Counterturn

I had the great honour of interviewing Jakob Ziguras about his latest and most accomplished book, Venetian Mirrors. Ziguras was born in Poland in 1977 to Polish and Greek parents and came to Australia in 1984. He studied fine arts before switching to a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Sydney. His poetry has appeared in journals in Australia and internationally. His debut collection Cha...

Simon Starr is a Melbourne musician. That's all he wanted in his bio. And wisely so, because this conversation about music, Israel, and the fundamental questions of history and culture, needs very little introduction. Starr has given me one of my strongest episodes to date. The theme song 'Zaftik' was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.

Professor Anna Goldsworthy is a concert pianist, both solo, and with the renowned Seraphim Trio. Her passion for teaching makes her the ideal Director of the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide. Her articles, plays, recent novel, and libretto, would be enough on their own to secure her reputation as an indispensable literary talent. But in her memoirs, Goldsworthy really brings music and prose togeth...

In this episode, Nelson celebrates the up-coming birth of his child, and wonders why so many people don't want kids. The theme song 'Zaftik' was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt. 

In today's episode, Nelson sits down in the interviewee's chair to chat with... his wife: Emma-Mae Rufatt. Together they clear up various mysteries, including why some musicians aren't artists, what makes good art, and what the ideal meat pie is made of. Emma-Mae is a classical soprano, choral scholar, and jazz singer. She is a superlative teacher of voice, piano, and music theory. The theme song...

In this episode, Nelson talks to Stephen Edgar about poetry, and why it springs as much from technique as from inspiration. Edgar's poetry can be read, listened to, and purchased at: http://www.stephenedgar.com.au/newsite/ The theme song 'Zaftik' was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.

This episode is about the genius of Barry Humphries, and the Shakespearian magnitude of his characters. Like Shakespeare, Humphries created personalities who really did exist, in books, on stage, on television and film, in his head, and in our heads. Rufatt wrote this essay around the time of Humphries' death. The theme song 'Zaftik' was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.

This episode is a short tribute to Martin Amis, who died of Oesophageal Cancer, only last Friday.

A late Easter message. Christianity and Humanism are words usually claimed, and guarded by, opposing parties. This episode reflects on the moment when Christianity and Humanism met, and when Christianity transcended its religious story by becoming uniquely human. This first appeared as an article in Issue 4 (Christmas Issue) of 'The Parrish Paper', St. Peter's Eastern Hill. It was printed by the p...

Nelson and Jonathan continue their discussion of J. G. Ballard's novel 'Crash'. Pink Floyd get a mention, and Jonathan exposes for the whole world, one of Nelson's most closely guarded secrets. Now you're interested. The music was composed and performed specially for these episodes by Jonathan Craig.

In 1973, J. G. Ballard published 'Crash', an orgy of a novel, which made an aesthetics of sex and violence. In what Ballard called an 'extreme metaphor', the car crash became the culmination of orgasm, celebrity worship, and nihilistic longing. Yes, well, quite. Who better to discuss this distasteful blemish on literature, than with writer and old friend, Jonathan Craig, with whom Nelson recorded...

Nelson discusses boredom, its causes and who they are. He reflects on the importance of furnishing your mind, and liking it. The theme song 'Zaftik' was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.

Something slightly different.   The theme song 'Zaftik' was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.

This week, Nelson talks with Professor Kate Burridge. Prof Burridge has the Chair of Linguistics at Monash University. She has thoroughly researched changes in vocabulary and grammar, linguistic taboo, and the structure and history of English. She has written and edited more than twenty books on different aspects of language, has regular segments on ABC Radio and 3AW, and was a weekly pannelist on...

In this episode, Nelson recites two of his poems — 'Bellerophon' and 'For Bix Beiderbecke', both of which were published in the June issue of Quadrant. The phrases 'a sequence of desolate exuberance' and 'playful grief', are taken from Clive James's essay on Beiderbecke, in 'Cultural Amnesia'. Bix, playing the song 'I'm Coming Virginia': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW7YYt0F-K4 Louis Armstrong...

Nelson speaks an impassioned essay about, for, in defence of, Salman Rushdie, his life, and his prose. And — it can never be argued for often enough — enlightenment, and freedom of expression. It is dedicated to Rushdie, and to his family. May he and they live long.   You can buy 'The Satanic Verses' here: https://www.angusrobertson.com.au/books/the-satanic-verses-salman-rushdie/p/9780963270702?gc...

Nelson reflects on the Sydney Theatre Company's production of 'A Picture of Dorian Gray', which he saw at the Playhouse in Melbourne in early August. Authenticity, art, myth, and music, are pampered, prodded, and inverted in this episode. This episode was produced by Johnathan Craig. The theme song is 'Zaftik' and was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.

Intimacy is being abolished. Or so says Counterturn's host Nelson Rufatt, with his tongue in and around his cheek.

Nelson and Peter continue their discussion of poetry, and Jewishness. How do Jewish poetry and mysticism balance ironic scepticism with religious feeling? And what the hell's wrong with rhyme anyway? This conversation took place between Nelson Rufatt, and poet, teacher, and translator of Hebrew and Arabic, Peter Cole. Cole's riveting books of poetry include 'Rift', 'Things On Which I've Stumbled',...

On the 16th of June 1904, James Joyce was taken in hand by the straight-talking chambermaid who was to become his utterly devoted wife. This episode is not about that chambermaid. It was written at an angle to the little universe brought to life each year on Bloom's Day, the day of Joyce's meeting, and the day on which his hundred year old novel Ulysses is set. My little centenary essay is not a f...

This episode is about poetry, and about Jewishness. How does Judaism manage so successfully to combine piety, love of the absurd, humour, secular rationalism, irony, disinterested inquiry, and mysticism? What is the secret of its unique paradoxes? And how about that poetry! This conversation took place between Nelson Rufatt, and poet, teacher, and translator of Hebrew and Arabic, Peter Cole. Cole'...

Alexander Inman-Hislop is an extraordinary drummer who is discovering new things about music and the way we hear the world. In this episode we continue our discussion about culture and context. Alex talks about his discoveries on the drums, and speculates about the ideal music scene. The theme song is 'Zaftik' and was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.

Alexander Inman-Hislop is an extraordinary drummer who is discovering new things about music and the way we hear the world. We discuss the ways in which music maps on to nature, and whether sound can be appreciated without its cultural extras. The theme song is 'Zaftik' and was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.

In this episode, Nelson talks to Jonathan Craig about Science Fiction, and whether it has literary value. Jonathan is a writer, policy advisor, accessibility consultant, and the former editor of Blind Citizen's News. He was an artistic advisor for Convergence: a speculative game about climate emergency.   The theme song is 'Zaftik' and was composed and performed by Nelson Rufatt.   Books and Other...