2015 Summer
8/20
Altho lots of good things happened, the stellar event was in late July when the Britt Classical arrived and 3 glorious weekends ensued. While it was in motion I hardly had time to assess it, between the compelling music and the back-story from Jenny about the orchestra’s reaction to Teddy Abrams, her personal difficulties with her hostess Eileen, and family visits as well as the routines of everyday life. It was a wild ride. Now 2 days of quiet have given me time to think about the whole of it.
First the music, which was outstanding. On most programs there was mixture of contemporary music, mostly short atonal/electronic pieces by a living composer who was often here, and classics. The opener was the season show-stopper – Carmina Burana with an ensemble of 110 orchestra members, three choruses and three vocal soloists. It was a stunning production and made more of the music than I have heard in it before. Also a slam-bang way to begin a season. Of course, hearing it live made a huge difference; there is no good substitute for a live performance, as I found when I listened to recordings of the Barber violin concerto and Daphnis and Chloe before hearing them performed. What a contrast! (happily the Rogue Symphony has improved tremendously so there is fine music here winter and summer now to keep me satisfied). The 2nd night featured John and Samuel Adams, father and son, and both were here and introduced their works. John Adams’ piece was ‘Radial Play’, described as a concerto for string quartet and orchestra, and a lovely piece it was. He came up on stage afterwards, visibly moved by havinga dual program with his son. Footnote: he said he has known Teddy since he was 11! Then ‘Rite of Spring’ which gets more astonishing and magical with every hearing. That one had Jenny in an anxious state, especially as she was sitting 3rd chair, right under Teddy’s baton. But she aced it (her own words) after practicing intensely.
The 2nd weekend had the only disappointment of the season, a singer named Aoife O’Donovan and fiddler Jeremy Kittrel. She crooned right into the mic and I could not distinguish a single word. Sad because she set several poems by Oregon poet Peter Sears to music, so the words deserved better treatment. Next night was a dazzling set by the 6th Floor Trio, Teddy’s group of Curtis graduates, and they got a wildly approving reaction from the audience. You can google the to get an idea of what they do. And the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, which Eric introduced me to when we first met, and is woven through our first summer in 1942. I was almost afraid to listen but it was OK. It brought back wonderful memories and rekindled the delight we knew when finding that our musical taste was so compatible. It has been almost 4 years since his death and still I experience bouts of longing to have him here, most acute when listening to music we loved, or seeing a great play, or reading a great book, and our discussions after them. The 3rd concert of the weekend was the $5 pops and was all Lenny Bernstein songs with Morgan James the soloist. Very pleasant but not memorable.
The 3rd weekend was all wonderful. First a Mason Bates piece called ‘Mothership for Orchestra and Electronica’. Far more musical than its title, and the composer was at the electronic keyboard. James Ehnes was spectacular in the Barber Violin Concerto, and then Brahms 2nd Symphony, played so beautifully it moved us to tears. The final night showcased the orchestra. The program was an odd mix of new and unusual-traditional – Guilliame Concesson’s ‘Aleph’, Debussey’s ‘Jeux’, Dukas’s ‘Sorcerers Apprentice’ and Ravel’s ‘Daphnis and Chloe’. It was a fine ending to a marvelous season.
Audiences loved Teddy, and he got many standing ovations. The solos by orchestra members were universally fine and clearly the orchestra members are all just what they should be, but rumbles began after the first weekend. And some of the long-time players, including Jenny, Monica and Joseph became more and more critical as the season progressed. I suppose that is inevitable when the honeymoon wears off. But playing 17 pieces of music, half of which were totally new, in three weeks, meant the amount of practicing was like never before and the music extremely challenging. To say nothing of the pay, which probably does not even meet minimum wage standards. Jenny and Monica were absolutely exhausted at the end as I suspect were most of the others. And that was the main complaint. For the audiences however, it was a magical interlude and I will feel the glow for a long time.
