Switzerland

Travel can take a lot of planning and be surprisingly taxing. On a spring day in May we left beautiful Lake Como for a different kind of beautiful, the Swiss Alps. This trip required a ferry to Menaggio, a hydrofoil to Como, a half-mile walk to the train station, a train to Arth-Goldau, a train to Lucerne, a train to Interlaken and finally a train to Lauterbrunnen. And this involves two countries that share a border! All those switches are a good reason to pack light because all those changes mean hauling (for us) two suitcases, two backpacks, a couple of ljackets, a purse and the “emergency gf food bag”.

Scenic train trip into Switzerland

One of the things we first noticed heading towards Switzerland was the color of the water. There are a lot of lakes and rivers. The colors would best be described as teal, or sage, or aqua marine. It’s a sign that you’re heading to glacier territory. Though their numbers are diminishing, there are still many glaciers working their magic between the highest peaks of Europe. In different parts of Europe you might also notice the sounds of the birds. In both Italy and Switzerland the bird calls are like Italian baroque music with plenty of embellishment. It reminds me of the difference between “bye” and “arrivederci!”

Happy cows in Lauterbrunnen

Lauterbrunnen is a narrow valley sandwiched between monster mountains that shoot up vertically to the 12 and 13,000 foot level. It’s a popular place for base jumpers and para-gliders. We didn’t see any of the former but we saw a lot of the latter. We would often spot them twirling and swirling to one of several landing spots in Lauterbrunnen and neighboring Interlaken. Small gatherings of cows with bells are common. This resulted in Lisa singing parts of Mahler’s 1st symphony for a couple of hours! Hay is gathered in giant marshmallow shaped coverings and there are huge fields of dandelions. A narrow, though fast-rushing river streams down the valley and from our hotel balcony we can count four waterfalls. Snow is still on most of the mountain peaks and has even fallen on the day of our arrival. This is part of the trip where we’re glad to have a coat!

Bobsledding at Schilthorn

The local cuisine is hearty. There is plenty of dairy, cheese, meat and potatoes. A local dish called “rosti” is so popular with Lisa, she ordered it five times in five days! We dine at a couple of restaurants high in the Alps and I wonder, “Is there a reason why this should taste better at 10 or 11,000 feet?” Maybe it’s the hiking involved to get there. Of course the scenery is amazing! The air is clear, and from atop Jung-Frau and Shilthorn, where they filmed most of the 007 movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, you can see Italy and Germany. We took time to take pictures with James Bond and check out the obligatory collection of Swiss watches. The watches are pricey, but I needed a Swiss Army knife, so I got that instead.

Hiking to Murren

We’re in and on the Swiss Alps on the birthday of both Brahms and Tchaikovsky. Brahms was a true nature-lover and knew the Alps from his youth. His biographer, Jan Swafford, wrote “The melody for the finale of the C-minor symphony actually traces the shape of the Alps as Brahms viewed them during a hike.” I tried to see the melody, but I must have been on another trail! Mendelssohn was also a frequent visitor to the Alps, and the scenes from his watercolors that we saw in his home in Leipzig took on a little more meaning. With all these connections with classical music’s great composers, we are still reminded they were people too.

Honegger 20 Franc note

In Switzerland, the Euro is out and the Swiss franc is in. But who can complain when you see on the 20 franc note the face of composer Arthur Honegger! I hate to part with the bill, but that Swiss chocolate is calling. The language in Switzerland is not the German we have worked on knowing. You might hear German words, but the accent is more Gaelic. Somewhere back in time, the Scots and Irish no doubt settled in this area. They must have wanted a hiking challenge! We learn the important words (usually food related!) and the hotel staff is entertained.

We enjoyed a day taking a boat cruise on Brienz Lake by Interlaken. The views are gorgeous and we’re entertained by a couple of young fellows from Japan who “ooh” and “aah” at every new photo opportunity. The chalets all face the lake and make you wonder what life might be like living in such a place.

Boat ride at Interlaken – Lake Brienz

Waterfalls and the streams running down from the mountain tops give a sense of perpetual motion in Lauterbrunnen. Our walks take us over Lauibach, Staubbach, Geissbach and other “bachs”. This narrow swath of land has more bachs than Johann Sebastian and for someone who was a father 24 times, that’s a lot of streams! Some are so powerful you can understand the possible danger if caught in the rushing water. Like the edge of the peaks we frequent, we keep a healthy distance.

Getting to the top of the Alps usually involves a tram, a train or a funicular. One of the trains to “The Top of Europe” is so slow we quietly began chanting, “I think I can. I think I can…..” The tracks and lines are carefully maintained, so we were happy not to have to get out and push! They like to say that the alpine town of Murren is the birthplace of alpine skiing. It’s here where we enjoyed a curried rosti dinner while soaking in the view. But the restaurants in Lauterbrunnen and Murren come with furs or blankets for those sitting outdoors. At 11,000 feet we happily wore our jackets and the blankets provided by the restaurant at Hotel Alpenruh!

