The Black Panther

Kieran meets Eusebio, Portugal Tour 07

A Legendary Year

This has truly been the year of the legends when their value to the club as a whole, on and off the pitch, has become increasingly apparent. First the Madrid trip saw their own team push the Real Madrid journalists all the way in a classic encounter. Then, throughout the season, individual legends such as Brian, Neil, Tamber and Clarkey have returned to give the team shape and direction. Sunday's Legends game continued this trajectory when they proved to be stronger, both physically and mentally, than their younger opponents, to record their first victory in this third annual fixture. Three times taking the lead, the 3-2 final score was well-deserved.

On a beautiful Wandsworth afternoon, the sandy surface providing a few tricky dilemmas for all players, another very competitive game was enjoyed by a well behaved crowd and impeccably mannered wags.

The first shock of the day was the discovery that Wandsworth council had refused to cash the treasurer's cheque as it was in excess by £5.00 - a cultural turn from the weekly realities of the London midweek League. The Legends, in all black were captained by Joe, his first game in such a role since he captained the school cricket XI to regular defeat; Raj was reunited with Cornish Al and Owen and Tamber switched sides for the occasion.

The Legends started brightly with the burdens of office and those Labour Party fundraising dinners seemingly having no effect whatsoever on Raj, who occupied the centre back role as if he had never been away. Woody was awesome in holding the defence together and Tamber and Marco 3, on his return from over a year out through injury, were soon winning tackles in midfield. It was no surprise when they took the lead on 15 minutes when Ben, who had flown in that very morning, sleepless from Seattle, placed a sublime shot in Alan's right hand corner. As a member of the USA's Arsenal fan club the Henry videos had certainly paid off. With the Gaffer officiating in a not so neutral black (until formally requested to change midway through the first half), the Legends continued to control events until shortly before half-time when a desperate lunge from Woody saw Kieran tumble to the ground.

Large appeals from the Current Stars were met with claims that the Italian influence was having its effect on the younger players, but the Gaffer pointed to the spot. It was a more robust version of Raj's tackle on Luigi in Rome in December 2000. Still the Legends were outhinkng their opponents; Owen was quick to advise Dodo which way Damian would hit the penalty. He guessed correctly and produced a superlative save, only for ERic to bundle the ball over the line. A cruel blow just before half-time and surely the turning-point of the game?

The Gaffer made way for Rob the Cat at half-time to be reunited with the 4 year old Alfie, last seen aged three months in a pizzeria in Bologna where he was looked after by the cooks as the Philosophers enjoyed their pizzas. His warning that the Current Stars would move one of the big three from the back into the middle was unnecessary however; the Legends continued to boss the middle and despite Mikey's tireless running and some neat interchanges between Rob, Jose and Bryan, gave very little away at the back. They restored their lead when Marco 3 produced a stunning volley into the top corner; a great finish enjoyed by his parents over from Rome. Some tough tackling from Tamber and strong encouragement from the experienced ranks of the Legends ('They don't like it up 'em was Owen's taunt) kept the pressure on and the equaliser came against the run of play when Jose finished a neat move down the right. Undeterred and now down to ten men following Stefan 4's injury*, the Legends kept going forward with the 53 old Stefan Howald keeping the three central defenders busy. Fittingly, it was Stefan, following good work from Cornish Al (who has obviously been told to been strengthen his broken wrist with long throw practice), who scored the winner. Indeed in the dying minutes they could have made it 4 with only the crossbar denying another attempt. The victory was well deserved and celebrated with some exuberance; rich revenge for the game in Madrid where they were outclassed by the youngsters. Newspaper gossip has it that some of the younger players stayed in the Alma until after closing time drowning their sorrows.

Legends: (4-4-2): Dodo: Joe, Woody, Raj, Owen: Cornish Al, Tamber,
Marco 3 Stefan: Stefan, Ben
Current Stars: 3-5-2: Alan: Ally, Bryan, Damian: Phillip, Rob, Kieran,
Jose, Andy: Mikley, Eric.

Man of the match: Woody.

*Special prize if you can name all 4 Stefans, (who originate from 4 different nationalities).

