New Name

Puggingham Palace has a new name, "Pictures on Silence". The name is taken from a quote by the great conductor Leopold Stokowski:“A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.” Since 99% of my posts in the past couple of years have been about concerts, recordings and music, I thought the title needed a change to reflect the blog's purpose.

For the last couple of seasons, I have been featured reviewer and blogger for the Kansas City Symphony, a role I relish since I get to spread the word about our remarkable local orchestra. In late 2012, I began contributing to "I Care If You Listen", a web magazine focusing on contemporary classical music. As this role has grown, I found my reviews quoted, re-tweeted, and referred to by the artists and sometimes the record companies. I always cringed when I saw the "Puggingham Palace" moniker and wondered if  the unusual title lessened my credibility. So a search for a new name was conducted and I found the one noted above by Stokowski.

"Pictures on Silence" just seemed to neatly sum up the glorious art of music. Music is nothing but organized sound, said Edgard Varèse, so silence is the canvas on which the composer and musicians realize their art.Pictures on Silence is music reviews from an audience member's view. I am not a professional musician and do not have a music degree. However, after years of listening (I started listening to classical music around 12 years old and now 44 years later I show no signs of stopping) I think I know a bit about what makes a great performance, what can move an audience to bravos or to boos. I may not be able to point out that the 3rd bassoon did not correctly articulate the dotted triplets at measure 32, but frankly... with the exception of the 3rd bassoon, who really cares?

Most of my concert review posts are from the music scene in and around Kansas City. We may not be the world's Mecca for music like London or New York, but our local orchestra is outstanding, we get some of the best artists in the business for recitals and have an incredible performing arts center that is the envy of many. If I get a chance to hear a concert elsewhere, you will read about it here.Look for a couple of concert reviews coming up with the Kansas City Symphony and a short hop to St Louis in February for a rare performance of the Zemlinsky Lyric Symphony.

Thanks for reading!

DC

Mardi Gras 2011

HAPPY MARDI GRAS

2011

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Royal Invitation

Look what HM got in the mail today. She is not sure if she is going, as she can't stand Camilla, would not be able to see anything and the date conflicts with her own 12th birthday celebrations. She is a good friend of the Bride, so she may end up in London for the weekend.

We Three Pugs 2010

We Three Pugs 2010

As she predictably does every year at this time, HM Puggles, Queen Of Pugs, Supreme Ruler of Alaska, etc, etc. wishes to share her favorite Christmas carol:

We Three Pugs

(to the tune of We Three Kings)

We three Pugs of Orient are

Snuffling low we can not go far

Bellies dragging, tails a'wagging

Hounding the Milk Bone Jar

Oh! Oh!

We love treats and we love hugs

We love all 'cause we are pugs

Licking, sneezing, snoring, wheezing

Guide us to the warmest rugs!

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year

From Puggingham Palace

D and P

It Gets Better

PURPLE represents Spirit on the Rainbow flag and that’s exactly what I wish for all GLBTQ people, especially young people, who feel bullied and are subjected to violence and bigotry. It gets better. Reach out and you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are.

Please wear purple on October 20th.

Number 1001

In March 2009, I posted that I was going to shut down Puggingham Palace when I hit 1,000 posts. (777 Down). A discussion of doing it right then and there led to cries of "I'll miss you"..."Don't"...

So I kept my word and kept up until my 100th post "The Caddies Come to Town" on July 17th.

But does # 1001 mean Puggingham Palace may live on? Maybe.

I am not abandoning everything, but don't look for a lot of regular updates. No more "Coupl'a Things", recipes, updates on the garden, reports from the Palace and I am certainly leaving the political ranting to the rest of you... you are doing a good enough job anyway.

So, what of the future?

Probably music and concert reviews which I also post at the Classical Music Guide so I will just come here and post the same thing. If there are exciting events, things I just have to say, some things to share... I'll likely post. I am not taking Puggingham Palace down, so it will be here to browse through or for people to find on search engines.

Thus I bid all farewell for a while. Keep checking or do an RSS subscription, friend me on Facebook or email at donaldopato@gmail.com.

We'll be in touch!

Final 10

The countdown has begun. I said a while back that I would do 1000 posts here on Puggingham Palace/Pato News and this one makes 990. So the final 10 are approaching.

I may stop completely, I may go on a long hiatus, who knows? Keeping up the blog is now a chore, not a joy. I stare at the blank page and then get up and go on to do something else. Many of the topics I used to love to rant about do not stir my creativity any more. Politics makes me vomit, church is nothing, the dog does little but sleep and eat, the car sits in the lot, concerts are over for the season, and frankly nothing inspires me. So like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, my favorite TV show ever, I want to quit while I am ahead.

