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<title>36 Years Ago</title><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/index.html</link><description>Vienna 1971&#x2014;A student journal</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright &#xa9; 2007&#x2013;2008. All Rights Reserved.</dc:rights><dc:date>2008-07-23T15:50:01-04:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:03:15 -0400</lastBuildDate><item><title>Day 356: Final Day&#x2014;Paris to home&#x2c; 10 francs</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>France</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-23T15:50:01-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4b84f87f0cd27e15ca381f1811bae5bd-363.php#unique-entry-id-363</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4b84f87f0cd27e15ca381f1811bae5bd-363.php#unique-entry-id-363</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[He was really friendly and valued the horn and my gifts at $100, which means I didn&rsquo;t have to pay custom&rsquo;s duty. 

...I probably imagined spending a few days in the city of lights, holding hands, being with Anjali and just re-igniting whatever relationship there was. ...  Certainly, I&rsquo;ll get back to my normal self but looking back at my journal, I almost don&rsquo;t want people to read this last page&mdash;but, I had to be true to the journal. 

...Not content to get to the airport on time, I decide to walk back to the Eiffel Tower and the environs, take pictures (see yesterday), and then run back to the bus station to get to the airport. 

...I&rsquo;m heading back home, after a year&rsquo;s journey, &ldquo;with only $2 in my pocket.&rdquo; 

...I&rsquo;m in a sourpuss mood because no one can cash the $100 check that my mother sent me.   Again, I&rsquo;m going to be making such a bad impression on people only reading this page&mdash;it was all that stress.   The customs agent was really a sport and downsized the price of the horn so that I didn&rsquo;t have to pay any duty. 

...I usually don&rsquo;t like to bother people and would have preferred to just get home on my own, with a bus.   Well, I must have changed the last of my money and made a phone call to my brothers, Frank and Dennis. 

...There is a second little surprise that happened both at the airport, and at home, but I&rsquo;ll save that for my next &ldquo;micro-blog.&rdquo;


...It WAS great to see my brothers, Mike, Steve, Frank, and Dennis after a year away. 

...I&rsquo;ve said it before&mdash;thanks to the Rotary Clubs and Rotary International for the opportunity to participate in this amazing personal and educational learning experience, and to my boss, Nick Lioy, who sponsored me. 

...In my journal, I find a few pages about what happened to me after Vienna, written by myself two years later.   And one minute after coming home from Vienna, there was a big surprise for my mother. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 355: Paris and Anjali&#x2c; 50 francs</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>France</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-22T07:46:13-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f2ce3813aa8ec6fc3159017f48abbb59-362.php#unique-entry-id-362</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f2ce3813aa8ec6fc3159017f48abbb59-362.php#unique-entry-id-362</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I don&rsquo;t write about Paris itself because I was preoccupied with a special friend, but I did take some pictures. 

...With the ebb and flow of life and living expenses, things haven&rsquo;t changed that much in the present. 

...Besides Anjali, I have two memories of Paris&mdash;one, the fact that it was beautiful to walk around and that there was a sense of history and culture (as with Vienna).   The second memory is that of my walking through the park near the Eiffel Tower and asking a man for directions. ...  Pointing to the address in my letter, there was no response and I thought my French was bad. 

...I meet Anjali at her house and once again meet her mom, and her sisters&mdash;all very, very nice and friendly. 

...I think that Anjali was happy to see me in her always polite, but cute, manner. ...  Inside my churning stomach I&rsquo;m hoping that, somehow, her family was going to let me stay for a few days. 

...After setting myself up at the hostel, I return and spend a short and wonderful time with Anjali, walking, talking, just being good friends. ...  Knowing that I would never see her again (and I haven&rsquo;t) was affecting me.   I always suspected that Anjali had her feet realistically on the ground when it came to us.   She was heading off to University in a month and had a full life ahead of her. 

...Here is the surprise I promised you at the beginning of the journal, when I first talked about Anjali during the month of our summer German language course&mdash;Anjali and I ended up corresponding, via old-fashioned traditional letter writing, for several years after Vienna. 

...Well, 10 years after 1972 Vienna, in 1982, I wrote a song called &ldquo;One Summer Night&rdquo; that I sang on a homemade demo and sent to her old address. ...  Unfortunately, I can&rsquo;t sing very well, but &ldquo;One Summer Night&rdquo; specifically referred to Anjali and our dinner/dance night out when she was leaving Vienna in September 1971. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 354: In Vienna&#x2c; last day&#x2c; 1320s</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-07-21T07:38:34-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/03541439a08282d1e386c2905d03fa01-361.php#unique-entry-id-361</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/03541439a08282d1e386c2905d03fa01-361.php#unique-entry-id-361</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Now can possibly stay a while in Paris and London.


...Will stay in Paris anywhere from two hours to maybe a day or two. 

...Sort of ironic&mdash;my transportation with the plane included both Paris and London, free. 

...She has been a great help and person during my stay in Wien.   So many people in Vienna and in my travels have been really great, so helpful, and showed kindness to a total stranger. 

...They may not have a lot of money but they never hesitate to help their children. ...  I was hoping that it would extend my stay&mdash;I mention Paris AND London. ???


...I didn&rsquo;t realize that I had changed my airplane ticket home to include both Paris and London&mdash;stop-overs for FREE. 

...I&rsquo;m already packed but I have too much stuff and send an additional two packages back home.   Here is a picture of the famous Viennese &ldquo;petite point&rdquo; purse that I bought my mom. 

...In Munich (see below), I spent a total of $20-$30 for everything, including gifts and the train ticket to Innsbruck.   In Innsbruck, I change $20 (452s) and spent $20, including miscellaneous gifts and the train ticket to Vienna. ...  I change MY LAST $60 (1200s) and now have a grand total of 1320s.   By the end of the day in Vienna, I have spent 325s for mailing, 655s for gifts, and 100s for transportation and food, leaving me with a total of 240s for the remainder of my entire European adventure&mdash;Paris and London&mdash;??? ...  NOTE: I just confirmed on the Internet that in July 1972, the exchange rate was 5 francs = $1 US.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 353: Olympic Munich; Innsbruck; &#x24;65</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-20T21:58:36-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d2d1d3d449bb21270c7d9beff6b92c0c-360.php#unique-entry-id-360</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d2d1d3d449bb21270c7d9beff6b92c0c-360.php#unique-entry-id-360</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Perhaps it is more correct to say, with me, all good things never come to a start.


...According to my financial ledger, after leaving Berlin, I have $65 left for the rest of my European stay. 

...I am proud of myself&mdash;I really take in a lot of the sights for such a short time. ...  The last time I was in Munich, seeing my college friends, it was in the dead of winter. 

...Some of the pictures show the grace of Olympic athletes (see the diver) and it is beautiful to sit and watch them.


...We can only hope that, one day, people will come to their senses and stop this madness.


...I stop by the world-famous Haufbra&uuml;haus to have a stein of beer and buy two steins for gifts. ...  You won&rsquo;t believe what happened next (you already know because you already read it) &mdash; but, yes, I steal a beer stein. ...  Well, someone next to me told me it was &ldquo;tradition&rdquo; and &ldquo;expected&rdquo; to &ldquo;steal&rdquo; a beer mug. ...  Well, I did buy two big mugs that were nicer and more expensive than the run-of-the-mill drinking mug I took.   And God punished me by breaking one of these mugs on the trip back to the U.S. 

...If you remember, Elisabeth ended up being a gracious tour-guide and skiing partner on the slopes of Innsbruck when I took my skiing vacation last winter.   We didn&rsquo;t get to know each other that well, but we had written a couple of  times. 

...I suspect that I just wanted to get together to see her before I left for home, and hoped that we might connect. 

...That seems to dampen my spirit on meeting her for a coffee or deciding to stay an extra night.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 352: East Berlin</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-19T07:17:27-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/803f8e2a6b7eebb1e577ae75ea0d271e-359.php#unique-entry-id-359</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/803f8e2a6b7eebb1e577ae75ea0d271e-359.php#unique-entry-id-359</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Their history is all told in the struggle of wars, and people of course&mdash;Marx, Engels, and Stalin&mdash;are held up big. 

...I was very surprised that I didn&rsquo;t write about Checkpoint Charlie in the journal.   I remember going through the checkpoint at the American sector&mdash;where you go from free West Berlin to communist East Berlin.   The Berlin wall, seen earlier in the journal, was the amazing symbol of repression that divided the principle of freedom from that of oppression.   On this summer day, I am the tourist, with camera and lenses around my neck, walking through the dead-man&rsquo;s zone between the two Berlin Walls that separated the two Berlins.


...Another journal item that I didn&rsquo;t write, but that I remember, was my wanting to see the &ldquo;real East Berlin.&rdquo;   I remember walking down the main tourist boulevard in East Berlin heading towards the main center of &ldquo;modern&rdquo; communist Berlin, symbolized by the tall communications tower, and then going off-track by a street or two and walking down the &ldquo;normal&rdquo; street towards the center.   I don&rsquo;t remember much detail but that it was not as fancy as the tourist area.   In my youth, I was not worried about being robbed, despite my cameras and being the tourist, or that I could be whisked off the streets by the secret police for wandering off the tourist path.


...In addition to the Pergamon, I saw the Museum of German History which, at that time, included the representation of Germanic nationality from the viewpoint of the eastern bloc&mdash;there was much communist propaganda espousing the communist view of history.   As a patriotic American, I didn&rsquo;t like this communist rhetoric but I was glad that I saw it.


...One item that bothered me a little was the heckling, by tourists, of the soldiers that were at the Memorial to the Fallen Soldier in East Berlin. 

...I remember that the &ldquo;tourist&rdquo; area of East Berlin was extremely large, clean, and very modern. ...  In the slides below, you can see the Alexanderplatz (wide plaza) and the TV tower, and several other photos of this East Berlin modernity.


...I suppose they just wanted to ride around in a car, and not attempt to make a dash across the border&mdash;getting us all killed in the ensuing shootout. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 351: John Cage&#x2014;HPSCHD</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>music</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-18T07:52:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/636c33a0902d747d8cc421412f6f0261-358.php#unique-entry-id-358</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/636c33a0902d747d8cc421412f6f0261-358.php#unique-entry-id-358</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Slides (mostly abstract and space); films (mostly space); around four harpsichordists playing; 52 tape recorders; and a grand piano intertwined with record playing.


...The only time the pace was altered was in the Big Salle with concert piano&mdash;because here, only one thing was going on. 

...For me, I like the concept of freedom, but I can only appreciate the result for a short while. 

...This was the big finale and final concert of the week-long avant-garde music festival in Berlin. ...  I mention the instrumentation of the piece&mdash;four harpsichords (thus, the name), piano, many tape recorders, abstract slides, films and such. ...  As you walked around, you were walking through and in-and-about a live, musical texture. ...  I remember the textures and music changing, the spatial effect of the event, and as you walked the visual environment changing as well.   You might hear some electronic music coming out of a tape recorder and speaker near you, then as you went somewhere else, other sounds came into being. ...  The opening photo is of John Cage and David Tudor from a concert on Day 345.


...The music and visuals are like a giant texture that is changing and evolving (like much of music). 

...In 1976, when teaching middle school, my students put on a sort of &ldquo;mini-happening&rdquo; 1-hour program for the entire school.   A one-hour concert in the auditorium with abstract and historical slides, student-made movies, modern dance, electronic and musique concr&egrave;te student compositions, and historical narrative based on the U.S. 

...What I remember was his concepts of perception and the placement of sound in space using speakers placed around the auditorium. ...  Volume, spatial direction (panning), depth perception (dry vs. reverb) created this spatial placement and was all done within the computer, not with external processing and twisting knobs. 

...A bit of swimming during the day for relaxation, this time at Olympic pool (from the Berlin Olympics in 1932). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 350: Berlin&#x2c; spending money</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-07-17T07:39:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f3f36c0e88c1b5e0491dfff7e9d80050-357.php#unique-entry-id-357</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f3f36c0e88c1b5e0491dfff7e9d80050-357.php#unique-entry-id-357</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I&rsquo;m swimming again, this time at the Olympic stadium.   Holy cow, I&rsquo;m making the rounds of the swim circuit. 


...Today, I&rsquo;ll post a few comments and scans that show how much money I was spending on this trip in Berlin.   As a gauge, my budget for living in Vienna during the school year was $120 US a month, including room, food, school, music and concerts, and photography.   (Note: photographic film and developing was very expensive.)   By the time I ended up in Berlin, I note in my financial journal that I had $12 in singles, $40 in tens (a gift from mom), and $120 and $40 in traveler&rsquo;s checks = $212.   That&rsquo;s the total amount of money I had left in Europe until I got back to the U.S.


...&bull; 2 rolls of Agfa film &ndash; 36 DM (film is expensive)


...&bull; 2 days of room and breakfast &ndash; 35 DM


...&bull; 6 days of room and breakfast &ndash; 40 DM (savings thanks to hausfrau)


...Approximate amount spent in Berlin for 10 days = $140.                                      


...I only have $212 US for the remainder of my entire stay in Europe.   That includes the money I need to spend in Berlin. ...  My stay in Europe is now in the danger zone. 

...Here are some more of the finances for Berlin:
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 349: Swimming at Wannsee</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-07-16T07:31:16-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2b2b8b6cc901583592f8d6b2c04413ee-356.php#unique-entry-id-356</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2b2b8b6cc901583592f8d6b2c04413ee-356.php#unique-entry-id-356</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I think that I will be only able to spend a few days (the most) in traveling after Berlin. 

...It looks like I will only stay a few days in Berlin as the money is running out. ...  From my &ldquo;financial ledger&rdquo; that I found, it looks like I am spending the equivalent of one month&rsquo;s Vienna living expenses for this one trip to Berlin.   Also, I am constantly cashing what is left of my American Express traveler&rsquo;s checks.   At some point, I will scan and talk a bit more about my finances throughout the year. ...  It is interesting that I do not &ldquo;just sit home&rdquo; and do nothing because of the money. 

...I&rsquo;m trying to figure out the end game for the rest of my year in Europe&mdash;totally controlled by the amount of money left. 

...It&rsquo;s Sunday and I&rsquo;m swimming at Lake Wannsee.   It seems like there are a lot of people and I get a sunburn&mdash;lotion, John. ...  Here we are in the middle of West Berlin, surrounded by communism, and the people seem to be enjoying life to the fullest. 

...When reading a bit of Jonathan&rsquo;s European travel blog yesterday, he mentions that on his visit to Wannsee there was a wall that separates a clothed beach from a clothing-optional beach.   The Europeans are open to nudity and it&rsquo;s no big deal.   When my wife and I visited Switzerland a few years ago, there was an immense section of indoor and outdoor saunas (10 of them), solariums, showers, cold pools, outdoor and indoor seating areas&mdash;all totally nude&mdash;within the context of a larger swim and health club that also had totally amazing indoor and outdoor swimming pools and thermal baths. 

...At night, I see a concert from the avant-garde music festival at the Rundfunk concert hall, which I seem to enjoy. 

...Either of these photos today may be the Rundfunk Concert Hall or another concert or museum venue. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 348: Boating on the Wannsee</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-15T07:28:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e28cd753c63ed5b9bdc6b6bb094ba167-355.php#unique-entry-id-355</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e28cd753c63ed5b9bdc6b6bb094ba167-355.php#unique-entry-id-355</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[And so now, we&rsquo;re going to take a night boat-ride (it&rsquo;s going to be expensive, lucky she&rsquo;s paying for herself). 

...All I know is that it wasn&rsquo;t like the boat ride with Anjali. 

...Although I was very lucky to keep and find my 1971 journal, photos, and a few assorted items, all of which are allowing me to create this blog, I was unlucky to lose (or discard) my many other notes, concert programs, and paper materials that would have nicely supplemented this journal.   I did save all of my programs from this year&mdash;from the sightseeing info, operas, concerts, and this week&rsquo;s avant-garde concerts. ...  I remember even taking one of those large &ldquo;concert&rdquo; posters that were wrapped around telephone poles showing all the programs and venues for the summer. 

...IF I had imagined my blogging about this year in 1971&ndash;1972, I would still have those items. 

...The University of Illinois was also big in electronic and computer music at the time.   Remember, that at the time, computer music was something only a few university composers were using and pioneering.   I took one computer music course at Ohio State many years later, using a program to tell the computer exactly what to play (the math for the sine tones) and it was hard. ...  I think I got the dumb mainframe to play a few collections of notes&mdash;but it wasn&rsquo;t music. 

...You wonder how an enclosed city like West Berlin would manage to have a boat ride, but they did. ...  Attempting to recreate my love affair with Anjali, I ask my pension-mate out for a ride. ...  I can remember feeling excited by Anjali but I don&rsquo;t remember what this girl looks like. 

...Looking for info on Lake Wannsee, I run into a new travel blog (from 2005) that describes a trip through Europe. ...  This travel blog by Jonathan Baker is more helpful for tourist information, giving more detail on the sights than my blog, which is mostly about me complaining (kidding). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 347: Wonderful hausfrau</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-14T21:31:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/87480adec427855fae0d7214da15314c-354.php#unique-entry-id-354</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/87480adec427855fae0d7214da15314c-354.php#unique-entry-id-354</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The hausfrau said I can stay until I leave for the price of 5 DM. ...  I am spending so much money already, but without them, I would really be in trouble. 

...Another computer music lecture, in German, but I got the point. 

...I don&rsquo;t feel too bad because an awful lot of other guys didn&rsquo;t get anywhere either. 

...Once again, my Berlin pension hausfrau comes to the rescue and let&rsquo;s me stay for a reduced rate.   I guess, as a student, they may have felt a bit sorry for me. ...  I wasn&rsquo;t certain, but I found my &ldquo;financial&rdquo; ledger that I kept and it does show what I was spending.   Before the end of the journal, I&rsquo;ll post some scans and comment on the costs.


...I go to a music lecture today, but not to the evening avant-garde concert.   Accessible computers are relatively new in 1971, and computers for music are even rarer&mdash;usually only to specific universities such as Columbia-Princeton, and composers like Milton Babbit.


...I don&rsquo;t remember anything about this but I say it was wild.   At least I got up the courage to ask girls to dance.   Today, my stepson, Walter, is immersed in European trance music and their DJs.   When you see today&rsquo;s version of clubs in Berlin, Amsterdam, and other cities, it is amazing. 

...I am not certain of the exact names or locations of some of these venues. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 346: Avant-garde 3</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-07-13T20:25:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fdc041af06c98bf3db029436cc3d80c3-353.php#unique-entry-id-353</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fdc041af06c98bf3db029436cc3d80c3-353.php#unique-entry-id-353</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The proprietress came to me and said that I could stay another night for free. 

...I asked the guy in charge and there is not even an order of when and what will be played. ...  So all in all, this will in reality turn out to be a flop, when it could have been better. ...  Even educationally, it will not be good because I wanted to hear the works of the University of Illinois but I won&lsquo;t be able to because no one knows when it will be played.


...Style: always a very short (3 beats) melodic and rhythmic ostinato, which repeats continuously, every once in a while with a change in rhythm or melodic motive. 

...I am at the exhibition hall for the day version of the avant-garde music festival. ...  As always, I&rsquo;ll attribute it to my youthful passion and I&rsquo;m certain that I wasn&rsquo;t storming around yelling at people and being grumpy.


...Berlin appears to be the center of the bra-less universe, at least according to my eyes (probably my bulging eyes). 

...Seeing the exhibit and that people lost their lives trying to escape to freedom, once again puts freedom as a precious commodity of life that we shouldn&rsquo;t take for granted. ...  The view of the Berlin Wall below shows a &ldquo;dead-man&rdquo; zone where even buildings have been cut off by the wall.


...Back at the evening concert I get to see a new-comer to my experience, Steve Reich. ...  At the time, I remark that there is no &ldquo;movement&rdquo; to the music&mdash;in the traditional sense of building to climaxes. 

...It gives us something visual to track, or focus on, rather than the more difficult audio patterns of avant-garde or chance music.


...The opening photo of the Kaiser Wilhelm Ged&auml;chtniskirche is the bombed-out church ruins from WWII, left as a reminder of the horrors of war.   Below are photos from the vast wooded are of West Berlin called the Tiergarten, a series of parks, and outdoor and wooded areas.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 345: Avant-garde music&#x2c; my thoughts</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-07-12T20:20:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/998184f89e1a5611dd6532cb4f03b028-352.php#unique-entry-id-352</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/998184f89e1a5611dd6532cb4f03b028-352.php#unique-entry-id-352</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Most of the music is typical, and for me, not so good. 

...Most of the time when I write about the music, I say that it&rsquo;s typical. ...  &ldquo;Bad typical&rdquo; might mean that it&rsquo;s a bad piece or it is a newly-written thing but in a &ldquo;used-up&rdquo; style (for me). 

...Examples: cluster or interval music (non meter), sounds the same after a while because the ear cannot discern tonal differences (except big ones) in the clusters, and in non-metric music. 

...I said that I thought audience participation was a great idea but I didn&rsquo;t know if it would ever work. 

...It seems to me that the performers improvise and make sounds (sometimes interesting) but they always seem to lack direction. 

...Although, I leave to find a new room (just as expensive), the lady of my current room, she lets me stay one night free and gives me breakfast. 

...I go to the hall where the electronic concerts are happening and stay a while listening to pieces and taking notes. 

...A bit of sight-seeing and I see the Berlin Wall for the first time. ...  He told me that when he was a young boy, and their family was traveling across the wall, he witnessed a man being shot by the East German guards. 

...I talk quite a bit today about why I am not liking the avant-garde music in the concerts.   I can say that I know that I enjoy most music, whether traditional or avant-garde, but as a young person, I am more  emotional about it then, than I am today. ...  I seem to think that when you take away the patterns of our traditional musical listening structure (motives, melodies, rhythms, phrases, cadences, form, structure, tempo and such), that the ear and mind thus has a harder time finding patterns and linking things into cohesive units. ...  Another way of saying this is that the &ldquo;techniques&rdquo; and &ldquo;style&rdquo; and &ldquo;melodic/rhythmic&rdquo; treatments used in many avant-garde pieces are often similar and tend to a common consistency. ...  There is truth to all of this but it is still music that can, and should, be listened to and enjoyed. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 344: John Cage&#x2c; avant-garde festival</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-07-11T20:12:57-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5aa9a151fc00d5f0ce2f9a79e592badc-351.php#unique-entry-id-351</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5aa9a151fc00d5f0ce2f9a79e592badc-351.php#unique-entry-id-351</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Once the aggravation of settling down is past and you know your way around, then things are seen in a better light.


...I like the concepts behind Cage&rsquo;s ideas (everything/chance is music), but I don&rsquo;t like the results.


...Audience involvement: Being that it was John Cage, some of the audience felt that they should become stimulated enough to become involved in the music and thus participate.


...The opening photo is of the Akadamie der Kunst (Academy of Art) where the avant-garde festival took place. 

...I have a lot of photos of West Berlin and will split them out over the week long visit here.   Though, I think of Berlin as being a modern, New-York-style, contemporary city (minus the skyscrapers), the photos show a beautiful and varied city.   Today, I see the Tiergarten, Zoological Garden, and Academy of Art&mdash;where the music festival is held.


...&mdash;I wanted to see a week-long avant-garde music festival primarily centered around the famous and sometimes-notorious composer, John Cage. 

...I was intrigued by his ideas that basically &ldquo;everything&rdquo; could be music, including the &ldquo;prepared piano&rdquo; and silence ( 4&rsquo;33&rdquo; ), and that &ldquo;chance&rdquo; (aleatoric) music was a viable genre. ...  Certainly, you&rsquo;ve noticed my own personal interest in &ldquo;sound&rdquo; as music with my taking the sound of a breaking glass and turning into a programmatic and anecdotal piece, Fantasy on Broken Glass.


I found an interesting version of 4&rsquo;33&rdquo; on YouTube for orchestra that was televised over the BBC. 

...I must have had my journal with me at the concert because I am writing some detailed notes on the concert.   I bring up some of my traditional objections to avant-garde and electronic music&mdash;that it often sounds the same; and that there is not the traditional musical constructs&mdash;motives, rhythms, harmony, structure&mdash;to follow along. ...  Did I like it&mdash;I say no, but I&rsquo;m certain I liked the concept and some of the music.   I &ldquo;do&rdquo; remember walking around in the &ldquo;space&rdquo; and being fascinated by the variety of sounds and sound-space coming from all directions and the &ldquo;environment&rdquo; they created. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 343: Freedom; East Berlin to Berlin</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-10T07:14:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f3569f0cfd393209f14f1b452462cb86-350.php#unique-entry-id-350</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f3569f0cfd393209f14f1b452462cb86-350.php#unique-entry-id-350</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I didn&rsquo;t have the exact change and so he gave me $.50 change.   It&rsquo;s funny that the first small American change that I&rsquo;ve handled this year was given to me by an East German.


...All of the non-through travelers got off at East Bahnhoff. ...  The little I&rsquo;ve seen of East Berlin seems to be built up. 

...Half of the numbers you don&rsquo;t get and the other half are full or more expensive. 

...Yesterday, by train, I leave Poland, travel through East Germany and am heading to Berlin&mdash;West Berlin. ...  I like the story about the East German train conductor who takes my American money and gives me $.50 change. ...  The East German countryside doesn&rsquo;t seem to be farmland, though you can&rsquo;t often tell from the train&rsquo;s perspective.


...Remember, this is a train originating in communist Poland and for communist East Berlin. ...  The last stop for all national train commuters is East Bahnhoff, East Berlin.   As with my first adventure, the train is once again surrounded by armed soldiers with machine guns and they swoop through the train, searching for potential escapees into West Berlin. ...  Another reminder to appreciate the freedom we have in the west and that many around the world still do not have.


...I finally arrive in West Berlin and my traditional task of finding an inexpensive room is difficult.   My travel book, Europe on $5 a Day, doesn&rsquo;t seem to be getting me a room. ...  Finally, I get a decent meal at a cafeteria (compared to Polish eateries), and take in an uneventful night at some tourist club or diskotek.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 342: Chopin and Dolly&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-07-09T07:11:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/675f5403a7739314c5b129154383f0e0-349.php#unique-entry-id-349</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/675f5403a7739314c5b129154383f0e0-349.php#unique-entry-id-349</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I lost, or it was robbed, my camera cover.   Not only does it make traveling with it harder, but I also have to buy one. 

...If you don&rsquo;t get it from your own farm, it isn&rsquo;t so good. 

...Not only have I lost my tie and camera cover, but I have frayed my burgundy pants.


&ldquo;Hello Dolly&rdquo; in the fantastically beautiful and modern Congress Hall. 

...I mention yesterday how the 1972 Warsaw skyline was pretty drab compared to today&rsquo;s modern city. ...  The new Congress Hall, in which I saw Hello Dolly, was an incredibly beautiful and modern concert hall.   Much of old Warsaw has beautiful streets and gardens, just as the modern gardens of the Chopin park and monument were very nice.   Tourist Warsaw in 1972 was a very nice town (except for the food and lodging). 

...My camera &ldquo;cover&rdquo; the leather hood over the camera is lost or stolen, I lose my tie (I actually wore a tie?)

...I have some pictures below to which I don&rsquo;t know where they belong. ...  I stumbled across a men&rsquo;s choir concert in this area in an outdoor amphitheatre. 

...There are plenty pictures today which show the park and Chopin monument. 

...As you can see by the photos, much of Warsaw is a beautiful place.


...Hello Dolly in the modern Congress Hall
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 341: Warsaw</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-08T07:04:36-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a2fc70981bb5f547db61b3a261e5107c-348.php#unique-entry-id-348</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a2fc70981bb5f547db61b3a261e5107c-348.php#unique-entry-id-348</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After a terrible, bumpy, and sleepless train ride that night, arrived in Warsaw.


...People here seem to have it perhaps slightly better because of more availability of goods.


...It looks like it&rsquo;s back to the typical bad train trip that is more common in Poland than not.   Sometimes it seems that there are stark contrasts in travel&mdash;a commuter train is modern and nice, other train travel sucks. 


...As always, I walk around (with my bags) to find a room and am having trouble.   It is certainly more difficult being on my own than being driven around by my relatives.   I find a room in a campsite&mdash;I don&rsquo;t remember this at all.


...I walk around out of necessity&mdash;no money to spend on taxis. ...  As a young person, I trusted the world to be safe and never had any issues of safety during this year. ...  I imagine that today is a different world and walking around, as a tourist, needs to be carefully planned for safety.   When looking around for food, I look for the cheap places and find one, with terrible food.


...I note that there are many high-rise buildings for apartments and the Culture Center in the center of town.   As a capital city, it is certainly going to be better than most local cities.   I don&rsquo;t remember what the &ldquo;dumpy&rdquo; part of Warsaw was but there is certainly an &ldquo;old town&rdquo; Warsaw which is very nice.   In trying to identify my pictures using Google, I turned up a few pictures of modern Warsaw today. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 340: Last day with family</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-07T07:38:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4c9365895d354508f00205b618066c13-347.php#unique-entry-id-347</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4c9365895d354508f00205b618066c13-347.php#unique-entry-id-347</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 340 &mdash; Last day with family


...Last day in Loczna.   Went to grandfather&rsquo;s grave.   He only died last year.


...All of the family in all of Poland is great.   It&rsquo;s such a nice feeling to be a part of them.


...Grandma wrote a letter to mom. 

...It&rsquo;s my last day in Loczno.   Teta Anna and Uncle Nick have been great family hosts.   It was wonderful seeing them and their children, Danusa, Mirek, and Woladek.   And then grandma, was a jewel.   I never met my grandfather.


If it wasn&rsquo;t for my cousin Mary Ann and Aunt Nancy, I would have never found this side of my father&rsquo;s family and so I thank them for this great week (despite not being able to harvest grain with a sickle).


I leave for Warsawa. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 339: Town of Morag</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-06T07:11:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fdadd217ee8e30ec817612e8210508f3-346.php#unique-entry-id-346</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fdadd217ee8e30ec817612e8210508f3-346.php#unique-entry-id-346</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 339 &mdash; Town of Morag


...Small town/city (actually a fair size).   Much better facilities and stores and goods than in the bigger town.


...Hold on, better stores in this town.   Don&rsquo;t know why the stores in this town would be better but they are. ...  And they have gypsies. 


Morag on the Internet.   Since I didn&rsquo;t have much to say on Morag, I looked it up on the Internet.   I&rsquo;ll place the Wikipedia link on Morag here.   The town has a castle that is being renovated and a main church.   I didn&rsquo;t realize that Morag was so far north, in the north-east part of Poland and close to the Black Sea.


...I have pictures of a castle in my photo collection (right next to Loczno) but I don&rsquo;t know from which town these photos were taken. ...  It&rsquo;s not Morag and I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s Krakow. 

...(poland 21_001 to 21_006)
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 338: Shopping in Olystyn</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-05T07:20:03-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/14e70667e007fe4b99fd2905f601377a-345.php#unique-entry-id-345</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/14e70667e007fe4b99fd2905f601377a-345.php#unique-entry-id-345</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Quality doesn&rsquo;t seem to be the best and prices are high.


...Not one store had anything, or hardly anything, in her size.


...Today looks like a shopping day and looks to be a bust.   There were items in stores, but not a whole lot of variety, especially compared to the variety we had in the west.   If they had an item, it may not be in the right size.   Or there was a lack of variety in its features.   That was communism&mdash;it just didn&rsquo;t provide very much to its citizens. ...  Why, because the people working in stores were probably &ldquo;politically&rdquo; connected and likely had no fear of losing their jobs. 

...A note on how the above scenario affects a person relates to my wife&rsquo;s mother.   When my mother-in-law first came to this country (10 years ago), and we took her shopping, she almost had a heart attack when in stores like CostCo, ShopRite, Sears, or Macys.   If she tried on clothes or shoes, and they weren&rsquo;t quite the right size, she continued to struggle to make the item fit. ...  That&rsquo;s how they had to do it in her country.   We would say, get another style in your right size and she would say no&mdash;it&rsquo;s a bit tight but it fits. 

...The good news&mdash;today, it&rsquo;s better in Ukraine. ...  She is extremely hard working and she doesn&rsquo;t waste anything. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 337: Where&#x2019;s the sickle?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-04T07:00:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9f7fe993ea5b2ddde08419e89ba538d6-344.php#unique-entry-id-344</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9f7fe993ea5b2ddde08419e89ba538d6-344.php#unique-entry-id-344</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Out in the fields, they were cutting grain with a sickle. 

...The land in this area [of Poland] is mostly for grazing of cows and horses, some grain, and a lot of potatoes.


...And have a pretty good life. 

...With normal salaries, the purchasing of many consumer goods is very hard to do, even if the goods are available. 

...I&rsquo;m still in Loczno with uncle Nick&rsquo;s family and apparently go out into the fields.   I&rsquo;m  not certain how this arrangement worked back then in Poland.   Each family has a garden (near their house) to grow vegetables and their staple of potatoes.   But how does the &ldquo;go out into the fields&rdquo; thing work?   Did each family also have a section of land where they planted wheat grain for animal feed? 

...You know, like the &ldquo;hammer and sickle&rdquo; of communism. ...  I apparently wasn&rsquo;t very good at it.   The opening picture is of a typical sickle used on a Polish farm (from Wikimedia Commons).   I remember the sickle being one of those long-handled ones and harder to use (my excuse).


...It appears that life for most families is based on the values of very hard work, growing most of your own sustenance to eat, and good old family values with a good dose of family talk around the dinner table.   In those days, there was no running off to play games on your computer, sending IM messages to friends on your cell phone, or believing that your whole life centered around saying stupid things on mySpace and Facebook. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 336: Good Loczno potatoes</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-03T07:52:23-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1770628d32a93961afc649b9428b5b13-343.php#unique-entry-id-343</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1770628d32a93961afc649b9428b5b13-343.php#unique-entry-id-343</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The used to have a lot of land but it was all confiscated. 

...The Polish way of playing, it is so stupid.   It&rsquo;s very easy to lose.


...Here they do grow a lot of potatoes.


...My Polish relatives, uncle Nick and teta Anna, are not farmers in Loczno.   As mentioned yesterday, they have a beautiful house and a garden, in which they grow potatoes.   I suspect that they bought some of their food. 


...They said that they had land for farming but that it was confiscated.   I&rsquo;ve never understood how that happened&mdash;my guess is that after the war, land was taken by the new government. ...  This was the time, after WWII, that most of my relatives began to emigrate to the U.S.


...Uncle Nick&rsquo;s business is that of driving his taxi. ...  Remember, this is communist Poland and you wonder what they must do to get their own business established.   Certainly, the cost of a car itself was a luxury that most people could never afford.


...Having fun with the kids and my cousin Mary Ann. ...  In the 1970s, soccer in the U.S. was not big. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 335: My father&#x2019;s family</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-02T07:45:26-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a73f01829d8b388026ea0cb644bed3cb-342.php#unique-entry-id-342</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a73f01829d8b388026ea0cb644bed3cb-342.php#unique-entry-id-342</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Met Mary Ann and Teta Nancy at the airport.   Then, for the first time, I met uncle Nick and Teta Anna (dad&rsquo;s sister and her husband).


...The first thing she told me at dinner was (she knows good English) &mdash;&ldquo;Johnny, don&rsquo;t drink. ...  She understands, and I feel sorry that such a nice family ended up with dad.


...Needless to say, Uncle Nick and the children&mdash;Mirek, Woladek, and Danusha&mdash;are also great kids.


...No, to meet my cousin Mary Ann and my teta Nancy (Mary Ann&rsquo;s mom), arriving from the U.S. ...  This is my father&rsquo;s side of the family.   Cousin Mary Ann was a wonderful Lemko/Ukrainian folk dancer when she was young.   At the airport, I meet teta Anna and her husband, uncle Nick, for the first time. 

...We drive to Loczno and I meet some of the family from my father&rsquo;s side. ...  Her advice to me was quite good&mdash;and gave me advice not to be like my father&mdash;he was an alcoholic.   My other younger cousins (Mirek, Woladek, and Danusha) were also there to meet me. 


Today, much of our family is in the U.S., having been there for a number of generations now. 

...When you are younger, in your teens and as young adults, you don&rsquo;t tend to gravitate towards extended family as much. ...  As you get older, and now, I wish that I knew more about each limb on the family tree. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 334: Krakow&#x2c; scenes of life</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-07-01T07:42:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c8d03f702f9db826694c432188c315eb-341.php#unique-entry-id-341</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c8d03f702f9db826694c432188c315eb-341.php#unique-entry-id-341</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Glorifies the North Vietnamese as people (women, children) fighting for their freedom. 

...Sometimes watching the strassebahn is like watching a Charlie Chaplin movie&mdash;they wobble along (sideways, up and down).


...I was forced into smoking his Egyptian cigarette because he wanted me to have a good cigarette as compared to a Polish one. 

...Went to a movie and thought it was going to be Polish but it turned out to be French. 

...I was happy to leave my capitalist friends at the room I was staying in. 

...In Krakow, I spend today trying to be like a normal person. 

...&bull; I am upset by the obvious propoganda portraying the North Vietnamese as freedom fighters and the U.S. as the villains.   The communists were, after all, in control and I suppose that I shouldn&rsquo;t have been surprised.


&bull; The stores are empty, not having a lot of goods for consumption. 

...All everyone wants is to work, prosper, and provide for the family. 

...If you are in the U.S., picture Chinese soldiers with weapons patrolling everywhere you went. 

...That&rsquo;s what most of this blog has been about&mdash;my aspirations when I was a young 22-year old student.   The Polish students likely know that their opportunities are fewer than in the west.   Thus latching on to material things that are unattainable or more difficult to get (like Egyptian cigarettes) gives them some sense of getting an upper hand on the system.   Ok, it&rsquo;s too philosophical but the young need freedom to find their paths and attain their goals and dreams. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 333: Krakow adventures</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-30T07:33:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f5d537d2c73fc3132849d03526766a59-340.php#unique-entry-id-340</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f5d537d2c73fc3132849d03526766a59-340.php#unique-entry-id-340</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Made the trip a lot easier and more enjoyable, except when he was driving&mdash;he wasn&rsquo;t the best driver. 

...He says communism is such a low level that he could work in Poland and never (at least at this point) make enough to buy a car.   But capitalism and communism may, at least economically, head towards a center point, both with good and services for the people.


...While trying to get in, the door was closed and there was a struggle to open it, and then it broke. 

...If you haven&rsquo;t guessed it by now, when I traveled, I simply went to a town and then tried to find a room on the spot. ...  Imagine, me arriving at the train station with one or two suitcases in hand, and my cameras hanging around my neck. ...  Today, after no hotels were available, I find a private room that I consider too expensive (100 zlotys).   Even though this price is fine for the U.S. dollar on the black market, it was probably more than the hotels charged. 

...The &ldquo;old section&rdquo; of Krakow is what people go to see, for it&rsquo;s medieval castle, museums, relics, and shopping in the bazaar. 

...First, you may not know it, but I didn&rsquo;t often eat at real restaurants when traveling. ...  It was like a scene out of the movies and I was a little nervous.   I remember becoming aware that, in real life, this man could probably arrest someone on the spot and then just take them away. 

...We did talk and it showed the same hopelessness and lack of opportunity that the communist system provided its people during this time.   After four vodkas, I remember doing the &ldquo;wrap your arms around the drink&rdquo; thing to drink (you have to see it), and the &ldquo;kiss three times on the cheek&rdquo; goodbye European thing as well.   I think we attempt to go to a nightclub but after an incident, I just go home and wake up the &ldquo;capitalists.&rdquo;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 332: Tylawa&#x2c; my mother&#x2019;s birthplace</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-29T07:29:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1ebf9953052e5fee0a8adec826b7ddf3-339.php#unique-entry-id-339</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1ebf9953052e5fee0a8adec826b7ddf3-339.php#unique-entry-id-339</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But the back fields directly behind the house, where mom said she did so much as a girl, was really, really, beautiful.


...And it was so beautiful and I just thought of my mother living there. 

...I don&rsquo;t know where they would get the water to put a fire out. 

...The husband of Teta Eva (in the U.S.) is my uncle Roman. 

...I remember the rolling hills, a winding river, many hundreds of sheep grazing in the hills, forests, and just a beautiful landscape. 

...Regardless, I walked slowly around the front and the back of the house, imagining what my mother would be doing here as she was growing up. 

...Seeing the culture, people, village, and house in which my mother grew up was something I&rsquo;ll never forget. ...  One story I remember is that she and her sisters would take the cows and sheep and go out into the fields.   I remember she said that they owned the sliver of land behind their house for miles and miles. ...  Speaking of the war, she told me that when the German front came through Poland, she and her sisters ran through the woods and were pursued by Germans, firing shots, and with dogs. 

...I did get to see uncle Roman and my uncle P&rsquo;s father&rsquo;s house across the street. ...  In fairness, 1972 was over 20 years after most of my relatives came to the U.S. (right after WWII.)


...We danced (to accordion music) and had fun at a local club, if you could call it that, and enjoyed ourselves. 

...When I married my wife Olga, I visited her hometown and family in Borislaw, Ukraine and then took her to see Tylawa. ...  At this time, my aunt Eva and her husband Roman retired to Tylawa and we met and stayed with them.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 331: Off to Tylawa</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-28T07:20:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/58aeadb04c488e790ce931680255df97-338.php#unique-entry-id-338</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/58aeadb04c488e790ce931680255df97-338.php#unique-entry-id-338</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This morning, Teta Mary, Uncle Gerry,  their son Gerry, and Teta Kowatchka (all from Pennsylvania) came to Malomice from America. 

...Leaving for Tylawa with uncle John driving me. 

...And they usually have quite a load of slow-moving trucks and horse-pulled wagons. 

...I&rsquo;ve driven in communist Poland for about half an hour to give uncle John a breather. 

...Met my uncle, the husband of Teta Eva (now in America with Roman). 

...My relatives from Pennsylvania arrive at Teta M&rsquo;s today.   The opening photo is of my uncle Gerry, aunt Mary, and cousin Gerry. ...  I hope that at least I stayed with them during the day before leaving.   Today, looking back, I&rsquo;m surprised that I didn&rsquo;t postpone my leaving and spend a bit more time with them. 

...The photo below is of my Teta K. (my grandmother&rsquo;s sister on my mother&rsquo;s side) milking a cow. 

...I don&rsquo;t remember if this was planned or if they insisted on helping me, but uncle John is driving me to Tylawa. ...  The driving sounded a bit tricky&mdash;having to pass slow-moving trucks and horse carts.


...After a 10 hour drive we arrive at a relative of their&rsquo;s, I think, in the town next to Tylawa.   During the trip, I talk a bit about how socialism doesn&rsquo;t seem to have been a major success in providing people with a better lifestyle. 

...My main reason for visiting Poland was to see my mother&rsquo;s birthplace. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 330: Farming is hard work</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-27T07:39:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/626a1fa79dd24fe3c8b8b68daafa3dfa-337.php#unique-entry-id-337</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/626a1fa79dd24fe3c8b8b68daafa3dfa-337.php#unique-entry-id-337</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Bohdan and me went for quite a long walk around Malomice. 

...I took some nice pictures of Teta M&rsquo;s mother (Teta Hanna) and father. 

...It&rsquo;s not easy to be a farmer&mdash;hard work.   The whole family chipped in and we raked the fields and put the grass into haystacks. ...  I was really surprised how hard Teta M&rsquo;s mother and father worked.


The cows and the horses were brought along just like mom said she used to do. 

...Young Bohdan was excited to show me around the &ldquo;town&rdquo; of Malomice and we took a long walk that included being in the beautiful fields.   Today, Bohdan is a grown man, a hard-working programmer, and has a family.


...Similar to yesterday&rsquo;s theme, today&rsquo;s theme is the same&mdash;the life of a village farmer is not easy.   These are hard-working folks and Teta M&rsquo;s mother and father are up there in age.   We actually worked most of the day in the fields and garden. 

...Suddenly, it reminded me of the stories my mom used to tell, where they went into the fields with the cows and horses to do the same thing we did today.   Makes you wonder about your mother and what it must have been like for her as an adolescent and teenager.


The opening photo is of Teta M&rsquo;s mother going to work in the fields. 

...Teta M&rsquo;s mother and father tend the horses
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 329: Village life</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-26T06:40:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0f1dea6d8cbbd4c36ee41a3a86667b80-336.php#unique-entry-id-336</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0f1dea6d8cbbd4c36ee41a3a86667b80-336.php#unique-entry-id-336</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[People here see America as a land of prosperity and a good opportunity to have things in life. ...  Here in Poland, they work, but the government doesn&rsquo;t do anything for the people.


Uncle John wants to go [to America] but the American government won&rsquo;t let him.


...If you live in the village, you are essentially a farmer, growing your own food (potatoes, vegetables) and raising your own livestock (chickens, sheep). 

...Lubin was probably a fine city but I am comparing it to the U.S. ...  Certainly, the lack of captalism does change the landscape&mdash;compare the neon lights of Broadway to that of Warsaw and you get the difference.


...Every family has their patch of land for gardening, essential to keeping alive&mdash;you grow your own food for eating. ...  I helped uncle John in the garden today, picking peas, weeding, and watering. 

...A theme that has resonated for decades has been that America is the place where you can prosper and make a decent life for yourself. ...  Unfortunately, most people were not allowed to go and it was almost impossible in the Iron Curtain countries.   In those days, the U.S. dollar was highly valued and purchased a good number of goods compared to the local zloty, especially on the black market. 


...Once immigrants get here, they learn that living is also hard work, but you at least have a chance to do better.   All of my relatives have contributed to this country with hard work and dedication, and their children go off to college and continue to work towards the American dream. 

...The best part of travel is seeing that kids are just kids, and act as kids. ...  I take a few photos of the kids in the garden.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 328: Arrival in Malomice</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-25T07:35:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5c5983ba3f2144fdaedc998f4f49e3b6-335.php#unique-entry-id-335</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5c5983ba3f2144fdaedc998f4f49e3b6-335.php#unique-entry-id-335</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[On the way to Malomice, while walking, a police car was approaching me. ...  After I assured him that there was nothing wrong with the car, he asked me for my passport, said OK and then drove me to my aunt&rsquo;s house. 

...I waited and then tried to go to the door, but the dog was so wild that I stopped and gave up. 

...Remember that I&rsquo;m traveling with probably two small suitcases and a camera and lenses hanging from my neck. 

...In Lubin, I remember getting on the bus to get closer to where I was going.   It was early and the bus was packed with many young workers going to their jobs early in the morning. 

...Then, after getting directions by showing them my relatives&rsquo; letter and address, I start walking towards the town of Malomice. 

...Imagine that I&rsquo;m walking down a country road (perhaps it was a dirt road)&mdash;a solitary guy with two bags and a camera, just walking. ...  A car approaches me and as it nears me it does the stop-and-swerve thingy, just like in the movies. ...  In my sparse Polish, I managed to convey to him that I was on my way to my relatives.   Here&rsquo;s the charmer&mdash;he drove me the rest of the way in his car to my relative&rsquo;s house. 

...I believe that each family received a small plot of land for their personal farming and with which they grew most of the food that they ate. 

...Meeting all the relatives, including, Michael, was fun and I imagine that I was able to communicate moderately well with everyone, after all, I knew the names of most of the foods. 

...On one day, perhaps today, I remember them catching one of the live chickens running around&mdash;I think it was dinner.   As always, even if people don&rsquo;t have money, which I&rsquo;m sure they didn&rsquo;t, they don&rsquo;t hesitate in the slightest to provide a lot of food for visitors, friends, and relatives. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 327: Arrival in Poland&#x2014;what a day</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Poland</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-24T07:21:32-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6e1d26591d289eb5ba33f39a5755f3dd-334.php#unique-entry-id-334</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6e1d26591d289eb5ba33f39a5755f3dd-334.php#unique-entry-id-334</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Never have a couchette on a trip into an &ldquo;iron curtain&rdquo; country because with all the red tape, you barely get a chance to use it. 

...And even though there is quite a language problem for me (it&rsquo;s not tourist country), things go all right, if sometimes, somewhat aggravating. 

...But impression I got was that they were playing it up, and had more status here.


...After a long ride through beautiful country&mdash;mostly farms&mdash;I finally arrive at Malomice and find out it is the WRONG TOWN. 

...Remember that I am a &ldquo;book-schooled&rdquo; kid and now I am heading into the real world, behind the Iron Curtain, into a communist controlled society. ...  In the U.S., in 1970, you never saw soldiers in uniform, let alone with machine guns, and here it is, in Poland, the railroad stations and borders have armed soldiers policing with machine guns. 

...It takes a while for people to fight for a better quality-of-life and living conditions, which does not always happen at the onset of industrialization. 

...When I was young, we would go to &ldquo;Lemko&rdquo; festivals&mdash;and so I suspect that was the region of my mother&rsquo;s birthplace. 

...When I wanted to go to Malomice, to meet my relatives, I went to the ticket office and spoke the above phrase and showed the woman my invitation letter with the Malomice address. ...  I got on this &ldquo;truly rickety&rdquo; old wooden train with an honest-to-goodness steam engine locomotive (see picture) and headed to Malomice. ...  It was cold and some windows were open on the train&mdash;like out of an old movie. ...  I went to a city called Malomice but my relatives were in a village called Malomice, which was not on any map. ...  At any rate, in the early evening, we figure it out and I wait for a train at 1:00 A.M. to head back towards the bigger city of Lubin, closer to the place I wanted to go to.


...However, in other cases Google doesn&rsquo;t recognize my spelling and when I select an alternative, it is likely the wrong town. ...  Remember also that I went to the city of Malomice but ended up in the village of Malomice. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 326: Leaving&#x2014;no&#x2c; still in Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-23T07:13:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/17c1b6a24908c2acc8dcfbae68a9ce34-333.php#unique-entry-id-333</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/17c1b6a24908c2acc8dcfbae68a9ce34-333.php#unique-entry-id-333</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 326 &mdash; Leaving&mdash;no, still in Vienna


...[1st entry in Journal #2]


To backtrack a day:


I was supposed to leave on the 22nd but I was being pretty stupid and I convinced myself that 22:00 was 12:00, when it was really 10:00.   So after saying goodbye to everyone at the caf&eacute;, I only arrived 2 hours later for the train.


So the next day&mdash;the 23rd&mdash;I spent seeing a few museums and doing nothing. 

...Well, finally left on the train.


...As I mentioned, I am now using the second journal from 1972, as the first one was filled up.   As I remember, on the last page of journal #1, I said, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m leaving for Poland.&rdquo;


...On the 22nd, I&rsquo;m apparently at a caf&eacute; saying goodbye to friends.   Then head on home and to the train station, only to find out that I missed the train. ...  So, I spend today, the 23rd, in museums until it&rsquo;s time to go.   I&rsquo;m fairly certain that 22:00 is 10:00 pm. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 325: Leaving for Poland</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-22T07:33:13-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d9741a4d8ef4f75829bb50f61c094a9c-332.php#unique-entry-id-332</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d9741a4d8ef4f75829bb50f61c094a9c-332.php#unique-entry-id-332</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 325 &mdash; Leaving for Poland


...So, today I leave for Poland.   I&rsquo;m very excited, a little &ldquo;angst&rdquo; mixed in.


It was really a great year. ...  Got quite a bit done (not as much on the horn).


Well, will return in the middle of the summer anyway.


...I&rsquo;m leaving for Poland and it sounds like I&rsquo;m a little bit nervous.   After all, this is still in the days of Communism and going behind the Iron Curtain. ...  One question was answered, I wasn&rsquo;t sure if I was returning to my room in Vienna.   It looks like I will be in the summer. 


...This is the last page of my journal.   However, I did buy a second journal in which I continued my writing for the rest of the summer.   And I found it alongside my first journal. 


To date, it has been an amazing year.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 324: Spanish Riding School&#x2c; Vienna at night</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-21T07:37:28-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8f7cd0cc0c0c9129d3f798c6a2b3a4f2-331.php#unique-entry-id-331</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8f7cd0cc0c0c9129d3f798c6a2b3a4f2-331.php#unique-entry-id-331</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 324 &mdash; Spanish Riding School, Vienna at night


...Went to see the Spanish Riding School. 

...Then I borrowed a tripod from Herr S. (next room) and took night pictures. 

...Looks like I sent some packages to the U.S. in preparation for going home.   Bought a ticket for my trip to Poland.


...I believe this is the first time I went swimming recreationally. 

...Finally, I get to see the famous Lipizzaner stallions perform with their riders.   If you have never seen the Spanish Riding School, please go.   It is in an indoor special-venue arena off of the Hofburg.   I believe this is where the horses are also kept. 

...The Spanish Riding School at the Hofburg Palace


In my youth, I probably wanted these horses to &ldquo;run free and wild&rdquo; and not be controlled by anyone.   I suppose they have a pretty good lives and are well taken care of.


...Well, today I finally learn how I got to take some of the night pictures I have of Vienna. ...  I apologize for some of the exposures not being the best. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 323: Horn recital and goodbye and hello to friends&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-06-20T07:56:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d84c5ad6c6369eb52b82136227f29131-330.php#unique-entry-id-330</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d84c5ad6c6369eb52b82136227f29131-330.php#unique-entry-id-330</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[All my planning with relaxing helped but certainly did not go the way it should have. 

...It was really nice knowing everyone and it was really a good year.


...Ok, it looks like I was nervous and my psychology tricks didn&rsquo;t work as well as I wanted. ...  Unfortunately, you can&rsquo;t be a pro when you make a mistake or two.   I never intended to be a professional horn player&mdash;I knew my limitations. 

...I can&rsquo;t believe I had beer before the recital. 

...It looks like I go out with both the horn students (James G. was a friend) and the electronic class with everyone as well. ...  Gabler and Kaufmann were, again&mdash;I&rsquo;ve said it a million times&mdash;teachers that went beyond the normal bounds of teaching to offer me additional, wonderful experiences, in both performing on the horn, and in learning the craft of musique concr&egrave;te. 

...Even in 2009, I feel a bit sad at leaving that year in Vienna behind.


...In 2009, I had the pleasure today to attend a ragtime lecture/concert by an old college friend, Jack  O. ...  His playing was top of the form and his insights and lecture on the music of ragtime was thoroughly enjoyable. ...  Not only that, I got to see Lucille, Rocco, and Gerry&mdash;all friends from Montclair State as well. ...  It was wonderful seeing everyone and reminiscing on our old college stories. 

...You can see Jack, Lucille, and (I think) Rocco and Gerry in some of my Montclair photos in the Photos section of the blog.   Jack was present of our musical fraternity and Lucille was in the Dixie Pixies. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 322: Time for psychology</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-19T07:54:13-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c01c8582b8400e1b258eb877d41bcaf1-329.php#unique-entry-id-329</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c01c8582b8400e1b258eb877d41bcaf1-329.php#unique-entry-id-329</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 322 &mdash; Time for psychology


19-Jun-1972 (Montag&ndash;Mon.)


...Trying to use my psychology and relaxation to see if it works. 

...&ldquo;John, you will relax.   You are getting sleepy.   Nothing will bother you.   You have self confidence.   You are a great horn player.   You will never make any mistakes, not even on high Bb&rsquo;s, B&rsquo;s, and C&rsquo;s&hellip;&rdquo; Yikes, it almost worked.   I almost convinced myself that I could play like a pro.   Until those high notes showed up. 


I&rsquo;m sure I&rsquo;ll do fine at the recital.   We&rsquo;ll see.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 321: Music to relax by</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-06-18T07:49:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/05924f37bc9821616912211331937963-328.php#unique-entry-id-328</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/05924f37bc9821616912211331937963-328.php#unique-entry-id-328</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 321 &mdash; Music to relax by


...Went to see &ldquo;Manon&rdquo; by Massenet.   Very pretty and enjoyable music. ...  Very similar in story and musical style to Puccini&rsquo;s La Boheme.   Big difference here is the ending&mdash;a loud, pompous forte.   Boheme is much more effective.


...Today, I seem to be pushed into the brighter side of life by the opera, Manon by Jules Massenet.   My favorite comment ensues&mdash;enjoyable.   Massenet is not as well known as Pucinni, and we don&rsquo;t get to hear him that often, but he has written a lot of operas, so check out the Widipedia article below.   There are some amazing vintage recordings (1910, 1912), including Caruso, that you can listen to.   (The Internet never ceases to amaze.)


...I was impatient and clicked on the two audio links before the audio-streaming started.   The resulting mash-up of two recordings playing at the same time, was rather avant-garde and not Massenet. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 320: Recital pressure</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-17T08:15:26-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8b575787058ee63d2517ebe88ff11015-327.php#unique-entry-id-327</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8b575787058ee63d2517ebe88ff11015-327.php#unique-entry-id-327</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...I&rsquo;m afraid I&rsquo;m really going to &ldquo;choke&rdquo; this recital piece&mdash;mainly because I tighten up my throat so much, and there goes the air.   And I&rsquo;ve developed an I-don&rsquo;t-care-attitude (out of possible spite) and it&rsquo;s not helping.   I&rsquo;m going to try and change.


Finished up (whole day) electronic music. 

...I don&rsquo;t care attitude?   What&rsquo;s this?   I can&rsquo;t believe my eyes.   Doesn&rsquo;t sound like I&rsquo;m very confident.   I suppose, as with this whole year in horn, that I&rsquo;m always stressed out when it comes to horn playing because I&rsquo;m not &ldquo;the perfect player.&rdquo;   I make mistakes and I am probably a bit frustrated.   I don&rsquo;t suspect it&rsquo;s that bad.


Am I stressed in 2009?   Of course, that&rsquo;s life.   Only now it&rsquo;s the economy, work stress, money stress, getting-old stress, my 401k-is-in-the-toilet stress, money stress, work stress, money... ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 319: Winding down</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-06-16T07:59:54-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3151d06e8285e79d75278a6097d2fdc3-326.php#unique-entry-id-326</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3151d06e8285e79d75278a6097d2fdc3-326.php#unique-entry-id-326</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 319 &mdash; Winding down


16-Jun-1972 (Freitag&ndash;Fri.)


...Practiced a little and cleaned up a lot of electronic music work.   Pretty soon time to leave.


Not bad production of Don Carlos. 

...Winding down.   It looks like my posts are getting shorter.   Probably busy with trying to wrap up all of my school items and looking towards the summer and returning home.   Good thing&mdash;I&rsquo;m still going to the opera.


Oh boy, I&rsquo;m sad already (in 2009).


...Don Carlos in Wikipedia


Here&rsquo;s Maria Callas singing Tu che le vanita (1962) on YouTube   Tu che le vanita
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 318: Der Freisch&#xfc;tz&#x2c; again</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-06-15T07:56:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/47c5bf02ea79a37bbbdbe714ef3f123d-325.php#unique-entry-id-325</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/47c5bf02ea79a37bbbdbe714ef3f123d-325.php#unique-entry-id-325</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 318 &mdash; Der Freisch&uuml;tz, again


15-Jun-1972 (Donnerstag&ndash;Thur.)


TRANSCRIPT


Practicing.   Some packing.   Saw Der Freisch&uuml;tz&mdash;fantastic.


REFLECTIONS


Der Freisch&uuml;tz.   I believe this is the third time I&rsquo;m seeing this performance of this opera.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 317: Nothing new</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-14T07:54:01-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a4c3ae81cfc3863a0d3474b0d12ffc52-324.php#unique-entry-id-324</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a4c3ae81cfc3863a0d3474b0d12ffc52-324.php#unique-entry-id-324</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 317 &mdash; Nothing new


14-Jun-1972 (Mittwoch&ndash;Wed.)


TRANSCRIPT


Nothing much new.


REFLECTIONS


Nothing new.   Skip today.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 316: Preparations</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-13T07:51:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9afd9d1d85e5461ed42d3987e9d7dd1b-323.php#unique-entry-id-323</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9afd9d1d85e5461ed42d3987e9d7dd1b-323.php#unique-entry-id-323</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 316 &mdash; Preparations


13-Jun-1972 (Dienstag&ndash;Tue.)


TRANSCRIPT


Spent morning applying for visa.   Costs a lot of money.   Not really, except considering my financial position.


Spent afternoon doing organizational electronic work.


Spent night beginning to organize packing and mailing.   Lot of stuff to mail.


...Preparations.   Looks like I&rsquo;m preparing to travel soon (to Poland) and need to also think of mailing stuff I have accumulated over the year to send back home.   Money, as is today, is always an issue.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 315: Technical difficulties</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-12T07:46:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/710fa1df68a4139a78f97b9e6d1016b5-322.php#unique-entry-id-322</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/710fa1df68a4139a78f97b9e6d1016b5-322.php#unique-entry-id-322</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...12-Jun-1972 (Montag&ndash;Mon.)


...Tuned it up electronically.


Made two copies of Fantasy.   The quality was not good because the Revox [tape recorder] to play 38  stereo is only about 50 years old.   And it doesn&rsquo;t play back tone, only distortion.   It&rsquo;s pretty funny that only one stereo 38 can always be played.


Went for Polish visa. 

...It looks like I need tech support today because I&rsquo;m complaining about the quality of the tape copies that I am making for the studio.   Remember, these tape recorders (there were four in one studio,  believe) were well-used&mdash;remember, how much time I was spending in the studio all of those months.   I imagine that I got over this crises and it worked its way out. 


Tape speed. 38 refers to 38cm per second tape speed that is comparable to 15 ips (inches per second).   These are pro recorders.   Old 1/4&rdquo; consumer tape recorders ran at 7-1/2 ips.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 314: Horn quartet in church</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-06-11T07:36:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6128bf8a558e5e37bfa43c6dd582867f-321.php#unique-entry-id-321</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6128bf8a558e5e37bfa43c6dd582867f-321.php#unique-entry-id-321</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 314 &mdash; Horn quartet in church


...Played with Herr Gabler and quartet in his church&mdash;Schubert Deutsch Messe (arranged for four horns). ...  A nice church (Kirche am Platz Heitzeg). ...  A look at the &ldquo;real&rdquo; Austria and not just the tourist Austria. 

...Walked through Sch&ouml;nbrunn and went and practiced.   Afternoon: did a good amount of work on writing of report.


...I played a special horn-quartet arrangement of the Schubert Deutsch Messe in my horn professor&rsquo;s church today.   It looks like they even paid me.   Once again, this is an example of how dedicated, wonderful teachers provide extra-special experiences to their students.   Best of all, it provided me with a little look at the real Austria and not just the tourist side. ...  They like to play, everywhere in the world. 

...Gabler paid us out of his own pocket because he knew we were students running short of money?   It wouldn&rsquo;t surprise me at all.


...What a nice way to relax&mdash;walk through the Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace. ...  Then back to work on my Fantasy report. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 313: Thank you Prof. Lintz-Maues</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-10T07:22:16-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e72bb3c7671be08285634b366e353c6d-320.php#unique-entry-id-320</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e72bb3c7671be08285634b366e353c6d-320.php#unique-entry-id-320</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spent the rest of the day making two copies of Fantasy for Berlin and Bourges. ...  I spent the rest of the day splicing them [the copies].


...It looks like I am practicing my horn piece for the class recital. 

...Finally, I make the copies of Fantasy for the electronic music studio. ...  Kaufmann and the studio so that they can be played in contemporary music festivals in Bourges and in Berlin. ...  Ironically, these copies have come to be quite important to me in 2009. 

...In 2009, two days after the &ldquo;world premiere&rdquo; of Fantasy in 1972, I received a CD from Vienna that contained the digitized versions of Fantasy that I left in the studio in 1972, and future versions that I subsequently sent Prof. 

...&bull; Fantasy-Examples of sound Manipulation (Vienna 1972) (11:46)


...Of educational interest, are the examples of sound manipulation where I take the original sound of breaking glass and give examples of musique concr&egrave;te sound manipulation.


One day, I will try to post some audio-file examples on this blog of some of these works.


...My heartfelt thanks goes out to composer and professor Igor Lintz-Maues, Director of the Institut f&uuml;r Komposition und Elektroakustik at the Universit&auml;t f&uuml;r Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Wien. ...  Lintz-Maues recovered and digitized the recordings of Fantasy on Broken Glass from the Vienna studios.   The recordings sounded great and it is an amazing achievement that those tapes were recovered from that long ago. ...  Lintz-Maues for your kindness and effort in recovering these tapes.


...Lintz-Maues, I hope to send you and your class a Sacher Torte some time in the future.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 312: Goodbye to Dieter Kaufmann</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-09T07:18:34-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa7f9c6c20a880143d1b2f4a12f4965f-319.php#unique-entry-id-319</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa7f9c6c20a880143d1b2f4a12f4965f-319.php#unique-entry-id-319</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 312 &mdash; Goodbye to Dieter Kaufmann


09-Jun-1972 (Freitag&ndash;Fri.)


...Last day of electronic music.   Said goodbye to Dieter Kaurmann. ...  I&rsquo;m sure I&rsquo;ll be seeing him again.


Still have not finished my copies for the festival. 

...Last day of electronic music class.   Today, was the last day of our electronic music class.   We said our goodbyes to Prof. ...  Gottwald, and each other.   What a wonderful year it was in this class&mdash;my personal experience with the entire Fantasy on Broken Glass project, the friendship of the class students, and being under the tutelage of a wonderful teacher and composer, Dieter Kaufmann.


No, I was never able to get back to Vienna in all these years and thus haven&rsquo;t seen Prof. ...  I did write him and send him a revised version of Fantasy, a couple of years later. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 311: Warm-cold&#x2c; good-bad</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-08T07:12:27-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9c80eb66fb83469d6b3b06d8ed95acf6-318.php#unique-entry-id-318</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9c80eb66fb83469d6b3b06d8ed95acf6-318.php#unique-entry-id-318</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 311 &mdash; Warm-cold, good-bad


08-Jun-1972 (Donnerstag&ndash;Thur.)


...Bad day.


No electronic work. ...  Wore shorts because it was warm.   At night became windy and cold.   Had a headache. 

...At night, had a good time. 

...Sent a letter to Poland. 

...If any day exemplifies the Ying-Yang of life&rsquo;s opposites, today looks to be a good example. 


...Looks like I&rsquo;m going to Poland.   Goshi, I believe was one of the students in our electronic class.   How she knew Polish, who knows?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 310: World premiere&#x2014;Fantasy on Broken Glass</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-06-07T07:26:13-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/446a59839f0274a24380782d2676bb8c-317.php#unique-entry-id-317</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/446a59839f0274a24380782d2676bb8c-317.php#unique-entry-id-317</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Worked whole day on Mischung&mdash;to try and have it ready.   Finished the &ldquo;splicing&rdquo; mischung but could not make a copy for the concert. 

...So, at the concert, decided to play this mischung, even though it was technically bad, and try to make what balance corrections I could while listening and playing it. 

