Well, dear readers, I have breaking bombshell news – it is March. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, it is March, and it is my fervent hope and prayer that March will be a month filled health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. There, I’ve said it and I’m glad and I don’t care how knows it. Yes, we’re marching into March with heads held high, good energy, and eating no fatty meats. Right now, I am sitting here like so much March fish, listening to Mr. Eugene Ormandy conducting THE most sparkling recording ever of Offenbach’s Gaite Parisienne, a stereo spectacular if ever there was one, and oh that Philadelphia Orchestra. But more about that in a moment. I must say that yesterday wasn’t much of a ME day. I did get nine hours of sleep, so that was nice. I got notified of a package being delivered at the mail place, so after I dealt with a bunch of show-related texts and e-mails, I went to the mail place, mostly in search of two important envelopes, only one of which was there. But it was the more important of the two, so that was good. Hopefully, the other will arrive today. The surprise was the package from Germany, and I am not talking about a small package, I’m talking about a big, somewhat heavy package. I couldn’t imagine what it was, especially as it came from Sony Germany. I stopped at Gelson’s before coming home, curious as I was, and I was curious. Happily, they had my creamy tomato soup, so I got that, two tiny chicken tenders, and a tiny bit of sausage and peppers. I came home and ate the food while it was still hot, and it was all pretty good and calorie friendly. Then I opened the box and was somewhat shocked to find the brand new just released Eugene Ormandy, The Stereo Years, The Complete Columbia Album Collection 1964-1983. Say what? This is the follow-up box to 2023’s first humungous Ormandy box of stereo recordings. Over ninety CDs of prime Ormandy. But why? I didn’t order it. There was a nice note inside from a woman at Sony that I’ve dealt with a few times about replacement discs for the other sets. I had linked her to these here notes about the other Ormandy boxes – the mono years and part one of the stereo years. I guess everyone there was happy with the endless praise I heaped on the boxes, and saying this was in thanks. I mean, how about that? Thrilled beyond belief. I haven’t listened to music in a while, mostly due to rehearsing the show and not being in the mood to listen.
So, I immediately played disc one, Bach’s Easter Oratorio. I’d never heard a single note of it, but I found it delightful and the recording, of course, was the usual great Columbia sound. I went right to disc two after that, Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony and the suites from Lieutenant Kije and The Love for Three Oranges. Wonderful performances, sounding great. Then I went right to disc three, Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra. The famous opening isn’t quite as good as other recordings, but the rest of it is absolutely great. And now we’ve had the wonderful performance of Gaite Parisienne and currently its companion pieces, Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suites. I’ve never heard better performances of this music. Magical. Next up is a Hindemith album. I’ve got some amazing listening ahead. Oh, and I’m not uploading these to the Music folder – too cumbersome a project that takes way too much time. When I get a new computer, the CD drive will work properly and uploading is a breezy breeze.
I almost watched a documentary, but I thought I’d save it for tonight. I did watch a TV western called The Texan from 1958, I think, starring Rory Calhoun. It ran two seasons. I didn’t think the first episode was all that – very dour – but some of the character actors were favorites. Otherwise, it was more show stuff back and forths, a beef stick and chips for my evening snack, and here we are.
Today, I’ll be up by eleven, I’ll shave and shower, and then be on my way to the theater for our four-hour rehearsal. First up, we’ll assemble act two, and then drill stuff and run scenes for the duration. It’s our last day for ten days with our musical director, so we’ll be dealing with tracks but there’s nothing to be done about that, unless he finds a sub, which would be preferable. Probably too late for that. After the rehearsal, I’m definitely going to have a meal out and I don’t care who knows it. I’ll see if anyone would like to join me for that. Then I’ll come home and watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow and Monday better damn well be ME days. Then we’re back to begin run-throughs on Tuesday night. I’m sure there’ll be meetings and meals, too. Of course, tomorrow night is our annual Oscar Bash, so I’ll be here to hear all the dirt and details. If I can find a free seven-day trial for a service that carries the Oscars, I’ll do that, I suppose.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by eleven, shave and shower, have a rehearsal, eat, come home and watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What snacks do you enjoy? Stuff like chips, dips, crackers, cheese slices, and then beef sticks and beef jerky, weird stuff like pork rinds – not candy – but snacky snacks. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to be marching into March, and it is my fervent hope and prayer that March will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.