36 Years Ago

36 Years Ago, Vienna 1971—A Student Journal

Day 265: Bernstein and Vienna Boys’ Choir in Mahler 3

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Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.



Day 265 — Bernstein and Vienna Boys’ Choir in Mahler 3
23-April-1972 (Sonntag–Sun.)


TRANSCRIPT

Bernstein Mahler concert in Musikverein

In der Kirche, mit Weiner Singerknaben.

Habe ich Kostenlos in diese Konzert der Mahler’s
3rd Symphonie, mit Wiener Singerknaben und Leonard Bernstein gegangen. Am meistems, sehr, sehr, gut.

Heute habe ich Bilder, mit meiner Kamera mitgenommen. Hoffentlich sie werden gut gekommen. Ich habe auch die hände (shook) mit Herrn Bernstein.

Vieleicht, jetzt, gehe ich zum Oper
“Der Besucht der Alter Dame” – ein wenig moderne oper. Für mich es war interresant. Ich muß das ein andere mal auch hören.


REFLECTIONS


TRANSLATION ATTEMPT

I’m in church with the Vienna Boys’ Choir.

I have purchased tickets and went to the concert of Mahler’s
Symphony No. 3 with the Vienna Boys’ Choir and Leonard Bernstein. On the most part, very, very, good.

Today, I took pictures with my camera.
Hopefully (hoffentlich), they will come out good. I also “shook” Maestro Bernstein’s hand.

Perhaps now, I will go to the opera, “
Der Besuch der alten Dame,” (besuch = visit) a slightly modern opera. For myself, it was interesting. I must also listen to it at another time.

END TRANSLATION


Vienna Boys’ Choir 2x. I am experiencing the joy of the Vienna Boys’ Choir twice today. First at mass in church, then at the Bernstein concert of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3. What a thrill. I love the Vienna Boys’ Choir, I love Mahler, I love Bernstein. The picture below (you’ve seen it before), is of the Vienna Boys’ Choir in the organ balcony of the Musikverein. It is actually from today’s concert.

Vienna Boys Choir in Mahler 3

Bernstein concert pictures. The opening picture, also from today’s afternoon concert, shows the beautiful Musikverein concert hall, renowned for its acoustics and beauty. Finally, I confirm in the journal that today is the day I took the photographs at the end of the concert. Remember, that I actually ran from the side upper balcony back to the far end of the upper balcony to take the pictures of the hall and organ balcony. I actually like a couple of these photos. I apologize for the photos of Bernstein from my organ balcony seat, which are overexposed and blurry. They were certainly caused by slower shutter speeds when I took the pictures. I apologize, 36 years later.

What a great concert.

Bernstein handshake. At first, I thought I was talking about my hand shaking when I took the pictures of the concert. But no, I went backstage and got in line to shake Maestro Bernstein’s hand, most likely thanks to my friend, Mike. That must have been some feeling. Like meeting the President of the United States, or the Pope. The picture below is of Bernstein at today’s concert.

Bernstein at the Mahler 3 concert

One concert not enough. Of course, I must also go to an opera at night. Standing room, certainly. The opera that I went to see was Der Besuch der Alten Dame (Visit of the Old Woman). In 1971, Austrian composer Gottfried von Einem wrote the opera based on the play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt of the same name.

Der Besuch der Alten Dame

German reminder.
I remind everyone that, in 1972, I was writing German off of the top of my head, perhaps with a dictionary in hand. Today, in 2009, I am also trying to translate mostly off the top of my head—only looking up words I don’t understand. Besides basic grammar, I know that I have no concept of the gender of nouns—are they masculine, feminine, or neutral. Thus not knowing which corresponding article to use (der, die, das; ein, eine, ein). Instead, I arbitrarily pick a pronoun, guessing which may sound ok. I certainly didn’t look up each noun for its gender, though I should. Sorry. If there are any true Austrians or Germans reading this, send me the corrections. I should also capitalize nouns, which I have not been doing.

Is there a German counterpart to our podcasting heroine, Grammar Girl? If so, “hilfen mir, bitte.”

John

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