...Apparently, I work the entire day to try and come up with a better &ldquo;mix&rdquo; version of the piece for the concert. ...  I don&rsquo;t make a copy and will play it from my spliced-tape original. 

...I didn&rsquo;t realize that tonight was the concert of electronic music from the students of Prof. ...  That surprised me, even though I new it was coming.   What surprises me even more is that I think no one liked it. ...  Nothing that a few drinks with the class won&rsquo;t fix.


Looking back, I should be happy purely from a technical point of view.   It wasn&rsquo;t easy to create these many, many sound elements from the single sound of a glass.   Yes, the work was programmatic and probably &ldquo;corny&rdquo; as a result, and it was too long at over 20 minutes.   On both counts, it will not be considered a great composition. 

...After hearing Fantasy on Broken Glass once again in 2009 (see Day 313), I think I am happy and proud of my effort.


...I may meet my cousin Mary Ann in Poland. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 309: Almost there</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-06T07:15:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a9ac92654a77bdba3c98ab367dad1eab-316.php#unique-entry-id-316</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a9ac92654a77bdba3c98ab367dad1eab-316.php#unique-entry-id-316</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 309 &mdash; Almost there


06-Jun-1972 (Dienstag&ndash;Tue.)


TRANSCRIPT


Horn playing.   Not too bad.   Not the best.


Making a slightly new version of electronic piece, but I probably won&rsquo;t be able to finish it today.


...On the way.   Almost there with my &ldquo;new version&rdquo; of the piece.   Come on, John.   The concert is tomorrow.


John
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 308: Preparing Fantasy</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-05T08:11:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a3ab7cf45446776550552921a825704a-315.php#unique-entry-id-315</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a3ab7cf45446776550552921a825704a-315.php#unique-entry-id-315</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Herr Gabler wants me to play a piece in the horn class recital.   I really don&rsquo;t want to, being that I make too many mistakes.


Doing a lot of electronic work&mdash;trying to correct the piece before Wednesday&rsquo;s concert. 

...Went out with English and Irish friends (by casual meeting) and had a really great time talking.   Too late now, but I should have done it more in the year.


...Gabler wants me to play in the class recital.   You&rsquo;ve heard my complaining, about mistakes, and I don&rsquo;t want to do it.   If I play, I want it to be perfect, which it never is.


...We have an electronic music concert coming up of the student pieces.   This will be my &ldquo;world premiere&rdquo; of Fantasy on Broken Glass, and as a composer. ...  Let&rsquo;s hope I can write when I retire in between my hours working at the local Burger King.


...I hardly went out for drinks, eating, and casual conversations with my friends or other students during the year. ...  However, I totally replaced this type of socializing with friends with going to the opera and concerts with my music friends. ...  I didn&rsquo;t have that luxury and worked off of the Rotary stipend.   I did a lot and got a lot of value from my devalued dollar. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 307: Beautiful Sundays</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-06-04T07:05:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6c77629a3c28503dcd0a2f5b21af160a-314.php#unique-entry-id-314</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6c77629a3c28503dcd0a2f5b21af160a-314.php#unique-entry-id-314</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 307 &mdash; Beautiful Sundays


...So what did I do? ...  Afternoon, relaxed and went to see Der Freisch&uuml;tz again.


Trying to figure out summer plans.   But so many things are unsure&mdash;mostly money.


...It seems like a lot of Sundays (my day off) are really nice in the spring.   That&rsquo;s when the Viennese love to go and sit in the parks.


...I see this amazing production again.


...What to do?   At this point, I am wondering how to close out this fabulous year.   Apart from skiing, I haven&rsquo;t really traveled that much.   Money is also a big factor in travel.   Just the same as in 2009, and my whole life for that matter.   We&rsquo;ll just have to wait and see how the plans develop.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 306: National Hungarian Symphony</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-06-03T06:55:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9a3fd188dd8ea2d9875f43dfc3173de9-313.php#unique-entry-id-313</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9a3fd188dd8ea2d9875f43dfc3173de9-313.php#unique-entry-id-313</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 306 &mdash; National Hungarian Symphony


...Took a rest and talked with James G. (hornist) for a while. 

...Heard the Hungarian National Symphony. ...  The horns played with vibrato and the &ldquo;soft school&rdquo; soft attacks.   The loud passages were loud and without any brass, or perhaps just a touch.   For Brahms it was beautiful. ...  It&rsquo;s quite a nice change to hear not-always-loud brass from the horns.


...After a day of normal horn and electronic work, I see the Hungarian National Symphony at night and loved the orchestra.   I note that the style of horn playing is quite different from both the Viennese style and western style of performance.   First, there is vibrato which most of us do not employ.   Vibrato is fine on solo passages, though I don&rsquo;t use it.   Second, they don&rsquo;t play with quite as much brass in the sound.   For tonight, it&rsquo;s a nice contrast.   Though, I do love the sound of a full horn section playing full-out brass&mdash;think Hollywood movie soundtrack.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 305: Planning a trip</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-02T07:11:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/de90da34a38d55af496e73f4f6f666b3-312.php#unique-entry-id-312</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/de90da34a38d55af496e73f4f6f666b3-312.php#unique-entry-id-312</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 305 &mdash; Planning a trip


02-Jun-1972 (Freitag&ndash;Fri.)


...Received info from Indiana and a letter from Poland to visit.


...Indiana U.   It looks like I&rsquo;m planning today.   I get information from Indiana University probably for graduate study.   I did eventually go to Indiana and get my Master&rsquo;s in Composition.   However, I first returned to New Jersey and took my first professional job as a public school teacher.   I did that for two years and then went to study at IU.


...I get a letter from Poland to visit. ...  Two reasons&mdash;my mother was born in Poland, in Tylava, and I wanted to see her birthplace.   I also believe that my cousins are going to visit Poland as well and so I will be able to meet up with them.   Sounds like an interesting journey.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 304: Good deed at Prater</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-06-01T08:06:08-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/38e3f1ca57b6ae09051db9895b305832-311.php#unique-entry-id-311</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/38e3f1ca57b6ae09051db9895b305832-311.php#unique-entry-id-311</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 304 &mdash; Good deed at Prater


01-Jun-1972 (Donnerstag&ndash;Thur.)


...Did reading and writing.


Went to Prater.   Broke up a fight! ...  Somebody stepped on my umbrella and it&rsquo;s mostly broken.


...Good deed.   On a holiday, I go to Prater, the amusement part, and somehow end up breaking up a fight.   Looking back, good thing no one broke anything else (on me) other than my umbrella.   I never understood why public fights ever break out.   They are so rare.   My guess, someone gets drunk, says inappropriate things, and then the fisticuffs fly.   Today, I would probably just call the police.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 303: Live Kaufmann</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-31T08:00:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7afe7dc4d0e2edc55ff9afb4a27f0aba-310.php#unique-entry-id-310</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7afe7dc4d0e2edc55ff9afb4a27f0aba-310.php#unique-entry-id-310</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Interesting with &ldquo;live&rdquo; Kaufmann piece.   Interesting model and concept with good sound result.   One voice &ldquo;live&rdquo; (motive) builds up into an eventual large &ldquo;final texture&rdquo; and then dies away. 

...Afterwards, went out to eat and drink. ...  Probably first time in Austria that I just acted dumb and fooled around. 

...Tonight is a live electronic piece by Prof. ...  It relates back to a few days ago when I heard of bit of their earlier work.   Well, it was even more interesting than I realized.   The live voice sings a motive that, I believe, is manipulated live with musique concr&egrave;te techniques (I am guessing loops, filters, and manipulation).   The texture builds and builds to a final climax, then gradually dies off, reversing itself.   I do remember this a bit. 

...And I admit it in writing?   Was I trying to flirt with Camilla?   More likely, I had one drink too many, or just decided to be a college kid. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 302: Shostakovich</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-30T07:48:45-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dbbaf4a6af9ff4703c7f922d56eaf81f-309.php#unique-entry-id-309</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dbbaf4a6af9ff4703c7f922d56eaf81f-309.php#unique-entry-id-309</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Saw Milan Horvat conduct. ...  I always thought he was in the traditional school, but he is very interesting and is an interesting bridge to contemporary music.


...Today is Symphony No. 1 from Dmitri Shostakovich.   I learn that Shostakovich, although often traditional, has leanings towards contemporary music.   His compositional style often shows influences of different and eclectic musical styles.   Quick-shifting tonal harmonies is another signature trait.   Below are some links, including an interesting video of him playing piano c. 

...Who is Milan Horvat? 

...Shostakovich on Wikipedia


Symphony No. 1 on Wikipedia


Shostoakovich playing piano on YouTube (an actual video of Shostakovich in 1934)


Shostakovich Symphony No. 

...Milan Horvat on Wikipedia
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 301: Paris says no</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-29T08:31:38-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/da9e2dc0c9a7c0375c6cac5979d8fe83-308.php#unique-entry-id-308</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/da9e2dc0c9a7c0375c6cac5979d8fe83-308.php#unique-entry-id-308</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, I was hoping for an answer from Paris and I go it. ...  In spite of being realistic, there was always that slight hope, and thus I am disappointed. ...  Well, I won&rsquo;t do any rationalizing and instead begin to work harder.   I have a long way to catch up but I think I&rsquo;ll be able to do it.


...Rationalization: Just because someone else doesn&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;m great, doesn&rsquo;t mean I&rsquo;m not&hellip;.

...For a second, I was wondering what I was referencing in the journal and then realized it was Fontainbleau.   But I had already written about my not getting into Fontainbleau on Day 277 &ldquo;Note from Nadia Boulanger&rdquo; (May 5). 

...Looking back at Day 277, I see that the personal handwritten note from Nadia Boulanger was dated May 2 received on May 5.   I thought that the typed letter from the Fontainebleau school was on the same day, but I see now that it was dated May 24, and received today.   That means that in 1972, from May 5, I was feeling pretty good from the note and knew that I was not getting a scholarship but was still hoping for a possible admittance.   Today, I get the formal letter saying that I did not get the scholarship and was not admitted.


In my depressed state of mind, I write some bizarre pseudo-philosophical statements that don&rsquo;t make sense (remember, I was depressed).   However, I do admit that my &ldquo;compositional&rdquo; background and experience is rather weak compared to say an undergraduate composition major. 


I should not feel too bad because the implication is that if I had the money, perhaps even reduced a bit, I could have attended. 

...See Day 277, May 5 for a look at both documents. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 300: Big music day at Mai Fest</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-28T07:37:10-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3fefa4d35c372ca228089b3872007de4-307.php#unique-entry-id-307</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3fefa4d35c372ca228089b3872007de4-307.php#unique-entry-id-307</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After that, at 11:00, was able to sneak in (kostenlos) to my orgel-balkon standing place for the opening concert: Wiener Philharmoniker with David and Igor Oistrach in an all Mozart program.   Enjoyable, but for me seemed too &ldquo;Beethoven&rdquo; (dynamic, heavy, and forceful) and not &ldquo;Mozart&rdquo; (light, happy, and gay).


...I found it so great and am now really more enthusiastic about the visual, than ever before. 

...My writing is getting choppier and my spelling of names is probably all wrong (the Internet fixed that). 

...I don&rsquo;t think I have enough nerve to do this on my own, so I&rsquo;ll attribute this to my following the shepherd&rsquo;s flock.   Not all Mozart is light, happy, and gay and so I am equating dynamic, heavy, and forceful with being Beethovenesque. 

...As always, in my mind&rsquo;s eye, I don&rsquo;t remember the specifics of a performance, I am interpolating based on what I am writing in the journal.   Wouldn&rsquo;t it be incredible to see, today in 2009, this specific performance and compare it to my journal? 

...I do a Google search (&ldquo;May 28 1972 Vienna&rdquo; concerts and operas) today and look what I get. 


...The exact concert program and information from the David Oistrach Mozart concert on May 28, 1972. 

...A listing of Gundula Janowitz&rsquo;s performances includes today&rsquo;s opera performance of Der Freisch&uuml;tz. ...  Here is a musical example on YouTube of Janowitz singing from Act III in Der Freisch&uuml;tz. ...  Below are the credits to this day&rsquo;s performance from the above website.


...The Der Freisch&uuml;tz performance of this exact May 28, 1972 opening of the Vienna Spring Festival performance is available today (in 2009) on CD from Orfeo. ...  The album description on the Orfeo website is like a review of the actual concert and being there. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 299: New music from Prof. Kaufmann; Mai Fest</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-27T07:39:06-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5abf35b68c19b7e93ca195f89eebd915-306.php#unique-entry-id-306</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5abf35b68c19b7e93ca195f89eebd915-306.php#unique-entry-id-306</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 299 &mdash; New music from Prof. 

...Heard some  work on Kaufmann&rsquo;s new piece. 

...On the way home, the Rathaus was completely lit up. ...  Marks the beginning of Mai Fest with band music and kids dancing. 

...A normal day is quite jam-packed with a lot of things to do&mdash;horn ensembles, practice, and a good old Verdi opera at night.


...Kaufmann appears to be working on a new musique concr&egrave;te work and is using vocal collages.   I am assuming that I dropped by the electronic studio where he was recording a soprano for his new piece.   As I have mentioned many times, Kaufmann uses recorded voices, live voices, and live and recorded manipulation of the voice in his works.   Live vocal performance and improvisation are also important in his composition. 

...The opening picture shows a Vienna park at night with the Rathaus in the background.   I also say that it is the beginning of Mai Fest (May Fest), but May is almost over. ...  Still, the Rathaus and Vienna&rsquo;s buildings look beautiful at night.   Below are a couple of photos of the Parliament building at night.


Night photo of the Parliament
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 298: First Fantasy in class</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-26T07:30:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f2a1dac3f34e8ca86db53174b95725ff-305.php#unique-entry-id-305</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f2a1dac3f34e8ca86db53174b95725ff-305.php#unique-entry-id-305</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Will be part of our studio&rsquo;s representation in Berlin at the Electronic Music Festival week.   Also saw the program notes of our studio&mdash;Kaufmann wrote some nice notes. ...  Surprisingly, he didn&rsquo;t seem to think it was too bad. 

...I have the worst luck in trying to pickup someone up here in &Ouml;sterreich.   There were plenty of others who didn&rsquo;t seem to be getting anywhere.


...Today is a good day for me as I get to play Fantasy on Broken Glass for the class, Prof. ...  That&rsquo;s perhaps a bit long for this &ldquo;programmatic&rdquo; work. 

...Kaufmann was going to include my work as part of the studio&rsquo;s representation for a contemporary music concert in Berlin. ...  He apparently also wrote some program notes that I liked.


...Ironically, my stepson Walter is leaving today (in 2009) for Berlin. ...  He is meeting an old friend and they are spending 10 days in a few European countries. 

...Just last night, Prof. and composer, Igor Lintz-Maues, the director of the Institute of Composition and Electroacoustic Media in the Hochschule f&uuml;r Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Wien, emailed me and said that he successfully found and digitized what was in the studio&rsquo;s archive under my name. ...  It is a wonder that a tape that is over 36 years old can still play back well and that there are tape recorders that can do it. 

...I can&rsquo;t seem to meet any Viennese girls. ...  To make myself feel better 37 years later, I will say that I was never good at meeting girls in bars. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 297: Electronic lecture and party</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-25T06:30:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/287223c2e7e2189612681f2e532078d6-304.php#unique-entry-id-304</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/287223c2e7e2189612681f2e532078d6-304.php#unique-entry-id-304</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[And most of the horn playing also went good [well]. 

...I like his idea&mdash;looking into one sound texture with slower, imperceptible change within it. 

...Camilla invited us to her house for a small type of party&mdash;with parents, Kaufmann, and Gottwald. ...  The whole group knows how to have a good time. 

...Well, today I seem to have some good playing under my belt. ...  Paul seems to be a good teacher who encourages playing, playing, and playing. 

...Today was my first exposure to Xenakis&rsquo; music in Prof.   Kaufmann&rsquo;s electronic music lecture, and I seemed to be drawn to it.   The music had small perceptible changes over time and was also very loud.   I later learned that Xenakis&rsquo; composition would sometimes be based on what is termed stochastic theory&mdash;randomness and random variables. ...  I remember owning his book while at Ohio State, which was heavily into mathematical processes and stochastic theory (too difficult for me). 

...Camilla has invited us to her house to meet her parents and have some food and drink. ...  What&rsquo;s this about Kaufmann and Gottwald flirting with Camilla? ...  Why don&rsquo;t I have a picture of her?   That said, it is enjoyable to belong to a group of students that transcends the classroom. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 296: Opera&#x2019;s expression</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-24T08:45:40-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7addeb95e7418940431f6607257c5cf9-303.php#unique-entry-id-303</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7addeb95e7418940431f6607257c5cf9-303.php#unique-entry-id-303</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 296 &mdash; Opera&rsquo;s expression


24-May-1972 (Mittwoch&ndash;Wed.)


...It seems that dialogue in an opera is so sporadic and ever-changing that nothing (except the words) are communicated.   However, during an orchestral passage and a long solo aria, the words don&rsquo;t matter because the music speaks for itself.


...Opera&rsquo;s dialog.   I hit on this idea a few days ago.   Again, to summarize, I believe that I am sitting through some of Richard Strauss&rsquo; operas and when there is operatic dialog, let&rsquo;s call it recitative-like singing&mdash;passages that function as conversation&mdash;the music is not as emotional as when you are listening to long arias backed up by an emotive orchestra.   It is the nature of those conversational passages.   Of course, these are not recitatives, but I liken them to vocal singing telling the story.   What I need to remember is that opera is a form of visual entertainment, like theater, where people are following a storyline.   They follow the opera in their native language (German, I&rsquo;m not following so well), and they understand the dialog and the story.   The intent here is the message (words, action, plot) and not the music.


I am more moved by the melodic and song-like character of arias that function as the &ldquo;songs&rdquo; in the opera, and not as much by the dialog. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 295: Angelo Badalamenti and Twin Peaks</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-23T07:33:57-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ae01c1a4859dfa7897815cf49d62a50a-302.php#unique-entry-id-302</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ae01c1a4859dfa7897815cf49d62a50a-302.php#unique-entry-id-302</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Acted as a guide for some American tourists&mdash;and spread the goodwill.


...Thank goodness I get to a better mood with Mozart (opera unknown) and share some goodwill with tourists. 

...I&rsquo;m looking to move&mdash;the rent keeps going up (a lot) every year. ...  The bubble burst (as the economy) and no one can afford to buy a house anymore. ...  For me to get a normal and decent rent, I would need to move to PA. 

...On this lazy day in 2009, I happen to catch a rerun of &ldquo;Twin Peaks&rdquo; from director David Lynch&mdash;the strange, intriguing, and often bizarre tale of events in a small Pacific Northwest town. ...  This one episode was sort of a dream-like fantasy sequence&mdash;rooms with red curtains and strange characters&mdash;and the dialog was rendered as captions on the screen, while the characters spoke in strange, partially-processed, voices.   You never see this kind of dialog-processing on TV often (excluding the vocoder effects on sci-fi movie). ...  That Twin Peaks happened to be on, and that it was such a bizarre episode was strange. 

...Composer, Angelo Badalamenti&mdash;a well-known and highly respected film composer of many Hollywood films.   His music in Twin Peaks (dramatic, eerie, haunting, nostalgic) is important to the drama and atmosphere of the series. ...  My sister-in-law&rsquo;s father, lyricist-songwriter Frank Stanton, was a partner with Mr. ...  I admired that he was able to be a professional lyricist-songwriter for his entire life. 

...Badalamenti&rsquo;s film score accomplishments are also noteworthy, including his first David Lynch score, Blue Velvet. 

...Angelo Badalamenti&rsquo;s Twin Peaks Theme on YouTube
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 294: A holiday with Hesse</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-22T08:08:46-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/40267addb15a4fc0400f06e59d2bc774-301.php#unique-entry-id-301</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/40267addb15a4fc0400f06e59d2bc774-301.php#unique-entry-id-301</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I feel that when I read him, so many of the ideas and feelings that he has, I have also been feeling, all along inside of me.   He adds so much more to the meanings of these feelings.   And they are also so amazingly connected to the concepts of music.   I think, an opera, perhaps, &ldquo;The Glass Bead Game&rdquo; would have unbelievable (unlimited) possibilities.   The hardest part would be to have the elements of it communicate the same innermost spirit that Hesse projects. 

...I enjoy Verdi&rsquo;s music&mdash;it is often beautiful, but sometimes strikes me as just show.


Usually, at all of these operas, I cannot help but think a lot about the opera itself, and its elements, or often, about contemporary music and how it could be used as such.   I am often puzzled, and have trouble finding, the &ldquo;essence&rdquo; of where and how contemporary music is progressing. 

...I am not practicing and instead do a lot of writing and reading&mdash;Hermann Hesse to be specific. ...  I will have to read him to see why he resonates so dearly to my &ldquo;artistic&rdquo; side.   That is one thing I like about &ldquo;youth,&rdquo; that you can become truly excited by and enthralled by what fancies you. ...  As you get older, the excitement is generally sanded down a bit with your &ldquo;maturity.&rdquo; 

...I certainly am not capable of writing an opera, or perhaps any large-scale work. 


...Sometimes I laugh a little about my &ldquo;loftiness&rdquo; when I write about these feelings that music brings to me.   I suppose that it is that intensity of youth, and the dreams of youth, that bring that about. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 293: A lazy day with the Meistersinger</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-21T07:59:39-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cba2d45a8b77bfecf949eabd60d8dbd7-300.php#unique-entry-id-300</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cba2d45a8b77bfecf949eabd60d8dbd7-300.php#unique-entry-id-300</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 293 &mdash; A lazy day with the Meistersinger


...Went to church (Singerknaben).   Read a lot (Hesse&mdash;wild) and worked a little on report.   Then went to an opera, Der Meistersinger von Nuremburg, one of Wagner&rsquo;s lighter operas (physically also).   Excellent singing (for the most part). 3rd Act was a very grandiose, beautiful, choral (horn ensemble) melody.   Then the lustig march.   Still a long opera.


...And I get to see the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir at church.   Glad I&rsquo;m going to church once again.   And a Hermann Hesse book.   I can&rsquo;t remember much about Hesse&rsquo;s writing and will have to read him again.


...A nice time at Wagner&rsquo;s Der Meistersinger von Nuremburg at the opera.   As a band director for middle school in later years, we used to play the March from this opera. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 292: My fingers are on TV</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-20T07:53:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8d406456a21f9acb3a9ec33e247c3037-299.php#unique-entry-id-299</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8d406456a21f9acb3a9ec33e247c3037-299.php#unique-entry-id-299</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The only problem was that it was so free&mdash;that it stayed in one mode (phrygian) or chord, with the same beat and rhythm, and with only one or two spots of crescendo&ndash;decrescendo in about 20 minutes. 

...After asking engineer Gottwald when it [the electronic studio documentary] would be on TV, he said, maybe today. ...  And then, the idea struck me: they must have named it after my composition&mdash;get it, &ldquo;Zebrochenes Glass&rdquo;&mdash;Glashaus. ...  So, since I was expecting a 6+ min. section only on our electronic studio, and with quite a bit of film (in those two hours of shooting), and with a couple of minutes of my composition taped, I was beginning to hope that they might have salvaged the mess they made  into something worthwhile.   It also started to rain today (right before)&mdash;a soft rain with soft thunder (exactly like in the composition). 

...The program turned out to be about 26 minutes, and had something to do with New Music, but what, I don&rsquo;t know. ...  The pictures were just for &ldquo;show&rdquo;&mdash;my legs, my fingers, the tape machine, pan of studio, and a two-second close up of an artist (me) in intense concentration. 

...As for the music played (what very little was played), it was so soft, under the talking, that even I almost didn&rsquo;t recognize it.


...But now, I realize that the intention was never to show how a work was produced in the studio, and instead it was meant to be used as a background just for talking.


...Today, I don&rsquo;t see what&rsquo;s so bad with that.   Perhaps, when writing the journal, I was just in a bad mood because of what follows. 

...I did find some mention of her on the Internet and sent off an email to a performing group with which she was associated. 

...Today, they air the documentary on Austrian TV that was shot in the studio a while ago. ...  I think it was because I was told it was going to be specifically about the Hochschule&rsquo;s Electronic Music Studio, Prof. ...  Only a minute of the video (from two hours) was used on the final program. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 291: Opera&#x2c; electronic music&#x2c; computer music</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-19T19:56:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/85cb33e424d366b029f7b7252d7c037a-298.php#unique-entry-id-298</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/85cb33e424d366b029f7b7252d7c037a-298.php#unique-entry-id-298</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It seems that when opera has less melody-like lines, the words have much more importance.   It also seems that opera is harder to bring about a tremendous climax (but it does), than an orchestra does.   For example, in Daphne, the orchestral passage at the end was quite a contrast in effect to the rest of the opera. 

...Engineer Gottwald teaches me a little bit about computer music, a field that in the 1970s was emerging. ...  I continued my interest in electronic music by studying at Indiana University and with Dr. ...  I managed to take electronic music classes at the famous Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center at Columbia University with Bulent Arel and Vladimir Ussachevsky.   At Ohio State, I did take an interesting computer music course where you actually program the mainframe computer itself to produce sounds. ...  At OSU, I also managed to get involved in the computer analysis of Bach chorales by one of the music theory professors. 

...It was all a great learning experience and influenced my student composition, all resulting from this first year&rsquo;s exposure to musique concr&egrave;te under Dieter Kaufmann. 

...I mention that when the melodic lines are less &ldquo;melodic&rdquo;&mdash;perhaps those of recitative-like passages compared to the long, flowing melodies of Puccini&mdash;it may be more difficult to bring about an operatic climax as compared to the orchestral climax at the end of the opera.   While there may be a little truth to that of recitative passages compared to arias, opera has the power (with the backing of the orchestra) to be truly emotional and climactic. ...  When I hear Puccini melodies, I probably concentrate more on the melody than the lyrics.   That&rsquo;s true even in pop music, I tend to gravitate towards the music first, then the lyrics.


...Do you remember Paul Pott&rsquo;s performance of Nessun dorma from Puccini&rsquo;s Turnadot? ...  You can&rsquo;t helped but be moved by this former mobile phone salesman&rsquo;s performance. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 290: Ing. Gottwald to the rescue</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-18T20:53:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ea2c7c157c7082075b7064bebaee3fd6-297.php#unique-entry-id-297</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ea2c7c157c7082075b7064bebaee3fd6-297.php#unique-entry-id-297</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Gottwald helped me make a good copy of my work in the schallplatten studio, with a much more elaborate filter. ...  Kaufmann and I&rsquo;m stuck with only a 19cm copy, which I already half-wrecked by entangling the tape.


My horn lessons and playing with piano went fairly good today. 

...When you have quality problems from the day before, what do you do? ...  Engineer Gottwald helps me to make a good copy of Fantasy on Broken Glass in the better recording studio, which seems to have better equipment. ...  Perhaps this is a radio station or recording studio somewhere else, I don&rsquo;t remember.   Unfortunately, there is only one master copy of the tape for Prof. ...  Remember that my original tapes had many, many, physical tape splices in them. 

...Remember, here it is, I am manipulating sounds on analog tape, repeatedly&mdash;over and over again.   Each generation reduces the quality of the sound and increases the tape hiss.   If you try to reduce the tape hiss, you cut out too much of the higher frequencies, leaving the sound dull and less bright.   So, I am thankful that I have any result with a normally good output. 

...Today is the 7th anniversary of my part-time job at a computer retail store.   I was one of the original openers of the store and I love their products. ...  How&rsquo;s that for a surprise look at my personal life?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 289: Richard Strauss day&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-17T20:45:40-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5c3344bde23a2604b484d71f4c2fc3ff-296.php#unique-entry-id-296</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5c3344bde23a2604b484d71f4c2fc3ff-296.php#unique-entry-id-296</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Was reading about synthesizers and computers and how all of these things can be remembered automatically&mdash;thus, great quality.


...Most of the year, I didn&rsquo;t complain.   Equipment does break, especially considering the amount of work we have been putting it through.   As always, if the issues occur when in the middle of a deadline or conclusion, you tend to get a bit more aggravated. 


...This is one of the first times I mention synthesizers.   In 1971&ndash;1972, they are just starting to emerge on the music scene.   In my last month at Montclair State they had purchased one and locked it in a room.   These synthesizers are the non-keyboard patch-bay style synths where you route the sound signal by physically patching cables among the synthesizer components.   What I didn&rsquo;t realize at the time was that there are not the magic answer to great quality.   They may eliminate the issues of tape hiss, but new issues emerge.


...This must be the Richard Strauss, &ldquo;Suite for 13 Winds in Bb Major.&rdquo;   Don&rsquo;t remember much about this, perhaps a class ensemble or a student recital. 

...At night I enjoy his opera, Arabella. 


A Google search led me to the website, OperaToday, which has short synopses and streaming audio of select operas.   The streaming sounds like an audience recording&mdash;you can hear a bit of coughing going on. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 288: Very enjoyable</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-16T19:39:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7114a0b64c7ad1572f4457adda65a466-295.php#unique-entry-id-295</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7114a0b64c7ad1572f4457adda65a466-295.php#unique-entry-id-295</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 288 &mdash; Very enjoyable


16-May-1972 (Dienstag&ndash;Tue.)


...Mostly the same old work during the day. 

...Ready for the same old comment? ...  Soprano had a really pleasant voice&mdash;and the opera&mdash;both are &ldquo;light.&rdquo;


...Opera is Rigoletto. 

...I guess I finally realize that my writing in the journal is often repetitive.   I am always saying that performances are &ldquo;very enjoyable.&rdquo; ...  Remember, I was writing this for myself, never thinking that the whole world would be reading it in a blog (well, maybe five of you, or so).


This is why traditional news media (TV, radio, newspapers) focus on &ldquo;bad things.&rdquo;   Normal, everyday, good, simple, life events, are not quite as interesting.


Not certain how I can spruce up the drama to this here blog and journal.   Pictures of girls in bikinis?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 287: Contemporary ballet and OSU</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-15T07:34:07-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e67e613f9fbac412681648c6ad89ca29-294.php#unique-entry-id-294</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e67e613f9fbac412681648c6ad89ca29-294.php#unique-entry-id-294</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I don&rsquo;t go to the ballet as often as I like, but I totally respect and enjoy watching the tempered movements of both classical and modern ballet.   The skill, training, perseverance, practice, techniques, and the art of ballet and modern dance is as equally demanding as that of any professional instrumentalist or singer.   As with the opera, the underlying music is often what I personally focus on to understand the action.   As with the opera, I am not an aficionado of ballet or dance, but I appreciate it, enjoy it, and love to experience its artistry. 

...When I was a doctoral student and TA at The Ohio State University years later, I was given the opportunity to collaborate with a graduate dance major at the university and write a contemporary work for her to perform in a dance concert.   What I remember most is that her dance concept was based on &ldquo;minimalism&rdquo; and consisted of a series of many &ldquo;static&rdquo; scenes, with minimal movement and static poses. ...  I don&rsquo;t remember who suggested the subject theme (whether it was myself or her) but I based the music on the Book of Ruth from the Old Testament. 


...I composed and recorded the music in OSU&rsquo;s Electronic Music Studio, that was under the direction of my doctoral advisor, composer Thomas Wells.   I recorded a singer singing the biblical text and then proceeded to manipulate the voice using musique concr&egrave;te and electronic music techniques to produce the composition.   It was a tribute back at my Vienna days and composition under Prof. 

...Wells was the director of the electronic lab as part of the composition department at Ohio State. ...  Wells a lot of gratitude for his direction and assistance during my tenure at OSU. 

...The final work was pure minimalism, with its sparse composition designed to match the minimalistic dance poses and movements on stage by the solo performer. ...  As a result, the music does not work quite as well on its own, because without the visual dance, the music feels very sparse.   &ldquo;Ruth&rdquo; was performed to a full-house in the OSU auditorium and was received well&mdash;the music/dance combination produced an eerie drama to the work. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 286: Beautiful spring; Opera #50</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-14T06:55:40-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/456646afa348bd009463ccf1dad34298-293.php#unique-entry-id-293</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/456646afa348bd009463ccf1dad34298-293.php#unique-entry-id-293</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 286 &mdash; Beautiful spring; Opera #50


...When it&rsquo;s sunny, with a light breeze and nice weather, the city is unbelievably beautiful.   Too bad I had to practice.


...It&rsquo;s hard to enjoy Wagner [sometimes] because of its length&mdash;especially in standing room.


...As always, Vienna comes to life on beautiful spring days.   Glad it&rsquo;s a Sunday.   The opening picture (and below) is a typical park scene on days with great weather (fall, spring, or summer).   The Viennese love to be outside when the weather is great.


...I&rsquo;ve seen 50 (FIVE-ZERO) opera performances since arriving in Vienna.   Let&rsquo;s not count the over 50 concerts I&rsquo;ve attended as well.   This just highlights the intense immersion in music that this year in Vienna afforded me.   Study, practice, lessons, concerts, operas&mdash;Vienna, the city of music.


If you want to see lists of my concerts, operas, and sightseeing adventures, head on over to the Lists pages and check out each category.


Ignore my complaining about the length of Die Walk&uuml;re. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 285: Amazing teachers&#x2c; amazing friends</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-13T07:40:06-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/498daf1b484df1518574135456507b3c-292.php#unique-entry-id-292</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/498daf1b484df1518574135456507b3c-292.php#unique-entry-id-292</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Once again it&rsquo;s Saturday morning and we&rsquo;re playing horn in ensembles with Prof. ...  It never ceases to amaze me&mdash;the dedication of the Hochschule&rsquo;s professors (on their own time) to provide additional performance and professional activities for their students: (1) performing the Bruckner 8 in the Musikverein; (2) Prof.   Gabler inviting me to rehearsals at the Volksoper, including sitting in the orchestra pit with him; (3) performing in the Saturday horn ensemble classes and concerts; (4) performing in a student ensemble at Sch&ouml;nbrunn Theatre; (5) in electronic music, Prof. ...  If that weren&rsquo;t enough, both professors took us students out for an occasional drink, food, camaraderie, and great conversation. 


As always, give thanks and your respect to all of your teachers (they are there to guide you), and especially to those teachers who go the extra mile. 

...Ok, it&rsquo;s not as powerful as the &ldquo;force&rdquo; but I did manage to find my 1971 Vienna friend, Mike, through the Internet(s) and send a brief hello email to him.   Mike was our student leader, the Canadian organist who studied with Anton Heiler, and who most likely directed us to the many operas and concerts of that year.   Did I mention that he has had an insanely successful professional career over these many years? ...  Mike sent a very kind response, with both of us wishing that digital photography had been invented in 1971 so that we could have taken thousands of pictures instead of just the few we did. 

...I won&rsquo;t post a YouTube link today, but just do a search on YouTube to feast on those wonderful Puccini melodies.


...If you write pop music (like I do on occasion), we used to say you needed a &ldquo;hook&rdquo; for a song. ...  It can be in the chorus/refrain or in an organ introduction&mdash;think Procol Harum&rsquo;s White Shade of Pale (a legendary song and hook).   Even though the trend has been away from melodies and hooks over the years, I am of the mind that a melodic hook is a good thing.


...I would like for him to try it and see if he likes it and also see if he can do well.   As a result, I am exploring &ldquo;trance&rdquo; music&mdash;big in Europe and with the top DJs of the world. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 284: The Electronic Music Studio TV shoot</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-12T08:44:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1ae935b37e5dd6dfbca42eda745f5d72-291.php#unique-entry-id-291</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1ae935b37e5dd6dfbca42eda745f5d72-291.php#unique-entry-id-291</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A television session about the Electronic Studio and my work used as an example&mdash;of what, I don&rsquo;t know.


Well, it sounded like a good idea, but it turned out to be junk.   Mainly because it was all &ldquo;business&rdquo; and nothing to do with Art and Music.   So after all of my work on Fantasy on Broken Glass, the two minutes or so of music they used will probably be used as a backdrop for talking.   Everything we were told to do had no real connection with the music, just a bunch of work-backdrop scenes.   In one section, while getting an example of a &ldquo;loop,&rdquo; they were satisfied with any loop going around, regardless of the sound quality. ...  With the different interviews and the whole mess, I can imagine what &ldquo;justice&rdquo; it&rsquo;ll do the music examples&mdash;considering they are using only two minutes out of 22 minutes of music. 

...I start out today&rsquo;s post with a sentence that sounds like it&rsquo;s going to be a great thing&mdash;we are going to be on TV. ...  After all, my music is somehow part of the planned program idea. 

...Looking back, I suspect that perhaps I wanted them to experience &ldquo;the music&rdquo; (my music) in it&rsquo;s best light and sound quality.   In the meantime, the TV crew is running around taking all kinds of background shots and seemingly not caring about the music.   They are all business and not caring about &ldquo;Art&rdquo; and &ldquo;Music.&rdquo; ...  I was upset and wrote about it when writing my journal post. 


...That I thought they didn&rsquo;t care about what selection of my music they would put on air. 

...I needed to remember that the program was not about me but about the electronic music studio.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 283: Birgit as Isolde</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-11T07:52:27-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c4793662d155565fc7475797ee9a9a6f-290.php#unique-entry-id-290</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c4793662d155565fc7475797ee9a9a6f-290.php#unique-entry-id-290</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Didn&rsquo;t practice but did more writing on project.


At night saw Tristan und Isolde&mdash;Birgit Nilsson singing Isolde.   It was an excellent production.   Her singing was excellent, except she seemed to sing too sharp too often. 

...Not sure what the holiday is today but I continued my writing on the electronic music project.   Unusual that I didn&rsquo;t practice.


Birgit as Isolde.   Sounds like a truly wonderful performance at the Staatsoper by Swedish opera legend, soprano Birgit Nilsson.   Birgit was known for her roles in singing Wagner which might explain the great production that was staged tonight.   Through the magic of YouTube, experience a beautiful performance by Birgit as Isolde.


...Birgit Nilsson in Wikipedia


Tristan und Isolde in Wikipedia.   An interesting look at the difficulties of staging the first performance.


A beautiful performance of Birgit Nilsson as Isolde singing Liebestod (YouTube)
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 282: Noise&#x2c; rauschen&#x2c; clicks</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-10T07:46:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1a135a8ac2ebc807e8e4fc465697fbd7-289.php#unique-entry-id-289</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1a135a8ac2ebc807e8e4fc465697fbd7-289.php#unique-entry-id-289</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I found out that every time someone is enshaltele with light in the whole building, it results in &ldquo;knacks&rdquo; in the recording. 

...After much corrective splicing and some problems, the compositional result is pretty good.   However, there is the presence of too much noise (rausche) and thus, in say making a copy-19 from this original, there is perhaps too much rauschen. ...  I will thus try to next make a splicing original to have better quality.


...Today, I am performing more mixes in the electronic studio and appear to be finished with the mix of Fantasy.    It appears that I am trying to make final copies of the composition on tape. ...  Knacks would be &ldquo;clicks&rdquo;&mdash;slight clicking noises that sound like a &ldquo;click&rdquo; above the music or sound. ...  In the analog world, clicks can be caused by electrical switching, and indeed, I learn that, whenever anyone in the entire building where the electronic studio is located, turns a light switch on or off, it produces a click in anything being recorded in the studio.   The &ldquo;clicks and pops&rdquo; you hear when playing old-fashioned LP vinyl records are the same type of noise.   Today, in the digital realm of recording clicks are produced by the digital signal going over a certain threshold, thus producing clicks as well. 

...In the analog world of the musique concr&egrave;te studio, the clicks must be edited out of the tape by splicing the click out of the tape.   Remember that I am editing actual physical 1/4&rdquo; magnetic tape with a splicing block, splicing tape, and a razor blade.   You locate the click on the tape by &ldquo;scrubbing&rdquo; the tape back and forth with your hand, marking the tape, and then physically splice (cut) it out.   When you are splicing against some type of music or sound background you are going to hear the splice.   That is probably why I sound a bit frustrated in today&rsquo;s post. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 281: Documenting the Fantasy</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-09T10:40:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fad4da099fc0e4b04e57ce667f7ad106-288.php#unique-entry-id-288</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fad4da099fc0e4b04e57ce667f7ad106-288.php#unique-entry-id-288</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Beginning &ldquo;writing up&rdquo; of the project [Fantasy on Broken Glass]. 

...Interesting idea but I don&rsquo;t know if I like the movie. 

...I have no idea what this scary movie was about.


...I know that the first version of Fantasy on Broken Glass was 22 minutes long (wow), and that I later revised it to half its length (in 1973).   My current work is on the original version, as the student concert has not yet taken place. 


...Today, I say that I am beginning the writing up of the documentation.   I did find this material in a bound student book.   I have over 80 typed pages documenting how the composition was created (for educational purposes), including many of the techniques of musique concr&egrave;te. ...  It&rsquo;s very interesting to read back and see how serious I was on this project.   I&rsquo;ll post a few scans, though you might not be able to read them well.


...Thesis&mdash;Using one normal everyday sound as a base, show in a logical and educated manner, the many possible manipulations and treatments of this base sound.   [This] can thus serve as an educational guide for students or teachers as an insight into the many possibilities, uses, techniques, materials, equipment, problems, methods of working, and logical progression of composing &ldquo;CONCRETE MUSIC.&rdquo; 


The end result will be a short composition consisting of only the sounds derived from our one &ldquo;home&rdquo; sound.   Thus, the reader will also be able to see how the composition was actually &ldquo;realized&rdquo; from beginning to end.


...&bull; creating tape loops (yes, actually physically splicing the beginning and end of the tape together)
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 280: Time travel with YouTube&#x2014;Mahler 4</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-08T16:08:23-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2b1ff8de976308f40f915ee31154e9a0-287.php#unique-entry-id-287</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2b1ff8de976308f40f915ee31154e9a0-287.php#unique-entry-id-287</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After a normal day, Mahler&rsquo;s 4th at night.   This sounds like the actual concert of the Bernstein-Mahler series.   Yesterday morning may have been the televised version, or the final rehearsal.   You can never tire of Mahler&mdash;or Bernstein and the amazing Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.   The opening photo shows Bernstein conducting the VPO in this concert of Mahler 4.


...It&rsquo;s like stepping into a time machine or the gate thingy from &ldquo;Stargate&rdquo; on TV.   Here is a look at the actual Mahler 4 concert from tonight (or yesterday morning)&mdash;36 years ago. 

...It seems like analog recording was pretty good 36 years ago.   You can even hear Bernstein occasionally mumbling (5:31&ndash;5:38; 6:39 and others) as he conducts. ...  This is analog, not digital, and it looks and sounds really great.   If you are a teacher, using these YouTube videos gives students a great look at musical performances.


...The photo below is of VPO first horn, Roland Berger, an amazing player of the Viennese horn tradition.   Some great horn playng in the first movement of Mahler 4.


...Bernstein-Mahler 4, Movement 1 (1972) and the Vienna Philharmonic


Bernstein-Mahler 4, Movement 2 (1972) and the Vienna Philharmonic
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 279: Bernstein &#x26; Beethoven&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-07T15:55:08-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d535c7a350c3fc61996d84fd92cf800d-286.php#unique-entry-id-286</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d535c7a350c3fc61996d84fd92cf800d-286.php#unique-entry-id-286</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Mahler&rsquo;s 4th in the morning.   Not as enjoyable as others because I ended up in the regular &ldquo;stehplatz&rdquo;&mdash;too many people.   About Mahler: he sounds more &ldquo;his style&rdquo; in his writing than most other composers&mdash;idiomatic motives that instruments play (glissando) (harp, slowly). 

...Singing also went very well. 


...Apparently, I&rsquo;m in standing room way in the back of the Musikverein for a concert of Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. ...  The concert is less enjoyable due to the large number of people in standing room.   As this concert is in the morning, I assume that this is a continuation of the Bernstein-Mahler concert series.   I comment briefly on Mahler&rsquo;s idiomatic writing and musical style, noting a prominent rhythmic  motif that Mahler uses in the second movement (see below).


...At night, I went to the opera to see Beethoven&rsquo;s Fidelio.   Following is a nice YouTube video of the Overture to Fidelio.   You will see some very nice horn parts and video close ups.   Mahler isn&rsquo;t the only one who likes to play with motifs&mdash;talk about passing around of rhythmic motifs&mdash;look at Beethoven as well.   The king of motifs (motives).


...Beethoven&rsquo;s Overture to Fidelio on YouTube
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 278: Old lady at the opera&#x2c; with a score&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-06T14:35:45-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/863968ab5f3c3c05a620c84ca81fb370-285.php#unique-entry-id-285</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/863968ab5f3c3c05a620c84ca81fb370-285.php#unique-entry-id-285</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 278 &mdash; Old lady at the opera, with a score


...As with most of these operas, I feel that I have to hear and learn the music, much more than one time. 

...When I go to the opera in Vienna, I have not studied it in advance. ...  I almost always do not know the story but I read the program notes (in German).   I simply take in the music, the singing, the stage performance, the sets, and the drama, as a musical performance. ...  If you ask me to tell you the stories of operas or to sing the melodies, I can&rsquo;t do it.   It is still extremely enjoyable to me&mdash;to experience the music as pure music.   In the journal, I state that I should be studying and learning these operas over and over again. ...  For me, it&rsquo;s enjoyable to just experience opera as opera.


...I have mentioned before that we had a &ldquo;standing room&rdquo; ritual at the Staatsoper for every performance&mdash;lining up early, the doors opening, then the crowd moving slowly up the stairs led by an usher, and finally darting (running) into the various standing room places on one or two of the top floors of the opera house.   Every night, in the same spot, there was an old lady who sat in her special standing room place.   She had a small light and a musical score or libretto.   She never watched the opera itself, she just followed the music in the score. 

...I was told that she attended many, many opera performance over many years.   She was an opera patron during the time of Mahler. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 277: Note from Nadia Boulanger</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-05-05T12:28:10-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/03411b4c52c719a8085402820ddfb0a1-284.php#unique-entry-id-284</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/03411b4c52c719a8085402820ddfb0a1-284.php#unique-entry-id-284</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It was a very kind note and I was very honored to get it, and it made me glad of what she said. 

...Teiner was the young author of the Universal Edition educational book that started me on my journey to create Fantasy on Broken Glass as an exercise in musique concr&egrave;te techniques. 

...I was probably disappointed but realistically knew that my composition experience (from Montclair State) did not warrant such an undertaking, or certainly a scholarship. 

...Most surprising to me, was that I received a handwritten note (see below) from Ms. ...  When she wrote &ldquo;But I feel you are a true musician,&rdquo; it made me wonder if I could accomplish more than my self-confidence would allow me. ...  It is a blessing for all of us that when we have dedicated teachers who bring their students to new discoveries and learning, we recognize and honor them. 

...Your letter & tape interested me very much and I would be happy if you could come to study here. ...  But I feel you are a true musician & on this ground we will come to an easy agreement.


...Looking back, I feel now that I, perhaps, let myself (and her) down by not following a life of music composition.   At one point in my graduate study, I was hoping to complete my studies and eventually break into the University scene as a composition professor. ...  When you then take normal jobs to live life and pay bills, it becomes a bit difficult to maintain a creative outlet for serious composition. ...  Although I have written many short pieces of music throughout various periods of my life, they are not often in the realm of serious composition.   At this time in my life, and looking to retirement in six years, I have a renewed creative urge to write music that I hope will blossom a bit. 

...I am fairly certain, that I sent a letter along with a tape of some of my original and very short compositions from Montclair State College. ...  Here is a one of my pieces from Harmony class, &ldquo;The Gavotte that Isn&rsquo;t.&rdquo; ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 276: About reading</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-04T07:14:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa98e0773a9cdf9569e5b657521e9f5a-283.php#unique-entry-id-283</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa98e0773a9cdf9569e5b657521e9f5a-283.php#unique-entry-id-283</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Beginning to do a lot of reading lately.


...Just a good, normal day. ...  It&rsquo;s enjoyable and it relaxes me a lot.   I&rsquo;ve read most of my life, although there were periods where I didn&rsquo;t read at all. ...  The price of books.   I remember when paperbacks suddenly jumped from say $2.50 per book to about $5.99 or something.   I just stopped buying them&mdash;for many years.   The book business lost a good customer.


Today, paperbacks are $7.99 to $12.99 and trade books up to $24.99 and up. ...  Yet, I buy a lot and read a very lot.   Where do I buy my books?   Costco $4.99 paperbacks and hardbacks at $15.99. ...  At Barnes and Noble, only when discounted.   Sure, I&rsquo;ll buy a deeply-desired new book at regular price, but only once in a while.


Printed books may go by the way of the dodo bird. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 275: My Vienna songs</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-03T07:09:01-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3678c0c1885b2783cb2ff22ecdfb0748-282.php#unique-entry-id-282</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3678c0c1885b2783cb2ff22ecdfb0748-282.php#unique-entry-id-282</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Possibility of getting a student to play and sing my songs for guitar. 

...Today, I am surprised that I may get someone to sing my corny songs that I wrote. 

...If I look back at the tapes I&rsquo;ve found from 1971&ndash;1972, I believe that I have three original songs that I had written that year. ...  I play them on classical guitar and I sing along in a very whimpy voice onto a cheap mono cassette recorder.   And of course, I can&rsquo;t sing&mdash;but these tapes are really bad.   Although, the songs are truly corny by any standards, they were songs from my broken-heart&hellip;I missed Anjali. 

...It would bring a lot of ridicule and laughter focused at me. 

...&bull; Get one famous hit record and become wealthy&mdash;I am now respected.   Then I say, here are my first songs written when I was a kid and, yes, they are corny.   So, don&rsquo;t be afraid to write your first songs&mdash;keep writing and they will get better. 

...&bull; Or do a &ldquo;Then and Now&rdquo; series, where I take my songs (I have many from subsequent years) and then redo and re-produce them in a modern style, showing the before and after. 

...(I would really need to redo the songs.)


...In my boxes of many items, I found lots of handwritten music, notes, and many scribblings from my young adult days, and even from Vienna. ...  Here are a couple of scans of my FIRST POP SONG EVER, &ldquo;One Summer Day.&rdquo; 

...Here are the lyrics from &ldquo;One Summer Day.&rdquo; ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 274: Avant-garde</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-05-02T07:02:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5550ae85a6faa7f5bef56b8badcad26b-281.php#unique-entry-id-281</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5550ae85a6faa7f5bef56b8badcad26b-281.php#unique-entry-id-281</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 274 &mdash; Avant-garde


...Mostly made copies of works and improvisations in the studio&mdash;possibly for educational purposes.


Saw an avant-garde film.   It was on the contrary, too wild, but it was interesting and I liked it.   (L&rsquo;autumn) About a producer and actress putting together a movie.   The whole film was them looking at us, as if we were the editing device. 

...In the electronic studio, I make tape copies of all of the components that went into making Fantasy and Broken Glass.   Yes, in the future, I did use many of these examples in teaching students about composition and the manipulation of sound.   I taught electronic music to both middle school students (grades 7&ndash;9) and as a TA and admin to freshman and sophomores in university (Ohio State University and Jersey City State College).   I wish I had those tapes today.


...Of course, I can&rsquo;t remember this film and don&rsquo;t understand my comment about &ldquo;too wild.&rdquo;    However, can you imagine an entire film where the two characters are just talking to you (as if you were the &ldquo;editing reel&rdquo;) and they were viewing the film?   Yes, I still think that&rsquo;s a wild idea.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 273: May Day&#x2c; May Day&#x21;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-05-01T08:11:13-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8bfba71b8ca151b72d805c0aa0fefcc6-280.php#unique-entry-id-280</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8bfba71b8ca151b72d805c0aa0fefcc6-280.php#unique-entry-id-280</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It was unbelievable how many people were there because of festivities at the Rathaus Platz. ...  And there was a parade (small by American standards) with a few bands, etc. ...  After practice and eating, went back and saw some folk festivities: dancing, demonstrations (judo). ...  Met some friends and spent the rest of the day with them.


...It&rsquo;s a national holiday in Vienna, Austria, and in other parts of Europe. ...  It was wonderful to see how the Austrians celebrated the day.


...The opening photo shows Austrian folk dancing at the May Pole. 

...To me, it sounds like I wasn&rsquo;t aware that today was a holiday and so I am on my way to practice and am surprised to see all of the people in the streets.   Still, I go to practice and return to the Rathaus in the afternoon.


...Truthfully, the Vietnam War was still in progress and this certainly influenced my thinking on politics. ...  It was likely that there were political speeches on this day and I see this as spoiling a perfectly good holiday. ...  And don&rsquo;t forget the showing of the Russian military parades that we always saw on May Day in the U.S.   I believe I didn&rsquo;t let the politics spoil the fun activities of the day.


...I live near the Rathaus, which is the seat of the city government of Vienna, and which is hosting a good deal of the festivities of today.   It was a lot of fun and there was a great variety of entertainment in celebration of all of us. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 272: A lazy day</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-30T07:36:46-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a0bb33f1d4e37cb2c9fe6bbd0956d07a-279.php#unique-entry-id-279</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a0bb33f1d4e37cb2c9fe6bbd0956d07a-279.php#unique-entry-id-279</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 272 &mdash; A lazy day


...Practiced all instruments and then planned on working on score&mdash;but too lazy. ...  Opera sold out.   Lazy (except for practicing) day.


...Lazy day.   I guess it&rsquo;s ok to have a lazy day once in a while.   Wait, I practiced ALL of my instruments (horn, piano, guitar).   That makes it only a bit lazy.   It&rsquo;s good to read sometimes, kick the shoes off, and escape into some good old fiction.   Good for me.


I wonder what opera has been sold out for two days in a row and my not knowing about it?   Maybe the Bolshoi Opera and Bolshoi Ballet? ...  Where&rsquo;s Mike when I need him?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 271: A history of John&#x2019;s hair in Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-29T20:31:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a8947ac3ace45e52f95106b84bc085f2-278.php#unique-entry-id-278</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a8947ac3ace45e52f95106b84bc085f2-278.php#unique-entry-id-278</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 271 &mdash; A history of John&rsquo;s hair in Vienna


...John in college yearbook picture &ndash;&nbsp;1971 (U.S.A. clean cut)


...Hair was the big rock musical of the 60s, presenting the hippie culture, drugs, anti-Vietnam, and nudity to the rest of the world.   The musical was big phenomenon in the U.S. with its hit songs, &ldquo;Hair&rdquo; and &ldquo;Acquarius.&rdquo;


And here it is, Hair is on tour with a performance in Vienna. ...  (As a blogger, never pass up a chance to use the word nudity in your posts.)


...I wasn&rsquo;t a hippie in the 60s&mdash;remember, I always had to work.   In Vienna, I am growing my hair longer&mdash;I was a wannabe hippie. 

...A history of John&rsquo;s hair in Vienna.   The photos below are a history of my hair in Vienna in 1971.   There are plenty of pictures here, and when you see the progression of growth, you&rsquo;ll wonder why I couldn&rsquo;t afford getting a hair cut.   I think I just wanted to let my hair down (hah, cliche), or perhaps I was feeling like I was an artist or musician or composer. 

...A history of John&rsquo;s hair in Vienna


The opening picture shows my clean-cut look in my college yearbook 1971


...John&rsquo;s Vienna student ID 1971 (wow, now it&rsquo;s long&mdash;rock star look)
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 270: Fantasy on Broken Glass&#x2014;Finished&#x2c; yay&#x21;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-28T08:14:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/249f5aeb34f92295f2bc6ca938def2aa-277.php#unique-entry-id-277</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/249f5aeb34f92295f2bc6ca938def2aa-277.php#unique-entry-id-277</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s not completely finished because of a few technical (balance) problems and, so now I have to rest a while (suggestion from Prof. ...  So, anyway, I still have a lot of work to do in finishing up the whole project.


...All of the work and the complaining that you, dear reader, had to sit through has not be for naught.   My musique concr&egrave;te composition, Fantasy on Broken Glass, is basically completed today. ...  It was a lot of work, was my first serious electroacoustic piece of music, and taught me a lot. 

...You can see that the nature of recording among several tape recorders leads to a lot of layering and textures&mdash;original material on tape 1, play and manipulate sound and record on other recorders, or layer and combine sounds/motifs into new textures on other recorders.   It was the nature of composing in the musique concr&egrave;te genre of the time.   However, layering is part the bedrock of all music in all styles&mdash;it creates counterpoint, texture, density, interaction of melody, harmony, and rhythms. ...  It is the same as doubling the bass line with the cellos, or adding a guitar track in a recording studio, or laying down Trance music tracks in Garageband on your home computer. 

...Writing music, composing, recording in a commercial studio, or for a major film&mdash;it&rsquo;s all fascinating. 

...I still haven&rsquo;t heard from the new electroacoustic studio program&mdash;Institute of Composition and Electroacoustic Media at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. ...  After all, these tapes were 15&rdquo; reels, 15-ips, and 1/2 track tapes played on very old professional tape machines. 

...Remember, whenever there is a teacher that does a bit more to bring you to a completed goal, new learning, or realization, that teacher was a part of the reason for your success. 

...I remember that we did have a concert later in the school year (1972), featuring the student works of the electroacoustic music program. ...  Below, is a third page of the rough score that truly illustrates the layering techniques inherent in musique concr&egrave;te.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 269: RPO&#x2c; Tchaikovsky 4&#x2c; Pirates of the Caribbean</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-27T07:26:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6bc70f781524fd05f803a1b568eea97c-276.php#unique-entry-id-276</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6bc70f781524fd05f803a1b568eea97c-276.php#unique-entry-id-276</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 269 &mdash; RPO, Tchaikovsky 4, Pirates of the Caribbean


...A good day for horn and piano playing. 

...In the evening, an electronic music lecture by Prof. ...  Then a concert of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. 

...Although I don&rsquo;t write about it, this concert was a good one.   Founded by the legendary Sir Thomas Beecham, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is an accomplished and highly regarded orchestra. 

...If someone asks you to describe Tchaikovsky&rsquo;s style, say long, flowing Romantic melodies, powerful chordal brass, lots of fast sequential scales in the strings and woodwinds, and on and on.   If you are not a music lover, Tchaikovsky is a great way to start.   The opening photo is of Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the San Francisco Orchestra in Symphony No. 

...Of interest, is that the RPO is popular in recording concerts with popular recording artists and for Hollywood soundtracks for films.   For a great look at a behinds-the-scene peek at the music-recording process for the film Pirates of the Caribbean, take a look at the YouTube video below. 

...I think today is the last day that I write German in my journal. 

...Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with an interview and behinds-the-scene-look at Hans Zimmer&rsquo;s Pirates of the Caribbean on YouTube


Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 in Wikipedia


...4, Mvmt 4 (Michael Tilson Thomas, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra)
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 268: German students</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-26T20:13:07-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/be01d20ccaa1b0b074df2dd686cff4de-275.php#unique-entry-id-275</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/be01d20ccaa1b0b074df2dd686cff4de-275.php#unique-entry-id-275</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 268 &mdash; German students


26-April-1972 (Mittwoch&ndash;Wed.)


...Habe gemacht eine aufmahne Copie von diese Bernstein concert.


Zu abend, habe ich mit meiner Deutscher Freund (nexte zimmer), zu eine Deutsche studenten gruppo f&uuml;r ein Trink.   Jemand war sehr freundlichen. 

...I made a copy (aufmahne = oversize, suspect) of the Bernstein concert.


In the evening, I went, with my German friend next door, to a German student group for a drink.   Everyone was very friendly.   Very nice conversations.


...I don&rsquo;t remember this friend next door but it sounded like a friendly group of students with which to have a drink.


...Somehow, I seem to get a copy of the Bernstein tape.   I don&rsquo;t remember this and it is certainly long, lost, gone.   It would be so great to hear this tape today.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 267: Partying with Bernstein</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-25T19:49:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6dc24fd79f513a0315422f0a31717def-274.php#unique-entry-id-274</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6dc24fd79f513a0315422f0a31717def-274.php#unique-entry-id-274</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Afterwards, went with Mike and Tom to room&mdash;ate dinner (sandwiches) and then, at night, a group of a few other students (Tom also) were invited to a party with Him, himself. 

...Bernstein was in the typical what-would-a-composer-do-while-his-piece-was-played position, I would expect. ...  I realize I&rsquo;m being slightly skeptical&mdash;but I am not disturbed too much because it is not on an extreme level.


...It didn&rsquo;t bother me too much that he considered his work a great work (and himself a great artist)&mdash;which could be, and leans towards is, true. 

...I think that he is sincere in his music and beliefs, which justifies his actions&mdash;conducting.   But after seeing more of him, I can&rsquo;t help but feel that some of his showmanship must penetrate his music and conducting (not in a sincere way, but as show), because this force is very big and strong in him.   He is a very friendly and nice person&mdash;but always with some of the &ldquo;I am Leonard Bernstein&rdquo; attitude. 

...It is just that I now realize that he is not a God, but a very fine artist.   I am always more critical in a situation like this because, then, I do not have to swallow all of the surface material and crap that is shoveled out, and instead I can look more deeply into what counts&mdash;the music. 

...Because I am meeting, up close and in person, Leonard Bernstein, in the context of a social party. 

...As a composer, his music stands the test of time and places him in the top genre of American composers. 

...Could I pass the extreme rigors that conductors must endure in school to earn the right-of-passage to conduct professional orchestras? 

...Looking back at my journal, I know that it is the first time I have ever been in the company of a true world-class artist, and seeing their personality up-close. 

...As always, I believe my youthful criticisms are not as important as one believed them to be when I was youthful and displaying those criticisms&mdash;getting older and its accompanying maturity brings about a better balance of criticism.   Interestingly, I remember asking Bernstein a question about why he did something musically in the Mass and I did not getting a satisfying answer.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 266: Missed Mahler&#x2c; not Mozart</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-24T21:40:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c0a70f2c5289733cea4ccdc44f80fe3e-273.php#unique-entry-id-273</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c0a70f2c5289733cea4ccdc44f80fe3e-273.php#unique-entry-id-273</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 266 &mdash; Missed Mahler, not Mozart


...Bin ich jetz b&ouml;se, weil habe ich zusp&auml;t zu das Bernstein concert gegangen.


So hatte ich &ldquo;Idemeo &ndash; Mozart [gegangen]. 

...1/2 good day.


...But quite (ziemlich) good horn playing.


I am now angry (b&ouml;se = badly), because I went to the Bernstein concert too late.


So, I went to Mozart&rsquo;s Idemeo. ...  A serious (ernst) opera.


...There was another Bernstein Mahler concert today.   I went late and couldn&rsquo;t get in to standing room.   Certainly, I was probably upset.


...Instead, I go to a Mozart opera.   I am not that familiar with the opera, Idemeo. 


Mahler and Mozart&mdash;both good.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 265: Bernstein and Vienna Boys&#x2019; Choir in Mahler 3&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-23T07:55:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4580a1e80110344d978b9d8e0397a02b-271.php#unique-entry-id-271</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4580a1e80110344d978b9d8e0397a02b-271.php#unique-entry-id-271</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I have purchased tickets and went to the concert of Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. 3 with the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir and Leonard Bernstein. 

...Perhaps now, I will go to the opera, &ldquo;Der Besuch der alten Dame,&rdquo; (besuch = visit) a slightly modern opera. 

...First at mass in church, then at the Bernstein concert of Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. ...  The picture below (you&rsquo;ve seen it before), is of the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir in the organ balcony of the Musikverein. 

...The opening picture, also from today&rsquo;s afternoon concert, shows the beautiful Musikverein concert hall, renowned for its acoustics and beauty.   Finally, I confirm in the journal that today is the day I took the photographs at the end of the concert.   Remember, that I actually ran from the side upper balcony back to the far end of the upper balcony to take the pictures of the hall and organ balcony. ...  I apologize for the photos of Bernstein from my organ balcony seat, which are overexposed and blurry. 

...At first, I thought I was talking about my hand shaking when I took the pictures of the concert.   But no, I went backstage and got in line to shake Maestro Bernstein&rsquo;s hand, most likely thanks to my friend, Mike. ...  The picture below is of Bernstein at today&rsquo;s concert.


...The opera that I went to see was Der Besuch der Alten Dame (Visit of the Old Woman). 

...I remind everyone that, in 1972, I was writing German off of the top of my head, perhaps with a dictionary in hand.   Today, in 2009, I am also trying to translate mostly off the top of my head&mdash;only looking up words I don&rsquo;t understand.   Besides basic grammar, I know that I have no concept of the gender of nouns&mdash;are they masculine, feminine, or neutral. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 264: If you have a bad day&#x2c; wait&#x2c; the next day may be better</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-22T07:50:55-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1ab6363d9d1fa03c6bb0d90a5bd0f587-270.php#unique-entry-id-270</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1ab6363d9d1fa03c6bb0d90a5bd0f587-270.php#unique-entry-id-270</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 264 &mdash; If you have a bad day, wait, the next day may be better


...Am morgen, hatte ich sehr gute Horn f&uuml;r meine unterriecht gespielt.


...Dan f&uuml;r Ruhe, werden ein Buster Keaton film gesehen&mdash;sehr, sehr lustig.


Und jetzt schriebe ich einer Brief zu meine familie, weil habe ich eine zehr lange zeit nicht geschrieben.


...In the morning, I played very well for my horn lesson.


Then we worked more on my composition (Fantasy on Broken Glass).   We did quite well (ziemlich gut gegangen) but did not finish yet.


Then, for a rest, I went to see a Buster Keaton film. 

...And now, I am writing a letter to my family because I have not written them in a long time.


...Yesterday, I was complaining and said I had a bad day.   Today, I&rsquo;m having a great day&mdash;both on the horn and for my composition.   Lesson&mdash;if you&rsquo;re having a bad day, wait. 

...Thank goodness I&rsquo;m writing a letter home.   I don&rsquo;t seem to be doing that a whole lot.   I think we get so busy that we forget that everyone in our family is wondering how we are doing. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 263: Work to do&#x2c; no time</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-21T06:47:25-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/016c55cf6cfcf6f14735a51d93557529-269.php#unique-entry-id-269</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/016c55cf6cfcf6f14735a51d93557529-269.php#unique-entry-id-269</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 263 &mdash; Work to do, no time


...Ich hatte die Zeit und die Werkzeug fur meinem Komposition fertig zu macher&mdash;aber, kein hilfen &ldquo;burned me up.&rdquo;


Am abend wieder habe ich fier kurz Buster Keaton filmen gehen. 

...I appear to be upset today, in German.


...A very bad day. (schlect &ndash; thought it meant bad but the dictionary can&rsquo;t find the word) 


I have the time and the tools (werkzeug) to finish my composition&mdash;but no help, &ldquo;burned me up.&rdquo;


In the evening, I again saw four short Buster Keaton films. 

