OMG I'm just finding this delightful and generous comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the poem and the reading, Liz. It was (clearly!) a lot of fun to do. 🎶💛🌿
Thank you! I think it worked this time because I didn't set out to do any epic poeting, I just took my notebook along and started scribbling for fun and exercise, and then the music started and took over.
I love this, Elizabeth! I love classical music. We’ve been going to the Oakland symphony for years (much less expensive than SF). It’s so meditative. This poem captures the story of the music. I can hear the music in your words. I’ve always wanted to write a poem like this and you’ve done it. As they say, Brava!
I’m so glad I listened to this first before reading in print. That was so cool! Amazing how you can bring to life a visuals, sound, emotion, all with words. Like everyone is commenting, I really felt like I was there, even while biking along listening. Quite unexpectedly, when you paused then translated the German “thou shalt arise” it brought tears to my eyes! Followed by “believe, my heart, believe” and “prepare to live!” I guess those messages really resonated with my heart. An epic poem!
Oh, I love knowing that someone's engaged with this poem first by listening to it -- especially when the someone is you! So glad it spoke to you, Petrina. 🎶💛🌿
Oh, that was such a thrill and such a grand pleasure to be sitting right next to you with all that going on. I just loved every minute of it, every line.
I began as a boy soprano in grammar school and slowly descended to bass by senior high school. I loved choir singing with all my heart and have wept my share and more at concerts, from both sides. Laurie and I sang for John Rutter once, the MIT concert chorale, I sang for L'Eglise Reformee Du Louvre. Not name dropping believe me, just remembering how wonderful it is. Thank you Elizabeth.
A pleasure to have you in the next seat, Wes! I love hearing about your history with choral music -- it's a wonderful experience, from both sides as you say.
This is such a delight! I recently attended Symphony No. 2 in C Minor at Chicago Symphony with Maestro Neeme Järvi. I cried that evening. I'm a proud art cryer. Loved "forest of bass violins" and your description brought me to that night. (Oh. I heard you in golf announcer voice 🤭) Brava 👏
"Golf-announcer voice!" 😂 I used to watch golf with my dad and I remember the conversational, low-key suspenseful murmur ... and yeah, me narrating the orchestra seats filling up and the conductor's notes would work great in that voice.
So glad you enjoyed the poem, Rena, and even more glad that you got to be at that Mahler performance.
Yes. I was quite disappointed when the Social Security Administration representative told me my cumulative quarters had ended 3 days before a car wreck.
I said, “I was working the day of the car wreck, literally, was returning from a scheduled appointment to discuss the donation of my first print run.”
With monotone she said, “It has to show as income.”I even said, “In-kind donation’s are income.”
The light. The light! The base violin and the slouching plaid. I can hear and see this scene vividly. So different to take part in the creation rather than only the finished masterpiece. Like appreciating a meal more fully when you've been part of the gathering of ingredients. Beautiful.
O My G-D!
I exclaimed, when reading aloud was done.
Thank you, for a Saturday morning, impromptu poetry master course! I am In Awe. As well, so grateful.
OMG I'm just finding this delightful and generous comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the poem and the reading, Liz. It was (clearly!) a lot of fun to do. 🎶💛🌿
“Layers, layers of sound, texture of harmonies “
This was my favorite of all voice-overs! It was like I could hear the concert through you Elizabeth!
It was such a fun voice-over to record, Looocinda! I'm glad you liked it. 💛💛
you’re my new favourite elizabeth!!!
Oh, what an honour! Keep reading around though, there are some perfectly astonishing Elizabeths on Substack.
Magical:
"How homely and serious the orchestra looks
with everyone in their day clothes.
No formal, artificial black and white:
Music as business, as day labor, music as life."
....
"-– and light breaks out, sostenuto,
to applaud the courage of the dawn.
Will the light hold? It will.
Through the shadow the light always returns."
....
"Cymbals, bells! As if each silver clash
burst, scattered, into sparkling motes and stars!"
So glad it sings for you, Margaret Ann!
you are poeting about music! that's such a hard thing to do and you did it so well
Thank you! I think it worked this time because I didn't set out to do any epic poeting, I just took my notebook along and started scribbling for fun and exercise, and then the music started and took over.
I love this, Elizabeth! I love classical music. We’ve been going to the Oakland symphony for years (much less expensive than SF). It’s so meditative. This poem captures the story of the music. I can hear the music in your words. I’ve always wanted to write a poem like this and you’ve done it. As they say, Brava!
Thanks so much, LeeAnn!
I’m so glad I listened to this first before reading in print. That was so cool! Amazing how you can bring to life a visuals, sound, emotion, all with words. Like everyone is commenting, I really felt like I was there, even while biking along listening. Quite unexpectedly, when you paused then translated the German “thou shalt arise” it brought tears to my eyes! Followed by “believe, my heart, believe” and “prepare to live!” I guess those messages really resonated with my heart. An epic poem!
Oh, I love knowing that someone's engaged with this poem first by listening to it -- especially when the someone is you! So glad it spoke to you, Petrina. 🎶💛🌿
Oh, that was such a thrill and such a grand pleasure to be sitting right next to you with all that going on. I just loved every minute of it, every line.
I began as a boy soprano in grammar school and slowly descended to bass by senior high school. I loved choir singing with all my heart and have wept my share and more at concerts, from both sides. Laurie and I sang for John Rutter once, the MIT concert chorale, I sang for L'Eglise Reformee Du Louvre. Not name dropping believe me, just remembering how wonderful it is. Thank you Elizabeth.
A pleasure to have you in the next seat, Wes! I love hearing about your history with choral music -- it's a wonderful experience, from both sides as you say.
This is such a delight! I recently attended Symphony No. 2 in C Minor at Chicago Symphony with Maestro Neeme Järvi. I cried that evening. I'm a proud art cryer. Loved "forest of bass violins" and your description brought me to that night. (Oh. I heard you in golf announcer voice 🤭) Brava 👏
"Golf-announcer voice!" 😂 I used to watch golf with my dad and I remember the conversational, low-key suspenseful murmur ... and yeah, me narrating the orchestra seats filling up and the conductor's notes would work great in that voice.
So glad you enjoyed the poem, Rena, and even more glad that you got to be at that Mahler performance.
oh wow.... I really love this. It captures the wonder of listening to music live.
So glad, Nancy-love! 🌼🎶🌼
Ta! Da! Wonderful! I was right there with you!
Delighted to have you there, Rose! Thanks for reading.
…as day labor…
Yes. I was quite disappointed when the Social Security Administration representative told me my cumulative quarters had ended 3 days before a car wreck.
I said, “I was working the day of the car wreck, literally, was returning from a scheduled appointment to discuss the donation of my first print run.”
With monotone she said, “It has to show as income.”I even said, “In-kind donation’s are income.”
... making art is hard/good work!
Brava Elizabeth! Brava! I felt thoroughly immersed!
Oh, that was my hope! Thanks so much for reading, Pamela.
Mahler, always a favorite!
I hadn't heard a lot of Mahler before I went to this open rehearsal -- it was enlightening! Thanks for reading, Paul.
Mahler is often called the bridge between the late-Romantic traditions of the 19th Century and early Modernism of the 20th Century. Great music!
The light. The light! The base violin and the slouching plaid. I can hear and see this scene vividly. So different to take part in the creation rather than only the finished masterpiece. Like appreciating a meal more fully when you've been part of the gathering of ingredients. Beautiful.
So much this, Elizabeth! A privilege and an eye-opener to witness the work and thought that gets poured into art before it's Presented.
So glad of your company, Maureen! Thank you for coming along. 🎶💛🌿