Word: takeoff
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Gubaidulina's Offertorium (1979-80) uses the theme of Bach's Musical Offering as the takeoff point for a complex violin concerto that lasts about 35 minutes. Atonal passages mingle freely with tonal ones as the theme is atomized and then reconstructed in reverse; the modern orchestrational device of flutter-tonguing for flutes and brass is complemented by traditionally virtuosic writing for the solo violinist. Gubaidulina, 53, also evokes her Russian predecessors Stravinsky and Prokofiev, most strikingly in a passage of glissandi string harmonics that recalls The Firebird. By Western standards, Offertorium may be tame, but given the governmental restrictions...
...handcuffs during his return flight; American Airlines, among others, does not permit such restraints because it considers them unsafe in an emergency. Law-enforcement officials believe Ali's gun was planted in the restroom by an accomplice, probably before takeoff. Once the plane landed in Havana, Cuban officials took away the hijacker. A few hours later, the plane was back on its way to New York; there were no injuries. The U.S. has asked Cuba to return Ali, but the Castro government has not extradited a hijacker since...
...sets and with well-stuffed oversize suitcases. They were joined by at least ten Kuwaitis, including three diplomats heading for the Karachi consulate, as well as a team of three American auditors from the U.S. Agency for International Development, an American businessman and a handful of other foreigners. The takeoff proved uneventful, and the passengers settled back for the 530-mile, 1½-hour flight to Dubai...
...three-day visit to Poland by West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher was to be the first by a high-level West German diplomat since martial law was declared in December 1981. But only hours before takeoff last week, a testy Genscher canceled his visit. One major reason: a Polish government suggestion that it would be inappropriate for Genscher to visit the grave of Father Jerzy Popieluszko, the Solidarity supporter who was murdered last month. In addition, the Warsaw regime vetoed Genscher's request to lay a wreath at the grave of a German soldier killed in World...
...aircraft went down near the Honduran border, killing all 14 passengers, including other senior army officers. Radio Venceremos, the rebel station, claimed that guerrilla forces had shot down the helicopter, but according to an army investigation, metal fatigue in the rotor shaft caused both blades to snap shortly after takeoff...