With Alain Moirandot and Randall Cook

We spent a day in Basel, one of the centers for Renaissance and Baroque music. One of it’s illustrious citizens is an old Curtis classmate, Randy Cook. In a former lifetime, Randy was a terrific oboist. He moved his focus to the baroque oboe and the gamba. He then began making baroque oboes. We spent several hours together enjoying the stories about his colorful career, trying one of his beautiful baroque oboes and hearing him play four different gambas. One dated back to 1550! We were drawn in to their unique voices. Randy’s longtime partner, Alain Moirandot, is one of Switzerland’s leading authorities on antique books and owns his own business. Their house has a great collection of art and old things. Alain happens to be a great cook, too. It was the first time I had ever eaten manta ray cheeks! Alain is also a great storyteller and with their guest, Christoph, we heard entertaining stories using several languages! Randy gave us a couple of CDs I know we’ll love hearing. It all made us wish we could stay longer.

My plans to meet Heinz Holliger fell through. Mr. Holliger lives in Basel and is probably the most famous oboist of the 20th century. His solo career was substantial and he is responsible for dozens of new works. He also composes, and it was for this reason that his secretary said he was out of town. It was a disappointment.

Mozartplatz in Salzburg

We enjoyed two days in Salzburg, birthplace of Wolfgang A. Mozart. Salzburg must be one of the most picturesque cities in the world. We climbed to the top of the Hohensalzburg Fortress and took advantage of a 360* view. From high above the city, we thought we could make out the spot where the nuns contemplated “How do you handle a problem like Maria” from the opening scene of “The Sound of Music”. The Alps framed one side of the city and green rolling hills were seen in all directions. From the fortress we could see the buildings Mozart called home through his teenage years. The fortress is site for a nightly concert featuring the Mozart Ensemble Salzburg. On this warm evening, we heard them play the Mendelssohn Quartet Op. 12, the Allegro from Mozart’s “”Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”, a Haydn piano concerto, a Dvorak Waltz and a couple of Strauss waltzes. The Mozart, Dvorak and Strauss were particularly good. The funicular got us down to Salzburg in a hurry. Our lodgings have features reminiscent of Mozart’s time, and the hardware on the bathroom door looks like it could keep out any intruder.

The two Mozart museums are really worth seeing. One is where he was born and lived for about eight years, and the other is where he lived before striking off on his own. About 1/3 of his life involved “being on the road”. Making the most of a child protege required a lot of travel. A map outlined the dozens of cities Mozart saw before his 18th birthday. It helped him learn several languages and that maybe bathing wasn’t such a bad idea! An original copy of his flute sonatas is on display. Not bad for someone who was 8 years old!

Mozart birth house

We took another boat ride. This time on the Salzach River. The tour guide pointed out a home lived in by Herbert van Karajan, famous conductor for much of the 20th century. At the end of the excursion, the captain played a Strauss waltz while the bow thrusters blew to the starboard and the stern thrusters blew to the port. This resulted in the big boat twirling around in circles. It was almost enough to make you dizzy!

Dinner was at a Greek restaurant close to the hotel. I mistook ouzo for water and nearly choked. Travel has it’s surprises. Next stop? Praque!

– Robert Stephenson and Lisa Byrnes

Italy

The landscape changes a lot from a window on the train. The Italian Alps still have snow and the curvy tracks slow down the train and give you a chance to enjoy the view. We noticed the houses all have red-tiled roofs and they’re not in nice neat rows like we might have seen in Austria. Clay courts for tennis are a common sight and various lakes and rivers are noticeable. Lumber yards, waterfalls and tunnels are especially common. The train station in Venice is crowded with people from all over the world. Before our time in Venice is through, my red University of Utah baseball cap causes an unexpected meeting with a family from Holladay, Utah. I usually just wear it so Lisa can help spot me in a crowd. We also have a system in place for an emergency whistle if that fails.

One of the “Dueling Orchestras” in St. Mark’s Square

Getting to St. Mark’s Square (near our home for a few days) requires a boat ride of about 30 minutes from the train station. The sight of a beautiful city coming out of the water makes a big impression! It’s hard to decide which side of the boat to stand on, the view is so amazing. The big square at San Marco is bordered by an imposing palace, museums and high-end shops and restaurants. Vendors get in your face trying to sell roses, trinkets, extenders for taking selfies, flying toys, purses, etc. The wheels of our suitcases bumped over the cobblestone roads and occasional passageways. Lisa has memorized the lefts and rights to our B&B, a suggestion from Rick Steves. Our host is “Riccardo”, who grew up in Venice and operates the B&B where he grew up and still lives. We get “Sister’s Room”. She lives in Lebanon. The building is 480 years old and is being outfitted for an elevator, but for now we tackle the stairs 16th century style. It’s a tough haul to the fourth floor, but we made it.

