San Francisco Symphony Visits the Central Coast

I’m still humming Tchaikovsky this morning having had  7th row tickets to the debut appearance of the San Franciso Symphony at the Cohan Center in San Luis Obispo last night.  The program included Copland’s music from the film Our Town, Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra, and Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony.  Three totally different works that together showed off each of the sections of such a great orchestra. 

Getting to finally see Michael Tilson Thomas conduct in person was such a treat.  He really is a rock star.  I am in awe.   I especially enjoyed my sight lines.  Being so close to be able to see his expressions as he conducted and to really be able to watch the concertmaster’s fingering, especially on the Tchaikovsky,  was spectacular.

The opening  credits of Our Town (1940)

The Second Movement of Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra

Finale from Tchaikovsky’s 5th

Oh Happy Day

 What a beautiful moment  today.   And just for fun…Enjoy the mini concert by blogger Pulp Friction.

This Land is Your Land

Pete Seeger led the crowd at yesterday’s concert at the Lincoln Memorial in the singing of “This Land is Your Land.” What was so remarkable was the inclusion of all of the verses.  Woody Guthrie wrote the song as a reaction to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” Read the story at the Library of Congress website.

 
Chorus:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

I’ve roamed and rambled and I’ve followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

As I was walkin’ – I saw a sign there
And that sign said – no tress passin’
But on the other side …. it didn’t say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

Chorus

In the squares of the city – In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office – I see my people
And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’
If this land’s still made for you and me.

Chorus (2x)

©1956 (renewed 1984), 1958 (renewed 1986) and 1970 TRO-Ludlow Music, Inc. (
BMI)

Jesus Christ Superstar

Went to see Ted Neeley starring in Jesus Christ Superstar last night. He’s still got it. The production is really well done. We were lucky enough to be invited backstage to meet him.  Ted is extremely gracious.  He was featured on CBS Sunday Morning a few weeks ago.  If the show is coming to your town, go.