Here come the girls.......

Today in the pm I have an appointment with a tax officer of Her Majestys Revenue and Customs. No, no, nothing to do with the worlds current economic woes I assure you…..

Apparently government computer shall not speak unto government computer, hence they are of the opinion that meeting me in the flesh will resolve the problem – their pleasure entirely say I….hmm.

Anyway I digress…taking note of the above I have chosen some suitable ‘mood music’ and on a more scholarly note:

The Ride of the Valkyries (German: Walkürenritt), is the popular term for the beginning of Act III of Die Walküre by Richard Wagner. The familiar tune is carried by the orchestra, while, above it, the Valkyries greet each other and sing their battle-cry.

In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ("chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who choose who will win or die in battle. The valkyries bring their chosen who have died bravely to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Wotan.

In an opera-house setting, the Ride, which takes around eight minutes, begins in the prelude to the Act, building up successive layers of accompaniment until the curtain rises to reveal a mountain peak where the eight Valkyrie sisters of Brünnhilde have gathered in preparation for the transportation of fallen heroes to Valhalla.

As Victor Borge might have said, a slight ‘squabble’ then ensues.

When Brünnhilde arrives, they discover she is fleeing from Wotan after disobeying his orders.

This clip is from a concert performance, part of the BBC Proms in 2005, from the Royal Albert Hall.

The orchestra of the Royal Opera House is conducted by Antonio Pappano.

Lisa Gasteen sings the part of the late arriving Brünnhilde and the magnificent Waltraud Meier (far left) is Sieglinde.

Have an untaxing day nice people….and eat your heart out Tom Cruise…grinning.