Interpreti Venezia

On our first night in Venice we went to a church well known to Antonio Vivaldi to hear a concert of his music and other Italians. The eight person group is called “Interpreti Veneziani”, and they performed the “Four Seasons” and “alla Rustica” by Vivaldi, the Tartini Cello Concerto with Davide Amadio, the Paganini Caprice No. 9 and an encore by Corelli. Four of the eight musicians took turns in the solo role and each one was excellent. The music had variety, personality and terrific energy. We can imagine it being one of the highlights for our time in Europe. On the morning of our second day we saw Tom Hanks filming a scene on the balcony of St. Mark’s Basilica. We heard it was a sequel to “The da Vinci Code”. It helped us put “due e due” together when we were remembering a crowd scene on the same square the night before! We look forward to it’s theatrical release.

Doge Palace ceilings

We toured the Doge’s Palace, a building with amazing works of art. The rooms are huge and they are ornately decorated with statues on the ceilings, pink and white exterior walls and floors that could have used a level. We also toured the Murano Glass Factory on the island of Murano. It gave us an opportunity to see several glass blowers and see their stunning showrooms.

Glass-blowing at Murano Glass

Venice was home to two musical priests. Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi helped bridge the gap between the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and “The Red Priest”, Antonio Lucia Vivaldi, was one of the great baroque composers, predating both Bach and Handel. We tried to see all the churches where they worked. The orphanage where Vivaldi composed and where the young ladies performed still stands. High above the main floor, behind metal grates, these young musicians were admired for decades by the people of Venice and visiting music lovers. Unfortunately, Vivaldi’s final days were away from Venice and he died in poverty.

Monteverdi memorial and grave

What would a trip to Venice be without a gondola ride? The city’s rising water levels have damaged a lot of the lower floors, steps and gates along the canals, but taking a ride with an experienced gondolier is still fun! Ours could stop on a dime and negotiate the tightest opening. We didn’t get the deluxe package you can see elsewhere. It can include someone playing the accordion and another singing some Italian love song. The gondoliers all wear striped shirts, own their own boat and must go through a long apprenticeship before taking on customers. I’m still wondering how it is they stand in the back, untethered, and never fall in the water!

Evening gondola ride

We enjoyed an orchestra concert at the Malibran Theater with the Orchestra of the Teatro La Fenice conducted by Michel Tabachnik. The orchestra played Brahms Tragic Overture, the Webern Sinfonia Op. 21, “Livre pour cordes” by Boulez and Symphony No. 4 by Brahms. The orchestra played with a lot of emotion.

The Teatro La Fenice is an opera house that has been built and rebuilt a few times during it’s lifetime. Opera premieres by Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Wagner and Stravinsky all happened here along with the debut of Maria Callas. Though the opera house’s schedule did not allow for us to hear an opera, we did enjoy taking an extensive tour and witness part of a rehearsal. One thing you might notice about Venice is that you never see a car or bicycle. The only thing on wheels are the dozens and dozens of dollies you see making deliveries to the restaurants, homes and businesses. Without normal street traffic, the canals can easily get backed up, but the boat captains and gondoliers are so adept at maneuvering their crafts, there must be very few accidents.

La Fenice Opera House

Besides the stores selling glass, gelato and purses, one very popular sight are all the stores and vendors selling masks. Venetians love to celebrate Carnival, and it lasts for ten days! It usually takes place in February and visitors flood the islands to take part. The origins go back to the early 1600s during the time of a great plague. The masks worn by the doctors included long noses to help them keep a safer distance from their sick patients. It was common for us to see children wearing colorful masks. For some parents, coming back in the middle of winter was not an option. We enjoyed many good Italian meals. They know how to cook Italian in Italy, but who would have thought Lisa could get all that pasta and pizza without gluten?

Teatro La Scala interior

A “workers’ holiday in Milan affected our travel slightly, but we managed to take part in a couple of important events which helped kick off the 2015 World Exposition. At Teatro La Scala, we heard the opening night performance of Verdi’s “Turandot”, conducted by Riccardo Chailly and attended by Prime Minister Mateo Renzi, his wife a daughter and a substantial entourage. I don’t think they were as interested in being there as we were. There was an actual “red carpet” and film crews everywhere. La Scala is a beautiful opera house and the performance included some dramatic costumes, sets and lighting. The orchestra played in a perfectly understated way and Chailly seemed to manage the soloists, choir and orchestra like an experienced magician. The voices were all good as was the orchestra.

Upon exiting the theater, our box seats had us funneling out of the theater ahead of the prime minister. Somehow we ended up on the red carpet. All the photographers appeared ready for their cue to start shooting. It made me think of that Oscar winning movie with Roberto Benigni, “Life is Beautiful”, when he gets mistaken for someone famous and the paparazzi start following his every move. We escaped that brush with fame and made our way through the rain to the queue for a cab. Unfortunately, the workers’ strike meant cabs were few and far between. Eventually we were able to hail a cab and make it back to Hotel Johnny, our home for two days.

