September Sun

We all like to think of September as being a month predominated by those lovely lingering moments of late summer with warm and sunny afternoons followed by crispy nights. Here in Berlin, we have lately been denied these pleasures; grey skies and daily precipitation have predominated over our weather for the last week. It has really been a bit too cool and grey.

My counter-offensive is two-part. I'll admit that I've spent quite a bit of time sitting at my window and watching the clouds scudding by. It is quite a show, with a full range of clouds from the darkest rain clouds to clear cerulean blue autumn sky in the shortest time span. Great.

When the sky is grey and I'm tempted to dig out a wool sweater to keep my shoulders warm, I tend to turn to the brightest colors in my watercolor palette for some artificial warmth. Sunshine is the topic of choice, so I've been painting sunflowers galore.  The medicine works and here are a couple of the products of my work week.

Pitcher of Sunshine

Golden Greeting

And, of course, there is a thought for the day. . . . from Picasso.

"Art washes the dust of our everyday lives from the soul."

I'd like to extend that thought to music, too . . . . 

Old Friends

I took the day today for a trip from Berlin to Wernigerode. For those of you who might not be up on your German geography, Wernigerode is a 2 1/2 hour drive southwest of Berlin and on the edge of the Harz Mountains. This is a route I have taken many times over the years, though not recently. As I turned off the highway and had the first view of the soft hills in the distance, there was indeed my moment of recognizing an old friend. The colors in the fields and trees and villages change from season to season but the shapes in the landscape are wonderfully familiar - and my car knows each turn in the road. Needless to say, I enjoyed the drive.

While driving I listen to the radio, and was pleasantly surprised to hear another old friend - Mozart. Having a good 40 years of orchestral experience under my belt, the Mozart symphonies are no strangers. Number 28 isn't as well known as the later symphonies but as a seasoned second violinist, I've come to appreciate the last movement of this symphony especially - no boring accompaniment here - lots to play and lots of fun. (The joy of singing along in the car is also not to be underestimated.) In this recording, the presto movement starts just after 19 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo4YzaixT3E   Enjoy!

The underlying reason for my trip today was the delivery of paintings to a shop in Wernigerode where I have had my work on display for several years now.The pieces I brought with me are all new works, but portraying subjects that are indeed old friends - sunflowers and poppies.  I have painted these flowers untold times, but each time anew. As in nature, no two flowers are alike - love it! This time I started with patches of color and added contours with India ink. Granted, the technique is not new, but it was a new approach to the subject for me.

But then, isn't that the special quality of an old friend? Something old, something new, a trusted familiarity in a new situation - an old sneaker with a new insole - a new twist to the spaghetti bolognese. And, yes, I also had a couple wonderful conversations today with dear old friends. It has been a lovely day.

"Towering Poppies" and "Sunny Side"

September's Best

A New Start

There is something daunting about a new start - a new day, a blank piece of paper, the minute before a performance begins or embarking on a totally new project. It is a moment of expectation, maybe trust and quite possibly a bit of magic, too.

And now, in September, we are starting a new concert year, school has just begun and we are experiencing a first taste of autumn. Consider autumn as a beginning instead of the end . . .

Aside from welcoming all my violin students back after the long summer break, I have also had my first new musical experience of the season; I played a very interesting program last week with the Preussiches Kammerorchester - music of Arvo Pärt, Henryk Gorecki, Jean Sibelius and Peteris Vasks. Granted, the names of the composers are not unknown, but there was not a single piece on the program that I had previously played. Exciting! After over 45 years of orchestral experience this is rare.
Here is a link to Sibelius' "Rakastava." Maybe it is something new for you, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiUGE3SX7O0


And here is something new from my watercolor studio

Someone Laid an Egg

One last "new" thought for the day:

"And suddenly you know that it is time to start something new

 and to trust in the magic of a Beginning."

                                                                                                  Eckhardt von Hochheim

Thanksgiving - Giving Thanks

To all my family and friends in the USA, I send wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving of togetherness. Being so far away, I particularly can appreciate those rare moments when family members take the time to be together and enjoy each other without the stress of a regular work day. Here in Germany, it is business as usual, but my email folder and facebook page have been filled with holiday greetings from abroad. Thank you to all! The long distance friends and relatives are just as precious as the ones next door. And I am most thankful for these wonders of modern technology (which I will never understand), but allow us to communicate instantaneously with one another and melt away the miles. Yes, I do mean Skype, Google, Facebook and Co. . . . .