Building a Classical Music Library: Palestrina

Fans of medieval music will complain that my survey begins in the Renaissance. However, as I stated in my introduction, I am writing this as a non-expert and taking my cues from Phil G. Goulding’s book Classical Music: The 50 Greatest Composers and their 1000 Greatest Works. He starts with Palestrina and so will I.

Palestrina (1525-94) wrote almost exclusively religious music in the form of masses, motets, offertories and so on. It was music specifically written to be played in church, not the concert hall.

His significance can not be over-stated. He composed at a time when the Catholic church was seeking to reduce the secular influences in religious music, attempting a musical retreat to the stringent world of the Gregorian chant. As beautiful as plainsong might be, such strictures would be the equivalent of asking The Arctic Monkeys to write in the style of the Victorian music-hall.

The story goes that Palestrina's contribution to this debate was his masterpiece, the Missa Papae Marcelli. Despite being an establishment man (and wealthy as a result), the Missa was resolutely non-Gregorian. But it was also so beautiful that it persuaded the Catholic cardinals to vote against the proposed plans.

Musicologists have questioned the accuracy of this tale and much of the mythologising that surrounds Palestrina, some of which has overshadowed the merits of his contemporaries.

However, this is not to question the glory of his output. Musically, he is regarded as the supreme model for polyphonic relgious music and the basis for the study of counterpoint.

But his modernity had its limits: he eschewed the growing contemporary trend for dissonance, preferring to concentrate on harmony and melody. For a 21st century ear, the question is whether the purity and beauty of his expression compensates for the lack of anguish we are more accostomed to encountering in our music?

Key composition: Missa Papae Marcelli
Recommended recording: Tallis Scholars Live in Rome (compare prices at Froogle)

Three-zing out Viacom

On the coldest night of the year Philosophy turned out with renewed strength and depth. This has been the season of the legends: Big Brian, a legends team to Madrid and now Neil and Tamber returning.

The team was determined to put last week's defeat behind them and a new sense of professionalism was evident from the start as Kieran led a (much-needed) warm-up. Philosophy attacked from the off; reverting to 3-5-2 strengthened the midfield and enabled wingbacks Ally and Tamber to break up the line safe in the knowledge that the back three would stand firm. All the early chances fell to Philosophy with Kieran shooting over after a few untidy clearances and Neil and Clarkey outpacing Viacom's lethargic defence. Brian even attempted an Alonso-style lob from the half way line prompting Cornish Al to remark from the sideline: "Against the run of play is not a phrase we want to hear at this point".

When Clarkey was put through and saw the ball hit the post, spin across the line and out it just didn't look like Philosophy's night. Sure enough Viacom came back into the game and created several good chances forcing corners and shooting wide from ten yards. Honours even at half time.

The second half began in scrappy fashion with neither team able to get the ball down and play for sustained periods. It needed a breakthrough and it came via the boot of Bryan as he attempted a cross-come-shot from the edge of the box. The ball sailed over the keeper to put Philosophy ahead [at least this is what I hear happened as I was retrieving a ball from the trees].

Philosophy looked in control at this point beginning to move the ball around without the usual "the ball is a bomb" panic. However, after a defensive slip from an innocuous through ball Viacom's speedy striker nipped in to slide the ball past a stranded keeper. 1-1 and the battle was on.

Philosophy eventually came out on top through determination, concentration and sheer force of will. Damo held the backline without putting a foot wrong all night, Bryan fought on through a pulled hamstring and Kieran just kept running. When Clarkey beat the offside trap to easily slide the ball home it was thoroughly deserved. Viacom kept pushing in the final 20 minutes but strong substitutions enabled Philosophy to hold onto same the lead that slipped away last week.

The only thing left to add was the icing on the increasingly cold cake. Neil had said before the game that every time he returned for his "last game" he ended up losing without scoring. The curse was finally broken as he burst down the line and lobbed the keeper from a near-impossible angle. A great strike and just reward for his never-say-die attitude. We know he’ll be back for more.

3-1, 3 points and closing in on that 4th spot...

Buidling a Classical Music Library - Introduction

The musical approach on this blog so far has been resolutely contemporary. That’s about to change.

