Sergey Prokofiev to Anonymous

The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students

Born in Sontsovka, Ukraine, Sergey Sergeyevich Prokofiev is considered one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. He was also an accomplished pianist and conductor. Like other great composers he mastered a wide range of musical genres, including symphonies, concerti, film music, operas, ballets, and program pieces. At the time, his works were considered both ultra-modern and innovative. In the following anonymous letter, Sergey talks about a girl, who caught his fancy, and her repeated request to create an Assyrian music.

January 24, 1909

Dear Friend,

I saw Glagoleva again on Thursday. She greeted me with the words: 'You're just the person I'm looking for!' What it is about, and it seems to be urgent, is that she has a dancing partner of some kind with whom she wants to perform an Assyrian dance in Assyrian costume, and there is accordingly a need for some Assyrian music to dance to. Hence her appeal to me as a knowledgeable and competent person in such matters.

I said she would have perfectly fine Assyrian music if she could just get hold of an old frying pan, and that would fit the bill quite satisfactorily, but she objected reasonably enough that the Assyrians featured a lute or something of the sort in their music. Could I not dig up some Assyrian motif and then write some music based on it? I explained that just a motif on its own would not be much use since it would need some harmony to go with it, and the Assyrians evidently lacking any concept of harmony, one would have to cobble together some conventional Oriental harmonies. So would it not be easier to get hold of some music that already existed? I made enquiries of a Sacchetti student who happened to be passing (say what you like, but Sacchetti does have a first-class knowledge of the history of music) and he pointed us in the direction of Empress of Saba, which we found straight away in the Conservatoire library. I started to play it and picked out a few places while Glagoleva listened. We soon alighted on the Processional March in the first act, which sent Glagoleva into raptures both about the music and about my playing of it'sight-reading, if you please, and so beautifully! It was exactly what she needed, and of course nobody but me would do to accompany her. I declined. Glagoleva started to plead, politely making sure she had my first name and patronymic and so on correct. After all, we would only need four rehearsals of an hour and a half each, over in Petersburgskaya Storona! I was inexorable. 'Cross my heart and hope to die, I have a chess congress starting in a few days!'

'Well, please come on Sunday. That way the three of us'you, I and my partner'can at least work out how and what we are going to dance!'

I remained unmoved, enjoying the sensation of resisting this beautiful girl whose slightest whim was obeyed by all at a wave of her hand. 'I suffer from chronic allergies that give me a cold in the head and I am forbidden to go anywhere near Petersburgskaya Storona. Come to the lesson on Monday, I'll be there as well, and bring your partner along. We'll be able to sort something out then!'

Glagoleva consented, and that was how it was left between us.


For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
When foreign shores beckon

An array of unconventional career options
A language that divides
Ragging rights and wrongs

Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things
Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned

WEST ASIA DISAGREEMENT: The Gulf within

Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned

Contrary to Neocon narrative, GCC remains divided over its relations with Iran, says Saurabh Kumar Shahi

The Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the United States, Yousef al-Otaiba, is in the eye of a storm for the observations he made vis-a-vis Iran. Comments carried by major news outlets of the world suggested that al-Otaiba confessed to a tacit support for an American military adventure on Iranian nuclear targets.

'I think it's a cost-benefit analysis. I think despite the large amount of trade we do with Iran, which is close to $12 billion, there will be consequences, there will be backlash and there will be problems with people protesting and rioting and very unhappy that there is an outside force attacking a Muslim country; that is going to happen no matter what. If you are asking me, 'Am I willing to live with that versus living with a nuclear Iran', my answer is still the same: We cannot live with a nuclear Iran. I am willing to absorb what takes place at the expense of the security of the UAE,' al-Otaiba was reported to have said.

The comment has renewed the focus on the attitude of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries towards the Iranian nuclear issue. Looking at the direction of debate in Washington, there are fair chances that al-Otaiba's comments will be used by neoconservative reporters and lobbyists to push their case. Essentially, his comments will be considered as sort of endorsement to the AIPAC's grossly misguided line: that Iran is a potential threat to all US allies, not just Israel and that the region's Arab autocracies and monarchies are deeply apprehensive of the 'potential threat' of Iran rather than the Palestinian issue. It will essentially mean that AIPAC will be able to convince the administration that containing Iran is a good proposition not only for Israel but for America's Arab allies as well.

Under the circumstances, it is essential to counter such line of thought that seems to be deliberately misrepresenting that attitude of GCC vis-a-vis US-Iranian confrontation. The line taken by Neocons are too simplistic and suggest that they consider GCC to be a monolith. The reality is pretty different. In fact, attitudes of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia, the constituents of GCC, with regards to Iranian issue is singularly complex and, more often then none, conflicting too. Talking to TSI, Jasim Husain Ali, A Bahraini analyst of GCC affairs said, 'The actions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE toward Iran threaten further divisions within the GCC, thereby further undermining prospects for attaining genuine regional integration. For their parts, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait seem determined to maintain normal neighbourly ties with Iran. Also, Bahrain is said to be close to signing a deal allowing for the import of Iranian gas for its industries.'

