On my birthday, my friend took me to see a noon-time performance of the Lar Lubovitch dance company. Their dances were energetic and flowing.
The notes of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto "came to life". Every gesture in the music was represented by a physical gesture. After awhile, I began to think it might be a little too "Disney-esque", but, loving music as I do, I couldn't help but be thrilled by this magnificent interpretation of the meanings and feelings of Mozart's music.
The next piece they danced was Dvorak's Serenade for Strings. This one was so amazing and wonderful. I imagined my granddaughter dancing to this music. Indeed, yesterday, we played that music for her here at home and she danced beautifully to it.
The next day, I traveled with two other members of my quartet. We went by car for three hours to the Sinsinawa Mound, where we filled in the orchestra for Handel's Messiah. We arrived in the chapel just in time for the rehearsal. The afternoon sun's rays glowed softly in the beautiful stained glass windows.
As I played the familiar themes of the music, many memories flooded back to me in vivid fashion, memories of singing the Messiah choruses in high school (as I actually visualized the face of my director and my fellow students), memories of learning music under my mother's direction, memories of my high school boy friend and how we used to play piano duets together, memories of college music experiences, memories of being in church and believing in the whole Christian thing. I even thought about my friend in Europe who had a great choral experience when he sang with hundreds of people in a huge auditorium. I realized again how music can be such an intimate, living memory and all it takes is an experience such as playing in an orchestra for Messiah to bring all those memories and feelings to life.
The next piece they danced was Dvorak's Serenade for Strings. This one was so amazing and wonderful. I imagined my granddaughter dancing to this music. Indeed, yesterday, we played that music for her here at home and she danced beautifully to it.
Click the player to hear one of the movements from Dvorak's Serenade for Strings.
The next day, I traveled with two other members of my quartet. We went by car for three hours to the Sinsinawa Mound, where we filled in the orchestra for Handel's Messiah. We arrived in the chapel just in time for the rehearsal. The afternoon sun's rays glowed softly in the beautiful stained glass windows.
As I played the familiar themes of the music, many memories flooded back to me in vivid fashion, memories of singing the Messiah choruses in high school (as I actually visualized the face of my director and my fellow students), memories of learning music under my mother's direction, memories of my high school boy friend and how we used to play piano duets together, memories of college music experiences, memories of being in church and believing in the whole Christian thing. I even thought about my friend in Europe who had a great choral experience when he sang with hundreds of people in a huge auditorium. I realized again how music can be such an intimate, living memory and all it takes is an experience such as playing in an orchestra for Messiah to bring all those memories and feelings to life.
Here is a very lively rendition of "And He Shall Purify". Isn't it fun to watch the notes fly by?
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