Here in my Berlin studio things are taking shape for the coming holiday season. Just this past week, there have been a couple inquiries about specific paintings and the possibility of an exhibit. Keep looking for updates!

These two cameos of field poppies are destined for a Christmas market next month - hopefully just the perfect gift for someone.

Fog and Frost

I have been watching the change of season from the big windows of my loft. This morning there is a lovely dusting of frost on all the adjacent roofs. The last few leaves are still hanging onto the big oak tree, but most of the branches are bare now, making it easy to observe a squirrel on his daily rounds. It is amazing how quickly he scrambles from tree to tree. I am very glad to have my observation post in a warm and lighted room.

On the operatic scene, I have been playing Verdi's Don Carlos - it could easily be my favorite Verdi. Each time I play the opera, I hear new things - the beautiful use of counterpoint - two independent melodies that meet and intertwine and create a fantastic atmosphere. There are numerous clips on youtube - I've chosen just one: King Phillip expressing sorrow and doubt

Frosty World - the Lausitz

I "discovered" this scene on a walk I took; it must be someone's private Paradise. I, too, was taken by the view.

And one more "Frost:"

         November

     We saw leaves go to glory,

     Then almost migratory

     Go part way down the lane,

     And then to end the story

     Get beaten down and pasted

     In one wold day of rain.

     We heard " 'tis over" roaring.

     A year of leaves was wasted.

     Oh, we make boast of storing,

     Of saving and of keeping,

     But only by ignoring

     The waste of moments sleeping,

     The waste of pleasure weeping,

     By denying and ignoring

     The waste of nations warring.

                            Robert Frost

Bread and Salt

I finally officially celebrated my new living quarters with a housewarming last week; it was truly heartwarming. It was wonderful to be able to spend an evening with friends in my new surroundings. As a freelance musician, there are so few opportunities to plan ahead for such an occasion. This time, I made it happen!

And I was introduced to the tradition of giving bread and salt for the new home. I don't remember ever hearing of this in the USA - according to Wikipedia the tradition may go as far back as the Romans. No matter, the wish of always having enough to eat and the necessary "spice of life" to accompany it, is a lovely thought. Thanks to all!

Ingredients - Time to Bake!

The rest of my week was spent on an orchestra tour. Good music, warm hospitality and full houses made the time on the road worthwhile. We experienced the first snow of the season in southern Germany - beautiful, clinging to the still-red-and-yellow leaves on trees, but still MUCH too early in the year. As we drove north, the snow disappeared and we were privileged to have a bit more of October's fantastic clear air, blue skies and impressive cloud formations that seemed to go on endlessly over the plains. . . puts the world and us humans in an interesting perspective.

It had to remind me of Barbra Streisand singing "On a clear day you can see forever and ever. . . "

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymmHn5yLjVA

Allegany County Artisans Tour

This weekend is the annual Artisans Tour of studios and galleries in Allegany County, NY - where I grew up. Wish I were there! Just the thought of driving over the country roads, through the autumn woods with their sugar maple reds and yellows brings tinges of years past to my mind.  And the extraordinary variety of artists (over 40) and art to be seen on this route is really amazing. Pottery, wood carving, textile art and, of course, lots of painting - the spectrum is impressive. (Maybe the relaxed atmosphere and clear air are conducive to creativity?) Yes, I'm a bit prejudiced. Have a look here:                                   http://www.alleganyartisans.com/

Meanwhile, here on the other side of the Atlantic, I will undoubtedly also be swinging my paint brushes.
 
 One of my autumn favorites is the hydrangea. The flowers turn such lovely shades of rose and warm brown. It is a challenge to try to capture their subtle beauty.

Autumn Beauty

. . . and my thought for the day:
      The pessimist complains about the wind. An optimist expects it to change. And
      the realist adjusts the sails.
                                                                         Willliam Arthur Ward