Archive for 2010
J. S. Bach Mass in F BMV 233 at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles 12/26/10
Monday, December 27th, 2010I went to listen Bach’s Mass for the Christmas worship at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. I mentioned about this church before during their Bach Festival. This church has a long history of great music making. Some churches are going for more casual direction, like community center atmosphere, these days, and I found it very meaningful to attend this service. The music was fantastic, the sermon was convincing and meaningful, the Christmas decoration was beautiful, and the whole service was inspirational. The acoustic and the architect of the church reminds us the European church. It is just amazing to sit during the organ preludes which last about 30 minutes, and it is like a first class organ concert. Wayne Foster is a fantastic organ player! I was totally impressed by the entire morning I was there, spiritually and musically. I will definitely go back for future services.
Movie – Lisztmania 12/26/10
Monday, December 27th, 2010Oh–well. I have seen this movie before, and I just wanted to remind myself what kind of movie it is because in my mind this movie was so good! I watched it again. It is very 70′s! I mean it is really. There are lots of imagination, creativity, uniqueness–. Somehow I did not get impressed this time as much as I did the first time. Maybe I am too old?? I watched this movie for the first time at the party with many friends. I suppose it is needed that atmosphere to enjoy it effectively! If you have not seen it I think it is worth trying!
Movie – Tampopo 12/23/10
Friday, December 24th, 2010Again I watched the movie on DVD at home. Do you remember we moved around the rooms in our house to create the family/TV room little while ago. So watching TV at home is my new way of free nights ! I have not done for 10 years!
Tonight was Japanese movie, Tampopo. It was done by Juzo Itami in 1986. If you have seen only Japanese samurqi movies please watch this one. If you have seen only Kurosawa and Mizoguchi please watch this one. If you have seen only Japanese Anime please watch this one. This movie changed the style of Japanese movies. It is very imaginative, creative, and FUNNY. It is almost 2 hours, but the time goes very fast! I have seen it for several times, but I enjoy so much each time! The story is to make a best Ramen shop in Tokyo. The main actress is the wife of the director. Unfortunately the director committed suicide. That was a big loss in Japanese movie business. Tampopo stands as a big statue in the movie world.
Movie-Shoot the Piano Player 12/22/10
Thursday, December 23rd, 2010I watched DVD of this movie tonight. As you guess this is a foreign film! The director is Frnacois Truffaut. Oh well– I found this DVD while I was cleaning up last week. I suppose My husband bought this movie to avoid shooting me!! It was still wrapped. It is sometimes difficult to difine between artistic and meaningless. This movie may fall into the latter. It has some charm, but my impression is primitive and simple. It was good to watch it on the rainy night!
Moving in the House?? 12/15/10
Wednesday, December 15th, 2010It is not easy to find a perfect house for musician couple, like us. We gave up most of downstairs for the music room and the music library so we have been living in the house without a living room or a family room. Except the dining place we did not have anyplace to sit down together for last 10 years. We watched even the same program on TV in the separate rooms!! Even family and friends visits we did not have a room to relax! It is time! Either moving to the better house or rearranging the rooms–. So I decided to rearrange the rooms upstairs. It took more than a week to complete. The best room in the house is the master bed room because of the size and the nice view. So it is now a family room with L shape couch and the big desk (table!) for an office space. Because of my husband’s publishing side business he owns many equipments and thousands of papers! So the walking closet became a storage for office supplies.
Anyway it is done! I love this new situation! Even thought My husband agreed for this change he may have been missing his private time in his private space?? I don’t know! I am sure there are so many musicians have similar situation. It is tough! We need a house for practicing, teaching and rehearsing. So we carry our business in the house. Until we move into the better house we will stay in this newly organized house. How many years?? I don’t know.
Food and Friendship 12/1/10
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010One of my “having a wonderful time” is to enjoy the conversation over good foods with good friends! My husband and I spent Thanksgiving day at frineds’ house. These friends became LA Family to us over the last few years. They are great music lovers, enjoy good food & wine, and fun & interesting chat! The Thanksgiving dinner was fantastic with a hint of German taste, which is their origin. They are good cooks as well! The evening went so fast with full and happy tummy! On Sunday during Thanksgiving weekend we invited our music friends over our house for Sushi dinner! They are one of the best guests ever! They ate so well (so as we) and made me so happy! Again the evening went so fast with food, sake, chat, and laughter! I had a great weekend, 2 parties and a concert! Happy Holiday!