Many years ago, I was inspired to start journaling. Sadly, most of my scribbles dating back to the 70s are unreadable; penmanship was never a strong suit of mine. Some Volumes are lost, I fear, as I have not been able to locate them. Looking back can be fun but looking back can also be depressing if you feel you have not made any progress. Most of the time I revel about how silly I was and how things that looked like disasters were just ripples.

So, few dear readers, look for the final 10. Probably not much earth shattering, just me making my way through it all.

Royal Announcement

Royal Announcement
Puggingham Palace

HM's Birthday Celebrations

Today, we celebrate the 11th birthday of Puggles Duchess Windsor, Queen of Pugs, Supreme Ruler of Alaska, Princess Royal of Baltimore Place, Grand Duchess of Missouri, Grand Duchess of Kansas City and St Louis, Duchess of Illinois, Duchess of Clinton, Baroness Pugtona, Royal Order of the Greenie and Treat, Grand Order of the Scrunchie, Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Kibble, Patroness of the Royal Pugharmonic Orchestra.

By Royal Decree, all Pugs in PugVillage, Alaska, Kansas City, all places mentioned above and everywhere HM sees and rules will get extra treats in honor of the Royal Birth. HM has further declared this to be a Most High and Wonderful, Grand, Fabulous Royal Day.

HM will be spending the day at the Palace, receiving guests and reading birthday wishes from all over the world. Later this PM, after a photo shoot from Lord Snowpug, she has ordered the Limo to take her to the Three Dog Bakery for her only public appearance and to receive her customary Birthday Big Scary Kitty Cookies.

We wish HM many more birthdays and a most happy one today.

~ Palace Communications

New Look

Yes, Puggingham Palace has a new look for the new year. Thought it was time to spruce it up a bit, but still a work in progress so stay tuned.

Someone asked me if I was still thinking of shutting down the blog. I have trouble with decisions (ask anyone who ever goes out to dinner with me) and thus I have not decided yet. I go back and forth (yes I am a Pisces through and through), sometimes wishing I would just shut it down and forget about it, then suddenly have a burst of energy to yap on about something.

Won't promise anything, but when I decide, you'll be the first to know.

Turkey Time

I have a couple days to work here at the palace, then Wednesday sneak off in Dunbar with Her Majesty and head to my sister's. She has our menu planned out for the whole time; I know as she calls me frequently to see if I want rice or potatoes for dinner on Saturday and if I want to take a break and have Mexican as we usually do. Hopefully I will survive the weekend.

Whatever you are doing or going, give thanks this week, be with (or tolerate) family and friends. As the tradition started 386 years ago decrees:

Governor William Bradford's Thanksgiving Proclamation 1623.

"Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes and garden vegetables and has made the forests to abound with game the sea with fish and clams; and inasmuch as he has protected us, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now I, do proclaim, that all Pilgrims do gather at the meeting house, on the hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November the 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three, and in the third year since Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock there to listen to the pastor and render thanksgiving for all His blessings."

Happy Thanksgiving From D and P at Puggingham Palace

What I am Listening to Today: Kansas City Symphony New Recording

The new recording of Britten Orchestral works is about to be released NOVEMBER 10th watch for it.

Reference Recordings RR120



I got an advance copy and upon first hearing it is quite impressive, especially the demo quality sound. Even on my crappy system, it sounds marvelous.

I'll post a more complete review closer to release time. Meanwhile check out your favorite retailer or Reference Recordings and get your copy reserved!

Red Carpet Pet Party

Check out this video from my friend and fellow dog lover Kellee Katillac. Go to Katillacshack.com and comment on the video there. Each positive comment will earn $1 for the Northland Pet Pantry and help abandoned dogs and cats who are the unseen victims of the economic turmoil.

A further reason to watch is for the cameo of Her Majesty at about 8:05 into the video!

Making it Clear..

From the Associated Press: "The body of American actor David Carradine, best known for the 1970s TV series "Kung Fu," was found in a hotel room closet with a rope tied to his neck and genitals, and his death may have been caused by accidental suffocation, Thai police said Friday. 'The two ropes were tied together,' he (aThai Police official) said. 'It is unclear whether he committed suicide or not or he died of suffocation or heart failure.' "

Let me make this perfectly clear, as Dick Nixon would have said: if you find me naked in a closet with a rope around my neck and nuts, it ain't accidental. I am somewhat clumsy, but even I can't imagine getting into that situation.

Off to the Big Apple

New York City, the Big Apple... all you dear New Yorkers watch out, Pato is invading your world. Just for a few days, so relax.

