Two days after my 82nd birthday, i sit with my thoughts after a quiet day pursuing home tasks to complete. Today, was marvelous.
My favorite and most emotional moment came when my grandson, Sam Gander, sent me a text that would make any grandparent tear up. Talking to my two daughters, one in Las Vegas, one in Austin, Texas were real close to Sam’s text in my emotional moments.
A call from my Vandy running mate, Cy Fraser, from Orcas Island, Washington in the San Juan Islands took me back to wonderful times both back in Old Hickory, Nashville, and Lebanon, but our times together since then.
The birthday wishes on Facebook moved me enough to try and thank folks personally rather than sent out a generic thanks. i may have done just that but suspect i may have missed a few while i wrestled with the electronic world.
Maureen and i celebrated on the eve of the birthday. We went to the San Diego Symphony and had a light dinner afterward.
The San Diego Symphony presented Johannes Brahm’s Piano Concerto, No. 1 in D Minor, Opus 15, and Anton Dvorak’s Symphony #7 in D Minor.
Since Mrs. Gwaltney taught me piano for a couple of years, which i gave up after the eighth grade because i was devoted to football. i did go to Peabody College and participate in a recital, playing a classical piece i do not recall. i have been intrigued but not involved with classical music since then. Cy Fraser introduced me to Handel’s “Water Music” and Dvořák’s 9th , “The New World” Symphony while we were at Vanderbilt. They since have been constantly on my play lists, and i keep adding new found ones i enjoy. The two we heard on Sunday have been added.
While listening, i looked about the impressive hall. It was full, nearly all attendees were old, but there were younger folks in the audience. i wore a sports coat but chose not to wear a tie. It didn’t matter. All manner of dress, both men and women, were on display. There was one guy in tee shirt, Bermuda shorts, flip flops, and a baseball cap. i saw several in tuxedos.
Style of dress did not seem to make a difference. .
When the music begin to play, it was, as they say, quiet as a mouse. i compared the silence while the orchestra performed to what was going on in most of the television sets in the country: the NFL playoffs.
None of the symphony attendees were screaming, making weird gestures, and contorting faces. Of course, there were no visible cameras to egg them on. None were booing the the referees, the other team, nor their own team when they played poorly. Of course, the only team was the symphony orchestra, and there were no refs. No one in the orchestra made a play and then self-promoted with silly dances.
Since i was a sports reporter and editor, i’ve always wanted to watch a sports event where no one screamed, made an idiot of themselves, nor booed as if they expected to impact the outcome. That doesn’t happen.
Sitting there on Sunday, i was entranced by the complexity of the music and the flawless coordination of all of the musicians, especially the incredible pianist, Marc-Andrè Hamelin, the guest conductor, Thomas Guggies, and the orchestra.
If you have never been to a symphony performance, i suggest you try it if you can. i think you would enjoy it. And i am sure you would not get hoarse from screaming while listening.