Drinking Alcohol taught me how to fly
Then it took away the sky....

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

SYMPHONY CONCERT EVERYWHERE

 

Today I conducted--in concert--a symphony orchestra in works by Brahms, Beethoven and Aaron Copeland.
Not programmed, yet seriously performed were

Brahms: 1st Symphony,
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #5
and Aaron Copeland: Rodeo

Interspersed among those compositions was the music of Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.

What FUN! Oblivious to thousands of Peeps filling Music Hall, I went about waving my arm, pointing with my hand and fingers to the sections of instruments, giving special attention to the solo flute, oboe, or deep-toned cello, etc. And singing the lines of each section, first and second violins, basses (LOVE those bass sounds!), brass, woodwinds tympani--and I, simply lost in the hallways of heaven.

All this happened while I was mowing the grass (weeds) of our back yard. If anyone had seen me (a neighbor did), one arm flailing about, pointing, me singing, at times saying, "Shhhhh" during a pianissimo passage, they would (in fact, he did!!!--grin!) think me certifiable.

Many times I've played these pieces, and hundreds of others. Fortunate I was to be a 'second violinist'. From that chair I could hear all the harmonies, phrases, beats, melodies, and never attempting to memorize, many yet  became embedded in my brain.

The final thought of my life might well be not words, but music, like closing strains of Strauss' Don Juan, or Don Quixote.

Telling truth now, several symphonies and concertos, I could--right now--sit down and write them out, note-for-note, all the movements...not perfectly, but good enough.

So all this stuff IS in my head somewhere, and I can call on and bring up any of a thousand pieces, songs, and 'hear' them in their near-entirety. This happens often, and Peeps ask if I am dreaming or 'slipping away'. All the while, I am enjoying immensely what music I'm 'hearing' at that moment.

Anna asks me now and then, "What is 'playing' today?" And I answer whatever is, e.g., Dvorak Fourth, or a Mozart Piano Trio, or...
and that work usually hangs around me like an aura the rest of the day.

So there I was today, mowing grass in 100 degree heat, in hot sunshine, singing and 'directing'. Gratefully I realize that 'hearing' whole scores of music is really a special gift. And I used to believe everyone did this--grin!

This virtual 'hearing' 'playing' or 'conducting' I call up  from a need to joyfully get through an event. Or maybe from an inspiration, a hope, that in another life, i will count under my baton 120 musicians, called a symphony orchestra.
And I shall direct them with passion.
And I shall call them by their name.
And they shall call me "Maestro"!

--steveroni sends LOVE and PEACE!

 

28 comments:

  1. I love Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5.....

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    1. The "Emperor"...always has been a favorite. Once at a summer music camp--me, in the orchestra c.1950--a lady named Gina Bachauer (often regarded as the greatest female pianist of the 20th century-Wikipedia) played in a three week period ALL FIVE of the Beethoven Concertos. I was 17, fell immediately in love with Beethoven AND his piano works!

      Thank you for giving me today that 'special' memory!

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  2. smiles...haha...would love to have watched you conducting while mowing the grass...i tend to do more zen meditation while i am mowing in ever diminishing circles....pretty cool you have all that in your head to steve....

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    1. Brian, these stories are my normal. Been conducting and singing classical pieces--while mowing yard grass, or a 20-acre hay field with two horses pulling the mower--since early teen years.

      Life IS like a bowl of cherries after all, is it not? Sometimes the bowl is hotter than other times...
      Try to stay cool.
      PEACE!

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  3. Maestri, please play Carmina Buranha. Thank you.

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    1. OK, Ces. Of course I know that most beautiful work. I "U-Tubed" it just now, and enjoyed once more. Realized I must tell you, I could never, ever, begin to write out the score of Orff's Carmina Burana. But I can certainly 'hear' much of the hour-long piece. I LOVE music written in 20th and 21st century, 'in memory of stuff' from the middle ages.

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  4. My dearest Steve, you are so full of life. Infectious. Inspiring. I hope you have a lovely day today. You conducting while mowing the lawn remind me of my younger self when I used to be fun. Thank you for the smile this early morning.