Bryn Terfel, Esa-Pekka Salonen and LA Phil 11/30/10
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010I went to listen Wagner-Hindemith Concert at Disney Concert Hall on Friday 11/26. First I thought the program seemed not suitable for this holiday weekend. I was wrong! Hindemith-Symphonie Metamorphosis is a very appealing piece and the orchestra played great! That was the only piece in the first half. Then here comes Terfel! If you have not heard his singing you are missing something very important in your life! He sings and delivers the text with deep expression. His voice is just perfect in many dimensions. He sang 3 songs from Wagner’s operas, Die Meistersinger, Tannhauser, and Die Walkure. The audience was drawn into his world. It has been only 1 and 1/2 year since Salonen left LA it seemed so natural to see him on the stage of Disney Concert Hall again, and the ensemble he established with LA Phil was quickly back into his hands. I saw Mrs. Salone in the back stage as well. It was an enjoyable evening in the Thanksgiving weekend.
We express through something– 11/15/10
Monday, November 15th, 2010I am reading a book “Violin Dreams” by Arnold Steinhardt. He writes about his parents lives as Jewish. It is very touching, and the music has been deeply involved in their long history. Mr. Steinhardt writes ” Jews believed that only music could give these prayers wings strong enough to deliver them to God.–” When he first played Nigun out of Baal Shem Suite his father told him “Two thousand years of Jewish suffering are in those notes. The Nigun is a cry to God himself–” . And I started to think about my own heritage, Japanese. What do we believe? What have we been expressing though our emotions? When Okinawa people went to gyokusai (they took their own lives when American troops came into this island located in the south of Japan. The father killed their own children and wives, then they killed themselves. ) at the end of WWII what was in their mind? In the suffering after the nuclear bumb in Hiroshima what was in their mind, and what did they rely on?
In long history Japanese have been worshipping our beautiful four seasons, writing Haiku and Tanka (poems) according to the seasons, and cooking beautiful dishes using the seasonable vegetables. We don’t express emotions like Westerners, but we express ourselves through food and poems, and unspoken moment between words. We value those “Unspoken Moments’ (Kijukai). We had court music “Gagaku”, but it was not for civilians. We don’t have music like Nigun. We have folk songs composed during Meiji period (the end of 19 century to the beginning of 20 century), and we sing those songs with melancholy. But it is not cry—. I am married with an American musician, living in the American society, playing western music, but I carry deeply my Japanese heritage.
Descanso Garden 11/10/10
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010I had few hours free this afternoon so I decided to visit Descanso Garden. This garden is one of the best in LA, and is very near to my house. I don’t remember when I visited there last time. If I live close to Tokyo Tower I don’t visit, right? Descansar in Spanish means to rest. Yes, this garden is very restful and peaceful, especially in weekdays. It was almost the whole place to myself. It was beautiful under the fall sun. The light was not bright, but clear and sharp. Please see some photos I took. My mind rested well!
Bicentennial Celebration Concert at Occidental College 11/9/10
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010It was a beautiful fall day to play a noontime concert yesterday. During the night we had a rain and we woke up with fresh air and blue sky. Perfect! The theme of the concert was 2 Bicentennial composers, Chopin (1810-1849) and Shumann (1810-1856). The venue was our proud Bird Studio at Occidental College. This place has a gorgeous acoustic because of high celling and wood surroundings. And it hasSo-Cal atmosphere, semi open to outside space.
I started with Ballade No. 4 (1842) by Chopin. This is a monumental piece even among Chopin’s accomplished works. I always think that if we can play Chopin’s late works, like this piece, Scherzo No. 4, Fantasy, Sonata No. 3, Barcarolle we may be able to call ourselves “I play piano”! So this Ballade No. 4 requires a lot in technique and musicality. It is a test, but it is a fun test to explore ourselves. I suppose I have performed this piece for 7-8 times in the past, but each time it gives me a new challenge and new direction. I am sure next time I will find another journey to follow through. I enjoyed living with this piece.
After Chopin 4 wonderful friends from LA Phil, Robert Gupta and Johnny Lee on violin, John Hayhurst on viola, and David Garrett on cello, joined me to play a celebrated Schumann’s Piano Quintet (1842). We had a fantastic time rehearsing and performing. I often play with group of musicians, but this group became one of my favorite musicians to play with. Our rehearsals were fun, but very productive and efficient, and at the performance we were flexible and experienced enough to play music in fresh manner with great energy. Bravo to my colleagues! This piece has many interesting anecdotes. One of them is from the second run- through at the house of Shumann’s friend. Clara was supposed to play a piano part, but got sick on the day of the performance. Do you know who replaced her???? Mendelssohn! He stepped in and sight-read the piece. After the performance Mendelssohn suggested few changes to Shumann. One of them is to replace the trio sections in Scherzo movement. It is amazing to imagine those 2 big composers in the same room discussing–. Don’t you think that can be a great reason to play this piece?
My next project is J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations. I have been potponing this for many many years. I have to know this piece before I die. Of course I am not planning to die soon. I imagine myself to liesten this beautiful piece in my head while I am going to the otherside of the world. I need to memorize this 70 minutes long piece (with repeats) for that moment. I am not planning to carry my music that day!
