A SIMILAR LOT Further Cuttings from Cruiskeen Lawn also appeared in 1976 from Hart-Davis, MacGibbon, drawn from the period 1947-57. The first among my favorite pieces in the book is in the section headed Politics. Like Perelman, ONolan was a master of the humorous article that starts with a simple juxtaposition of apparently unrelated ideas and progresses quite naturally to the hilarious extremes of absurdity. It looks so easy when you read it, but its a technique that eludes me. Part of the trick is knowing when to stop, and part is being a comic genius, neither of which I am good at. Yehudi Menuhin will be in Dublin next Saturday, Myles writes, and after a few remarks on violin-playing says that Menuhin has been reported as advocating a world government. Two can play at this game, says Myles: if musicians can make political speeches, well then -- and we are plunged into a debate in the Dáil. A dull speech by Mr de Valera provokes some interjections, including a remark by Mr Lehane that Mr MacEntee is a notorious Bartok merchant. There are calls for order. Mr MacEntee denies any interest in Bartok or any other atonal practitioner. Prokofiev and Hindemith are mentioned. Mr de Valera says he has a document . . . Mr de Valera: I have here an affidavit which I will lay before the House in due course. It states that at a meeting in Skerries Golf Club in 1935, the Minister put his name to a document asserting that consecutive fifths were admissible in serious music. Members: Withdraw! Mr de Valera: There are various avenues by which the truth may be approached and while individuals may choose this way or that, if they reach the truth in the end the path of approach is not material. This affidavit is signed by Frank Gallagher and I have no reason to doubt that what it says is true. Mr MacBride: The Deputy need not distress himself. I still see no objection to consecutive fifths. Mr MacEntee: I suppose the Deputy sees no objection to that Chopin Polonaise in A? Mr MacBride: I must ask for the withdrawal of that remark. I am entitled to be protected by the Chair. Ceann Comhairie: I did not hear the remark. There are too many interruptions. Mr O. Flanagan (producing oboe): Is the Minister aware that these articles are being openly imported by certain non-national entrepreneurs and will he take steps to have this traffic stopped? Mr de Valera: I intend to deal with the oboe scandal in due course. I mentioned the threat to those of us who understand and cherish the sanctity of the family as a social unit, the home as that units focus, of this projected performance in public of the Beethoven violin concerto. Mr C. Lehane: You had sixteen years to ban it. Why didnt you? What about the Haydn quartettes? And so on. From Yehudi Menuhin appealing for a world government to Éamon de Valera saying that he had made his attitude to the Haydn quartettes clear twenty-five years ago seems a perfectly logical progression.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 09:00:04 +0000