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    1. What do you mean? "When (you) used to be fun."?. I could not imagine having a more "fun" hour than "Coffee with Ces!" Adding that to my bucket list, which at my age, is filled with fantasy...nothing more. But it is STILL FUN--grin!
      TSUP!

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  5. Oh wow- love Copeland's Rodeo; and tons of other pieces. Glad you conduct and review pieces. Enjoy!
    Got a really cool opportunity a month or so back my sister in law allowed me to
    explore with her key board! all kinds of rhythm, drums, organ etc. What fun!

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    1. Music elevates us and our human condition. What is the saying: "Soothes the savage beast"? I DO know this. Cows give more milk and quicker when nice classical music is piped all through the barn. (Guess any kind of music, but all I ever heard in barns was classical.)

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    2. The barn where my horse stays is all classical!

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    3. YOU gotta be kidding!!! OH! How I LOVE it!
      Thank You, God. For my sobriety.
      Or I would have missed all this wonderful FUN!
      Camaraderie. Community!
      PEACE, Izzy!

      Delete
  6. Ah, Steve. This is a beautiful visual. I love how you live outside the box!

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    1. Kristin, I did not realize there WAS a 'box'--grin!!!
      But living is fine, as I pray yours is also!

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  7. having music playing in one's head is actually the most beautiful experience! I'm grateful for the music I wake up to daily and the songs that come to mind and are hummed to the tune of vacuum, garbage or dish detail.

    My dad used to get the biggest kick out of sending me out to mow the lawn to watch as I carved curves of cut grass while I sang to the tune of my own band.

    This reminds me of my favorite experiences of Independence Days past where I went to the local town center where I lived for a time to watch my friend who played alto sax in an orchestra as fireworks crashed overhead. I loved watching fireworks to the orchestra, and I loved driving the antique john deere tractors in the parade earlier in the days. Good memories!

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    1. Jessie, you really loving your memories.
      I really loving your memories also

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  8. I was mesmerized in the initial part of your story.

    And I should have conducted many concerts in the jungle as you do, during mowing the grass. The grasshoppers, the spiders, the monkeys, etc filled the hall.

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    1. YUP! We all live in the same 'world' and IT IS REAL!

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  9. Woohoo! I love it! Let your freak flag fly! Especially when your audience is a real stiff!

    XO

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    1. LOL at your comment--let's all STAY happy,
      or at least JOYFUL!
      I LIKE upbeat comments, girl.
      (And need them--feed on them!)
      Love and PEACE!

      Delete
  10. Hi...

    I've relocated to a new blog. Hope you will come read me again :)

    Hugs,

    Christina

    Formerly of "Happiness" blog

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    1. Christina, I clicked on your name and got nowhere.
      But I can handle that--grin!
      Please, if your read this, slip your
      blogger name in here, OK? Please?
      THANKKKUUUUUU...
      PEACE!

      Delete
  11. Bravo! Bravo! Encore! Encore! :)

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    1. In my symphony days we used to joke about that. When peeps would shout "Bravo! Bravo!" we would joke that what they meant was, "Play it again...until you learn it!"

      (Hope you come back to 'see' this!)

      Delete
  12. A wonderful read! I can just picture the flailing. We really need you flailers. What a feeling that must have been!

    It's not all drums and guitars for me, mind you! My nephew, Ashley, is a classical musician, performed at The Royal Albert Hall in London as part of the Philharmonic gang. Every time I hear him play 'Sång till Lotta' I bubble - especially if he gets piano accompaniment.

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    1. Helena, I didn't make it clear, this has been ongoing behavior of mine for 60 years. Whoever knows me here is accustomed to it.

      Music will enhance Ashley's life greatly. His parent--or whoever is responsible for his music training--are to be commended, IMO. Music, even 'flailing' lifts us humans up a notch from the daily humdrum of mere existing, earning, eating, sleeping, etc.

      Many a retired billionaire (we live in that kind of town--grin!) has said to me in all honesty, "Sure with my daddy made ME take violin lessons!"

      And I just smile, realizing I have something that his billions cannot buy. I'm not being smug here--simply truthful...maybe?--grin!

      OH BARITONE! WOW! That's a real piece of music making!

      Thanks for your nice comment, Helena
      PEACE!

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  13. I meant to add, he plays brass - baratone mostly! Doh!

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