Music in A Major key
QUESTION In the final episode of M*A*S*H, what was the piece of classical music Major Charles Winchester was trying to teach an orchestra of captured prisoners?
According to The complete Book of M*A*S*H (by Suzy Kalter, columbus Books, 1984), ‘charles spent much of his time worrying whether he’d get the job he wanted as chief of Thoracic Surgery at Mercy Hospital, Boston.
‘To take his mind off things he taught Mozart’s Quintet for clarinet and Strings to a group of chinese soldier-musicians who had surrendered to him one day when he was on his way to the latrine.’
in a most poignant scene from goodbye, Farewell And Amen, Major Winchester, in his dressing gown, watches his orchestra being taken away from the camp on the back of an army truck — they are playing Mozart’s clarinet Quintet in A major, as he had taught them.
Shortly afterwards, the Armistice (ending the Korean War) is declared to great celebration.
The scene was written to show that music is a universal language.
Stephen Dorff, Pinner, Middx. WolFgAng Amadeus Mozart’s (17561791) Quintet for clarinet and Strings, K. 581, was written in 1789 for his friend the clarinettist Anton Stadler (1753-1812).
it is a work for one clarinet and a string quartet of two violins, a viola and a cello. Mozart was enamoured with the clarinet which was still a relatively young orchestral instrument at the time.
Mozart had met Stadler in the early 1780s and the two struck up a firm friendship, based not only on Stadler’s virtuoso playing but also his jovial character. Stadler was somewhat dissolute; he borrowed money from Mozart which he never repaid, but that appears not to have concerned the composer.
All Mozart’s great works for the clarinet — the concerto, the clarinet Quintet, the ‘Kegelstatt’ (Skittle Alley) Trio and the obbligato parts in two arias from la clemenza di Tito — were composed for Stadler. Mozart wrote to him in 1785: ‘never should i have thought that a clarinet could be capable of imitating the human voice as it was imitated by you.
‘indeed, your instrument has so soft and lovely a tone that no one can resist.’ it was Mozart’s clarinet concerto, his final instrumental work, that is considered the ‘jewel in the clarinettist’s crown’.
This was completed in october 1791, less than two months before the composer’s death, at the age of just 35. it was Anton Stadler who gave the premiere in Prague on october 16, 1791.
Maurice Powell, Malmesbury, Wilts.
QUESTION Why is it illegal to vape in Thailand?
According to Foreign office advice: ‘ You can’t bring vaporisers ( like ecigarettes and e-baraku) or refills into Thailand. These items are likely to be confiscated and you could be fined or jailed for up to 10 years if convicted.
‘The sale or supply of e-cigarettes and similar devices is also banned and you could face a heavy fine or up to 5 years’ imprisonment if found guilty.
‘Several British nationals have been arrested in Thailand for possession of vaporisers and e-cigarettes.’
despite the threat, there have been no documented cases of imprisonment, though according to the Thai Tourist Board: ‘There have been recent incidents of foreign travellers who were unaware of the ban facing an on-the- spot fine or being arrested.’
When, in 2014, the World Health organisation published ‘A systematic review of health effects of electronic cigarettes’, its primary conclusion was: ‘There is an increasing body of evidence indicating harm.’
A Thai government spokesman said the ban was ‘introduced for health reasons and that it was originally suggested because electronic cigarettes were luring young people into smoking.’ The WHo review led to a crackdown in several countries including cambodia, parts of india, lebanon, Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Jonathan Penman, Gloucester.
QUESTION During the war, what was the function of the Custodian of Enemy Property?
during World War ii, British policy towards enemy property was governed by The Trading With The Enemy Act (1939). The Act primarily prohibited commercial dealings with the enemy but it also provided for the preservation of enemy property in the united Kingdom until the conclusion of the war.
in ancient times, such property was considered war loot, and the legal right of the winner.
Following The Treaty of Versailles, it was felt that such provisions regarding enemy property violated the basic principle that private property was sacrosanct. At the onset of the war, private enemy property within Britain and its dominions was signed over to the custodian of Enemy Property.
once hostilities had ended it was then returned to its owners.
T. H. Gaines, Stoke-On-Trent, Staffs.
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