Akenfield and Tippett

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One of my favourite pieces of music is the Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli, by Michael Tippett (1953) - indeed it is probably the single piece of 20th century classical music which most moves me.

(Indeed I was moved to within an inch of my life! when I saw it done at Tippett's 75th Birthday concert in 1980, by the English Chamber Orchestra, with the composer present.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNqTeQa7MDQ

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And one of my favourite books is Akenfield - an oral historical study of an East Anglian village by Ronald Blythe (1969)

http://www.akenfield.com/

I read this intensively 1973-4 - on the recommendation of an inspirational history teacher named John Reeve (who later became a well known educator and author at the British Museum, London).

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The music and the book come together in one of my favourite movies - Akenfield directed by Peter Hall (1974) - and in particular a sequence depicting the courtship and love of the historical protagonist (Tom) and his wife.

My previously names favourite movie scenes (from Blade Runner, Last of the Mohicans and Return of the King) were all heroic: but this one is extraordinarily tender.

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Buy the DVD, watch the movie. You won't regret it. You will always remember it. 

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