Toscanini – Verdi hangout in Milan

On day two of the Expo, the Berlin Philharmonic with Simon Rattle was playing at La Scala. They played Janacek’s Sinfonietta and Bruckner’s 7th Symphony. They used 11 trumpets in the Sinfonietta and a lot of extra brass in the Bruckner. Playing 1st oboe this time was Albrecht Mayer who James Hall and I met ten years ago in Berlin. He is a big name soloist and, like flutist Emmanuel Pahud, is often absent from Berlin Phil. performances. It was a treat to hear Albrecht. His playing had beauty and personality. As in the two previous Berlin Phil. concerts we heard, the strings and principal horn and trumpet stood out for their excellence.

Turandot exhibit at La Scala Museum

La Scala has a terrific museum which features the opera house’s outstanding past. Tributes to Toscanini, Verdi, Puccini and all the greats make for an enjoyable visit. One tribute was to the great Italian actress, Eleanore Duse. Because Duse is in Lisa’s family tree, we wondered if she might be part Italian. She looks a little like my mother-in-law, so maybe!

The last part of our Italian stay would take place at Lake Como, one of the world’s most beautiful lakes. Carved out by ice age glaciers, the lake looks like a distorted stick figure with no arms. Leonardo da Vinci came here from his home in Milan. Operas were composed here by Rossini, Bellini, Verdi and Puccini. Felix Mendelssohn painted pictures of the lake. Films like “Star Wars II” and “Casino Royale” used the lake as a backdrop, and Madonna, Sting and George Clooney have called it home. The Alps rise up from near the lake’s edges and pastel villas be-speckle the shorelines. We rode the ferry that connects places like Bellagio, Lenno and Varenna, where we stayed for two days. Even two overcast days couldn’t take the beauty away from this magical place. We might wish for a couple more days. Well, maybe the next sabbatical!

Boat ride on Lake Como

Next….the Swiss Alps!

– Robert Stephenson and Lisa Byrnes

More Germany and Vienna

Munich is a large city in the southern part of Germany. We noticed the ethnic diversity right away. There are a lot of restaurants, five and six-story buildings, and bikes you should keep an eye on. Lisa would have a run-in with one, but recovered nicely. We started off with some great Indian food. We would return the next day for the buffet. Equally impressive! Our accommodations were at a hotel across the street from a cemetery, so it was quiet enough. The train station was also close by which helped us get around easily.

Though we had been up early and on the train for a while, we were excited to hear the Munich Philharmonic with Paavo Jarvi conducting and violin soloist Joshua Bell. Jarvi and Lisa were in school together and like most of the conductors we’ve seen, he looks much the same. Maybe all that flailing around helps keep a conductor young! The program included Nielsen’s Masquerade Overture, the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Stravinsky’s Scherzo Fantastique and the Symphony No. 1 by Shostakovich. Joshua Bell was really fabulous. He makes it look so easy, though it couldn’t possibly be. His bow arm becomes a blur in some of the technical passages and as always, he sings in the most expressive manner. We really enjoyed the musicians Herman van Kogelenberg on his wooden flute and cellist Michael Hell. The string playing was full of energy.

Neuschwanstein Castle

On our second day in Munich, we took a train and a bus to the Bavarian Alps to see the great castles of King Ludwig II. King Ludwig II was close friends with Richard Wagner and many scenes from the Ring Cycle are painted on the castle walls. Walt Disney was undoubtedly inspired when he saw the Neuschwanstein Castle on the edge of the Alps. Its fairy tale appearance would remind this southern Californian of boyhood trips to Magic Mountain and Cinderella’s Castle at Disneyland. Large tour groups would enjoy a beautiful day with us. King Ludwig must have been in good shape. The two castles we toured are very tall and there are a lot of stairs!

François Leleux’s oboe class

By chance, I stumbled upon the announcement of an oboe class recital at the Munich Hochschule , where Professor François Leleux teaches. Mr. Leleux is recognized by many to be one of the great oboe players of our day. It might not be possible to hear him play during our time in Europe, but maybe hearing nine of his students would be the next best thing! We found the school and met with François before and after the recital. He was most gracious. His nine students played with terrific musical expression. Even the flute player (Lisa) I was sitting next to was impressed. It was easy to imagine all the young oboists would have careers in music. François thought one student in particular might have a solo career.

Trains in Germany usually run on time. People use them and they’re generally clean and smooth running. These things don’t matter much when they suddenly go on strike! This would affect many travelers on our long trip back to Berlin. Fortunately, Lisa managed to get us on one of the few trains leaving Munich. We made a switch in Hannover and got to Berlin before sundown. Our new hotel in Berlin was pretty bad, but we enjoyed a Croatian meal right next door.

We spent much of the next day at Potsdam, home to Frederick the Great and at times Johann Joachim Quantz and C.P.E. Bach. Between the three of them, the flute went mainstream! King Frederick and his teacher, Quantz, performed regularly in this terrifically ornate palace. The rococo style is especially celebrated. This was a King who loved the arts and ruled his Prussian Empire for 46 years. The keyboard and flute that were used by Bach and Frederick were on display. They looked to be in excellent condition.