...No time to finish my composition.   It sounds like I was complaining that there is too much yet to do on my composition, but I&rsquo;m not getting time to finish it. ...  I&rsquo;m not sure what &ldquo;help&rdquo; I was expecting.


...Four more short Buster Keaton films.   I remember this Buster Keaton film festival in the evenings. ...  Visual humor is universal. ...  Joy and fun is universal.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 262: Rehearsing at Sch&#xf6;nbrunn</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-20T07:16:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f0f428cc32fa7c0aab046db4a683b655-268.php#unique-entry-id-268</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f0f428cc32fa7c0aab046db4a683b655-268.php#unique-entry-id-268</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 262 &mdash; Rehearsing at Sch&ouml;nbrunn


...Viele arbeit heute mit dem Horn. ...  Ich habe auch gespielt eine Probe&mdash;Don Passacali&mdash;gespielt in dem Sch&ouml;nbrunn Schloss Theatre. 

...A lot of work today with the horn. ...  Much better than the other day.   I also played a rehearsal (probe) of Don Pasquale, in the orchestra of the Schloss Sch&ouml;nbrunn Theater. 

...Two (zweimal = twice, not two) Buster Keaton films at night. 

...Rehearsing Don Pasquale.   I don&rsquo;t remember this, but apparently I&rsquo;m playing horn in a rehearsal of Donizetti&rsquo;s comic opera, Don Pasquale, in the orchestra for the theater at Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace. ...  I suppose if I were writing in English, I would have said more about it.   Was I playing alongside Prof.   Gabler just for a rehearsal?   Or was it a student orchestra?


Don Pasquale in Wikipedia
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 261: Tannh&#xe4;user nicht gut?&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-19T07:43:55-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/942c7be1533d368ae84d083e161f30c4-267.php#unique-entry-id-267</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/942c7be1533d368ae84d083e161f30c4-267.php#unique-entry-id-267</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 261 &mdash; Tannh&auml;user nicht gut?


19-April-1972 (Mittwoch&ndash;Wed.)


...Problemen mit meine speilen des horn.


Staatsoper: Tannh&auml;user geschen.   Nicht so gut am meistens.   Die stimmung war nicht so gut.   


...Only more electronic music. 

...Problem with playing the horn.


At the Staatsoper, saw Tannh&auml;user.   Mostly not as good as usual&mdash;singing was not as good.


...I can&rsquo;t believe that Tannh&auml;user at the Staatsoper was not good.   Certainly, it was probably very good.   Maybe a few signing mistakes, or I was tired, or didn&rsquo;t get into the opera, or I didn&rsquo;t know how to choose the right German word.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 260: Back to German</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-18T07:35:32-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ae56db9e7a3348d9e7a73d86d0832c27-266.php#unique-entry-id-266</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ae56db9e7a3348d9e7a73d86d0832c27-266.php#unique-entry-id-266</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 260 &mdash; Back to German


...Ich habe heute mehr electronische arbeit.   Eg geht gut aber zu langsam.   Aber wenn Ich habe horn heute Ubungen, das war f&uuml;rchbar.   Ich denke noch heute von dieses Mahler Konzert mit Bernstein&mdash;sehr sch&ouml;n.


Am abend, habe ich zwei Buster Keaton films geschen. 

...It&rsquo;s back to German again.   Not quite as interesting, but let&rsquo;s see.


...Today, I worked again on electronic music.   It went well but very slow.   But when I practiced horn (or horn lesson) it was furchbar (unfruchtbar = fruitless).   I am thinking a little today of the Mahler concert with Bernstein. 

...In the evening, I saw two Buster Keaton films. 

...Look how far ahead of my time I was, thinking of a nutrition fruitbar back in 1972. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 259: Mahler 5 televised</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-17T18:51:23-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/713169fa27aa936a4123e7c3faf84388-265.php#unique-entry-id-265</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/713169fa27aa936a4123e7c3faf84388-265.php#unique-entry-id-265</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, for the third time, I went in through the backstage entrance and got into the orgel balkon for free, to see Bernstein and Mahler&rsquo;s 5th. ...  The playing wasn&rsquo;t perhaps quite so good as yesterday, but it went well. 

...He does things slightly different, sometimes, which means that the orchestra must watch or sometimes can be off. ...  I still don&rsquo;t care for the &ldquo;loud&rdquo; brassiness of the [Viennese] horn, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean he isn&rsquo;t a good player.


...It was great to watch him from that close, but I prefer the &ldquo;front&rdquo; view. 

...I think that I couldn&rsquo;t help but really put-out for him if I was playing. 

...This is the third time that I am seeing Bernstein conduct the VPO in the Mahler, Symphony No. ...  For the first taping, I am in the organ balcony, perhaps in a seat, and then I move to the fifth row orchestra to watch the rerecording of the 1st and 2nd movements.   Although, I am critical of the &ldquo;mistakes&rdquo; that are in the performance, I suspect, that it was not as bad as my &ldquo;youthful&rdquo; criticism makes it out to be.   I do think that Bernstein does not want any mistakes in a performance. ...  The tuba performer kept on making the same lip-slur error in the passage and they had to stop and play it over several times. 

...Today, I don&rsquo;t feel so bad about all of this &ldquo;sneaking&rdquo; in to concerts that I am doing. 

...Imagine, once again, being a young student and watching Bernstein&rsquo;s artistry, from both the front organ-balcony view and close-up in row 5. ...  As already stated, and as you can see in any video of Bernstein conducting, his style is always an emotional and physical immersion in the music. 

...As first horn of the VPO, Roland Berger is an extremely accomplished hornist, one of the world&rsquo;s finest. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 258: Bernstein moves the Earth</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-16T07:46:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/eaa661f8cf9c72e213f3acf9f4a4c626-264.php#unique-entry-id-264</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/eaa661f8cf9c72e213f3acf9f4a4c626-264.php#unique-entry-id-264</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I got in again to the &ldquo;orgel balkon&rdquo;&ndash;for free, and was again able to se him conduct (from the front).   In the beginning of the first movement, there was a rumble and some perceptible shaking.   I, however, only noticed it slightly, but in those seconds, people started hurriedly scrambling out of the concert hall.   The people near the walls&mdash;especially in the orgel balkon with empty space below [the seats] and the hollow walls of the organ&hellip; Well, in those few seconds (especially when in confusion and doubt&mdash;mild panic?)

...What I thought was the rumble of a bass drum roll or a subway moving under the building was actually an earthquake tremor. 

...However, I&rsquo;m fairly certain that we were in a standing-room section of the organ balcony of the Musikverein.   From this angle, I could watch Bernstein conduct from the front-side, as if I were in the orchestra. 

...The photo below shows the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir in the organ balcony at one of the other Bernstein-Mahler concerts. 


...I like Bernstein&rsquo;s emotional style of conducting where he puts his whole body into the music. 

...Because I don&rsquo;t have a program (that&rsquo;s what you get for sneaking in John), he has to sign the back of my music fraternity card. ...  I don&rsquo;t have the knowledge on how to do these things or where to go to get backstage.


...The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is an incredible orchestra as seen in these Bernstein-Mahler concerts. ...  I mention that the brass might make an occasional mistake, including the horns&mdash;remember, they are single Vienna F-horns&mdash;much more difficult to play than the common double F-Bb horn used by most players. ...  If you get a chance to see any VPO videos, check out the Vienna trumpets as well, they are held flat and have similar rotary pistons similar to the horn.


...Do you remember the gentleman who I met at a coffee place, in the first few days in Vienna? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 257: More Bernstein&#x2c; more Mahler</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-15T20:56:34-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/76c470fd372a307318ef9a3ad2829512-263.php#unique-entry-id-263</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/76c470fd372a307318ef9a3ad2829512-263.php#unique-entry-id-263</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 257 &mdash; More Bernstein, more Mahler


...Mit professor Kaufmann, haben wir die mischung f&uuml;r twzie teilen fortig f&uuml;r meinen komposition gemacht.   Naturlich, das geht am wenig verschidenen, weil zu machen ene mischung schwer ist.


Nachmittag, hatte ich das Leonard Bernstein, Mahler&rsquo;s 5th geh&ouml;rt, mit Wiener Philharmoniker. 

...Kaufmann, we made (looked at) two parts of the score for my composition.   Naturally, it goes a little verschidenen ??  , because to make a mix (mischung = mixture) is difficult.


In the afternoon, I heard Leonard Bernstein&rsquo;s Mahler 5 with the Vienna Philharmonic. 

...In the evening, a film. 

...This is a good day.   It looks like I go over two parts of my electronic score with Prof.   Kaufmann, and it looks like we discuss an audio &ldquo;mix&rdquo; of my composition, Fantasy on Broken Glass.   In the afternoon, I again go to a rehearsal to see Bernstein conduct Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. ...  The Adagietto is a very moving and memorable piece of music.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 256: Kein bekamtschaft (no hookups)</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-14T19:42:18-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e74539f9122fc980bc0672940e8271c8-262.php#unique-entry-id-262</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e74539f9122fc980bc0672940e8271c8-262.php#unique-entry-id-262</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 256 &mdash; Kein bekamtschaft (no hookups)


...Nicht so viel, heute gemacht.


Am meistens, die kursen der Electronische Musik.   Auch gespielt in einer orchester probe. 

...Am abend, habe ich einen tanz gegangen.   Kein bekamtschaft gemacht. 

...Today, I did not do so much.


I mostly worked in the electronic music course.   I also played in an orchestra rehearsal. 

...In the evening, I went to a dance (tanz). ...  That is the life.


...Today is an easier day.   I&rsquo;m playing in an orchestra rehearsal.   It appears that I also go to a dance and do not meet anyone&mdash;whatever bekamtschaft means. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 255: Ein wunderbar Tage</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-13T17:45:46-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a2a19ba7167b56605d035bcd36fee900-261.php#unique-entry-id-261</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a2a19ba7167b56605d035bcd36fee900-261.php#unique-entry-id-261</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[3:00&ndash;5:00 Ich habe (snuck) intmein die probe uber Mahler&rsquo;s 5th. 

...3:00 I &ldquo;snuck&rdquo; into a rehearsal of Leonard Bernstein conducting the Vienna Philharmonic playing Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. 

...9:00 Four films of Buster Keaton in the Film Museum. 

...Horn lesson, piano practice, electronic music, a rehearsal of Leonard Bernstein conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, an electronic music lecture, another Bach Heiler concert, and watching Buster Keaton silent films to 11 pm.


...This is the 6th concert in the Bach series from Anton Heiler.   My friend, Mike, was studying with Heiler in the Hochshule f&uuml;r Musik und Darstellende Kunst. 

...I&rsquo;m not tired, so I attend another preview of Buster Keaton&rsquo;s silent films. 

...The VPO horn section on Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. 5, under Bernstein


...Leonard Bernstein is in Vienna to conduct an entire series of Mahler symphonies with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. ...  I did sneak into a rehearsal of the Mahler 5th with Bernstein, in the afternoon.   I know that it was my friend Mike who steered us to this great opportunity.   My horn professor, Frederich Gabler, was playing assistant first horn on Mahler 5 for the televised series of the Bernstein concerts. 

...Roland Berger, 1st horn in the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra


...What an experience to sit and watch Bernstein in rehearsal conduct the Vienna Philharmonic. 


...Below are a couple of YouTube video clips from the actual 1972 performance with Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 254: Schreiben Deutsch&#x2c; zweimal</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-12T07:16:39-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e80e5bba6ffe66a24781b7c753bc6864-260.php#unique-entry-id-260</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e80e5bba6ffe66a24781b7c753bc6864-260.php#unique-entry-id-260</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Am abend, habe ich ein Klavier konzert der klasse Prof. ...  Der leztse spieler, Edgar S., ware ein ausgezeichnet klavier konzert spieler.


Nach dem konzert, habe inch ein film iker Buster Keaten gehen. ...  Ich habe &ldquo;weinte&rdquo; vor freude (weil zuviel lachten) und mein mund war m&uuml;de.


...I hope that the rest of the year is not all in German.   I could be making a fool of myself and not even know it. ...  Any words I need to look up will be in red.


...In the evening, I heard a piano concert from the class of Prof. ...  The last player, Edgar S., was an excellent concert pianist.


After the concert, I went to a Buster Keaton film festival. ...  I had weinte vor Freude (cried for joy) too much laughing and my mouth was smiling.


...I do remember this Buster Keaton film festival.   Buster Keaton&rsquo;s silent films were hilarious and everyone was laughing.   I remember that the festival, in a movie theatre was attended mostly with college students, went on for an extended period.


I won&rsquo;t be writing any literary novels in German&mdash;for sure.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 253: Ich schreiben Deutsch&#x2c; heute (badly)&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-11T21:01:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d1103e252b491d2334b70a0ee4193758-259.php#unique-entry-id-259</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d1103e252b491d2334b70a0ee4193758-259.php#unique-entry-id-259</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Nach heute, werde ich immer in Deutsch probieren zu schrieben, weil Anjali hat mire geschrieben und sagt da&szlig; mann kann in diesem weg gut Deutsch lernen.


...Ein venige von dem klavier gespielt. or geht leichter und auch das horn gespielt.   Da&szlig; horn wurde heute von mire ziemlich gut gespielt (worden). 

...Nicht am besten qualit&auml;t, aber Ich habe sehr viele gl&uuml;ck weil sie war auswerfauft aber ich have kostenlos hinein gegangen.


...What&rsquo;s going on with me writing in German in my journal?   Was I thinking that 36 years later I would test my memory of the language, or be amazed at how bad my German grammar might have been? ...  I will try to translate, purely by guessing, and not looking up words.   Then, if I need to look up words, I&rsquo;ll write them in red.


...From today, I will always try to write in German because Anjali had written me and said that man can learn German in this way.   Perhaps I will also try to study (studie, I wrote probieren) grammar. 

...In the evening, I went to the Volksoper to see Porgy and Bess. 

...Well, it&rsquo;s like listening to someone rattle off &ldquo;key words&rdquo; that you string together and then try to make some sense of it. ...  In 2009, I tried to type in some of the German words into an Internet translator&mdash;sometimes nothing in return. ...  I now have a greater appreciation for ESL (English as a Second Language) students and what they have to go through when in class.


Apparently, I went to see George Gershwin&rsquo;s Porgy and Bess. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 252: Ballet night</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-10T07:55:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/332cf8e910ebdac942aa0db17377c70b-258.php#unique-entry-id-258</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/332cf8e910ebdac942aa0db17377c70b-258.php#unique-entry-id-258</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 251 &mdash; Ballet night


10-April-1972 (Montag&ndash;Mon.)


...Unterichtet Montag. 

...Went to the ballet and saw a series of dances by de Mille.   Contemporary, extremely good.   I was surprised that the eclectic dancing seemed very good.   The movements and music worked very well together.


...Today looks like it&rsquo;s a typical work (unterichtet) Monday. 


...I go to a ballet at night and see contemporary ballet.   I like it. ...  I&rsquo;m not certain if my ballet reference is to the famous Agnes De Mille and dance company, or another choreographer. 


I remember that I saved all of my Vienna concert programs for many years, but these have been long lost.   Now, I wish I had them for reference.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 251: Mike and the Vienna Boys&#x2019; Choir; Idea book</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-09T07:36:34-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4dae8d66506df75ad4904b23d43ee364-257.php#unique-entry-id-257</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4dae8d66506df75ad4904b23d43ee364-257.php#unique-entry-id-257</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 251 &mdash;Mike and the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir; Idea book


...(My all right and not too bad are on a higher level than my writing them in the beginning of this year.)


...Every time I go to the opera it gives me time to think, and sometimes I get some good ideas. 

...It&rsquo;s difficult to enjoy the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir with so many tourists milling about the church during Mass. 

...Friend Mike and the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir.   I am getting up the nerve to send an email to Mike, my unspoken good friend and our musical student leader in Vienna.   According to a concert program and his bio on the Internet, he remained in Vienna for a time and became one of the major musical directors of the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir, including directing them at Mass, at the Vienna Staatsoper, with the Vienna Philharmonic, and in concert tours around the world. 

...Interestingly, I comment that, although I always say things like &ldquo;not too bad,&rdquo; my playing is probably much better than it was when I started.   For example, not too bad today is better than not too bad in September. 

...Today, I&rsquo;m at the opera and thinking about &ldquo;music.&rdquo; ...  It&rsquo;s good to think, to be creative, to wonder about new things to do. 

...In today&rsquo;s post, I mention an ideas book. ...  Several years ago, I started writing down my &ldquo;business and creative ideas&rdquo; into notebooks to get them into written form. ...  It&rsquo;s fun to see ideas and how they change over time. 

...My advice to all&mdash;get some school (marble) notebooks and write down your ideas. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 250: Erotic&#x2c; neurotic</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-08T20:18:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0a3c2b87dd1b22e72a77fca17f2f0c3c-256.php#unique-entry-id-256</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0a3c2b87dd1b22e72a77fca17f2f0c3c-256.php#unique-entry-id-256</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Did a little work in electronic music. 

...Went to see a movie, Faye Dunaway in Puzzle of a Downfall Child.   I thought it was very good.   About Faye Dunaway and how she became neurotic-psychotic.   By the end of the movie, I felt more neurotic.   The movie was done with understanding.


...I am again amazed, today, with all of the playing opportunities that I experienced in Prof. ...  These ensembles are always on Saturday.   Playing in ensembles was a nice complement to our normal class lessons.


...A typical day, but not a typical movie.   I must have had my signals crossed.   Instead of going to an erotic movie, I go to a neurotic movie.   I&rsquo;m pretty sure I am not neurotic.   If only I could shake these government agents who are always following me.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 249: Jean-Pierre leaves</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-07T18:57:54-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a4a60362df03614f3e4d65bd0580e818-255.php#unique-entry-id-255</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a4a60362df03614f3e4d65bd0580e818-255.php#unique-entry-id-255</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...I can honestly say that I learned an unbelievable amount in how to play the horn&mdash;breathing, etc.   He knew an awful lot about it and will probably be known as a new inventor of the horn (right-handed, no resistance, better position.)


I know that one day I&rsquo;ll meet him again.   Perhaps in Montreal, if I can ever get up there. 

...I didn&rsquo;t prefer his music (like Stravinksy).   However, a Korean guy who I always saw around, was as I found out, a composer.   He had works published by Peters. 

...Jean-Pierre, friend, and a great horn player leaves today.   It sounds like I really liked his knowledge of horn playing and horn.   I didn&rsquo;t realize that he may have had ideas about building horns. ...  Although, I did see Jean-Pierre in Montreal years later, we eventually lost touch with each other.


...In Professor C&rsquo;s composition class today, we have a guest composer visiting us.   I like Stravinsky&rsquo;s music and so it may be my youthful critical arrogance in play again on this day.   I also learn that another student in the composition class is actually a published composer by Leipzig music publisher, C.F. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 248: Strassebahn traffic jam</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-06T19:25:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa497252d4773d999c4cbb2f11388f31-254.php#unique-entry-id-254</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa497252d4773d999c4cbb2f11388f31-254.php#unique-entry-id-254</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[On way back home, there was an accident by the opera, and a strassebahn was involved.   From that point back, the strassebahns were backed up past the Parliament. 

...Went to see An Italian in Algiers at the Volksoper. ...  The opera was very funny because it was so dumb with all of the m&auml;dchen running around in the harem.   There was more use of the opera glasses tonight.   Afterwards, went out for a drink with Herr Gabler, Hamel, Mike, and Jean-Pierre. 

...I don&rsquo;t mention the public Vienna strassebahns very often, but they are a wonderful form of transportation.   They are the street cars, electric cable cars, so common to European cities (and San Francisco). ...  Rarely do you get held up in traffic because cars are not allowed in the strassebahn lanes.   I&rsquo;m not certain if that is the case today.   Regardless, today there is an accident and the strassebahns are backed up from the Staatsoper to the Parliament building. 

...The opening photo shows a worker doing a bit of cleanup in the strassebahn lane. 

...Tonight, it&rsquo;s a light opera at the Volksoper, Rossini&rsquo;s An Italian in Algiers.   It looks like lots of hamming it up and girls running around the stage (thus the opera glasses). 

...While I don&rsquo;t remember our friend Hamel, Mike G. was always at the forefront of our group of friends in Vienna&mdash;he knew the concerts to go to. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 247: The end is in sight</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-05T20:25:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/02ab6e16abf0a82e4e245890a3dbac2c-253.php#unique-entry-id-253</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/02ab6e16abf0a82e4e245890a3dbac2c-253.php#unique-entry-id-253</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 247 &mdash; The end is in sight


...Even managed to play a little horn&mdash;last couple of days not so good.


...Work on Fantasy&mdash;the end is in sight. ...  And I mention that the end is in sight.   The light at the end of the tunnel. 

...When you can see a project coming to a conclusion it gives you a sense of hope that you can actually finish it.   If a project goes on and on, it is more likely to suffer problems and loss of spirit, which can lead to abandoning the project. ...  Seeing the end of a project (the light at the end of the tunnel) gives you focus to complete it.   Sometimes a realistic goal also helps to define the end of a project and will ensure a good chance of completing it.   Without focus and goals, we can wander and give up.   How many times have I started a project idea, or a diet, and given up? 

...Today is a day of opposites of just a few days ago. ...  Today, I&rsquo;m in the studio TEN hours&mdash;I&rsquo;m the hog.   As expected, a few days ago I was singing the praises of my progress on the horn while today I&rsquo;m back to complaining about my horn playing. 


It&rsquo;s the up and down of life, the opposites of Ying and Yang. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 246: Lost Glass&#x2c; found&#x2014;Thank  you&#x2c; Vienna&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-04-04T07:10:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3672c04118ba85190bebcbb0fcaaf542-252.php#unique-entry-id-252</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3672c04118ba85190bebcbb0fcaaf542-252.php#unique-entry-id-252</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Vienna Academy of Music responded to my email. ...  L.M. from the Institute of Composition and Electroacoustic Media at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna. 

...We will send a digitized copy of your tapes to your address&hellip;&rdquo;


...The tapes of my composition, Fantasy on Broken Glass were still in the Institute archives, even after 36+ years. 

...It was nice to know that they were so willing to help me.   They might occasionally use examples of my piece to show what could be accomplished in musique concr&egrave;te with a single sound. ...  It was a great example and exercise in using the available musique concr&egrave;te composing techniques of the time to manipulate a single short acoustic sound&mdash;the sound of breaking glass.


Institute of Composition and Electroacoustic Media.   The musique concr&egrave;te/electronic music course that I took with Prof.   Kaufmann is now under the auspices of the Institute of Composition and Electroacoustic Media at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna (Hochschule f&uuml;r Musik und Dartstellende Kunst in Vienna).


After more than 36 years, I would love to see and hear how the new electronic music program and the Institute have evolved since the early days of the first studio that I participated in.   Hopefully, I will learn more of the Institute and perhaps get to know some of the composers&rsquo; and students&rsquo; works that have come out of the program.   I imagine that the studios are now totally different in their focus&mdash;from musique concr&egrave;te to complete electronic recording studios, including new media such as video and film, and perhaps popular and film recording as well.   I can&rsquo;t wait to learn more of the Institute&rsquo;s program.


If I can get back to Vienna one day, I would love to take a tour of the school, once again. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 245: A ginormous opera</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-03T08:04:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa97b558b95b34fdc621f1b78df5615d-251.php#unique-entry-id-251</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa97b558b95b34fdc621f1b78df5615d-251.php#unique-entry-id-251</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...So most stores are closed.   Couldn&rsquo;t work on electronic music, so practiced instead. ...  At night, or rather in the afternoon, went to see Parsifal by Wagner.   I am not sure whether it is more proper to call it an opera or an endurance test.   But the singing was extremely good.   It was very enjoyable.   Still, the 4-1/2 to 5 hours made me tired.


...It is some type of national holiday in Austria.   The stores and school are closed.   I take in Wagner&rsquo;s Parsifal.   An early performance, since it&rsquo;s almost 5 hours long. 

...The word ginormous didn&rsquo;t exist in 1972.   It probably doesn&rsquo;t exist in 2009 either.


...Here&rsquo;s an excerpt from Parsifal: Act III, with English subtitles&mdash;it&rsquo;s a film.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 244: Easter Sunday; tourists</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-02T06:55:54-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/eac090f2b835b7eb1028f95fcd4fd26f-250.php#unique-entry-id-250</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/eac090f2b835b7eb1028f95fcd4fd26f-250.php#unique-entry-id-250</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At mass, met an American who was traveling around; really good attitude and intelligent. ...  It ended up that a whole group of us went on a walking tour of the area. ...  Things were going really well; even had an invitation to spend some time in Germany. ...  I was sure that she wasn&rsquo;t going to stand me up&mdash;we&rsquo;ve must have gotten the times, or something else, wrong. 

...Yay, I&rsquo;m finally back in church and enjoying the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir at mass (sorry about the dyslexia).   If you are traveling and go to a tourist spot, say to hear the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir perform a mass in church, you should expect there to be a lot of noise and movement from the tourists. 

...I imagine Vienna has a lot of crows during the winter and that they are replaced by lots of tourists in the spring and summer. 

...American, cosmopolitan, world-traveler, Viennese transplant and expert tour guide of Vienna&mdash;meeting a few people, and going with them on a walking tour. 

...Desperate for female companionship&mdash;remember, I&rsquo;m a 22-year-old male&mdash;I meet a nice German girl and join them on this walking tour of the inner city. ...  I get invited to visit her in Germany&mdash;another example of European hospitality. ...  Another example&mdash;on one of my ski trips, a doctor on the ski lift invites me to stay over if I ever visit his city.   This is most likely a you-can-sleep-on-the-couch-if-you-are-ever-visiting-my-city invitation. 

...It is interesting to note that if I don&rsquo;t have a photo of a person, and they weren&rsquo;t a close acquaintance, then I have no idea today of what they looked like. ...  Wouldn&rsquo;t it be nice to go back in time and see these people? 

...My attempt to rendezvous with my new friend at the opera that night didn&rsquo;t materialize. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 243: Fragments&#x2c; not sentences</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-04-01T07:48:36-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1d6a66b19163c01cb2905e2acbd9103e-249.php#unique-entry-id-249</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1d6a66b19163c01cb2905e2acbd9103e-249.php#unique-entry-id-249</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Did a little work on the patiture [score], and read. 

...I&rsquo;ll go and take in the opera Daphne by Richard Strauss. ...  The singing was, of course, for a premiere, excellent. ...  He was studying composition in Julliard extension division.


...Today was a normal day with a lot of activity.   In my journal, I have been noticing that my writing is taking the form of short fragments. ...  While I am keeping true to the journal, I sometimes change or omit a word if my meaning gets clouded.   Cloud thinking, cloud computing&mdash;see, I was ahead of my time.   In the journal, I&rsquo;ll often paste together my fragments with a lot of dashes or sometimes commas.   Sort of like, stream of consciousness words and fragments.   As always, I wish Grammar Girl could be my editor.   Is it ok to write like you think?


...Some work on my electronic score and a Richard Strauss opera, Daphne, at night.   Interestingly, according to Wikipedia, this was not the Vienna premiere of Daphne.


...Here is a good example of the chromatic and textural complexity of Strauss&rsquo; writing. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 242: A day in the park</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-31T19:31:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/aeff491645d696e9f54454083aeb7866-248.php#unique-entry-id-248</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/aeff491645d696e9f54454083aeb7866-248.php#unique-entry-id-248</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 242 &mdash; A day in the park


...I really just love it when the weather is great. 

...Read some science fiction, studied French and German.   It was very enjoyable and pleasant to sit in the fresh air and sun, and relax and watch people.   Too bad I can&rsquo;t do it more often.


...I take advantage of a beautiful day in Vienna and get to read, study and relax in one of Vienna&rsquo;s beautiful parks.   Seeing some of my park photos reminds me of how nice it is to be outside in the parks.   The Viennese parks are beautiful and there are a lot of them.   When you are in the center of the city, you have a tendency to have many more parks than found in a typical U.S. city.


...The opening photo is of the gardens of Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace on the outskirts of Vienna.   I didn&rsquo;t go there today, but many of the sightseeing venues of Vienna also have beautiful gardens or parks.   I have posted many photos of my walks through the Vienna city parks and sightseeing trips.   You can click on &ldquo;parks&rdquo; or &ldquo;spring&rdquo;  or &ldquo;sightseeing&rdquo; in the tags area on the right column to see the posts related to those tags.    Check out parks on Days 029, 069, 076, 083, 181, and 230.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 241: Back to Boh&#xe8;me</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-03-30T08:29:36-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/84293b3c9927be6668d15ccc389f998f-247.php#unique-entry-id-247</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/84293b3c9927be6668d15ccc389f998f-247.php#unique-entry-id-247</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 241 &mdash; Back to Boh&egrave;me


...Only problem is not enough playing on the horn.


Went to La Boh&egrave;me at the opera. ...  First time I went [to the opera] in a long time.   I enjoyed it a lot.   Even went out afterwards to have a beer.


...Back to Boh&egrave;me.   After a good day, I&rsquo;m at the Staatsoper with Puccini&rsquo;s La Boheme, always a favorite. ...  Also check out my other blog posts on La Boh&egrave;me and Puccini on Day 52,  Day 90, and Day 100.


Here are some other links:


Check out Giacomo Puccini&rsquo;s full name on Wikipedia


La Boh&egrave;me on Wikipedia


Young Pavarotti (1979) singing Che gelida manina from La Boh&egrave;me on YouTube
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 240: Talking&#x2c; learning</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-29T07:25:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d914c5909282f488e5875b083673892e-246.php#unique-entry-id-246</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d914c5909282f488e5875b083673892e-246.php#unique-entry-id-246</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 240 &mdash; Talking, learning


29-March-1972 (Mittwoch&ndash;Wed.)


...Starting to do better in proceeding with El.   Musik.   However, the end still seems a long way off.


Having some good talks with Jean-Pierre.   I think that I&rsquo;m learning something about how to play the horn.


...Talking, learning.   I don&rsquo;t remember my talks with Jean-Pierre during his stay, but they seem to be helping.   I know that I had a preoccupation with my embouchure as to a major reason why I had trouble and instability with very high notes.   I don&rsquo;t remember what solutions Jean-Pierre was suggesting, but I suspect that it was mostly to play.   Sometimes a different perspective helps.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 239: Looking for Broken Glass</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-28T06:59:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1efeff856223d08e5daf1aef9328ec15-245.php#unique-entry-id-245</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1efeff856223d08e5daf1aef9328ec15-245.php#unique-entry-id-245</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I have mentioned before, how I think I have lost my original electronic tape, 1/4&rdquo; 15-inch tape reel, of my current work in the electronic music studio&mdash;Fantasy on Broken Glass.   For years, I have purposely kept this tape&mdash;in case I had the ability to dub it to a digital format.   The tape was a large-reel, 15 ips, 2-track, 1/4&rdquo; tape.   In the past, I did own a Teac tape recorder that played this format.   Unfortunately, that was given away or sold a long time ago by my brothers&mdash;during the many years I was away from home.   At the time, there was no digital format to copy to.


Regardless, I tried to find the tape and couldn&rsquo;t find it.   This past winter, I cleaned out our attic and threw away many things, and packed many things in storage.   I can&rsquo;t find it in storage. 

...Interestingly, this original tape had hundreds of &ldquo;tape splices&rdquo; which I used to create all of the different elements of the composition. ...  I also had an &ldquo;examples&rdquo; tape that demonstrated how I made the many different sound elements. 

...In a desperate attempt to see if I can find a copy of the original tape, I found an English site for the Hochschule f&uuml;r Musik and sent them an email/contact request. 

...Either they don&rsquo;t use that web site often, or they are not sure what to do. 

...If you are in the Vienna Hochschule f&uuml;r Musik und Darstellende Kunst and can help me, please email me.   Editor&rsquo;s note: there are only a few readers of this blog and they are not in Vienna. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 238: Best horn playing</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-27T21:55:04-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6a0f8ef083de9b000330fe8ca0431616-244.php#unique-entry-id-244</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6a0f8ef083de9b000330fe8ca0431616-244.php#unique-entry-id-244</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[And for once, I was partially satisfied with myself.   No doubt, it has something to do with my talks with Jean-Pierre on horn playing and the horn.   He knows an extraordinary amount and has exceptional insight into the problems and conceptions of horn playing and horn design.   I feel as if I am beginning to learn a lot about the scientific and logical cause-and-effect attitude.   I&rsquo;ve always thought that way and I know it&rsquo;ll help.


Also, was able to get some work done on my electronic music work. 

...Wow, the best playing on horn.   Perhaps it is a psychological thing and Jean-Pierre has just gotten me to not be so hard on myself.   Perhaps it&rsquo;s just a relaxation thing, a breathing thing. ...  It&rsquo;s nice to see that I&rsquo;m a bit positive.   I&rsquo;m certain that my complaining will return but today, I&rsquo;m positive.


...I&rsquo;m not certain who steered me to write to Indiana U. for information.   Indiana was known as having a great music school. ...  I did teach public school for two years after my return to the U.S. but then I left my teaching to pursue my Masters in composition&mdash;at Indiana University.   And, after an extended period for my dissertation, I graduated with a Master of Music degree in composition.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 237: Beautiful Vienna in the spring</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-03-26T21:32:55-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0e4d0da0fc9f47c8215808a9e066b2f2-243.php#unique-entry-id-243</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0e4d0da0fc9f47c8215808a9e066b2f2-243.php#unique-entry-id-243</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 237 &mdash; Beautiful Vienna in the spring


...Atmosphere to city, and already, the tourists are back. 


...Being today is Palm Sunday, I went to church in Augustiner Kirche and heard Mass. 

...When the Sunday&rsquo;s are nice, as today is, then it&rsquo;s really enjoyable.


...I didn&rsquo;t realize that I haven&rsquo;t been going to church as much lately. 

...I seem to really be enamored of the newly-arrived spring weather in Vienna. ...  On Sunday&rsquo;s, I remember, enjoying the long walk from my apartment to the practice rooms in the school.   If I remember correctly, I would walk past the Votivkirche, then past the Burgtheater and through the parks to the Hofburg Palace where I would cut through to K&auml;rtnerstrasse, past the Staatsoper and then a few blocks to school.   This is not the only path to school&mdash;I could walk the Ringstrasse and go past the University of Vienna, the Parliament, the Museums of Art and History, and the Staatsoper. ...  And I did this many times in good weather.   You would also see many people sitting in the parks and enjoying the outdoors and weather (photo left).


I would like to see Vienna again, in the spring.


Many of the Vienna pictures probably came on days like today. ...  See Day 230 for some of the sightseeing photos of Vienna that I walk by on a beautiful Sunday walk.   Below is a park-like setting in the plaza by the History and Art museums.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 236: Selfish John</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-25T21:23:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/74b328cb7f2d43728b8e799510dd4ddd-242.php#unique-entry-id-242</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/74b328cb7f2d43728b8e799510dd4ddd-242.php#unique-entry-id-242</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Only thing that bothered me was the fact that I couldn&rsquo;t work at all in the electronic studio. ...  I have so much to do and it seems like I&rsquo;ll never get it done. 

...Jean-Pierre, hornist, comes back to Wien to pick up his Vienna horn.   Had a long talk about problems and science of playing the horn. 

...Me, moi, the guy who monopolizes ALL of the time in the electronic studio&mdash;I am complaining about SOMEONE ELSE using the studio. ...  As a youth, you get a thing in your head that you must absolutely do, and if you don&rsquo;t do it, at that exact moment or time, you get a bit upset.   As a youth, you are not looking at the total picture&mdash;in this case, how much time &ldquo;I&rdquo; have been monopolizing in the electronic studio. 


Well, hopefully, I was not too bad a guy.   And today in 2009, I still may not be too bad a guy.


...My horn colleague, Jean-Pierre, comes back to Vienna to pick up and buy his Vienna horn. ...  Now, I appear to be a nice, generous guy, compared to selfish John in the last paragraph.   It looks like my hausfrau may not be too happy about this. 

...Where is that &ldquo;napkin&rdquo; that contains all of the &ldquo;horn secrets&rdquo; from Jean-Pierre? 

...Just realized that a lot of our playing opportunities with ensembles are on the weekend, outside of school constraints or schedules. ...  Another reason to be thankful for such a warm, generous, and wonderful teacher.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 235: Old friends</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-24T18:49:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/663bacf0c3f1618fe0b625514668e483-241.php#unique-entry-id-241</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/663bacf0c3f1618fe0b625514668e483-241.php#unique-entry-id-241</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In 2009, I have been increasingly discovering some long lost college friends through the social networking mechanisms of Facebook and LinkedIn. ...  What is fun is catching up with each person after all these years, using wall-to-wall comments. ...  Many are married for many years, successful, and with grown-up kids who are also becoming successful.


...Jack is one of the guys in the front row and he doesn&rsquo;t wear glasses. (opening photo) Can we name the rest of the clan? 

...I think it was my camera that took the picture and after setting the picture up, I ran to the back. 

...Chris and Alexis are two great college friends from my IU days. ...  IU was a tough school for music and having good friends reduced the stress.   Alexis is also an excellent pianist&mdash;you have to be at IU&mdash;and is happily married with a great daughter and husband and has been a university professor, forever.   Chris is a wonderful girl and has worked at Indiana University for many years. 

...Another close friend of those days, Sue, has passed and is truly missed by all of us who knew her. 

...Richard was a good friend at Ohio State University when I was trying (emphasis on trying) to get my doctorate in composition. ...  Well, he finished his doctorate, also in composition, and so I need to call him Dr. ...  Just a couple of weeks ago, I managed to get a hold of him and found out he has had a successful life in marriage, a daughter, a university professorship, owning a recording studio, and in actually continuing his composition through commissions, grants, and his natural desire to write music. ...  Contemporary music, with a solid basis in traditional melody, harmony, tonality, and a good dose of dissonance, when needed. 

...I&rsquo;m feeling a bit depressed, not having quite so many successes in my life as my friends. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 234: Studienbuch</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-23T07:51:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fbb95c5871fb7e3fe118093768302ebd-240.php#unique-entry-id-240</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fbb95c5871fb7e3fe118093768302ebd-240.php#unique-entry-id-240</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But a good day of practice on horn and piano.


...A long while ago, I had found other items in the attic relating to my year in Vienna.   One of those items was my student book&mdash;studienbuch (photo right).   Holding it in my hands that first time, I realized the thrill that archaeologists experienced when first holding the remains of a fossilized Tyrannosaurus Rex in their hands, from over 60 million years ago&mdash;well, from 36 years ago. 

...My picture in the studienbuch (above) shows that I am clean cut with moderate-length hair. ...  Compare that to my Austrian student-pass ID from slightly later (photo below) that you&rsquo;ve already seen. 

...Today, my wife calls me &ldquo;homiak,&rdquo; which I believe is a reference to &ldquo;hamster cheeks.&rdquo;


...A non-degree student at the (Akademie) Hochschule f&uuml;r Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Wien. 

...As you know, I studied mostly horn and composition (electronic music) with Professors Friederich Gabler and Dieter Kaufmann.   According to my journal, I was also constantly involved in piano lessons, and mention a traditional composition class as well.   When I first attended classes, I remember having to drop out of Music Theory because I just could not understand German well enough.   The end result was that as a non-degree foreign graduate student, the school was letting me study with a great deal of flexibility.   We also see how much school costs&mdash;about 746s and 690s (Austrian schillings) for the winter and summer semesters (includes fall and spring).


...The school and the teachers of the Hochschule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst were great.   In addition to my music-going experiences in Vienna, going to school here brought me to a higher level of musicianship, both in horn and in composition.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 233: Bruckner 8 in the Musikverein</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-03-22T07:43:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b79a9766ba41175cc1938741139e9638-239.php#unique-entry-id-239</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b79a9766ba41175cc1938741139e9638-239.php#unique-entry-id-239</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[All in all, I think it went fairly well, however, some disappointments.   Some winds, cellos, horns and brasses&mdash;a few too many wrong notes and bad timing.   But all in all, not a bad student orchestra. 

...In electronic music news, I buy a stopwatch to time the elements of the score for Fantasy on Broken Glass.


...Finally, we perform the Bruckner Symphony No. 8 in the Musikverein. ...  As usual, I suspect that my criticisms were based against a 100% perfect performance and that the actual performance was quite good.   My performing on the Wagner tuba might not have been perfect as well but it sounds like it was fine. ...  In all, performing in the Musikverein was the thrill of a lifetime.   The Hochschule&rsquo;s student orchestra was likely one of the best orchestras I&rsquo;ve ever played in.


Wouldn&rsquo;t it be great to hear a tape of that performance today?


...The opening photo is not of this concert but one of several I have taken in the Vienna Musikverein&rsquo;s Golden Hall.   The Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir in the organ balcony indicates that this is one of the upcoming Bernstein concerts, specifically, Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. ...  For the Bernstein concerts I was in the 2nd tier balcony seats (in a front-side view to Maestro Bernstein).   To take the above picture, I must have run around to the back of the balcony and taken these and some of my other photos at the end of the concert.   I&rsquo;ll present them again when we get to the Bernstein concerts.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 232: Salzburg pics</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-03-21T08:54:19-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5faa7e92cfc1c18b2455b24e32dcfa51-238.php#unique-entry-id-238</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5faa7e92cfc1c18b2455b24e32dcfa51-238.php#unique-entry-id-238</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Salzburg and Festung Hohensalzburg


My film that was lost from Salzburg has been found and returned. 

...A second rehearsal of the Bruckner 8th in the Musikverein. 


...Apparently, the 35mm film processing of my visit to Salzburg was somehow lost and then somehow found.   My trip to Salzburg was back in August, I believe.   I&rsquo;m fairly certain that it was only the film processing that was lost and not the film itself while I was in Salzburg.


...Salzburg is an absolutely beautiful city with a lot of tourist sites to see.   The summer has an incredible music festival that attracts world-class talent.   If you visit Austria, besides Vienna, you must see Salzburg (and Innsbruck, and...).


In celebration, I will repost some of the Salzburg pictures.


The opening picture is of a view of Salzburg and its incredible fortress, the Festung Hohensalzburg. 

...The gardens of Mirabella Palace


More gardens of Mirabella Palace


...To the Castle Hohensalzburg
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 231: On stage at the Musikverein</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-20T08:06:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3e28680242a5cfa095d3f00aaf45c468-237.php#unique-entry-id-237</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3e28680242a5cfa095d3f00aaf45c468-237.php#unique-entry-id-237</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Built in 1870, the Vienna Musikverein (photo above) is a world-class concert hall and home to the Vienna Philharmonic.   It is renowned for it&rsquo;s acoustics as being among the best in the world.   The d&eacute;cor is ornate, with its organ balcony, sometimes accommodating the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir (photo below). 

...I&rsquo;ve seen many concerts in this hall&mdash;the Vienna Philharmonic, the famous Vienna New Years Concert with Strauss waltzes and polkas, and the soon-to-come series of Leonard Bernstein conducting Mahler&rsquo;s symphonies with the Vienna Philharmonic. 

...Normally, I&rsquo;m in the back in standing room.   Always crowded and far back (see opening picture).   I&rsquo;ve just learned from Wikipedia that standing room holds up to 300 people.   For the Bernstein&ndash;Mahler concerts, I purchased a balcony seat slightly behind the orchestra, where I could see Bernstein conduct. 

...The opening picture shows the Gro&szlig;er Saal, or Golden Hall (Wikimedia Commons). 


...I&rsquo;m on stage in the Musikverein rehearsing Bruckner&rsquo;s 8th with my horn and Wagner tuba.   What a thrill to be on this stage.


...Here is a link to the Musikverein page in Wikipedia. 


...Here is a humorous web article that attributes the wonderful acoustics of the Musikverein to the gilded golden bare breasts of 50 topless sculptures in the music hall.   Ok, I&rsquo;m stretching it a bit and just wanted to use the words topless and breasts to increase readership.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 230: Parks&#x2c; Prater&#x2c; Films&#x2c; and Fairs</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-03-19T07:34:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9e26ec6ec494572a3eec8c570dff290d-236.php#unique-entry-id-236</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9e26ec6ec494572a3eec8c570dff290d-236.php#unique-entry-id-236</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Right away, the city of Vienna becomes its very beautiful self&mdash;with its people taking walks, parks, and beautiful buildings to enjoy. 

...I still had to practice horn and piano a few hours in the morning. 

...There is certainly no lack of luxury commodities to be had, if you can afford it. ...  You were allowed to play the things and the total effect was like some weird &ldquo;happening&rdquo; or something. ...  Also got a big kick out of the Tier Houses&mdash;four houses or barracks of Austrian Prize cows. 

...Then went to another part of the Film Festival and saw Yugoslavian short films. 

...The opening photo shows the common sight of people enjoying the beautiful parks of Vienna in good weather&mdash;spring, summer, fall.   I have always liked to walk, but walking on a beautiful Sunday in Vienna is special.   As I have mentioned, I would head from my apartment near Votivkirche and walk towards the center of Vienna, all of which includes the famous buildings and surrounding parks and plazas.   Depending on which of several directions I was heading (say, round trip), I could pass the&hellip;


...Here are a few photos that you can see on this walking tour.


...I imply that it is like Seaside Heights (ocean boardwalk with rides and concession stands) in New Jersey but it is totally different. 

...At Prater, I am going to see the Vienna International Fair, which adds many more exhibits to see and some smelly cows.   I didn&rsquo;t mean to offend the cows, but a city boy, is not used to the smells of the farm. 

...I&rsquo;m not a fan of blood and gore and generally don&rsquo;t like this stuff. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 229: Group improv</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-18T08:08:07-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7513feb4919d07343153f463b7b378e9-235.php#unique-entry-id-235</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7513feb4919d07343153f463b7b378e9-235.php#unique-entry-id-235</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[(Engineer) Gottwald began manipulating us (like instruments) and we began having fun and getting involved in what we were doing.   For me personally, it had some of the best results (effect-wise) because we were being ourselves&mdash;we were the music. 


...It was the most fun I&rsquo;ve had in a long time.   For example, myself and friend (Austrian and newcomer) were in a hallway of the school (hall effect) and we were laughing, talking, questioning, moving benches around, etc.   Then we were joined by a girl, Synne, and it turned out to be like a &ldquo;group encounter.&rdquo; ...  I can&rsquo;t believe some of the things we did and how much racket we were making. ...  All in all, I don&rsquo;t know if it was music but it was a lot of fun. 

...Afterwards, we made some recordings of my primitive works for the tape that I needed and the quality came out pretty good. 

...In electronic music class, we spend most of the day doing group improvisations.   You know that, normally, I don&rsquo;t always like the results of group improvs. ...  Most of our improvisations, as a musique concr&egrave;te class, primarily use vocal and &ldquo;found sounds&rdquo; as source material&mdash;making sounds with your mouth and any objects available. 

...If you take people or small groups and place them in different rooms and allow them to improvise, the results are then modeled by &ldquo;chance.&rdquo;   I am fairly certain that we did not have the ability to monitor each other. 

...I don&rsquo;t mention him very often, but the electronic music class had an engineer&mdash;Herr Gottwald who would be present on these special occasions and kept the studio running. ...  I did find a list that mentions that the studio did have electronic devices, including filters, and ring modulators. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 228: From Bach to rock</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-03-17T07:02:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0be214d33b68efa9600796d4ffadde62-234.php#unique-entry-id-234</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0be214d33b68efa9600796d4ffadde62-234.php#unique-entry-id-234</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 228 &mdash; From Bach to rock


...Got the rest of my scholarship monies. ...  Now I can finish off the year.


...Very soothing and contemplative music&mdash;Bach.


Went to a rock dance. 

...I receive the adjustment to my scholarship for the year.   This money will help me to complete the year.   Remember, that in August of 1971, only a few weeks after arriving in Vienna, President Nixon devalued the dollar causing my scholarship value to be cut by 1/3.   This supplemental amount compensates for the loss and it helps a lot.


...This is the fifth concert in the Anton Heiler Plays Bach series.   Again, I am always amazed at his style and ability to make Bach magical.


Bach to rock.   It sounds like I went to a school-sponsored rock dance.   Why didn&rsquo;t I meet anyone? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 227: Austrian &#x201c;class&#x201d; in the keller&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-16T07:40:27-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d26ac16a9960ebdd1581507bf9a28ec6-233.php#unique-entry-id-233</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d26ac16a9960ebdd1581507bf9a28ec6-233.php#unique-entry-id-233</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At 6:00 saw an electronic music lecture by Kaufmann. 

...Afterwards, went out with him and a small group to this place called &ldquo;Antiqua Keller&rdquo;&mdash;very nice keller, with atmosphere.   What I liked was that we heard Dvorak&rsquo;s New World Symphony and other classics. ...  I got a big kick out of it&mdash;Austrian &ldquo;class.&rdquo; 

...That&rsquo;s always what happens when there&rsquo;s a little too much to drink.


...Kaufmann gives a lecture on the use of &ldquo;live&rdquo; electronic music, as in performing and creating the electronic music live, a specialty of Kaufmann&rsquo;s. ...  I thought that this meant we went out to this cabaret to experience &ldquo;life&rdquo; electronic music. 

...These are Austrian restaurants, often with live entertainment, that are located in basement cellars.   I believe this particular keller had a wonderful brick d&eacute;cor, brick archways, and overall ambience.   I suppose that I had never seen a similar type restaurant in the U.S.


...Here, a small group of our electronic class goes with Prof.   Kaufmann to an Austrian keller and we experience an evening of classics as background music, and then a live performance of opera arias by a wonderful bass. 

...Kaufmann tells me that this is not typical entertainment in Viennese cabarets.


...I remember this night and the ambience and d&eacute;cor of this underground keller.   And in those days, I&rsquo;m certain I had a glass of Austrian Grinzing wine. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 226: Good day</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-15T07:32:28-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2a1954b64c49972fbac9f5a44160ffc1-232.php#unique-entry-id-232</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2a1954b64c49972fbac9f5a44160ffc1-232.php#unique-entry-id-232</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 226 &mdash; Good day


15-March-1972 (Mittwoch&ndash;Wed.)


TRANSCRIPT


Good day.   Only El.   Musik.   Got a good amount of work done.


REFLECTIONS


A good day but nothing new.   Skip me.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 225: Break it down</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-14T20:23:35-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/bfd4e2ff51b23310b4007c3923fa71a5-231.php#unique-entry-id-231</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/bfd4e2ff51b23310b4007c3923fa71a5-231.php#unique-entry-id-231</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 225 &mdash; Break it down


14-March-1972 (Montag&ndash;Mon.)


...Same as above, except did a good amount of piano practicing.   Teacher Miss A. taught me yesterday how to practice&mdash;slow, short passages or motives, repetitive.   Somehow, I always knew this but never quite did it.


...Only spent 4 hours but was getting a lot done.


...Yesterday I had a new piano teacher, perhaps a graduate student. ...  The key to true practice&mdash;break down the difficult passages to short segments, play them slowly, and repeat until the fingers start to know the notes.   Sometimes you know this but are not actually doing it correctly.   That&rsquo;s what live teachers are for, they see, and remind you how to practice and play correctly.


...Only four hours?   In 1972, four hours compared to eight hours is &ldquo;only.&rdquo;   In 2009, I&rsquo;m thinking four hours is a lot of time.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 224: Skip me</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-13T07:20:46-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ed4e25204acd4e53b03b1df7eaf5d305-230.php#unique-entry-id-230</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ed4e25204acd4e53b03b1df7eaf5d305-230.php#unique-entry-id-230</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 224 &mdash; Skip me


13-March-1972 (Montag&ndash;Mon.)


TRANSCRIPT


Day of everything, except hardly any electronic music.


REFLECTIONS


Nothing today.   Skip me.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 223: Don&#x2019;t be rude</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-03-12T07:06:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/93d17543ae6a353862e2a4dfd38ebfbc-229.php#unique-entry-id-229</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/93d17543ae6a353862e2a4dfd38ebfbc-229.php#unique-entry-id-229</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Anyway, being myself, I let them know how stupid they were, and I did very well.   My German was sufficient to have a real good argument&mdash;of course, I was in the right. 

...After intermission, I sat in a seat, and the family in front turned out to be Americans&mdash;very nice.   There was this little girl (1st, 2nd grade), very cute and who was acting very nice.   Like children, however, she was looking around and I smiled somewhat at her.   So, in a very cute, but shy manner, she kneeled in the chair facing me (eyes wide open and cute expression) and was glancing very slowly from my left to right (like a cinematic pan).   Of course, I knew whom the curiosity was directed to; and when her eyes and head in that moment faced me, I said, &ldquo;Hi&hellip;!&rdquo; ...  After her initial little surprise, we had a very nice conversation with her father (they came from Colorado), until we said goodbye at the end of the concert.   Only disappointment was that I really didn&rsquo;t get to talk at all with their nice looking [older] daughter. 

...Looks like I politely told off some rude audience members in German. ...  I don&rsquo;t like rude people and I&rsquo;m certain they deserved it.   Today, I start in standing room (where the few noisy audience members were) and then move to an empty seat after intermission, where I meet an American family on vacation. 

...The best way to forget about rude people is to have a conversation with a polite family and have their charming little princess smile at you. 

...Anna Moffo was a top coloratura operatic soprano, singing lead roles in the top opera houses of the world. ...  The opening picture of Moffo is an autographed photo from 1965 (Wikimedia Commons, copyrighted).
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 222: Taking a chance</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-11T07:50:22-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/28c9f53cca7ebb95bed6ac75da13ae29-228.php#unique-entry-id-228</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/28c9f53cca7ebb95bed6ac75da13ae29-228.php#unique-entry-id-228</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At night, started a new idea for another composition of SW and MW (short wave and medium wave) off of the radio. 

...However, the idea is an excellent one, and further work on it can be done in several directions. ...  The concept that I really enjoy about it is&mdash;it can be amazing and surprising (awareness) of what can come out of a radio.


...Today&rsquo;s post surprised me and is an example of not remembering what I was thinking about back then. ...  If I could hear what I was listening to on the radio in 1972, then I might be able to guess why I seemed excited by a new idea, a new project. ...  My guess is that I was listening to a short-wave radio, trying to record off of it with a cheap tape recorder and microphone, and suddenly off to a realization of a new idea.


...It sounds like an avant-garde concept&mdash;I record &ldquo;chance&rdquo; recordings from the radio emanating from around Europe or the world and then turn it into a contemporary music composition. ...  One of those great influences was John Cage, and his implementation of &ldquo;chance&rdquo; (aleatoric) music. ...  In fact, the word &ldquo;happenings&rdquo; was sometimes used to describe live avant-garde musical, multimedia, and theatrical events that involved chance elements.   As I have already mentioned, later in the year, I see one of John Cage&rsquo;s monumental &ldquo;happenings&rdquo; in Berlin. ...  The opening photo is of John Cage (sitting on floor) and colleague at Cage&rsquo;s 1972 music event.   Below is another photo from the Berlin event&mdash;people walking up to a hanging instrument (found sounds) and playing. 

...In college, I had purchased some of Cage&rsquo;s writings and followed and listened to a good deal of his and other composers&rsquo; experimental and contemporary music. 

...I would love to figure out the specifics of my thoughts in that last paragraph of today&rsquo;s entry.   What was I thinking, that could take radio excerpts and make it an &ldquo;excellent&rdquo; idea that could go in many directions? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 221: Disco at the Voom-Voom</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-10T19:59:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2dc9eee342ba842a34b69fc4e50ec19c-227.php#unique-entry-id-227</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2dc9eee342ba842a34b69fc4e50ec19c-227.php#unique-entry-id-227</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 221 &mdash; Disco at the Voom-Voom


...To live it up went to Voom-Voom diskotek.   Despite the fact that I was out of place&mdash;comparatively short hair, I enjoyed watching and hearing the music.   The girls seemed somewhat difficult to approach, and I &ldquo;struck out.&rdquo; ...  Anyway, the &ldquo;lustig&rdquo; part of the whole deal was when a small group of guys just went wild and started dancing by themselves, also a few girls.   I think more people were dancing by themselves than in couples.   It was a great feeling though to see them having a good time.


...This is the second time I&rsquo;ve been to the Voom-Voom Diskotek since I&rsquo;ve been in Vienna.   The first time, during my first few days in Vienna, when I was oogling over bra-less m&auml;dchens. ...  Tonight I&rsquo;m out to meet girls and, of course, I strike out.   What happened to all this charm that I exuded during my skiing vacations? ...  Truthfully, I was never good (my entire life) at meeting girls in bars. 


It seems that I enjoyed the music and watching people&mdash;guys and girls&mdash;dance by themselves.   Why didn&rsquo;t I dance by myself?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 220: Too little&#x2c; too much</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-09T19:53:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1f56cef9c61ccf07b35afc56ca5fbe81-226.php#unique-entry-id-226</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1f56cef9c61ccf07b35afc56ca5fbe81-226.php#unique-entry-id-226</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Only problem is that in doing a little of everything, it is too little of everything.


...If you do a little bit of many things, it is often not enough to get what you want done, completed.   It is better to perhaps spend more time on the important things and get more done on those.


...And it makes life interesting, it keeps you busy, it&rsquo;s exciting, and (despite my complaining) it&rsquo;s fun. 


...For most of my life, I had a tendency to do many, many things. 

...For example, during a two-plus-year period living at the beach, I would come home late (1-1/4 hour commute), and later at night write my music on my computer.   I would improvise at the keyboard, just play the music in, not write down anything, and layer small semi-finished tracks (with mistakes) and produce the &ldquo;idea&rdquo; of the piece. ...  Maybe I did 150-200 of these (can&rsquo;t remember) during the two-plus year period. ...  Most of the time, the NEXT time I went to sit down at the keyboard and play music, I wanted to do something NEW, not go back to the old rough. 

...#1 &ndash; Taking five of those roughs, completing them, hiring singers and musicians, professionally producing them, mastering and replicating CDs, marketing them, getting five TOP TEN hits with maybe a #1 or so, establishing your career, becoming rich, buying a yacht and summer villa in Italy, traveling the world, speaking at engagements, and being successful? 

...#2 &ndash; Writing 150&ndash;200 &ldquo;roughs,&rdquo; continually writing new music, never producing a final product, just getting good new ideas, and never getting the music into the public eye, having a normal job, no villas or yachts, worldwide travel, and speaking engagements? 

...Write a lot and then focus on a few items to polish that &ldquo;diamond in the rough.&rdquo; ...  Don&rsquo;t give up too early (my issue), but don&rsquo;t give up a meaningful career as a neurologist thinking that you are going to be the next American Idol winner. 


...If after reading several pages of this blog, you don&rsquo;t recognize my humor, I&rsquo;ll introduce you to an old friend. ...  All I can say is that there is a little bit of humor in almost everything I write, and there is a little bit of truth in almost everything I write. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 219: Thinking of films</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-08T18:47:04-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/39e1baa9ad44741c247ce90e81e3e765-225.php#unique-entry-id-225</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/39e1baa9ad44741c247ce90e81e3e765-225.php#unique-entry-id-225</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spent most of today in the lab.   It sort of drove me nuts and made me frustrated. 

...Anyway, called up Herr L. and found out that the possibility for the film is still good. 

...I end almost every long day in the electronic music lab by listening to my film music tape. ...  What a way to rest my ears and end the day.


...I seem to be in the electronic music lab all of the time. ...  I imagine that if no one was there, I just continued to work, and when others were there, I practiced.


...Today explains why I was thinking of abstract films yesterday.   It sounds like the student film project might still be a possibility. ...  An abstract film of the human body. ...  If I had a girlfriend, would I have been thinking of making a film on the royal palaces of Vienna, instead?


...Surprise, I&rsquo;m listening to film music in the electronic lab at the end of some sessions. ...  I couldn&rsquo;t do that in my apartment.   I always have been and still am a big fan of music for movies.   My dream, is to one day, write some music for film. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 218: Lofty musings today&#x2014;Hermann Hesse</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-03-07T08:36:13-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9b94a38f22728c424b8461951325c07d-224.php#unique-entry-id-224</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9b94a38f22728c424b8461951325c07d-224.php#unique-entry-id-224</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Besides simply enjoying visual phenomenon, I have felt that they have given me an inner awareness of life, and I hope to use this concept in some of my serious work.


In fact, a big part of this concept in the film that I am hoping to produce is that creating (a mood), surrealistic and visually exciting images&mdash;using the body. 

...Well anyway, while reading Hermann Hesses&rsquo; Demian (check) (in chapter 5), this same type of feeling has been professed by Sinclair as his stronger feelings of self-awareness through the observations of such phenomenon. ...  Humorously, as Sinclair had his observations and thoughts confirmed while reading a book on Leonardo Da Vinci, I have had my similar &ldquo;observations&rdquo; confirmed in the passage by Hermann Hesse.


...This journal post did remind me that there was a period when I was reading a lot of Hermann Hesse&rsquo;s works in college.   It is impossible for me to remember what I was thinking without reading Hesse&rsquo;s Demian again. 


...In today&rsquo;s post, I mention that I would like to make an avant-garde film that would show surrealistic, &ldquo;visually exciting images using the body.&rdquo;   For example, surrealistic images and landscapes using close ups of the human body.   The viewer would not know that it was a human body they were looking at, until the very end when the camera would pan back out.   This abstraction of the human body has been common in art and nude photography for years.   In addition, micro-images of the human body from electron microscopes and scopes, both inside and outside the body, show us abstract worlds and creatures existing on and inside our own bodies, and of which we are not visually aware. 

...Avant-garde, art, film, contemporary music, multimedia, and visual and live theatre events are strong influences during this time period.   Composer Dieter Kaufmann&rsquo;s use of live, larger-than-life-size puppets in his mini-opera, Pupofon, is one good example.   Later in the year, I get to see a week-long multimedia &ldquo;happening&rdquo; by John Cage in Berlin. ...  In my musique concr&egrave;te manipulations with Fantasy on Broken Glass, I am learning how new sounds and patterns grow out of a simple beginning. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 217: Positive progress</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-06T06:32:09-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9185e3e4d1dbf422ae991fe0018e170a-223.php#unique-entry-id-223</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9185e3e4d1dbf422ae991fe0018e170a-223.php#unique-entry-id-223</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 217 &mdash; Positive progress


06-March-1972 (Montag&ndash;Mon.)


TRANSCRIPT


Lesson days, etc.   Am doing fairly well nowadays at my lesson.   Practice makes better?


Also spent quite a bit of time in electronic music.   Coming along.


...Progress.   I&rsquo;m being positive today.   Playing well and progress in electronic music. 

...John
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 216: More score</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-05T07:23:25-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7180b3123324114d89fb426881db83f6-222.php#unique-entry-id-222</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7180b3123324114d89fb426881db83f6-222.php#unique-entry-id-222</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 216 &mdash; More score


05-March-1972 (Sonntag&ndash;Sun.)


TRANSCRIPT


Spent most of the day working on part of the score for the electronic music piece. 


Also practiced.


REFLECTIONS


More score.   Am I good at clever titles?   More work on my graphical score.   I never completed a true full version of the score, though my graphical representations are accurate.   For the published excerpt and example, I created an inked, black-and-white score excerpt.   See Days 207 and 209.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 215: A bit tired</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-03-04T06:22:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c17f7a69454bb5da78f7c70757baaeda-221.php#unique-entry-id-221</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c17f7a69454bb5da78f7c70757baaeda-221.php#unique-entry-id-221</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 215 &mdash; A bit tired


04-March-1972 (Samstag&ndash;Sat.)


TRANSCRIPT


Basically didn&rsquo;t do too much work.   Some horn and electronic.   Still it was a basically good day, for learning a few things.   I feel, however, like sometimes breaking out of everything and taking a long rest&mdash;at least a couple of days.


...Tired.   Too much work can wear you down.   Yesterday, in 2009, I was also tired and worn down.   Ah, life.


John
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 214: A good&#x2c; no&#x2c; &#x201c;excellent&#x201d; day&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-03-03T08:19:11-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/499395cd540d55dd1095b88a8ddd7563-220.php#unique-entry-id-220</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/499395cd540d55dd1095b88a8ddd7563-220.php#unique-entry-id-220</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Had a good lecture in electronic music today. 

...However, for me, at this point a little too confusing.


...&ndash; The Rite of Spring and a new piece by Berio.   The Berio piece fascinated me&mdash;using voices and talking.   It was actually a comprehensible piece of good, contemporary music.   It sort of had &ldquo;good vibrations&rdquo; with me, and very few pieces do that.


Have also finished one page of my score. 


In other words, had a good day.


...Also a lecture on microphones in electronic music class, though I missed a lot of detail due to my German. 

...Just yesterday, I&rsquo;m critical of contemporary music and today I&rsquo;m praising contemporary at a live concert.   Just another example of the Ying and Yang of life. ...  Luciano Berio&rsquo;s music has always had some emotion to it.   I don&rsquo;t remember this particular piece, however, one of his famous vocal pieces&mdash;Visage&mdash;had the same impact on me. 

...Imagine the &ldquo;emotional&rdquo; impact of Stravinsky&rsquo;s Rite of Spring at it&rsquo;s premiere performance.   Today, the music is considered traditional but there is &ldquo;feeling&rdquo; behind this music. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 213: Critiquing and my music</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-03-02T07:16:53-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/43f4ebc1db5b96bce678302902697128-219.php#unique-entry-id-219</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/43f4ebc1db5b96bce678302902697128-219.php#unique-entry-id-219</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Like all the rest, a little bit of everything (except piano).


...This time, as before in the past, I am critical of an electronic music concert.   Today, almost no one attends live concerts of this type, but in the 70s and 80s, and in academic environments, you could find these concerts.   My critique is most likely rooted to the difficulty in attempting to aurally codify an electronic music composition.   The techniques often result in musical gestures and timbres that sound almost the same as in many, many pieces that you hear.   That the pitches might be somewhat different may not make as much difference as in tonal music.   The music, and it&rsquo;s techniques, might begin to sound similar. 

...Certainly, the same critiques could be applied to my serious composition as well.


...After my work in Vienna, my serious writing was only as a student at Indiana University and Ohio State University.   As I say above, the same critical observations could be applied to my music as well.   I do think that I am a bit different in that a lot of my music is actually fairly traditional.   If I use electronic music, it may be combined with some traditional elements.   In Fantasy on Broken Glass, the music is a &ldquo;programme&rdquo; that is a sound collage of recognizable sounds of nature and man. ...  A good example of this is my version of the folksong Barb&rsquo;ra Allen, part of Three Traditional Folk Songs for Soprano,Tape, and Piano, at my Master&rsquo;s recital in Indiana University. 

...One day, I&rsquo;ll post an excerpt of some of my music, especially Barb&rsquo;ra Allen for soprano, piano, and tape.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 212: Pupofon Zweimal&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-03-01T06:14:13-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/918a19b36fb205b4654a510c4a0cada1-218.php#unique-entry-id-218</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/918a19b36fb205b4654a510c4a0cada1-218.php#unique-entry-id-218</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Musik score will be one of the most difficult things to realize. 


