to 'remain indoors and wash hands.'  The rich will continue to sleep safely in their beds tonight, unless a burglar passes through.  
I love these Soviet posters.  Always the people smile, always they are advancing, always the sun shines on the red flags waving as they parade.  Always missing are the millions of dead Stalin removed because he stubbed his toe against the door when he awoke in the morning.  The removing off the Tsar to aid the people sounds great, however when the Bolsheviks took over they replaced the Tsar with themselves, and Stalin soon removed them one by one.  This, in my view, is not what makes a sensible economy nor a decent society.  From the standpoint of aiding the poor Communism sounds great, human nature however always ensures some rise to the top, when there they wish to keep control irrespective of the wishes of others, equal to themselves.  'Equality' does not exist, we are all different.  A decent society aids and helps those without to have a chance to progress, it does not enrich the richest and have soup kitchens for the poorest.  When trying times came biblical kings stripped the temples and their palaces of gold to feed the needy, today the richest fail to do this, yet the richer get richer even during a pandemic!  No wonder some were attracted to Communism.  

I opened a new page on Facebook.  This is not because I am trying to hide from some people on facebook, no, no, not at all, however I am trying to avoid one or two...  In doing so I discovered I had another page, one I had made many years ago and for some reason forgotten about.  This I have adapted and made use off.  Now I have to collect the better class of people to my new page.  
All this is a result of the Lock Down.  A few days ago it affected me somewhat and I have still not quite recovered my equilibrium from that.  It will pass as will the showers that hammer down and soon become sun filled pastures.  
May Day is a Friday, that means tomorrow is Saturday a time for letting the hair down and having a good time.  I may just go out and buy some face masks instead...
Did you notice Sturgeon said Scots ought to wear face masks on public transport.  The Westminster unionists and press grumbled loudly that this was a disgraceful thing to say.  The next day Boris agreed and said it might be compulsory,the media immediately claimed this a wise move and bravo Boris.  Don't you just love having a 'Free Press?'

Dmitri and the 'Leningrad' Symphony Book.

Amazon

Most are aware of the Nazi's long and ultimately failed siege of Leningrad during the Second World War.  Few go into the details as the descent into deprivation caused by hunger, fear and human nature is not always good reading.  There is much in this book that would put you off your lunch.
The author, an American who thinks 'Football' is called 'Soccer,' has made use of several books concerning his subject, almost all of them untrustworthy.  Being brought up under a Stalinist regime means nothing is clear, nothing is truthful and desperation for survival brings lies and guilt which breed more lies.  Therefore we have a biography with limited primary sources, and those debatable.
However it is clear he was born into a middle class home, grew up during the First World War, saw his father participate in the revolution, endured life as a competent composer while Stalin took power and invoked the 'Terror.'  Then, after experiencing 'Terror' himself the Germans invaded and soon Leningrad his home was under siege.
I found the writing easy in this book.  The descriptions of the 'Terror' of the 30's is clear, we all know about that, and then the details concerning the surrounding of the city and the description of the struggle for survival while appalling at times straight forward and ghastly.  The dead mount up, starving people turn to robbery or cannibalism, yet others join together to eke out the little they have, not counting the Communist leaders of course who did very well.  The struggle shows how low the human nature can go, it also reveals the height some reach in aiding one another.
Dmitri Shostakovich continues to write his music through all these troubles.  Rising to fame in the 1920's with appropriate songs for the revolutionary times, amended to fit the Stalinist realism of the 30's, it saved him visiting the Gulag.
One aspect of the story is his desire to help others in any way he can, however at many times he has to say and do things with which he disagrees, he faces opposition from Stalin himself at one point and gets very near his end but survives.  On one occasion he is brought into the centre jail and asked to inform on people he met at a party.  He cannot as they have not sought to rebel.  He is told to return next day ready to admit their fault.  He arrives and is kept waiting.  Eventually he enquires of an NKVD officer as to what is to happen.  It transpires nothing will happen, the officer who threatened him the day before has been arrested and shot.  All his meetings have been cancelled!  Dmitri goes back home and hears no more about it.  Such was the Soviet system in the late 30's.
With his city suffering he begins a symphony designed to lift the nation.  Eventually news of this leaks out and he and his wife and children and removed far from Leningrad.  Here he finishes the symphony and sends it back to be performed in the city itself.
The orchestra has of course been dying off.  Most remaining, about 15 of them, were starving, those brought from outside, including members of the army bands, were also malnourished, and a terrible scene reveals the desperation to rehearse the music.  Eventually, once the music has been exported across the world and played in London and New York to a world audience awaiting encouragement from Russia, the war had yet not turned in the allies favour, the Leningrad Symphony was played in Leningrad.  At the time the book claims this alone inspired the Soviet people in their war against the fascist aggressor.  Because the Germans were.  'National Socialist' the Soviets hid this by calling them 'Fascist.'
After the symphony was played things began to turn.  In late 1942, before the playing of the work, British Empire forces had won at El Alamein and began clearing the enemy from North Africa.  Soon after the inspiration of the work the Soviet forces began to end the siege and within a year the city was damaged, haunted, full of guilt and fear, but free from German oppression.  The book likes to claim much credit to the music for this result.
The result of the war is well known, it was in all the papers, yet even after the war Stalin sought a 'terror' once again in which Dmitri and his music became criticised.  He survived, just, and eventually died in his bed in 1975.  It took me a week or so to read this book, what with coughing and straining my muscles.  It was an easy read in spite of the Americanisms within and well worth a go for those interested in composers like Shostakovich.  The book shows how much of his work arose in dire trouble and reflects the society in which he lived.
This book was a Xmas gift from my beautiful and intelligent piano playing niece.  She also sent me the music CD to go along with this book.  Clever girl!

 

Sadly not the St Petersburg Orchestra  have, but this will do.

Warm Day Among the Soviets

The warmest January day for two years they say.  Indeed as I struggled against the southern wind on the way to the sorting office I noted how mild it was that early in the day.  Shortly afterwards the rain came in torrents and I happily ignored it while I perused the laptop messages.
That sums up the day.

 
Tuesday was a busy work day.  I never got peace to read my book as the phone rang, people came in and I had things to do they would not let me ignore.  This is not fair!  
The 'Cold War' is the next thing on the agenda at the museum.  While the recent history 60s to 80's continues we also will offer some things regarding the nearby airbase used by the Yanks during the Cold War.  Vast numbers married local women, many moving overseas some remaining here, and a great many local people having known of the Americans since 1942 when they first arrived are keen to remember them, some wishing they would come back!  
This begins on Saturday so all being well I will be there also for the opening of the museum and the talk that follows.  So many men flew from near here, many not returning during WW2, and many flew unknown operations until the aircraft moved on around 1970.  Then the base was operated by the men who repair airfields so many men continued to enjoy the various delights of the town and district.  Hopefully one or two might join us at the weekend.

 
For those of us who lived during the Cold War it is difficult sometimes to consider that things have changed.  For years the 'Iron Curtain' hid life behind the 'wall' and since it fell in 1989 we now must note that the wall has been down longer than it stood across Europe!  For many years I used to listen to the shortwave broadcasts from Eastern Europe on my little radio.  This was very enjoyable, the variety of radio stations reflecting the economic power of the various states.  Radio Berlin International from East Germany was highly efficient and professional, however the short hour or so from Romania very poor indeed, especially as there was little power to enable them to broadcast for longer.  Thankfully all these places are stronger and most are better of in every way, even allowing for Putin's attempt to create his own version of Soviet power.  Shortwave radio is sparse these days.