Berlin Philharmonic

We returned to Berlin to hear the Berlin Philharmonic again. The program featured a new trumpet concerto by H.K. Gruber and Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. Andris Nelsons conducted. The Mahler showed why the Berlin Philharmonic is such a great orchestra! It’s ranks were enlarged. Maybe having 30 violins can make a difference, but we’ve heard this orchestra sound amazing when there were only 18. In a couple of concerts we’ve heard, the orchestra was without either of their principal oboists and in the Mahler, without either one of their principal flutists. What seems to be apparent is the playing in the string sections. If you pay attention to the violins, you notice that their bows go the same direction, they use the same part of the bow, they use the same amount of bow, their left hands are synchronized, their use of vibrato matches, note lengths match, silences match and even the sway of their bodies match. There is a sense of fearlessness! It’s as though they are hugely prepared and have something to prove! You notice all this from the first stand to the last!

We returned to Leipzig in hopes of hearing the Gewandhaus Orchestra with David Zinman. Unfortunately, Zinman was sick. His young replacement, Omer Meir Wellber, led the orchestra in Haydn’s Symphony No. 87, a Dutilleux Cello Concerto and Schubert’s 4th Symphony. Our view was obstructed and I took advantage of that and enjoyed just listening. The cello soloist was Truis Mork and he was excellent. The orchestra played with precision. The conductor was more of a distraction.

The train strike ended in time for us to get to Vienna as scheduled. Our place is on a quieter street not too far from the cultural center of the city. It’s not uncommon to run into a statue of Mozart or Brahms or see their name on a menu. All the great composers from the past lived in Vienna or spent considerable time here. It’s a beautiful city with impressive buildings at every turn.

Mozart statue in Vienna

We heard the Vienna Philharmonic play an 11:00am concert with Ricardo Muti conducting. We had seen Muti in Berlin, so we were excited to see how things would go with a different orchestra. He conducted the same two first half pieces, Schubert’s Overture in the Italian Style and Mozart’s “Haffner” Symphony. Our seats were behind the tympani and last two rows of first violins. My seat was such that I was able to stand for most of the performance. It was interesting to see the tympani player in action. In the first piece his sticks were two pieces of wood without felt or anything to soften the sound. It seemed more like the butt end of a set of snare drum sticks. Regardless, he controlled them to perfection. The wind playing was truly spectacular. The flute and oboe were so in tune, so of one mind, the horn solos just glorious. The Brahms 2nd Symphony seemed like it was another one of the thousands of pieces that audiences heard first in Vienna and have continued to love for more than 100 years. The applause and shouts of “Bravo!” for Muti continued for several minutes, even after we left our seats! We said hello and bravo to the principal flutist as we exited the hall.

Musikverein

We returned to the Musikverein for an evening performance of the Webern Symphony Orchestra with Christoph Eschenbach conducting. There is a lot to notice about the hall, it’s acoustics, the busts of famous composers, the artwork on the ceiling, etc. But I pointed out the ten glass chandeliers to Lisa. They all are shaped like the bell of an oboe! This student orchestra played Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6. There were many good things and the students enjoyed their time in the spotlight. A clear cool night made it nice to walk back to our apartment.

Tonight it’s Rossini’s “Italian Girl in Algiers”. It should be a fun send-off, for tomorrow at this time, we’ll be in Italy! Now, how fluent in Italian can I get before we get to Venice? Stay tuned!

– Robert Stephenson and Lisa Byrnes

Germany

Europe has a lot more cafés, cobblestones and graffiti than the U.S., but one thing that can be hard to find is a restroom. In the Brussels train station there must be about 25 track lines, but a men’s room? Only one! And trying to find it was a challenge while waiting for our train to Bonn. The answer? Hop on another train and hope it has a restroom and it doesn’t leave too soon. Such was the scenario on the way to German soil. Fortunately, I successfully completed my mission. Otherwise I’d be writing this blog entry from Paris and as beautiful as Paris is in the springtime, we have non-refundable tickets for hotels and concerts and Lisa probably wasn’t interested in going alone!

Beethoven’s birth house

Bonn, Germany is, of course, the birthplace of Beethoven. It’s a beautiful old and new city. Substantial car-free zones dominate areas close to Beethoven’s house. Many people enjoy walking along the shops and restaurants and along the Rhine River. We did too. The Beethoven museum was really special and Lisa and I enjoyed the listening library where everything he was known to compose has been recorded. I listened to his two trios for two oboes and English Horn. On the recording was Heinz Holliger, perhaps the most famous oboe player of the 20th century. If I’m lucky, we may get to meet him in Basel, Switzerland next month. Thierry Fischer has introduced me to his secretary. In this business, sometimes it helps to know the right people! Bonn is also a college town and students were out in force during our visit. A huge lawn several football fields long was the the site of young people playing frisbee, soccer, lacrosse, etc. Several were trying their luck on a tightrope that had been strung up between two trees. It was nice to be enjoying 70F weather and the students must have thought the same thing. The monument of Beethoven and the church where he spent his early years is close by and in excellent condition.

