July 2: San Francisco: Asian Art Museum and Symphony Hall

Dear Friends and Relatives,

Another great day all around as we welcomed in the July 4 weekend by spending the morning breakfasting and reading.  At lunch we had leftovers , but also some wonderful artichokes with a very fine dipping sauce.  

At about 2:00 p.m., we got ready to drive to downtown SF and the Asian Art Museum to see the "Emperors' Treasures: Chinese Art from the National Palace Museum, Taipei."  It is a survey of exceptional imperial art explored through the stories of nine rulers.  Art from the National Palace Museum in Taipei rarely travels outside Asia.  In fact, this exhibition represents the first time in 20 years that many of its masterpieces are on view in this country.  Articles of jade, paintings, ceramics, and calligraphy were represented.  Thoroughly well designed exhibit, and Maureen and I both marveled at the virtuosity of the objects presented on view.

After that, Maureen and I went for dinner at The Grove, diagonally across the street from Symphony Hall.  She and I both had excellent tortilla soup and a bruschetta with fresh guacamole.  For dessert, we went down the street to Chantal Guillon Macarons, a shop that specializes in macaroons.  Maureen had a lemon macaroon and I had an almond, and we both had rooibos tea.  Then we walked over to Symphony Hall and picked up our tickets at Will Call, then listened to a lecture on Mahler's 2nd Symphony, the lone work on the program tonight. 

Mahler's 2nd Symphony was composed in 1894.  He did not call it the "Resurrection" Symphony, but nevertheless, it stuck.  The first movement celebrates a dead hero.  The second and third movements represent retrospect, the former being innocent and nostalgic, the latter including a certain element of the grotesque.  The fourth and fifth movements are the resolution and deal with the Last Judgment, redemption, and resurrection.  

I was genuinely moved by the piece, as, during one of the toughest periods of my life, I had heard the last movement of this piece for the first time.  Towards the end, the words read:  "Auferstehen, ja auferstehen wirst du,/ mein Staub, nach kurzer Ruh!/ Unsterblich Leben!  Unsterblich Leben/ Wird der dich rief dir geben!"  Translation: "You will rise again, yes, rise again,/ my dust, after a short rest! / Immortal life! Immortal life/ will be given you by the one who calls you!"  By the end of the piece, tears were streaming down my face, I leapt to my feet, and shouted myself hoarse with bravos, even though my clapping, due to my problematical right hand, is non-existent.  What an amazing concert!!!!  I had heard it on WRR, and I had heard that last movement one sad night in September of 1998, but I had never heard the whole work until today.  How amazing!!

And now, Maureen and I are having pomegranate Italian soda, and we are dueling it out on our respective iPads.  Good night to all, and to all a superb July 4!  As ever, Sylvia

Sylvia M. Venable, PhD

Instructor, German

St. John's Episcopal School

Dallas, Texas