I saw very little of Jenny, who was constantly practicing, but we did have lunch and a good talk one day after rehearsal at my favorite Jacksonville restaurant, the C Street Bistro. Her hostess Eileen decided to do a major renovation that started the week before Jenny, Ma, NooNoo and Monica arrived. No bathroom downstairs, kitchen often unusable and Eileen apparently oblivious to the needs of her two violists. Plus two dogs always underfoot. It was hardly a serene place to return to after rehearsals.
Yael and family were here during the first week and we all went to Carmina Burana on opening night. Their time here was a thorough delight for me, and when they left I got spontaneous hugs from both kids whose diffidence melted away as we all did things together. Charlie was due for the 2nd weekndbut couldn’t make it. Lolly, Keith and Sam arrived for the final weekend and Mac came back on Sunday and we all had a great BBQ on my new patio, with Lolly treating to steaks, a rare dinner entree for everyone.
Jenny flew to Seattle before going home because Charlie’s pup Gucci died on Sunday night and she was terribly broken up. Gucci was her best buddy for 15 years. Not easy, losing a beloved pet. I just talked with Jenny (8//22) who was on her way to a wedding in LA . She has recovered from the Britt and decided to do one more year there. But she said it was so exhausting she never felt the joy she has always experienced, so hers was not a similar experience to mine. I am delighted for another season, of course, because it is such a highlight in my year and I’m not ready to give it up. Especially since next year the big Centennial event at Crater Lake takes place. Mac has already reserved the Union Creek Campground and I’ve booked a cabin at the resort, and am hoping for a grand family reunion the last week in July.
There was another event that I loved and expect to make an impact on my life. In July I took a mosaic workshop with Karen Rycheck, a local mosaic artist, at her home in Talent. And found that even at 91, there are new and exciting pursuits in the world of art that can be learned. 
It was a 2-day event and I did a keeper – a first in my art experience (it took me 5 years to do a watercolor I could look at with satisfaction). I’ve even hung it in the kitchen, and certainly want to do more. Can’t stretch my studio to include mosaic but am working on Karen to do a continuing workshop like my watercolor one. Here is the mosaic.
August 29. It was a glorious day. Started on being awakened by a strange sound, a quiet drip from the rain gutter. I looked out onto a puddled driveway and a sharply outlined Grizzly Peak across the valley. After more than a month of smoky skies, with days when the white pall was so heavy I couldn’t see beyond the neighboring trees, there was my beloved view again, which I should never take for granted. There was only a trace in the rain gauge but it was sufficient to lay the smoke on the ground and erase the veil that has been so unwelcome. The sky was cobalt blue with puffy white clouds and after breakfast I drove up Mt. Ashland. And there below on the south was Mt. Shasta and on the north the Rogue Valley, spread out in panorama and so very welcome. I walked a mile or so along the ski road, wrapped in a sweatshirt and buffeted by wind, 200 chillier than the valleys below. Exhilaration was the descriptive word – my world looked glorious again. I really don’t take the clarity of our skies for granted and often stand and gaze at the cloud formations or the changing colors of the clouds. Today, tho, I couldn’t get enough. And even as I sit at my computer I glance out to be sure it is still glorious out there. And breathe happily again because it is.
Another upper last week was the gift of a mosaic bird feeder from Terence. I had admired it in the shop and planned to buy it in the fall. He dropped by and left it on the dining table when I was out somewhere. I have done several things for him lately and this was his response. The chickadees took to it immediately. I took the wooden tray to Pat’s and used her acrylics to paint the sides, sort of matching the mosaic colors. Added a new squirrel proofer and now have a fairly presentable artsy feeder station. lean on Karen to get the drab wooden tray covered with sparkles.
I am back in my usual groove, playing MahJongg, going to Klamath to bird, painting and have joined a book club, something I have resisted all my adult life. More about that next time. Also reveling in my lovely new patio.