Bob and Beethoven

Eisenach was the next stop on our “musical journey” and Lisa would later say that it also seemed like a pilgrimage. We spent long hours in the Bach home and museum. One of the staff members gave a terrific demonstration on the five keyboard instruments that Bach would have used during his lifetime. One was a pump organ that required a teenage assistant. We loved the sound of the harpsichord and clavichord. It was also nice to read that one of Bach’s favorite instruments was the oboe. The Bach family lasted for generations as a musical influence. Their large three-story house was active with the collecting of instruments, the writing out of instrumental parts for any number of religious musical offerings, private lessons, practicing, etc. J. S. Bach was also a father twenty times, so all those kids must have been a challenge.

Bach’s birth house

Dresden has to win the award for the “Most Improved” city in Germany. The Allied bombing in February of 1945 destroyed almost everything, but the rebuilding gives credence to the city’s nickname, “The Florence on the Elbe”. Statues of composers like Karl Maria von Weber, Felix Mendelssohn and Richard Strauss were easy to notice and the most amazing mural adorns the side of the old palace, home to kings for centuries. We heard the Dresden Philharmonic play a very dark Prokofiev Symphony #3 and Stravinsky’s “Firebird”. The principal harpist, Xavier de Maistre, who went to school at Julliard also played the Gliere Harp Concerto. We went to see “Tosca” on our second night in Dresden. The tenor, Andeka Gorrotxategi, was fabulous and the solo clarinet and cello near the end of the opera equally good. Unfortunately, the musicians names were left out of the program.

Inside Dresden Semperoper

In Dresden, and later in Leipzig, we would witness marches or speeches condemning the neo-Nazi groups in Germany. The country is very sensitive to allowing that to happen again!
Leipzig is another beautiful German city. We had a great flat for three days not far from the St. Thomas Church where J. S. Bach spent much of his adult life. We visited the church and museum and took a great self-guided walking tour to see Mendelssohn’s house and museum, the Schumann house and other sites related to Grieg, Wagner and Mahler. We tried to get tickets for a Lang Lang piano recital, but tickets prices were about $120 a piece. We declined. However, we did hear the Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Herbert Blomstedt. They performed Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony and Schumann’s 3rd Symphony. Blomstedt is 87 years old, tall, lean and with big hands. He doesn’t use a baton. He has a full head of silver hair, bushy eyebrows, wire-rimmed glasses and he likes to wear his pants high. He still loves the music and the players responded to his energy. Sadly, the players names were not mentioned in the program. The music-making was exceptional and the collaborative effort extremely apparent. It was fun to be a part of this sold-out concert.

Evening at the Gewandhaus

We went to a great instrument museum in Leipzig. It contained some wonderful old instruments, including the first fortepiano built in 1726. The audio guide let us hear these instruments being played. You could hear the change from the harpsichord to this new piano. The evolution of the oboe was fascinating to me too. Little by little more and more keys found their way onto the oboe, but I still wonder…..has it made it any easier? I might get my answer when we go to Basel. I’m meeting up with a baroque oboe maker and trying out new baroque oboes. That’s my idea of fun!

The next morning we went to a children’s concert billed as “Peter and the Wolf”. A woodwind quintet from the Gewandhaus Orchestra supplied the reduced version. Even with German narration it was entertaining.

Musical Instrument Museum, Leipzig

Berlin is a much different city than 25 years ago. We’re staying at a nice hotel not far from the Tiergarten and the Philharmonie. We’d take advantage of both before the weekend was through.
Ricardo Muti conducted the Berlin Philharmonic on our first night in town and our seats were in the front row! I sat about ten feet from the spectacular first stand of basses and the fourth stand of violas. They were probably the norm! Lisa and I knew Muti’s conducting while he was music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, so this was fun for us. The program included Schubert’s “Italian” Overture, Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 and “Aus Italien” by Richard Strauss. The orchestra was excellent in every way! A young woman was playing 1st oboe and sounded superb. Her name was not mentioned in the program. I’m going to try and find out her identity.

Front Row at the Berlin Philharmonic

We heard the German Symphony Orchestra of Berlin conducted by Kent Nagano. The main piece was Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms. The horn playing of Paolo Mendes was a stand-out.

On our last day (for now) in Berlin we went to the greatest of instrument museums and two recitals. The first was a group from Italy called “La Morra”. This three-person ensemble played Italian music from the 15th and 16th centuries. One woman played two recorders (not at the same time!) and clavichord. Another woman played the viola d’arco and had the most beautiful singing voice. They were most accomplished. We also heard a group called Concerto Melante performing on historical instruments. The music came from the 1700s and included a piece Wolfgang A. Mozart would have composed as a young boy. The musicians were outstanding. It was something special to hear a flute and an oboe from that time period. Their sounds were unique. We’re both wondering….. Shall we get one of each?

La Morra

Next stop? Munich.

– Robert Stephenson and Lisa Byrnes

London

I.

