Sunday Music

There I stood with a Bocksbeutel in my hands.
I put it in the fridge & myself in the bathtub. Later I cycled* over to the local kebab-and-pizza-shop and bought one of these all-in-one buns (is this the correct word ?) and a beer – now the day is my friend.
It was a busy week, rather successful I’d assume, at least many things were finally done. I drove the vehicle to the local tip (it is not called “Schuttplatz” anymore, but “Wertstoffhof”, and things are sorted and recycled, at least this is the promise), and got rid of several obsolete stuff. As a result my balcony is free – and shows its dirt ‘n grime in all its glory. Starting tomorrow I will clean up my sleeping room, the balcony, and the empty appartement I now have to care for. Not all in one day, of course, but step by step.
There would be a lot to say about last week’s politics, but I do not want to get angry again. I just want to have a calm evening in the company of my old friend Sylvaner from Franconia, and listen to some nice music. Perhaps by the Giuffre trio (not the Jimmy Giuffre 3), in a recording from 1961. This are Jimmy GIUFFRE (Ger., Eng.), Paul BLEY (Ger., Eng.) and Steve SWALLOW (Ger., Eng.), here with In the Mornings Out There. It is free, chamber-music like jazz, timeless. Yes, slipping out of time, just a little escape, this would be nice.
I hope you enjoy the music, let’s see what next week brings to us.

* Pictures of la Rixe tomorrow, I’m just too knackered to get up right now, sorry.

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Sunday Music, on a Tuesday

“Ta-ta” you may say, venerated reader, “this guy isn’t even able to blog regularly at one day a week, ta-tah.”
And of course Your criticism would be absolutely valid & justified.
But I may say that the weekend that was, in fact was not a “weekend” with days of rest and laziness, sleep and recreation.
In fact I had additional driving duties on Saturday, and spent Sunday travelling from the early hours of the wonderful morning to late afternoon visiting a rural festivity in Middle Franconia.
I blame the sweltering heat for my difficulties with night’s sleep, what is surely no excuse for the fact that I slept in this morning, the first time in three years. I heard the alarm clock, held it in my hand, and saw the large finger pointing upwards. When I looked again, the large finger hadn’t barely moved, and I got up, went to the kitchen to prepare a cup of coffee. Suddenly I asked myself towards what number the small finger would be pointing, the five or the six ? The six of course, so the coffee had to wait, as had my co-driver who phoned in punctually when I was already marching through the street to the vehicle that I found thankfully parked at the usual spot.
An exciting life I unfurl in front of Your eyebeam, dear reader.
Also exciting, at least for me, is the early baroque music of the Venetian Dario CASTELLO (ca. 1590 – ca. 1658) (Ger., Eng.). Here we hear the tenth sonata from his second book, published Venice 1644, performed by Les Cornets Noirs from Basel, an ensemble specialised in early baroque music, what a coincidence.
I hope you enjoy the music, may the week be peaceful and stressless !

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Suebia, eh ?

I realised this morning that one can hear emptiness.
All the usual sounds that can be expected in a large appartement building located in a reasonable quiet neighbourhood, with some green around – even large trees -, and parking spaces over ground, balcony door open, through a bog-normal Wednesday late morning, like water rushing through pipes for whatever use, elevator doors clunking, car doors slamming, trees rushing in a lovely breeze, the occasional toddler yelling a bit – just stand there with eyes closed & listen … the place is empty.
Of course there may be scientific explanations that involve rugs, curtains and pictures on the wall, let’s not forget the lack of ameublement, but this is not what I mean.
It is not about silly sound waves behaving different, is not something missing, it is something else, something additional I can’t name.
To step in routinely like done for ages – “ages” may mean ten years and perhaps a bit more – comes to a halt when the usual choreography of moves stops because there is no more place to put the wallet and the keys – the shoe cabinet in the Diele (it is impossible to translate the name of this little anteroom with “hallway” or “vestibule” – it is a Diele or a Flur ) is gone.
Obviously something changed.
It is easy to say “And of course I am ready to move for this job”, it is easy to plan such a move, and have a look at the different pieces of stuff that surround one. It is a bit more challenging to search for and finally find a new appartement that “fits the bill” in all – or at least all serious – points. It can be a bit of a task to fill boxes with stuff – that seemingly has a life of its own, even after years of culling ; this usually leads to some introspection – and finally “the day” arrives : All is prepared, professionals move in, and within two hours the place is cleared, engines start, and something new begins. This can be a bit upsetting, worrying even.
DOn’t get me wrong, dear reader : This is not about an ending of sorts, a drama, it is about the aftermath of a new beginning.
It is only about a middle-aged man who switches off the hoover in a large empty room, closes his eyes, and listens.

Sunday Music

Freedom is just another word for riding my bicycle. Some years ago I declared proudly that “my bicycle is indestructible” – but, of course, time wins, and at some point even necessary parts started to fall off. There is a moment when the unavoidable effort to keep it running becomes too much, when the former flying pride turns into a badly repaired, bitty & unsafe rolling accident in waiting. So I had no bike for some time.
Until yesterday when I got my new used bicycle. It is only three years old, and chic ; it has a fork with shock absorbers (!), a dynamo that is built around the front axle and hence runs without friction ; very good brakes, 8×3 gears, and a very useful metal basket over the rear wheel. I am not yet absolutely content with the sitting position, but it all works very nice.
I learned that Mr DRAIS (Ger., Eng.) took out his Laufmaschine on the 12th of June 1817 for the first longer tour – I’m just a few days behind. I want it to become a habit, regular exercise is a good thing.
This afternoon I cycled over the former American area, where in one go three different projects are tackled : First, the university enlarges the campus ; second, new houses are built that will form a new district of town ; and third, preparations are made for a large horticultural show that should start spring next year. The whole area becomes thoroughly transformed.
This Sunday’s music is a sinfonietta or sinfonia titled La Tempesta di Mare by Carlo MONZA (1735-1802) (Ger.), performed by Fabio BIONDI and his Europa Galante. I hope you like the music – may the coming week be satisfyingly tranquil. Un’ jezz lass’mmer’s grache …

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