"Even Beauty will die!" - Sunday Main Concert

by Barbara Rose Shuler

It’s Monday and I have just sent over a piece to the Herald, which will appear in tomorrow’s paper—thoughts on opening night of the 72nd Carmel Bach Festival. Sometimes the words take a different track than planned. It was my intent to do a lightweight essay on opening night activities with a few words about the three weekend concerts, and fold in some information about the program book, the silent auction, the great free stuff in the Discover Series, etc.

Instead, what emerged was a reflection on impermanence, catalyzed by the changing of the guard that will happen in 2010 when a new conductor receives the baton from Bruno. This is a huge change, as it was a huge change when Bruno took over from Sandor Salgo. An era is ending right now. Each concert and recital, each talk and special event brings us closer to an unknown Carmel Bach era that will begin with a new music director in 2011.

Dramaturge David Gordon has again distilled the texts for the choral works brilliantly. He takes the supertitles to a new level of elegance and directness in his translations from German to English. Some phrases remain for awhile on the screen as appropriate for the singing and occasionally you find yourself reflecting on profound aspects of existence.

Sunday afternoon the first line in Brahms Nänie “Even Beauty will die” provoked contemplation about the fleetingness of things.

Later that same day…

My mother, who as I mention once played the trombone in bands and symphony orchestras, is a particular fan of Suzanne Mudge, the director of Tower Music and a trombone player. This afternoon, she and Suzanne sat down and talked for over an hour about “girl trombonists,” Tower Music, the creativity of a musical life and the rewards of teaching.

The story will probably come out in Friday’s paper.

Time to go hear Libby play Bach!
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Barbara Rose Shuler writes Intermezzo, which chronicles classical music, in the Monterey Herald's Go! Magazine each week. She can be contacted at wordways@comcast.net.
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