Always travelling

[vaneramos]

Today: spring runoff along Sideroad 20







The pond two days later


Why am I always on a plane or a fast train
What a world my parents gave me
Always travelling but not in love.
Still I think I'm doing fine
Wouldn't it be a lovely headline:
"Life is Beautiful" on the New York Times

~Rufus Wainwright


Danny and I went to two concerts in the past week.

Last Friday night it was Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, performed by the University of Guelph Choir, noted Canadian duo pianists James Anagnoson and Leslie Kinton, and a percussion ensemble. The piece was originally scored for this instrumentation, and it's fabulous. It's exhilerating to see two keyboards pumping out that much sound.

The words were written by defrocked monks in the 13th Century. The poems celebrate fortune, springtime, love and lust. What better way to hail the change of seasons? U of G choir did a superb job.

Last night's offering by Tafelmusik was a contrast: six Baroque concerti and concerti grossi. I hardly knew five of the composers, but Francesco Durante's Concerto grosso in A Major "La Pazzia" was great fun, and Vivaldi's Concerto for violoncello in B Minor, RV 424, Christina Mahler the soloist, was lovely. The final number, Pietro Locatelli's Concerto for violin in D Major, op. 3, no. 1, sounded vaguely familiar, and no doubt it is one of the most technically demanding pieces in the repertoire. Guest director and soloist Elizabeth Wallfisch proved equal to the challenge, and it was a delight to watch her.

Comments

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

Carmina Burana has always been one of my faves. Do you remember Northrop Frye? I had an English teacher in high school who gave me an "extra" curriculum and taught me NF's theory of cultural seasons - am I remembering correctly? spring (comedy), summer (drama), autumn (tragedy) and winter (satire) - and he used Carmina Burana as an example. I must have listened to that recording 100 times.

wow - beautiful pictures Van!

[djjo.livejournal.com]

Both the concerts were amazing, and I'm glad I could share them with you.

right - off to knit a couple fingers for class. Hugs love!

[willowing.livejournal.com]

I hear Rufus' sister, Martha, is also a brilliant musician :-)

[anhinga-anhinga.livejournal.com]

Spring !!!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Like Danny, I believe, I tuned into this piece when I saw the movie Excalibur. I saw it performed live once before, about 12 years ago, with the same instrumental accompaniment and a Mississauga choir. Besides being great music it's a great show piece, really worth seeing if you ever have the chance.

Re: wow - beautiful pictures Van!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I hope your workshop went well yesterday.

I went for a long drive this afternoon and ended up photographing the Grand River in Fergus and Elora. I missed you. Some of the pictures will be posted tomorrow.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Cool, I haven't heard of her.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I like how these pics capture the feel of it.

[justapostcard.livejournal.com]

my son nate just saw Martha in Philadelphia last night -- here's what he emailed me this morning:

"The show was very good. Her opening act was boring but there will probably be a different act opening in pittsburgh. She started with a solo song and then asked her three bandmates (lead guitar, drums, and a
bassist who looked like a hillbilly ax murderer...course he was the one who did back up vocals and was all shy about it...how cute). She
played accoustic guitar the whole time. they did some songs together, she did some alone, and then they regrouped to end it. about 4 songs into the show, she goes...so, was this show just not advertised? (maybe 20-25 poeple tops) (she had us all bring out chairs from the tables we were sitting at along the walls towards the back up to right in front of the stage so it felt like a show)

Someone answered no, it wasn't advertised, and she said. oh, ok, that explains it, we've never played philly before.

so i yelled. "come back!"

She said yeah of course but we'll need all of you here!

then she asked where we heard of the show and some people mentioned the weekly papers that came out that day. I said, "my mom!"

and she said, "ha!, did she call everyone here?

i said, no, but she would have!

so she asked if u were a mcgaragle fan and i said no, a rufus fan.

then they played.

incredibly emotionally attached to the songs, she really commits to them. with the band is beautiful cause she, like her brother, has arrangements that really build and progress and are really moving.

bought a cd that she signed. i asked her when she was going to pittsburgh and she didn't know so i told her that my mother would be there. and she was all, ok, cool. i was trying to penetrate the standard i'm the
celebrity keeping the distance thing, but it didn't work so well. also mentioned i saw her at oberlin which caught her attention for a second."

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

That is interesting. Hey, I didn't realize you're in Pburg. I'm planning to go there this spring to visit ghostsandrobots. It would be cool to meet you.

[justapostcard.livejournal.com]

I grew up just outside of Pittsburgh, but now live about 2 hours north, between Pittsburgh and Erie. But I'm in Pittsburgh a lot (Lilly lives there, and my son is a freshman at Pitt) and I would love to meet you! My friend Lilly and I dropped in on writer00 at his store last year and while we were there he called ghostsandrobots and I talked to her briefly on the phone.