...It&rsquo;s only taken me to March to learn the names of the German months.   After today, I won&rsquo;t post these month names.


...The picture below is an example of my color-graphed version of the electronic score of Fantasy on Broken Glass. ...  In the future, I&rsquo;ll post a few additional score examples. 

...Dieter Kaufmann&rsquo;s amazing live performance of Pupofon once again (See Day 084).   Kaufmann uses voice, electronic manipulation, improvisation, as live theatre and opera to create an exciting work that catches my attention.   I still don&rsquo;t remember the girl in the opening photo.


...Today, in 2009, I briefly speak to a colleague about the need for &ldquo;creative outlets&rdquo; for the things you love the most.   For example, writing music or performing.   For others, it could be writing a novel, or painting.    I regret not remaining in music full time, say as a college professor and composer.   Even though today&rsquo;s journal is short, it is full of music.   Horn performance, composition, and attending live contemporary concerts.   How would my life have been different today if I had completed my doctorate degree in composition (at Ohio State University in Columbus) and been more immersed in a creative environment involving contemporary music and composition? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 211: Leap Year with Bruckner</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-29T08:57:07-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5bccbfb8d3b96019816bd5d7e64a2223-217.php#unique-entry-id-217</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5bccbfb8d3b96019816bd5d7e64a2223-217.php#unique-entry-id-217</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[piece of music to play, especially for brass.   Also, playing the bass tuba is a lot of fun.   Only problem is that it takes up a lot of time. 

...I&rsquo;m in the student orchestra and we&rsquo;re rehearsing for one of Bruckner&rsquo;s symphonies, I think the eighth.   I appear to be playing the bass Wagner tuba.   So there is no pressure for me to worry about the high notes, and most of the other horn players were much better than I was, as well. 

...The Wagner tuba is like a small version of the band instrument, the euphonium, or baritone horn.   Only, it&rsquo;s meant for horn players and is played with a French horn mouthpiece.   Did I tell you that the baritone horn was my first instrument in 4th grade band and that I played a baritone horn solo with the school band in the 8th grade? ...  Anyway, playing in this really good student orchestra is a thrill.


...My journal has February 29 in it for 1972. ...  The years 1972 and 2008 are both leap years.   How can you tell if a year has lept?   If you can divide the year by four, it&rsquo;s a leap year.   We needed some math exercises added to these journal entries. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 210: I&#x2019;m playing Bruckner; Brothers</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-28T07:43:09-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/041290a388089ff5917d5774c047b51d-216.php#unique-entry-id-216</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/041290a388089ff5917d5774c047b51d-216.php#unique-entry-id-216</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Gabler said that one of the horns might not be able to make a rehearsal for the 8th Bruckner Symphonie&mdash;great-to-play piece of music. ...  Well, when I returned I found out that the other horn student couldn&rsquo;t play at all&mdash;and so I am actually going to play. 

...The wildest part is that&mdash;I will also be playing a Wagner tuba. ...  It reminds me so much of a baritone horn, except with better range and facility. 

...Some weird things happening at home, like brother Steve dropping out of school. 


...I don&rsquo;t exactly remember the circumstances of this, but my horn professor, Frederick Gabler, invited me to play in the Wagner tuba section of the student orchestra because another student couldn&rsquo;t make it. 

...Bruckner is another late romantic composer with a big sound and great horn parts.   The horn section is large&mdash;8 horns, with 4 of the horn players, playing Wagner tubas. 

...It is sad that when you don&rsquo;t have the financial backing of a family&mdash;my mother supported five of us boys working nights in a factory&mdash;that it is much harder to do the things that others do easily.   I would say these &ldquo;life lessons&rdquo; build character, but nonetheless, it is not easy for those family members.   My brother Steve sends me a letter saying he dropped out of school (college).   Steve, as with all my brothers, is very smart and the only reason for him to drop out of school would be because of money. ...  He is a good brother with a wonderful wife and family.


...The only brother I haven&rsquo;t mentioned so far is brother Frank.   Frank has always been a caring guy, a lover of dogs, the outdoors and nature, and an expert home-builder and carpenter. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 209: Scoring for sound</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-27T22:50:46-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0cc7fe3623d0b6213f71daeaa24826aa-215.php#unique-entry-id-215</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0cc7fe3623d0b6213f71daeaa24826aa-215.php#unique-entry-id-215</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Practiced&mdash;fair amount of time and then spent rest writing letters and beginning to start the &ldquo;partiture&rdquo; [score] for the composition.


...As I have mentioned in prior posts, I have found my &ldquo;typed notes&rdquo; and rough scoring drafts for my electronic composition. 

...A musical score normally shows musical notation on musical manuscript paper&mdash;notes on a musical staff.   As my composition is being created from the sound of a breaking glass, I cannot use musical notes on a musical staff. 

...The opening picture shows a part of the score published in the Universal Edition music education book. 

...Below are a few pages of my typed notes and some of my timing graphs for the score.   I was surprised to see that I documented how I created many of the elements from the single sound of a broken glass.   There was an educational purpose to this project and I had audio examples of each of these different manipulations.   This was presented as an educational project and composition to Prof. ...  Pictured right are notes on my later revision of Fantasy on Broken Glass.


...For many years, I kept several large 15&rdquo; reels of 1/4&rdquo; magnetic tape that were the actual original composition and the educational examples mentioned above. ...  It would have been so great to digitize these examples, OCR scan my typed notes, and see if I could document the process of how I created the composition. 

...Kaufmann, or the Insitute of Electroacoustic Music, to see if there is an archive of the composition and if they can be recovered.


...Picture 1 - Part of the examples list on how the original sound was manipulated.


...Picture 3 - A colored-pencil rendition of part of the score of Fantasy on Broken Glass.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 208: Teaching with sound</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-26T21:51:43-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7d9cd0fd5712a79cbf7b530c55caf803-214.php#unique-entry-id-214</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7d9cd0fd5712a79cbf7b530c55caf803-214.php#unique-entry-id-214</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A normal day of practice and work in electronic music. ...  More exciting, is the work I did with students a few years later. ...  Kaufmann&rsquo;s course was a satisifying and great influence in my future composition and teaching.


...The opening picture shows a student, Nancy (grade 8), at the Electrocomp synthesizer in 1976. ...  The picture below shows a student, Bill (grade 9), exploring sound manipulation techniques with microphones and tape recorders (just like musique concr&egrave;te in Vienna).


...A few days ago, I talked about the musique concr&egrave;te techniques used to create and manipulate sound. ...  When I later became a middle school instrumental music teacher, I won a NJ State grant to create an electronic music program to let students experience musical creativity through musique concr&egrave;te, electronic music, and filmmaking.   In this program, I had developed two large bound notebooks, hundreds of pages, of materials and handouts that were used by the students.   There were diagrams of sound, musique concr&egrave;te techniques, music concepts, how to splice, musical form, and so on. 

...Students learned the principles of music through sound, using the same techniques I used with tape recorders and an electronic synthesizer. ...  They had a great chance to be creative in music.   In 1976, the culmination of their work was a one-hour Bicentennial presentation to the entire school, featuring electronic music and musique concr&egrave;te compositions, original films, historical narrative, historical and avant-garde slide projection, and modern dance. 

...Here are a couple of pictures of my instrumental  students in middle school&mdash;my primary job.   I had to provide the local newspapers with the photos and news articles of our performances (photo journalist). ...  The jazz band, below, was one of two middle school bands invited to the Glassboro Jazz Festival (a college festival in New Jersey) and they received the very highest of praises from the judges, who couldn&rsquo;t believe that young kids could play so well. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 207: Sound as music</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-25T08:30:39-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2d64404f1ea1774488506852686f3a2f-213.php#unique-entry-id-213</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2d64404f1ea1774488506852686f3a2f-213.php#unique-entry-id-213</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Even though it appears that I only keep on repeating myself, it&rsquo;s because that&rsquo;s all I&rsquo;ve been doing. ...  By the time I&rsquo;m through, it&rsquo;ll be just about a complete project with method, thoughts, ideas, score, and composition finished. 

...I was confident though, that I&rsquo;ll succeed in my hopes of providing some type of &ldquo;thoughtful&rdquo; and &ldquo;sensing&rdquo; experience for those who hear it&mdash;a feeling perhaps. 


...Kaufmann, unfortunately, all of the composition won&rsquo;t be able to be included in the book, but at least some will.   Kaufmann will have to be helping me a lot with it&mdash;and we had a long talk. 

...On my way home, met Mike [organist friend], and he told me to beware of the &ldquo;millions&rdquo; of police guarding the ______ Embassy. 

...As previously mentioned, the examples of the manipulation of sound is for use in an elementary education music text&mdash;for schools. ...  Of course, only a small example of the recording and the score will be in the book.  

...Then manipulate it using the software, recording programs, audio hardware, computers, and digital gadgetry of today&rsquo;s world, and see what the result would be. 

...I have used natural and musique concr&egrave;te sound techniques, electronic sound, and manipulated vocal sounds in some of my experimental music. ...  What happens when you record the sustained sound of hitting a cluster of piano strings inside of a piano (called prepared piano) and play it back, backwards? ...  If you are not certain of the importance of &ldquo;sound,&rdquo; go to any movie and imagine the emotional difference of the movie without any of the sound design (foley, effects). 

...I have this &ldquo;paper&rdquo; draft score and when completed will post a bit of it on the blog. 

...I mention my friend Mike (the organist) only a few times in this journal, but he was an organizing force in our group of friends and guided me to many of the operas and concerts that I saw in Vienna. ...  He is a successful organist and choral director, including the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir, and may still be in Vienna all these years. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 206: The Viennese experience; the Valkyries</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-02-24T08:00:21-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/872b2a838ff93c43b8832595aa313bcc-212.php#unique-entry-id-212</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/872b2a838ff93c43b8832595aa313bcc-212.php#unique-entry-id-212</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Sometimes, for relaxing, I&rsquo;ll listen to the tape tracks of the old movies I made. 

...Then after returning home, went to see &ldquo;The Valkyries&rdquo; second opera of The Ring by Wagner.   Even though it was extremely long, I wasn&rsquo;t bored at all.   The singing was excellent and I don&rsquo;t even remember hearing anyone that I didn&rsquo;t like. 

...I made a few copies of pop albums that I owned onto cassette, bringing a few with me. ...  Actually, today, I listen more to pop music than the classical genre. ...  I owned an extensive LP collection that was lost or sold years later after I moved away from home.   Wish I had those now&mdash;a lot of contemporary music, electronic music, classical, popular, The Beatles, The Stones and many more.


...Imagine the beauty of being in Vienna, seeing world-class operas and concerts, all the time.   In most of my adult life, I have been over an hour&rsquo;s commute from New York&rsquo;s concert, opera, and theatre scene.   In reality, you need two hours each way to get there&mdash;drive or take the train, traffic, park, eat, settle in, and finally enjoy the music. ...  In order to have my &ldquo;Vienna experience&rdquo; you have to be living right in the middle of the music scene with easy, quick access. 

...I&rsquo;m tempted to use the Valkyries motive (you know the one) as my wife&rsquo;s ringtone.   The opening picture is of my wife and I making believe we are Wotan and Brunhilde. 

...Famous Ride of the Valkyries (opera) on YouTube (Boulez)
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 205: Musique concr&#xe8;te&#x2014;from Vienna to teaching</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-02-23T07:20:33-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f6275344d32068c72533d9af9c6930a9-211.php#unique-entry-id-211</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f6275344d32068c72533d9af9c6930a9-211.php#unique-entry-id-211</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I think, tomorrow, at my lesson, I will attempt to begin very logically in &ldquo;how&rdquo; to play.


...Most of this time was spent in making &ldquo;a war&rdquo; &ndash; and only the rocket arsenals. 

...The way he plays the music (good and with expression) just allows me to sit around and bask in it. ...  One of his pupils, an Austrian named Gustav&mdash;a really great guy with a sense of humor&mdash;was asked the question, &ldquo;What do you think of it, Gustav?&rdquo; 

...My electronic piece, from the sound of a breaking glass, is programmatic and emulates nature and man-made sounds. ...  My guess is that as I manipulated sound and it resembled real sounds, I got the idea to tell a story. ...  I do try to put emotion into all my projects and so maybe it came out allright. 


...You can play tapes at different speeds, slow down, speed up and record on another recorder. 

...You can layer sounds to create textures and events/motives by playing tapes of sound events on three tape recorders and recording the result on a fourth recorder.


...Playing sound backwards, hand-manipulation through dragging (what&rsquo;s the word&hellip;scrubbing) were part of the techniques.


...I believe that we had low-pass and high-pass electronic filters that we were allowed to use to color the sound. 

...In those days, there was no electronic keyboard, or MIDI keyboard, or the famous electronic modules from Moog, Buchla, or Serge that came about in the &ldquo;electronic music&rdquo; revolution in later years. 

...I was proud of the fact that &ldquo;technically&rdquo; I got an immense amount of sound material out of that single sound.


...Kaufmann&rsquo;s musique concr&egrave;te course truly influenced my own composition and teaching for years to come.   As a young instrumental teacher, I created an electronic music and filmmaking program for middle school students. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 204: Jehudi Menuhin concert</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-02-22T07:00:59-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ccc7ebbbc7caa0f21fc06e0077650cf7-210.php#unique-entry-id-210</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ccc7ebbbc7caa0f21fc06e0077650cf7-210.php#unique-entry-id-210</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 204 &mdash; Jehudi Menuhin concert


22-February-1972 (Dienstag&ndash;Tue.)


...1/2 productive day of work.   Mostly electronic music.   If I weren&rsquo;t pressed for time, I would feel like taking a rest from it.


Saw a basically good concert&mdash;Jehudi Menuhin.   Slightly disappointed in violinist Menuhin, but really impressed by Jeremy, the pianist.   A good concert.


...Jehudi Menuhin.   I see a good concert with world-renown violinist, Jehudi Menuhin.   I seem to be a little bit critical of Menuhin but I&rsquo;m sure the concert was fine.   I was tired.   Menuhin is recognized as one of the world&rsquo;s premiere virtuosos of the violin. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 203: Lows&#x2c; highs&#x2c; and lip slurs</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-21T06:40:21-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/12250b8be6db088b43a4c64930ca30fd-209.php#unique-entry-id-209</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/12250b8be6db088b43a4c64930ca30fd-209.php#unique-entry-id-209</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Half the equipment is broken, but managed to get something done. ...  I&rsquo;m really discouraged because even though I&rsquo;m playing so-so well, it never &ldquo;feels&rdquo; very easy, and when it comes to high range tone, slurs and lip slurs, they are very difficult, which means I am doing something wrong.   In trying to find this out, I&rsquo;m not getting anywhere.


Then typed some letters (to music school) for a couple of hours.


...Well, seven hours in an electronic lab is perhaps a bit too much. ...  I&rsquo;m not complaining so much about the horn, just that it doesn&rsquo;t &ldquo;feel&rdquo; easy.


...All instruments take a lot of work to master, but the horn is notorious for being one of the easiest with which to make mistakes.   That&rsquo;s because the range of the horn is wide and as you go into the high register, the notes are closely spaced and difficult to precisely hit.   I had troubles with the high A&rsquo;s to high C.   I could hit the A&rsquo;s and Bb&rsquo;s but would also miss them. ...  Remember, I even had the Philip Farkas embouchure book and metal &ldquo;mouthpiece ring.&rdquo;   The Siegfried Horn Call from the other day is a good example that shows why the horn is difficult to play. 

...Wide intervals, as in Richard Strauss&rsquo; Ein Heldenleben are also difficult.


...Today, I actually miss playing the horn and especially playing in orchestras. ...  I do play keyboards and write music when I get a chance. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 202: Horn players love Richard Strauss</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-02-20T08:15:12-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5daf81f424d39fb5d958f0420fc7a5e3-208.php#unique-entry-id-208</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5daf81f424d39fb5d958f0420fc7a5e3-208.php#unique-entry-id-208</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[So I am doing a lot of reading and some catch-up work in the languages and guitar.


...I&rsquo;m beginning to think that perhaps it might be a better orchestra than the Philharmonik. 

...Tchaikovsky D-minor with violinist Mamiya...excellent violinist; and Richard Strauss&rsquo; Ein Heldenleben. 

...I guess I&rsquo;m tired of the strenuous practicing of the last week and instead take it easy, including a concert at night. 

...I would love to go back to Vienna now, over 36 years later, and try and recreate some of my concert going of this year. 

...The Vienna Philharmonic is an incredible orchestra and has always been world class.   With the brasses playing Viennese brass instruments, for example, the Viennese F Horn, the sound of the brasses is sometimes different than the brass sound of the double horns of an American orchestra&mdash;for example, the sound of the renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra brass section under Sir George Solti.   Tonight, I&rsquo;m really appreciating the Vienna orchestras and brasses tremendously.


...If you&rsquo;re a brass player, and especially a horn player, you know that Richard Strauss writes some amazingly difficult and incredible sounding horn parts that cover the entire horn range.   That is probably why my reaction to the brasses tonight stands out as impressive.   That and the eight horns in the section, the &ldquo;Wagner&rdquo; tubas, and extended brass section. 

...If I am reminded of a work by seeing one of these videos, I am more inclined to purchase a couple of CDs of Strauss&rsquo; music because of the videos.   The fidelity on streaming can&rsquo;t compare to a CD and so you buy the product, or purchase from iTunes or Amazon at higher bit rates.


...Here is the gorgeous horn solo in Ein Heldenleben


Here is a horn lesson on the opening horn in Ein Heldenleben by Greg Cass
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 201: Horn-o-phrenia</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-19T07:58:57-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/333d14dee3a937c882f811bba52f21fc-207.php#unique-entry-id-207</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/333d14dee3a937c882f811bba52f21fc-207.php#unique-entry-id-207</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[These last couple of days have really been terrible with the horn.   I don&rsquo;t know why, but I&rsquo;ve been playing extremely bad. ?

...Spend the rest of the day playing a little guitar and relaxing and reading. ...  Perhaps I need to get back in the swing.


...The dictionary describes horn-o-phrenia as the following: a playing disorder of the French horn and its players, characterized by bipolar swings of good playing and not-so-good playing, resulting in confusion and anxiety for the attended horn player. 

...I&rsquo;m afflicted with horn-o-phrenia.   A few days ago, I was singing the praises of practicing and that I was doing better. ...  Again, I suspect its not as bad as it sounds (except for those occasional high notes).


The cure for horn-o-phrenia.   The cure for horn-o-phrenia is good-old new-fashioned YouTube videos to cheer me up&mdash; two are very nice videos based on Wagner&rsquo;s Siegfried Horn Call. ...  Hans Pizka does a great job of telling the story of Siegfried and playing the Siegfried Horn Call.   A young hornist, Annamia Eriksson, plays the call in a beautiful and vibrant palatial hall. 

...I can only conclude that, as a young student, I was trying to play Wagner&rsquo;s Seigried Horn Call as well as I could. 

...Hans Pizka tells the story of (and plays) the Siegfried Horn Call


Annamia Eriksson, playing Siegried&rsquo;s Horn Call in a beautiful hall
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 200: In 36 years&#x2c; life hasn&#x2019;t changed</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-18T18:55:12-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0ace2dfd4cda0b2ea44757a182195c79-205.php#unique-entry-id-205</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0ace2dfd4cda0b2ea44757a182195c79-205.php#unique-entry-id-205</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As I sit here at night, my back aching, my ears killing me, my stomach growling, my ego shattered, my fingers hurting me and my brain tired&mdash;I say to myself, &ldquo;Listen you idiot, you&rsquo;re working too hard.&rdquo;


My horn playing this morning shattered my ego (not so good today); and then I progressed to a whole day of El. ...  Then on the way to practice again, I decided instead to go and type at the Library for 2-1/2 hours, thus my tired fingers and aching back. ...  That&rsquo;s one good thing&mdash;did I make a find today&mdash;I bought a stick of baloney (1 kg) for 30s, and I saved about 40s.   So, what do I do, I go out and spend half of it on chocolate.


Anyway, even though I&rsquo;m doing all these things and going strong, and I like doing it, I&rsquo;m becoming depressed. ...  Just think, if I had one [girlfriend] now, she could massage my aching back, and cook my supper for me. ...  It seems like every time I get &ldquo;into school,&rdquo; I suddenly become more lacking in the female dept. (hope things change)


...As I sit here 36 years later, actually 37 years due to my year of stress-of-life-sabbatical, I am sitting here in a hotel in California, just ending the NAMM music show, getting ready to head back home. 

...I have always had lower back problems, but for some reason, I have aggravated some back muscle that gives me great pain when sleeping and getting up.


...My friends did read it for a while but then I lost them on sabbatical. 

...I&rsquo;m doing too many things in both my work life and personal life. 

...I eat a lot of sweets and chocolate, leading to my up-and-down weight (down, then mostly up). 

...Throughout my life, I have always been lacking in girlfriends, especially after marriage (not one, yet). ...  Although, my good friends don&rsquo;t give me back-rubs for my aching back and fingers, home-cooked meals for my growling stomach, emotional support for my bruised ego and tired brain, and chocolate for my life-stresses. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 199: Practice&#x2c; more practice</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-17T17:52:29-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5f56bb19d98fcec092fd0fed344ff549-204.php#unique-entry-id-204</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5f56bb19d98fcec092fd0fed344ff549-204.php#unique-entry-id-204</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 199 &mdash; Practice, more practice


17-February-1972 (Donnerstag&ndash;Thur.)


...Reverse today.   Practice 8:30&ndash;10 and 4&ndash;6, and El.   Musik 10&ndash;4.   Not a bad arrangement. 


Later, just practiced guitar.


...Practice.   A lot.   Must be vacation time.


Electronic music.   Continuing with a lot of studio time in the lab.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 198: Practice Makes Perfect</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-16T18:31:59-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3a35b2fa44c1c9257aa8fda5411e0d90-203.php#unique-entry-id-203</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3a35b2fa44c1c9257aa8fda5411e0d90-203.php#unique-entry-id-203</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...All I&rsquo;m doing is practicing 10&ndash;4, except lunch.   Horn and piano are both getting a workout.   I should really play this much all year.


...I&rsquo;m practicing&mdash;a lot.   I seem to be practicing a lot and I&rsquo;m not complaining (about my skill level). ...  They do say, &ldquo;Practice makes perfect.&rdquo;   Some people say, &ldquo;Practice makes permanent.&rdquo;   Meaning that you could be reinforcing lots of bad habits. 


I am always amazed at how much music students practice throughout their school years, and the rest of their lives.   It&rsquo;s a lot of work.   The next time you hear a great concert pianist, musician, singer, or orchestra, thank them for practicing a lot.   That&rsquo;s why they are great. 

...I don&rsquo;t know what the remark about vacation refers to. ...  When the Austrians go skiing to Innsbruck and St. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 197: 25s a day&#x2c; oh my&#x21;&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-15T19:26:42-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/bb6eeda42e9fe56883bbf2563d80a75d-202.php#unique-entry-id-202</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/bb6eeda42e9fe56883bbf2563d80a75d-202.php#unique-entry-id-202</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 197 &mdash; 25s a day, oh my!


...So, just practiced horn and piano&mdash;good, and typed (my educational El. 

...For this month, must live on approx 25s a day. ...  The last of my money will run out.


...I am typing up notes on my electronic music project. ...  I found these collections of notes when I discovered my journal.   I haven&rsquo;t at looked at them in detail, yet.   Sometime before the end of this blog adventure, I&rsquo;ll see if they have any interest and report back to you.


...Seems like money is a life-long problem.   25 Austrian schillings a day doesn&rsquo;t sound like a lot.   I think standing room at the opera was 10s.   Apparently my money is running out a bit early.   A large part of that was that my Rotary International stipend was based on a fixed amount before Nixon devalued the dollar by a large amount.   Later in the year, Rotary does send me a supplemental amount to offset the dollar loss. ...  Just so you know, I did bring my personal savings with me to Vienna, both to buy my French Horn and to spend on extras, living expenses, and perhaps a ski adventure. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 196: Applying to Fontainebleau</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-14T08:28:15-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6c897a74f416c1c2bdffe325045bad56-201.php#unique-entry-id-201</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6c897a74f416c1c2bdffe325045bad56-201.php#unique-entry-id-201</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 196 &mdash; Applying to Fontainebleau


...Not enough, but 2-3 hours.


...Then, found a typewriter (at library) and typed for 3+ hours, finished all the needed materials for Fontainebleau scholarship. 


...After a full day of practice and electronic music, I go to the library and type for another three hours to complete my application for scholarship to Fontainebleau.   If I remember correctly, I was not applying just for entrance but also for a scholarship (as I had no money).   I was out of my league and I didn&rsquo;t have enough experience.   Skipping ahead to the future, I don&rsquo;t get the scholarship but I do get a very nice surprise.


...Fontainebleau is a very famous school in France, located in the beautiful, forested town of Fontainebleau just outside of Paris.   Many composers have studied there, some under the famous teacher, Nadia Boulanger.   Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Virgil Thomson, Elliott Carter, Maurice Ravel among many others.


The opening photo of the Fontainebleau Schools is from their website.   It is a beautiful school and setting.   The program also includes study for architects.


...Wikipedia article on the town of Fontainebleau
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 195: Gourmet Beethoven</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-02-13T07:13:59-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9f9de55f59050faca58667a001d771aa-200.php#unique-entry-id-200</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9f9de55f59050faca58667a001d771aa-200.php#unique-entry-id-200</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spending most of the day&mdash;somewhat relaxing&mdash;by finishing up written work. ...  I have made myself a typical Sunday meal, which I&rsquo;m getting to be an expert at:  instant soup, hot dogs, eggs, and hot chocolate.   Of course, with plenty of fruit around to supplement it.


...Saw an unbelievable performance of Beethoven&rsquo;s Fidelio. ...  I also never heard such a good job on the &ldquo;Lenore&rdquo; overture (to 3rd Act). 

...Instant soup, hot dogs, eggs, fruit, and hot chocolate&mdash;basically, I know how to boil water.   As I got older, and as a single guy, I usually went for the simple meals.  

...After all, that&rsquo;s why I&rsquo;m in Vienna. ...  Beethoven&rsquo;s Fidelio, a lot of great music, great horn parts, great gourmet Beethoven.   I enjoyed the performance and the singing.


...[I like to use the newer plural term for the Internet&mdash;not sure why.]   If you search on a title/topic you can usually find some nice musical performance.   A search on &ldquo;Beethoven Fidelio&rdquo; gave this YouTube link to the opening Fidelio Overture (7:23) by Nikolas Harnoncourt and the Orchestre de L&rsquo;Operade de Z&uuml;rich. ...  It&rsquo;s a great way for students to search, hear, and see a lot of music. 


...The opening picture is from Wikipedia Commons:  &ldquo;A portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820&rdquo;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 194: Conservatory style</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-12T12:40:31-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ea1f5598b905504d31c40f903f661cb4-199.php#unique-entry-id-199</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ea1f5598b905504d31c40f903f661cb4-199.php#unique-entry-id-199</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The reason I&rsquo;ve been having all of this time is that no one else is around working.   I don&rsquo;t like to be selfish, but it&rsquo;s great.


...More experiences in horn class and work in electronic music.   Boring reading, but most of life is this type of routine and repetition.


...Although, I have mentioned this before, it is an interesting point to bring up again.   In my undergraduate horn lessons in the U.S., the lesson was private.   You sat down on a chair in a closed studio and had your lesson with your professor. ...  You performed outside of lessons in school ensembles (orchestra, band, chorus, chamber groups).


A Viennese horn class&mdash;conservatory style.   The Viennese horn &ldquo;lesson&rdquo; was more of a class.   In Vienna, you went to the horn studio, sat in a chair, forming a line of students waiting to take their lessons. ...  When it was your turn, you got up and had your lesson, playing &ldquo;standing up,&rdquo; and having a line of students watch you. ...  This put a bit more pressure on you to perform well, and did accomplish the purpose of always having you play in front of people. ...  Gabler would also arrange for chamber music and horn ensembles to be performed.   This conservatory style approach also provided very good instruction.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 193: Nothing special</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-11T12:37:57-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a98d920e6d100ed90c5f517459c56969-198.php#unique-entry-id-198</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a98d920e6d100ed90c5f517459c56969-198.php#unique-entry-id-198</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 193 &mdash; Nothing special


11-February-1972 (Freitag&ndash;Fri.)


TRANSCRIPT


A lot of El.   Musik&mdash;I think it&rsquo;s progressing!


REFLECTIONS


Nothing special, a day of progress in electronic music.   It&rsquo;s nice that I am sounding very confident.   Finally.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 192: Dreams&#x2c; hopes&#x2c; and scholarships</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-10T18:40:01-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4e6e0a4327b49a98ad2d90ea1382485f-197.php#unique-entry-id-197</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4e6e0a4327b49a98ad2d90ea1382485f-197.php#unique-entry-id-197</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After reading everything through, it seems that it might be best to wait a few years (proceed with my Higher Ed.) and then apply. ...  If, these areas are well under way and I have progressed sufficiently, then my chances for the Fullbright&mdash;and what I could do with it&mdash;would be greatly increased.


...Perhaps I have a focus, a project, and a goal to keep me on track.


...I obviously have a desire to continue studying music and to learn the craft and art of composing.   For this to be real, I need to apply for scholarships.   I am applying to that very famous school of composition&mdash;Fountainbleu&mdash;with Nadia Boulanger in France, and for a Fullbright fellowship for advanced graduate study. ...  In both cases, I did not yet have the right experience, graduate work, and composing credentials. 


...Wow, looking back at today&rsquo;s post reminds me of my youthful hopes and dreams&mdash;of studying, of wanting to become a composer.   It&rsquo;s good to have dreams, to hope, and to &ldquo;work&rdquo; towards your goals. ...  I am doing that, slightly differently, ever since and even to this day.   So my advice to young people is to do the same, but perhaps even better. 

...As you go through life, there will be many choices and paths offered you. ...  Practical living comes into play&mdash;we all have to work, make money, eat, pay bills, raise families, and live. ...  No, I have always struggled with serious music and still find it difficult. ...  No, I am always trying to be creative (also in non-musical ways) as I move to new ideas.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 191: Life at Wickenburggasse; letters from Anjali</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-09T18:29:14-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d28f2efc2e6d5429cf0ca44cdc646f13-196.php#unique-entry-id-196</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d28f2efc2e6d5429cf0ca44cdc646f13-196.php#unique-entry-id-196</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 191 &mdash; Life at Wickenburggasse; letters from Anjali


...The hardest part&mdash;yet to come&mdash;will be trying to combine these together into a piece. 


...Normally, when I get home from school, horn practice, and electronic music, it is late.   I may eat dinner at a school cafeteria or make something simple at home.   I think I may have had a student meal pass to the University of Vienna&rsquo;s cafeteria, however I don&rsquo;t remember if this was for the entire year. ...  I would read books and write in my journal late at night. 

...I wish I had a photo of my room at Wickenburggasse, but I don&rsquo;t. 

...Regardless of my day, whenever I received a letter from Anjali, it made my day. ...  Remember, I know that I like her but our correspondence is innocent and probably more on the level of best friends. ...  I threw away almost all of those letters and now I wish I could read them and post bits of them in this journal. 

...Why didn&rsquo;t I meet anyone else in my small group of friends?   Probably because the group was a small group of friends.   I did write back to Elisabeth just a couple of days before.   I liked Elisabeth as well but I think I was really drawn to Anjali. 

...I wonder if my wife would let me have a girlfriend? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 190: The Sound of Breaking Glass</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-08T09:05:50-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7564d71ba1518c5f20d8d930462606b2-195.php#unique-entry-id-195</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7564d71ba1518c5f20d8d930462606b2-195.php#unique-entry-id-195</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Began my &ldquo;private electronic music work&rdquo; on the book possibility. 

...In electronic music, I now decide to begin on the &ldquo;book&rdquo; project, where I am supposed to take a single sound&mdash;I chose to break a glass&mdash;and show how it can be manipulated with musique concr&egrave;te techniques. ...  Kaufmann and the class helping with the recording of the sound, the mic had to be brought out from a locked closet.   Then, I spent over 10 hours working with the sound. 

...I won&rsquo;t talk about it now, but this day, and this sound, was the beginning of an experimental journey in creating music with &ldquo;raw sound,&rdquo; a journey that I will never forget.   My work did end up as a completed composition, with a portion of the music and score used in a Universal Edition education book&mdash;the reason that the man approached our class in the first place.


...My concr&egrave;te piece, if I remember correctly, was over 20 minutes long at it&rsquo;s first electronic performance. ...  It was a good example of the manipulations of musique concr&egrave;te. ...  Kaufmann had programmed the piece on other concerts in the few years after my stay in Vienna.   I believe that I have lost this tape and haven&rsquo;t heard it in many years. 

...A few days ago, I decided to search for the music on the Internet, and amazingly, a short 1-2 minute audio excerpt of the piece was in an educational or professor&rsquo;s archive on experimental music.   It was an example of how a single sound could be manipulated.   Isn&rsquo;t that AMAZING&mdash;that this lost bit of my personal music history is on the Internet? 

...In my future work after Vienna, as a student, I use some musique concr&egrave;te techniques in some electronic works at both Indiana University and Ohio State University.   As a young music teacher (band teacher), I won a small grant to start an electronic music program where middle school students (grades 7&ndash;9), explore and create electronic music, musique concr&egrave;te and filmmaking. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 189: Pretty &#x201c;well&#x2c;&#x201d; not pretty &#x201c;good&#x201d;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-07T08:09:30-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/235d88241daf0119f107b76c401903ac-194.php#unique-entry-id-194</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/235d88241daf0119f107b76c401903ac-194.php#unique-entry-id-194</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Saw the film that &ldquo;we&rdquo; were supposed to be producing&mdash;and I won&rsquo;t be helping. ...  It&rsquo;s true&hellip;and with my knowledge of German&hellip;


...I&rsquo;ve always had and still have problems with grammar. ...  Within a few weeks it was on the New York Times bestseller list. ...  In some respects it demonstrates the power that a quality-content podcast brings to the world.   Loyal users who follow and love Grammar Girl&mdash;I&rsquo;m one&mdash;bought &ldquo;Grammar Girl&rsquo;s Quick and Dirty Tips to Better Writing&rdquo; in bookstores. 

...I learn that the film project in the electronic music class is going to two other students in the class.   I won&rsquo;t be on the project (no wonder I didn&rsquo;t remember it). ...  That said, I have always had a desire to work in film, both as the film guy and the composer. 

...Looking back, I now sense how much additional depth Dieter Kaufmann introduced to the electronic music course.   We did not just learn the history and techniques of electronic music, as is often the case in many traditional courses.   Instead Professor Kaufmann was introducing real-life creative opportunities to those of us in the class. ...  I realize that I am repeating myself and thanking my professors multiple times. 

...By the way, I have always written Kaufmann&rsquo;s name with two letter n&rsquo;s in the journal.   Then I saw an Internet article with one n and started changing a few pages. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 188: A Little Bit Every Day</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-06T08:02:03-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ee63c76070a6b17481cfa1ca8810f680-193.php#unique-entry-id-193</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ee63c76070a6b17481cfa1ca8810f680-193.php#unique-entry-id-193</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 188 &mdash; A Little Bit Every Day


...Spend rest of the day catching up on work.   I seem to be getting some progress made in the languages because I&rsquo;ve been spending a little time every day studying.


...In transcribing this journal, I haven&rsquo;t always been putting in the underlines, italics, or &ldquo;****&rdquo; that indicate some emphasis to myself on what I thought was important at the time of writing.   But today, I&rsquo;m going to do it.   I underlined the word &ldquo;every&rdquo; &mdash;see, every!   The key to learning is to &ldquo;do&rdquo; and &ldquo;do it again&rdquo; (repetition).   I&rsquo;m not saying memorization, but doing. ...  If I want to learn French, what will get me better results, doing a little bit of French every day, or once a week?


...The challenge is to find the time and the energy to continue to learn and do things through your entire life.   Once you have a full-time job, marriage, children, and all the responsibilities of life&mdash;it gets tougher to do the extra things you want to do&mdash;like learn a language.   Thank goodness we have Rosetta Stone, today.   (A commercial joke, I haven&rsquo;t purchased it yet because it is very expensive.)
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 187: Great horn website</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-05T19:51:44-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/586fa19b0ec71fc3626857f4b145850d-192.php#unique-entry-id-192</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/586fa19b0ec71fc3626857f4b145850d-192.php#unique-entry-id-192</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I can&rsquo;t remember what I did (I&rsquo;m writing from a few days in advance). 

...A few days ago, I discovered a great website that contains some great photos and information on the Horn, and the Viennese Horn, in particular. ...  Pizka has graciously given me permission to post a few photos and links from his site.   If you have an interest in the Horn or Viennese Horn, I recommend visiting his site. 


...Pizka has been the principal horn in the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, holding the distinguished title of the &ldquo;Franz Strauss Chair.&rdquo; ...  On the home page, you can find a link to a Quicktime movie of him playing the traditional horn&rsquo;s long call. 

...For example, I wanted to find more information about my horn teacher, Prof. ...  Gabler was the assistant first horn in Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. 5, from Bernstein&rsquo;s memorable Vienna concert series of the Mahler Symphonies in 1972. 

...I did not realize that the horn players of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra were required by contract to use the Vienna F horn.   The single Vienna F horn is harder to play than the traditional F/Bb double horn used by many horn players.   The Bb horn extension has shorter tubing and is thus higher pitched, allowing for easier playing in the higher register.   If you are a public school teacher, you can give a great science lesson on the Horn and its relation to science&mdash;natural horns, acoustics, production of sound with vibration, how valves affect pitch, the harmonic/overtone series).


...There are some wonderful vintage photos in this section and text descriptions of the history and instruments of the Viennese Horn tradition (in English and German). ...  Check out some of these links for a wonderful look at the Horn and some of its history.   The site contains additional links to other horn sites and photos as well. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 186: Quality Education; Opportunity Knocks</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-04T18:28:05-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3a0fc7fab77f958b3a1e0bac4fcb49b4-191.php#unique-entry-id-191</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3a0fc7fab77f958b3a1e0bac4fcb49b4-191.php#unique-entry-id-191</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After a short talk, these are the results: If I can produce the results I want with my music, and then have an outlined plan as to what I want filmed, then the possibility of making this film is good.   So, from now on I&rsquo;m going to really try and produce results.


(2) A man came into one of our classes and sat around a while, and then I ended up talking with him.   He is making an educational book and wants an example of a typical sound, and then show how it can be transformed by various means into &ldquo;concrete&rdquo; music [musique concr&egrave;te].   I am also going to try and do this, because it could have good &ldquo;results&rdquo; with respect to: (a) pleasing Rotary at home, (b) my educational concern (getting a job) as a future teacher, (c) can be used for my own teaching, (d) would be a good example to show other schools and studios where I might want to study, (e) sounds can be naturally used by myself, and (f) I would have actually made a meaningful contribution to something.


...Kaufmann and the three or four of us in our class, we are going to try and produce some electronic music for a film that two students have made.


...Gabler expanding the horn curriculum and making it more interesting by providing all types of activities in addition to simple in-class lessons.   For example, sitting besides him in an orchestra pit rehearsal, bringing in outside professors for different teaching methodologies, and placing us in a wide variety of small and large performing ensembles. 


...Kaufmann has shown us the art, techniques, and practices of musique concr&egrave;te, electronic music, improvisation, and contemporary music.   He has also brought in outside speakers from composers to engineers, and introduced us to concerts of contemporary music, including his own, very exciting Pupofon.   Today, in electronic music class, we have another example of this quality education&mdash;two real-world projects (a film, and an educational book) that offer us the ability to apply what we learn to a practical end.


...Thanks to the Vienna Hochschule f&uuml;r Musik und Dartstellende Kunst in Wien (Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in Vienna) for being the bedrock of this experience. 


...There are two opportunities presented to the students of the electronic music class.   One is to participate in a film project, and the second is an electronic music project&mdash;take a single sound and show how it can be manipulated using the techniques of musique concr&egrave;te&mdash;recording and manipulation of sound using tape recorders, tape splicing, filters, and other manipulation techniques.   This second project will take on an immense importance for me in my work for the rest of the semester.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 185: Viennese Horn teachers</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-03T07:10:50-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c11d4217018a200bc040041f451f07d2-190.php#unique-entry-id-190</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c11d4217018a200bc040041f451f07d2-190.php#unique-entry-id-190</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[(Horn quarter in Bad Aussee L-R: Fischer, Gabler, Tomb&ouml;ck, and unknown. 

...In having more air support when playing the horn, I should think of how it is to &ldquo;grunt&rdquo; while excreting.   It really helps and it&rsquo;s a great way to learn how to push and support the air with your diaphragm&mdash;because everyone knows the feeling.


...I wasn&rsquo;t doing my best and was letting everyone know about it.   So, he got very enthusiastic and was really trying to help. ...  (Used to be an excellent and well-known solo Vienna horn player.)


Have also been trying to study a little German and French everyday. 

...And he is really trying to help me. ...  When it comes to learning the horn, I think that I am my own worst enemy. ...  I think that this probably normal for young students and in real life I don&rsquo;t think it was a bad as it sounds in my journal.


...I knew that I was not attempting to become a professional horn player&mdash;you have to play perfectly for that&mdash;however, I did want to become the best that I could.   Not to be so pessimistic, after Vienna, I did play horn for many years as a student at Indiana and Ohio State Universities, as a teacher, and in local orchestras and chamber ensembles.


...Looking back, I like the fact that Professor Gabler allowed for a variety of experiences, ensembles, and performing opportunities in my Vienna horn studies. ...  Gabler (2nd from left) with his colleagues in Bad Aussee. 

...Pizka&rsquo;s horn website at Day 187, two days from now.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 184: Friends leaving</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-02T08:01:38-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0c0d9c9334767f5415bd020380b1a107-189.php#unique-entry-id-189</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0c0d9c9334767f5415bd020380b1a107-189.php#unique-entry-id-189</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Worked for hours in Electronic Music producing an outstanding 30 seconds of &ldquo;questionable quality&rdquo; music. 


Found out that two very good horn players are leaving&mdash;Jean-Pierre (will study in Montreal) and Peggy R., around the Chicago area. 


Jean-Pierre said, if I ever had the chance, to take a few lessons from Pierre, solo hornist of the Montreal Symphony.


...Yes, sometimes it takes a lot of work to produce a few seconds of final result. 


...Two horn players, American and Canadian, are leaving to return to their homes.   There were probably here for a single semester to experience the Vienna horn style, which is different than the bigger sound of American orchestras.   Jean-Pierre and Peggy were very good players.


...I did get to visit Jean-Pierre in Montreal for a very short visit, some years later. ...  My visit was in the middle of the winter, it was biting cold, and I remember walking over a bridge on the St. ...  I liked the old city in Montreal. 

...(1) I wished that I had traveled much more in my life.   If you have the opportunity to travel, do it.   (2) I wish I kept a journal for other times in my life.   Without a journal, you just remember the event (Montreal, winter) and not the details or what you were thinking at the time.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 183: Nothing new; language study</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-02-01T07:48:25-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0edc993d8fb790f134757d1ab7d5ad04-188.php#unique-entry-id-188</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0edc993d8fb790f134757d1ab7d5ad04-188.php#unique-entry-id-188</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 183 &mdash; Nothing new; language study


01-February-1972 (Dienstag&ndash;Tue.)


TRANSCRIPT


Did a lot of practicing.   Sometimes feel real good.   I am going to try and study French and German (and hopefully Polish) at least a little every day.


REFLECTIONS


A day of study and practicing.   French, German, and Polish?   Perhaps I&rsquo;m planning some trips.


Looking back, I wish that I had spent more time over my life learning new languages.   Maybe it&rsquo;s time to get Rosetta Stone.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 182: NAMM 2009</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-31T21:11:21-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/20b83a9ea3fb9fdf9dac39b7bf1d5263-187.php#unique-entry-id-187</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/20b83a9ea3fb9fdf9dac39b7bf1d5263-187.php#unique-entry-id-187</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Since nothing happened in 1972, it is my pleasure to talk about 2009.


...Earlier this month, I made the annual trek to Annaheim, CA to attend the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) trade show.   Last year, in 2008, I reported on that show, just about the time I stopped blogging.   This year&rsquo;s NAMM was exciting, as always, and helped remind me to begin blogging again. 

...Here is a short list of always exciting things I enjoy to check up on.


...This year&rsquo;s presence was amplified by their new release of the long-awaited MIR project. ...  More than a convolution reverb, MIR allows the positioning of orchestral instruments in an acoustic space. 

...I always get a kick out of the live performers and demos at TC Electronics, specifically their Harmony-G and Harmony-M products that produce some great-sounding harmony vocals for both live performance and the studio. ...  I was able to see Soren Andersen performing on guitar and Laura Clapp singing (pictured left) in action. 

...Nick Phoenix is always presenting new sound-library products through EastWest Soundsonline and Quantum Leap.   The competitor to VSL has, in his own right, great sound libraries with a different approach. 

...&bull; And the many, many other products:  DJ equipment, Sibelius and Finale notation software, Spectrasonics libraries, Digital Performer, M-Audio, Roland, Yamaha, Native Instruments, Garritan, and too many others to list. ...  This lovely DJ, Barbara, from DJ-Tech Professional answered many of my questions on DJ equipment and software.


...All you can do is continue to do your best and survive as best you can.


...Let&rsquo;s wish him the best and hope that he can turn this economy around.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 181: Vienna in the snow&#x2c; beautiful</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-30T20:30:43-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/112a19226e39fd45392b04f5e4c13d63-186.php#unique-entry-id-186</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/112a19226e39fd45392b04f5e4c13d63-186.php#unique-entry-id-186</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 181 &mdash; Vienna in the snow, beautiful


30-January-1972 (Sonntag&ndash;Sun.)


...Today it snowed.   And it was nice walking through the parks when everything is white.   Won&rsquo;t last long.


Catching up on writing, etc. and some practicing.


...Beautiful snow, beautiful Vienna.   You know that I like snow, nature, and being outdoors.   In the year I was in Vienna, it did not snow a lot.   Perhaps this was the only time.   Here are a few pictures of how beautiful Vienna looks like when it snows.   The Rathaus (left) and parks are quiet and serene.   I only took a few photos while walking through the parks (opening photo and below).
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 180: Vienna Ice Follies&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-29T19:37:01-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c932fe853ee3f7d72f9b4758b32cae95-185.php#unique-entry-id-185</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c932fe853ee3f7d72f9b4758b32cae95-185.php#unique-entry-id-185</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Morning played fourth horn in the Hindemith Concerto.   Sometimes I feel like I&rsquo;m improving and can do really well. 

...Spent rest of day trying to improvise with our class (electronic music). ...  Maybe it&rsquo;s because I can get more from experimenting with separate sounds, than get a result from a group improvisation.


At night, saw Wiener Ice Follies in the Madison-Square-Garden-type Stadthalle (above).   It was really enjoyable, with a colorful show, stories, comedy, good music, excellent skating. 

...Again, I played in a small ensemble&mdash;fourth horn, that means no high notes (my weakness). ...  I put it on my senior recital on French Horn from Montclair State College.   There I played first horn, of course (my recital) You can see a picture of my Montclair horn colleagues in the Pictures section.


...In all my college/graduate years, I&rsquo;ve played in plenty of pieces that required improvisation.   It&rsquo;s not easy and I may not be the best at it.


...It&rsquo;s good to see all types of entertainment.   I took a lot of pictures and most of them came out blurry. 

...Do you know that I can look up all of the concerts for this season&rsquo;s Vienna Stadthalle on the Internet, and probably buy tickets as well.   How did you do it in the old days, probably asked your travel agent to pick up tickets. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 179: Contemporary music</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-28T19:00:55-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5c773fd9c5aaf4109e3ec670962dc07d-184.php#unique-entry-id-184</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5c773fd9c5aaf4109e3ec670962dc07d-184.php#unique-entry-id-184</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Generally, I think his works have something.   But I am not terrifically turned on by all of his music (like so much of cont. music) &ndash; either I&rsquo;m missing something or he&rsquo;s missing something.   One piece had tape with orchestra &ndash; was sort of a disappointment of what he did with the tape, was not indicative of what electronic music can do.


...Here I go again, being somewhat critical of some things in a concert. ...  Most of the people I may offer a slight criticism of are very, very highly regarded professionals, performers and composers.   I think that in this journal, as a young dude, I may just be expressing stylistic differences as to what I think might be different.


If people heard my music, they would probably tear it apart much more so.


I generally like almost everything I listen to. 

...I believe that, as a young student, I was generally overly critical of contemporary music pieces and concerts. ...  Contemporary music is hard to listen to, and much harder to understand and analyze.   Thus, a lot of non-tonal based music, or experimental music, is serious, difficult music that requires some serious understanding and study.   On a surface level, much contemporary music begins to sound similar due to the fact that you don&rsquo;t have melodies and harmonies to latch on to.   That is probably my youthful view on these things. 

...I actually really like contemporary music, whereas the general public doesn&rsquo;t.    Thus, don&rsquo;t take any of my criticisms as being serious. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 178: Time Machine Tape Recorder</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-27T18:34:51-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/08e086a5a3ebce5181999c43a0257c45-183.php#unique-entry-id-183</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/08e086a5a3ebce5181999c43a0257c45-183.php#unique-entry-id-183</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 178 &mdash; Time Machine Tape Recorder


...As for a concert, saw Pierre Fournier, cellist (also saw him at MSC), who gave an excellent recital.   I didn&rsquo;t like the way he did everything but it was still extremely enjoyable.   I always get a kick out of the way people stand at the bottom of the stage for the encores.   It must make the performer fell unbelievably good.


Before, went to sight-reading class of Horn Solo Lit. (mostly that Dr. 

...After a regular day, I get to see an excellent cello concert by Pierre Fournier.   When I say things like &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t like the way he did everything&hellip;,&rdquo; I wonder exactly what I was thinking.   I&rsquo;m not a cellist.   Perhaps, it&rsquo;s just being young and full of opinion.


Time machine tape recorder.   I guess I would like a time machine tape recorder (like YouTube, but better quality), where you could dial in to your past life and see a video of whatever was happening at that moment.   Then I could really figure out what I was thinking.


I throw out this free business idea to any inventors out there who would like to capitalize on it.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 177: Meeting Rotary; First Haircut</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-26T18:20:27-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8516acd6f6990aa65d96e152e4fdcd03-182.php#unique-entry-id-182</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8516acd6f6990aa65d96e152e4fdcd03-182.php#unique-entry-id-182</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Practiced part of the day and then went to my first chamber music rehearsal Strauss &ldquo;Serenade.&rdquo;   It was a good learning experience because the ensemble would basically play (start) on its own, and the professor in charge would listen and offer criticisms and suggestions. 

...Got it cut to my normal &ldquo;middle-long&rdquo; short haircut.   Probably, the most traumatic experience that I&rsquo;ve had since I&rsquo;ve been here. 

...There were about 40 people&mdash;hair from my length to longer.   I really didn&rsquo;t have to get it cut this short. 

...Then we heard a lecture (2 hrs.) on &ldquo;Management&rdquo; with emphasis on socialism, r-evolution (ohne &ndash;r) [without the &ldquo;r&rdquo;], the role of business with social problems, etc.   Even though it was all in German, I got the basic ideas.   The speaker was from Deutschland and was supposed to give ideas as to how to strengthen Austria&rsquo;s economics.


...You remember that long hair from my skiing and student ID pictures? ...  Back to a moderate length for my Rotary meeting.


...I am finally invited to a Rotary event to meet other Rotary students and hear a business lecture, in German.   The point of the lecture being that evolution might be better than revolution.   I believe I am surprised at how many students there are.   I&rsquo;m not certain if they all have scholarships, or if they are connected to Rotary through the University perhaps. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 176: Brother Mike in Vienna&#x2c; yay&#x21;&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-25T15:38:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/eb3d0c8c94083864e866eceeeb5565a9-180.php#unique-entry-id-180</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/eb3d0c8c94083864e866eceeeb5565a9-180.php#unique-entry-id-180</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At 6:30 [a.m.], met brother Mike and friend at the train station.   Brought them back to my room and cooked them breakfast&mdash;eggs, even.   After a slight rest&mdash;we&rsquo;re all tired from the last couple of days&mdash;we went out on the John M crash course&mdash;&ldquo;All of Vienna in One Day&rdquo; [tour]. 


They saw most of the big sights and there were even a few &ldquo;firsts&rdquo; for me: Votiv Kirche, tour of the living quarters of the Hofburg Palace. ...  Saw most of the Kunthistorische (Art Museum) &ndash; reminded me of the Met [in NY] and Sch&ouml;nbrunn with the tour of the inside.   These tours were excellent&mdash;you can learn something historically and they&rsquo;re very interesting. ...  Besides all of the other walking around, we saw most of the famous buildings and also went shopping. 


...Good, but we were all extremely tired and probably didn&rsquo;t enjoy it as much.


...Yes, my brother and his friend make to it Vienna.   After some home-cooked breakfast, we spend the rest of the day in heavy sightseeing. 

...I tried to place each photo from today in the blog and pictures area. 

...This is a pretty amazing day and because we took the inside tours of the Hofburg and Sch&ouml;brunn Palaces, I learned quite a bit of the history of these sites. ...  I think my brother Mike and his friend enjoyed it.   They then got back on the train to head back to Kitzb&uuml;hel to finish their ski vacation.   Mike&rsquo;s a great guy, has always been a hard worker, and deserved this time off.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 175: Back in Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-24T15:24:09-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6fae30613f9e2a0ec840fba3f5e15a63-179.php#unique-entry-id-179</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6fae30613f9e2a0ec840fba3f5e15a63-179.php#unique-entry-id-179</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 175 &mdash; Back in Vienna


24-January-1972 (Montag&ndash;Mon.)


...Arrived back home early.   Very tired, but left immediately for school.   To sum up the whole day, it was terrible.   I was tired, haven&rsquo;t practiced, and then didn&rsquo;t do well in all my things today.


Ate a good home-cooked meal (soup and baloney sandwiches), finished up loose work, and went to bed early.   Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man, healthy, wealthy, and &hellip;&rdquo;


...Back in Vienna, right off the train, I head for school.   Am tired and it sounds like I didn&rsquo;t do well.   What did I expect?   I was on holiday.   Obviously, my specialty is soup and baloney.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 174: Kitzb&#xfc;hel&#x2c; Day 2</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-23T15:03:49-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4ac58d4dd2173f0b0cc5924b243d3ae7-178.php#unique-entry-id-178</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4ac58d4dd2173f0b0cc5924b243d3ae7-178.php#unique-entry-id-178</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Went skiing with Mike&rsquo;s group and teacher.   It was even better skiing, more snow and easier.   Skiing in Kitzb&uuml;hel is fairly good (better on open slopes).   But, I think, not as good as St. ...  It was a very enjoyable day.   And altogether, I did a lot of skiing and talked a lot with Mike.   For some reason, he&rsquo;s being nicer than back home.


Had dinner and drove around with Mike. ...  He should really like it here in Vienna.


All in all, it&rsquo;s been a great four days.   Saw Mike, my old friends from Montclair, saw Munich, saw Kitzb&uuml;hel, and skied.   I can&rsquo;t possibly write about everyone, but it adds up to a collectively good time.


...My brother Mike and I have a great time together finishing up the skiing holiday. 

...After dinner, it&rsquo;s home to Vienna by train.   It&rsquo;s been a great four days&mdash;skiing, my bro, my good friends from Montclair State.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 173: Brother Mike; skiing Kitzb&#xfc;hel&#xa;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-22T14:19:44-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0cd5a576b998ec7cc33bb335f8a2d252-177.php#unique-entry-id-177</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0cd5a576b998ec7cc33bb335f8a2d252-177.php#unique-entry-id-177</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Went to Kitzb&uuml;hel in the morning, met Mike [my brother] at 11:00.   I must have made quite an impression at first sight&ndash;since the last six months: my hair was considerably longer, and I was walking with two considerably good looking girls (from the U.S.) that I met on the train.   Anyway, after the preliminaries, I went straight to rent skis and we left right away for skiing. ...  All except for the one racer&rsquo;s trail (where they had televised races)&mdash;which was hard and solid ice, it wasn&rsquo;t bad. 


Afterwards, met Mike&rsquo;s friend Roger&mdash;good kid&mdash;and went out to dinner and afterwards had a drink with Mike&rsquo;s group. 

...I must have taken the train from Munich to Kitzb&uuml;hel in the morning.   Thanks to Google, I find that it is only a 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hour train trip from Munich to Kitzb&uuml;hel in Austria.


...Don Juan (me) seems to be meeting girls left and right, coming off the train with two girls accompanying me. ...  Truthfully, it was just a lot of fun to talk to new people in new places.   I still enjoy talking to people, I&rsquo;m just not meeting them in the Alps of Austria. 

...In the Alps, at least back then, there was not a lot of snowmaking.


...Although I didn&rsquo;t write it in the journal, I do remember the icy slope that was the skier&rsquo;s slope and I&rsquo;m certain it was at Kitzb&uuml;hel.   I believe we went down it at the end of the day, getting dark. ...  We later found out that this particular trail was iced down by the Austrian army, I believe, for an upcoming downhill ski racing competition.


...I dance and talk with a Swedish girl, and then it&rsquo;s home to sleep on the floor. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 172: Munich&#x2c; Day 2</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-21T12:40:44-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/587884fba1931558732e58276a8176fc-176.php#unique-entry-id-176</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/587884fba1931558732e58276a8176fc-176.php#unique-entry-id-176</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The best part was the Planetarium, from which I was inspired to think about the use of a planetarium module for a complete involvement in multimedia works. 

...After that, took a train and hitched a ride to the American &ldquo;center&rdquo; (Army) where Guy [college student and friend] was in the hospital. 

...After that, we to the Hofbra&uuml; Haus&mdash;the famous beer hall where Hitler stood on the table and gave his speech. 

...I&rsquo;m back with my friends from Montclair State and I have an opportunity to see a ballet rehearsal and go backstage because of their itinerary. 

...A good friend of mine from Montclair, Guy, was part of the Montclair madrigal choir. ...  It&rsquo;s a shame that he spent his time in a bed instead of sightseeing. 

...Voila, I have both at the Deutsche Museum and seemed to enjoy it.   That I mention the planetarium and it&rsquo;s multimedia possibilities is interesting.   At this time in my studies, I was becoming more and more interested in the use of multimedia and technology in music performance and composition. 

...Someone, maybe a tourist we were talking to, said it was a &ldquo;tradition&rdquo; to take a Hofbr&auml;uhaus beer mug with you.   Well, I bought two souvenir mugs and was possibly thinking to take a mug on the table&mdash;&ldquo;tradition.&rdquo; 

...Here is a comment that a reader said was from on an article in a German paper.


&ldquo;An American was fined 1,260 for stealing two glasses from the Hofbr&auml;uhaus this week. ...  But if a security guard challenges you on the way out, don't put up a fight.   That's what this guy did and he got himself arrested and banged up for 4 weeks before being brought to trial and fined.&rdquo;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 171: Munich &#x26; Dachau</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-20T08:40:03-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dbf6dcc1edc692d32f50f1b9809a7269-175.php#unique-entry-id-175</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dbf6dcc1edc692d32f50f1b9809a7269-175.php#unique-entry-id-175</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Arrived in Munich around 8:00 am and after straightening out things, went to find the group from MSC [Montclair State College]. ...  She walked me around part of the town and we talked a lot.   It was nice to know some of the things that were going on, and how people [old friends and colleagues from MSC] were doing.


...While walking along these paths and coming to a divided path, Lucille, Leroy and some others reenacted some scenes from the Wizard of Oz.


...Going through the exhibits and seeing the horrors and then walking around in the &ldquo;emptiness&rdquo;, it still felt like there were ghosts around. 

...Walked around among other shops, sang some madrigals (haven&rsquo;t done that in a long time), and then went back to the room and played charades&mdash;ha! 

...I spend an amazing sightseeing-packed day with my great friends from my college, Montclair State College.   I liked Munich a lot and remember the old town center, Marienplatz (opening picture), and the famous Neues Rathaus clock tower (left). 

...It was great to see my friends (above&mdash;Dan, Lucille, can&rsquo;t see who, Jack?)...  As I mention, having &ldquo;college&rdquo; fun with a group of old friends is something I miss in Vienna. 

...The reason I got to meet my friends was that the madrigal choir, under the direction of Dr. 

...I don&rsquo;t know much about Maximillian except that he lived in a pretty amazing palace with beautiful frescos. 

...The stillness and emptiness of the camp, in my mind, served to remind me of the millions of lives lost during this unspeakable time. 

...You can see a picture of Jack in the opening college photos of the Pictures area. 

...Here&rsquo;s a picture of Pete and myself in the mirror at Nuremburg Palace (right).
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 170: Get Ready&#x2c; Munich</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>Germany</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-19T08:46:52-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ec2ba0d663fcf7d9a4737be1081092f3-174.php#unique-entry-id-174</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ec2ba0d663fcf7d9a4737be1081092f3-174.php#unique-entry-id-174</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Lot of running around to get ready to leave for Munich.   It&rsquo;s also going to cost some money.   However, after Munich, will travel to Kitzb&uuml;hel to see Mike, perhaps ski, and return with Mike to Vienna.


...Saw another &ldquo;fantastic&rdquo; installment (#3) of &ldquo;Heiler Plays Bach.&rdquo; 

...I&rsquo;m getting ready to go to Munich.   I find it interesting that, in the journal, I give the impression that I&rsquo;m thinking of going somewhere and then in the next minute, I go.   It looks like I&rsquo;m going to see my friends in Munich and then rendezvous with my brother Mike in Kitzb&uuml;hel.


...Anton Heiler series of Bach concerts was a treat.   His art and interpretation was legendary. 


...As a student, this single year as a music student has allowed me to experience an incredible number of the highest quality recitals, concerts, and operas.   I have never again had this musical opportunity to this day, 36 years later.   Once again, my humble thanks to Rotary International and to Vienna, and to the many artists and musicians performing in those concerts.


...I leave for Munich. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 169: Good electronic music</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-18T08:22:23-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1be36639603b2e25df50aaf01e556d44-173.php#unique-entry-id-173</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1be36639603b2e25df50aaf01e556d44-173.php#unique-entry-id-173</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 169 &mdash; Good electronic music


18-January-1972 (Dienstag&ndash;Tue.)


TRANSCRIPT


Good day with electronic music.   Did a lot of work.   Seems like the possibility of me getting a decent composition done will be good by the end of the year.


REFLECTIONS


Electronic music.   My good lessons and schoolwork carried over today to my electronic music composition.   I&rsquo;m being positive today.   Perhaps that life lesson from yesterday.   It looks like I am working to complete a contemporary music piece by the end of the semester.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 168: A Lulu of a day</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-17T08:03:22-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8908dfe0e7442760cb0ac446f2bde161-172.php#unique-entry-id-172</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8908dfe0e7442760cb0ac446f2bde161-172.php#unique-entry-id-172</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Quite to the contrary of my previous American view of backward European medicine, the dentist&rsquo;s office was the largest, most modern, most well-equipped, and most well-staffed dentist office that I&rsquo;ve ever been in. 

...They had problems getting it out and I was moved to the surgical chair, whatever that meant.   Anyway, I wish I could have made a movie of the view (my looking up vantage point) of the scene. ...  I think the dentist&rsquo;s wife was also having a look&hellip;  Anyway, it&rsquo;s out and afterwards, for the rest of the day, I felt sort of dejected. 

...Another good thing was that there was this really good-looking girl waiting for her lesson, with the cutest smile. 

...It is now later, and I have eaten, partially finished cleaning my clothes, and have less pain in the tooth.   So, now I am going to see &ldquo;Lulu&rdquo; and then afterwards, I am expecting two calls&mdash;from Lucille and brother Mike.


...On the way to the opera, there was a blind young boy, who was walking alone and casually and determinedly asked me where a certain street was. ...  I watched him keep on walking (obviously, not in a straight line but he kept on correcting himself) in the biting cold, actually not knowing where he was going. ...  Also, that someone, such as that boy, had the courage to overcome the tremendous obstacles and still get the most out of life&mdash;[that he] was a real man.


...Needless to say, I&rsquo;m in the most modern dentist office I have ever seen. 

...It&rsquo;s appropriate that today was a lulu of a day because I go to see Alban Berg&rsquo;s opera, Lulu. ...  Berg is known for his 12-tone atonal style and uses tone rows in association with the characters in the story. ...  Though, after a while it can be more difficult to differentiate musical ideas, themes and motives, when they are not rooted to tonality. 

...After the opera, I run into a young blind boy who is lost and looking for directions. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 167: Back to music</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-16T20:46:54-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/680326e473aa9bd2c0c5d573e17770d8-169.php#unique-entry-id-169</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/680326e473aa9bd2c0c5d573e17770d8-169.php#unique-entry-id-169</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I think they did Beethoven&rsquo;s Missa Brevis [no, Beethoven Mass in C]. 

...Saw a lot of the conductor (Ottman) and I liked his &ldquo;tired-look&rdquo; style. 

...First the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir singing Beethoven&rsquo;s Mass in C.   I was probably wrong about the title, Beethoven didn&rsquo;t write a Missa Brevis and so it was probably his Mass in C major. 

...At night, it&rsquo;s the Brahm&rsquo;s Symphony No. 4 in E minor. ...  All of my old classical LPs were sold-off by my brothers in subsequent years. 

...Many composers have written a Missa Brevis (short mass), including Palestrina, Bach, Haydn, Benjamin Britten and Kod&aacute;ly.   The Missa Brevis includes the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei forming the parts of the mass.


...Having had much stress in these past months in 2008 (and not blogging), I smiled and thought I would revisit the music via Google and YouTube.   I listened to excerpts from Beethoven&rsquo;s Mass in C, Beethoven&rsquo;s Missa Solemis with Leonard Bernstein, the Missa Brevis in F by Mozart and the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir singing the Gloria from the Beethoven Mass in C in a concert from 1989 in the Netherlands. 

...You can&rsquo;t get a solid complete performance of anything on YouTube but you can browse a variety of performances varying from strictly amateur to university choirs to professional concerts. 

...There are a ton of YouTube videos featuring the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir [Wiener S&auml;ngerknaben]. 

