Well, dear readers, in case you haven’t noticed, it is August. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, it is August, and it is my fervent hope and prayer that August will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. Befitting the first day of August, I say we all dance a sprightly tarantella in our colored tights and pantaloons, I say we all sing an art song about the pleasures of August, I say we all do the Highland Fancy or the Cahuenga Shmancy, I say we just make August a great month.
The final day of July was a mixed nuts kind of day – filled with nuts I love (cashews, peanuts, macadamia nuts and almonds, but also having some nuts I loathe like walnuts and pecans and hazelnuts). But the good nuts overran the bad nuts and the bad nuts can just take a flying leap. The day began with a meeting – it was calm and even-keeled, we said what we had to say, we were presented with a new document for our perusal, which, after the meeting, we perused and will be responding to in written form. I am hoping that everyone will do the right thing so that all parties can come away feeling okay about things. We shall see. I do thank you for all your excellent vibes and xylophones and they do work so keep ‘em coming.
After the meeting, I came home, answered e-mails, did some work on the computer, picked up two packages, came back home and then it was time for our second Kritzerland rehearsal. Second rehearsals are more fun than first rehearsals because the singers have had some days with their music and they pretty much know it and I can give whatever minor notes I may have. It’s a very well balanced show and it seems like the show order will work fine. After we finished, Jenna Lea Rosen and her mom, Heather, came by and we moseyed on over to The Smoke House for a little dinner. I hadn’t really eaten much of anything, but I tried to be good, since I knew I wouldn’t be jogging (first day off in over a week-and-a-half). I had an artichoke, a shrimp cocktail (those two items really don’t have more than a handful of calories), a cup of clam chowder, and a lettuce wedge with 1000-Island dressing, all great. I also had some garlic cheese bread. I was stuffed by the end of it, but hope that none of it was harmful.
I then came home, answered yet more e-mails and did some more work on the computer. After that, I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a DVD of a 1977 concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra and my beloved Eugene Ormandy. At the time of the concert, Mr. Ormandy was seventy-eight. There are two pieces – first up was The Firebird, and hearing his reading of it reminded me why I loved it when I was a young teen and first heard it, conducted by Mr. Ormandy, albeit in monophonic sound. This rendition was sublime. Apparently it became fashionable for critics and know-it-alls to knock Mr. Ormandy but at the end of the day his work stands the test of time, whereas the work of certain showier conductors remains, well, showier. Mr. Ormandy had profound respect for the music he conducted and you can see it as he conducts. He is calm, focused and gets exactly what he wants out of the amazing Philadelphia Orchestra. I then got through the first movement of the Rachmaninov second symphony, which was pretty glorious. Ormandy was an early champion of Rachmaninov and they became great friends – Rachmaninov loved the Philadelphia Orchestra and he gave them the premiere of his Symphonic Dances, which I believe is dedicated to the orchestra. I’ll finish watching it today, but it’s simply and effectively shot, highlighting the musicians and the sound is really fantastic. This is highly recommended by the likes of me and is available on Amazon. In fact, I just ordered to more DVDs or Ormandy concerts, which I’ll have on Monday. This week of classical listening has been food for the soul – at some point a few years ago, I had to move all my classical CDs into the hall linen closet, where they are stacked in ways that make it impossible to find things I might enjoy listening to. So, I’m going to do something about that shortly.
After that, I listened to the Ormandy recording of the Mahler tenth symphony, in the Deryck Cook performing edition. It has such beautiful things in it – Ormandy premiered the piece and I have many versions of it and none comes within a country mile of his.
Today, I’m hoping strongly that we get an approval on a title so I can actually announce something on Monday. Otherwise, I’ll jog, I’ll eat, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and I’ll relax.
Tomorrow is our stumble-through and then I’m sure some of us will grab a bite to eat. Sunday is sound check and show, and then next week is very busy getting the next show underway, announcing something, and getting ready for our second pick-up session, after which I go directly to Redondo Beach to see Damn Yankees.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, hopefully get an approval, eat, jog, hopefully pick up packages and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start. CD, more Ormandy. DVD, the rest of the Ormandy concert, then back to motion pictures. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I will arise and greet August with a laugh and a smile and a hug. And it is my fervent hope and prayer that August will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.