Donald's interests are many and varied.
On this page you will learn of some of them. There will be
links to other pages where he may elaborate on some of these
interests. Whether these interests may interest you is
another matter, still you may possibly find something
interesting.
GOING TO THE
PICTURES
If you have ever been to a dinner
when Donald has managed to get a word in, he is likely to
regale the assembled with tales of how going to the pictures
was once an enjoyable and wonderful experience.
Today we are more often than not
crowded into some complex with anything from 4 to 24 cinemas
and then made to find our way to a shoebox auditorium where
one is more likely than not to be confronted with a blank
white screen and walls carpeted in curtainings.
Whilst waiting for the 'programme'
to commence you are more likely than not to have to put up
with whatever the complex manager thinks is suitable
'music'. (I have even had 'rap'!)
When the 'programme' does commence
it consists of advertisements then trailers.The main feature
is then just tacked on at the end of all this junk.
But, it was not always like
this!
In the film above you can catch a
glimpse of a time gone by when there was a 'proper programme'
at the pictures - newsreels, cartoons, short subjects, and
in the large city houses you had a full symphony orchestra,
a cinema organ and a stage show.
There was a
pride in presentation too. Note that as the orchestra and
organ ascend on the lift that the house curtain is ascending
at the same time!
This film shows
the State Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hamilton
Webber with Manny Aarons at the Wurlitzer Organ photographed
in 1934.
Donald has
published more pages off this page, which will entertain you
with old picture theatre stuff, orchestras, organs and
silent pictures...
(CONTINUES IN COLUMN 3)
MUSIC
If music be the staff of life, play on - so the
saying goes. Donald's tastes in music are rather catholic and
encompass anything from Paul Whiteman to Bach. He often goes on
about Richard Tauber who was a famous Austrian lyric tenor who
entertained from 1912 until his untimely death in 1948.
If you would
like to know more about Richard Tauber, Donald has
penned a short article called RICHARD TAUBER IN
AUSTRALIA which recounts Tauber's concert tour to
Australia in 1938. It contains some interesting facts
and a whole lot of wonderful photographs. (Take the link
by clicking on the words in capitals above).
Donald subscribes to the belief
that a constitutional monarchy seems to provide the most stable
system of democratic government. It has worked quite well in
Australia (where Donald lives) under the Federal Constitution of
1901 and of course in other countries of the Commonwealth of
Nations who recognise Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as their
sovereign.
Donald has also been interested
in those 'monarchs in waiting' who have been 'standing in the
wings' awaiting restoration. Of course the only one to have been
restored relatively recently was H.M. Juan Carlos of The Kingdom
of Spain, and Donald remembers well all those who said he would
only last two weeks!
Perhaps not so well known is DR. OTTO HABSBURG who would rightly
reign as Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. If you would
like to know more about Dr. Otto, please take the link by
clicking on the words in capitals above.
Continuing with Austria-Hungary, there is perhaps
no more tragic story than the fate that befall THE LAST EMPEROR, KARL. In a four
page article, Donald recounts his short reign and his two
dramatic attempts to regain the throne of Hungary in 1921. It is
fascinating reading and it is a wonder that the story has not
been made into a motion picture as yet.
If you would like to know more about Kaiser Karl,
please take the link by clicking on the words in capitals above.
GOING TO THE
PICTURES - CONT'D
Take the link-
The Regent
to learn all about the Regent Theatre,
Melbourne and its programmes.
Take the link-
The Theatre Organ
to learn all about the this wonderful
instrument
Take the following links to view
Cinema Programmes issued by cinemas:-
Details of renovations to
Schaanwald together with photos
Donald has been steadfastly 'doing
up' Schaanwald ever since moving in over 3 1/2 years ago.
Here you will find a complete list of all the renovations
and additions, plus some interesting stories behind some of
them and lots of photos. (Take "The House" link
above)
