07.31.08
Wednesday concert in Waterfront Park
This is the first one we’ve made it to this summer, but there are still several left, and they’re always fun.
Here’s A. rocking to Submotive.
06.22.08
Seattle Symphony with Joshua Roman
Or in other words, my best birthday present ever.
The program itself was music from a century ago; beautiful and very much to my liking: Hindemith for strings and brass, Bloch’s Schelomo, and then Franck’s Symphony in D minor.
Joshua struck me as a very self-possessed sprite on stage. I love the way he cradles his cello between his knees and rocks it as he plays, conveying an utter oneness with the music. He is physical and restrained at the same time.
Schelomo, the Hebraic rhapsody, is supposed to convey the themes of Ecclesiastes–a quite dark book of scripture–with the cello being Solomon’s voice. Joshua’s performance was deeply compelling, enveloping, sonorous and enchanting.
Clapping until my hands hurt, he walked out again and again and finally sat down for an encore. And guess what he played?
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Minuets in G major, the very same pieces I immediately loved and the ones I began learning earlier this week.
The only thing that made the evening better was the great kindness of a couple in the lobby during intermission–they had to leave early, and gave us their box seat tickets. So we enjoyed the Franck symphony close enough to see every expression on Gerard Schwarz’s face.
06.06.08
A wonderful night for a gallery walk
After days of rain, rain, nothing but rain, the clouds skulked away and let the sun out for an hour or two tonight.
As usual, I was inspired by the art we saw. Plus, I heard some really good music: guitarist Cesar Medel was playing something Spanish and classical at A is for Artists that brought tears to my eyes as we walked in.
And over at Island Gallery, we caught a bit of Ranger and the Rearrangers warming up for their gig tonight. Gypsy jazz–it’s got to be good!
05.12.08
The Secret Garden
I took the girls to BPA’s current musical The Secret Garden yesterday for Mother’s Day. It’s a beautiful production with a very talented local cast. The set was inspired by the Little & Lewis gardens here on B.I. Which reminds me, I’ve got to go see their gardens!
05.10.08
St. Barnabas
When they’re not in my garden or snacking on my buds, I’m quite fond of the island deer. We came upon two fawns while we were walking on the back pathway of St. Barnabas church yesterday, as they were thoughtfully trimming the weeds around a stop sign.
Speaking of St. Barnabas, we attended a remarkable organ and trumpet concert there last night. The church itself is like a little Gothic gem, with its polished gleaming wood and red brick interior contrasting with the blue coolness of the stained glass windows.
One of the side windows was open during the first half of the concert, and one of my favorite moments was hearing the birds chirping in the gardens during Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G Minor — an unorchestrated and utopian touch.
Mel Butler was the organist and Robert Gale was the trumpeter, (such an appropriate last name, don’t you think?) and together they performed beautifully.
05.09.08
A song for spring
I was asked to put together a children’s piece for the island’s upcoming IFC Music Festival, and here’s the song I chose (I absolutely adore the UU hymnbook, where this and tons of other American poets’ work can be found):
In Time of Silver Rain
In time of silver rain
The earth
Puts forth new life again,
Green grasses grow
And flowers lift their heads,
And over all the plain
The wonder spreads
Of life,
of life,
of life!
In time of silver rain
The butterflies
Lift silken wings
To catch a rainbow cry,
And trees put forth
New leaves to sing
In joy beneath the sky
As down the roadway
Passing boys and girls
Go singing, too,
In time of silver rain
When spring
And life
Are new.
–Langston Hughes
Music is by George Walker, and it’s amazingly, hauntingly beautiful. I think the kids singing this will be perfect.
03.21.08
Fiddle for a Friday night
Pegasus Coffee House here on B.I. filled up its charming space tonight with folks who came to listen to 15-yr-old Hank Veenstra play his fiddle. He’s a talented kid, and a serious and focused performer. This was my first visit to Pegasus, and no surprise, I love it. Cozy (=small and warmish when packed) and host to a diverse audience (age range was all over, but probably averaged in the 40s).
02.09.08
Seattle Chinese Orchestra
Tonight, the Seattle Chinese Orchestra performed at Woodward Middle School. Many of the performers were part of the youth orchestra, as in the first piece, an amazingly synchronized drum performance with kids that looked as young as four or five all the way up to teens. There’s something about the stark robustness of resonant drums and intricate rhythms that is intoxicating. As a spectator, I felt pulled into the performance, my own body a sympathetic resonating chamber.
The last piece we heard before ducking out (the kids were, I hate to say, kinda awful) was Warren Chang on the erhu. I’m so glad we stayed for that piece; it was incredibly beautiful. The timber of the erhu is somewhere between a violin and a cello, played with a distinct, plaintive sweep into the different intonations. I’d have been completely mesmerized if I hadn’t been mommying.
Here’s an mp3 I found that features Warren Chang playing “Gendhing Erhu”.