A kind soul who reads my scribbles here at Puggingham Palace, generously and graciously gave me tickets to some of the Mahler In Sequence concerts at Carnegie hall. He could do all of them, I could not do all that he could not attend but I did manage to sneak some time to hear 3 of my favorite Mahler works, the mighty Symphony # 8, the valedictory Symphony # 9 and the Adagio to the unfinished 10th (sadly, they did not choose to do one of the complete versions....). Thrown in to the mix is the wonderful Das Lied von der Erde, a huge song-symphony that is pales a bit in my book to the symphonies but is an incredible work none the less. To hear Pierre Boulez conduct is a rare treat for me. Barenboim I have heard before, but not in Mahler.

I am about packed, not taking a lot. Got the bus and subway figured out. I am taking the bus/subway in but a cab back home, I do not want to get lost getting to the airport on the way home. Hopefully there will be a good hot dog or falafel stand near by. Since I am staying in a furnished apartment, I plan on getting some groceries and cook at the place. Love to eat at the finest..but not in this boy's budget.

It is just a thrill to get to hear some fine music, experience a part of one the most important music events of the past few years (Mahler Symphonies have not been done in this fashion since the 1960's in New York) and meet up with my friend Maestro Damon and Alice from PugVillage.

Pato needs to get things in order, oh GOD do I ever. So Adieu, bon voyage to me and stay tuned when I post the reviews starting Mon or Tues of next week.

Places to Avoid

More streets to avoid:

Wornall Road and 79th Street.

63rd Street and Prospect Avenue.

39th and Main streets.

19th and Walnut streets.

Southwest Trafficway and 27th Street.

These are the latest red light camera locations here in KC.

More idiotic, revenue generators for the bankrupt New Detroit, aka Kansas City, MO. Does nothing but increase donut time for police. I am sure this will not decrease the response time when 911 is called to report a theft or drug activity. That means real work and does not make $$$$ for the disaster that is called KC.

World AIDS Day

World Aids day 2008

Thanksgiving Break

I have racked my brain this PM thinking of something witty, timely, interesting or funny.

I failed.

So, it is time for a blog break. Pato is going to go home for Thanksgiving this week, back to the shell of a town from which I came, Decatur, Il. I didn't want to go and deal with my sister and her whining, but family is family. So since I am gone from Wednesday through Saturday, I'll just let Puggingham Palace rest a week.

Give thanks this week, be with (or tolerate) family and friends. As the tradition started 385 years ago decrees:

"Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes and garden vegetables and has made the forests to abound with game the sea with fish and clams; and inasmuch as he has protected us, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now I, do proclaim, that all Pilgrims do gather at the meeting house, on the hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November the 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three, and in the third year since Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock there to listen to the pastor and render thanksgiving for all His blessings."

Governor William Bradford's Thanksgiving Proclamation 1623.

Happy Thanksgiving From D and P at Puggingham Palace

Another Reason to avoid Micky D's

Mc Donald's caved in to the ultra right wing, religious bigot American Family Association this week and canceled their support and membership in the Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. AFA gloats that it won a great victory for families.... I guess that means keeping gays out of Micky D's.

Here is a letter I wrote to Mc Donald's. If you have a conscience, boycott them. Better for your health anyway!

"Now that you no longer wish to support my community, I see no reason to spend my money to support your business. I am angry and dismayed at your complete caving in to the anti-gay AFA.

This statement quoted here is quite disappointing since you obviously agreed to use language written by this hate filled organization:

"It is our policy to not be involved in political and social issues. McDonald's remains neutral on same-sex marriage or any 'homosexual agenda' as defined by the American Family Association."

The only "homosexual agenda" of which I am aware is to end ignorant bigotry againsty sexual minorities. I guess McDonald's supports bigotry.

I was a regular breakfast customer at the Mc Donalds at 3741 Broadway in Kansas City, MO. Not anymore, you made it clear you do not want us there."

Sorry Ronald....

Break Time

Nothing much going on at the Duck Pond, or the Palace for that matter. I am sick of Sara Palin already, dazzle my ass.... she is a moron. Reading prepared remarks and then parroting the tired old right wing babble. YUK.

Raining like hell here in KC, MO. We get the remnants of hurricane Gustav... no wind, just the rain.

I am off to St Louis this weekend for Daniel's wedding, so no posts until at least Tuesday. I should have pics if I remember to take my camera.

Until then.... Pato

Her Majesty on YouTube

Her Majesty Puggles, QOP, SRA is on YOUTUBE!

Her Majesty Meets the Dog Cancer Ride People


More info or to follow the the Dog Cancer Ride, click here.

Dog Cancer Ride