If I had to describe the concert review in one word, I would choose: Volltreffer (a bullseye). Every song that evening was among my top favourites. The duo baritone Benjamin Appl and pianist Simon Lepper were like a pair of experienced dance partners: completely in sync, with perfect pacing and elegant movement. I especially enjoyed …
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 …
Have you ever had a beautiful dream and somehow lost it somewhere. Schubert’s Nacht und Träume is about bringing back this fair dream from above to us. If it is a beautiful dream, be courageous to dream again, and never let it go. Some dreams are messages from heaven about our purposes on earth. Only …
Today I accompanied 3 funerals on the organ. It was a very special day to accompany funeral on 19.12. Around 90% of the funerals that I played, bereaved families wish to have Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Von guten Mächten” (By Gracious Power) at the funeral. This poem is originally written for his fiancée Maria von Wedemeyer-Weller, in …
“There are a few times in life when you leap up and the past that you’d been standing on falls away behind you, and the future you mean to land on is not yet in place, and for a moment you’re suspended knowing nothing and no one, not even yourself. … … In spite of …
I am in the chapter 5 of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History. The privileged, well-educated and moral-degraded college kids are getting more horrible page by page. I have only read 1/3 of the book, it is still too early to say anything definitive about the book. One thing for sure, Donna Tartt is an extraordinary …
When I am not reading, I am probably playing organ. One of my various musical engagements is accompanying funeral service at the organ. Some funerals are unforgettable beautiful. Recently, I encountered this kind of funeral again. A man has died, I play organ at his funeral. The atmosphere was calm and peace, the clergy read …
So wherever you are, in whatever life situation, just sing!Happy weekend, see you next week!
Heidelberg is a Unesco City of Literature since December 1st 2014. Heidelberg is traditionally home for new publication, moreover, it is also a great place to discover second-hand books. My absolutely favourite 2nd hand bookshop is Antiquariat Hatry | Hauptstr. 119. Heidelberg, Germany 69117. If you enjoy my blog post and vlog, please don’t forget …
Dont grow wearybut the miraclequietlylike a birdhold out in the hand(My translation) Nicht mde werdensondern dem Wunderleisewie einem Vogeldie Hand hinhalten(Hilde Domin) Recently I have been reading the biography of Hilde Domin by Marion Tauschwitz. Today, I want to share with you her poem that gives me strength and hope. Hilde Domin (1912 2006) …