...I learn that a madrigal choral group from my school, Montclair State College, is coming to Munich to perform soon.   I call a friend, Lucille (great pianist) to see if I can meet the group.   My brother is also coming to Europe but I have no exact details. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 166: Relaxing today</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-15T14:46:06-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a360a2b0b53a375084502af2514498af-168.php#unique-entry-id-168</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a360a2b0b53a375084502af2514498af-168.php#unique-entry-id-168</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 166 &mdash; Relaxing today


15-January-1972 (Samstag&ndash;Sat.)


TRANSCRIPT


More of a relaxing day.   Did a little of everything, but not as much as usual.


REFLECTIONS


Nothing going on today.   I need some relaxation (especially in 2008). 


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 165: Electronic music class; a horn recital; dreams</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2008-01-14T20:54:50-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1e339335925342ad676f74d42842f355-167.php#unique-entry-id-167</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1e339335925342ad676f74d42842f355-167.php#unique-entry-id-167</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I hope, in a couple of years, that I might be able to come back.


...What was good was that the comparison between Vienna style horns and horn playing, and the American style horns and playing, can be heard on the tape. 

...It&rsquo;s my turn to play my electronic sounds in electronic music class for Professor Kaufmann. ...  In class, we talk about the possibility of taking a trip to Innsbruck. 

...The photo above is of the 1971 Electronic Music class under the direction of Professor Dieter Kaufmann. ...  This was musique concr&egrave;te&mdash;creating music from analog real-world sounds, using the tape recorder as the primary composing tool.   From left-to-right we have: Professor Dieter Kaufmann, Roget Bedard, myself (John Maryn), Koshi, Judi Olson and Balzac seated at the console. ...  We learned a lot and had a lot of fun in that class (though you couldn't tell by the picture). 

...Remember, a theme of this blog is about starting your journey on the path to your dreams. ...  Like many of us, I returned home, found a teaching job, started a career, tried to make some money, bought a new car, and many other things&mdash;that&rsquo;s life. 

...How might each of our lives have changed if we had followed through on some of those dreams?   How might my life turned out differently if I had returned to Vienna a few years later? 

...As Steve Jobs recently said, it&rsquo;s easier to &ldquo;connect the dots&rdquo; (what happens in your life) later in life, than at the time you are making those decisions.


...There is a difference in sound between the traditional Vienna horns and American horns. ...  A year or two later, I remember traveling to Quebec, Canada, in the middle of the frozen winter and over the frozen St. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 164: NAMM and the Vienna Symphonic Library</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-13T15:59:47-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ac7d26c0fb637e5f58c91f75dcc46f77-165.php#unique-entry-id-165</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ac7d26c0fb637e5f58c91f75dcc46f77-165.php#unique-entry-id-165</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s a great show to see what&rsquo;s new in music product and what will line the shelves of both the brick & mortar stores and Internet retailers in the coming year. 

...Vienna is no stranger to the music business&mdash;we have Vienna horns and oboes, Universal Edition Music Publishers, and B&ouml;sendorfer pianos; these are among the most famous music businesses with Viennese heritage. 

...Founded by composer Herb Tucamondl, the VSL turned the sample-library world on its head when it first debuted, offering one of the largest, professional collections of orchestral samples to composers.   Unique to VSL at the time were the methods of recording and playing-back true &ldquo;legato&rdquo; slurs between notes of an instrument as well as other innovative features.   VSL is used by top-rated composers, orchestrators, recording studios and others in the film, TV, commercial music, and music recording business. 

...These &ldquo;samples&rdquo; are generally short, audio sound clips modeling the performance of an orchestral instrument&mdash;for example, samples of a violin playing each of its notes in a variety of articulations (legato, staccato, marcato, spicatto, and so on).   These samples are loaded into a music sequencing or recording programs (Logic, Digital Performer, ProTools and others) where composers and musicians can play or record these realistic instrument sounds for film, TV, recording, and commercial music. 

...Sound libraries are important because, today, all major films are made with &ldquo;mock-up&rdquo; scores before recording the film&rsquo;s score with a live orchestra. ...  In the film world, scores are composed and orchestrated on the computer with a great deal of realism, allowing the director and producers to approve the music before recording with a live (and expensive) orchestra on a sound stage. 

...If you have aspirations of composing for film or TV, you will eventually become exposed to this tremendously exciting venue of creating music for film or TV. 

...Of course, there are wonderful competitors to the Vienna Symphonic Library as well: the East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra family of sample libraries by Nick Phoenix and Doug Rogers offer a rich symphonic-hall sound used by a large number of film and TV composers. ...  In addition to the demos listed below, check out the demos for these sample libraries as well&mdash;they will amaze you. 

...A short time ago, it was not uncommon for top composers to have anywhere from 4-8 computers as their sampling orchestra. 

...You do need a bit of money for one or more powerful, modern computers, fast hard drives, lots of RAM, auxiliary hardware, the music software, and the sample libraries. 

...A few years ago, I learned that one of VSL&rsquo;s creative staff, composer Christian Kardeis, also studied composition and electronic music with the same teacher that I had in Vienna in 1971&mdash;Dieter Kaufman. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 163: The hair&#x2c; the hair&#x21;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-12T20:52:28-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/18f6d57fbf655011f77cd78a40e5902a-164.php#unique-entry-id-164</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/18f6d57fbf655011f77cd78a40e5902a-164.php#unique-entry-id-164</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 163 &mdash; The hair, the hair


...In Vienna, ditto. 

...It&rsquo;s Day 2 of my 2008 &ldquo;catch-up&rdquo; blogging.   Recently, I have gone through even more old boxes and found additional interesting items from my year in Vienna.   Here is one of them.


...(I say that, a lot, when I&rsquo;m surprised.)   Look at my hair. ...  Well, I don&rsquo;t look too bad, I think.


It&rsquo;s funny how I decided not to throw away these little items from that year.   How many times have I gone through old boxes of stuff when going to school, or moving&mdash;and threw things away (like most of Anjali&rsquo;s letters)?   I&rsquo;m glad I saved these mementoes. 


My advice: if you&rsquo;re going through interesting times in your life, save a couple of items of interest to remind you of your life at this time.   When you look back, you will have a good laugh.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 162: I&#x27;m back&#x21;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-11T20:27:32-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fd71f66ecfcc265403b4ce366fc96b0d-162.php#unique-entry-id-162</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fd71f66ecfcc265403b4ce366fc96b0d-162.php#unique-entry-id-162</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Starting to get back in shape. 

...To paraphrase Austrian-born, California-Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m back.&rdquo; 

...It&rsquo;s been almost two months since I last blogged. ...  There has been a lot of activity in 2008, including the relocation of our corporate office, packing a million things, the move, setting up a home office, several business trips, and a tremendous amount of day-job work.   It has been, and continues to be, a very hectic time, making it almost impossible to concentrate on this blog.


Boy, did I miss blogging 36yearsago.com.   It&rsquo;s fun to write and to think back upon these fond memories.


...Just like Arnold, I&rsquo;m going to &ldquo;terminate&rdquo; my lack of blogging.   I will continue to post my 1971&ndash;1972 calendar from the day I left off&mdash;starting with January 11, 1972.   As I&rsquo;ve said before, to keep the journal accurate, I post to the calendar date of the journal, not to when I post to the blog. 


...I will also post my &ldquo;catch-up blog&rdquo; as a daily list in the current month, March.   If you wish to read &ldquo;the missing two months,&rdquo; use this catch-up posting list, or click on the Monthly Archives in the right hand column of the blog and proceed to this January date.   The milestone at which I stopped blogging was my skiing trip to St. 

...I miss all of you&mdash;the vast horde of readers.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 161: Thank you&#x2c; Austria</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2008-01-10T22:58:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6e94687c9885fa5e70161d5fa84d7ace-161.php#unique-entry-id-161</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6e94687c9885fa5e70161d5fa84d7ace-161.php#unique-entry-id-161</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 161 &mdash; Thank you, Austria


10-January-1972 (Montag&mdash;Mon.)


...Back to work, lessons, etc.


Playing was bad.   Going to take a while to get back.


...Back in Vienna.   Back to work.   I&rsquo;m back in Vienna and back to the grind.   It looks like my vacation has affected my horn playing.   Need to practice.


...What an incredible three weeks.   First a week of skiing in Innsbruck, my first time in the Austrian Alps, meeting Elisabeth, experiencing the sauna-theater and hot-cold baths of Innsbruck, attending two Viennese New Year's traditions&mdash;Dei Fledermaus on New Year&rsquo;s Eve and the Vienna Philharmonic on New Year&rsquo;s Day&mdash;then a wonderful ski journey all over St. ...  My life in 2007&ndash;2008 is falling apart, but nothing could beat this time in 1971&ndash;72. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 160: Olympic Innsbruck; Alpine scenery</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-09T21:29:52-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c7792ec4c46c8ff20b8d64feffbc7fe3-160.php#unique-entry-id-160</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c7792ec4c46c8ff20b8d64feffbc7fe3-160.php#unique-entry-id-160</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Took a morning walk to the Olympic ice stadium to see what it was like.   It was a refreshing walk and I saw the stadium.


Had to return early to eat and catch the train back to Wien.   I was hoping to see Elizabeth before I left, but I guess she didn&rsquo;t make it.   Well, it&rsquo;s a long train ride back. 

...But countryside is beautiful&mdash;mountains, Salzburg country&mdash;until you get to the flat country around Wien and then it is not too nice.   On the way back, there were a group of young kids&mdash;what was wild, was that they must have used around four languages. 

...I didn&rsquo;t have much time but took a walk to the Olympic stadium for ice skating. ...  The ice stadium (photo above), and an Austrian "curling" inside the stadium (photo right).   Then back to the train station and off to Vienna.   I suspect that I may have hoped Elisabeth would &ldquo;leave everything&rdquo; and get to the station. 

...Train back to Vienna.   Another long trip on the train.   I note that a group of students know quite a few languages among them. ...  The Austrian alpine scenery on the way back to Vienna was absolutely gorgeous (opening photo).
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 159: St. Anton&#x2014;Ingrid?  Innsbruck&#x2014;Elisabeth?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-08T21:15:58-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/21dea5c60ea2d0fc1ba36c873ff8cb0e-159.php#unique-entry-id-159</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/21dea5c60ea2d0fc1ba36c873ff8cb0e-159.php#unique-entry-id-159</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Even though we didn&rsquo;t get to know each other well, maybe I&rsquo;ll see her in London.


...We would have gone dancing except she forgot her key and had to go back early. 

...She&rsquo;s really good looking (I&rsquo;m almost surprised she goes out with me.), intelligent (a nurse) and we have a great time together. ...  The chances of seeing each other again, perhaps during Easter, are good.


...I guess one of the English girls I danced with last night was Ingrid. ...  I can&rsquo;t remember what Ingrid looks like but I like her name. 

...I actually stop off in Innsbruck (obviously planned), get a hotel room, and have dinner with Elisabeth. ??? ...  If I hadn&rsquo;t written it down in the journal, I would never have believed it.   Elisabeth has to leave early and we don&rsquo;t make it a long night.   I wonder if I was more enamored of Elisabeth than she was of me.   We had great times together in that very short time.   I&rsquo;m probably starting to really like her, but perhaps she is thinking I&rsquo;m more of a good friend. ...  It&rsquo;s still true today, when you&rsquo;re young, you can&rsquo;t figure anything out. ...  If only God could hold up a sign, &ldquo;Yes, this is the one. ...  &ldquo;No, she&rsquo;s just a good friend, move on.&rdquo;  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 158: Beautiful Zurs</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-07T21:02:25-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b8ed7b53d6171ca22cb656ea627d8826-158.php#unique-entry-id-158</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b8ed7b53d6171ca22cb656ea627d8826-158.php#unique-entry-id-158</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Good thing I didn&rsquo;t take my camera, because I took a couple of really bad falls.


...Up to the high chair lift and around the back of the mountain&mdash;quite a ways, to Lechs.


...From Lechs, [took] the cable car up, and then a very easy, medium long run down to Zurs. 

...Zurs (combination with Lechs) has some of the best and most beautiful skiing in Arlberg. 

...There is so much in the Arlberg area and most of it is of medium difficulty&mdash;what I like. ...  Considering it hasn&rsquo;t snowed in 3-4 weeks, this is not bad. 

...A full day skiing ending with a long run down the back of the mountain to Lechs, back up in the cable car and then down a moderately easy run. 

...What is amazing and not obvious in the journal is that I ended up 40 minutes by bus from St. ...  That is quite an amazing journey down the back of the mountain. 

...If it were crowded at the cable car or lifts, I need to remind myself that it is a holiday week&mdash;New Year&rsquo;s week.   The snow conditions were certainly affected by the fact that there was no snow for 3-4 weeks. ...  Today, I remember the amazing long runs, skiing the &ldquo;back&rdquo; slopes, and the incredible scenery. 

...[I&rsquo;ve heard that in recent years, much of the Alps has gotten less snow than in decades past. ...  A friend in Switzerland tells me that their remaining glacier(s) are not going to last very long.]


...Believe me, even though it&rsquo;s easy for me to meet people, meeting girls was not the easiest thing to do. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 157: Sunny skiing</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-06T20:49:13-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/76d3b90d098ce52a775ce7a81c5c122f-157.php#unique-entry-id-157</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/76d3b90d098ce52a775ce7a81c5c122f-157.php#unique-entry-id-157</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Last day of ski lessons.   Did a lot of skiing. ...  I could imagine if the conditions were really good.


...Notice how, suddenly, my journal is starting to use the German names for the days of the week. ...  I&rsquo;ll also continue to use the English abbreviation.


...Today was a great ski day.   I suspect that most of my pictures came from today, as the weather was sunny.   Of course, the sun also makes the snow soft sometimes, and perhaps this affected the skiing. ...  There is no control over Mother Nature, you have to live with it.   What I like is that, every day, the ski school did a lot of skiing. ...  I don't know the exact venue of these pictures.


...How come I can&rsquo;t remember this?   So, I guess I found a local night-spot, probably a bar, that had a rock band and I went dancing. ...  I don&rsquo;t remember a thing.   I'm not one of those guys who dances alone, so I suppose I met a girl or two. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 156: Great skiing; world conversations</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-05T20:30:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7bd6a7c64ba9621ba68db7d03bef273e-156.php#unique-entry-id-156</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7bd6a7c64ba9621ba68db7d03bef273e-156.php#unique-entry-id-156</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The way it&rsquo;s been working is that in the morning, we work on our points and then we go skiing in the afternoon.   Today, we went down the other side of Galzig and ended up past St. 

...It&rsquo;s good to have this &ldquo;ski-schooling&rdquo; because, while learning, you also ski a lot (practice) and also see the different slopes.


...Listened to a discussion of the situation back in Northern Ireland between two Catholic Irish (young&mdash;they live in the middle of violence) and the rest of us (including a British officer). ...  I can&rsquo;t say it was enjoyable because it left me feeling very hopeless&mdash;with regards to a solution. 

...Now, I&rsquo;m getting it&mdash;we practice in the morning and then ski in the afternoon.   I remember this day, because in the afternoon, the ski instructor took us down the other side of the Galzig mountain. ...  I say that we walked back, but I think we partly walked and (perhaps) took a shuttle bus back to St. 

...There is a lot of detail about their ski trip to St. ...  If I knew, back in 1972, that I would be blogging in 2008, I suppose I would have written more detail in the journal. 

...(It wasn&rsquo;t a restaurant; think of a large private home where you had lodging and meals, just like a bed-and-breakfast.) ...  There was a young Catholic couple from Northern Ireland and a young British soldier as well. ...  If I remember correctly, the conversation was civil and nothing bad happened, but there was intense emotion present. ...  The thing to be learned here is that the emotion of each side is real and affects how things play out in real life. ...  Being in the middle of that conversation was a learning experience.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 155: I&#x2019;m in a fog; I&#x2019;m naked next to a girl</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-04T20:00:59-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/735a2b68915e1b984b849e07d25f6dea-155.php#unique-entry-id-155</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/735a2b68915e1b984b849e07d25f6dea-155.php#unique-entry-id-155</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 155 &mdash; I&rsquo;m in a fog; I&rsquo;m naked next to a girl


...Ok, I didn&rsquo;t write this in the journal, perhaps I was shy, but I remember this incident and am 90% sure that it happened in St. ...  I remember going to a spa and I&rsquo;m getting ready to go in the sauna. ...  I&rsquo;m reading the instructions about the sauna, getting ready to go in.   A door opens right next to me and a beautiful petite girl comes out wearing one of those white nurse-type outfits (you know, like we guys always fantasize about). ...  She locks the door, gives me a quick look, and then goes off as if nothing happened. ...  Really, to this day I&rsquo;ve never had a professional massage, especially by a nice girl in a white nurse's outfit. 


...Relaxing, just a few people, but not like the amazing sauna-theater of Innsbruck. 

...It&rsquo;s even true today, that when I go somewhere, I am never spending a whole lot of money to do everything a place has to offer.   However, if the skiing itself is fantastic, as it was at Valluga, then your experience is still priceless.   You can get a lot from travel, whether skiing, scenery, or sightseeing, without spending a lot of money. 

...Anton, instead of experiencing it as a traveler with a bit more money, taking advantage of restaurants and spas.


...[As an example of how money affects your travel experience: When I went skiing to Utah a few years ago, my first time, I stayed in a &ldquo;traveler&rsquo;s inn&rdquo; type of hotel on the outskirts of Salt Lake City. ...  We&rsquo;re not in an outdoor hot tub on the slopes of Alta, after all.   It would have been nice to actually stay near the ski resorts but that is considerably more expensive.]
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 154: Great skiing at Valluga</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-03T18:42:49-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/14a078b6e2b836a62214eea60334e596-154.php#unique-entry-id-154</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/14a078b6e2b836a62214eea60334e596-154.php#unique-entry-id-154</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, the whole day, it was snowing a little, but no difference in conditions. 

...I seem to be getting better and am doing an awful lot of skiing.


In the afternoon, I was on my own and went to Valhalla [actually, Valluga]. ...  It was beautiful snow conditions and the slope was not tremendously too hard.   I had this most enjoyable (except for once, when I knocked two people over), run down to a dead end. 

...At night, went to a live-band bar and had a pretty good time. 

...I often suspect that my German grammar is also not very good. 

...It snows most of the day but not enough to make the conditions different. ...  In the afternoon, I head off to the summit of Valhalla.   That is the very large cable-car lift (not ski lift, but cable car) that goes to the top of the summit of Valluga, not Vallhala. ...  I am not near any ski lifts and so I must take a taxi back to town. 

...When I first wrote this post and in my journal, I said that I went to Valhalla. ...  Valhalla is a majestic hall found in Norse mythology, and is also found in Wagner&rsquo;s operatic Ring cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen. 

...Don Juan hits a bar with live music and spends a bit of time dancing with an Austrian girl. ...  Funny, back in the States, it would be harder for me to be asking girls to dance. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 153: St. Anton&#x2c; Skiing Day 1</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-02T18:40:46-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7a7c8fdf2511d6de96e90ea1b9e4bcdf-153.php#unique-entry-id-153</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7a7c8fdf2511d6de96e90ea1b9e4bcdf-153.php#unique-entry-id-153</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Turned out that even though the rooms aren&rsquo;t too expensive, the town really is. ...  Also, decided to take the ski school&mdash;on the advice that I didn&rsquo;t know what to do.


...I didn&rsquo;t learn anything because all we did was ski an awful lot, all around the whole place.   But it was fun, and even though there wasn&rsquo;t quite enough snow, the conditions were fairly good (slightly hard and patchy). 

...After all, it has an international reputation and I think the rich and famous come here. ...  I suspect that it is among the most expensive ski resorts today, as well. 


...I remember that I picked my housing from a student newspaper or flyer back in Vienna. ...  I suppose that you can only do this when you are young, and a student. 

...Anton is an incredible ski resort. 36 years later, I remember the skiing at St. ...  I suspect that it is because of its vast skiing terrain and its incredible views such as the towering summit and the cable car ride to the mountain top. ...  The very large summit building is just a tiny blip at the top of the picture.   Disclaimer: I don&rsquo;t remember exactly where all of my skiing pictures were taken, but I am fairly certain that these pics are from St. ...  I shouldn&rsquo;t have been surprised that the lift lines were crowded, this was, after all, the Christmas holiday season.


...I suppose that is good because without someone taking you around you might end up skiing down the wrong slopes. 

...I walk around town a bit and probably don&rsquo;t go partying due to low funds. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 152: Gl&#xfc;ckliches Neues Jahr; New Year&#x2019;s Day concert; off to St. Anton</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2008-01-01T14:20:13-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7ac6fa438e676404be9b2567abbea42c-152.php#unique-entry-id-152</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7ac6fa438e676404be9b2567abbea42c-152.php#unique-entry-id-152</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I am now on the express [train] (5-1/2 hours to Innsbruck), in which I will arrive first in Innsbruck. 

...It was at the end of town, but it&rsquo;s a beautiful house and the hausfrau was extremely nice and friendly&mdash;friendliest person I met.   When I came, they were already sleeping, but she got up and made me a bed in their kitchen to sleep.


...Although we are now in the year 1972, I will still make references to this blog and website as Vienna 1971, its title.


...I continue the wonderful New Year&rsquo;s traditions in Vienna by attending the performance, during the day, of the world-famous New Year&rsquo;s Day concert in the Musikverein by the Vienna Philharmonic. 

...The New Year&rsquo;s Day concert features mostly the music of the Strauss family, Johann senior and junior, brother Josef, and other composers&mdash;with many waltzes and polkas.   At the 1972 concert, the conductor conducted in the style of a bandmaster&mdash;he played along on the violin and would start and stop the orchestra as he played violin, perhaps like Johann Strauss Sr. and Jr. 

...Just today, I was able to watch the 2008 New Year's Eve Vienna Philharmonic concert, hosted by Walter Cronkite (over 24 years as host), on PBS's Great Performances series here in the U.S. ...  This annual New Year's concert brings back great memories, especially with the beautiful camera imagery of the Musikverein and the other Viennese venues in this TV special.   This program also includes works of the Viennese artist, Albrescht Klemmer, the Vienna State Opera Ballet, the beautiful white Lippizan stallions of the Spanish Riding School, the Hofburg and its galleries, library, Imperial art and treasures, Belvedere Palace, and other Vienna venues. 

...Now, if you are viewing the video, look at the stage, look to the right side, slightly in front of the conductor, 2nd balcony; that's where I had a subscription seat to a number of concerts. 

...Here is a link to the Vienna Philharmonic&rsquo;s New Years concert page for 2008 of the above concert. 

...It is almost impossible to get tickets to either Die Fledermaus on New Year&rsquo;s Eve and the Strauss New Year&rsquo;s concert. 

...Seeing the New Year&rsquo;s Day concert and Die Fledermaus is not enough, I have to go to St. 

...I can&rsquo;t believe that I use the stopover in Innsbruck to probably take a taxi (or walk) to Elisabeth&rsquo;s dorm&mdash;back and forth was perhaps 15 minutes&mdash;wake her up in her bathrobe, give her a present, and get back to the train station to continue the trip to St. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 151: New Year&#x2019;s Eve&#x2014;Die Fledermaus</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-31T19:47:15-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c6d7a6bf2e98330f6ea1651a1cef998b-151.php#unique-entry-id-151</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c6d7a6bf2e98330f6ea1651a1cef998b-151.php#unique-entry-id-151</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But what really burned me up was that some Wieners managed to wiggle their way into the front of the line.   It&rsquo;s people like that I really dislike because it shows a lack of consideration to the people that waited in the line all day. 

...Being that it was New Year's Eve, we snuck some champagne into the opera house&mdash;it was tradition. 

...Tradition has it that on New Year's Eve, ad libbing, impromptu, and being drunk on stage is great. 

...After the opera, we were walking down K&auml;rtnerstrasse, it reminded me of what Vietnam must be like&mdash;all of these firecrackers sounded like bombs.


Anyway, our plans were to see New Year's Eve in the &ldquo;Times Square&rdquo; of Vienna&mdash;Stephansdom Platz. ...  Pavel laughed, but told me to put one leg over the edge of the bed (equilibrium) and it helped a little in stopping the spinning. 

...Vienna is world-famous for it&rsquo;s New Year's traditions&mdash;music by the Johann Strauss dynasty, Die Fledermaus, the Vienna balls (Hofburg Ball) on New Year's Eve, and the famous Strauss concert by the Vienna Philharmonic on New Year's Day.   Today, we stand in line all day for standing room tickets for tonight&rsquo;s performance of Die Fledermaus at the Staatsoper. ...  A few line-crashers ruin the normally well-behaved crowd, but we manage to get tickets and into the performance. 

...I suppose that we could have been kicked out of the opera house if we were caught. ...  (Kids and adults, do not do this&mdash;you may be kicked out of the opera house. 

...It is also tradition during the performance of Die Fledermaus, by Vienna&rsquo;s favorite son, Johann Strauss, Jr., on New Year's Eve only, for the performers to ad lib, improvise, and make jokes and other comments. 

...I get home on the strassebahn and fall into bed, with good advice from Pavel on preventing the room from &ldquo;spinning.&rdquo; 

...See the photo of Bernard Vogl&rsquo;s Christmas in Vienna to give you an idea of what the nearby area looks like today, and visit the link to his website at dativ.at to see a 360-degree panorama of the scene. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 150: Lord of Wagner&#x27;s Ring</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-12-30T09:17:50-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/10cc64aa48d5582aff76ac15e5f7eea3-150.php#unique-entry-id-150</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/10cc64aa48d5582aff76ac15e5f7eea3-150.php#unique-entry-id-150</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At night, went to the first part of &ldquo;The Ring&rdquo;&mdash;&ldquo;Das Rheingold.&rdquo;   Was very good, basically enjoyable, except that (1) the brasses were sometimes weak, (2) [the singing in] a few places wasn't as good, and (3) I was dead tired. 

...Said that a group of students from Montclair was going to be in Munich for a couple of weeks. 

...No, it&rsquo;s not the ring from Lord of the Rings, the movie, it&rsquo;s Richard Wagner&rsquo;s Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung, the four operas of The Ring Cycle&mdash;Das Rheingold, Die Walk&uuml;re, Siegfried, and G&ouml;tterd&auml;mmerung.   Let it be said, these are serious operas for serious opera buffs. ...  I comment that the brass and some of the singing is perhaps not up to par. 

...Interestingly, the story has some similarity to Tolkien&rsquo;s Lord of the Ring series and it&rsquo;s adaptation to the movie&mdash;a powerful ring that allows you to control the entire world. ...  Wagner wrote for a large orchestra that adds to the powerful impact of these operas.


...I receive a letter from a student friend, Lucille, at Montclair State College. ...  She tells me that a group of students, perhaps the Madrigal Choir, will be going to Munich for a couple of weeks. 

...I will post a photo of the Dixie Pixies, of which Lucille was a part. 

...I had set up a photo darkroom in our basement and actually learned to develop B&W photos as part of my hobby. ...  If you have any young students as a parent, or for yourself at any age, look at photography as a great lifelong hobby. ...  Instead, discover how to edit and manipulate photos on your computer with programs such as iPhoto (Mac) and Adobe Photoshop Elements (PC and Mac), or other software.


For the serious photography hobbyist, check out Chris Marquardt's Tips from the Top Floor podcast and website.  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 149: My Google ranking drops; about the Blog</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-29T12:10:23-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/68949470f63e889445a086705a5bed58-149.php#unique-entry-id-149</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/68949470f63e889445a086705a5bed58-149.php#unique-entry-id-149</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When I first started the blog, I didn&rsquo;t appear on the Google radar at all for a month or so. 

...In the time period of 3-4 months, if you typed in &ldquo;36yearsago&rdquo; into a Google search bar, there were many hits and I was #1. ...  If you typed in &ldquo;36 years ago&rdquo; into the search bar, I used to come out on the first page, usually between #6 and #2; #2 a fair amount of the time.   The only item beating me out was the &ldquo;36 years ago &ndash; Apollo Moon Landing&rdquo; page. 36yearsago.com was in pretty good company.


...As I browse through the rankings of the other sites, I can see some being ranked higher than me&mdash;Apollo Moon Landing, President Lyndon Johnson, and so on. 

...Social networks consist of mostly your friends and I don&rsquo;t have many colleagues, friends, and family members that are big into blogs, podcasts, and social networks. ...  Then, there is the issue that your friends won&rsquo;t be your friends for very long if you &ldquo;broadcast&rdquo; each days post to them via the Internet, RSS feeds, email, Twitter, or Jaiku. 


...One thing is for certain, everyone in the entire world, has (1) a need to belong to a group (whether family, friends, relatives, a social network, a specialty website on photography, film composing, and a million other interests), and (2) to be recognized by others (here&rsquo;s my band, my songs, my screenplay, my photos, my diggs on Digg.com). ...  Almost no one knows me, has heard my music, or knows of the many things I have done in my life. 

...I&rsquo;m just saving the money and looking to find a good, high-quality, outsourcing database/web programming company in India to get me started at a reasonable price. 

...I started Google Analytics late, after the point where I had already told most of my friends and colleagues. 

...However, my message is hidden in the many posts&mdash;don&rsquo;t give up on your dreams; take those first steps on your journey.   In my life, I sometimes feel that I have given up a bit early on trying to accomplish my lifelong creative dreams. 

...My reflections are the commentary that I hope will sometimes offer new ideas and perspectives to anyone reading this. 

...However, if my other ventures suddenly catapulted me to fame (alongside Sergei and Larry of Google fame), would anyone want to read about my life? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 148: Fly Dutchman&#x2c; Fly</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-12-28T12:51:31-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0d4af757eeba5368a6dcd21a2e4999d6-148.php#unique-entry-id-148</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0d4af757eeba5368a6dcd21a2e4999d6-148.php#unique-entry-id-148</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Went to the opera with Pavel&rsquo;s friends. ...  It was fantastic, not just the normally enjoyable, but fantastic.   The singers were all (well almost) excellent and the lighting effects, etc., really good.


...I have been and will continue to be in electronic music class, the electronic lab, horn lessons, and practicing horn and piano on many days to come.   Unless there is something special going on, I will not continue to comment on it or tag it. 

...Pavel, his sister and her friend, and I went to the Staatsoper tonight. ...  Richard Wagner was a late-Romantic German composer primarily known for his operas.   His musical style includes chromatic writing and shifting tonal harmonies, use of musical leitmotifs, heavy orchestration, and the use of mythological themes and the redemption of love theme.   His operas tend to be long, including the four operas in the cyclic Der Ring des Nibelungen.   We would be sitting in "standing room" for a Wagnerian opera.   I hope that this wasn&rsquo;t Pavel&rsquo;s sister&rsquo;s first opera. 

...Wagner&rsquo;s operas (Der Fliegende Holl&auml;nder, Lohengrin, Das Rheingold, Die Walk&uuml;re, Siegfried, G&ouml;tterd&auml;mmergung, Die Meistersinger, Tristan und Isolde, Tannha&uuml;ser, Parsifal and others) are among the most well-known operas of all time, and are a staple of the opera world.   They take some effort to listen to because of their length, complexity, and subject matter.   The Flying Dutchman is one of his earlier operas and is based on the theme of the legend of the Flying Dutchman and probably a bit lighter than his later works. 

...This photo of Wagner, taken from Wikipedia, is in the public domain.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 147: Get your eyes checked regularly</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-27T11:36:53-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/775e4b5f574c1a40c9fe6c865e4efdb6-147.php#unique-entry-id-147</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/775e4b5f574c1a40c9fe6c865e4efdb6-147.php#unique-entry-id-147</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Got a registered letter from Andre&mdash;made me feel really good, except that it had money. ...  As with the previous day, I felt really good that I had these great friends and relatives. 

...As a result, I really enjoy getting letters from everyone and reading them to see what is going on in their lives.   Thankfully, I&rsquo;m very active in school and always keeping busy&mdash;look at how many operas and concerts I&rsquo;ve seen. 

...As a reminder, if you are reading parts of the journal and I mention something that interests you (Anjali, or sightseeing venue), look to see if there is a &ldquo;tag&rdquo; either in the right-side column, or below the blog posting. 

...One of my teachers from Montclair sent me information on Fontainbleu, a music school for composers run by the famous teacher of composers, Nadia Boulanger.   At a later date, I apply for a scholarship to Fontainbleu and receive a short handwritten letter from Nadia Boulanger that I forever cherish.   I hope that I can find and show you this letter before the end of the year.


...My mention of Andre in the journal reminds me of a very important topic. 

...Here are just two instances: (1) He discovered that I had glaucoma, very early on while I was a student at Ohio State University.   Glaucoma specialists at OSU were bringing in classes of medical students to see my &ldquo;Kruckenberg spindle,&rdquo; a form of pigmentary glaucoma.   The doctor said, my friend was very, very good to have discovered this; many ophthalmologists would have missed it. ...  If I had never visited Andre in his office when he first began his practice, I would have not known that I had glaucoma. ...  As a result, I have been taking eye drops for glaucoma for over 25 years and have my vision today because of this early detection. ...  To this day, when I see other eye specialists, they always remark how my cataract surgery was excellent.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 146: My Christmas present</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-26T19:01:56-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/71a1d69a2df85da04169bef808dad3be-146.php#unique-entry-id-146</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/71a1d69a2df85da04169bef808dad3be-146.php#unique-entry-id-146</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Frau Pollak told me it was from the lady whose money I found. ...  And because she obviously appreciated the fact that someone was honest and returned it, I was really, really happy. ...  In fact, she&rsquo;s going to cook me a very big dinner.


...This is Vienna's largest and most famous cemetery.   It contains the tombs of many composers, including the Johann Strauss' I and II, Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, and Arnold Sch&ouml;nberg. ...  Was it a coincidence that there was fog at the exact time of our visit? 

...This story relates back to the large amount of money (3,000s plus 100 DM) that I found on the bus a while back and returned to the police station. ...  Since that time, I received a 300s reward as a finder&rsquo;s fee, indicating that someone claimed the money. ...  A package of candy from the elderly woman whose money it was.   I was very happy to find out that the money was returned to an elderly person, its rightful owner, and that it prevented some hardship in that person's life. 

...If you haven't guessed by the title, the opera is a story of two young people who meet and want to get married. ...  Just read the plot in the article below for a good laugh, and just try to follow the story line.   Here is the Wikipedia article on the opera and its composer, Smetana.   Smetana, a Czech composer, and a teacher of music, is known for his nationalistic Czech style and melodies.   He is most known for both The Bartered Bride and his symphonic work, Ma vlast (My Country), which includes the famous work, The Moldau. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 145: Vienna&#x21; Frohe Weihnachten&#x2014;Merry Christmas&#x21;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-25T20:11:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/80eed653ee9aa101b30dc27275e00d05-145.php#unique-entry-id-145</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/80eed653ee9aa101b30dc27275e00d05-145.php#unique-entry-id-145</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Pavel&rsquo;s sister, Lisa, is a good-looking girl and I seem to be doing pretty well with her&mdash;???


...The opening photo today is a still picture from a wonderful 360-degree panorama of Christmas in Vienna by photographer Bernhard Vogl from his website dativ.at.   When you go to the picture at the website here, and if you have Quicktime (PC or Mac) and a fast Internet connection, you will be able to scroll your mouse over the picture to see a full 360-degree panorama. ...  I encourage all of you to visit Bernhard&rsquo;s website to see many more wonderful photos and panoramas of Vienna. 

...Back from a wonderful skiing vacation in Innsbruck, I am enjoying a Viennese Christmas day with my roommate, Pavel, and his sister Lisa, and her friend Dolores. ...  We are all enjoying the day, Christmas, a good meal, some sightseeing (Votivkirche, photo left), time together, and Vienna. 

...[If you remember, Pavel and I are living in the apartment of our hausfrau, Frau Pollack, not too far from the Votivkirche. 

...I never meet them and have no idea where they are, but I still like them, as good friends, and good memories. 

...Although my stepchildren are now grown up, we all celebrated the holiday together yesterday, with a nice Christmas Eve dinner, the opening of presents, and midnight Mass at our church.   So, on this special day, I would like to introduce to you my family and my brothers as we grew up. 


...In the photo below, we have my beautiful wife Olga and her sons, Walter and Alex with their girlfriends. 

...We are all separated now and don&rsquo;t get to see each other often, but each brother is very special, with many special talents, and their wonderful families as well. 

...Although I did not realize it at the time, or express it to her at the time, I admired our mother greatly. 

...I really like Maria and Marianna, and all of Alex's and Walter's friends as well. 

...We were invited down for a week by our wonderful friends Don and Yolanda at their beautiful villa. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 144: Goodbye Innsbruck; Christmas Eve</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-24T11:09:04-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6681b139d81c94c24d9df395ba2c38a0-144.php#unique-entry-id-144</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6681b139d81c94c24d9df395ba2c38a0-144.php#unique-entry-id-144</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After seeing Elisabeth off, went to train station with all my stuff to leave at 12:30. 

...I was standing, looking at this wine (for Frau Pollack) and there was this good-looking girl there. ...  Well, it turned out that she has been looking for the address of one of the kids I knew at the Hochschule. 

...By the way, that&rsquo;s one thing that is great&mdash;I meet an awful lot of people and can usually do pretty well in speaking German with them (with Elisabeth, a French girl, girls on the train, all academic students).


...It made me feel good, that when I returned, I saw a stack of Christmas cards from relatives and friends (everyone except the family, hmmm).


...I think that I wanted to give her a Christmas present and dropped it off at her dorm for a minute. ...  I take a ride all the way to Seegrube to see my first ski instructor, George. ...  Actually, it reminds me that if you are a pleasant person, good-natured, have a bit of humor, and enjoy helping people, others will remember you and have a good feeling about you. ...  It&rsquo;s too easy to complain and to be someone that people don&rsquo;t want to associate with.


...A couple of hours after saying goodbye to Elisabeth, I&rsquo;m eyeing a good-looking girl at the train station. ...  I think being overseas, traveling, skiing, and being an international student was giving me a lot of personal confidence that I didn&rsquo;t have back in the States. 

...All I can say is that this was an incredible week of skiing, friendships, beautiful scenery (see opening photo), and fun. 

...Get to see interesting places, sightsee, take pictures, see new cultures, ski, swim, walk old towns and castles, experience foreign cuisine, and make new friends? ...  For the rest of us, we need to save up and take a well-deserved vacation once in a while. 

...It&rsquo;s a natural instinct, way back from cavemen returning to their caves, and our pack instinct and need to belong, along with the wild dogs. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 143: Skiing Mutters</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><dc:date>2007-12-23T09:47:18-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9be9e5b9c4cd6cdccbcf665cf48cd653-143.php#unique-entry-id-143</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9be9e5b9c4cd6cdccbcf665cf48cd653-143.php#unique-entry-id-143</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The snow was very hard and bare in some spots. 

...When the snow is very hard, due to freezing temperatures, and probably not being groomed, the skiing can be more difficult. ...  For that, you need to have super-good edge and weight control, something I have never mastered. ...  Opening photo shows the beauty of Innsbruck's surrounding mountains, the valley, and its skiing.


...I don&rsquo;t exactly remember, but I am fairly certain that in 1971 these mountains had little if any snow making, at least over most of the mountain terrain.   Just like in Utah, there may be snow-making on select slopes but it is not feasible to have it cover the vast area of these mountains. ...  I checked some ski sites for information and, in 2007, there is snowmaking and even night skiing at some of the Innsbruck ski resorts.


It doesn&rsquo;t matter where you go skiing in the world, the weather and snow conditions will greatly impact your enjoyment of that trip.   Being outdoors in the fresh air and getting some exercise are always part of your experience, whether it&rsquo;s sunny, snowing, or icy. 

...My good friend, Helmut, in Switzerland has told me that in some recent years the winters in the Swiss and Austrian Alps has been very mild with not much snow. ...  When I asked him about the issue, he said that in Iceland there is &ldquo;almost no winter,&rdquo; and that the Iceland glaciers are melting 10 feet a year. 

...Yes, I still miss Anjali and I would have liked to gone skiing with her, as well. 


...One day, I&rsquo;ll tell you the story of the first (and only) time I took my wife Olga skiing. ...  After spending $100 on a ski pass and rentals, she decided that she didn&rsquo;t like walking in her ski boots.   After 25 feet of walking, she gave up and just sat on the bench, and in the clubhouse, for the remainder of that shortened day. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 142: Skiing Igls with Elisabeth</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-22T21:24:45-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/efcc4c25f19636eda645268a8b06c8ec-142.php#unique-entry-id-142</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/efcc4c25f19636eda645268a8b06c8ec-142.php#unique-entry-id-142</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the morning, tried to go and take a lesson with George. 

...In the afternoon, met Elisabeth and we skied Igls.   Was also good even though we didn&rsquo;t have too much time. 

...One thing I like about doing something like this is meeting a lot of different types of people. 

...As I read back my journal, I am realizing that when you go to a city like Innsbruck, which is surrounded by multiple mountains, you should really just plan on skiing one mountain range per day.   As a student, I didn&rsquo;t even consider renting a car and always took public transportation.   Public transportation may be generally fine, but not when you are trying to do too much in one day. 


...I get to spend just a bit of time with Elisabeth skiing Igls.   The weather is good and I mention that I take some pictures (see opening photo and left).   I suppose that most of the Innsbruck skiing pictures might be from today, though I&rsquo;ll post them throughout this week&rsquo;s posts.


...Once again, I mention that nothing beats the experience of meeting new students and friends in an international setting. ...  I think, as an adult, today, we would not be as open to meeting other adults in the same circumstances&mdash;being at a ski resort might be an exception.   However, being a student is the bond between students, regardless of the country of their origin.


If you're a young student, enjoy life, family and friends, do well in school, respect yourself and others, respect your health and your body, and start to take those first steps towards your dreams.   Being young is a precious time in your life. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 141: Great skiing at Igls</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-21T22:47:39-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3eb0d2cdf695cf9defb780c824e760a8-141.php#unique-entry-id-141</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3eb0d2cdf695cf9defb780c824e760a8-141.php#unique-entry-id-141</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The snow was in the sun and so it was not too hard. ...  Also went down top part of an Olympic run&mdash;nice and not too hard. 

...I don&rsquo;t mind skiing in a moderate snowfall (not blizzards) but don&rsquo;t enjoy rain or freezing rain.   I remember once in New York&rsquo;s Hunter Mountain being covered by ice from head to toe.   That said, skiing on a beautiful sunny day is the most pleasure. ...  Igls looks like it may have easier slopes&mdash;better for my practicing.   Here's a picture of me enjoying the sun (photo left), although I don't know the exact location&mdash;it could be Igls. ...  I don't think I look so good with long hair, so why did I keep it?   Probably, my new-found freedom from "work" (first time) and some kind of political statement possibly. 

...I will post some pictures that I believe are from my Innsbruck trip.   However, as I have mentioned before, I could be mistaken as to some locations since I have lost the documentation. ...  The photos can be seen in larger size and chronologically on the Photos page, and also on the Slide show page titled "Innsbruck."


...I invite Elisabeth to dinner and drinks and we have an enjoyable conversation. ...  She was a university student at the time and, if I remember, lived in a student dorm that had an early curfew&mdash;maybe it was a Catholic university? 

...If I would have proposed and gotten married young, I would probably be living in Europe today, perhaps living in a castle as a nobleman, or something or other. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 140: Skiing; Elisabeth; naked men in a sauna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-20T20:00:38-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5d7ab8fb101cc2140f9468f5bbd00cbe-140.php#unique-entry-id-140</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5d7ab8fb101cc2140f9468f5bbd00cbe-140.php#unique-entry-id-140</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The one Austrian girl (really good looking, a good skier, and reminds me a little of Mom), Elisabeth, was probably the best skier. 

...I figured that I better start seeing other places, so I decided to go to Mutters; but it was too late when I got to the train. 

...He also starts to swirl a towel around and it [the heat] hits you in the face with that hot, hot air. 

...&bull; You also do this with the large pools [of hot and cold] for your whole body.


...Although it&rsquo;s raining hard in the city of Innsbruck, I go to Seegrube to ski. 

...Well, it seems that I asked Elisabeth about skiing down the Seegrube mountain at the end of the day, after our ski class. 

...It was a large public, community spa, and had all types of hot-cold baths, saunas, a swimming pool (I think) and other things. ...  To this day, I still have never seen a health-spa, club, or resort that can compare to the few that I have seen during my stay in Austria in 1971, and again in my visit to Switzerland in 2004. ...  Well, nothing would beat the hot-cold experiences of saunas and baths to keep your skin much more healthy and good looking. 

...After showering, you get a towel, you are naked but can wrap the towel around you or just sit on it. 

...It&rsquo;s probably 10-20 degrees in the winter night, we&rsquo;re on a balcony, sweating, standing in the night air&rsquo;s freezing temperatures, and we&rsquo;re naked. 

...When you walk or move through the lanes with alternating hot & cold water, your circulation is pumping. 

...On our visit to Switzerland in 2004, we went to a couple of swim clubs and we were swimming in &ldquo;hot thermal&rdquo; water (from the earth, mind you) while being outside in moderately cold weather. ...  One club had an amazing collection of saunas (at least 10; outside and inside), a small cold-water swimming pool outside (same concept as Innsbruck), multiple swimming pools, kid slides, steam rooms with aroma therapy, an exercise area, and a small restaurant. ...  The best you get is a Jacuzzi next to a swimming pool, modest saunas, and I've never liked a steam room here. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 139: Innsbruck: Seegrube Ski School</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-19T21:31:36-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5efe03b573f38d1533fda3fdfc0fbf35-139.php#unique-entry-id-139</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5efe03b573f38d1533fda3fdfc0fbf35-139.php#unique-entry-id-139</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The sun was shining and it felt great to be in the fresh air. 

...The highest mountains I had seen prior to this might have been Killington in Vermont (4215 ft. elevation) and Hunter Mt. in New York (3200 ft. elevation); lest not forget the Great Gorge and Vernon Valley in NJ, now called Mountain Creek (1480 ft. elevation). 

...When you are out on the mountain, the fresh mountain air is refreshing. ...  On a nice day, or even snowy day, it&rsquo;s just great being on the slopes.   I don&rsquo;t remember the exact weather, but I think the majority of my Innsbruck skiing was in sunny weather.   I'll post some photos that show a cloud cover over the valley, covering the city of Innsbruck, while the skiing is in bright, blue-sky, sunny weather.


...I am an intermediate skier, and I didn&rsquo;t want to ski off of a mountain cliff or into a crevasse. 

...The experts are diamond, double-diamond, and the death-defying skiing and snow-boarding movies with helicopters, tree lines, cliffs, avalanches, and all of that really dangerous stuff you see on sports channels&mdash;don&rsquo;t do it.]


...I started skiing in college at the local NJ ski resort&mdash;in those days they were called, Great Gorge and Vernon Valley.   I worked and couldn&rsquo;t go skiing a lot, but managed to go a few times or so each year. ...  In those days, you were taught to parallel by &ldquo;shifting&rdquo; your weight and ski edges, not by jumping up.   After many years, I guess I do okay and parallel moderately ok on not-so-steep slopes.   However, I could never parallel perfectly and thus my weight and edges would fail me on very steep or icy slopes. 

...As a result, I often like to take lessons to see if I can improve my paralleling. 


...I do not know exactly if the photos are from Seegrube, Igls, or Mutters or mixed with other resorts.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 138: Arrival in Innsbruck</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-12-18T20:11:07-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9f1e7c21dae013fc816b5a746eb3e243-138.php#unique-entry-id-138</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9f1e7c21dae013fc816b5a746eb3e243-138.php#unique-entry-id-138</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After I got my room, I decided to walk around the town. ...  I took in most of the important sights, and then I decided to find out about skiing.   I was too late to be able to ski in the afternoon. ...  Went to rent boots and found out that the skis I brought (Herr Gabler) had bad bindings. ...  At night, had a great meal and talked and drank with a bunch of people. 

...After settling in at the hotel, I take a walk around Innsbruck.   Please take my &ldquo;not much to see&rdquo; comment with a grain of salt.   As a poor student who is not renting a car and limited to walking around the town near the hotel, I have no idea where the major sightseeing venues are, where I should be visiting, and didn't have time to visit museums or churches. 

...As a layman, I just liked the old town feel of Innsbruck. ...  Anne's column in the center of town is a landmark of Innsbruck with the mountains as its backdrop (opening photo).   Here are some of the sights: Maria Theresa's  Hofburg imperial palace (as opulent as in Vienna); the Baroque cathedral Dom St.   Jakob; the Hofkirche which houses the tomb of Maximilian I; the Goldenes Dachl with its golden roof and gilded cooper roof tiles (see photo right); the Schloss Ambrass museum, and Innsbruck's famous old-town street, the Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse with its Baroque buildings.


...Of course, the scenery of Innsbruck includes its surrounding snow-laden mountains, the glorious Austrian Alps.   I did take a lot of pictures and will post them in the blog, and in the Pictures and Slide Shows areas.


...I brought skis with me that were given to me by my horn teacher, Professor Gabler. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 137: Christmas in class</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-17T07:58:20-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a685d89cbd6c79a373ba7143eb44ce73-137.php#unique-entry-id-137</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a685d89cbd6c79a373ba7143eb44ce73-137.php#unique-entry-id-137</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 137 &mdash; Christmas in class


...A really good day.   In electronic music, I played my letter.   Kaufman was at least laughing.


The rest of the day was really good.   In acoustics, engineer Gotwald was explaining to us about the oscilloscope.   We started fooling around, drinking wine, and trying to get weird pictures on the oscilloscope.   We really went wild when we got a good Christmas tree design, so we turned the oscilloscope on its side.   It was a lot of fun (a little education) and at least it showed that we were all human.


...Christmas in class.   Today, before the school break for the Christmas holidays, we have a bit of fun. ...  I play my &ldquo;Letter Home&rdquo; for the class. ...  Then we create Christmas tree patterns on the oscilloscope.


...Then tonight, it&rsquo;s off to Innsbruck for my first ski trip in Austria.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 136: Nothing today</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-16T07:55:33-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4784b3bc082d2e71b4b5cf484aa352d8-136.php#unique-entry-id-136</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4784b3bc082d2e71b4b5cf484aa352d8-136.php#unique-entry-id-136</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 136 &mdash; Nothing today


16-December-1971 (Thur.)


TRANSCRIPT


Another busy day.   Looking forward to the vacation.


REFLECTIONS


Nothing to report.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 135: &#x201c;Letter Home&#x201d; is finished</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-12-15T18:22:33-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b12ab590a61a9670e1e00717b09effc9-135.php#unique-entry-id-135</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b12ab590a61a9670e1e00717b09effc9-135.php#unique-entry-id-135</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Now, that it&rsquo;s all over, I&rsquo;m glad I did it.   It&rsquo;s a fairly good job and at least it&rsquo;s funny.


...(I don&rsquo;t want to think about the money). 

...I&rsquo;m starting to learn something about interpretation (I think) and his style.   He makes you love the music&mdash;to have the power to do something like that is really great.


...I&rsquo;m planning on going to Innsbruck for skiing.   I am very enthusiastic about skiing, especially in the Austrian Alps. ...  I believe that I planned these by myself because I always went alone on these trips. 

...I guess that I am willing to spend a little to go skiing because it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.   It was&mdash;I haven&rsquo;t been back to the Austrian Alps since.   In retrospect, it was a good thing to go.   Just so you don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;m a spendthrift, I would stay in student hostels or hotels which had greatly reduced prices. 

...Remember, Anton Heiler is a highly-regarded performer of Baroque music, noted for his interpretive style. ...  Listening to and seeing live performances offers all music students a unique look at music and artists. ...  You need to get out there and see live music&mdash;look, listen, learn, do.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 134: Zappa&#x27;s 200 Motels</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-14T18:12:33-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e798ac8234ca5d79a8d79017a0154312-134.php#unique-entry-id-134</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e798ac8234ca5d79a8d79017a0154312-134.php#unique-entry-id-134</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 134 &mdash; Zappa's 200 Motels


...Saw &ldquo;200 Motels&rdquo; by Frank Zappa.   It was wild, funny, and throbbing&mdash;gave me a headache.   But I like some of the ideas and, especially, the visual effects (&hellip; solarized color). 

...As for thematic content and purpose, I don&rsquo;t really agree with it.


...Today, I see a movie about Frank Zappa titled 200 Motels.   While I don&rsquo;t remember this movie, I can guess that it was about Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, and perhaps about their live tours; thus the title, 200 Motels.   It also sounds like it was filled with 1960s visual effects such as solarization, perhaps trying to be avant-garde or psychedelic.   &ldquo;Psychedelic&rdquo; art, happenings, and drugs were part of the 60&rsquo;s hippie culture and art scene.   I was never into the drug scene. 

...I found a great Wikipedia article on Zappa's 200 Motels.   It was a movie with both the Mothers of Invention and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. ...  I would like to see this movie again.   Just to see what my feelings would be now.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 133: Wrote a new song</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-13T20:05:16-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e16d5d6eaca8c071a8313ba28bf305c9-133.php#unique-entry-id-133</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e16d5d6eaca8c071a8313ba28bf305c9-133.php#unique-entry-id-133</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 133 &mdash; Wrote a new song


...Can&rsquo;t remember what I did.   I wrote another song today. ...  I sort of like it.


...A new song.   Except for writing a new song, I don&rsquo;t remember what I did today.   I wonder why I didn&rsquo;t write more about this?   I did find a tape of my guitar songs.   As I&rsquo;ve said before, they are corny and my singing was not good.  

...One day, on another website, I may start posting some of my music for the world to hear.   Almost no one has heard any of my music.   It's time to break out. ...  I am not a singer.   I would like other singers or groups to play my music.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 132: Music and art</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-12-12T21:44:05-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c9b8bfff0f97b21b13d1bd9ebc346412-132.php#unique-entry-id-132</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c9b8bfff0f97b21b13d1bd9ebc346412-132.php#unique-entry-id-132</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I like his conducting, and the orchestra was excellent.   I had my subscription seat and so when I stood, I had a good view of Krips from the front. 

...I am assuming that this museum was an art museum, though I could be wrong.   I always enjoy a great deal of modern art, although I sometimes wonder if those artists can do equally well in traditional art. ...  However, contemporary art, as with music, often explores textures, layers, form, objects and elements, and other items in new and interesting ways.   That is why I can often find interest in many new things.   On the flip side, you can also find &ldquo;sameness&rdquo; in many new things.   When new music and art sounds or looks the same, then it becomes less interesting.


...Although I was not familiar with Josef Krips as a conductor, I enjoyed his conducting and I enjoyed the Vienna Symphony (not the Philharmonic) performing Ludwig van Beethoven&rsquo;s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major. ...  Known as the &ldquo;Eroica,&rdquo; Beethoven composed the symphony in 1803-04 and dedicated it to Napoleon.   As the Wikipedia article notes, afterwards, when Napoleon crowned himself Emperor, Beethoven was so angered that he scratched out Napoleon&rsquo;s name on the title page. 

...I had a subscription tickets to some of the concerts in the beautiful Musikverein concert hall.   I remember the seats being on the 2nd level and slightly facing the conductor, almost aligned with the orchestra.   This meant that I was &ldquo;up close&rdquo; and could watch both the conductor and the orchestra from the front/side, as they performed. ...  Too bad I couldn&rsquo;t secretly videotape the concerts back then and play it back today. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 131: Beautiful Burgtheater</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-11T21:25:41-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa8a2f8553c034ef94e33ac031e60c03-131.php#unique-entry-id-131</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fa8a2f8553c034ef94e33ac031e60c03-131.php#unique-entry-id-131</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Still not finished with the letter.   As for our electronic music, it was extremely difficult getting our desired results in our methods of patching.


Went to first performance in the Burgtheater, a beautiful theater.   Saw &ldquo;Veh dem, der l&iuml;gt&rdquo; (Sorry is the man that lies). ...  With the help of the program, I find that I am doing extremely well in following the German. 

...Still working in the electronic music lab and class.   My &ldquo;letter home&rdquo; is still on my mind.    Looking back, I don&rsquo;t see why I was so enthralled by this project.   I can guess that I was so proud of my new &ldquo;electronic music techniques,&rdquo; such as splicing, that I wanted to impress everyone. ...  It looks like the class projects were not as good today. 

...I&rsquo;m glad I finally made it to the Burgtheater to see some theater.   The Burgtheater (see photo above) is one of the premiere theaters in Europe.   It is absolutely gorgeous and includes a grand staircase entryway.   I am not entirely certain that I had the title of the play right in the journal, but I hope it&rsquo;s close.   My understanding of German, with the help of the program, seems to be improving. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 130: Electronic letter</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-10T20:18:21-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/92f49c8246c54a8ed13e9b224bb01a97-130.php#unique-entry-id-130</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/92f49c8246c54a8ed13e9b224bb01a97-130.php#unique-entry-id-130</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 130 &mdash; Electronic letter


10-December-1971 (Fri.)


TRANSCRIPT


Spent a lot of time working on my letter.   I&rsquo;ll be glad when it&rsquo;s finished.


REFLECTIONS


As mentioned, just working on my electronic music letter.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 129: Planning for St. Anton</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-09T18:08:45-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7875bf5be4363f25dd5e7679dbca97b1-129.php#unique-entry-id-129</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7875bf5be4363f25dd5e7679dbca97b1-129.php#unique-entry-id-129</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Finally, someone was willing to help (with my letter).   That was the International Club, and a student there, who helped me tape music off of my records. 

...Lucky to get the bed because it is extremely crowded.   I really don&rsquo;t have the money, but I hope that I won&rsquo;t be sorry. 

...Brought my horn to the little old Vienna horn maker.   He&rsquo;s going to fix it for 300s. 

...I guess that I wanted to record some music but didn&rsquo;t have the equipment to do it.   A student at the International Club apparently helps me out.


...Anton&rsquo;s ski resort in the Austrian Alps. ...  I don&rsquo;t know who pointed me to that resort, but the experience was forever burned in my mind.   I cannot forget the beauty of the Austrian Alps and St. ...  Just want to whet your appetite for the pictures to come.


...I don&rsquo;t know what is not right about my French horn, but I need to bring it to a Viennese shop that repairs horns.   It was very expensive. 300s was a lot of money.   Actually, that was my reward money from a few days ago. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 128: My first &#x201c;thunder-snow&#x201d;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-12-08T19:48:21-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/df6103700df1e67bd92db333efbf09f3-128.php#unique-entry-id-128</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/df6103700df1e67bd92db333efbf09f3-128.php#unique-entry-id-128</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 128 &mdash; My first &ldquo;thunder-snow&rdquo;


...Had our first &ldquo;thunder-snow&rdquo;&hellip; ??   It started to rain, and then snow, and suddenly, lighting and thunder.   I&rsquo;ve been having so many firsts here. 

...Very dramatic and a little &ldquo;heavy.&rdquo;   A lot depended on knowing the dialogue. 

...What the heck is a thunder-snow?   Well, surprisingly, it&rsquo;s a snow storm with thunder.   To this day, in 2007, I don&rsquo;t remember any other time when there was thunder during a snow storm.   I am still amazed at how many &ldquo;firsts&rdquo; I have had during this year.   I must have led a sheltered and na&iuml;ve life.   Actually, I was always working. 

...Based on Shakespeare's play, the opera Othello didn't sound like it was an easy listen to me in 1971.   I don't mention the composer of the opera, thus, it could have been written by either Gioacchino Rossini (1816) or Giuseppe Verdi (1887). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 127: Christmas &#x24;&#x24;</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-07T16:42:42-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c90ccd837a7e063e0d4ca3db2228dae4-127.php#unique-entry-id-127</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c90ccd837a7e063e0d4ca3db2228dae4-127.php#unique-entry-id-127</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 127 &mdash; Christmas $$


07-December-1971 (Tue.)


...Working on letter for home; a lot of work.   If I can get all of the music recorded that I want, then it&rsquo;ll be good.


Mailed Christmas cards.   Just for mailing, about 20s.   Christmas can be expensive.


...It&rsquo;s nice to know that there is some stability in the history of humankind.   In 1971, I thought that Christmas was expensive, just to mail Christmas cards.   Well, in all the ensuing years and in 2007, Christmas has always continued to be expensive.   Thank goodness for tradition. 

...Certainly, the spiritual and religious messages of Christmas are what is most important.


...My electronic letter is moving forward.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 126: Guitarist Julian Bream</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-12-06T16:06:46-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a31bbc7835a8aee352aaa13b138a9e6d-126.php#unique-entry-id-126</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a31bbc7835a8aee352aaa13b138a9e6d-126.php#unique-entry-id-126</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I had an excellent seat and could see the &ldquo;straight-wrist limit of flexion.&rdquo; ...  His tone and clearness in playing was really good.


...Julian Bream is one of the notable guitar virtuosos in the world of classical guitar.   It is always a great treat to see top performers play &ldquo;live.&rdquo;   I am glad that I made it to this concert.   Since I am playing beginning classical guitar, I was interested in the performing style of players.   Usually, this meant playing with a slightly curved fingers, or straight-fingers and wrist. ...  One thing is certain, top performers such as Bream, always have a mastery of the technique of their instrument and the sound of their instrument. 

...Amazing&mdash;it preserves a bit of culture and history to see these clips. ...  Here is Julian Bream playing Villa-Lobos Preludes 3 & 4; Here is Julian Bream playing the Bach Fugue in A minor.


...I didn't meet many Englishmen in Vienna, except for my roommate Jeff.   It was a pleasant surprise to find out that the charm of the English came out in Julian Bream when I met him backstage.


...One of my regrets, throughout life, is that I haven&rsquo;t seen enough live concerts and operas throughout the years. ...  Living in a major city with its arts establishment is probably the only way that you can go &ldquo;often&rdquo; to concerts.   My advice: if you enjoy music and it is convenient and affordable to see live music&hellip;then, by all means, do it.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 125: Good friends depart</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-05T11:08:02-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6770f8e2224a317a6534f66a61f29b3b-125.php#unique-entry-id-125</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6770f8e2224a317a6534f66a61f29b3b-125.php#unique-entry-id-125</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 125 &mdash; Good friends depart


...Practiced and did some work at home.


...2007, Good friends depart.   Today, we had our holiday luncheon at work.   You have heard that one of my recent life events was about our corporate building being shut down, resulting in some positions being eliminated and others being relocated.   Well, two good long-time friends from work, Lisa and Kathy, are departing, and today is the last day I will see them. ...  They were great workers and friends.   I wish them well and hope we&rsquo;ll keep in touch.   In the opening photo we have L-R: Lisa and Kathy; our Christmas luncheon; then Lisa, jelly-belly me, and Kathy.   Photo left is Lisa and Kathy.


I will post photos when I get them.   The pictures are Kathy's and used by permission.   Nice camera&sbquo; Kathy&mdash;a Canon Rebel XT.


I wish you guys well. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 124: Improvisation</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-04T10:40:03-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7f82a6a120fa4df758f4a54cb0a41aec-124.php#unique-entry-id-124</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7f82a6a120fa4df758f4a54cb0a41aec-124.php#unique-entry-id-124</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The whole day was involved in electronic music&mdash;a new working project with Dieter Kaufman. ...  In the morning we experimented with different improvisation models.   It was quite an enlightening experience because I learned that intelligent improvisation is somewhat of a skill&mdash;if you want an intelligent (able to be used for music) result. 

...Lunch was upset by a stupid old prejudice (long hair). 

...Spent experimenting with how to make different models (or composing techniques), using the morning&rsquo;s results. 

...As I discover, improvisation is a skill or art that has to be practiced and learned.   In contemporary music, improvising is a skill that might take the form of vocal improvisations such as a type of musical theater or vocalizing, or the form of instrumental improvisations such as creating interesting sounds on traditional instruments, prepared instruments (&ldquo;prepared&rdquo; piano), or found-sound instruments (sounds made by common objects, such as metallic or wooden objects).   In Vienna, we were experimenting with vocal improvisations, if I remember correctly&mdash;the results were good.   Remember that contemporary music in the style of avant-garde, musique concrete, or electronic music, often dealt with interesting &ldquo;soundscapes&rdquo;&mdash;exploring textures, layering, and manipulating  sounds into compositions.


...Of course, improvisation exists in other genres of music, most notably that of jazz, where melodies are improvised over harmonic and rhythmic musical beds. ...  In pop and rock music, instrumental solos inserted into a song are often improvised.   Improvisational techniques can be found in Baroque and Classical music (cadenzas, theme and variations). 

...Boy, something must have happened at lunch that really upset me, and it&rsquo;s probably related to my long hair. ...  I don't remember having any problems during my entire year in Vienna. ...  It&rsquo;s a shame, the world would be a better place without prejudices.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 123: Splicing a letter home</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-03T14:05:05-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cc49b37e0ab3a1f5c7fe1760f36927b8-123.php#unique-entry-id-123</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cc49b37e0ab3a1f5c7fe1760f36927b8-123.php#unique-entry-id-123</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Began to work on my &ldquo;letter to my family,&rdquo; project in electronic music.   Simply, that I want to make a funny letter, using music and speech, to send home. 

...Well, not really, but I am recording bits of audio on tape and splicing together segments to create a letter for my family.   Splicing is the old-fashioned audio technique of cutting and pasting audio-tape segments together (with razor blades) to produce new audio material.   I was recording my vocal letter and then bits of songs and splicing them together.   Since we no longer use magnetic audio tape as the primary means of recording audio, tape splicing is a forgotten technique.   Today, we record, edit, cut, copy, and paste audio on our computers, digitally. 

...I found a tape of this &ldquo;audio letter&rdquo; home. ...  I would talk to my family and then splice in audio segments from pop songs that I brought with me on cassettes.   Sometimes you can&rsquo;t understand the words in the song, and other times it&rsquo;s just corny, regardless.   In general, the whole letter is corny.   It's interesting to realize that what you thought was funny or cool when you were young, is no longer funny or cool. 

...It&rsquo;s the thought.   Yes, it&rsquo;s the thought that counts, thankfully.   I&rsquo;m certain that my family enjoyed it (or probably thought that I was now taking drugs). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 122: Frank Zappa rocks Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-12-02T10:44:43-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/239c094ebb186316e44c7cd5046f9cd0-122.php#unique-entry-id-122</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/239c094ebb186316e44c7cd5046f9cd0-122.php#unique-entry-id-122</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Today, in that same beautiful and large concert hall, the Konzerthaus, in which I saw my first Vienna concert of Mahler&rsquo;s 8th, with the stage was filled by hundreds of singers, the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir, organist, soloist, and 100-piece orchestra, another concert took place. ...  However, there were only a few players this time&mdash;Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. ...  It was funny, that in the beginning, it was so hard to get in, even with tickets, because there was a tremendous crowd and certain hippie elements were pushing to try and crash in&mdash;some made it. 

...I needed some time off and some time to try and get my computer and hard drives in order. 

