Heaven?

Oh my, what a day, started at 9:30 a.m. with a serious Bach talk with four German scholars then carried on with concerts until 11:00 pm when we left a concert early out of shear exhaustion. We are not built of tough enough stuff like the locals to withstand this kind of serious concert going. Shuffling from one two hour concert to the next with no time for dinner. I bought a take out quark cheesecake and ate it enroute - probably my last while I'm here, sigh.

Here's our favorite from the day - cantata 82 - it's about blissfully sliding into death, right up my alley, and Ton Koopman as in this rendition was fantastic. He seems to be pretty much tops though we also like Gardiner. As this trip comes to an end, it is unusual for me not to be beyond ready to return home, but not this time.

I seem to be content with being whoever I am wherever I am not so much needing an anchor or identity. It's actually quite sweet. But home I will go.



Here's Koopman at Thomaskirche. What a treat to be in Bachland for a few days - my all time favorite composer from early teens.

The men are taking a bow, Koopman and the bass soloist Klaus Meretens who was on the morning panel and is extraordinary. The level of musicianship and seriousness of the audience is really something.

We've been attending the Oregon Bach Festival for years and this is at such a different level of seriousness, very interesting. Really pushing us, physically, mentally, musically.