bourgeon = bud
It's spring. I'm happy.
Recently I played a concert of Dvorak's Stabat Mater at an abbey that is the oldest Christian site in Europe (founded in 515), a small town called St. Maurice situated at the mouth of the valais, one of the largest valleys in Switzerland. We arrived on a misty Sunday at midday, the mountains looming above the town partially obscured by low lying clouds. Right before the concert the clouds parted and the sun came out. As we played the sunlight drifted in through the stained glass windows. The surroundings elevated my experience of playing the concert. I find it constantly astonishing how many beautiful old buildings there are here...and it's so taken for granted. There are many subtle ways in which life is different here, and much nicer. Cars are not the dominant form of transportation, people live closer together, culture and education are generously sustained by government money. I feel like I am getting spoiled being here.
I also enjoyed that my stand partner (btw, this is an amateur orchestra, I agreed to play as a paid 'reinforcement' for the novelty, or the cultural experience more than anything) had pasted small notes at the bottom of each movement with the text in Latin so that he could follow the text being sung. Sadly, I don't understand Latin.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It's really been an amazing feeling playing that piece within those walls full of history, full of prayers of millions of believers passed by through centuries! And then that piece ... wonderful ... a masterpiece!
ReplyDeleteI have spent a few days after the performance listening to it at the different versions available on YouTube, but listening is not the same as playing it!
Concerning the text, Latin is such a beautiful, meaningful and deep language. I have had the luck to study it and its literature for 5 years in the High School; though I remember little of it if you ask details, that gift of learning its poetry and its power hidden beneath its words has never abandoned me! ... and one day, hope in not too distant a future, I shall take it back!
The text of Stabat Mater was written by an Italian poet/scholar/literate called Iacopone da Todi, XII-XIII century if I remind well. You can browse his name on Google and this for sure will bring you to a direct translation in English of the moving text on which so many composers lied their music!
Reading that you might find that Latin ... is not so difficult to understand after all!
The only Latin I remember are the words to "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Sounds like you're having some really beautiful musical experiences there.
ReplyDelete