On several streets we saw the continued legacy of a huge installation-project by Joseph Beuys for Kassel's international Documenta art festival -- some of the 5,000 paired plantings of trees together with large rectangular stones, a living, city-wide sculpture.
When our bus climbed up to the famous statue of Hercules that towers over the amazing waterfall-allée in the 5-kilometre-long mountainside park that leads down to the Wilhelmshöhe Palace, we arrived in the midst of a snowstorm and fierce wind, so we didn't stay out of the bus for long.
But of course when we drove back down the mountain the sun was out and there wasn't a speck of snow ... leading Susanne and Raffi to declare that of course the snow had occurred just for the benefit of all us Canadians!
Here's the non-snowy view up towards Hercules from the
city, near the Palace at the other end of the park, which
gives an idea of the huge size of the statue itself and
the building that forms its base.
gives an idea of the huge size of the statue itself and
the building that forms its base.
Arriving in Warburg, Emily, Phoebe, Martin and Tony
head for the hall in the Gymnasium Marianum
head for the hall in the Gymnasium Marianum
as do Liza and Praise.
The concert couldn't have taken place in a more spectacularand romantic location. The hall is in two of the higher levels of
a 6-level school building built down the mountainside, with its
entrance at the top level from a road running along the wall
remaining from a medieval fortified monastery. The 16th-Century
building on the other side of the road is still in use for businesses
and apartments, and the city's historic cathedral looms behind
the school, also perched on the very edge of the upper city.
a 6-level school building built down the mountainside, with its
entrance at the top level from a road running along the wall
remaining from a medieval fortified monastery. The 16th-Century
building on the other side of the road is still in use for businesses
and apartments, and the city's historic cathedral looms behind
the school, also perched on the very edge of the upper city.
Between the rehearsal and concert we had dinner in a nearbyGreek restaurant. Raffi had taken pre-orders from everyone and
the staff there were wonderful about serving quickly so we
could fit the meal in without getting too close to the concert.
Everything was excellent, but Nurhan was a bit disappointed
to find it's not the custom in Germany to bring in the saganaki
still flaming and yell "opa!" while dousing it at the table...
From top and left: Phoebe, Andras, Emily, Praise, Xiaohan, Liza, Albina, Sarah; Susanne, Peter Ernst and Olaf Krane from the Warburger Meisterkonzerte series, Nurhan; Julian, our very kind and helpful driver Herr Rolf, Raffi, Julian, Susanne, Peter, Olaf.
On stage in the striking hall, with a restored traditional stained glass window framed by a dramatic arch. Nurhan and the rest of the orchestra join the audience in applauding Mary-Beth's solo performance of Schubert's Rondo in A Major and Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen. The program also included the Janacek Suite for String Orchestra, MacMillan "Two Canadian Sketches" and Dvorak Serenade.
The concert series was already looking forward to Christmas, with almost-lifesized bentwood reindeer and topiary holly trees in the lobby and pointsettias on stage. At the end of the concert every member of the orchestra was given a beautiful Christmas spray and Mary-Beth and Nurhan received seasonal bouquets of roses, pine, holly and cinnamon.
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