...Here it is, I&rsquo;m in the world-famous Vienna Konzerthaus listening to Frank Zappa and the Mother&rsquo;s of Invention.   It was interesting to see a rock concert in the same hall as symphonic concerts.   [In 1971, I found that unusual, although today it is a little less so.] ...  Not only did he play rock guitar in The Mothers of Invention, he was a songwriter, producer, and filmmaker.   Later in life, he moved to &ldquo;serious composing,&rdquo; writing very difficult-to-play music in a contemporary and avant-garde musical style; first on his famous Synclavier, one of the very first high-end computer-based musical synthesizers, and then for performance ensembles and orchestras. 

...Many years later, in the 1980s, Frank Zappa was invited to be the keynote speaker at the annual convention of the American Society of University Composers (ASUC) at Ohio State University. ...  At the time, I was a doctoral candidate* and teaching associate in music composition at Ohio State University in Columbus, under Dr. ...  Zappa gave his keynote address to a room filled with university composers (remember his disdain of formal education and authority). ...  As part of the conference, a few of Zappa&rsquo;s works were performed by the Ohio State ensembles.   I performed in one of them&mdash;from what I remember, it was extremely technically challenging; difficult to perform. 

...[*Although I finished the majority of my coursework, I never completed the degree due to my leaving to go home to attend to my mother&rsquo;s last stages of cancer. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 121: Thanking Rotary</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-12-01T13:05:59-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8ac182c98f0c3448134b3831870f0606-121.php#unique-entry-id-121</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8ac182c98f0c3448134b3831870f0606-121.php#unique-entry-id-121</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spaulding (Governor, District #749): &ldquo;While the Christmas holiday season is always a special time, for myself, this Christmas is more special&hellip;an extra special year&hellip;&rdquo;


...Because I will not be satisfied until each Rotarian realizes how important and valuable this type of experience can be for the student who receives it.   In this way, it will not only be the recipient who receives a sense of accomplishment (through his experiences), but more importantly the giver.   And only with a sense of accomplishment will more progress be made.&rdquo;


...Today, I write two Christmas cards to the individuals who were responsible for my receiving the Rotary Clubs International fellowship, the Walter D. ...  Spaulding, the District Governor of Rotary #749 (pictured left, standing left), and Mr. ...  Head Foundation (pictured left, standing right) that issued the fellowship.   Of course, my boss, Nick Lioy (pictured above, standing right), is included in this group. ...  Gehringer, the governor's representative is pictured above, standing center.)   I am truly thankful to the Rotary Clubs, and Rotary Clubs International for this amazing year.


I have found some news clippings of my receiving the award and will post them today.


My quotes are a little bit flowery, but I did feel that I wanted all Rotarians to understand the beneficial impact that this year had on me as a young student, and its influence throughout my life.   When there is an understanding of the incredibly positive institutions of the Rotary Clubs and the Walter D.   Head Foundation fellowships, it is likely that they will continue.   I don&rsquo;t know why I didn&rsquo;t think of it earlier, but I will write a letter to Rotary #749 and inform them of this blog. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 120: Get a Grip; 2007 photo surrealism</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-30T20:37:27-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d073c7957c8ab929f73b3c4ac5ac0119-120.php#unique-entry-id-120</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d073c7957c8ab929f73b3c4ac5ac0119-120.php#unique-entry-id-120</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 120 &mdash; Get a Grip; 2007 photo surrealism


...Spent four hours in electronic music with only a tiny amount of result&mdash;can sometimes be frustrating.


Also got my shot for &ldquo;die grippe.&rdquo; 

...A busy but normal day in 1971.   Electronic music did not produce results, but that&rsquo;s ok.   As the saying goes, you don&rsquo;t learn from your successes, you learn from your mistakes.   Also got a flu (grippe) shot. ...  In 1971, nothing in the U.S. was free.


...In 2007, we&rsquo;ve been having some unusually warm weather for November.   A day or two ago, when walking my dog near the lake (remember life event 2), I was struck by the surrealistic images and texture that the fog was creating as a backdrop to the stark trees on the shoreline.   Returning home, I grabbed my iPhone (couldn&rsquo;t find the camera) and returned and took a few photos.   While the iPhone has no zoom or exposure controls, and only takes pictures that are 2 megapixels. ...  I&rsquo;ll post a few of these in the Slide Shows section of the Pictures pages.


Since the recent post on Dali, surrealism, and art films, I thought this might be an interesting side note.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 119: iWoz&#x2c; iJon</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-29T21:05:46-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0dc1fa9dc6efb2e02ba24ff8e9f13e87-119.php#unique-entry-id-119</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0dc1fa9dc6efb2e02ba24ff8e9f13e87-119.php#unique-entry-id-119</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[2007 is iWoz. iWoz is the title of the book by Steve Wozniak and Gina Smith that tells the first-person story of Wozniak&rsquo;s life&mdash;from his early fascination with how things worked, to science fairs, to his college years and Blue Box telephone gadget, to meeting Steve Jobs and cofounding Apple Computer, to his life and adventures after Apple.   If you&rsquo;re not familiar with Wozniak, often called Woz, he created and engineered the first personal computer, and the first computer with a keyboard and screen&mdash;the Apple I computer. 

...This book sets the record straight&mdash;Wozniak was the engineering genius behind the Apple I and the Apple II computers that started the personal computing revolution.   His engineering talents were genius, touching many elements of computing including the important floppy drive controller that led to the ability to store data.   Also fascinating, is how Woz gives credit to and understands the creative and get-things-done role that Steve Jobs played in starting Apple. ...  Thus, Job&rsquo;s vision, marketing sense, and the all-imporant ability to get-things-done was equally critical to starting Apple and launching the computer revolution. 

...If you are an Apple fan, computing engineer, or have an interest in the history of personal computing and Apple, read this book. ...  After reading the book, I was struck by Woz&rsquo;s kindness and desire to reward the people and engineers that worked for him. 

...Sometime this past year, I was lucky enough to be invited by my friends Jovito (middle) and Allison (right), to go to hear Woz speak at the Museum of Natural History in New York.   Wozniak gave a talk that I remember struck me as being amazing, especially how his father nurtured Steve&rsquo;s interest in how-things-worked by just answering questions when asked. 

...I was having major issues with a Nikon camera and 3rd-party batteries (the camera would shut off every other time you tried to take the picture), and so I only got this blurry picture. ...  Woz was kind enough to wait for me and my camera&rsquo;s antics, as I was the last guy in line. 

...There are differences, however&mdash;at age 22, he was a genius designing the first personal computer, and I was not. 

...When I first got the iWoz book, I was planning a computer podcast (now on hold) and wanted to do a show on this topic. 

...I&rsquo;m hoping that a few of my ideas will bring me to new directions and opportunities. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 118: Music and art</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-28T19:43:43-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/de6c0a2dd02674c83aa34597114b9ad9-118.php#unique-entry-id-118</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/de6c0a2dd02674c83aa34597114b9ad9-118.php#unique-entry-id-118</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Many of the pictures they used were similar to one&rsquo;s I took (i.e. a flower).   A new danger is that something like this can seem corny.   Also, seeing a picture of the composer&rsquo;s face, while his music is playing, can be corny. ...  Of course, you can turn it into something funny or humorous.


...Today, I look at contemporary art films. ...  I think when I was in middle school or high school, I painted a replica of Salvador Dali&rsquo;s famous surrealistic wilted-clock painting&mdash;The Persistence of Memory.   My mother hung that painting on the wall for many years. 

...Just like with contemporary music, contemporary art films (avant-garde) can be interesting or not.   I comment that some of the pictures were like ones that I would photograph in college (flowers, inanimate objects).   My mother once said, &ldquo;Why don&rsquo;t you take pictures of people?&rdquo; ...  Use of these kinds of images can be powerful, interesting, or corny. ...  You can look at a picture of a flower and immerse yourself in it&rsquo;s beauty, or you might say, &ldquo;What? ...  Regardless, it&rsquo;s good for me to be exposed to all types of contemporary art and music. ...  Sure, the U.S. was also active, but I was in Europe. 

...Day 100 Note that this is only November, and I&rsquo;ve seen more concerts and operas than in a decade in the U.S.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 117: Where&#x2019;s my turkey?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-27T08:30:15-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/84b5cfd4a2de3d869bc43c57b72db9c9-117.php#unique-entry-id-117</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/84b5cfd4a2de3d869bc43c57b72db9c9-117.php#unique-entry-id-117</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Disappointing, he said it didn&rsquo;t live up to his ideals. 

...This is the first Thanksgiving I missed, and boy, do I miss that turkey and stuffing. 

...My cousin Walter and I kept in contact a lot when we were growing up.   My mother, brothers, and I often went to his mother&rsquo;s house, Teta Anna, for family gatherings. ...  I remember him telling me fascinating stories about being in an African village and helping to build a water well for the village.   At the time, the Peace Corps was an important organization for volunteers wanting to help poorer nations around the world. ...  I was surprised that he left because he wanted to help the world. 

...Another concert of contemporary music, along the veins of a theater event.   I generally enjoy these music events, though they can also become very similar to each other.   I don&rsquo;t know what was anti-opera about the event, and am sorry that I don&rsquo;t have my notes to see what I was thinking.


...I believe that Europe has always been more open and receptive to contemporary music, for example, the avant-garde genres of electronic music, music theater, multimedia events, &ldquo;happenings&rdquo; and such.   This is certainly true of contemporary art as well.   I am willing to bet that this is true today as well.   Another example of this acceptance is the popularity of American jazz throughout Europe.


...Yes, I basically forgot about Thanksgiving, an American-only holiday, and didn&rsquo;t have any turkey. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 116: Meine kl&#xe4;ngen</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-26T18:58:37-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3da1f010ffb4682cbea99c4cdaf92823-116.php#unique-entry-id-116</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3da1f010ffb4682cbea99c4cdaf92823-116.php#unique-entry-id-116</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 116 &mdash; Meine kl&auml;ngen


26-November-1971 (Fri.)


...Electronic music.   Played my kl&auml;ngen tape.   Teacher Dieter Kaufman said it was a good and logical start.   From here on it it&rsquo;ll be a lot harder.


Have some good ideas for an electronic media piece, getting excited.   But my ideas are big and encompassing, and I wonder if I&rsquo;ll ever get them off of the ground.


...Today in electronic music class, I play my electronic sounds that I have been collecting.   I guess that I am off on a good start, though I have not begun organizing these into a composition.   That will be more difficult.   I mention that I have ideas for a multimedia composition, oh shades of Pupofon (Day 084) , or perhaps I miss Pupofon girl (Day 085).   Hopefully, I&rsquo;ll get started soon.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 115: Polish electronic music</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-25T18:44:50-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a65fea2f21250609279b3d39331b9319-115.php#unique-entry-id-115</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a65fea2f21250609279b3d39331b9319-115.php#unique-entry-id-115</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 115 &mdash; Polish electronic music


...Since [I&rsquo;ve] been here, haven&rsquo;t heard about the World Series or football. 

...For our class&mdash;presentation of some Polish works of electronic music. 

...Not much going on today.   I find it interesting that I &ldquo;forgot&rdquo; about the World Series, or football while in Vienna.   That is understandable, I am not watching a whole lot of TV or reading newspapers.   Plus, Austrian TV and papers might only briefly mention these American pastimes.


Polish electronic music.   Ah, back in class, we are listening to some Polish electronic music.   I like these works better.


Along similar lines, I remember being influenced by the music of contemporary Polish composer, Krzysztof Penderecki, and his Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima.   A very powerful, contemporary work.   His most well-known work.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 114: Looking dumb</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-24T18:40:37-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/145da51c572eca0c28f9236df273fb76-114.php#unique-entry-id-114</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/145da51c572eca0c28f9236df273fb76-114.php#unique-entry-id-114</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But it&rsquo;s a happy-type look and I like it. 

...I&rsquo;m starting to get tired of typical contemporary music and typical electronic music&mdash;not that it&rsquo;s bad, but for me, I want to make it more meaningful and enjoyable, and important, for the audience. 

...What the heck is a &ldquo;look-dumb&rdquo; getup? ...  The only thing might be that flimsy tan autumn coat and my scarf (see horn picture from yesterday) that could be reminiscent of a young Bohemian artist living in the Parisian French Quarter?   Or maybe people are looking at me because I am wearing a flimsy coat in winter weather?   Or was it my new ski jacket and Austrian ski cap with the eagle? 

...I go to a student concert of electronic music concert and am critical.   I suspect that I am getting tired of &ldquo;typical&rdquo; electronic music.   I am only a student, remember, and not wise in all ways of the world.   If a piece sounds like every other piece, then I may not be so fond of that work.   It is easy to think this way in electronic music (and sometimes with contemporary music), due to the nature of electronic music&mdash;it&rsquo;s complexity, timbres, lack of tonality, harmonic melodies, dissonant harmonies, and recognizable musical forms to hang your hat on. ...  I do love most contemporary music, but even as a graduate student later in life, I find that it is common to feel that many works are often too similar in these genres. 


To be fair, it is not easy to write electronic music that feels unique and cohesive. ...  As mentioned, the traditional musical elements are not there to grab a hold of.


Writing good music in any genre is not easy. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 113: First major snowfall; Heiler plays Bach</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-23T19:23:42-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5ec0aa87cdee5fcda2043542fd4f2539-113.php#unique-entry-id-113</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5ec0aa87cdee5fcda2043542fd4f2539-113.php#unique-entry-id-113</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 113 &mdash; First major snowfall; Heiler plays Bach


...&bull; I bought a winter coat (ski jacket), and an Austrian hat (ski) with the Austrian eagle.


...To end the day, which was full&mdash;4-1/2 hrs. of electronic music work, some practice, played in a symphony rehearsal for about 10 minutes&mdash;I saw the first [Anton] Heiler Plays Bach concert. ...  His interpretation (use of rubato), which at first seems like &ldquo;looking for notes,&rdquo; is his genius. 

...The first major snowfall of the year brings beauty and a quiet serenity to Vienna&rsquo;s parks. ...  If you haven&rsquo;t guessed it, I love walking in the snow.   Thankfully, I buy myself a winter ski jacket and hat.   (My brown flimsy jacket in the horn photo was not meant for real winter.)


Of course, the city cars and traffic turn the snow into a mess. 

...After a full day at school, I see a concert with organist Anton Heiler playing a Baroque-style organ (left photo).   Organs in the time of Bach were mechanical devices, and I think that their sound reflected that construction. ...  I mention Heiler&rsquo;s use of rubato (a free give-and-take of tempo; the tempo doesn&rsquo;t move strictly in time, but slows down and speeds up).   My friend Mike, an organist and student at the academy, provided some insight into Heiler&rsquo;s playing.   Anton Heiler was recognized as a major artist and interpreter of Bach&rsquo;s organ music.


...Here is a link to one of his CDs.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 112: Thankful Thanksgiving</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-22T20:42:32-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/609e7ac6e493cb6ec88ba76201edd040-112.php#unique-entry-id-112</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/609e7ac6e493cb6ec88ba76201edd040-112.php#unique-entry-id-112</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Had my piano lesson&mdash;learning an awful lot about piano, even at my barbaric stage.   You have to do so many things that I never realized.


...[I&rsquo;m] Starting, I think, to develop a philosophy.


...I know that es schneit is probably not correct.


...Horn and piano lessons seem to be going well.   I&rsquo;m enjoying the piano lessons and learning new information.


...I appear to be formulating my thoughts on what I think about various types of contemporary music.   Today, in 2007, I enjoy a wide variety of contemporary musical styles.   In 1971, I am probably critical of contemporary music that doesn't strike me as original.


...In 2007, there was a light snow on my last day in the hospital.   The next day, the snow caused someone to rear-end my wife&rsquo;s car.   Once again, opposites&mdash;snow can be beautiful to look at and walk in, but treacherous to drive in.


...Just a couple of days ago, my wife was recovering from a small car accident. 

...We had a nice family dinner with turkey and all the other food.   Today, I was truly thankful to God because we got through our two recent life events with no serious health issues. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 111: Getting things done</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-21T19:00:56-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/77bb107327ae736289623fbdc2067a94-111.php#unique-entry-id-111</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/77bb107327ae736289623fbdc2067a94-111.php#unique-entry-id-111</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 111 &mdash; Getting things done


21-November-1971 (Sun.)


TRANSCRIPT


Spent all day reading.   Trying to catch up on work.   Did a lot.   Felt good.


...Feels good.   Getting things done feels good.   Yes.   It&rsquo;s a feeling of accomplishing things and getting them off of your to do list. 


John
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 110: Theater&#x2014;Meine Angemessene Dame</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-20T07:36:18-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a1adda66b1de75614c776b3f5e104a0c-110.php#unique-entry-id-110</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a1adda66b1de75614c776b3f5e104a0c-110.php#unique-entry-id-110</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Saw My Fair Lady, the musical, but in German.   It was in the Theater-in-Wien, a very beautiful theater.   It was very enjoyable and a good production, except that the professor didn&rsquo;t sing as well.


It was interesting to hear the familiar songs but with German words.   &ldquo;With a little bit of love&rdquo; was something like &ldquo;mit a &hellip;schwickenwik,&rdquo; which sounded very corny.   Well, anyway, I&rsquo;ll have to see more musicals.


Saw my slides of Baden&mdash;some really beautiful pictures, also some corny ones of me that Mike took, while I was taking pictures for him.   My favorite publicity picture&mdash;me with my horn with Mozart in the background.


...That&rsquo;s My Fair Lady in German.   I&rsquo;m fairly certain that this was an actual theater production and not a movie. ...  As always, it&rsquo;s enjoyable to see live performances of any musical venue.


John's famous horn photo and Baden slides.   Well, here is the Mozart picture (see opening picture above) that we actually took on this day.   According to the journal, my friend Mike took the picture.   I have previously posted this picture on an earlier day, and because I still don&rsquo;t have the documentation for the slides, I am probably making a few mistakes as to when the pictures were taken and posted. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 109: Jerry Lewis in German</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-19T19:43:21-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fae7da9311dfa16e38c3c2cae39258c2-109.php#unique-entry-id-109</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fae7da9311dfa16e38c3c2cae39258c2-109.php#unique-entry-id-109</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One girl, Fraulein S. (good looking), produced a composition, using a simple model&mdash;something good.   There are an awful lot of possibilities, but it&rsquo;s still not easy to produce something good.


...I love the first snow flurries of the year&mdash;always a thrill.


...As we learn techniques in class (splicing, modifying sound, layering sound, filtering and much more), the class is starting to write music.   Techniques alone do not make a composition and it is always difficult to actually compose music.


Camilla was one of the students in our class, playing her composition.   Leave it to me to notice that she was good looking, blond, and, in my imagination, perhaps Scandinavian. 

...When I get time, I should try to write some serious avant-garde music using today&rsquo;s software tools. ...  While this blog is not about music (future ones may be), I'm wondering if I should post some music to add some zest to the site.


...If you&rsquo;re young, you may not even know who Jerry Lewis is.   He is a very funny comedian who has made many comedic movies.   Often, his character was that of a wild, goofy, and somewhat nerdy character with a very funny voice.   Originally, he teamed up with Dean Martin who played the straight man in their duo. ...  Yes, I&rsquo;m old; I watched his movies when I was very young. 

...Jerry Lewis is also quite the humanitarian, having been the host of the Jerry Lewis charity telethons for handicapped children for many, many years. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 108: Will meet Rotary students</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-18T20:17:34-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f083adebc7b858d2625ce60a35cc0e0e-108.php#unique-entry-id-108</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f083adebc7b858d2625ce60a35cc0e0e-108.php#unique-entry-id-108</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Got a letter from Rotary saying that I&rsquo;ll be introduced to a student group of Rotarians in Wien.   I guess I&rsquo;ll be less involved with actual Rotarians&mdash;it&rsquo;ll probably be much better this way.


...It is not interesting reading, but I like that I sometimes have good days in school and with practice. 


...This opera by Giuseppe Verdi is a favorite of the opera world.   The story includes plenty of conflict with themes of love, vengeance, kidnapping, burning at the stake, and, of course, death.   I usually concentrate on Verdi&rsquo;s music, which I always enjoy.   You will recognize the famous &ldquo;Anvil Chorus&rdquo; in this opera.


...This is perhaps the big news of the day.   It looks like I will be attending some function for Rotary International that will include a gathering of all the Rotary students in Vienna. ...  Originally, I thought that I would meet with the Rotary Clubs in Vienna. ...  Bringing us students together is a good way to promote international good will. 

...I so look forward to receiving any letter from Anjali.   We write each other quite a bit during this school year. ...  In the journal, every time I get a letter from Anjali, I feel so, so bad that I threw away all of those letters when I got married. ...  It wasn&rsquo;t in Anjali&rsquo;s character to be any other way.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 107: Concert nerves</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-17T10:24:03-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3e9b44b4295118fd4342b921aa31ee06-107.php#unique-entry-id-107</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3e9b44b4295118fd4342b921aa31ee06-107.php#unique-entry-id-107</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I felt sorry for the guy because everything was going wrong for him. ...  Honestly, he wasn&rsquo;t ready to be a concert artist. ...  A concert artist has to know his stuff backwards. ...  Besides playing the notes, he has to make it seem easy, otherwise the audience can&rsquo;t relax and enjoy the music.


...Today, I see a concert where the performer was very nervous to the point where he forgot some of the music he was playing.   It sounds as if there were external noises affecting the concert as well.   This might have been a very young &ldquo;student&rdquo; performer, or someone making his first concert tour. ...  Today, I would guess that this performer eventually settled down and is doing just fine on his performances.


...In my graduation horn recital at Montclair State College, I remember visibly shaking a little, and making more mistakes than I did in practice because of it. 

...Professional concert artists were probably nervous the first time they performed in any significant venue.   What does it take to be a top-tier performing artist? 


&bull; Top artists have superior technical craft of their instrument. 

...&bull; Top artists infuse their own art and interpretation of the music they are playing. 

...&bull; Top artists generally have few issues with nerves, probably a result of true confidence in their technical craft. 

...One thing is certain&mdash;it&rsquo;s not easy being a top-tier performing artist. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 106: Raindrops and ripples</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-16T09:20:41-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/73998e9895fc01f5e6bc875168651fb9-106.php#unique-entry-id-106</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/73998e9895fc01f5e6bc875168651fb9-106.php#unique-entry-id-106</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Was eating dinner at the mensa, when an American student whispered to his friend while eyeing me, &ldquo;That man has the same glasses I do.&rdquo; 

...Later in his conversation, I find out he was a student and said &ldquo;Yes, and we&rsquo;re all on student budgets.&rdquo; 

...That is a big relief since I rely on the computer for my living (don&rsquo;t we all), and since I want to continue to play keyboards and write my music. 

...In the hospital, I started to feel overwhelmed about the many separate events that happened over the last two weeks or so. ...  The problem is that each event affects many things in our lives and there are always multiple events going on. 

...Life events can be good (birth of a baby, marriage, acceptance to college, buying a house, landing a great job), or they can be stressful (accidents, health-related issues, financial stress, losing a house).


...While each life event could be thought of as having a financial ripple, a family ripple, health ripple, and so on, I prefer to consider these as special raindrops in our lives. ...  My recent life event raindrop hit the pond and its ripples went out and touched the raindrops of my spouse, my family, my dog, my finances, my work, my health, and even my fish&mdash;when your hands are bandaged, you can&rsquo;t even open up the fish food can to feed them.


...Here are the life and mini events that happened to me over the last 10 days or so: (Remember, I am posting this blog in the future.)


...These were my and my family&rsquo;s raindrops that fell all too close to each other and led to my feeling of being overwhelmed. ...  Compared to many, many other people&rsquo;s troubles, their life events, and the many problems and issues in today&rsquo;s world, my personal events are nothing. ...  Although I still have to pay my bills, I am very lucky&mdash;I did not lose my job, my car repairs are just money issues, and both the dog incident and car accident did not result in long-term serious injury. 

...My thinking and writing about these events has helped me to put things in perspective and to lessen my feelings of being overwhelmed.   I still have to pay the bills (money issues are often the cause of most stress), but our #1 priority&mdash;health&mdash;will be fine down the road.


...Everyone else you know, family and friends, are also single raindrops falling on the pond, each with their own life events that ripple out and touch you and others. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 105: I find money&#x2c; a lot of it</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-15T09:36:02-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9258ab3ece6675b51b78564c7d2435cb-105.php#unique-entry-id-105</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9258ab3ece6675b51b78564c7d2435cb-105.php#unique-entry-id-105</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While I was on a Strassebahn (52), I happened to find this shabby envelope&mdash; with 3,000s and 100 DM, plus a sales receipt.   This amount of money ($150) was enough to live on for a month, and with my money problems, it could have been a gift from heaven.   However, being myself, I decided that I couldn&rsquo;t keep it (honesty) and should try to find the owner.   I couldn&rsquo;t keep it because my luck of fortune could be someone&rsquo;s extreme misfortune. 

...If at the end of the year, no one claims it, of course it is mine.   I will make sure to have to check up on it&mdash;to make sure the police or some other unrightful person doesn&rsquo;t claim it.   And if someone does claim it to make sure they are &ldquo;brummer.&rdquo;


I hope that my philosophy of being honest doesn&rsquo;t let me down, because I would hate to turn into someone who becomes extremely selfish and uncaring. 

...I was on the streetcar system and find a very shabby envelope on the floor by my seat. ...  There is a lot of cash in the envelope&mdash;3,000 Austrian schillings and 100 Deutschmark.   At the time, I guessed that that is about one month&rsquo;s worth of expenses&mdash;rent, food, everything. 

...However, many, many people are honest, good citizens and are always doing the right thing. 

...I go to the store to try and see if they could tell who the owner might be. ...  Of course, I am just a little bit skeptical about human nature, but hope for the best.


...In my journal that night, I am writing about how my fortune could be someone else&rsquo;s misfortune. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 104: Homesick&#x2c; girlsick</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-14T08:32:37-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/22078e4f1d885ca3d508be633cc1f5c6-104.php#unique-entry-id-104</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/22078e4f1d885ca3d508be633cc1f5c6-104.php#unique-entry-id-104</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the afternoon, practiced guitar a little and did nothing. ...  Actually, I was only a little homesick, but moreso, I would have liked (by now) a nice relationship (intellectual, etc.) with some beautiful girl&mdash;dream away. 

...Well, it looks like I&rsquo;m more tired than I realize.   So tired, that I&rsquo;ve been the tiredest I&rsquo;ve ever been. ...  I&rsquo;m actually getting tired of this paragraph. 

...However, if you&rsquo;re away from home or away from that special person (who could that be?)  , it&rsquo;s also natural to feel homesick and to miss the people you want to be with. ...  Writing letters was part of the way to relieve some of this feeling.


...While, it&rsquo;s ok to have plenty of school friends, it&rsquo;s nice to have new girl friends.   Most often in life, this hasn&rsquo;t happened to me.   It&rsquo;s not easy meeting those special people that have some kind of magnetism on you.   Also, I&rsquo;ve always been too busy with school, work, projects, work, school, life, and mostly work, work, and work. 

...That said, I think most people move on to new relationships much easier. ...  I think that I did not date unless I was really interested in a person.   That probably killed a lot of first dates.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 103: Death to the idiots</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-13T19:02:58-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a6d264f9c279501d7ced01f4d6ec2aa8-103.php#unique-entry-id-103</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a6d264f9c279501d7ced01f4d6ec2aa8-103.php#unique-entry-id-103</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spent whole morning playing in a horn ensemble, 4&ndash;8 hours long.   It was pretty interesting, and at least I was playing music. 

...I went to see the movie Death in Venice again.   Like a good book, I got more out of it this time.   By I was upset by the idiocy of some of the audience.   [They would giggle at inappropriate times, not understanding the film.] 

...Today, I left out a few words in the transcript, like &ldquo;stupid idiots.&rdquo;   I&rsquo;m surprised that I was so upset at a few people in the audience. ...  If you remember, when I first saw Death in Venice, I was affected by the movie. ...  Probably by it&rsquo;s emotion, which was certainly heightened by the use of Mahler&rsquo;s music underscoring the film.   If, in a sensitive part of the movie, a group is loud and laughing, then I can see being upset.   Today, I would be less upset and think of those people as &ldquo;stupid idiots.&rdquo;


I have to find and rent this movie again. ...  It has to be the impact of Mahler&rsquo;s music on the visuals and emotion of the film. 

...I believe that Professor Gabler was beginning to prepare us for a class horn recital featuring ensembles.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 102: Can you hear me now?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-12T07:40:16-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/030418fac4dba3807850e648b2a38034-102.php#unique-entry-id-102</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/030418fac4dba3807850e648b2a38034-102.php#unique-entry-id-102</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spoke with teacher Kaufmann&mdash;slight possibility that I might be able to work with film department if I wanted to do a project.   Problem is that 16mm equipment and film is only used [rarely]&mdash;very expensive. 

...Much to my surprise, he understood and very gently set up a time to meet with him to solve it.


In acoustics class, [we] did work with the oscilliscope&mdash;most fascinating thing about it would be the images and designs that the [sound] waves produced. 

...Went to the place where some of the church music people were giving a birthday party.   After the long day, it was nice to talk and have a drink.


...Apparently, I am interested in doing a multi-media or film project, though the chance of that is minimal due to expense. ...  I am not certain why, but his class didn&rsquo;t sound exciting.   Talking about music and theory in German is certainly the issue.   I probably didn&rsquo;t understand, and thus didn&rsquo;t get it. 

...We get involved with a bit a science, using an oscillator to view sound waveforms. ...  Though it may not affect how a person writes music, it is nice to know how things work.   As I&rsquo;ve mentioned before, I used science and acoustics a great deal when teaching my electronic music classes to my middle school students.


...Today, a professor helps me to begin the process to resolve this. ...  As you get older, you generally learn patience and don&rsquo;t get as emotional about such small matters.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 101: Good horn lesson&#x2c; I want to practice</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-11T16:04:39-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/bf0509f821a2b93628792f871e6e5e57-101.php#unique-entry-id-101</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/bf0509f821a2b93628792f871e6e5e57-101.php#unique-entry-id-101</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Now, if I could only feel at least that good all of the time.


Practicing is somewhat of a problem because of the way the school handles things.   If you don&rsquo;t live in the studentenheim [student dorm], it seems like you&rsquo;re not allowed to practice much.   One of the few things that are beginning to get me angry.   Tomorrow, in the American tradition, I&rsquo;m going to (diplomatically) let my grievances be known to as many people as possible.   Now, that my hair is covering my ears (haven&rsquo;t gotten a haircut get), maybe I&rsquo;ll become a real-live student radical.


...On first hand accounts, I usually don&rsquo;t go crazy over them [Strauss operas].   Actually, I probably just have to know the work better.


...Finally, I feel like I am playing better and having a good lesson.   The trick and difficulty&hellip;how to do this all the time. 


...Well, I was beginning to wonder what would make me write a longer post over these last several days. ...  It may be that I have been practicing in the student dorms all this time, and perhaps I am not allowed to since I don&rsquo;t live there. ...  Nonetheless, I am up in arms, with this being the second time I&rsquo;ve threatened to become a student radical. 

...While I don&rsquo;t remember the opera, Arabella, I suspect that it was not as easy to listen to as the other popular operas.   With additional listening and study, I certainly would understand and appreciate any musical work to a better degree. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 100: 100th Anniversary</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-10T10:36:27-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a34fabef1c90b1a82282249146cdeccd-100.php#unique-entry-id-100</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a34fabef1c90b1a82282249146cdeccd-100.php#unique-entry-id-100</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Remember that yesterday, I saw an Indiana University live stream of Puccini&rsquo;s La Boheme on the Internet. ...  The photos on this posting are from yesterday's Indiana Unversity live performance and streaming of La Boheme. 


...If you are a music major, you may know that Indiana University is one of the premiere music schools in the country&mdash;The Jacobs School of Music. 

...The university&rsquo;s Musical Arts Center is essentially a world-class facility, capable of putting on fully-professional operas, with great staging, costumes, and performers. 

...I worked at the Musical Arts Center as a student-worker to help pay for my expenses.   It was a mixture of many things, sometimes setting up mics for performances or climbing in the rafters to check on mics as well. 

...The quality of audio and video in yesterday&rsquo;s Internet feed of La Boheme was quite remarkable. 

...It was a year-plus of hard work but I ended up with my Master&rsquo;s degree in Music Composition. ...  Writing serious music is very difficult for me, but I enjoy what I write&mdash;though you can sometimes tell that I am at the student level. 

...If I remember correctly, I had to take about 10 or so tests and ended up taking two or so remedial (no credit) courses to make up my deficiencies&mdash;early music history, piano, and I&rsquo;m not sure if there were a third.   Well, in early music history I would go to class and take down a &ldquo;million&rdquo; notes. ...  We also had listening tests, where we listened to repertoire in the listening library and had to aurally identify works by time period, composer, style and such. ...  And eventually, we were all in the listening library for 10-12 hours a week, perhaps (can&rsquo;t remember and I may be exaggerating). ...  He and others had to put in so much time for their major area of study, and we had to follow. ...  Regardless, I never learned so much in a single course, and my ear became pretty well attuned to style and identification. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 099: Life events</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-09T18:58:28-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d088980ab4875bca70058b1d3fc4e41d-99.php#unique-entry-id-99</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d088980ab4875bca70058b1d3fc4e41d-99.php#unique-entry-id-99</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[They really get me tired, but I feel like I accomplish a lot.


...Now, before I sleep, I&rsquo;ll try to study and read. 

...Today, I have a bit of a surprise, one that is important and affects future decisions. ...  It is just the possibility of change. ...  Although, I cannot talk about it, I did want to bring up the fact that life has lot's of curve balls. 

...It&rsquo;s time to take my own advice&mdash;move forward, one step-at-a-time, one foot in front of the other. 

...At the same time, I received an email from an alumni group of Indiana University.   (I received my Master's in Composition from Indiana University.)   Indiana University was streaming a live performance of Puccini's La Boh&egrave;me from their wonderful music and opera performance center.   (I used to work in that performance center as an audio/AV guy crawling up in the rafters for concerts.)


...Streaming means that you log on to a website and then watch a video without downloading the file. ...  The Indiana University stream was excellent, using Apple's Quicktime Streaming technology, I believe.   So, this night, I watch a live performance of an opera on my computer. ...  It was enjoyable, and a welcome buffer and relief to the surprising news of that afternoon.  


Is it coincidence that I am viewing La Boheme almost exactly 36 years apart? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 098: John &#x26; Anjali (Romeo &#x26; Juliet)</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-08T18:32:38-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e275637324e591819165e4cad32a8136-98.php#unique-entry-id-98</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e275637324e591819165e4cad32a8136-98.php#unique-entry-id-98</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s taken me 36 years to figure it out, but I finally have.   In 1971, Anjali and I were Romeo & Juliet.    :-) It wasn&rsquo;t quite the Montagues vs. the Capulets, but there were similarities&mdash;basically the boy and girl thing.   I'll play Romeo (see left) and my Juliet is below right. ...  If Anjali were reading this today, she was say that I'm taking this relationship a bit into fantasy land. 

...How did I figure this Romeo and Juliet thing out?   Well, yesterday, I listened to the cassette letter that Anjali sent me. ...  It was so great hearing her voice again&mdash;she had a very cute British accent.   It&rsquo;s probably been 25 years since I last listened to that tape. 

...On the tape, Anjali talks a little bit (she is shy) and then sings and plays some folk songs on guitar. ...  Remember that pop-folk songs in the 60s and 70s were popular and on the radio.   Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and others were huge stars and had many hits. 

...Then at the end of the tape her mother comes in the room as the tape is recording. 


...:-) I am sure that Anjali had her feet on the ground, where I may have been flying in the clouds a bit. ...  ;-) At the end of the journal, I&rsquo;ll tell you more about Anjali after 1971.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 097: Grab that shovel&#x2014;Dig up your past</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-07T07:59:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/92fc0602897887cbae896007a610cdbf-97.php#unique-entry-id-97</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/92fc0602897887cbae896007a610cdbf-97.php#unique-entry-id-97</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[[Grammar note: I have fixed my earlier posts referring to the Vienna Boys&rsquo; choir by adding a possessive apostrophe&mdash;but I usually don&rsquo;t write it that way.   Another question for Grammar Girl, should you use the possessive when referring to entities, or can the apostrophe be omitted? 

...Brahms also wrote variations on a theme by Schumann, for piano, and others as well. 

...[I don&rsquo;t generally speak in great detail about the sightseeing or music in the blog.   That detail would not be from memory, but from looking it up and then relaying it on to you. ...  If this blog ever became popular, I would prefer to have a user-contribution area like a forum or FAQ where articles and discussion could occur about the music and the sightseeing. 

...A few days ago, I mentioned that I was digging up the past and discovering all types of old cassette tapes, photos, and even music manuscript of music that I had written.   These were stored away in boxes and cartons and while I threw many, many, things away (including most letters of Anjali), for some reason I kept the tapes and my music scribblings. 

...Here are some things I found&mdash;my cassette letter home, a cassette letter from Anjali, a couple of jazz/fusion pieces from 1982, a series of pop songs from 1982 with me singing them (holy cow), many musical &ldquo;roughs,&rdquo; those music snippets I never finished, and many others. 

...I found the cassette tape where I play folk guitar and sing the songs I wrote for Anjali in 1971.   The songs are from the heart (corny by today&rsquo;s standards) and my singing is quiet and wispy (not good). 

...Then those guys will leave you alone and you can get on with your life.   Despite my not-funny humor, it would be nice for you to be left alone so you can get on with your life.


...So my proclamation to all of you, young and old, is to get that shovel and dig up your past.   (The one exception is if you killed someone and buried them in your backyard, then don&rsquo;t dig up your past.) ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 096: Mozart&#x2019;s Nozze; 36yearsago perfect for iPhone</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-06T21:53:30-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dab2caecab83945392f6018fc549965f-96.php#unique-entry-id-96</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dab2caecab83945392f6018fc549965f-96.php#unique-entry-id-96</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Today, I saw Mozart&rsquo;s Le nozze de Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro). ...  If you&rsquo;re ever hob-knobbing with maestros, divas, and tenors at a cocktail party after the opera, this line will be an ice breaker&mdash;&ldquo;I enjoyed the recent production of The Nose of Figaro.&rdquo; 

...Bad humor aside (above), Mozart&rsquo;s opera, The Marriage of Figaro is delightful. ...  It is one of his most popular operas and a standard of opera houses. 


Mozart is one of Vienna&rsquo;s favorite sons and is highly honored in the city.


...To honor Mozart, and to give my brother Mike a picture of me, I have a picture taken in front of Mozart&rsquo;s statue near the Ringstrasse.   Perhaps, I am playing a few bars of Mozart&rsquo;s horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat. 


...I haven&rsquo;t had a haircut since I&rsquo;ve been in Vienna. ...  How long has it been since I haven&rsquo;t had a haircut? 

...It just so happens that the narrow width of the blog page is an almost perfect fit for reading on Apple&rsquo;s iPhone. ...  When 36yearsago loads into the iPod, you then pinch to zoom out, just a little. ...  Downloads are acceptable in a wi-fi area, and somewhat slower on AT&T&rsquo;s Edge network (use the Daily listing page when slower).


Let&rsquo;s see, how many readers of this blog have an iPhone? ...  However, I am blogging for the future when perhaps thousands of readers and hundreds of iPhones will be perusing our pages.  

...The above should also work on the iPod touch as well, only in wi-fi areas.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 095: Death in Venice</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-05T07:52:04-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/278b99a9ef0406567ee7ba649fedf7ed-95.php#unique-entry-id-95</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/278b99a9ef0406567ee7ba649fedf7ed-95.php#unique-entry-id-95</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At night, saw Der Tod in Venedig, the movie about Gustav Mahler and the latter years of his life&mdash;and mostly &ldquo;his love for a young boy&rdquo; and his fear that he was homosexual and the tensions and sorrows of life that way. ...  The emotion and music made my insides all tense; you could easily imagine what he was going through&mdash;his confusion, fear, love, inability to express himself, keeping his emotion inside.   Even though the subject matter might be different, I know that I have felt the same way sometimes&mdash;something inside bothers you and you want to make it real, but you don&rsquo;t.


...Der Tod in Venedig (Death in Venice) is the title, and perhaps this movie is entirely fiction and not about Mahler.   Although, I don&rsquo;t remember much of the movie, I think I remember that the music soundtrack was of Mahler&rsquo;s music.   If so, I can guess that the powerful combination of the movie&rsquo;s visuals and Mahler&rsquo;s music would be moving. 

...I find it interesting that while I am in school studying music and composers, I never learned about these social and hidden aspects of composer&rsquo;s lives. ...  Here is one fact to take away from this&mdash;everyone has struggles in life. ...  But isn&rsquo;t it interesting to know that a composer like Mahler, if he had such issues, could write such immortal music? 

...Movie aside, facing our "life" issues with a positive output (i.e. being creative) is not easy to do. 

...Just to be down-to-earth, I don't go around smiling all the time, telling everyone how wonderful life is, and why don't they go out and enjoy the fall foliage. 

...First, from Wikipedia&mdash;the Italian film uses the music of Mahler, including the opening Adagietto from Mahler&rsquo;s Fifth Symphony, and other excerpts from his Third and Fourth Symphonies.   While the story is not really about Mahler, the parallels are striking, especially since Mahler&rsquo;s music is present. 

...Another movie database with information about the creators and actors of movies is the imdb (Internet Movie Database) that also shows actor and composer information.   Here is the information on Death in Venice (Morte a Venezia).
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 094: Meet brother Dennis</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-11-04T21:36:02-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/846c15a4fd8108cd593fcf9d535a538d-94.php#unique-entry-id-94</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/846c15a4fd8108cd593fcf9d535a538d-94.php#unique-entry-id-94</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Did work on electronic music assignment. ...  Didn&rsquo;t go anywhere, except home&mdash;pretty tired.


...Nothing much happening in 1971, but a good day.


Digging in the past.   This past weekend, I have been digging in the past a bit. ...  I had a bit of extra time and decided to rummage through some old boxes.   While I&rsquo;ve had some old tapes of music of mine that I have been meaning to digitize, I found additional tapes, papers, and photos that relate to this blog.


...Go back in time to Day 001 of this blog, Aug. 3rd.   I mentioned that my little brother Dennis, at the time about age 11, was at the airport seeing me off on this journey.   I found an old photo of Dennis (see above).   In this photo, Dennis is about age 8 or so.   Dennis was a great kid and a handsome dude.   Full of life and good spirits.   He made me cry that day I left.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 093: Meet Maurizio Pollini and Olga</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-03T20:07:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/12f92ecbb076d270c671ea08306059b0-93.php#unique-entry-id-93</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/12f92ecbb076d270c671ea08306059b0-93.php#unique-entry-id-93</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 93 &mdash; Meet Maurizio Pollini and Olga


...Some good, some not so good parts. ...  Went to a recital&mdash;Mario [Maurizio] Pollini, pianist (very famous, and now I know why). ...  Really super-fantastic concert (with a whole mess of encores).   Almost as good as the Tuckwell concert.


...Another spectacular concert in Vienna. ...  Maurizio (or Mario) Pollini, an internationally-renowned concert pianist played Chopin.   As I have said before, the combination of seeing and hearing a world-class performer in combination with the excitement of a Viennese audience is amazing.


...Pollini is &ldquo;regarded as one of the greatest living pianists.&rdquo;   Check out some of his recordings on iTunes.


...Meet my beautiful wife, Olga. ...  I haven&rsquo;t been paying enough attention to Olga and the family ever since this blog has been consuming my free time. ...  Yes, I still walk the dog. 


...The beautiful Olga in the fall foliage of 2007.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 092: Tights&#x2c; tutus&#x2c; and tippie-toes</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-02T22:17:38-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d77f28ce89fab72b2cdca28cb26ecf29-92.php#unique-entry-id-92</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d77f28ce89fab72b2cdca28cb26ecf29-92.php#unique-entry-id-92</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[However, for most of my life, I have rarely gone skiing to &ldquo;exotic&rdquo; places.   In college, I skied mostly in NJ, also in New York state, and to Vermont only once, I believe. 

...Whether young or old, spend a little money to go on that once-in-a-lifetime excursion. 

...It&rsquo;s not cheap to travel, especially with the sad state of the U.S. dollar. ...  Convenience is also a factor, if you live near a ski area, you&rsquo;ll ski more often.   If you live in Vienna for a year, you&rsquo;ll see a lot of opera and music more often. 

...I guess I am writing down some music ideas for a &ldquo;stage band&rdquo; arrangement. 

...I make the remark that &ldquo;For once, I&rsquo;ll try to finish something.&rdquo; ...  For example, I often write music very quickly by playing it and recording it on computer or tape.   The next time I write, I prefer to move on to a new idea, rather than polish and work on a single piece. ...  It&rsquo;s better to have a totally finished piece that you can market to the world.   Finishing projects and execution of ideas is something I need to work on and overcome. 

...What a great way to end the day by seeing the Swan Lake ballet by Tchaikovsky. ...  I went to Apple's iTunes Store and found a highlights album of Tchaikovsky's ballets by the Wiener Philharmoniker (Deutsch Grammophon). 

...You have all heard Swan Lake with its many beautiful themes, especially the oboe playing the main theme&mdash;&ldquo;Dah, da-da-da-da, dah-da-dah-da, dah-da-da-da-da-da-dah.&rdquo; ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 091: Feiertag&#x2c; Austrian Rotary</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-11-01T23:05:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/240eeeffe3defde91bdaa79ddbbff67e-91.php#unique-entry-id-91</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/240eeeffe3defde91bdaa79ddbbff67e-91.php#unique-entry-id-91</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But I had to use some of the day to practice&mdash;not too much, though. ...  I&rsquo;m going to run out of money too fast.   I also wrote letters (one in German to my Rotarian contacts).


...Today is a holiday in Austria and other countries, All Saints Day, a Christian holiday that celebrates all saints and others in heaven.   It follows &ldquo;The Eve of All Hallows&rdquo;&mdash;Halloween, which is the day before. 

...Did you know that if you search on the &ldquo;day&rdquo; in Wikipedia (November 1), you get a whole list of events, births, deaths, and holidays.   By pure coincidence, the first event for November 1 is: 


&ldquo;In 996, Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk, Bishop of Friesing, which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrichi (Austria in Old High German.)&rdquo;


...Remember, the U.S. dollar was devalued by Nixon back in August.   I do have a book of my finances where I list everything I buy. ...  I do go to a lot of standing-room concerts and operas&mdash;remember that is about $1. 

...I finally write some letters to my contacts in the Austrian Rotary Clubs. ...  Rotarians are small business owners and professionals in a community&mdash;a place to meet, exchange ideas, do business. ...  I write in German, and hope that I may get to meet some Austrian Rotarians and express my thanks.


...Here is a link to that first post on the Magic Flute. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 090: A nice Sunday</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-31T23:45:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9fd0a715d0a0878eb4994fe38ebe1d4c-90.php#unique-entry-id-90</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9fd0a715d0a0878eb4994fe38ebe1d4c-90.php#unique-entry-id-90</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Other people are always walking and it makes me feel good to see kids playing and people enjoying themselves.


Went to Vienna Boys' Choir mass in Morning and the opera at night. 

...Another Sunday brings a Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir mass, walking in the parks, and people watching. 

...Giacomo Puccini (1858&ndash;1924) was an Italian operatic composer, most noted for his operas, Manon Lescaut, Madame Butterfly, Tosca, La Boh&egrave;me, and others. ...  You know that La Boh&eacute;me is one of my favorites with Madame Butterfly up there as well.   It&rsquo;s not that I listen to opera everyday, but I enjoy seeing opera, live.


...The opera is about a young Geisha, Butterfly, who marries a U.S. ...  Yes, he leaves her for several years, marries an American girl, then comes back to ask for his child. ...  Ah, opera&mdash;the music can often be beautiful but the plot can be grim.


...For non-Americans, soaps are the soap-opera television shows on daytime TV. 

...You can now subscribe to the 36yearsago blog via a newsreader or newsreading service (Newsgator, Bloglines, Pageflakes, and many others). 

...A feed is basically a listing of the content (without pictures) of the blog.   By subscribing to the feed, you can browse the latest posts and decide which ones to read.   After reading a summary of the content, you can navigate to the 36yearsago blog by clicking either on the title of the posting or the Read More link, depending on your newsreader or web browser.


Currently the Feedburner feed has 0 subscribers (1 day old), while Google Analytics shows a small number of repeat visitors. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 089: If a tree falls in a forest</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-30T20:55:41-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a02e875524b21011d98fd3c00c0b1eb3-89.php#unique-entry-id-89</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a02e875524b21011d98fd3c00c0b1eb3-89.php#unique-entry-id-89</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 89 &mdash; If a tree falls in a forest...


...Spent most of today trying to gather sounds on the portable tape recorder for our electronic music project.   Some interesting ideas and sounds, but most don&rsquo;t seem to be &ldquo;fantastic.&rdquo;   I&rsquo;m learning that nothing is easy, and [I] must use a good amount of creativity, imagination, and thought.   Of course, the problems are always the aggravating parts&mdash;i.e. batteries dead.   That always seems to be a part of life.


...Today, I&rsquo;m in search of the elusive sound for use in my electronic music project. ...  I am using a portable tape recorder and, of course, after a while the batteries go dead. 

...I&rsquo;m learning that &ldquo;nothing is easy.&rdquo;   Not even the recording of sounds on a small tape recorder. 

...Learning is trying out things and discovering what works and what doesn&rsquo;t work. ...  Of course, while you are actually on the path of learning, the difficulties turn out to be frustrating&mdash;a consistent theme of this blog. ...  The good news&mdash;take one step at a time, put one foot in front of the other, move forward, keep trying. 

...Interestingly, during the course of this year, a single sound will become of extreme importance to me and my school work. 

..."If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 088: Beyond routines&#x2014;start a new project</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-29T08:40:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c5ac85cef7abca00aca34d23c20cc000-88.php#unique-entry-id-88</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c5ac85cef7abca00aca34d23c20cc000-88.php#unique-entry-id-88</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I found out that [Professor] Cerha, one of my professors, is a pretty big composer and conductor of contemporary music in Vienna. 

...Write down your ideas in a notebook&mdash;perhaps those ideas will turn into a book, or a website. ...  If you're not in a creative mood, get outdoors and play some tennis or soccer, or take an invigorating walk. 

...My 2007 routine, like most of us, would read &ldquo;boring:&rdquo; get up, do get-up stuff, eat, go to work, eat, go home, sometimes go to second job, go home, eat, do a little evening stuff, do go-to-bed stuff, sleep. 

...As an example, for more than a year I did a lot of development work on a podcast topic that excited me. 

...After the project is up and running, it will require more time to keep it afloat.   If you believe in the project, it will be fun and exciting, no matter how much effort and work you put into it. 

...My blog was just one of many ideas, but it was the easiest to get going from a technical and resource point of view. ...  It helped that the timing of the blog&mdash;to match up the &ldquo;day&rdquo; of the journal entry to the same day 36 years later&mdash;forced me to do this side project first. 


...Resources can be defined as people and technical expertise that you might need to execute an idea.   For example, if you are doing anything related to the web, you may need to hire web programmers and designers, if you cannot do it yourself. ...  You can easily publish a blog using blogging software or blogging services&mdash;you don't need to hire someone for your blog. 


...Finally, you need the commitment and desire to get the project executed and then keep it going. 


If you can overcome these four project killers, you will get your project up and running.


I am starting all of my projects with very little money, by myself, and with just a bit of time. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 087: Tonight it&#x2019;sa Italian&#x2014;Rigoletto</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-28T23:23:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fd0be97dbc20fb21a2fba1414e5aeca4-87.php#unique-entry-id-87</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fd0be97dbc20fb21a2fba1414e5aeca4-87.php#unique-entry-id-87</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Starting to put in a routine and seem to be getting a lot done.   However, my practicing is the one thing that always angers me.   Today, it didn&rsquo;t seem to get any better.


...The famous &ldquo;La Donna Mobile&rdquo; was sort of funny.   I didn&rsquo;t go for all of the music.


One problem when going to a concert is that it cuts out most of my studying and playing guitar, which I would do at night.


...At night, I get to Verdi&rsquo;s opera, Rigoletto. 

...Giuseppe Verdi was a successful, prolific, highly regarded, 19th-century Italian operatic composer. ...  His famous works include La traviata, Il trovatore, Aida, Rigoletto, Falstaff and many others.    Verdi is also know for his famous Requiem. 


...Rigoletto is the story of a hunchback jester in the Duke&rsquo;s court, who has a curse placed on him by noblemen, just because he was mocking them. ...  After some twists and turns, and a kidnapping, the opera ends with the curse on Rigoletto coming true.   The most famous aria in Rigoletto, &ldquo;La donna mobile&rdquo; (you've heard it), has the Duke singing about women, after he loses his love&mdash;Gilda, who is none other than Rigoletto&rsquo;s daughter.   Yes, these opera plots are thick and heavy, but always enjoyable.


Again, I regret that I can&rsquo;t include audio selections as part of this blog. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 086: Brother Mike is coming to ski</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-27T22:22:46-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/94f0c878901b3e0c503e7208fea8d09e-86.php#unique-entry-id-86</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/94f0c878901b3e0c503e7208fea8d09e-86.php#unique-entry-id-86</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 86 &mdash; Brother Mike is coming to ski


...I&rsquo;m beginning to notice that when you practice (correctly), and do so continuously (every day), improvement comes about and it becomes easier to play.   I notice it most on the guitar and piano.   On the horn&mdash;well, sometimes it seems like it&rsquo;s easier.   I hope I can keep up this type of routine every day (I doubt it).   I&rsquo;ve also been studying German everyday (for the last 3 days). 

...Got a letter from Mike [my brother] also.   He says he is definitely coming here to ski this winter. 

...I see improvement on guitar and piano, and some on the horn.


...And a package from my family certainly warms my heart, my spirit, and my body&mdash;winter is approaching.   That&rsquo;s what mom&rsquo;s and families do&mdash;help out. 

...My brother Mike is the second oldest of our clan. ...  Mike is the expert mechanic, his profession for most of his life.   I owe many a resurrected car to him and his expertise. ...  My being in Europe has inspired him to take his first European ski adventure in the Alps. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 085: Austria National Day&#x2c; goodbye Pupofon girl</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-26T08:30:22-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4d12447931d1feb56bfa42f20cb7f987-85.php#unique-entry-id-85</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4d12447931d1feb56bfa42f20cb7f987-85.php#unique-entry-id-85</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 85 &mdash; Austria National Day, goodbye Pupofon girl


...Leaving of friendly occupational troops.   However, I practiced&mdash;straight for 4-1/2 hrs. between horn and piano. 

...Austria &ldquo;National Day.&rdquo;   Today is an Austrian national holiday&mdash;National Day&mdash;that celebrates the national sovereignty of Austria and the exit of foreign occupational troops from Austria.   Austria declares it&rsquo;s independence and it&rsquo;s neutrality with the State Treaty of 1955.


After World War II, Austria was placed under the control of the Allied occupational troops.   Here is some history on this holiday and the occupation, from the website, VirtualVienna.net.


...Ok, it was a shameless plug to attract new readers by suggesting sexual innuendo and using the picture of the girl from Pupofon (see yesterday). ...  The very pretty, semi-clad, half-naked girl wearing see-through underwear, who is tied up with ropes, bondage-style, in a provocative pose&mdash;no, not Madonna, Pupofon girl.   Now that&rsquo;s an image to remember.   However, I still don&rsquo;t remember this girl from 1971. 


Hopefully, the above paragraph will get the Google indexing bots in an uproar.   Let&rsquo;s hope readership goes up. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 084: Pupofon - electronic music opera</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-25T23:27:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b70c36c1e15098607824123ad189ae4f-84.php#unique-entry-id-84</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b70c36c1e15098607824123ad189ae4f-84.php#unique-entry-id-84</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[[American Express Traveler&rsquo;s Checks], an obviously rich man before me asked for $1,000 in Austrian money. ...  Then, when talking to another person, [he] said, &ldquo;You know, it&rsquo;s the young&mdash;they don&rsquo;t want to work.&rdquo; 

...With the live puppet-action, the music can have much more of an impact and meaning for the audience&mdash;easier to grasp. ...  This is where I would like to further explore electronic sound&mdash;(1) use [electronic music] with sight or visual objects, movie, live participation, and (2) more involved atmosphere&mdash;i.e. sounds, action, etc.


...[Pupofon, is an electronic music opera composed by my teacher, Austrian composer, Dieter Kaufmann.]


...It is not easy to follow one&rsquo;s own advice over a lifetime, but this journal is reminding me of youthful ideals and hopes. 

...When you see and hear it from the point-of-view of a local (after all, I&rsquo;m now a local), it doesn&rsquo;t make you feel good. 

...The $1,000 for a week&rsquo;s play in Vienna, would have paid for my entire year&rsquo;s rent.


...The performers are dressed as large, tall, puppet-figures&mdash;thus the title, Pupofon&mdash;and there is interaction between live action, movement and the music. 

...Although I don&rsquo;t remember the history, this could have been one of the pieces in the genres that were sometimes described as multimedia events and perhaps even &ldquo;happenings.&rdquo; 

...Twentieth-century composers, Arnold Sch&ouml;nberg, Alban Berg, and Anton von Webern hailed from Vienna (known as the Second Viennese School), sometimes had difficulties in having their music accepted in Vienna. 

...The best part of this concert, is that the composer was my electronic music teacher, Dieter Kaufmann.   Professor Kaufmann is a distinguised Austrian composer noted for his avant-garde style, electronic music, stage and multimedia works such as multimedia theater and opera, and other works. ...  I don't remember this particular girl in 1971 (photo left)&mdash;you would think that I would remember her, for whatever reasons. 

...One picture of Professor Kaufmann in the article, shows him singing or yelling, perhaps performing in one of his works. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 083: Celebrating the spirit of humanity</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-10-24T19:02:54-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ae06a3e41188b60f073f89fcacc05f8e-83.php#unique-entry-id-83</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ae06a3e41188b60f073f89fcacc05f8e-83.php#unique-entry-id-83</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The day is extremely beautiful (summer-ish) and thus, I am about to leave for Baden&mdash;might as well start seeing the countryside.


...It was very enjoyable, just walking and being out in the air. 

...The reason I like to walk around is that you see people&mdash;how they are living; how they can enjoy themselves. 

...In fact, climbing up this same, very long, exerting route was&mdash;a man with one leg. 

...Thank God for variety, and for the time to take an occasional walk out in the fresh air and to enjoy the beauty of nature.


...Secondly, going to a beautiful area such as Baden and seeing the locale, countryside, sightseeing spots, people and the beautiful fall foliage. 

...The spirit of man/woman to rise up above war wounds that were no fault of their own, and living their life fully. ...  (John, age 22, is out of breath on this hike, while many elderly and a veteran without a leg are just fine.) ...  I need to remember to appreciate this wonderful capability that we all have to rise above our problems and to enjoy life.


...Sometimes, we just don&rsquo;t take the time out to see and notice all of this beauty. 

...Many of us don&rsquo;t get out to enjoy the outdoors as much as we should. ...  In 2007, if I have a good week, I get to take a long walk about 2-3 times a week. 

...I actually remember this 1971 day, walking up a path and taking a long stroll.   I mostly remember that there were many, many people walking up this path to get to the summit.   That many elderly people, and a man with one leg, were taking this trek was astonishing to me. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 082: Techie day&#x2014;recording and editing sound</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-23T22:10:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/56a81e60f4abfa9e4986114afa95dc1a-82.php#unique-entry-id-82</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/56a81e60f4abfa9e4986114afa95dc1a-82.php#unique-entry-id-82</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It took a long time and this is one of the problems of electronic music&mdash;it takes so long because of its complications.


...Today&rsquo;s post is mostly for music techies, music majors, and composition majors who might be interested in a look back at the vintage techniques of music concr&egrave;te and music composition. 

...After recording sounds onto tape, you isolate them by splicing the tape&mdash;using a razor blade, a splicing block, and splicing tape, separating the sounds with plastic tape leader.   You take the 1/4&rdquo; tape, place it in the splicing block and make a diagonal cut (ha&mdash;the diagonal cut was a type of &ldquo;micro-fade in&rdquo; to avoid pops). ...  To join pieces together, you place the adjoining ends in the splicing block and join them with a piece of tape. 

...The process of recording and editing sound involves (1) recording sounds, (2) creating a library of sounds, (2) manipulating and splicing sounds into motives, rhythms, fragments, layers, textures, and other musical constructs, (3) modifying sounds with filtering and effects (perhaps reverb), (4) recording new combinations of sounds, and so on.   The composing process was creating, editing, manipulating, and organizing all of this &ldquo;sound&rdquo; into a composition. 

...This is the same process in which audio tapes had to be spliced for the old recording and film studios. 


...&bull; Continue to create new sounds and textures by layering, filtering, changing the speed of the tape recorder and manipulating the sounds. 

...&bull; Continue the composing process by continually splicing, layering, organizing, structuring, and combining sounds to create musical textures, layers, rhythms, melodic fragments, and so on.


...In today&rsquo;s world, musique concr&egrave;te and electronic music techniques have been replaced by digital processes, software, hardware, and sophisticated keyboards. 

...In a school environment, these techniques can be a tremendous teaching tool to discover musical concepts and musical composition. 

...After Vienna, in my teaching career, I purchase two 1/4&rdquo; home tape recorders (Sony), one professional 15&rdquo; tape recorder (Tascam), microphones (Electrovoice), a mixer, and other audio equipment (with my own money) to supplement my teaching grant for electronic music. 

...The primary caution when recording with microphones is to only use headphones, and to turn off your speakers. 

...I did find one letter from Anjali in the journal itself, from a few years after Vienna. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 081: Electronic music day</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-22T22:31:30-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/261f3a7e8ea844059f3e3e871c829d9c-81.php#unique-entry-id-81</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/261f3a7e8ea844059f3e3e871c829d9c-81.php#unique-entry-id-81</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It looks like Fridays will be my electronic music day&mdash;with most of my classes taking place on this day. 

...One reason is that we will use some electronic equipment and techniques (filters) in the class; the second reason is that I don&rsquo;t like typing the accent in concr&egrave;te; pronounced &ldquo;kan-kreh-t&rdquo;, not like the cement. 

...This task of taking a sound and manipulating it will become a central focus of one of my activities this entire year.


...Are there any practical applications in 2007 that have a history or relationship to electronic music or musique concrete? 

...Sound design is a major element in the making of today&rsquo;s motion pictures&mdash;so dominant that, many times, it drowns out the music. ...  Many techniques in sound design are related to those in electronic music and musique concr&egrave;te.  


...Foley work is most closely related to musique concr&egrave;te and involves the recording and manipulation of natural sounds, background ambience, and sound effects that go into a film.   Often, this involves the live recording of sound&mdash;such as footsteps, background sounds, and door creaks&mdash;synchronized with the motion picture. 

...Today&rsquo;s recording engineer has an incredible array of tools to record, make, shape, and mix music, sound, and vocals.   Many recording techniques are the same as in musique concr&egrave;te and electronic music techniques&mdash;mixing, applying filters, equalization, modulation, reverb, stereo, audio editing (splicing), sound manipulation, and others. 


...A mastering engineer is a specialized engineer that takes the final recording mix from the recording engineer and then &ldquo;masters&rdquo; it, using mastering equipment and software. 

...Some podcasts employ soundseeing tours&mdash;an audio tour&mdash;that can encompass sightseeing in a major European city, a talking tour in an art museum, a live restaurant review, or one of Chris Marquardt&rsquo;s (tipsfromthetopfloor.com) photography soundseeing tours on digital photography topics. 

...You can teach science, acoustics, and musical composition concepts to your students, using the science and musical principles behind electronic music and musique concr&egrave;te.


...During my teaching tenure, I won a couple of educational grants to teach electronic music composition and filmmaking to my students. ...  As part of my teaching, I incorporated science, acoustics and the teaching of musical composition concepts using these mediums.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 080: Musique concr&#xe8;te sounds good</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-21T23:18:32-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cf8ab15216c430d0d79cdd98c6ea54cf-80.php#unique-entry-id-80</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cf8ab15216c430d0d79cdd98c6ea54cf-80.php#unique-entry-id-80</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[(2) How to run 3 tapes at same time and tape them each with separate adjusting levels. 

...The German word ub&uuml;ng means exercise, and is often used in German instrumental clavier-&uuml;bung method books. (piano exercises) I had to look it up.   Today, the exercises refer to techniques that we are learning in our first &ldquo;lab&rdquo; class on electronic music class.   As I will discover, the class is actually based in the techniques of musique concr&egrave;te, a style of contemporary music often associated with 20th-century avant-garde music. 


...This style of music began in the 1940s and continued through the 1950s and 1960s.   It is often credited to being founded by French composer, Pierre Schaeffer.   The musical style of musique concr&egrave;te is based on the recording of natural sounds and their manipulation with tape recorders and other electronic equipment. ...  Many musicians and people do not consider this music, however, it influenced the field of &ldquo;electronic music&rdquo; which followed it.


I was fascinated by this genre and other forms of contemporary music.   This class and its projects would become an important part of this year and my first experimentation with contemporary music.


...Some of the techniques we learned this first day were the editing and splicing of tapes, playing multiple tapes and recording the three layers on another recorder, volume control, and filtering.


Electronic music and musique concr&egrave;te have passed their heyday.   They have left their influence on modern music composition, avant-garde and multimedia performance pieces, music recording, sound design, and the movie and music industries.


...Another concert by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, this one in a contemporary vein with works by Debussy, Schoenberg, and Bartok.   This time, I don&rsquo;t get backstage to meet hornist Alan Civil or anyone else.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 079: John joins the Vienna Boys&#x27; Choir; Grammar Girl questions</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-20T13:21:35-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ecbb97d8d67f4e17063c1824d0a77777-79.php#unique-entry-id-79</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ecbb97d8d67f4e17063c1824d0a77777-79.php#unique-entry-id-79</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Had first &ldquo;Mathematical and Physical Acoustics&rdquo; course&mdash;with my knowledge of German it&rsquo;s going to be rough. 

...A picture of [the] Vienna &ldquo;Choir Boys&rdquo;&mdash;and one of them was me (my face). 

...The opening photo is a Christmas postcard that I sent both to my family and my friends at Montclair State College. 

...The best part is that he took a swig of rum (or whatever) from a whiskey thingy in the trunk. 

...I do have a great interest in contemporary music and am very happy to be in this class. 

...I&rsquo;m also dyslexic when it comes to the Vienna Boys' Choir&mdash;I&rsquo;m always calling them the Vienna &ldquo;Choir Boys,&rdquo; as if they are mafioso, and I also went back and added the possessive apostrophe to Boys' when referring to them. ...  My comment as to "well-built girls" 36 years ago may have been caused by youthful hormones, but today, the comment is not politically correct, nor would I say that about anyone. 

