RETURN TO LEISURE (5)

Continuing with the leisurely rhythm of leisure activities, the day after the boat trip on lake Geneva I went to a concert of classical music in the Castle of Tannay.  The program was much to my liking, Strauss, the first piano concerto of Beethoven and the 8^th symphony of Beethoven also.  The musicians were the Cameristi della Scala de Milan, excellent and the concert was fantastic, I enjoyed it very much.

The piece of Strauss was a concerto for clarinet, bassoon, harp and strings that I had never heard before and when I closed my eyes I could see young people playing and singing and having fun following the music or being followed by it.  It was a happy and joyful music.  

The piano concerto I believe is quite well known and I enjoyed it very much.  When I closed my eyes I was almost reliving the many concerts I had been to with my father.  He used to take me every year to the whole season of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Mexico since I was about 7 or 8 years old and taught me to appreciate the music and also to stay quiet and just enjoy it, without movement, which as a child was kind of difficult.  He would place his hand on my knee or hand or whatever was moving following the music and transmitted a soothing calm. This time I could almost feel his hand on my hands that were moving on their own. I do not know if he ever heard this piece but I am sure he would have enjoyed it as much as I did.  

The 8^th symphony is also very well known and the performance was great. I am sure all the audience enjoyed it very much and again in closing my eyes I was able to travel in time and space to many of the concert halls I have been to in my life all over the planet, some old some new, the acoustics most of the time very good and the orchestras performing to the top of their capacity.  Somehow I had the feeling that the music was taking me in a trip of remembrance of music and places past that I do not remember often but all of a sudden all came back pushing one another to jump out of my dormant brain into the lively memories.  

At the end after a long round of applauses we all left the idyllic place of the Castle to return tour own worlds, I am sure enriched by the experience of having heard some fantastic music.  I have always wondered how the composers could imagine all the notes in the order they put them to make it sound so beautiful, I wish that for a moment I had the same ability but not being the case I am happy to be able to enjoy it and take advantage of the chances offered. 

RETURN TO LEISURE (6)

When I was a kid my father and I enjoyed reading of clouds or seeing in them other things than a conglomerate of raindrops.  Of course you need to have a good sky with solid clouds that may be readable and that even if they change, allow you to identify forms and images.  I have always enjoyed this exercise and living along the lake I have always had the possibility of seeing animals, houses, forests, dragons or birds, flame throwing clouds or flying dolphins.    Hope you can find the forms I found or others and let me know.  Enjoy

RETURN TO LEISURE (7)  

Last segment of my leisure activities of the month of August is a concert I attended last Sunday, with the KOB Chamber Orchestra of Basel, the soloist was Maria Joao Pires, renown pianist of undisputed genius. 

The first piece was Le Tombeau de Couperin, by Ravel relatively sombre but magnificently played.  Then came what I believe was la piece de resistance, Concerto for piano nr. 23, by Mozart, with Maria Joao Pires, Portuguese pianist well known and admired all over the world.  It was extraordinary rendition with the feeling that oozed through the notes.  The hall was full without empty seats and during the concert you could hear a pin drop – and a cane or two also – as all were attentive and enwrapped by the music.  At the end of course the applauses went on and on and on until Ms. Pires agreed to play an encore, an impromptu by Bach with the spirit and performance in stark contrast to the Beethoven concerto and proof also of Ms. Pires versatility.  The closing piece was the 2^nd. Symphony of Gounod, which was a perfect closure not only of the concert but also of the whole Festival, as this was the last concert of the season. 

I believe we all enjoyed the whole concert very much and as encore the orchestra played La Poule, of Rameau, orchestrated by Respighi.  I am sure I had heard it but in a live performance it revived all the joy of the piece and all its lightness and happiness. An excellent choice for a happy and joyous concert. 

On these happy and light notes, we returned tour respective homes and lives with, I hope, a light heart and smile in the spirit.  

The month is ending, so as return to leisure goes, I believe it was a quite active leisurely time, most enjoyable and enjoyed.

Thanks for reading and eventually commenting on this.