Update and reminder - Sunday May 5th

Party to start at 3pm.

FYI, the 5 borough bike tour is today, it should have mostly ended by the time people are coming to the party, but just in case here’s the route:

https://3ysui22kxkdnv72438g9qk...RO_2019_RouteMap.pdf



See you later today!

Ooh! Have fun y’all! I’ll be spending the day grading and prepping a conference paper, but in spirit!

Super bummed here; my car wasn't up for the trip. Got on the highway to discover vibration coming up through the steering wheel when I got near 65mph and only got worse as I got faster. I decided to go the 8 miles to the next exit but realized I could cause more damage to the car with that sort of vibration going on for the 4.5 hour trip. Next time.

Hope everyone is having fun! Don't forget pictures.

quote:

vibration coming up through the steering wheel when I got near 65mph and only got worse as I got faster

Very bummed Bernard couldn't make it at the last minute because of car problems. Rachel too was disappointed, but no one more than Kathy K, who hasn't seen him in a while and planned to play a duet with him

Here's the quick update, more with pictures tomorrow. Actually I only have a couple of pictures, but Kath took a bunch too.


Kathy K and her new beau came. She played the 1st movement of the 2nd Chopin Sonata, a Scriabin poem, and the 4th (Fm) Ballade. Pretty impressive.

Grotriman and Bootsy played Bernstein's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano. It was awesome, I have it on video, but I'm not allowed to share. Maybe they'll approve a snippet.

Bootsy also played the Andante from the 3rd Brahms sonata. Grotriman played some Granados and Debussy's Pagodes from Estampes.

Bootsy's son played Bach's Italian Concerto.

Remember Masonite? I saw him at Grotriman's November party for the first time since that big 2007 party in Brooklyn. He played two Brahms pieces, including 117/1.

My neighbor came early and played a Chopin nocturne and a Brahms Capriccio from Op 76 when it was just he and I, and later played segments of the Schubert Wanderer fantasy.

Ax improvised on Mexican themes, in honor of Cinco de Mayo. Stellar as always.

His progeny really impressed also, improvising like their old man. I let him provide more details if he wishes.

I played the Ravel Fugue, and Rach preludes 23/3, 32/2, 32/12.

There's more but I forgot.


Pics later, and Kath please chime in.

By the way, it was really nice seeing Kathy whom I hadn't seen in a decade or so. They stayed almost an hour after everyone else left and we got to hang out just the four of us and chat. Her beau is a great guy and was very patient putting up with all the piano nerds!

Jon and Rachel again hosted a most delightful party. Really love the cheese selection you folks picked out this time ... mind I ask what kind of cheese the dark yellow one is? That's my favorite.

It was great seeing every one. Definitely glad to see KathyK after so many years, and for sure I missed Bernard ... but safety first! Hopefully we will meet again soon in future parties!

Jon's Bosie was powerful and sonorous, a joy to listen to, a pleasure to play.

As you can see from the list Jon compiled, the repertoire spans a pretty wide gamut and performed at pretty high levels too! There is just so much to love in this one party.

The kids did not improvise, but rehashed their latest compositions, which were recorded just days earlier:
https://youtu.be/XeEYL_sjgZY
https://youtu.be/rJJlUWEQfcI

quote:

Originally posted by ShiroKuro:

quote:

vibration coming up through the steering wheel when I got near 65mph and only got worse as I got faster

We're just gone through frost heave season and I suspect my wheels are out of alignment. There are a few roads here that are quite treacherous for vehicles during frost heave season.

Sounds like a lot of great music got played. Wish I could have been there.

It was so wonderful getting together with some old piano friend, enjoying Jon and Rachel's warm hospitality, seeing their beautiful new (for me anyway) home , getting to know "the boy" (what a cutie and talented to boot, but don't call him cute!). We had an exclusive recital on his double bass and he does a mean minor scale on his guitar. So good to see Ax again and the little tykes who are no longer little!
And good to see Bootsie and meet Grotrian (finally) and Abe was pleasure. The music was pretty much non-stop and really wonderful. What a thrill to see the next generation blossoming with talent. Bootsie's son did the Italian Concerto and Jon already mentioned Ax's talented duo.
I did so miss seeing and playing with Bernard. Next time. Jon and I decided we need to do a NE party.



Our gracious hosts, Jon and Rachel



Abe, aka Masonite





One of the twins (I'm hard pressed to remember who's who) with an appreciative father discreetly in the background







Grotriman



Bootsie's son





Jon and his beautiful specimen What a wonderful piano!



Bootsie and Grotriman playing Bernstein. There were several comments about the snippets of similarities between this and his other stuff, namely Westside Story. What a treat to hear.



Ax doing his signature improv



Me in the zone





These last two speak for themselves

For the record, those are monkeys and bananas on my socks.

The bench height seems adequate for the performers. Very important.

quote:

Originally posted by kluurs:
The bench height seems adequate for the performers. Very important.

lol

I got permission to post a teaser of Bootsy and Grotriman playing the Bernstein Sonata - just the first minute or so.