As someone who is unimpressed by the uniformly bland industrial sound that comprises today’s chart music, I shall be writing a regular guide to “classical” music.

I am not an expert. I’m a poor musician, have a limited range of music on my shelves and don’t attend many live concerts. But I do love classical music.

When the kids aren’t forcing me to listen to plinky-plonk music in the car, I’ll listen to Radio 3.
One of the greatest artistic experiences of my life was listening to the Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov playing a Shostakovich violin concerto with the London Philharmonic, conducted by Mitoslav Rostropovich, a man who knew the composer. In its way, it was as insightful a portrayal of madness as anything you might find in King Lear.

But I want to know more than I do and extend the range of music that I’m familiar with. So, this is the introduction to a series of entries dedicated to building a library of classical music.

It will be a chronological survey of 50 of the greats. The list and much of the information is taken from Phil G. Goulding’s book Classical Music: The 50 Greatest Composers and their 1000 Greatest Works.

Each month, I shall briefly explore a composer, his life and his music. I shall recommend a key work or works.

For example, the first composer is Palestrina. As he specialised in religious music, I shall pick a key composition in that genre.

Other composers, such as Mozart, were equally adept in a range of styles (choral, chamber and symphonic) and I shall choose a key piece in each of those styles.

Inevitably there will be heinous omissions and basic errors. So be it – hopefully they will be a starting point for further discussion.

The aim is a selfish one: to put in place the essentials of a library for my own enjoyment. But the journey will be more fun it others were to join in.

Al's elegies

A couple of poems from Cornish Al: two moving elegies to Fillipo and the Chairman

BALLAD FOR BARKER
(or FROMA THE PIJAMA)

Our dirretore tecnico
Our Ronnie, now says “Ciao”
He’s off to pastures new, my friends
Madrid: The Bernabao

Our sadness that he’s leaving us
Is tempered by some talk
Of joining him in Spain one day
On tour with Peter Falk

‘Til then we can remember, friends
The things we saw him do
To write them all would fill a book
So here are just a few

His clothing in the changing room
All cultured and discrete
The Count of Monte Cristo’s gown
And sandals for his feet

Now we are smarter on the pitch
Our shorts and socks one shade
And afterwards no beer or crisps
Its jamon Spanish-made

His dive in Tooting caused offence
A chase got underway
But as he told the angry mob
That’s how Italians play

When Stefan made Swiss match day plans
A time as well as date
4pm, the third. Fil cried
“‘Cos 4.01’s too late!”

Enquiries strange at Regent’s Park
Were heard above the din
Of shouts and showers. “A socket please,
To plug my hair drier in”

His legacy, though laughter-filled
Is more than it may seem
He leaves us with a lesson too
In passion for the team

So let us thank him with applause
And hope when he returns
The club he loves will still be strong
To show the lesson’s learned

OUR CHAIRMAN

What team is there, in England or abroad,
Whose Chairman is like ours? I ask you friends.

A man who sees in football something more
Than players, profit, merchandise and rights,
Than violence, race, these Premiership things.
His eye sees beauty, culture, friendship, thought.
Tradition, oh … And quotes to put on shirts.
A love of hist’ry marks him out as well.
In Rome, his talk was full of rise and fall,
And motorbikes. His easy learning wide
Enough for Gibbon and for Moto Guzzi.
To patience, now friends, shall we turn our minds
And ask: Is this a virtue of our Chairman?
In Maida Vale or Prague or Willeseden Green,
On sidelines cold and wet he stands for hours.
For legends games he occupies the middle,
And blows and blows again a silent whistle.
The Chairman’s age then. We have been found blind.
By youthfulness our vision he obscured.
But now we see, and find ourselves amazed,
That 50 years have passed our Chairman’s eyes.
Our celebration marks though, not the end,
But just our joy at what has been so far.
So thank you God for our friend Mr Tisdale.
We love him for his wit, his warmth, his shirts.

What team is there, in England or abroad,
Whose Chairman is like ours? There is none friends.

Two winners

Probably the world's best defender and... Fabio Cannavaro

(please add your own caption...)