The London Eye

London is big, it’s old, and it’s a place my older brother has called home for more than 45 years. Lee went to the Royal College of Music and continues to be involved as clarinetist and librarian for several different groups. His wife, Mary, has had a distinguished career as a cellist and continues to play with the string quartet, Fiori Bianchi. Their home, not far from the Balham underground stop, is filled with things musical and artistic. Old radiators make their gurgling noises and help keep the house warm. Mary’s pottery can be seen in most every room of the house. Their English garden is beautiful and home to several happy birds whose songs help us begin each new day. For more than two weeks it will be home.

With many major and minor orchestras, the theatre, relatives and sights to see, our schedule would be busy. And then we have to find time to enjoy Lee’s cooking or a favorite restaurant. The temperatures are still cool in March and April and I’m glad I brought a coat with a hood. Even if it doesn’t rain, there’s always the threat . We use what are called “Oyster” cards to travel by the underground, train or bus. In certain places, at certain times, the mass of people can mean you don’t get a seat. “Sorry!” is the more common expression when bumping into others. We’re getting to know the Northern Line, making sure we stand on the right on the escalator and when the buses run late.

Lisa with Rachel Brown

One of Lisa’s projects for the year is to study baroque performance practices. Coming to London made it possible to work with one of the greats, Rachel Brown. Rachel’s expertise and energy has made this musical language come to life in ensembles like Collegium Musicum 90, the Academy of Ancient Music, the Kings Consort, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and many others. Lisa’s two-hour plus lessons filled her with excitement about music as a kind of speech and the element of dance that formed the basis of so much early music.

We went to Waterloo and the Southbank to hear the London Philharmonic Orchestra play twice. Their Mozart Symphony No. 36 made a huge impression. Their performance was complete with excellent ensemble and beautiful dynamic phrasing. The violin sections seem especially virtuosic. With five competing orchestras in London and the threat of that number being reduced, every performance must have energy and “something to say”. This orchestra was good at saying it! We also enjoyed Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8, a new concerto for 4 horns by James Horner and “Sheherazade” by Rimsky-Korsakov. A young Russian pianist, Dmitry Mayboroda, made a splash with the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 1. He wasn’t shy about playing three encores too!

Billy Elliot musical

Lisa and I enjoyed seeing the musical “Billy Elliot” and the play/musical “Shakespeare in Love”. The West End was packed with theatergoers and busy restaurants. There are also signs, “This area is known for pickpockets”. I moved my wallet to a front pocket. During the week we noticed the theaters and halls allowed people to bring chips, ice cream and wine back to their seats. I’m not especially keen on someone munching a bag of Doritos during one of my performances.

The four us enjoyed a nice trip down the Thames River to Greenwich. The Trinity College of Music is there along with the Royal Naval Academy. The observatory is a popular place for tourists and we could be in a spot where one foot was in the western hemisphere and the other in the Eastern hemisphere. We ate fish and chips for lunch. It wouldn’t be the last time!

We saw a terrific show on the history and recreation of the first performance (in Prague) of Mozart’s “ Don Giovanni”. In the month ahead we’ll get to see that exact spot where Mozart conducted the orchestra. A plaque designates that spot. The hall still stands and is still used by the people of Prague.

The London Sinfonietta with, Thierry Fischer conducting, played at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on March 28th. We met before the concert for tea. After an exhausting Pierre Boulez program a week earlier, Thierry seemed especially relaxed and personable. He got us tickets and would introduce us to one of England’s pre-eminent flutists, Michael Cox. The crowd was large and appreciative. The all-modern program was typical of this orchestra. The review the next day would call it an “excellent performance”. From the audience, Thierry’s conducting seemed clear and helpful especially considering the complexity of these late 20th and21st century works. The audience brought him back three times.

Thierry Fischer, flutist Michael Cox

Lisa joined Mary and the other three members of the Fioiri Bianchi String Quartet for an evening of flute quartets and quintets. The members of the quartet have all played for royalty and with the leading orchestras of London. Joan Atherton was even one of the musicians in the London Sinfonietta concert we had just heard. However, it’s not as much about the music as the food, and Lee has a reputation for never making the same thing twice! He made some delicious Indian food that everyone loved!. I was the sous chef. It was a lot of fun.

Quintets with the girls

We had some great meals at a dim sum restaurant, a neighborhood pho restaurant and a Lebanese restaurant. Mary’s daughter Susie, grandson Alfie and son-in-law Philip joined us for a plum chicken dinner. Susie helps manage the career of conductors like Thierry Fischer, and Philip is an acoustical engineer. He’s helped build concert halls in Glasgow, London, Norway and Egypt, to name a few. We became a little more familiar with the science of sound. Alfie was entertaining us with tales of British humor. He spent the night.

I spent part of an afternoon trying new oboes at the Howarth Oboes store. They’re getting better and the temptation to go further into debt is great. After time trying oboes in Los Angeles, Paris and London, I feel the need to take stock. After all, a new oboe is tax deductible!

We heard the Royal Philharmonic play an all-Beethoven concert at Cadogan Hall. Of the four principal winds, only one was a regular. A player switching between orchestras is a common occurrence in London. Principal clarinetist Katherine Lacy and guest principal bassoonist Joseph Sanchis were two of the stand-outs. The program featured Beethoven’s 2nd and 4th symphonies and the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 with Freddy Kempf. Mr. Kempf was spectacular. You could see why he was a prize winner at the Tchaikovsky Competition.

