Where ARE you all? I went away on a vacation for over a week and I've come back and no one has answered this? Is the clue too FLAKY? Is the trail cold?

cmt - sorry I've been too lazy to google.

Where did you go on vacation? Anywhere good? What happened to your Turkey photos from last year?

I did try Googling, but nothing obvious came up, and I'd rather spend my time blogging these days.

Have lots of fun, cmt!

Someone: Try again. There are more clues hidden in here.

Sweden
Snowflake
Olaus Magnus

YAY!!! Your turn!

Yk: I never did scan my Turkey photos from last year. This last trip was in the USA (FOR A CHANGE). I went to Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon North Rim, and Zion and loved it all.

Back to Ger....

This 20th century (nationality: 7) composer (Name: 8, 7) produced a hugely popular choral work (8, 2, 6), inspired by 15th & 16th century writers.

Fourth letter in nationality is “L” from Snowflake
Second letter in composer’s first name is “E” from Sweden
Sixth letter in composer’s second name is “E” from Sweden
Second letter of third word in “work” is “A” from Olaus

cmt- your trip sounded wonderful! I went to that part of the country a few years ago, and was blown away by the natural beauty!

Ger- how are you? Any recent jaunts? So glad you were able to solve cmt's clue.

Answer to the clue:
English composer, Benjamin Britten
Work- Ceremony of carols

Hello yk!

Of course, you are right on all counts!

I would have thought BB would have been a bit of a challenge! I remember well learning the entire “Ceremony of Carols”; how difficult it was and how rewarding the experience of performing it in public for the first time. It is such a strange and beautiful work.

I have been so very busy over the past few months with work that I have not been able to post. Since we last “spoke”, I have had a weekend in Aosta, after meetings in Milan and Turin, a couple of trips to London and a long weekend in Dublin for my niece’s wedding.

I thought about you on my trip to London in September: I saw the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Tate Modern. It was really excellent and I am sure you would have loved it: Most of the paintings, her very best works, are either from museums in Mexico or in private collations: A once in a lifetime opportunity. The commentary was superb. I “discovered” her several years ago, and it was wonderful to explore her works and her life. It is a superb exhibition. I also took the opportunity to see two exhibits at the Tate Britain: British Landscapes (very interesting and visually pleasing) and Joshua Reynolds (I’ve never been a great fan). So although you may not have seen these exhibits in person, you were with me in spirit.

In catching up, I discovered that you are getting married and going to Venice. How exciting! I can’t help you with hotels or restaurants for Venice: I have been there three times, all day-trips, and all I did was to wander around the streets of this extraordinary city.

Best of luck with the wedding.

Regards Ger

Hi Ger-

I'm so touched to hear that you thought of me on your travels. I really am quite ignorant when it comes to paintings and art. I must say I'm jealous that you get to travel so much, and that you take advantage of your business trips.

I haven't traveled to Europe since May, but me & my soon-to-be husband will leave for Venice in a little over a week.

We did take 2 short trips in the US back in the summer, to Washington DC and to NYC, and spent a good deal of time in both cities' art museums. We also met up with 111op while we were in Manhattan and spent some time with him in MoMA. I wrote trip reports for both trips, and here're the links in case you're interested:
Washington DC:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34645875
Manhattan:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34662254

I also wrote about both trips with more detail (esp the museums part) on my blog, but I don't want to post my blog website here. If you're interested, you can email me and I'll send you the link.
My email address is yk fodors at hotmail (no space between yk and fodors).

I guess I'll have to come up with a new clue!

Interesting -- I had guessed snowflake, but I guess I didn't give Google the right things to back out the rest.

(I'm not lying. )

You probably know about the movie on Frida Kahlo, Ger? I've not seen it. I saw her work a few years ago also -- at Museo del Barrio in NYC.

Happy travels.

Somebody else wants to give a clue? I'm quite busy these days and will be in Venice next week. Don't want to hold up this thread.

I read about this in the Economist a while ago:

Artist: 4 letters (2nd = L)
Architect: 5 letters
Pianist: 7 letters
City: 4 letters

Architect designed a museum for artist in city. Pianist was connected with the project; I think that pianist gave the inaugural performance at the concert hall at the museum.

The Economist article is still available online. So the story goes that the funder for the museum met the architect through the pianist. The architect and the pianist share the same nationality.

The pianist is regarded as one of the best pianists who is currently playing and was born into a somewhat distinguished family (a father or uncle is an architect).

Though the museum is in the artist's home country, the artist spent quite a lot of time in Germany.

Should we forget about this clue and start over?

The thread hasn't been touched in two weeks.

Paul Klee Museum in Bern, designed by Renzo Piano.

Not sure about the pianist.

The pianist is Italian. One of the best still around. Won an important competition when he was 18 (?).

The piano competition bears the name of a composer.

I've tried this in Google and the answer comes out.

Still don't know about the pianist.

I'll go ahead to give another clue.

This piece of aria (title: 3 words - 6,1,6) is heard in Act I of an opera by (composer: 5).

The aria also serves as the theme music of a travel TV show hosted by (person: 4,4).

"a" from Paul Klee is the last letter of person's last name.

Don't know this.

Maybe I'll look at it later.

The pianist is Maurizio Pollini.