...So the spirit of the journal, the words, and the style in which I wrote in 1971, is still here.


...Just yesterday in Episode 80, Grammar Girl acknowledged that the use of &ldquo;so&rdquo; is so frowned upon. 

...I never remember the &ldquo;grammar rules&rdquo; but it&rsquo;s nice to know that at least she understands them. 

...Sometimes these are grammatical, adding missing articles; or they correct something [Vienna Choir Boys to Vienna Boys Choir]; or clarify [M.S.C. ...  Or just let these go and leave it as &ldquo;understood&rdquo; that there will be mistakes?


...In reading back posts, I can certainly see where I can rewrite sentences, however, I do not go back and rewrite very often. 

...If you want to write and don&rsquo;t have a publishing outlet, I would recommend blogging as one of the best ways to start writing and gain experience.   While paper publishers may not publish web blogs, you will be writing, and that is what is good. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 078: Three days&#x2c; three world-class horn players</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-19T22:52:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d50f5ba33fe0ef52b80e086f270e2a01-78.php#unique-entry-id-78</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d50f5ba33fe0ef52b80e086f270e2a01-78.php#unique-entry-id-78</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Kaufmann about electronic music study and he said I could try it; but it would mean a lot of work&mdash;about 4 classes (some long) and aprox. 6 hrs. lab work. 

...They played Mahler&rsquo;s 9th (which was typical Mahler&mdash;heavy, long, hard to listen to, but with a beautiful, slow finale), which also had a hell of a lot of horn parts. 

...(I break my blog rule, and will use his last name, since he is a practicing and well-known Austrian composer of contemporary music.) ...  I have a strong interest in contemporary music and would like to do it. 

...The incredible thing is that we meet Alan Civil (1929&ndash;1989), the English principal horn player for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philharmonia, and the BBC orchestra.   He was a world-class French horn player with recordings of the Mozart horn concertos and other pieces.  

...After shaking hands with Civil, I say in the journal that I rub my hands over my lips to capture that magic. 

...[I think that my Academy school friends were the leaders of the "let&rsquo;s-go-backstage-to-meet-the-artists" actions at these concerts.   I have never been able to do that in the U.S., except at very small, local concerts.   It&rsquo;s a shame, because if young students could meet their heroes, like I did in Vienna, it would be a happy thing.]


The remarkable thing&mdash;over the last three consecutive days, I meet three world-class French horn players. 

...Before he left on his trip, he said to me, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to visit your apartment in Vienna, take a picture, and you can post it as a 36-years-later picture.&rdquo; ...  I told him, instead, to go to the &ldquo;center of Vienna&rdquo; and just walk around, see the Hofburg complex and that area.


...One day, I hope to take the entire family to see Vienna other parts of Europe. 

...I need to find a way to market this blog to Vienna, so that I can get some local answers and responses to my comments on Vienna. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 077: Barry&#x27;s in town; Sight singing</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-18T21:36:39-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/916bb2e8ebf39bd5fff595473607d084-77.php#unique-entry-id-77</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/916bb2e8ebf39bd5fff595473607d084-77.php#unique-entry-id-77</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I am in the hardest group, and I can tell it&rsquo;s going to be hard. 

...Went to see Barry Tuckwell, world-famous British horn player, playing with a British string ensemble&mdash;Academy of the Fields of St. 

...(1) I smuggled in a tape recorder (my friend's) and thus, I have a tape of the horn pieces and the strings also. ...  Well, my seat was the 3rd row, seat 3, and I was looking at him, like I could have been a teacher giving him a lesson. 

...He was really nice and we exchanged a few words about the Holton horn, and that I was playing on Alexander now. ...  Incidentally, he gives workshops in the U.S.&mdash;it would be great to get in something like that. 

...Regardless, I edited out the paragraph on sight singing as it was confusing. 

...First, if you&rsquo;re not a musician and familiar with the concept of singing music by sight, most often using solfege syllables, then you won&rsquo;t understand anything in the second paragraph. 


...[I taught music theory and sight singing to freshman and sophomores as a TA in one of my graduate music programs.]   Actually, it&rsquo;s a great musical skill that will help you in all facets of music, from conducting to composing to performing. ...  On an instrument, playing music by sight for the first time is called sight reading.


...Think about the movie, The Sound of Music, those beautiful Austrian alps, and that do-re-mi song they sing. ...  Movable do means that do is always the first pitch of a scale. ...  In 1971, I though fixed do was easier, but now I like moveable do because it is easier to anchor the harmony and intervals you sing (using pitch syllables) to a tonal scale.


...I shake his hand, get his autograph, and try to exhume his &ldquo;French horn talent&rdquo; from his hand into me&mdash;because I need help with my embouchure. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 076: Sunday walks and music</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-17T20:01:42-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7cb31c600d35ba38882b5c42715d4ea5-76.php#unique-entry-id-76</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/7cb31c600d35ba38882b5c42715d4ea5-76.php#unique-entry-id-76</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[[Bruckner&rsquo;s Grand Mass in E minor sung by the Vienna singer-boys&mdash;Vienna Boys' Choir.] 

...Especially when I walk through parks, etc. and see people with their children having fun, etc. 

...Richard Strauss&mdash;Horn Concerto No. 2&mdash;played by Hermann Baumann (German hornist) with the Jugendesorchestra. 

...On the way back home, Mike G. (friend, organist, from Canada) masterminded a tape called &ldquo;The Sounds of Vienna.&rdquo; ...  I was dying with laughter all the while we were making it&mdash;you can hear it on the tape. 

...It&rsquo;s Sunday and I attend another mass sung by the Vienna Boys' Choir&mdash;Bruckner&rsquo;s Mass in E minor.   I can say that it wasn&rsquo;t the music that I didn&rsquo;t enjoy, but rather that there are too many people trying to squeeze into the church where the Vienna Boys' Choir performs each Sunday. ...  Funny, it took me a bit to translate my funkadelic-German&mdash;that Wiener singekn&auml;ben meant the Vienna Boys' Choir, not the Vienna singing boys.   The photo (right) is of a Vienna Boys' Choir member and his family on the way to mass.


...Hermann Baumann is another of the world's best known virtuoso horn players. ...  Richard Strauss is a late-Romantic composer known for his rich chromatic harmony and full orchestrations.   Strauss is also widely known for his operas and &ldquo;tone poems&rdquo;&mdash;programmatic orchestral works that supposedly tell a story. ...  Strauss is known, in French-horn circles, for his famous horn concertos (or, concerti, if you prefer), technically much more difficult than the Mozart horn concertos.


Although I don't write about it, I am almost always going to the music concerts and operas with a group of friends from the Academy of Music, and probably my roommate Pavel.   It sounds like my friend Mike and I made a tape of that concert and later made a &ldquo;fun&rdquo; tape on the way home. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 075: My trumpet&#x27;s Baroque</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-16T19:00:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/60067c2952423363e513e147e369ed2c-75.php#unique-entry-id-75</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/60067c2952423363e513e147e369ed2c-75.php#unique-entry-id-75</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I don&rsquo;t mention the pieces played but if it were a D-trumpet (a small, higher-pitched trumpet) with a string ensemble, my guess is it could be Baroque. 

...A Google search on Edward Tarr (b. 1936) brings me to his Wikipedia article&mdash;Tarr is an American trumpet player and musicologist, and is  known for pioneering the revival of Baroque trumpet performance practice. 

...Performance practice is the technique and performance of music of a specific period (for example, Renaissance or Baroque) on the instruments of that period in history&mdash;exactly as if the music were being played in that time period. 

...Early Baroque trumpets were natural horns (no valves), just like the natural horn. ...  Playing a natural trumpet without valves would be incredibly difficult&mdash;did Tarr play on a natural trumpet? ...  I did find a Sonata for Trumpet and Strings in D Major by Baroque composer, Joseph Arnold. ...  If it weren&rsquo;t for Google, I would not be able to find any of this. 

...For the scientifically inclined, or if you are teaching to young students, it is interesting to think about natural, no-valve brass instruments.   These instruments consisted of a length of tubing, coiled so that it could be held, and played by "buzzing" into a mouthpiece that would produce vibrations and a musical pitch. ...  That pitch is the natural note and resonance of the length of tubing.   As you tighten your lips, you can play higher notes that are related to the base pitch (called the fundamental). ...  All I will say, is that it would take a superhuman to play music on these instruments. 

...Pictured above right are the ancestors to natural horns&mdash;animal tusks and horns into which you blew to make a sound&mdash;probably for going into battle, sending a message like "We're coming to kill you! 

...I used to teach a bit of acoustics and science to Jr. high school band students during my teaching days.


By the way, if the trumpet was Baroque, why didn&rsquo;t they fix it? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 074: Nothing exciting today</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-15T22:52:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dc7c3303d961ad00cc59b180325964fd-74.php#unique-entry-id-74</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dc7c3303d961ad00cc59b180325964fd-74.php#unique-entry-id-74</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 74 &mdash; Nothing exciting today


15-October-1971 (Fri.)


TRANSCRIPT


Nothing exciting today.


Practice was a little worse today.


REFLECTIONS


Finally, a day where nothing exciting happens.   Let&rsquo;s take the day off.   See you tomorrow.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 073: Two concerts&#x2c; two decades&#x2c; too good</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-14T21:39:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d2fdcb053ec4871e8177efb5a69188b6-73.php#unique-entry-id-73</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d2fdcb053ec4871e8177efb5a69188b6-73.php#unique-entry-id-73</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s amazing how 4 of the same family could end up really good. 

...I also had a seat (one of my rare moments), but when you have a good one it can really help you to enjoy that music.   For 70s [70 schillings, $2.80], I was in the first row balcony&mdash;&ldquo;even&rdquo; with them on the stage, except up one flight. 

...Just think&mdash;[my family surname] could have had a routine like that, except we would probably fight with each other on stage.


...The opening photo is from today&rsquo;s 2007 concert&mdash;L-R: David Maiullo, Laura Zupa D&rsquo;avella, a wonderful tenor [name to come], Oleg Chmyr, and Oksana Krovytska. 

...The Romeros, world-famous guitar performers, were a family of performers&mdash;a father, and three sons. 

...I know my numbers are off (in my mind&rsquo;s eye) because I keep thinking that standing room at the opera is 10s which is about $1.   I&rsquo;m beginning to think that standing room was about 24 schillings and $1. 

...I have these incredible seats and I&rsquo;m right on top of the stage, in the balcony, so I can see everything. 

...I send the autographs to my friend, Don F., who was an amazing classical guitarist at Montclair State and quite a performer. 

...I&rsquo;m following my advice of yesterday&mdash;I took the day off from work (Sunday), and went to a concert with my wife Olga. ...  He was accompanied by Ukrainian and American opera singers&mdash;soprano Oksana Krovytska of the New York City Opera (left), soprano Laura Zupa D&rsquo;avella of the New Jersey State Opera (below right), and a terrific tenor [name to come] who filled in for a scheduled performer who was ill (below right). 


...Interspersed with the arias, the Leontovych String Quartet gave wonderful performances of Mozart, Rossini, and Skoryk. ...  (I wrote a string quartet for my graduate recital&mdash;not at the same level of Mozart.)


...The venue was in beautiful Drew University in New Jersey&mdash;I never saw so many &ldquo;solid, steadfast, and tall&rdquo; oak trees. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 072: A day of hope&#x2c; web changes&#x2c; new RSS feed</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-13T19:15:23-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/170e559c2a2e409b4ca360c5950292d2-72.php#unique-entry-id-72</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/170e559c2a2e409b4ca360c5950292d2-72.php#unique-entry-id-72</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 72 &mdash; A day of hope, web changes, new RSS feed


...I&rsquo;m still not satisfied, but, once in a while I feel better. 

...In practice, I experience a sign of hope. 

...Just a note that I&rsquo;ve been consolidating the extra pages of the website under new categories: Lists, Info, and Pictures.   The prior pages are now sub-pages of these pages. ...  I haven&rsquo;t yet posted this new version.   Let&rsquo;s hope it works better for you.


...I haven&rsquo;t yet implemented this feature, but I will try it tonight and see if it works.   The RSS feed will enable you to subscribe to the link, and thus get automatic updates of any new posts.   For 36yearsago, this will be daily.   You will be able to read the summaries, using a browser, or any other newsreader or news aggregator.   Using a browser, you could put the link in your bookmarks. ...  If this works, the new 36yearsago RSS feed link is (hopefully):


...http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/blog.xml


...feed://feeds.feedburner.com/36yearsago
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 071: Music&#x2014;no boundaries</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-12T22:18:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/55117eebc284c3ff7b874ce8b298d6be-71.php#unique-entry-id-71</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/55117eebc284c3ff7b874ce8b298d6be-71.php#unique-entry-id-71</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In other words, people work hard to put on [performances of] music, and [other] people enjoy hearing that music.   When a job is done well (rather, the performance is good), then people applaud all [of] the hard work that went into it.   When the music touches you, it sends chills up and down your back, no matter what nationality the music is.   In other words, people don&rsquo;t even think about politics and nationalities in a performance of music. 

...I think that I meant that music has the power to move people, like no other art form. 

...Certainly, there is always appreciation of the arts, and today&rsquo;s comment reflects back to the music appreciation of the audiences that I spoke of a few days ago.   I suspect that the entire impact of the opera that night&mdash;staging, stage sets, action, costumes, the singers, chorus, massive sound of the orchestra, and the music itself&mdash;had an emotional impact on me. 

...One regret, over the years&mdash;I haven&rsquo;t experienced the amount of &ldquo;live&rdquo; music, operas, and concerts that I wish that I could have in all these many years. ...  If you can afford it, get out and see some concerts, or catch a local live band in your town.


...In reading the last few sentences of today&rsquo;s journal post, I wasn&rsquo;t sure what I was getting at. ...  After some reflection, I think that the impact of tonight&rsquo;s musical performance made me realize that music transcends politics, and other issues and small dislikes that we may have in life.   Perhaps I am concerned about what I am reading in Time magazine, about the Vietnam War, every week.   Although I&rsquo;m not writing about the year&rsquo;s current events in the journal, I am reading about them, and perhaps these reflections on politics, music, and life are in my mind as I write.


Perhaps we need to inject more music into the equation in Iraq and other world hot spots in today&rsquo;s world.   Appreciating different cultures, art, music, religions, races, and all peoples of the world might lead to some peace. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 070: Music theory&#x2c; in German</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-11T23:27:46-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9097730ea90ccbe5c5d1af1677fe7a8f-70.php#unique-entry-id-70</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9097730ea90ccbe5c5d1af1677fe7a8f-70.php#unique-entry-id-70</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s elementary theory, and I think the theory will be extremely easy. ...  It all went over my head and even though the music might be easy, the understanding is going to be rough. 

...Notice my literary technique: using italics to create emphasis, fragmenting the sentences, chopping up ideas, using short bursts, hammering exclamation points, and ending with a question mark? 

...My conversational German was fine but not sufficient to get me through a college class.   This wasn&rsquo;t Music Theory 101 for Foreign Students, this was Music Theory.


...Reading this journal reminded me of how difficult it is for foreign students to study and learn when they are learning a foreign language and sitting in classrooms. ...  In my theory class they gave me a book written in German, filled with words I did not know. 

...It is not easy to be in any classroom where you truly don&rsquo;t know the language. ...  They had difficulty in the beginning and then they both were fine in ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. ...  Throughout the year, the students were asked to read, discuss, write about, evaluate, and ponder such things as Elizabethan poetry and old-English writers&mdash;Chaucer, Poe, Shakespeare, and others&mdash;as well as many other literary challenges. 

...I don&rsquo;t want to put a damper on studying overseas, and in fact, still recommend it if you will be able to handle the language issue.   I ended up having a great year, learned more German, and feel today that it was all worth it. 

...Again, I don&rsquo;t write about it but I must be thinking about her.


...Nowadays, I would advise people to keep notebooks and take notes of things they want to do. ...  For the last several years, I have been writing down notes for ideas and projects that I might want to do. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 069: The early bird gets the book</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-10T21:16:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2fbd498c2fb21edeb70a082560cfd5e5-69.php#unique-entry-id-69</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/2fbd498c2fb21edeb70a082560cfd5e5-69.php#unique-entry-id-69</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Have been getting up very early with the idea of getting a good ticket for [the] Bolshoi. 

...I&rsquo;ve been reading a tremendous amount of English books (4 so far), usually at night and waiting in the opera line. ...  About a &ldquo;genius boy&rdquo; who is to be bought and &ldquo;assimilated&rdquo; into a project&mdash;resulting in a loss of the values of life and education as we know it. ...  Someday, this would be a great story line for a multimedia opera which would be able to be somewhat humorous (satirical) but with a sense of &ldquo;universal truth or meaning&rdquo; at stake.


I hope that when I read this at a later day, I won&rsquo;t feel that I&rsquo;ve been an idiot.


...Night (from 4:00 to 11:00) saw Tchaikovsky&rsquo;s Pique Dame (Queen of Spades) by the Bolshoi. 

...Once again, I get to see the Vienna Boys' Choir perform at a mass. 

...I reflect on the contrasts of trying to improve my horn playing and practicing, compared to the simple joy of walking through parks.   Life is full of contrasts and so that&rsquo;s ok (see Day 057, Hot cold, Ying Yang). 

...Reading. 36 years later, I still can&rsquo;t figure out what I was trying to say about John Hersey&rsquo;s The Child Buyer. 

...It lets you explore different places, worlds, history, and people, and learn about sports, computers, software, science, cooking, aliens, and a million other things. 


...When I was in grammar school and Jr. high school, I used to join these school book clubs (maybe Scholastic) and buy dozens of paperback books at very cheap prices.   I still buy a lot of books, but now they&rsquo;re at very expensive prices.   We didn&rsquo;t have the distractions that are here today&mdash;computers, PlayStations, the Internet, iPods, videos, MySpace, and hooking up (whatever that means). 

...To be fair, I will say that for a period of time, when I was gradually becoming aware of things, I started to focus on reading breasts in some old Playboy that someone had discarded. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 068: Music appreciation&#x2c; Vienna style</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-09T19:15:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e7e91dd022ff3ce1b1e45cc33f199898-68.php#unique-entry-id-68</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e7e91dd022ff3ce1b1e45cc33f199898-68.php#unique-entry-id-68</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Thus, spent the day mostly reading up on past news (Time [Magazine])&mdash;very discouraging. 

...The music is beginning to grow on me&mdash;especially the folk quality of [the music]. 

...I am continually amazed and &ldquo;joyed&rdquo; [joyful] by the spirit of how the people welcome the music.   The applause is not the typical &ldquo;polite&rdquo; applause, but always enthusiastic and, I believe, sincere. 

...I don't remember anything about the exhibit that I went to, but it was partially about the Olympics that were coming to Munich, Germany in the summer of 1972. ...  At the time, no one knew that these 1972 Olympics would be marred by the grievous tragedy of the murder of 11 Israeli Olympic athletes.   I will be making a trip to Munich before the year is up. 


...Seeing an opera a second time allows you to gain more understanding of the music. ...  That&rsquo;s where owning a good CD collection, the iTunes Store, and an iPod come in handy&mdash;you can listen to your favorite music again, and again. ...  It&rsquo;s seems almost unreal that we once listened to vinyl records, 45s, 33s, [78s were before my time], 8-track tapes, and cassettes. 

...A common theme in this journal is the obvious appreciation of music by the Viennese audiences.   There is great music to be had, experienced, and appreciated in Vienna.   It&rsquo;s such a good feeling to experience this&mdash;to be in those audiences. ...  Realistically, in the modern world, it&rsquo;s often very expensive and you don't live close enough to venues to go very often. 


...As students, we often went standing room at many concerts, and always went standing room at the opera&mdash;about 10s ($1) a pop, if I remember.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 067: &#x2a;?&#x21;&#x25;?&#x21;&#x21;-@?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-08T19:00:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9c252bb3014f7634717dea3a8b0b1bdb-67.php#unique-entry-id-67</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9c252bb3014f7634717dea3a8b0b1bdb-67.php#unique-entry-id-67</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Practice morning; rest; practice afternoon; rest&mdash;actually, the rest is not such a rest&mdash;practice at night.   All together, a little over 3 hours after the first session my lip was extremely tired. ...  My lip kept on changing&mdash;and everything would be different all the time&mdash;* And I&rsquo;m really not sure what to do to make the best change.   That&rsquo;s what is really frustrating.


Now, my lip is dead, and it feels like I&rsquo;m getting a blister! 

...Look at that, one day earlier I admit that I am swearing, and today I actually swear in my journal, thus the blog title.   To be truthful, I replaced some unknown glyph-character with the percent sign because no computer character exists for that symbol. ...  In general, I don't think swearing is all that helpful.   Frustration and anger does bring out the worst in the human character.   Easy-going is better and much more fun. 

...I did practice a lot, and that&rsquo;s good.   Three hours is a bit much on a brass instrument and explains why my lip went dead.   I bet that a lot of you will think that I&rsquo;m a whiner&mdash;but I&rsquo;m not.   We tend to only write about the things that are frustrating, or problems, and occasionally new and exciting things. ...  So, I apologize for all of this whining 36 years ago. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 066: One-step-in-front-of-the-other</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-07T18:28:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/55e6d74b4d6f953c4144502bfad6d193-66.php#unique-entry-id-66</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/55e6d74b4d6f953c4144502bfad6d193-66.php#unique-entry-id-66</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Found out that because I didn&rsquo;t do too well on the audition&mdash;that they&rsquo;re expecting a lot of improvement.


...Next lesson is Monday already, and I have a lot of new stuff to work on. 

...I liked the music by Prokofiev&mdash;only objection; very long with a lot of single monologues. 

...No, that's not me in the opening picture, though you might think so since it's 36 years later.   That's one of the most prominent of the 20th-century Russian composers, Sergei Prokofiev (1891&ndash;1953).   Sergei (you may call him Sergei), wrote the opera, War and Peace, that I see later tonight. ...  The photo came from Wikimedia Commons that allows people to post images from Wikimedia Commons on their websites, usually by following the stated conditions and attributing the photo. ...  Originally, I was only going to post the photos that I personally took in 1971, but I have already broken that rule a few times. 

...I have my second horn lesson and learn that they will let me study at the academy but I need to improve a lot.   Since I am not actually going for a degree, I suppose that they are giving me some slack. ...  Remember, don&rsquo;t give up; one-foot-in-front-of-the-other; and all that stuff.   Quite honestly, it is easy for me to say that now, but I can tell you that I was seriously stressed by all of this back then.


...I do swear occasionally, mostly when I lose my temper, especially at the damn Xerox machine at work while it is constantly jamming. 

...In Vienna, I&rsquo;m able to go to a bunch of concerts at standing-room prices&mdash;and with friends.


...Here are some notes and links on Sergei Prokofiev and War and Peace from Wikipedia.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 065: William Tell&#x2c; meet Bonanza</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-06T18:52:13-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8825f79c9025f89b5bec6a9ff9230129-65.php#unique-entry-id-65</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8825f79c9025f89b5bec6a9ff9230129-65.php#unique-entry-id-65</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well anyway, because I embarrassed my teacher, now I am really determined to overcome my deficiencies and, by the end of the year, I want to play for these guys and hear them say:


...In fact, Mike (my friend), told me that a girl who spent 1 year in the States, turned around during the often-played &ldquo;fanfare&rdquo; and said, &ldquo;Oh! 

...Another 2007 photo (iPhone) of a digital recording mixer at the AES show in New York.   There is a connection here (see below), if you remember that all TV and other broadcast media use such mixers and other audio equipment that is the heart of the show. 

...The fact that I say that I embarrassed my teacher must mean that it must have been bad.   What surprises me, is that I immediately garner up some determination to keep going at it and improve. 

...I went on to play horn for many years and I don&rsquo;t remember too many people yelling out, &ldquo;you, suck.&rdquo; 

...&bull; Be realistic&nbsp;&mdash; maybe I was learning that I was never going to be first horn in the Vienna Philharmonic.


...How about the William Tell Overture by Italian composer, Gioachino Rossini, and Symphony No. 5 by Piotr IliychTchaikovsky? ...  Symphony No. 5 has a beautiful horn solo opening in the 2nd movement, if I remember correctly. 

...A Russian composer of the Romantic period, Piotr&rsquo;s style is often characterized by lush, lyrical, melodies, powerful symphonic passages, and that full Romantic Russian sound (whatever). 

...For those of you who are too young, you may not know the TV shows, Bonanza and The Lone Ranger. ...  The William Tell Overture theme was used on the The Lone Ranger TV show, not Bonanza. ...  Here&rsquo;s the first part of the Bonanza theme&mdash;dun, da-dah, dun, da-dah, dun, da-dah, dun, da-dah, dah______ dah_______.


...It&rsquo;s the annual show for folks interested in high-end recording gear, music software, and other music recording related topics. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 064: Boris is good enough</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-10-05T08:27:03-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/63ff55235b101c0b402e9f5f5a0e9a0b-64.php#unique-entry-id-64</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/63ff55235b101c0b402e9f5f5a0e9a0b-64.php#unique-entry-id-64</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It was a fantastic performance and they received much applause.   What was somewhat humorous was that they had a couple of photographers taking pictures of everyone and making films. ...  (Inside) I&rsquo;m hoping that they are not going to use art as a tool of propaganda.


...The Bolshoi Theater Company from Moscow is a world-renowned opera and ballet company. ...  Although I don&rsquo;t write about it in my journal, I do remember a performance of the Bolshoi in Vienna in which the finale consisted of an incredible wall-of-sound of big brass, an immense chorus, and symphony orchestra.   I think it may have been this performance of Boris Godunov. 

...The Bolshoi was in Vienna for a short period and they were the hot ticket in town. 

...I was impressed by the Russian chorus, the basses, the brass, the beautiful folk melodies of Mussorgsky, and the elaborate costumes and sets. 

...Mussorgsky is most famous for his Pictures at an Exhibition, written for two pianos but later transcribed for orchestra by Maurice Ravel.   Mussorgsky was a handsome dude, but he is often portrayed by a famous painting of him later in life where you can tell that he had one too many. 

...Just because there were photographers taking publicity pictures, I wonder if it will be used for propaganda. ...  This is a case of "it's hard to tell if someone is joking in their email."


...This opera by Mussorgsky is one to revisit.


...They have remodeled this and it is probably the best looking train station in the country.   There are a few more pics of Washington in the Slide Show area of this site.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 063: My first Viennese horn lesson</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-04T22:44:18-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/425b6975939eabc3fa54e12f71eea3d5-63.php#unique-entry-id-63</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/425b6975939eabc3fa54e12f71eea3d5-63.php#unique-entry-id-63</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[You go into the room and wait while the student has his lesson&mdash;you listen. ...  I, so far on first impressions, don&rsquo;t like it as much because this arrangement too easily puts the emphasis on just technique&mdash;[it] would probably be hard to have a nice, music-type, discussion. 

...I am, so far, one of the worse, but if I can overcome my problems, then I think that I can place fairly well. 

...What's a photo of the Capital in Washington D.C. doing here? ...  I did a bit of cropping in iPhoto, especially on this photo above. 

..., I would have a private horn lesson in a music studio.   You had one lesson a week, you would go into your teacher&rsquo;s room, sit down and play, and have your lesson. 

...What is different about my first horn lesson in Vienna? ...  (1) It is not private, (2) you play standing up, and (3) it&rsquo;s not private (I like saying things twice, for emphasis)&mdash;people are listening to you play, you are listening to others play. 


...Perhaps I wasn&rsquo;t that bad, but I was not as good as the others. 

...Now that I look back, I think it is not a bad idea.   It does put a lot of extra pressure on the student having the lesson, but if the student gets used to playing in front of others, then that is a good thing. 


My horn exam is coming up soon, now that&rsquo;s making me nervous. 

...Just to let you know that life in 2007 is not always boring, I am in Washington, D.C....  Today, we get to take a quick walk through part of the Smithsonian and National Art Gallery, where I saw Whistler&rsquo;s Mom. er, whatever. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 062: A day of contrasts</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-03T22:24:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a673f0230394f0c76c5e98ad93b0a1a8-62.php#unique-entry-id-62</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a673f0230394f0c76c5e98ad93b0a1a8-62.php#unique-entry-id-62</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[[They] Did Benjamin Britten Mass in D-minor for boys choir&mdash;contemporary, and I really enjoyed it. 

...Read &ldquo;Time&rdquo; [Magazine]&mdash;after reading of all the problems that the U.S. has, we might as well &ldquo;blow up the world now.&rdquo;   It&rsquo;s very easy to be a pessimist; especially after reading the news.


...Ok, it&rsquo;s not the Vienna Choir Boys, it&rsquo;s the Vienna Boys' Choir. ...  That&rsquo;s the third mass that I&rsquo;ve been to that performed an actual composed mass during its service. 

...Benjamin Britten (1913&ndash;1976), a British composer, is best known for his work, The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. 

...Well, I spent the rest of the day reading Time magazine.   I guess the news wasn&rsquo;t good&mdash;I just remembered that we were still in the Vietnam War (almost forgot), and so my comments about blowing everything up. ...  I didn&rsquo;t blame the soldiers&mdash;it is always terrible reading about the casualties of war, and the soldiers are the ones that pay.


It seems like 36 years later, Time magazine is still reporting about war, this time the Iraqi war.   Yes, it&rsquo;s easy to be a pessimist after reading the news and seeing so much turmoil on TV.   All we can do is hope and work to see that these problems that constantly seem to plague humanity can be resolved.


...From the heaven of a Britten mass to the hell of war.   Looking back, I would say that I took reading about the war a bit too personally. ...  We do take these things personally, especially on a topic like war which encompasses real-world suffering. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 061: Oktoberfest is here</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-10-02T17:56:45-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ee81c7e33863052cb6ea64de3e0c7c4d-61.php#unique-entry-id-61</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ee81c7e33863052cb6ea64de3e0c7c4d-61.php#unique-entry-id-61</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I&rsquo;m not allowed to play horn in my room and the stupid academy keeps the rooms locked on weekends. 

...Spent part of the day going through the Rathaus because of the &ldquo;open-door&rdquo; day, coinciding with the Munich Oktoberfest. (beer) There were free tours around the city and most of it seemed to display city planning.   There were fire engines, garbage trucks, and elephants&mdash;all of it interesting and amusing.


...Johann Strauss; very typical of him&mdash;waltzes and polkas. 

...Well, I don&rsquo;t blame the landlady for not allowing me to play my horn in my room. ...  Plus, when you practice, it is often for at least 2 hours, and it&rsquo;s loud.   The real frustration, and thus my use of the word stupid, is that I cannot use the practice rooms in the school of music because they are locked on weekends. 

...I don&rsquo;t have to tell you what Oktoberfest is&mdash;especially if you&rsquo;re in college.   Oktoberfest is a two-week celebration in September-October that celebrates, I believe, German beer (and eating). 

...I&rsquo;m certain that it is celebrated in other places in Europe as well.   In the U.S., college kids will follow any holiday having to do with drinking some beers. 

...It was very nice to be able to go on tours in the Rathaus during this festival.   I have some pictures of Vienna&rsquo;s celebration at the Rathaus. ...  I don&rsquo;t think I went out and celebrated in a beer hall or anything, just the city festivities, although if I can&rsquo;t remember, it may be a sign that I did participate. 

...The Gypsy Baron by Johann Strauss has plenty of waltzes, polkas, and dance. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 060: Austria&#x2014;beautiful panoramas</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-10-01T17:23:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b2381164b74b63e4d25533a5e2962b09-60.php#unique-entry-id-60</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b2381164b74b63e4d25533a5e2962b09-60.php#unique-entry-id-60</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In 1971, I spend the day practicing, then writing letters to mom and my brothers to get away from the frustration of my horn practicing.


...One day, in a new special website that I hope to develop, I&rsquo;ll tell you about my mother and my family.


...The pictures are drop-dead gorgeous, 360-degree panoramas of places in Austria and around the world.   An amazing picture is that of the Vienna National Library in the Neue Hofburg, part of the Hofburg Complex. 

...Here is a 360-degree panorama view of the Reading Room of the Austria National Library is from this site. 

...If you Google "Austria 360" you will get both of the above websites.


...Bernard Vogl's website, dativ.at also is highly recommended for beautiful 360-degree panoramas. ...  I will be asking his permission to use the panorama of the Great Gallery in Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace below.


These pictures are so beautiful and the panoramas so intriguing, that I will now go back into my blog entries and post links to some of these panoramic views. 

...These panoramas are 360-degree views of places of interest&mdash;one that I mentioned was the National Library in the Neue Hofburg in Vienna (see picture above, and follow the links) and the second is the Great Hall of Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace. ...  To view a panorama, you click-drag your mouse on the picture and you will be able to 3-D scroll through the pictures. ...  To the right is a picture of the Great Gallery in Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace from austria-360.at. ...  Dativ.at is Bernhard's website, a wonderful collection of photos and panoramas of Vienna.   You can see other wonderful panoramas of Vienna at his website www. dativ.at.


Viewing the panoramas require the Quicktime VR player built into Apple&rsquo;s Quicktime software which is available as a free download for both Mac and PC. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 059: Two resolutions&#x2014;exam completed and new apartment</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-30T21:32:52-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f6f62349e5226e5c3a80057f2784198e-59.php#unique-entry-id-59</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f6f62349e5226e5c3a80057f2784198e-59.php#unique-entry-id-59</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[They said I was accepted into a theory class&mdash;I was hoping composition, but they also said that I could go as high as I was qualified for.   So, at least I&rsquo;ll continue studying harmony, and I&rsquo;ll still be able to write music if I want.


...I had so much luggage, and I had to move all by myself, that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. 

...I take the composition exam, which includes sight-singing, playing the piano, and speaking to the examiners. ...  I am told that I am enrolled in music theory and that at some future point I can become involved in composition.   I am not certain if this is the standard route to composition, or whether I was not at the appropriate level for graduate study.   After all, I am not certain if I submitted any compositions, and I was not a prior composition major.   At the exam, they did not have me write any fugues or anything. 

...Yes, I finally move to my new apartment on Wickenburggasse, an inner-city street filled with apartment buildings and a corner store. ...  I don&rsquo;t have any pictures of the inside of the apartment, just one (I believe) of the outside. 

...Going by memory, my room was on one of the upper floors of an old, traditional, apartment building.   There was a very small, open, gated elevator that would slowly go up to your floor. 

...I was in a single very large room with a bed, closets and drawers. ...  On either side of me were two rooms, one with the daughter of the landlady, and one with my future roommate, Pavel (my dorm roommate). 

...I remember that we got along fine all year long and had no complaints about the living space.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 058: New music in 2007</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-29T23:50:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5ea8d62438278727d5d9078a5ce50897-58.php#unique-entry-id-58</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5ea8d62438278727d5d9078a5ce50897-58.php#unique-entry-id-58</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ended the day with a new music concert featuring compositions by Edgar Var&egrave;se and Harry Partch. 

...It so happened that the new music concert was held at a new concert hall at Montclair State.   Remember, I graduated Montclair in 1971 and I have not been to Montclair in a while. ...  I was there in the evening, parked a bazillion miles away from anything, and almost didn&rsquo;t recognize anything about the campus. ...  The campus (in the dark) is new, big, and has many new buildings. 

...I went to the new music concert to hear a colleague of mine, Charles C., a composer and MSU graduate, perform in Newband, an internationally renowned ensemble dedicated to performing contemporary music.   Their performance was great, especially the Partch, which was performed on original Harry Partch instruments&mdash;a very impressive performance.   It&rsquo;s nice to hear live music of all types. 

...Both Var&egrave;se and Partch are what you would term 20th-century composers.   Their music is often called &ldquo;contemporary&rdquo;&mdash;melodies and harmonies are not tonal, sound textures are often dissonant, new sound sources are important, traditional instruments are used in new ways, and microtonal music is on the scene. ...  Listening to many different styles of both classical and pop music will expand your horizons. 

...During intermission, I briefly spoke with a young and very pretty girl sitting near me.   She was a new graduate student to Montclair; she was from a different country (Brazil); she came to study piano. ...  Keep a journal, don&rsquo;t worry, do your best, and don&rsquo;t give up when following what you want to do. 

...I enjoy speaking to young people, they wake you up.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 057: Hot cold&#x2c; Ying Yang</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-09-28T21:01:19-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/86c892495c0b6e2428ce54414689d211-57.php#unique-entry-id-57</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/86c892495c0b6e2428ce54414689d211-57.php#unique-entry-id-57</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[However, we went to another address and it turned out that it was a pretty nice place; rented out by 2 very nice &ldquo;youngish-oldish&rdquo; ladies.   I had a very pleasant conversation in German with them, and I even made them laugh with my jokes&mdash;I guess my weird personality. 

...You can be angry and frustrated for a bit of time, and then things work out for the better and then you&rsquo;re happy.   Hot cold, Ying Yang, up down, left right, wet dry, night day,  salt pepper, thin fat, good bad, pretty ugly (ha, ha), rich poor, and ad infinitum&mdash;&ldquo;life is full of opposites.&rdquo;   (If any of these made-up quotes are original, please attribute them to me in future writings. ...  :-) The advice is always the same for all types of problems and frustrations&mdash;just put one foot in front of the other, take a step at a time, keep moving forward, don&rsquo;t give up, persevere&mdash;that&rsquo;s when things work out. ...  Of course, if you were on American Idol and didn&rsquo;t make the finals, you might give up after a while. 

...After winning over the two women of the house [hausfrau&rsquo;s] with my charm and German humor, we got the room. 

...I end the day with two light Italian operas, which most certainly were probably at the Volksoper. ...  I would go to the opera not knowing much about the plot, learn a bit,  and simply enjoy the music, singing, and stage production for itself.   Knowing the plot of operas will help you to follow the general action, and is highly recommended. 

...These many years later, I have forgotten a great deal of my musical knowledge (the detail of specific works), but retain my general musical skills that I use regularly. ...  If it&rsquo;s a topic or subject area that you like, you will enjoy learning.   You&rsquo;ll never enjoy the pressure of exams and papers, but that goes away once you are out of school. 

...For these transcripts, I look up the correct spelling of the titles and composers on Wikipedia. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 056: Viennese house hunting</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-27T22:44:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3478ee426e84bb8186543a736ee63006-56.php#unique-entry-id-56</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3478ee426e84bb8186543a736ee63006-56.php#unique-entry-id-56</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There is some housing but [it&rsquo;s] far out.   The housing that is available is much different than we&rsquo;re used to. ...  Rooms are rented out by apartments ([by house] ladies; your room is part of her bigger apartment), and thus are shared with them.


...As mentioned in the summary, house hunting and apartment hunting are never easy, whether back in 1971 or today.   Vienna is a major cosmopolitan city and, as in all such cities, living space is at a premium and generally very expensive.


...I didn&rsquo;t write anything negative about the quality of the housing I was seeing.   The nature of real estate is that the good stuff is always out of the reach of students, the regular stuff is normally fine, and there are plenty of not-as-desirable places to be had.   Again, none of the housing I saw was remotely bad, just surprising.


...Here are some things I ran into: (1) individual heating units for heating rooms (not central heating); (2) coal was still used in some units; (That&rsquo;s a bit much.   Oil is fine.) (3) apartments were often studio, everything was all together&mdash;bath, kitchen, bedroom; (4) bathrooms were often shared; (5) no hot water occasionally?   Perhaps, you had to heat up water and place it in a pan?   (6) you often lived in the same apartment as the landlord. 


All of this surprised me a bit, but as I am always learning throughout life, expect anything (even coal).


...The opera at night is Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss. ...  His most famous work to most people is Also sprach Zarathustra, also recognized as the opening to the film  2001: Space Odessey. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 055: A Haydn Mass&#x2c; Chicago II</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-09-26T19:32:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4f66f62177b4e010a9479461abae8bf4-55.php#unique-entry-id-55</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4f66f62177b4e010a9479461abae8bf4-55.php#unique-entry-id-55</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I never play the same way twice and when I can play well high, I can&rsquo;t play in the middle register and vice-versa, and in other combinations.


...You can tell how musical Vienna is by the reception and applause given to a good concert&mdash;unbelievable. ...  What a difference it makes (in listening to music) when you watch the conductor as if you were in the orchestra. 

...Afterwards, went backstage and met Herr G. [my horn teacher] and a couple of &ldquo;hornists&rdquo; in the symphony. 

...The opening photo on this page is not of this concert, but it does show the concert hall, the Vienna Musikverein, and my balcony seats mentioned below.


...The fact that I have already seen in Austria two classically-composed Masses in actual church mass settings is amazing. 


...I can&rsquo;t remember how this church looked, but my DK book has a picture of the 14th-century Gothic interior. ...  I wonder if there are any video-guides of Vienna that I can purchase that might show all the tourist sites and attractions. 

...Regardless, I&rsquo;m enjoying all of this music in Vienna and the enthusiasm of the Viennese audiences. 

...I couldn't get in to see the Vienna Boys Choir in concert today, but they are in this picture.)   Apparently, when I stand (certainly against the back), I have a great view of conductor Guiliani as he conducts the Chicago Symphony.   While I have seen many conductors, seeing a master conductor from the perspective of being in a world-class orchestra (just a bit higher) was amazing.


...The kicker&mdash;I now go backstage to meet some of the orchestra players because of my Viennese horn teacher, Herr G. ...  Backstage, I see that one of the Chicago horn players is really young. ...  Only kidding, I loved playing the horn in ensembles, and I knew that I was never going to be a professional horn player. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 054: Incredible Two&#x27;s</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-09-25T08:42:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4019f95e80a7b9f2596abca84a487023-54.php#unique-entry-id-54</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4019f95e80a7b9f2596abca84a487023-54.php#unique-entry-id-54</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Played Mozart Serenade, Schubert 2nd Symphony, and Dvorak New World Symphony&mdash;All of it was really enjoyable. 

...The applause lasted quite a while, and after many reappearances, [they] didn&rsquo;t play an encore. 

...I believe that all of the applause is an honest appreciation and respect for talent and fine music.   In America, the clapping seems to be &ldquo;ho-hum, well you entertained me again&rdquo; type of feeling, and usually not very sincere.


...The horn parts and players (expecially first) were more unbelievable&mdash;all the way through. ...  Mahler is very &ldquo;horny&rdquo; and has a tendency to bog you down&mdash;&ldquo;continuous, emotional, mind-straining&rdquo;&mdash;but after it&rsquo;s all over&mdash;you can breath.


...Photo: The opening photo is not of this specific concert but it is of the Vienna Musikverein, where many concerts are held.   An incredible concert hall with a beautiful organ, chandeliers, and great orchestras performing. 

...As you can tell, I&rsquo;m a big fan of orchestra music and especially late romantic music. 


...At times like this, I wish that the record industry and the RIAA would come up with reasonable music licensing fees for podcasters. ...  If I could play short segments of music, this journal could become an entertaining portal into different styles of music and music appreciation.   It would be a great tool for discovering new music. 

...Sir Georg Solti &ndash; world famous conductor of the Chicago Symphony


...Mahler&rsquo;s Symphony No. 5 &ndash; a classic, late-romantic epic, some beautiful moments for horn.


Dvorak&rsquo;s New World Symphony &ndash; a perennial favorite, you&rsquo;ve heard the theme. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 053: Mozart&#x27;s magical opera</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-09-24T23:09:20-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1bce7b19a93022b0c3dd4292f566ec64-53.php#unique-entry-id-53</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1bce7b19a93022b0c3dd4292f566ec64-53.php#unique-entry-id-53</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In preparation for Komposition, began to practice piano [in] the morning. 

...Jeff, the English roommate, left today&mdash;to travel back to England.   So are many of the other people who were here for the course.   Jeff, was another &ldquo;bloody nice bloke&rdquo;&mdash;a &ldquo;jolly good roommate.&rdquo;


...Went to Volksoper: Mozart&rsquo;s &ldquo;Die Zauberfl&ouml;te&rdquo;&mdash;Magic Flute. 

...One day, I think I would like to write an opera.   If that would be a good name&mdash;multimedia, film, orchestra, electronic tape&mdash;story line could be about a &ldquo;musician genius&rdquo; going through school, getting involved in many philosophies (war, etc.) and such. 

...When I read this back, it seems pretty corny, and stupid. 

...Vienna pays tribute to it's favorite composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with this statue of him in the Burggarten near the Ringstrasse. 


...After seeing the Magic Flute by Mozart at the Volksoper, with all of the music and stage action, I enjoyed it so much that I was imagining how an avant-garde or contemporary multimedia performance could be similar to an opera (though opera might not be the right term). ...  So, although I haven't written this opera as of yet, it&rsquo;s nice to be inspired by music, art, literature, movies, photographs, or whatever, and imagine what you can do.


Regardless, the Magic Flute is fun and should be another opera that is in everyone&rsquo;s got-to-see bag.   There is a very famous aria (with very high notes) that I&rsquo;m certain most people would recognize if they heard it.


...Earlier in the day, I&rsquo;m busy with preparing for exams (there I go again with the funkadelic &ldquo;German&rdquo; spelling of Komposition) and seeing friends off.   The composition exam is this coming Monday&mdash; Life is always moving on. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 052: Standing room only&#x2c; La Boh&#xe8;me</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-09-23T22:06:23-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e5a5d66fd4791a4168af765836f4483f-52.php#unique-entry-id-52</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/e5a5d66fd4791a4168af765836f4483f-52.php#unique-entry-id-52</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Went to the opera again (becoming a fanatic)&mdash;standing room, and saw &ldquo;La Boh&egrave;me.&rdquo;   It was a beautiful performance&mdash;singing, music, scenery&mdash;our standing [room] place was excellent.   This has been the most enjoyable opera so far&mdash;it&rsquo;s because of all the beautiful arias and themes, which add so much emotion to the typical (man-woman-falling-in-love) theme. 

...If you&rsquo;re only going to see one opera in your life, make it La Boh&egrave;me by Giacomo Puccini.   The opera is in Italian and was first performed in 1896.   A love story, the opera's memorable arias and melodies, famous crowd scene, and tragic ending captures the hearts of all who attend. 

...Standing room allowed me to see many operas in Vienna&mdash;it is unbelievable experience (for the young at heart, and students) at an incredible price of 10s, or about $1.   This price enabled us students to be able to afford to see operas regularly.


Standing room required going early to wait in line and then scramble up the stairs to the &ldquo;heavens of the opera house&rdquo; (err, way up there), and then standing/sitting at specified locations of the top two tiers of the opera house.   It's a unique and fun experience (when young). 


...Although I don&rsquo;t write about it a lot in the journal, one of my good friends in Vienna was an organ student named Mike.   From what I remember, Mike was the main organizer of telling us students what concerts were up and coming, and he was the one who introduced us to standing room at the Vienna Staatsoper.   I wish I could have had a video of the experience.   I wonder how many &ldquo;less&rdquo; concerts I would have seen if Mike wasn&rsquo;t one of my friends. 

...I wonder what standing room is like today.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 013: Vienna Woods&#x2c; Kahlenburg</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-15T20:17:27-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/66db3b1f8b9b49228118a9ec7cb068e6-51.php#unique-entry-id-51</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/66db3b1f8b9b49228118a9ec7cb068e6-51.php#unique-entry-id-51</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I still enjoy walking, though it&rsquo;s always close by and not as dramatic, or pretty.


...It sounds like it was a long walk, but I always enjoy walking and sightseeing. 


...I remember a day when we took a walk, and we were walking &ldquo;up&rdquo; and &ldquo;up&rdquo; quite a bit. ...  On that day, I remember a few elderly Austrians who were perhaps war veterans or civilians with missing limbs, making the long and strenuous walk up to see the sights along with many others. ...  I remember being impressed at how Austrians enjoy nature and the outdoors, and by how the people affected by WWII here in Europe, were not afraid to live and enjoy their lives despite hardships. 

...Pictures &ndash; What will help me restore my memory are the pictures/slides that I took during this year. ...  Hopefully, both you and I will get to &ldquo;see&rdquo; a bit of what I mention in these outings. ...  I think this picture was the Vienna Woods or my Kahlenburg walk, but I cannot be certain.


...I really enjoyed photography and typically had my camera hanging around my neck and the zoom lens on my belt when I went out on outings. ...  You can learn as little or as much as you like and take it in a variety of directions as well. 

...You loaded 35mm film into the camera, shot a roll, and then sent it out for developing either as slides, or prints. 

...Kodak &ndash; What better testament to high quality is there, than the fact that I still have these slides from 1971? ...  These slides have been in plastic sleeves in notebooks, kept in boxes and bags, in hot and dusty attics, damp basements, and who knows where else. 36 years later, they look like they are in remarkably good shape. ...  [As an aside, one of my interviews for the fellowship was with a Rotarian who was, I believe, a Kodak executive. 

...If I get significant readership on this blog, I&rsquo;ll be calling Kodak (and Nikon) up. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 051: Standing room at the Staatsoper&#x2c; friendly letters</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-22T18:29:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/02f5ad024f6fcd35b5771e1f5659a419-50.php#unique-entry-id-50</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/02f5ad024f6fcd35b5771e1f5659a419-50.php#unique-entry-id-50</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I enjoy writing funny letters and also reading what&rsquo;s happening to everyone. 

...Went to another Staatsoper concert&mdash;for a student discount of 1s [actually 10s or about $1]. 

...I decide to focus on studying [music] composition for this year and to take the entrance exams.   I am not certain if I will be qualified for this study since I have only taken one previous composition course. 

...Being away from home and your friends is not easy, and so receiving letters from them is enjoyable. ...  It&rsquo;s also fun to write back and tell them your new adventures. 


...If you own a computer, I suppose that almost none of us write personal letters anymore (on stationery). 

...Letter writing for most people, at least those with computers, has been replaced by email. ...  Thus, you get hundreds of them (many of which you don&rsquo;t want, some referring to male body parts), they clutter your email program, you easily erase them, forget them, store them and never look at them again, and best of all, they all disappear when your computer or hard drive crashes. 


...Young people don&rsquo;t email anymore&mdash;they do MySpace, Facebook, BeBo, Ning, Virb, Twitter, Jaiku, and many other Internet, social-networking, and instant-messaging based platforms to communicate with each other. 

...I didn't get to see the King and Queen of Belgium personally, but it was all over the news and there was plenty of traffic.


...I mention a new friend, Mike, who will be studying music at the academy this school year.   He is an opera buff and shows us the ropes on how to see the opera in the cheapest manner possible&mdash;standing room.


...The price of standing room at the opera is NOT 1s (1 schilling) but 10 schillings, or about 1 dollar.   Still that's a bargain and it will help me see many operas this year. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 050: Wien apartment hunting</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-21T20:20:40-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/27828504000f31c662140cfd0c2d934f-49.php#unique-entry-id-49</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/27828504000f31c662140cfd0c2d934f-49.php#unique-entry-id-49</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The rooms are usually very cheap in price, but they lack many of the comforts we are used to. 

...It looks like I start my hunt for a new apartment for the entire school year. 

...I mention that rooms appear to be comparatively low in price, most likely compared to the price of the student dorms that were meant for (and priced higher) international students. 


Stove heating means that you have a ceramic or metal type of stove (think wood burning stove) in the room for heat in the winter.   Much better looking than old-fashioned iron radiators that you see in old houses (where I grew up) in the U.S. ...  I believe that the stoves used oil heat but I can't remember. 

...In the middle of a large city like Vienna (and New York City), we are looking for rooms within existing apartments (owner-occupied), not entire apartments&mdash;that would be too expensive.   I remember that we did not look too far out of the center of the city. 

...In an effort to merge the future with the past, I have enlisted Craigslist.org to help in the apartment hunting. 

...That would be nice to go and stay a month, without having to pay a hotel. 

...Do you remember the Hotel Sacher, right next to the Vienna Opera, that I mentioned in the first few days of this journal? 

...I am not certain if the Austrians still use the Austrian schilling (probably not), since they are an EU member where the Euro reigns supreme.   FYI &ndash; the U.S. dollar reigns in the poo-poo-house when compared to the Euro nowadays.   It&rsquo;s pathetic&mdash;I can&rsquo;t afford to live in the U.S.

...We&rsquo;ll compare the above 2007 rates to whatever I paid in 1971 in the near future.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 049: The Vienna State Opera (Wozzeck)</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-09-20T23:32:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a0043fee560144e27699c3bdcf2791e5-48.php#unique-entry-id-48</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a0043fee560144e27699c3bdcf2791e5-48.php#unique-entry-id-48</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The horns are better and seem to be different slightly in tone&mdash;sounds more towards American horns. 

...Very emotional and [note that] atonal music is easier to understand when backed up by a story line. ...  I think I&rsquo;ll try to go as often as possible to [the opera].


...The ornate fixtures, art, sculpture, decoration, the incredible stairway at the entrance, and the luxury of the opera house itself is a sight to be seen.   I have a couple of pictures&mdash;even though you are not allowed to photograph inside.


...The Vienna Opera consists of many incredible vocalists and musicians, including internationally-renowned soloists, choruses, and ballet. 

...If you can, try to see an opera in the Vienna State Opera house (closed during July and August) when visiting Vienna.   I would love to go back today and once again see this opera house.


...Many great conductors have been fortunate to conduct them, including the late-19th century composer, Gustav Mahler.   The philharmonic performs at the Vienna Opera as well as other orchestral venues as well.   The size of the orchestra may tend to be bigger than that of the Volksoper, as they perform classic operatic repertoire and a wider variety of opera&mdash;such as the modern, Wozzeck by Alban Berg&mdash;that require large orchestras.


...That is certainly the result that the horns in the philharmonic are using &ldquo;double horns&rdquo; (called F/Bb) which produce a much bigger sound.   The horns may have been Vienna double horns, or a mixture of horns as well.   The slightly smaller and brassy sound of the Volksoper horns is also most certainly a result of their using &ldquo;single F horns&rdquo; and the single Vienna horn. 

...The opera Wozzeck [Opera 04] is an opera by the Austrian and early-twentieth century composer, Alban Berg (1885-1935). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 048: Stress relief: Donau Park and Tower</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-09-19T21:05:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a77cbca9ca3836e1a101060c07087632-47.php#unique-entry-id-47</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a77cbca9ca3836e1a101060c07087632-47.php#unique-entry-id-47</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Not playing well, and seemingly not making any progress in the change of my embouchure. 

...To relax, [I] went to the Donau [Danube] Park and Tower&mdash;very nice and pleasant to walk around in (if weather, would be warmer).   From the tower, which is very high and rotates, the view is excellent.


...I&rsquo;m certain that I will be complaining of my frustration quite a bit, regarding my horn playing.   It&rsquo;s not very interesting to read, but I certainly felt the frustration. ...  All I can say today, is that everyone will experience frustration throughout their life. ...  This will apply to everything&mdash;the workplace, high school, college, and much of what we do.


...To relieve some of my frustration, I go to the Danube Park and Tower, a relatively new park adjacent to the Danube River.   According to my DK Vienna guide, the Danube Tower ascends 827 feet [252 meters] high and has two restaurants as well as an observation deck. ...  I remember seeing a PBS travel show that showed the Danube Park as a favorite Viennese venue.   The photo (above right) is not of the Danau Park, but it is a park.


...The guide states that the park and surrounding area has been redeveloped as the Danube City housing project. ...  I would really enjoy having today&rsquo;s Viennese discover this blog and comment on these sightseeing spots.


...A second problem is that I do not have my &ldquo;notes&rdquo; that tell what each numbered slide was.   I may guess that the picture is of the Danube Park but I could be wrong.]
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 047: Preparing for entrance exams</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-18T18:23:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1be4c893ddbfc68bf52a5621a66638e5-46.php#unique-entry-id-46</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1be4c893ddbfc68bf52a5621a66638e5-46.php#unique-entry-id-46</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I come to the conclusion that I am grossly inadequately prepared for a major in composition. 

...It looks like I am preparing for entrance exams to the academy, and I am studying fugues and chorales that I may have to write or analyze for my exams.   I come to the realization that I may not be ready for a graduate major in composition.


...As I may have mentioned, at Montclair State I was an undergraduate in music education. ...  I took the standard humanities, science, and math courses along with many music courses&mdash;music theory, music history, and many music education courses and pedagogy. ...  I did take one course in music composition, where I remember writing only three or so very short compositions.   (Those compositions, if I remember correctly, will bring me a surprise at the end of the year.)


...Although I don&rsquo;t know it, music composition will become more important later in my life.


...I find it very interesting as to how we develop our interests and begin to choose our career paths and life interests. ...  Classic examples: sports, music, school activities, and the areas that interest you in school are the things you often decide to pursue as you head off to college.   Finally, we like and enjoy the things that we are good at, whether basketball, science, or music.   We gravitate to these activities and often pursue them as a career path.


If you&rsquo;re young, in college, or just graduated, you are experiencing these career and school choices and will continue to do so. ...  You can always change your &ldquo;career path&rdquo; in college and throughout your life&mdash;in fact, most people have several career paths throughout their lives.


...This journal entry is the first hint that I will not be staying at the student dorms during the school year and that I'll need to find a room. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 046: Another girl?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-17T22:51:10-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b41a0ff74fa1eae744fe9970317c2313-45.php#unique-entry-id-45</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/b41a0ff74fa1eae744fe9970317c2313-45.php#unique-entry-id-45</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...At night, went to a dance. ...  Didn&rsquo;t end up too well, though. 

...Being that I am now part of the &ldquo;press&rdquo; and &ldquo;media,&rdquo; I am taking liberties with my journalism, creating sensational headlines meant to draw in new readers. ...  Much better than &ldquo;Went to a dance and was rejected.&rdquo;


...Am I a no-good creep?   Believe me, I&rsquo;m sure that I didn&rsquo;t forget Anjali.


Obviously, I went to a dance (perhaps, organized for students), met someone, and danced. ...  The intriguing sentence is &ldquo;Didn&rsquo;t end up too well, though. ...  I can only guess that we danced and that was it. 

...Truth be told, I was never good at the &ldquo;pickup-stuff,&rdquo; whatever that means.   What I will say is that I have met more girls in Vienna this year, than I have in my entire four years of college. 

...Returning to my new style of journalism, I believe that I have managed to make a big mountain out of a mole hill.   Take nothing, stir it up, loosely mix up the facts, create agitation, and speculate.   Just like the real media and press. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 045: Starting over; photos arrive; social networks</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-16T20:54:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ab1b5b16955c4bab16a9b3b83d29a43b-44.php#unique-entry-id-44</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ab1b5b16955c4bab16a9b3b83d29a43b-44.php#unique-entry-id-44</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 45 &mdash; Starting over; photos arrive; social networks


...Never sure of exactly what I have to do. 

...I make a decision to start over with my horn playing technique, specifically, trying to change my embouchure.   Looking back, I&rsquo;m never certain that my embouchure was all that bad, but I probably felt that my embouchure (position of my lips against the mouthpiece) was not perfect.   If I could get it to be perfect, I should be able to play perfectly. 

...As with all change, it can be frustrating, slow, and cause uncertainty.


...The scans of my 35mm slides arrived a couple of days ago.   It was a bit expensive, but worth it.   The photo service, DigMyPics.com, did a great job with the scans.   I hope to populate past and future blog posts with pictures.


...I haven&rsquo;t yet begun any marketing attempt on this blog.   I wanted to wait for the pictures.   Slowly, I will join some of the popular social networking sites and see if they will generate any visits to the website. ...  It seems that Facebook may be fine for interacting with friends you already have. 

...I just installed Google Analytics to collect page-view stats.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 044: My new horn teacher&#x2013;Professor Gabler</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-09-15T16:43:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d0a26fc84af0c285b8aec0a3bbe87002-43.php#unique-entry-id-43</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d0a26fc84af0c285b8aec0a3bbe87002-43.php#unique-entry-id-43</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In morning, I went to the Volksoper to see Professor Gabler [my new horn teacher].   For a few minutes, I played, and he told me a few things&mdash;I will have to really try to straighten (literally) my embouchure out.


Then went and sat in the [orchestra] pit of the rehearsal for &rdquo;Der Wildschutz&rdquo;&mdash;a rehearsal for the whole opera. 

...Horn players, I guess, must have it built in to talk with each other, etc. (exactly like I would do in orchestra in school).


That night&rsquo;s performance of &ldquo;Lucia di Lammermoor&rdquo; [Donizetti] was very good. 

...I am beginning to really enjoy opera, and I&rsquo;ll try to go as much as possible.


...As I mentioned earlier, I learn today that he is the first horn in the Volksoper.


...As you know, I am totally convinced that I need to change my embouchure (lip position) to become better.   I am not that bad of a horn player but not as good as others. ...  And I make a few mistakes when I play, especially on very high parts. 

...After our meeting, I am suddenly sitting next to him in the orchestra pit for a rehearsal of the German comic opera, Der Wildschutz [The Voice of Nature] (1842) by Albert Lortzing [Opera 02]. ...  I&rsquo;m getting to see first hand what a professional horn player does at a rehearsal for a professional opera house. ...  At Montclair State College, I played in plenty of orchestra pits myself for theater presentations and musicals, and on-stage for many other concerts. 

...At night, I&rsquo;m at the Volksoper again, at a performance of the Italian opera, Lucia de Lammermoor (1835) by Donizetti [Opera 03].   I&rsquo;m learning to enjoy opera, and hope that I&rsquo;ll go more often.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 043: Nothing new</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-14T06:51:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/270248e7ca9c31f750c7ddb9cef44279-42.php#unique-entry-id-42</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/270248e7ca9c31f750c7ddb9cef44279-42.php#unique-entry-id-42</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[36yearsago.com


Vienna 1971&mdash;A Student Journal


A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


Day 43 &mdash; Nothing new


14-September-1971 (Tue.)


TRANSCRIPT


Typical day.


Frustrated on horn.


REFLECTIONS


That&rsquo;s it today.   Nothing new.


John


- - - - 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 042: Where is Joan? In Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-13T22:51:16-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c6b794603d0ef48ec042b183a85f3f7e-41.php#unique-entry-id-41</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c6b794603d0ef48ec042b183a85f3f7e-41.php#unique-entry-id-41</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Joan came to see me;&mdash;she wasn&rsquo;t even in Vienna [yesterday], and was leaving this afternoon. 

...However, I only felt like we were good friends, instead of being closer than friends. 

...Received a letter from Anjali&mdash;that made me feel good. 

...Yesterday, I jumped to conclusions, made incorrect assumptions, became frustrated, blamed other people for events out of their control, and just made things worse.   I didn&rsquo;t consider other alternatives as to what might be going on&mdash;I just blamed the hotels for not knowing where Joan was.


...I suppose it was my frustration, maybe not knowing if people understood me in German, and thinking that everyone was wrong.   To set the record straight, I&rsquo;m certain I didn&rsquo;t actually yell at anyone.   I think I was just venting my frustration at the end of the night in my journal. ...  I normally have a pretty good temperament and get along with most people. 36 years later my writing sounded even worse to me.


Once again, I offer my belated apologies to the entire city of Vienna for being a jerk.


The lessons to be learned here are: (1) don&rsquo;t jump to conclusions, (2) consider all possibilities before jumping to conclusions, (3) be patient, and (4) aquire wisdom in your old age.


...She came to see me for a few hours in Vienna before leaving today.   I had only known Joan for a short while back in the states but it was good to spend some enjoyable time with her. ...  It sounds like I felt that we were mostly friends. 

...Yes, I get a letter from Anjali and I am very happy. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 041: I am a 60&#x27;s student radical</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-12T08:15:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4e8162692b3fc580d70d7186c7989326-40.php#unique-entry-id-40</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/4e8162692b3fc580d70d7186c7989326-40.php#unique-entry-id-40</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Last night I tried to contact Joan S. from the States.   I was supposed to meet her and spend some time with her while she was in Vienna. 

...Today was very frustrating because I tried to contact her all day, but I couldn&rsquo;t reach her.   I was under the impression that she was at a certain hotel, and they were even taking messages.   The last time I called, they suddenly said no one of that name was staying there. 

...This infuriated me, because it had to be the fault of the hotel&mdash;they were either misleading me or just plain stupid.


Usually when I have a bad experience, its with some form of big business.   I think it&rsquo;s the universal principle that once there&rsquo;s money in the picture, that&rsquo;s the only objective, and that everything else (i.e. helping people, etc.) is thrown out the window, unless there&rsquo;s money involved. 

...Well, I&rsquo;ll be glad to eventually learn (from Joan) what actually happened.


...After reading today&rsquo;s entry, I thought that this was my college classmate Joan that I met in Salzburg.   Actually, I now remember that Joan was a girl that I had only recently met in New Jersey and dated a few times before I left on this journey.


Obviously, there are plans to meet her based on a letter she sent.   I am frustrated and immediately blame the hotel, the hotel staff, language, financial institutions, greed, money, and the entire &ldquo;business&rdquo; establishment&mdash;was I the 60&rsquo;s student radical, or what?


...Once again, another example of a &ldquo;youthful-jump-to-conclusions overreaction based on emotion rather than patience.&rdquo; 

...My sincere apologies to all the hotels and staff members of Vienna. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 040: A typical day?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-11T08:09:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/842aa00e5b0154e988cc44b16d0227d6-39.php#unique-entry-id-39</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/842aa00e5b0154e988cc44b16d0227d6-39.php#unique-entry-id-39</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I practice on the horn (usually enough) and then if I have time, on the guitar&ndash;for relaxation.


...Some studying of German, and of music (not as much as I would like), during the day. 

...I also try to have time for business and pleasure.   Usually business prevails&mdash;shopping, writing letters, but if it is nice out[side] at all, I will try to take a walk.


If I can intensify my studying a little, and keep this routine for the rest of the year&mdash;I should learn quite a bit.


...I&rsquo;m starting my daily routine that I set up a couple of days ago, and appear to happy about it.   Whenever I talk about business, it means the daily routine of living such as eating, doing the laundry, and shopping.


It&rsquo;s ironic that I start of today&rsquo;s journal with &ldquo;Typical day.&rdquo;   September 11, as the world tragically learned, is no longer a typical day after 2001.   I can only hope that we can move to solve all of these complex problems of today&rsquo;s current world.   Was the world safer in 1971 even with the cold war, communism, the threat of nuclear war, the Korean peninsula, and especially, the Vietnam War? ...  If it were only the cold war, communism, and threat of nuclear war, I would say it feels more dangerous today.


...The world, as history shows, has always had major problems and has managed to resolve or accommodate conflicts, problems, and issues.   We need to continue to do so&mdash;for all people, and for the survival of mankind and the Earth. 


