This post is a continuation of my previous reflection. Two thoughts came to me while listening to Mendelssohns Elijah at the Berlin Philharmonie on 8 March 2026. In my previous post, I discussed the essence of Elijah. In this post, I would like to share my thoughts on Baal worship. At first sight, it looks …
The Elijah I listened to at the Berlin Philharmonie on 8.3.2026 is the kind of version where Mendelssohn would be watching from heaven and smiling with utmost satisfaction. Having heard Benjamin Appls excellent and moving interpretations of Bachs St. Matthew and St. John Passions, I had been anticipating his interpretation of Mendelssohns Elijah. Personally, the …
“A white hand wavesFrom fairy tales of old,Where there are sounds and songsOf a magic land.” — Aus alten Märchen winkt es, Heinrich Heine The Liederabend was indeed an entry into a magical land of sounds and songs. Our guides for the evening were Benjamin (baritone) and James (piano), who led us through the poetic …
“One Line a Day” is a diary I received as a gift, and I have been using it for a year now. Honestly, I did not fill in every page last year. This year, I want to be more consistent. Having five years recorded on the same page for the same date helps me reflect …
Turning 40, apparently, in German culture is quite something. Already at the beginning of the year, my German friends and family were kindly asking how, when, and where I would celebrate my 40th runden Geburtstag. Usually, they celebrate it with a huge party. In case I organized this kind of party, they wanted to mark …
I had fairly high expectations for this concert, Franz Schubert: Master Storyteller by Benjamin Appl and Sholto Kynoch, which was also the opening concert of this year’s Oxford International Song Festival, for three reasons. Firstly, I had heard their wonderful performance back in May in Heidelberg, Germany. Secondly, I have been a lover of Lieder …
“Lange lieb’ ich dich schon…” — Friedrich Hölderlin “I have loved you for a long time…” wrote Hölderlin in his poem Heidelberg. But how long is a long time? How about twenty years? It was in 2005 when I first visited this enchanting, romantic city with my sister. We were tourists then, right before I …
In five minutes, the train was supposed to arrive at its destination. Suddenly, an emergency occurred, resulting in at least an hour of delay. This real-life travel experience mirrors my current life situation—filled with pauses and unexpected turns. The Malaysian embassy in Germany once told me, “Please be patient, your new passport is coming.” I …
How long does it take to get back into the rhythm of your life after travelling? This time, it took me three weeks. I changed the light bulb, swept away the fallen leaves on the path, at last, my laundry mountain piles has gone, I know where the forks and knifes are placed again, bedsheet …
It has been three months since my last blog entry about W.A. Mozart’s life and opera and my trip to Würzburg at June 7, 2024. If you have not read it, here is the link:https://thejourney-writing.com/2024/06/w-a-mozarts-life-and-opera-my-wurzburg-diary-june-7-2024.html Summer was great, having roots (family) and wings (travelling and playing organ) at the same time is the kind of …