Make yourself a cup of tea, and let us read a poem about Mid-Autumn Moon written by Su Dongpo (1037-1101). A little cultural background before reading the poem. Mid-Autumn festival is an important festival for Chinese, Japanese, Korean to be with family. Full moon is round, round in Chinese calls “yuan” 圆. When family is …
Last year summer, I was in some places in Thüringen to attend an organ academy. My first stop is Eisenach, the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685- 1750). Bach is my all time favourite composer, of course, I visited the Bach museum in Eisenach (Bachhaus Eisenach), where he once lived. The exhibition begins with Instrument hall. …
What has been written in the sand last only until the next ocean wave to wipe it away, without leaving a trace nor proof. But the one who wrote the message in the sand, and the one who understood the message will keep it in their heart and treasuring it dearly. Like music. Once played …
Sinn. This poem continue with the old tale which made Heine felt so sad. Heine took me to Rhine river and told me the old tale. Once upon a time on this rock, sat a charming beautiful girl called Loreley. Under the golden evening sun, she combed her golden hair with golden comb. Shimmering, glittering, …
I Strings in the earth and air Make music sweet; Strings by the river where The willows meet. There’s music along the river For Love wanders there, Pale flowers on his mantle, Dark leaves on his hair. All softly playing, With head to the music bent, And fingers straying Upon an instrument. CHAMBER MUSIC By …
On a birthday party, I sat next to an 8 years old girl, with enthusiasm she told me about her violin lesson. She just learned pizzicato, and she can play 3 tunes on A-string, her teacher put sticker to mark where her finger should place. “If you would like to, I can play ‘the apple …
I know the title is obvious plagiarism from the air “The Trumpet Shall Sound” in Händel’s Messiah. The air is about the life after death, when the trumpet sound, the dead shall be raised, and we shall be changed, because in Christ shall all be made alive. Actually this writing is not about Händel’s Messiah. …
In the year 2015, summer, in Basel at flea market Petersplatz. I picked up the CD box “George Frideric Handel Organ Concertos Complete”, 5 CDs for 6 franc. 2 years have past since my first organ lesson, and I was in my 2nd year of music college. I never heard about “Organ Concerto” that time, …
“Are you going to play ‘Ó, Felséges Úr, mi kegyes Istenünk’ today? ” the mentor asked.“Yes, it is really fascinating, but what does it mean?” I replied.“Oh! I see, it’s written in Hungarian. Ok, it’s Psalm 8, the title is ‘O, majesty Lord, our merciful God’. ‘Úr’ mean ‘Lord’, you will again and again see …
“I guess concert would be the last thing to be allowed after lockdown. You know, music is just entertainment.” I felt like a knife accidentally cross by my heart, especially to hear this – “music is just entertainment” from a musician friend whose life is music and her concerts are all being cancelled. Although musician …