So, it is pretty evident that the narrative is not that linear as AIPAC and Neocons would like us to believe. Also, it is very surprising that although UAE and Saudi Arabia have a list of differences over the role of GCC, they appear pretty joint-at-the-hip on one issue'making antagonistic gestures towards Iran. Therefore, it is much more than a coincidence that within weeks, The Times, in one of its report alleged covert Saudi assistance to Israel for a prospective military strike against Iran. Just a week later, the UAE seems to have spearheaded the campaign against Iranian business interests under the guise of implementing UNSC Resolution 1929.

While Saudi's Wahhabi influenced monarchy's motive is well documented, it's UAE that is acting hawkish lately. Very shortly, these nations will find themselves at crossroads. Because if they insist on maintaining the US status quo, whereas many emerging regional powers are resisting, these monarchies might get slighted by the rising eastern alliances of Syria, Iran, Hezbollah and Turkey. And if they do otherwise, the Neocons in Washington may well seek other means to make them fall in line' for example regime change by covert means.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

A language that divides
Ragging rights and wrongs
Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India

Arindam Chaudhuri GIDF Planman Consulting Business & Economy 4Ps Business & Marketing The Sunday Indian The Human Factor The Daily Indian Kkoooljobs.com Amaze, New Delhi IIPM Old Brochure IIPM 4Ps Quiz Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri's Alternative Budget For IIPM Students

America: Shahid Husain and his erstwhile leftist comrades had a happy reunion at the Mecca of capitalism

Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India

While I was in Alexandria with my old friends Zulekha and Yousuf, I received a phone call from Dr. Ehtesham, an American-Pakistani retired Orthopaedic surgeon to come to Dallas (Texas) to attend the 3-day alumni convention of APPNA. He said he had to read a paper on Pakistani media there but since I was here, he will drop out so that I may read the paper instead. I didn't say anything. Ehtesham didn't mention who would bear the travelling cost.

After a week or so, he called me again and said since I had not responded, APPNA has arranged Tarek Fateh instead to speak on media. 'Bhool gaye the kya?' (Did you forget?).

I said it's OK if they have selected Tarek, although I had written a 2,000-word story on Pakistan's print media a couple of years ago for the Press Institute of India. But I did not have a copy of the same in the US.

In the meanwhile, my old friend from National Students Federation (NSF) and author of Chasing the Mirage Tarek Fatah called and said I should come to Dallas. He is a Canadian national now. He booked my ticket from there immediately through American Airlines.

I decided to go. I reached the airport 10 minutes late. I got a boarding card and was then through security clearance. I was satisfied that after getting a boarding card I won't miss the flight. It would wait for me. But the American Airlines flight departed on time. However, the staff was kind enough to book me on another flight that was departing at 10 am. I made a call to Zulekha and told her to inform Tarek that I will be coming by another flight.

Tarek was waiting for me at the Dallas airport. We embraced each other and then shifted to the hotel.

Tarek Fatah was General Secretary of left-wing National Students Federation (NSF) in our university days while I was a Central Committee member. It was Tarek who suggested that I should take admission in B.Sc (Honours) in 1969 since Nayyar Aziz Mazoodi (who later became principal of Sindh Medical College in Karachi and passed away a couple of years ago) was leaving since he had completed his Masters and I had to make a unit in that department. It was also Tarek who inculcated in me the habit of reading International Affairs, Moscow News and New Times.

Tarek was angry that nobody was there to receive us. It was a huge event where as many as 4,000 American physicians of Pakistani origin were participating besides top scientists, intellectuals etc.

Tarek called Dr Shazia, an American family physician of Pakistani origin, women's and human rights activist and a writer. She came immediately and showed us our room. Me and Tarek were given the same room to stay.

It was a huge carnival like meeting where families of the physicians had also been invited. An election was also being conducted. I was inspired by Dr Shazia's enthusiasm and asked her to suggest somebody whom I could interview but he/she should not be a veteran. She proposed that I can interviewed her. I agreed.

I was happy to be among so many people but was looking for friends from Dow Medical College, Karachi where I used to go almost daily during my student life and had many friends. Ultimately I found some of them. Though it was memorable, I felt the expenditure was lavish.

I came back to Alexandria after three days and then went to Richmond, capital of Virginia, to interview Dr Shazia. Interestingly she also requested me for an interview which I readily agreed to. She wanted that stuff for her YouTube thing. From there I returned to Alexandria on Sunday afternoon.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Ragging rights and wrongs

Indian universities and higher education institutes seem to be caught in a time warp teaching things
Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU): Students' Unions can not be banned
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students