Handel House

We enjoyed visits to the Handel House and Westminster Abbey. Handel lived for more than 30 years at this home on Brook Street and is buried in Westminster Abbey. The house has been renovated beautifully. Replicas of his harpsichords are present (one of which he spent the four weeks composing “The Messiah”), along with the paintings he would have displayed. Though his roots were German, Handel was known as “a Londoner”. A plaque identifies the Handel House, but in a strange example of contrast, next door is a plaque identifying the house of Jimi Hendrix. They would have been neighbors except for 200 years of time. Westminster Abbey can be overwhelming. Besides Handel, grave sights, plaques and dedications can be seen for composers like Purcell, Vaughn Williams, Edward Elgar, Benjamin Britten, William Walton, people like Isaac Newton, Robert Browning, Winston Churchill and kings and queens going back more than 800 years. Our limited American history pales in comparison, as does the family and political intrigue of royal succession. The enormous church, surrounding churches, Big Ben, the Eye, Parliament, etc. are good backdrops for a lot of picture-taking.

Westminster Abbey

Lisa and I enjoyed a concert at St. John’s Square with the London Mozart Players. This program included the first movement of the 40th Symphony by Mozart and the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20. Howard Shelley talked, played and conducted the program. It was very exciting. Afterwards, we said hello to Michael Cox again.

With less than a week remaining in London, we are faced with the fact we’re not going to get to everything. Sold out performances by the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera House have altered our plans. Besides, Lee probably has some dishes he wants to try out on us!

– Robert Stephenson and Lisa Byrnes
 

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II.

The challenge of traveling to a foreign country can be great. One might think another English speaking nation would be no problem, but the accents and vocabulary can create issues. In the U.S., you can imagine a boy saying to his mother, “Mom, I’m going to the park to play soccer with my friends Alex, Nick, Josh and Cody!” In the U.K it would be more like, “Mum, I’m going to the common to play football with my mates Alastair, Nigel, Giles and Colin!” Whereas we have the hood and trunk of a car, the Brits have the bonnet and boot. When asking a server at a fish and chips place in Greenwich, “Where are your restrooms?…..Your bathrooms?…… Your toilettes (with a French accent)?” and still getting a puzzled look in return, my brother suggested “Try loo!” The young woman quickly pointed the way.

Lisa and I went to hear concerts featuring the English Concert and the Academy of Ancient Music. The latter group played Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion and one of the stars was Rachel Brown on baroque flute. As Lisa had spent several hours working with her, Rachel’s beautiful playing meant that much more. We really had the sense of the music “speaking” in that true baroque style.

Family day on the Thames

One of the fun things about coming to London is seeing family. Besides spending all the time with brother Lee and sister-in-law Mary, we got to see a niece and her husband, their two beautiful daughters and my oldest nephew. We enjoyed lunch together and a walk along the Thames River. The girls fed the “royal swans” and ducks. Mary pointed out a mandarin. Miraculous! Everyone seems well.

Easter included time with Mary’s son, Andy, his two sons and Andy’s girlfriend, Corrine. We dined on roast ducks and a dessert called “Pavlova”. Everything was delicious. We all took a walk in the Common. Corrine’s dog, “Sydney Dog”, played soccer, or should I say football, most of the way. The trees are starting to show their leaves and the temperatures are getting warmer.

Easter Sunday

Lisa and I went to hear the Saint Luke’s Passion by James MacMillan, which had some exciting moments. There wasn’t a lot for the reduced orchestra to do, but the choirs were especially good.

We took a break from the concert schedule and made a trip north to the seaside town of Whitby. Whitby is famous for fish and chips, the ruins of a huge abbey and, for Lisa, ancestors. The Chapmans lived for centuries in this coastal town as ship builders, sea merchants, sail makers, etc. We spent time in the local library and discovered there were a lot of Stephenson’s living in Whitby, too. We took pictures of paintings of Chapmans that can be shared with family in California. We also enjoyed the Victorian photographs of Whitby native Frank Meadow Sutcliffe and the paintings of George Weatherill. The fish and chips lived up to it’s reputation.

Old shipping village of Whitby

On our last night in London we went to hear the London Symphony Orchestra. Gianandrea Noreda led the orchestra in the Shostakovich Violin Concerto and the Faust Symphony by Liszt. The violin soloist was Leonidas Kavakos and he was fabulous. We sat in the seventh row. His Stradivarius violin drew us in immediately and the energy in the faster material was electric. The woodwinds did a great job of keeping up in an accompaniment which is very difficult. The trumpet and horn playing stood out in the Liszt symphony. It’s an orchestra that uses dynamic phrasing expertly. The strings sound like a great collection of virtuosi. The fugue in the last movement was really thrilling. It was a good way to finish our musical journey in England.

LSO at the Barbican

Now, Germany!

– Robert Stephenson and Lisa Byrnes