On Sunday, March 21st I went to see Joshua Bell and Simon Mulligan in recital at the University Auditorium in Gainesville. An outstanding show in every way. Have a look at the program. I especially enjoyed the Schubert, and the Grieg was excellent as well. Mr. Bell and Mr. Mulligan seem like nice fellows in person.
I am continuing to follow politics closely, as I always do. I guess I am as satisfied with John Kerry as I could have expected to be. I mean, we all like to fantasize about the “dream” candidate: the one who shares your beliefs and values. Oh, and who is brilliant and good looking. Well, I don’t know about good looking, but Kerry has some things going for him that I like. I appreciate that he was opposed to the war in Vietnam, but he put his life on the line for his country anyway, while others in the elite class (Bush, for example), who SUPPORTED the war, found creative ways to avoid the battlefield. And, unlike another candidate who takes pride in killing the mentally retarded, and makes jokes about putting prisoners to death, Kerry is opposed to capital punishment. That really speaks to me. I don’t know if the promises of universal health care can ever be kept. I’d like to think so, and, I do think it will eventually be necessary, as health insurance becomes less affordable for the average American. But it seems like the outlandish budget deficits will hold up any substantial reforms. We’ll see, though. Meanwhile, as I am in a constant mood of frustration and unhappiness with the state of our country, I try to remind myself that, as Lincoln said, “this, too, shall pass away”. When it’s all said and done I will probably be glad to have lived through these troubled times. I try to maintain my faith that voters will make the correct choice in November. Lincoln said that he thought four years was too little time for a president to cause lasting harm. Let’s hope that that proves as true and wise as his other remarks.
Miriam got us tickets to see the National Symphony Orchestra with Leonard Slatkin last month. Music of Beethoven arranged by Mahler? Can’t argue with that. That’s two great tastes that taste great together, as far as I’m concerned. It was a good concert. They opened with the Roman Carnival Overture by Berlioz. Next came Ives’ Three Places in New England, which I loved, of course, but was challenging for some in the audience. The Mahler edition of Beethoven’s Third Symphony was very interesting, and Maestro Slatkin introduced it well, with lots of background detail, and examples of the differences. And our seats were in the first row, directly under the violas, about six feet to the conductor’s right. I have never had such close seats. Now I am going to have to start collecting Leonard Slatkin recordings. It never ends.
Filed under: Current Events, Music, Politics on March 30th, 2004
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