Monday, July 11, 2016

Looking toward the Symphony Hall


Out for my usual lake loop~decided to wait for evening as the heat index is ridiculous right now. Serendipitously, my miles coincided with the Symphony Sunday in the Park and I got to hear my favourite Beethoven piece.  (Well, my favourite symphonic piece.  My students are always calling me out on naming songs my favourite as I have so many, so I am developing sub-categories for favs.)



Turns out that this particular piece was also a favourite of Beethoven~The work was premiered with Beethoven himself conducting in Vienna on 8 December 1813 at a charity concert for soldiers wounded in the Battle of Hanau. In Beethoven's address to the participants, the motives are openly named: "We are moved by nothing but pure patriotism and the joyful sacrifice of our powers for those who have sacrificed so much for us ".

(I can only blame the above sprinkle of academia on the fact that I'm sorting and cleaning out shelves and files from graduate school.  It's really too hot to think of anything other than a fan, cold drinks, and a swimming hole.)

Just some fun twinkly lights

2 comments:

  1. The sun is rising soooooo early that the idea of getting up before it gets warm for a walk literally means that I'd be walking at about 4:30! So maybe not. But I find you relentlessly brave for walking in the evening; I just CANNOT then. Not without swathes of veils and a huge hat. And sunglasses. And possibly a golf umbrella.

    It's amazing that I have just come to loathe the sun. And, yet, we all rejoiced and celebrated, living in the North, when it was a sunny day... Humanity is cross-grained and two-minded, as usual.

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    1. Hats seem like a good idea until you realize they're trapping all that heat on your hairs! I've come to even enjoy the hefty walks in the heat~as long as there's a pool or shower at the end!

      Am still in my post-Seattle worship the sun & heat phase.

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