This blog, and other ventures I hope to bring about, are about people. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 039: Der Freischutz&#x2014;my first opera in Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-09-10T21:18:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c5e3b56c246606202b7caab946d2911f-38.php#unique-entry-id-38</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/c5e3b56c246606202b7caab946d2911f-38.php#unique-entry-id-38</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The horns were really good but sometimes I wonder (whether) I like the Vienna Horn sound and also the playing. ...  The playing style (if it has anything to do with technique) seems to be good, but sometimes in soft spots, the attack seems too strong.


...Der Freisch&uuml;tz, a German opera by Carl Maria von Weber, was performed at the Volksoper (folk opera). ...  In my entire life, I had only gone to a small number of professional concerts over many years (the exception being concerts at my college, Montclair State).   In Vienna, I am able to go to a lot of concerts and operas at reasonable cost, conveniently, and within easy reach.   It&rsquo;s like going to the Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center in New York every few nights (or so). 


...For now, these will only be chronological listings of the music I&rsquo;ve heard and the places I&rsquo;ve seen. 

...The Volksoper is the &ldquo;people's opera&rdquo; house in Vienna, second only to the Vienna State Opera. ...  Don&rsquo;t be misled; many of these operas are performed in many major opera houses around the world. ...  Later, I learn that my horn professor at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Professor Frederick Gabler, was first hornist in the Volksoper. 

...I also note that the sound of the Vienna horns can be brassy in loud passages. ...  I also believe that Vienna Horn is more difficult to play than the traditional F/Bb double horn.   I only became aware that the Viennese had their own version of the &ldquo;French&rdquo; Horn called the Vienna or Viennese horn, just before going to Vienna.   Here&rsquo;s an interesting note for horn players: the Viennese also occasionally play the F-natural Vienna horn, which has NO VALVES.   The performer plays the notes of the horn by mostly using the notes of the &ldquo;harmonic series&rdquo; (sounds that can be made on any set of open tubing&mdash;think &ldquo;Ricola&rdquo; cough-drop alpen horns)&mdash;and by also &ldquo;stopping&rdquo; their hands in the bell. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 038: Finally&#x2c; a normal day</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-09T21:14:42-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/81f63892ab6296eb3ad989a2e3d2af79-37.php#unique-entry-id-37</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/81f63892ab6296eb3ad989a2e3d2af79-37.php#unique-entry-id-37</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This is what I think will be a normal day. 

...I would like to practice the horn quite a bit (3 hours) and the guitar also (1+ hour).   Everyday I should study German&mdash;will have to devote more time to it.   A little time in [the] afternoon for a break&mdash;business [life stuff], shopping, or a walk.


Will have to find time (a lot) for reading of music books, possible writing of music, and hopefully, practicing the piano.


...As I know them better, they are really good friends, and we sit and talk, and do other things. 

...Now it&rsquo;s time to crack the books, practice, learn German, and do &ldquo;everything.&rdquo;


...It&rsquo;s not a bad idea to try and organize your day, plan activities, leave time for work, homework, practicing and some relaxation. ...  In the real world, all of these schedules will fall apart, take longer than expected, and come with a fair amount of interruptions. 

...You will see that I want to practice both horn and guitar a fair amount.   At Montclair State College (now University), I was a commuting student, worked in the late afternoons and evenings, and had to practice both at school and at home.   This will be the first year I didn&rsquo;t have to work&mdash;that is after age 12 or so. ...  Despite my frustrations in trying to be a perfect horn player, I do enjoy practicing and attempting to improve.


...Remember, it was only yesterday that I was chiding Pavel&rsquo;s &ldquo;American-isms&rdquo; a bit. 

...It&rsquo;s only been a day, and I can&rsquo;t live without the girl. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 037: Anjali leaves for home</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-08T20:33:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/30b90e648dba97eea965e76a35d6e48f-36.php#unique-entry-id-36</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/30b90e648dba97eea965e76a35d6e48f-36.php#unique-entry-id-36</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We spent the morning together, talked and went for a walk, and then went to the train station.


...From all that I have written so far, it&rsquo;s not a surprise that I will really miss her a lot. ...  There was something a little special about her that made it a fact that I would miss her.


She was very cute; had a really good figure (especially in the dress that she never wore), was very intelligent, was very pleasant and enjoyable to be with, enjoyed music, played [folk guitar] and sang, was a master psychologist, had cute mannerisms&mdash;&ldquo;chappee,&rdquo; &ldquo;methinks,&rdquo; &ldquo;therefore,&rdquo; and a lot of other nice things.


She grew up quite a bit in the time we knew each other, and changed from a young girl to a young woman.   She learned (I hope) how to enjoy herself (with male company) and we &ldquo;communicated&rdquo; especially well.   She&rsquo;ll really do well in life and probably marry an ambassador.


We thought that, possibly, we could meet in Paris (where she studied), if I decided to go there and study next summer. 

...We&rsquo;ll have to see how things work out&mdash;I hope we will see each other again.


...Today&rsquo;s the day Anjali leaves for home (Paris).   The transcript says it all, I don&rsquo;t have to elaborate&mdash;can you tell that I&rsquo;ll miss her?


I&rsquo;m certain that I didn&rsquo;t quite understand my feelings those many years ago. 

...I am very happy that I met Anjali and became close to her.   See, even these many years later, she brings a smile to my face. 


If you&rsquo;re young (or old), cherish these same special moments with your family, friends, and special people in your life. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 036: New roommates arrive</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-07T19:45:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8ad73bd6cb28cf82bfd2fcf0568e3770-35.php#unique-entry-id-35</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/8ad73bd6cb28cf82bfd2fcf0568e3770-35.php#unique-entry-id-35</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Paperwork, practice, and spent the morning riding on the &ldquo;strassebahn&rdquo; [think San Francisco street car] so that my weekly card would be good.


...One is Pavl (Russian [name])&mdash;an American from California who will be studying piano at the Hochsch&uuml;le f&uuml;r Musik.   Seems like a pretty good kid, but right away is American-ish (outgoing, sometimes wise-guy-ish). ...  The other is Jeff from England, who is also a really nice guy. 

...She was spending the day with her mother and getting ready for their trip home tomorrow.


...I&rsquo;m not certain if I spelled Pavel&rsquo;s name correctly&mdash;I&rsquo;ll spell it with an &ldquo;e&rdquo; from now on. ...  (From now on, I&rsquo;m going to ask everyone to spell their name for me.)


Both roommates are nice guys and I remember that we got along just fine.   In fact, one of them becomes my long-term roommate for the rest of the year.


Pavel is going to study piano at the academy. ...  A &ldquo;performance major&rdquo; in any major university, college, or established music school (think Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, Indiana University, Oberlin, and many others) is way-beyond-anything competitive and, in my opinion, almost impossible. 

...Pavel was a typical college kid, and so was I. 

...I don&rsquo;t remember much about what Jeff was going to study. ...  I think I will have pictures of both of them that I will put up shortly. 


...We had a student card that allowed you to travel at a reduced rate.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 035: Dinner with Anjali&#x27;s mom; Belvedere Palace</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-06T08:58:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cf00ce2d73fbceda5734a5f3c2bf365b-34.php#unique-entry-id-34</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cf00ce2d73fbceda5734a5f3c2bf365b-34.php#unique-entry-id-34</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At 4:00 met with Anjali and mother, and talked, then went to Belvedere Palace and had a very, very, fancy dinner at their hotel. 

...I remember the dinner with Anjali and her mom in their hotel.   I don&rsquo;t remember the food but I do remember that the hotel was right across from the Vienna Opera House. ...  On the way out, I looked at the daily room price (back in &rsquo;71), and it was one month&rsquo;s rent. 

...I discovered this 360-degree view from the Nothern end of Belvedere Palace (photo above) from the wonderful website austria360.at. 

...In my other log, I kept a list of all my family, friends and relatives that I wanted to write to during the year. 


...To make certain that everyone got a letter during the year, I placed a &ldquo;&bull;&rdquo; next to each name whenever I sent a letter. ...  Even though letter writing is perhaps becoming a dinosaur in modern times, it can be fun. ...  I can tell you, that if my journal were in electronic form on a computer, I would never have been able to open it up on a different computer 36 years later. ...  Exception&mdash;for the last several years, I have kept all types of notes in those old marble notepads that you buy in grammar school. 

...I imagine that if you&rsquo;re young, you probably can&rsquo;t imagine what it would be like to be a teenager, high school, college student, or young adult without a computer. 

...How is it possible that we lived without Twitter, mySpace, Facebook, Ning, Bebo, Virb, and my forthcoming social networking site?   Well, I practiced music, read books and magazines, wrote letters, sat outside in parks, and took many photos while sightseeing and taking walks.   As for letters, it took probably a &ldquo;whole week&rdquo; to get a letter across that big ocean [the Atlantic]. 

...Don&rsquo;t be afraid of computers and digital, and don't be afraid of the analog world&mdash;get outside once in a while, play some sports, take a walk, breathe in the fresh air, and experience the analog world. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 034: Anjali&#x27;s mom comes to Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-05T23:07:26-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/538bd630d03b016834663df95cd0da2f-33.php#unique-entry-id-33</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/538bd630d03b016834663df95cd0da2f-33.php#unique-entry-id-33</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I&rsquo;ll rip out the ion lithium batteries out of my iPod and see if that can start her up. 

...Truth be told, my computer&rsquo;s hard drive freaked about 5 days ago and I&rsquo;ve just been able to complete the backups, buy a new external hard drive, reinstall applications and data, and get the computer back up today. 

...I will be posting and catching up over the next few days.   I will be backdating the posting dates to coincide with the actual calendar dates to keep the chronology of the calendar accurate. 

...Her mother was very pleasant and, as I expected, I felt out of place and imposing by my mere presence.


...We tried to make plans to meet again, but could not plan anything definite. 

...I&rsquo;m not sure whether I&rsquo;ve changed my smiling [horn embouchure]) still does not look right, but I can&rsquo;t seem to change. 


...Anjali&rsquo;s mom is in town, to meet her daughter in Vienna, do a bit of sightseeing, and then wisk Anjali away to Paris&mdash;never to be seen again.


I remember liking her mom but it was certainly somewhat awkward and different. ...  I don&rsquo;t know if her mom knew about me (probably did) and there was nothing that she did to cause me to feel weird. ...  Not quite as hilarious as Meet the Parents but in the same vein. 

...I went back to practicing the horn later, still dissatisfied with my embouchure (lip position) when playing. 


...It is interesting that I don&rsquo;t write about what I was feeling&mdash;about how I would feel when Anjali would be gone.   You can bet, that I was thinking about it all the time. 

...All you can do is make the best of any situation. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 033: Anjali in a dress&#x2014;dinner  and dancing</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-09-04T19:38:36-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5bc9d3bec26d2437bb0376e77921675c-32.php#unique-entry-id-32</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5bc9d3bec26d2437bb0376e77921675c-32.php#unique-entry-id-32</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Looking back, I think that Anjali in a dress was the first time she presented herself as a young &ldquo;woman&rdquo; rather than a student. 

...As mentioned, she lived in Paris and we discussed whether we could &ldquo;hook up&rdquo; [a term not in existence in 1971, except on aircraft carriers or trucking rigs] in Paris one day.   On this day in 1971, writing in the journal, I don&rsquo;t know what the future will hold. 

...Well, once again, you, the reader, will have to wait to the end of this year to see if I get to see Anjali again. 

...When my wife came back from Europe a few weeks ago, I told her I started this blog about when I was 22, and a student in Europe. ...  I could be a world-famous podcaster with hundreds-of-thousands of listeners and she might listen to one and say, &ldquo;That&rsquo;s fine.&rdquo; 

...And, I hope that it will bring a smile to the readers occasionally, and remind you of your adventures when you were young.


...It would be way cool if word of this blog got out to some of my 1971 friends that I mention in this blog, and they responded. 

...If there are any Viennese, Austrian, or European readers that pick up this blog, I would welcome your comments and emails (and pictures). ...  If this occurred, I might consider user-submitted articles and pictures on sightseeing venues, photo-sharing on the web, and perhaps a forum if we had a large number of readers. 

...A large part of my writing this blog is to perhaps give insight and encouragement to young people who are going through the same things that all of us go through when we grow up and become young adults&mdash;school, studying, difficulties, problems, money, learning about yourself, learning to be social with others, discovering &ldquo;personal&rdquo; relationships, learning responsibility, and trying to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. 

...I&rsquo;m not going to lecture to adults (or young people), but those of us who are older can follow the same path as the young. 


...Don&rsquo;t live in the past, but don&rsquo;t be afraid to get excited about the things that used to excite you when you were young.


...Buy a digital camera and start taking photos; write a song in Garageband [Mac]; take an art class; start a blog on the Internet; start your own private radio show on the Internet&mdash;you&rsquo;re a podcaster now; write a short story, magazine article, poetry, or a novel&mdash;if the big boys don&rsquo;t want to publish you, publish yourself at Lulu.com .


...My only regret, looking back 36 years, is perhaps giving up a bit too early on the creative dreams I had and what I wanted to do with my life (compose serious music, write pop, rock, commercial, children&rsquo;s, and film music, teach college, be a writer, whatever). ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 032: Amusement at Prater</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-09-03T21:24:25-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/788026e96872b9a39b655cc2cdc8790a-31.php#unique-entry-id-31</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/788026e96872b9a39b655cc2cdc8790a-31.php#unique-entry-id-31</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I remember being at Prater, a large amusement park on the outskirts of Vienna, near the Danube river.   I remember that in 1971 it had a large ferris wheel as one of the distinctive features of the park. ...  As usual, I get a bit motion sick on any ride that tends to put me in unnatural positions that God never meant us to be in.   Certainly the amusement park rides of those days were tame compared to the insane rides and roller coasters that are in modern amusement parks. ...  A second &ldquo;as usual&rdquo; is that I never can win anything (those stuffed animals) when playing those carnival games.


Spending the last few days with Anjali seems to be the highlight of my social life during this month. ...  I still continue that eating tradition today as I constantly eat too many sweets and fast food as I battle my bulge.


...I did want to comment again on the style of my writing in this journal. 

...In this journal, I use this emdash a lot for emphasis and to indicate hesitation&mdash;to highlight and bring emphasis to an important point. ...  At times like this we can solicit the help of a great grammar podcast, Grammar Girl. 

...[You can subscribe to Grammar Girl&rsquo;s podcast&mdash;Grammar Girl&rsquo;s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing&mdash;in the podcast section of the iTunes Music store or at her website.


...&ldquo;A symbol &mdash; used in writing and printing to indicate a break in thought or sentence structure, to introduce a phrase added for emphasis, definition, or explanation, or to separate two clauses.&rdquo;


...It works very nicely, generally giving you short and quick answers instead of wading through a ton of Google search results.


...I think that is typical of writing informally in journals that you think will never be read by anyone. 


...I may have left some misspellings on the first few entries, thinking that I would be &ldquo;pure&rdquo; to the journal.]
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 031: Anjali; the National Library; Hofburg Complex</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-09-02T21:32:40-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6dfcdb13da796f4f5f021ed275d3f370-30.php#unique-entry-id-30</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/6dfcdb13da796f4f5f021ed275d3f370-30.php#unique-entry-id-30</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the journal, yesterday and today were ganged together, with both days spent sightseeing with Anjali. 

...It's nice to read my simple comments all of these years later that remind me of the pleasure of doing things with a wonderful friend (or more than a friend.) ...  If you're young, enjoy your relationships and treat everyone with the respect that they deserve and the respect you would want for yourself. 

...The Austrian National Library is situated in the Hofburg Complex in the center of Vienna. ...  The Neue Burg, the main central building, with its curved fa&ccedil;ade, houses the Reading Room of the National Library.   This picture of the Reading Room (left) is mine that I took in 1971.   I just discovered, is an out-of-this-world 360-degree view of the Reading Room from Panoramas.dk. ...  This panorama photograph is &copy; Peter Winkler and is found on Panoramas.dk which is run by Hans Nyberg. 

...Just off the Ringstrasse sits the Hofburg Complex, a huge complex of buildings that was the seat of Austrian power for many centuries.   The entire complex includes the imperial residences (where the imperial rulers such as Franz Josef lived), the winter riding school and stables of the Lipizzaner stallions, the National Library, the offices of the president of Austria, as well as museums and other buildings.   Heldenplatz, the gardens and open grounds, lead you to the distinctive curved arch of the Neue Burg fa&ccedil;ade. 

...When you visit Vienna, take a tour of the Hofburg complex that includes seeing some of the interior. 

...There is a great diagram of the Hofburg Complex found in DK Eyewitness Travel Guides: Vienna, pp. ...  (Note, when I reference a DK Eyewitness Travel Guide page, I will enter a "tag" as DK Vienna, or DK Austria to indicate the reference to the book.)


When visiting Vienna, you can&rsquo;t help but imagine the expansive power and influence of the Austro-Hungarian empire as you enter the incredible Hofburg Complex through the Heldenplatz and look upon the massive Neue Burg.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 030: Sightseeing with Anjali</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-09-01T19:30:42-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/19df2b06fae26efb4ab2d9a1d40273c0-29.php#unique-entry-id-29</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/19df2b06fae26efb4ab2d9a1d40273c0-29.php#unique-entry-id-29</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Went to parks, museums (National Library), Contemporary Photography Exhibit (very exciting, using visual designs and colors).


...The important thing is that I am spending time with Anjali.   Something is going on here (4th reiteration of this statement), and perhaps I&rsquo;m beginning to realize it.   That I am going places with her means that we have become really good friends.


You can&rsquo;t remember how you &ldquo;feel&rdquo; going back far in time, and 36 years is way back in time, but you remember whether you liked someone or not, and perhaps how much you liked them. ...  This picture on the right is not a good one but it's the only picture of Anjali and myself (you can identify me with the birthmark on my neck, just under the hairline).   Advice: when you're with that special someone, have someone take a few pictures of you together.


[At the end of this blog (next year) I will reveal new amazing facts (that happen in the future) that will expand on my relationship with Anjali.   Now, you&rsquo;re going to have to read this blog for another year to wait and find out this mystery. ...  Maybe I should do some anagrams (as Dan Brown does in The DaVinci Code) to create suspense. 

...Except for the National Library, I don&rsquo;t mention anything specific about exactly where we went. 

...You already know that I sent out over 600 slides from this year to be scanned by DigMyPics. ...  At one time, I had actually numbered those slides in sequence, meaning that as I mention events in the journal, I might be able to find a picture or two of those events from those numbered slides, especially if they involved sightseeing. 

...[If I do find new slides, I will update all of the pages I have currently written so far, and possibly add some new commentary.   You don&rsquo;t have to reread the pages, just look at the pictures.]
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 029: The beautiful parks of Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-31T19:42:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/53d638ed75bbccc42b2bd5d0f6e27508-28.php#unique-entry-id-28</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/53d638ed75bbccc42b2bd5d0f6e27508-28.php#unique-entry-id-28</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I mention that Vienna&rsquo;s parks are nice to study in.   As you know, when we visited Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace just a few days ago, I mentioned how beautiful and expansive the gardens and grounds were of that palace. ...  I remember seeing them for the first time, and being amazed at how much bigger they were, full of flowers and benches for people to sit, talk, people-watch, and study.


...The park closest to the student dorm on Johannesgasse is Stadt Park, or City Park.   There is a very famous statue of Johann Strauss in this park, where, I believe, I strike a &ldquo;pose&rdquo;&mdash;take that Madonna. ...  My slides will be back soon and I will post some pictures of the gardens.


...I may have neglected to say that the dorms on Johannesgasse were centrally situated smack dab in the middle of many great sightseeing treats.   In addition to the parks, the Vienna Opera was only two blocks away, Stephansdom about three blocks, Stadt Park two blocks, the Hofsburg complex was perhaps six blocks. 

...Other gardens that are wonderful and close by are the gardens and grounds of the Hofburg Palace, the Volksgarten, the Wien Burggarten with a statue of Mozart, Maria Theresa Plaza and the grounds of the Kunsthistoriches Museum [art history], and many others.   Many major outdoor sightseeing venues will often have a plaza or garden area.


I don&rsquo;t remember as many beautiful gardens here in the States. ...  It would be nice to have more outdoor &ldquo;green&rdquo; areas in public spaces to enjoy. 


...A great way to sightsee &ldquo;virtually&rdquo; from your computer anywhere in the world is with Google Earth. ...  If you type in &ldquo;Johannesgasse, Vienna, Austria&rdquo; you will get to this area of Vienna discussed here. 


...I&rsquo;m enjoying using Google Earth to revisit some of my journey this year. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 028: German class examinations</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-30T21:33:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/003c8b072e8d002200d7d9928cfa1f80-27.php#unique-entry-id-27</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/003c8b072e8d002200d7d9928cfa1f80-27.php#unique-entry-id-27</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Finally, the last week of German classes. ...  In the journal, I gang today and tomorrow together.   I&rsquo;ll split my comments between the two days.


To put things in perspective, remember that learning any language takes time, and 25 or so days is not a lot of time.   However, I know that I learned quite a bit and it prepared the way for me to live and study in Vienna for the rest of the year.


...If you study and work hard (see above), you will learn. ...  Keep plugging away and you will learn.


...My advice for young people, as always&mdash;Never give up. ...  Learning is a lifelong skill.   It becomes easier the more you do it.   Learning will be a skill that you will need more and more in the future, as the world &ldquo;flattens.&rdquo; 


...[I&rsquo;m currently reading The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman.   The world flattens with the help of technology such as communications and the Internet as well as other factors, allowing countries with highly educated and motivated workforces to quickly compete in a &ldquo;world economy&rdquo; and workforce. ...  Lifelong learning will be a skill that we will all need to continually insure our competitiveness and employability. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 027: My first song; Rick Steve&#x2019;s Europe on PBS</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-29T21:26:42-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fb2b90cfe671241b6e2ab7abbbdbe566-26.php#unique-entry-id-26</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fb2b90cfe671241b6e2ab7abbbdbe566-26.php#unique-entry-id-26</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 27 &mdash; My first song; Rick Steve&rsquo;s Europe on PBS


...My first song that I ever wrote in my life&mdash;&ldquo;One Summer Day.&rdquo; ...  I felt like I had to write this song for her, from the heart. ...  Listen, at the time, I know that these feelings were strong and real.   It&rsquo;s too bad that I&rsquo;m not 30 years younger, I could be picking up a lot of girls with this approach.


[*The only time I had ever written any original music prior to this was three or so short compositions in composition class at Montclair State. 

...I never had a desire to be a singer/performer&mdash;that&rsquo;s been my problem my whole life, I write songs and nobody sings them. ...  Maybe, I&rsquo;ll let you hear some of these before the year is up.


...Well, by today&rsquo;s standards, the song is probably a bit corny. 

...Maybe I&rsquo;ll rummage through all the plastic bags in the attic and see if any such tape exists. 

...When I discovered that I didn&rsquo;t have much of an entry for today, I was not going to write much. 

...Just by accident, I happened to come across Rick Steve&rsquo;s &ldquo;European Travels&rdquo; that are often broadcast on many PBS public television and cable stations. ...  It was great seeing and remembering many of the sightseeing highlights of Vienna in great-quality video.   I like watching Rick Steve&rsquo;s as he travels through Europe and provides his very interesting and lightly-humored narratives.   If you want travel DVDs, travel guides, and other great travel tips, go to his website at ricksteves.com. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 026: Mahler&#x2019;s 8th Symphony; Sch&#xf6;nbrunn Palace</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-08-28T20:52:07-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5dcd2eb3133a96a99657fb165bb6949e-25.php#unique-entry-id-25</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5dcd2eb3133a96a99657fb165bb6949e-25.php#unique-entry-id-25</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Just the sight of the whole stage filled with performers was unbelievable. 8 horns&ndash;first horn great player (vibrato) and great horn parts.


...When I thought of how all those performers felt and how I felt, I felt like crying&mdash;that is why I must be in music and why I&rsquo;ll never leave it.


...If you are going to visit any palaces in Vienna, put Sch&ouml;nbrunn Palace on your list. 

...I didn&rsquo;t write a lot about Sch&ouml;nbrunn but I know that I&rsquo;ll have some great pictures (I hope). 

...I am inserting a new entry into this post because I have discovered a website which has beautiful photos and panoramas of Vienna.   The photo above of Sch&ouml;nbrunn's Great Gallery (&copy; Bernhard Vogl) is a still photo capture from a 360-degree panorama by photographer Bernhard Vogl. ...  These 360-degree panoramas are stunning and a wonderful way to see sights in remote places, as if you were standing right there.   I discovered this photo from a website titled austria-360.at but then discovered the photographer's own website at dativ.at. ...  See also Day 035, Day 060 and Day 145 for other photos of Bernhard Vogl as well as commentary on the Pictures page.


...Even though I don&rsquo;t write much about my two roommates, I did spend a good deal of time with them in the dorm rooms and at meals in the student cafeteria. 


...Wouldn&rsquo;t it be great if this blog became a European phenomenon (or totally international phenomenon would also be ok) and some of my friends in this journal read about this (36 years later), and then they responded? 

...This is also the first time I&rsquo;ve heard the Vienna Boys' Choir as part of a large ensemble. ...  Here is a good article on  Mahler's Symphony No. 8  in Wikipedia with a picture of over 1,000 performers in the American premiere.


...[** It is a shame that the record industry in America, under the auspices of the RIAA, is so lawsuit-happy and sues any non-licensed playing of copyrighted music on the Internet. ...  It&rsquo;s a shame because people like me, and many others, could put together educational podcasts that could reintroduce many, many people to all types and styles of great music. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 025: Coffee with Mozart&#x2c; Hadyn&#x2c; and Beethoven</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-27T22:40:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ae91e36e6575774ea54524a0c34ac758-24.php#unique-entry-id-24</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ae91e36e6575774ea54524a0c34ac758-24.php#unique-entry-id-24</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Talked for a while and told me that my embouchure looked basically alright, except for a few things.


...Also had caf&eacute; [coffee] in a caf&eacute; where Mozart, Hadyn, and Beethoven used to visit.


...It looks like I&rsquo;m starting to think about school at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (Hochsch&uuml;le fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst) that will be coming up soon.   I meet my French horn teacher for the first time.   (Professor Gabler) Perhaps it was an audition to get in his class? ...  I find out that my embouchure may not be too bad off. 

...I think that language school is ending soon and we went out with my roommates and Anjali to dinner.   I don&rsquo;t remember if Schubert&rsquo;s &Uuml;ber is the name of a restaurant or a special tourist place.


...Finally, we went to a caf&eacute; where the master&rsquo;s&mdash;Mozart, Hadyn, and Beethoven&mdash;used to sit and have coffee, or whatever else they drank. ...  I remember thinking what it would have been like being in this caf&eacute; during those times and with those composers present. ...  Did Beethoven spit into a spittoon, fiddle with his sketch notebooks, and give everyone a hard time? ...  It was neat being in such a historic place. 

...I now realize that my underlining in the journal is not grammatical, but a way for me to find key words as I skim through the journal. ...  An insight: 36 years before Google and the Internet, I was intuitively developing a text-based search engine for quick retrieval of data from a text-based storage device. ...  You would think I should be getting some money from Google for that search technique. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 024: Burgemeister&#x2019;s Reception at the Rathaus</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-26T20:07:16-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9695be86debaff9218bfbf67cad608db-23.php#unique-entry-id-23</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/9695be86debaff9218bfbf67cad608db-23.php#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 24 &mdash; Burgemeister&rsquo;s reception at the Rathaus


...On train, met two American students&mdash;travelers&mdash;and helped them out a little with info. 

...Went to the Burgemeister&rsquo;s Reception in the Rathaus. ...  I went with Anjali&mdash;she was wwearing her native soiree (Indian [dress]) and looked exceptionally nice in it.   Everything was so proper that I felt that I was at a diplomatic reception.   But we danced a lot and hand a good time.


...The train ride from Frankfurt to Vienna is overnight.   It looks like I&rsquo;m giving back to the international community by helping other American travelers just as many people have been helping me. 


...I didn&rsquo;t sleep but went right to German class. 

...At night, we went to a real &ldquo;ball.&rdquo; ...  The Burgemeister&rsquo;s Reception is the Mayor&rsquo;s Ball, and was a special event for students attending the language courses, I believe.   All I remember is that everyone was dressed up. 

...She was a knockout with her soiree&mdash;a beautiful, colorful Indian dress.   Everyone could look at her and not me. 


...Back on earth, we had a good time dancing. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 023: My new Alexander French horn</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-25T20:50:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a321071ab7e727a3de4208856e0d3672-22.php#unique-entry-id-22</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a321071ab7e727a3de4208856e0d3672-22.php#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Even though my embouchure wasn&rsquo;t good, I finally narrowed it down (from 5) to 2 horns. 

...I think that&rsquo;s because the dollar wasn&rsquo;t worth as much anymore&mdash;(Nixon; Aug. 

...With the cost of the train, altogether I am not sure that I saved too much money.   However, at least I went there, and also because of the 10% surcharge, I know I saved some money.


...I didn&rsquo;t like the city because it had no charm at all. 

...If I get some extra money, I&rsquo;ll fix it up and maybe find a community orchestra to play in. 

...They did have new horns hanging up in the store, you just took them down and played them.


I needed to get a second opinion on the horn and so who better to assist me than a first horn player from a Portuguese symphony orchestra. ...  I have trouble with the high notes&mdash;that is the main reason I always blame my embouchure (the formation of your lips on the mouthpiece). 

...I don&rsquo;t know enough about the history of Alexander French Horns to know if Mr. 

...In later years, I played in community orchestras when I was a teacher, during my graduate work at both Indiana University and The Ohio State University, and afterwards as well. 

...Whether you are at a Mahler concert or listening to a John Williams film score, you know that nothing beats the sound of a French horn section majestically pounding out a great horn line. 

...President Nixon devalues the U.S. dollar on August 22, and I immediately lose a fair portion of my fellowship stipend. 

...To be fair to both these cities, once again, I was not playing tourist and I didn&rsquo;t spend a lot of time in either city. 

...Back to Vienna on the train with my new French horn. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 022: I need a French horn&#x2014;off to Mainz&#x2c; Germany</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Germany</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-24T22:05:32-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d86fda7b15b0bb06b72c2957dcb899b3-21.php#unique-entry-id-21</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/d86fda7b15b0bb06b72c2957dcb899b3-21.php#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 22 &mdash; I need a French horn&mdash;off to Mainz, Germany.


...Notice how I learned my lesson about train travel (from a whole whopping 2 days ago), and decided to get a &ldquo;sleeper&rdquo; cabin. 

...It&rsquo;s time to let you in on a secret as I tell you how I got my start in music.


...I used to CARRY that thing home (1-1/2 blocks) every day in its big case, and with books. ...  I&rsquo;m certain that it was the &ldquo;recognition&rdquo; that was bestowed upon me&mdash;something like, &ldquo;John, you&rsquo;re good at music.&rdquo; 

...Now, I&rsquo;m carrying the damned instrument home mostly every day, AND with school books, for about a mile each way. ...  (Except that my relatives used to give me quarters and dollars to play the accordion, as well.)


...In eighth grade, I performed a solo baritone horn piece with the band backing me up. ...  I remember being at the night concert, being trapped on stage with no exit, and so I jumped off a 4-foot high stage-pit wall to exit &ldquo;stage left.&rdquo; ...  [That&rsquo;s the boy, John, always rebellious, make a decision, don&rsquo;t ask permission, act on it, don&rsquo;t look back. 

...&bull; I go to Montclair State College to major in music education with my major instrument as French horn. 

...I graduated with a B.A. in music and a major in French horn without owning my major instrument. 

...[An interesting fact&mdash;I had a 4-year full-tuition scholarship to go to Montclair State College from the State of New Jersey.   I don&rsquo;t remember exactly, but I think the tuition was &ldquo;perhaps&rdquo; $150 a semester or $300 a year?   If so, I got a 4-year college education for about $1,200. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 021: Busy&#x2c; busy. Why am I writing this blog?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-23T22:14:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3e6a4c09fd40115ac5871e3343322e0b-20.php#unique-entry-id-20</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3e6a4c09fd40115ac5871e3343322e0b-20.php#unique-entry-id-20</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Today, most of us are fortunate enough to have lives that don&rsquo;t require a day-to-day struggle with life and death subsistence. ...  However, there are many who struggle to survive in ways that are difficult to believe are still a part of today&rsquo;s world. ...  It is profound to see the impact that the charitable foundation of Bill and Melinda Gates is having in many parts of the developing world. 

...I did mention a couple of reasons on the Welcome page of this site as to why I started this blog.   One reason is just the cool idea to be able to reflect back 36 years on the day-by-day perspective of normal life and routines in that year as a young student. 

...A second reason is to encourage the enthusiasm that is a natural part of everyone who is young&mdash;yes, that&rsquo;s you.   If you are young and your life is just starting in front of you, be enthusiastic, follow your dreams, just do it. 

...The natural enthusiasm of youth is always tempered by the same fears, uncertainties, questions, and unknowns that follow us throughout our lives. ...  It&rsquo;s ok to be realistic&mdash;not everyone will be a best-selling novelist&mdash;but you don&rsquo;t have to give up your goals or dreams (you can still write). 

...I hope this blog touches two groups of people&mdash;those who are young, and those who are older than young; in other words, everyone.


...Keep on a good path and don&rsquo;t be swayed by others to be destructive to yourself (you know, cigarettes, excessive drinking, drugs, fast driving, and so on). ...  Sure, life will send you in new and practical directions&mdash;you may end up being a doctor, lawyer, teacher, or accountant but you can still play your rock guitar in the evenings and on weekends.


...As young adults we may have been successful in starting businesses, coaching pee-wee soccer, or helping in a soup kitchen. 

...If you are ready, it may be time to rekindle your enthusiasm, whether young or older. ...  At the least, I&rsquo;m hoping you will pick up a digital camera and fall in love with photography. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 020: Salzburg finale; Festung Hohensalzburg and the Schubert B-minor Mass</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-08-22T21:29:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5d8decf57db5a313e29f3d79aafdd44f-19.php#unique-entry-id-19</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5d8decf57db5a313e29f3d79aafdd44f-19.php#unique-entry-id-19</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 20 &mdash; Day 020: Salzburg finale; Festung Hohensalzburg and the Schubert B-minor Mass


...I sat in the first row&mdash;watching the beautiful alter and listening&mdash;it was like I was in Heaven. 

...I did a bunch of sightseeing, including Mozart&rsquo;s Museum (probably Mozart&rsquo;s birthplace&mdash;Mozart&rsquo;s Geburtshaus), the Domplatz (cathedral), and the Castle (Festung Hohensalzburg).   I&rsquo;ll have to read about these in my Dorling Kindersley Eye Witness travel book on Austria (I ordered it today). 


...If I had known I was going to write about this 36 years later, I may have carried my journal with me and wrote &ldquo;total&rdquo; notes.   I know that I&rsquo;ll have pictures from some of these places, I only hope that I remember the detail of each slide. 

...I don&rsquo;t like reading that I said something &ldquo;stunk&rdquo; (the train ride), or that there was &ldquo;not much else&rdquo; to the castle. ...  For example, the castle was probably a great castle but perhaps I wasn&rsquo;t &ldquo;into it&rdquo; (thinking of history, architecture, construction, what life would be like in the castle centuries ago, the people of those times, and so on). ...  I loved every bit of them, and they were certainly on a much smaller scale than Festung Hohensalzburg in Salzburg.


That&rsquo;s why, one day, I have to go back to Austria, Vienna, Salzburg and my other adventures. 

...Well, now I&rsquo;m back to normal because I remark that this Mass was like &ldquo;being in Heaven.&rdquo; ...  It was fascinating to see this Schubert Mass, normally performed in concert, actually performed as part of a Sunday Mass, in a cathedral, just the way that Schubert intended it to be performed&mdash;a real Mass. 


...As noted earlier, I was in Salzburg in the middle of a major international music festival.   Although, I did not write about this in my journal, I remember that I attempted to get tickets for some events and was not able to get any; probably due to tickets not being available or being too expensive.   As you see, I was fortunate and very glad to get into free concerts and today&rsquo;s mass that were happening at the same time as the festival.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 019: Oom-pah-pah bands&#x2c; yodelers&#x2c; and folk dancers</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-08-21T21:23:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/08b30192198be466f667f42146a974d0-18.php#unique-entry-id-18</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/08b30192198be466f667f42146a974d0-18.php#unique-entry-id-18</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&bull; Met Miriam and other Fairlawn [NJ] students; her horn teacher got us into a rehearsal of a Mozart matinee concert&mdash;excellent.


...Oom-pah-pah bands, yodelers, folk dancers, and even the guys who hop and slap themselves. 

...I&rsquo;ll be able to prove it to you once I get my pictures back.   (I&rsquo;m a little nervous about the &ldquo;color&rdquo; quality of the slides holding up for these 36 years. 

...I can&rsquo;t remember the connection of her to Fairlawn, was that her first teaching job and they were taking a &ldquo;music&rdquo; trip to Salzburg, or was it a choral group she was in that was traveling.   [I&rsquo;ll be conjecturing a lot in this journal&mdash;I just can&rsquo;t remember the &ldquo;fine&rdquo; detail. 

...I mention a dumpy room, yesterday, but that was just conjecture, I didn&rsquo;t actually write anything down in that regard.   Perhaps it was reversed, and yesterday I had to stay in a more expensive place? 

...The highlight of the evening was a visit to a real, live &ldquo;German,&rdquo; or in this case, Austrian, beer hall. ...  I was impressed with the Austrian folk dancers doing that famous, and totally clich&eacute;, &ldquo;hop-and-slap&rdquo; dance.   If you haven&rsquo;t seen this dance, revisit one of the Chevy Chase National Lampoon movies&mdash;I think it was European Vacation&mdash;to see a parody of the dance. 


...So, if you&rsquo;re traveling now, take videos and pics so that 36 years in the future, you&rsquo;ll be able to see what your journal says.


...If I can get readership up on this blog, and some Europeans or Austrians join us, it would be great to have them comment and contribute to my sightseeing adventures.


...I am also considering a sightseeing-pages section to provide more tourist and historical information on these places. 

...Every day there is an entry in the journal, I post the transcript and my comments. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 018: Salzburg&#x2c; Austria; first train trip</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Austria</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-20T22:49:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0622bce18f2d4bd45de6544264be05c8-17.php#unique-entry-id-17</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0622bce18f2d4bd45de6544264be05c8-17.php#unique-entry-id-17</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It must be pretty hard to believe that I didn&rsquo;t have a train trip before...but this was my first. 

...I hope that my &ldquo;moving pictures from a train,&rdquo; I mean &ldquo;pictures from a moving train&rdquo; &ndash; come out, otherwise losing my lens-shade out the window would have been in vain.


...Did someone tell me to go, or was I reading about the wonderful summer music festival in Salzburg? 

...What I learned is that you can get motion sickness from standing on the train, and that you always need to get advanced &ldquo;seat&rdquo; reservations so you can sit. 

...While I don&rsquo;t remember (I could be wrong), I can guess that I arrive, luggage in hand, walk to find a &ldquo;student service&rdquo; and that perhaps they can&rsquo;t find me an available room. ...  THE BIG PICTURE&mdash;I&rsquo;m in Salzburg without a reservation, during a major INTERNATIONAL music festival, with ALL rooms most likely booked up, and I blame someone else for not finding me a room? ...  Or it could be that I didn&rsquo;t find any student service. 

...I don&rsquo;t generally feel like I&rsquo;m a complaining type of person, except now that I&rsquo;m getting older, I&rsquo;m just grumpy. 

...You had a light meter in the viewfinder that would indicate your basic exposure; you set your aperture (f numbers) and shutter speed. 

...Today is a great time to learn photography, with digital cameras, great Mac and PC software, and classes, books, websites, and podcasts to get you started.


Photography podcast: one of my first photography podcasts and one that I still enjoy today, is that of Chris Marquardt&rsquo;s TipsFromTheTopFloor.com. ...  Chris even mentioned me in one of his early shows (show #47) where I mention that you can become a &ldquo;published&rdquo; photographer with a point-and-shoot camera. 

...Since photography will be a large part of this adventure, I will change my Flickr Pro account to something like &ldquo;36yearsago&rdquo; and hopefully post a few photos there. 

...It&rsquo;s quaint and beautiful, has its own medieval castle (Festung Hohensalzburg), and is a wonderful place to walk around and soak up the music.   I happened to walk into the Mozarteum, which, I believe, was a recital or concert hall and heard a great flute concert.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 017: I&#x27;m trying</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-19T21:00:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cc9a05aed7b8298fef9d1ca72beda3b6-16.php#unique-entry-id-16</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/cc9a05aed7b8298fef9d1ca72beda3b6-16.php#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing & friends.


...Tried to catch up on school work&hellip; tried to&hellip; tried to&hellip; tried&hellip; trie&hellip; tri&hellip; t&hellip;


...Notice the unique literary device I just created (at age 22)&mdash;literary truncation. ...  I must have been tired.


...I may be tempted to go out and buy a Berlitz or Total Immersion German language CD course today.   Just to see if I can revive my knowledge of German.   I don&rsquo;t have any time to do this, but it may be fun.


[Later today&mdash;2007]&hellip;just bought the Berlitz German Premier CD-ROM course (8 CDs).   Maybe, I&rsquo;ll review just a bit.   This version can also be used on an iPod. 

...Tomorrow, I&rsquo;ll be sending off about over 600 slides to be scanned.   I was considering Kodak&rsquo;s slide scanning services that I know are probably excellent.   However, these slides have been sitting around for 36 years, and despite being in plastic sleeves, may have been exposed to some dust over time.   Thus, I am going with a scanning service (DigMyPics.com) that provides additional cleaning and attention to each slide.   It&rsquo;s more expensive but, in this case, totally worth it. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 016: Innocence&#x2c; first kiss</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-18T21:53:04-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/19f08070d77f3207b8d2ae6a1ff1009e-15.php#unique-entry-id-15</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/19f08070d77f3207b8d2ae6a1ff1009e-15.php#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spent the rest of the evening in trying to give Anjali her (I found out) first kiss&hellip;I&rsquo;ve heard of being careful, but this is ridiculous.   When I think about it now, it could have been a very good one-act comedy. 

...As we&rsquo;re all discovering, 36 years later, my daily journals avoid many typical daily activities.   Of course, I&rsquo;m still spending a lot of time with my roommates Achille and Dr. ...  As a student, you are in your room a lot, studying and eating meals together in the student cafeteria. ...  Just because I didn&rsquo;t write about it in the journal, doesn&rsquo;t mean that these things were still not happening.


...Rest assured though, learning is taking place, despite my difficulty. 36 years later it sounds like I&rsquo;m beating a dead horse.


...Listening to a majestic organ in a majestic cathedral is an experience you should have. 

...I&rsquo;m not writing a lot about Anjali in the journal either, but something is happening here, and we&rsquo;re spending time together. ...  I was attracted to Anjali as a wonderful person, a new friend, and as a young woman.


...While I dated a bit in college and liked all of the girls I dated, none turned out to be long-term or serious.   Today, I&rsquo;m certain that was because I worked ALL the time. ...  Perhaps, this year was the first time that I had the time and opportunity to get to know a friend.


...I should remind you that I have been married for over 10 years now, with my wife Olga and two great stepchildren, Walter and Alex.   My writing about what happened when I was young and the memories of that year are just memories. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 015: 1971&#x2014;What&#x2019;s an Austrian schilling worth?</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-17T22:52:46-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/caeb90afb7bbb1d0d45ef0e032de58bd-14.php#unique-entry-id-14</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/caeb90afb7bbb1d0d45ef0e032de58bd-14.php#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[However, this might be a good time to talk about my finances during this year. 

...Head Foundation fellowship provided a stipend of $1,400 for 10 months. $1,200 for tuition, room and board, and living expenses. 

...What was the value of the Austrian schilling in 1971? 

...None of this helps if we don&rsquo;t compare it to 1971 in the U.S. as well. ...  Regardless, here are a few financial facts that I found on the Internet that are interesting and provide some perspective.


...The US Consumer Price Index for July 2007 was 208.3.


That means that in 2007, we are spending about five times the dollar amount to buy the same basket of groceries/goods than in 1971. 

...That means that, in a normal universe, you can multiply the 1971 costs by 5x and get the 2007 numbers. 

...Avg. monthly rent &ndash; don&rsquo;t know, but I&rsquo;m paying $1,200/mo. for an apartment. 

...Oh, an old regular house in my area may go from $350,000-$450,000, having appreciated about 100% in 2 years. 

...Gallon of gas (65 cents; today $2.50 to $3.25)


New home ($49,319) - notice that this is also about 100% higher than in 1971.   I remember housing prices doubling once when I was younger (proably this period) and again in the 2005-07 time frame.


...After this price diatribe, let&rsquo;s hope we don&rsquo;t have any more &ldquo;non-post&rdquo; journal days.


...In truth, the 1971 US dollar was a good value in Vienna, that is until Nixon devalued the dollar coming up in the next weeks, I believe. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 014: My first concert&#x2014;Washington State Choir</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>music</category><dc:date>2007-08-16T20:53:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f20ed5295e155c730e33edd665d6951a-13.php#unique-entry-id-13</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f20ed5295e155c730e33edd665d6951a-13.php#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[First Concert&mdash;Washington State Choir&mdash;excellent choir in a good concert, in an extremely beautiful Italian Church. 

...I&rsquo;m still going to go back to Europe when I retire and fulfill my dream of taking a monthly language course each year in all of the major cities.


...Well, it looks like I finally get to my first concert. ...  Isn&rsquo;t it ironic that it&rsquo;s an American musical group, a concert choir from Washington State? ...  It looks like it was a good concert and in a beautiful Italian church.   This is a major reason to be in Vienna&mdash;the music.


While not an expert, I know that the summer season is the touring season for many American musical ensembles to tour Europe, especially university and college groups. 

...You can get a great &ldquo;classical&rdquo; concert-going experience in the States if you&rsquo;re near a major city with a large musical establishment. ...  Just the other day, I received an email to attend a concert by the New York Philharmonic. ...  Looks like my wife and kids are never going to see the inside of Avery Fisher Hall. 

...As a related aside&mdash;When I was young, I received a student Lincoln Center Award to go to a number of concerts at Lincoln Center. ...  It was the FIRST TIME I heard the New York Philharmonic; the first time I heard any symphony orchestra live. ...  These kinds of programs are important to young students, especially for students who can&rsquo;t afford to go. 

...[Lincoln Center is the world-renown music and arts center in New York City, offering performances of concert and symphonic music, recitals, opera, ballet, modern dance, theater, and special music festivals.   It is home to the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Ballet, and other ensembles.]
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 012: Let&#x2019;s go to the summer cottage&#x2c; dear&#x2014;Belvedere Palace</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-14T18:54:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/62d4062f00555a4a9e793eed70f5ba1a-11.php#unique-entry-id-11</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/62d4062f00555a4a9e793eed70f5ba1a-11.php#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Day 12 &mdash; Let&rsquo;s go to the summer cottage, dear&mdash;Belvedere Palace


...Vienna has a lot of gardens and parks, and all [are] beautiful.


...That&rsquo;s what I like about Vienna (at least for students)&mdash;at every meal, you meet different people from all different places and you always learn and converse.


...At some point, I&rsquo;ll post some of the items I bought and their costs. 

...I haven&rsquo;t researched the history of the places that I visited recently, but will try to do so for this journal. 

...I always assumed that many of the buildings of Imperial Vienna were built during the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph during the Austro-Hungarian empire. ...  Looking in my DK Vienna book, Belvedere was built as a summer residence (that&rsquo;s some summer cottage!) ...  If you want to see detailed diagrams, the DK books have gorgeous illustrations and many photos. 

...One day, I would love to travel again to show my wife and step-children (Olga, Walter & Alex), some of the places I experienced in 1971. 

...On this day, I learn that she plays folk guitar, sings, and writes songs. ...  [As you look back at all the relationships you&rsquo;ve had in life, you&rsquo;ll realize that the best times were those where you &ldquo;discovered&rdquo; the person you were with. 

...It&rsquo;s the social interaction, with the people you&rsquo;re with that&rsquo;s important and magical. ...  (So, why do I sit in front of a computer all the time?)  ...  [I remember a table of teens at a restaurant once, where they were all talking on their cell phones at the same time. 

...In this virtual world I&rsquo;ll be young again and hook up with Wonder Woman. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 011: Danube boat party&#x2c; the Iron Curtain</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-13T07:38:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/383ddfdd3fcafbecd480f88d99bfa2db-10.php#unique-entry-id-10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/383ddfdd3fcafbecd480f88d99bfa2db-10.php#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The &ldquo;Blue Danube&rdquo; had turned green&hellip;I hope that they won&rsquo;t change the waltz to the Green Danube.


...Outside of Wien [Vienna] are all woods, which is an extremely pleasant change from the city. ...  Around Wien, there are some industries around the river, but I didn&rsquo;t see anything [pollution] pouring into it.


...Then when we circled around and were very close to the border, you could see the barbed-wire fence, and the observation towers, and patrol boat.


...These people probably have good lives and it doesn&rsquo;t bother them, but for me, just the fact of the confinement of THAT FENCE&ndash;was too much.


...If you don&rsquo;t know the Blue Danube waltz by Johann Strauss Jr., you must be from another planet. ...  Even today, Google Earth has confirmed that the Blue Danube is still GREEN, these 36 years later. 

...If you&rsquo;re very young, you may not even be aware of the Iron Curtain, and the cold-war days with the Soviet Union and its satellites pitted against the West, NATO, and the United States. 

...It is well known as a resort town, but we didn&rsquo;t see any mineral springs.


...(This photo is one of the few photos I have of Anjali taken during the Danube boat party excursion.


...I had actually run into her on one of the first days at the dorms at Johannesgasse. 

...I&rsquo;m now a companion to Anjali and we do a little sightseeing together, including a visit to the Afrika Museum. 

...The photo below is that of a farmer as we were walking along a road in Bad-Deutsch Altenburg.


...You don&rsquo;t think about it consciously, but it&rsquo;s the excitement underneath the surface that is ready to explode. ...  Well, as you get older (work, pay bills, rent, mortgages, more work), we often get into ruts and lose that desire to discover. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 010: German is hard&#x2c; yes it is</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-12T09:31:37-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dabcc4ed437ea777581b5dcd6f519756-9.php#unique-entry-id-9</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/dabcc4ed437ea777581b5dcd6f519756-9.php#unique-entry-id-9</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Since part of the reason for this blog is to inspire both young and old alike to not be afraid to try new things, rediscover the joy of discovery, and go for that dream, I thought I should comment a bit on "learning." 

...Whenever you do anything new, it is always harder to do.   Pick any subject&mdash;algebra, Shakespeare, black-hole-dark-matter-string-theory physics, Schenkerian musical analysis, even English&mdash;it's never easy.   Unless you're a genius, and I'm not.


...&bull; Listen: It helps to actually listen to the professor or teacher as he or she speaks in class. 

...&bull; Take notes: When someone speaks to you, for 45 minutes or more, do you remember most of what is said? ...  I am a believer in there being a direct link between your fingertips holding a pen or pencil, and the brain. ...  There is evidence that same link may exist between your fingers, the computer keyboard, and the brain.   (As long as you&rsquo;re not on the Internet, which is famous for brainless activity.)


...This is sometimes referred to as studying, or re-reading. ...  Remember me saying that I couldn&rsquo;t remember the face of that extraordinarily beautiful Spanish girl I was speaking to in Grinzing? 

...I can&rsquo;t tell you how many graduate classes I&rsquo;ve taken where I didn&rsquo;t know anything at the beginning of the class. ...  By the end of the course, I would be surprised at how much more I  knew.


Disclaimer: Do NOT enroll in any doctoral courses of study in Austrian or German universities that require the reading of German books, unless you have extraordinary reading/writing/aural German-language skills. ...  I had a little bit of a break, music is the universal language.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 009: Grinzing wine tasting</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><category>sightseeing</category><dc:date>2007-08-11T21:48:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ed730a8da24a7063750573550c68070e-8.php#unique-entry-id-8</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/ed730a8da24a7063750573550c68070e-8.php#unique-entry-id-8</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I wrote down a bunch of separate terms, from which you can get a meaning.   The professor said, &ldquo;Ist das gut&rdquo; and I replied, &ldquo;f&uuml;r mich, das ist gut&rdquo;&hellip;my first attempt at humor. 

...Europeans also know how to have a good time and most aren&rsquo;t inhibited. 

...In German class, I try my first attempt at humor.  ...  asked the professor in response to my paltry try at guessing the meaning of some word I had written on the board? 

...The afternoons (and sometimes early evenings) were often reserved for group tours and activities in which all the summer university students could participate. ...  Sometimes you had the afternoon off to do your own sightseeing. 

...I went on the university sightseeing tours because I had no idea where to go on my own.   If you ever take one of these summer language courses, take advantage of the tours to see the city and its environs.


...Grinzing, I was told, was a wine-making region just outside of the city.   I remember that it was truly enjoyable, eating and tasting the wine, outdoors in the early evening. 

...Well, I can&rsquo;t say much about the specifics of every event (faulty neurons), and I don&rsquo;t specifically remember everyone I&rsquo;ve only met once. ...  I remember being outside in a vineyard, talking, and listening to everyone sing. 

...Americans need to learn some common songs that they can sing at get-togethers. ...  Many cultures have this tradition of singing when they get together&mdash;eat, drink, and sing. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 008: German language class starts</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-10T18:30:03-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3bd9dbbf05be6b467b6507dffb3b2c91-7.php#unique-entry-id-7</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/3bd9dbbf05be6b467b6507dffb3b2c91-7.php#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Classes were at the University of Vienna, just off the &ldquo;Ring&rdquo; [Ringstrasse], I believe (can&rsquo;t remember, exactly).   I believe that we could walk through the center of the Ring or around it, to get to the University, or take a streetcar. ...  If I remember correctly, the Ring was a series of avenues, somewhat oval-shaped, that circled the inner city of Vienna.   Many Viennese palaces, Opera, theatre, and museums are situated in and around this central location; a must-see if you visit Vienna. 

...Ringstrasse: My only picture of the Ringstrasse is of this gentleman who is cleaning the streetcar lane with a "thatched" broom. 

...I don&rsquo;t know if I will say this later, but I will say it now. ...  , I promised myself that I would return &ldquo;every year&rdquo; to take a one-month long language course in every city and country in Europe.   I really loved this whole concept of learning languages while seeing a city up close with new international friends.   [Stay tuned for the exciting announcement of whether I achieved the goal of studying a new foreign language in all of the major cities of Europe at the end of this journal (perhaps, in August of 1972).   Did John return to study the many languages and explore the cities of Europe?   (music fade) Err, watch out when you start referring to yourself in the third person.]


It would be a shame if that international spirit of friendship were lost in today&rsquo;s strife-filled world. ...  So, we&rsquo;ll hope that the &ldquo;spirit of friendship&rdquo; is still with us. 

...I will look at my DK Eyewitness Travel Guides published by Dorling Kindersley for Vienna and Austria as the journal moves on.   As I said, I will be posting in haste and then will edit a bit over the next few days as I read them online. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 007: Dr. H.&#x2014;Roommate 2 from Japan</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-09T18:30:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1184f33a8dd1eae53a21647fc5f39575-6.php#unique-entry-id-6</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/1184f33a8dd1eae53a21647fc5f39575-6.php#unique-entry-id-6</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[All are very friendly and it seems like it should be a good time.


...It&rsquo;s probably that I&rsquo;m busy with getting ready for the language course and perhaps doing &ldquo;life&rdquo; stuff. 

...If I remember correctly, I&rsquo;m probably writing these journal entries late at night just before I go to sleep.   So, it won&rsquo;t be a blow-by-blow description of everything we do&mdash;thank goodness.   So, we&rsquo;ll take the short days in stride.   There will be some days when no journal entry is posted.


...The good news is that I now have two roommates. ...  What a blast, that I have roommates from both Italy and Japan. ...  I remember that we got along very well and enjoyed each other&rsquo;s conversations.   Certainly, we went to eat together in the student cafeteria and probably to student functions as well.   I can&rsquo;t remember all the details but I do remember liking them both a great deal.


Several things are certain: (1) I didn&rsquo;t speak Japanese; (2) Dr.   H. didn&rsquo;t speak English; and (3) both Dr.   H and myself were learning beginning German; and (4) the only way we could communicate was by trying to speak German. ...  In those days, the term &ldquo;total immersion&rdquo; wasn&rsquo;t even invented. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 006: Achille from Italy</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-08T21:16:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f873de3a8a6ebdab36bd9b4090957a62-5.php#unique-entry-id-5</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/f873de3a8a6ebdab36bd9b4090957a62-5.php#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[His name is Achille R. and he is a student from Milan, Italy.   He is very friendly, and we agreed to always try and speak in German, if possible. ...  We both answer each other&rsquo;s questions about the way we live and it is all very interesting.   He is a student of chemistry, and is also about to receive his &ldquo;Doktorate of Economy&rdquo; degree.


...At lunch, we met these people from the Rep. of South Africa. 

...I was sorry to discover that I didn't have any pictures of Achille.


...If you are a parent and have children, if feasible, try to find a way to have your children experience some overseas or European schools. ...  Alternatively, a one-month summer language course is a major international experience. ...  In the summer, Europeans are out to learn additional languages or brush up on their foreign language skills, and visit new locales. 

...Even though my language course hasn&rsquo;t yet started, I am already connecting with students from many countries.   This experience of meeting so many people from other countries was amazing. 

...A bonus of a summer language course, or semester of study abroad, is the amazing capability to see a city and a country&rsquo;s culture, up close and personal, over the extended period of a month. 

...I&rsquo;m surprised that I didn&rsquo;t post more on the wonderful St. 

...Note: I need to remember to post some visuals on the locations of where I was staying and visiting so you can get a better orientation of the location of each place.   The student hostel was right off of the main shopping street, K&auml;rtnerstrasse, only a couple of blocks from the Vienna State Opera house and also from St. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 005: Coffee and call girls</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-07T21:15:55-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/204473f332428ebe837563bbf84cb214-4.php#unique-entry-id-4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/204473f332428ebe837563bbf84cb214-4.php#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I have found out (from Herr Arthur S.) that I had my coffee in the Hotel Statler, which, unknown to me, is one of the exclusive hotels right in back of the State Opera. 

...I always knew that I had a taste for the &ldquo;better way of life,&rdquo; but this was ridiculous. 

...When I asked him why so many &ldquo;m&auml;dchen&rdquo; were &ldquo;bra-less,&rdquo; he said, maybe &ldquo;I&rdquo; was seeing these type of girls. ...  When I told him that I was surprised at how good-looking they were, he said that was an &ldquo;expensive district.&rdquo;


...I keep saying that the native language is German, but I&rsquo;m certain that Austria and the Viennese may have some variations or dialects. ...  I don&rsquo;t know why I&rsquo;m so hard on the Americans, who, I think are generally very friendly. 

...Needless to say, having a cup of coffee at the exclusive Hotel Statler would be expensive for that time. 

...I may as well practice my German by trying to meet the pretty girl mentioned in my literary narrative called &ldquo;On Frustration.&rdquo; ...  Later in life, as a young professional, I was similarly also very poor at picking girls up that spoke perfectly fine English here in the USA. 


...And on this early evening, students start speaking out of the windows to each other in a variety of languages. ...  I bet it was a beautiful French girl, the kind you dream about and immediately fall in love with. 

...Before you know it, I&rsquo;m speaking of girls and, in my adolescent fervor, immediately focus on bra-less girls (a repeating theme). ...  At my U.S. college, I don&rsquo;t think anyone was going bra-less, except us guys. 

...Obviously, Arthur has my number and hints that I (moi, as Miss Piggy reminds us) may be the one &ldquo;see&rdquo;-king such girls. 

...On the way back home, I get a tour of places to eat and buy things at reasonable prices. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 004: To the dorms&#x2c; to the discotek</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-06T22:27:16-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a7f7550ff585827ab3f0bacb7fed663f-3.php#unique-entry-id-3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/a7f7550ff585827ab3f0bacb7fed663f-3.php#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This is where the instrumentalists of the Music Academy stay during the year. 

...I had three strikes against me:  (1) Didn&rsquo;t know German, (2) dressed too neat, and (3) hair not long enough. 

...I will only be staying here during the summer, that is for the duration of the German language course.   The school is where instrumentalists stay during the year, and so you know, this is a music school.


...I mention that I have taken a few lessons in German back home, before I left for Europe. 

...So, I decide to go to Austria for a year of graduate study, where they speak German, without having had much experience with German. 

...Vienna was a city full of music and music history&mdash;composers Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, Brahms, Mahler, Schoenberg, Webern, and Berg were some of the composers writing music in Vienna.   The Vienna State Opera, the Volksoper (Folk Opera), the Vienna Boys&rsquo; Choir, and the school where I would study, the Hochschule f&uuml;r Musik und Darstellende Kunst (The Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) sealed the deal. 

...As you see, this journal will contain a fair amount of the little details of life.   I&rsquo;m the first to say that I&rsquo;m not interested in other people telling me what they ate, how they burped, and their adventures washing their clothes. 

...36 years ago there are a large number of commercials on TV per hour in Austria. ...  It also surprises me that we now have 10-15 minutes of commercials per hour on cable TV in the U.S.   Remember when the lure of cable TV was that it didn&rsquo;t have commercials? 

...Here I am chiding the hippies with long hair, how they dance, and the bra-less girls. ...  Actually, in college back home during the late 60s, I didn&rsquo;t remember anyone being a bra-less hippie-girl in my school. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 003: New people&#x2c; new languages</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-05T21:40:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5c71542c9055972bf1cf06bd342e2fd3-2.php#unique-entry-id-2</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/5c71542c9055972bf1cf06bd342e2fd3-2.php#unique-entry-id-2</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The three of us spend the rest of the time with an Ohio gentleman, who was anxiously waiting for arrival of his wife from Poland. 

...I&rsquo;m that way naturally, I really like people and speaking with all types of interesting folks. ...  Thus, I&rsquo;m enjoying my newfound exposure to people that speak foreign languages&mdash;oops, native language in their country. ...  Of course, my German was very elementary, thus I often speak in my own newly-created language&mdash;Anglo-German. 


...Although I have never traveled a lot in my life, I quickly learned that if you even attempt to speak a few words in the country that you are in, it is a sign of respect and the people will respect that.   Then, if they are sales people, they will respond to you in perfect English. 

...My German language course at the University of Vienna has not yet started. 

...The two students I met earlier are leaving and we had a goodbye dinner. ...  We already mentioned that this journal is a record of my first impressions and joys of discovery on this journey. ...  This is the first instance of what I call &ldquo;European hospitality.&rdquo;   It&rsquo;s is too bad that I wasn&rsquo;t able to record audio or video during the time of this journal. 

...I didn&rsquo;t realize it at the time, but many people that I met in Europe were just more hospitable.    Here it is, a student that I barely knew, invited me to his house over Christmas. ...  A kind of friendship, hospitality that you don&rsquo;t see in the States that often. ...  Now with the new political upheavals all over the world, that kind of trust is probably not as common. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 002: Arrival in Vienna</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-04T21:49:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fdadc9a74cbded4b02fa22e0a7f5a6ce-1.php#unique-entry-id-1</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/fdadc9a74cbded4b02fa22e0a7f5a6ce-1.php#unique-entry-id-1</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Actually, most of the preceding day could have been under today&rsquo;s news&hellip;if we started on Vienna time.


...The porter didn&rsquo;t want to wake up the custom&rsquo;s men so we just went through.


The first thing that struck me was that people are people; they work, play, go about their jobs&hellip;!


...I&rsquo;m certain that Vienna&rsquo;s airport is not small, just smaller than JFK.   That there was a porter to help me through customs was probably someone from Pan Am sent to take care of me. 

...I don&rsquo;t remember exactly how I got from the airport to the city, while lugging my suitcases, a box of books, a guitar, and cameras.   I&rsquo;m fairly certain that I took the bus and went directly to the Austrian National Student Service, who recommended a hotel for these first couple of days.   I didn&rsquo;t have a hotel reservation made before I left the U.S. 

...That I didn&rsquo;t write much down says to me that I was really tired, running around trying to find out what to do next. ...  S. who was my official contact at the school and a liaison for foreign students.


...What I do remember is that before I left home, I had no idea of what to expect in Austria.   I vaguely remember that I wondered if there were farms everywhere and I would be in Vienna surrounded by farm cows. ...  Looking out the bus, I saw regular people, wearing business suits, lots of cars, trolleys, and buses&mdash;big-city life with people going to work in the morning. 

...Learning that the world consists of a vast variety of countries, languages, cultures, people, customs, and beliefs [different from the United States] is a powerful message of my first-time ever abroad. 

...It is funny that the first two people I meet at night include a student from Brooklyn, and my first multi-lingual European. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Day 001: The journey begins</title><dc:creator>john@36yearsago.com</dc:creator><category>Vienna</category><dc:date>2007-08-03T09:30:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0f007b7ed9ed14cff73b75ff65f3e0db-0.php#unique-entry-id-0</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.36yearsago.com/Blog/files/0f007b7ed9ed14cff73b75ff65f3e0db-0.php#unique-entry-id-0</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[From up here, beautiful, white, and fluffy&hellip; It just goes to show you, &ldquo;There are always two sides to every story.&rdquo;


...I owe the Rotary Clubs and Rotary Club International big time, for one of the most exciting years of my life. 

...[We worked many years for Nick, 6+ years or so for myself, demonstrating our work ethic and character, and of course having good grades in school.] 

...After all, they are the ones who will change things, once they assume the positions of power and become the future voices of people in democracies. 

...To finish up this first, day&rsquo;s remembrances, I&rsquo;ll point out a couple of things. ...  The first time you talk to a nice girl (from California, yet) on your first plane flight. ...  If you&rsquo;re young or old, try to keep that joy of discovery. ...  We can all learn to better focus on the positive things of life, the beauty of the world, the beauty of all types of people. 

...As an older bloke (oldster), during the last few years I have been invigorated by writing and planning a number of web ventures. 

...As a younger dude, both in 1971 as a student and in short periods throughout my life, I have also had ideas, creative periods, business ideas, career paths that didn&rsquo;t work, and a ton of music that no one has ever heard. ...  These won&rsquo;t be the topic of this blog, but the point is, if you are young, don&rsquo;t be afraid to start. 

...If you're young, "It's never too early to start."


...It was the only year in my life that I kept a journal.   If I hadn't kept it, or if I lost the small collection of books that comprise it, those memories would have been lost, leaving me with only a "summary"&mdash;"It was a great year in Vienna."


...Photos of the day (new feature as of August 2009&mdash;I am going back to the blog and will put all of the photos of the day in a larger size at the bottom of each page):
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