Gustav Mahler … a good “friend of mine” is writing a novel that has to do with much of what the great composer went through regarding Mahler’s unfaithful wife, Alma. Mahler was unfortunate enough to intercept a letter from Alma’s lover, Walter Gropius (who would eventually marry Alma after Mahler’s death and design the Met-Life building in New York) … Mahler not only had the misfortune of discovering his wife’s affair by accident, he was also emotionally tortured by the death of their first born daughter. Once he learned he was blessed with a genetic heart disease, between the stress of his marriage, defying his religion and having to conduct for bucks, composing played second fiddle (so to speak).Titan (Symphony No. 1) was retitled a few times until the composer dropped the name altogether and it became Symphony No. 1. The masterpiece was a four year effort with several major revisions, but in the end, there just isn’t anything more relaxing, happy, calm and then stormy to the ugly one. It reaches all the essential emotions and can calm any angry army (the 1st movement) and will eventually stir a tree-hugger into becoming an adrenalin junky (the 4th movement).
Here’s movement No. 1:
Here’s the finale (again):
My friend will cover much of this in his book if he finds a publisher, but in the meantime, from one Gustav to a Gustavo …
Gustavo II … Gustavo Dudamel … Yep, that’s him in the videos above … and this Friday night at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the Principessa Ann Marie and the ugly one will be sitting close to the roof for our very first live attendance of my favorite of all symphonies conducted by the 29 year old phenom (who recently was named Music Conductor for the Los Angeles Philharmonic). Two years ago we were all set to head to Baltimore for a performance of Titan there, but my sister's illness became fatal and the trip was canceled.
Now if Gustavo Dudamel's animated performance doesn’t give you the juice, nothing will. Between Gustavo and Gustav, the ugly one may well float to the ceiling. Well, we won’t be sitting far from it ...
Oh, brother, was that a DOC set up line.
Pole Dancing with the Stars … the new Miss USA pole dances. Many so-called liberal democrats were all over the last Miss USA (or Miss California or whatever state she was from) because she had the nerve to publicly state what their President stated (and has held to) time and time again; she/he didn’t believe in gay marriages. Now, wrong as they both were/are (the babe and the bozo), what’s it all got to do with pole dancing? She pole dances ... so what?Speaking of President Wall Street ... I find it more interesting than ever now that the barons of Wall Street not only recouped their losses with our money and the President’s party’s blessing, they've managed record profits ... supporters of El Fredo now clamor behind the so-called “banking regulations” and all that oversight that disappeared when it was most needed. Somehow, the Democratic Congress never found the time or method to actually achieve some form of regulation ... except, wait ... is it election time again?
And low and behold, guess what else is new, amici? The government agency MMS (Minerals Management Service) responsible for overseeing those oil rigs? Well, just like the banking oversight committee and those clowns at the SEC (surely you remember them--the porn downloading fiasco while they were supposed to be regulating?), the MSS didn’t do their jobs either. Now seriously, is this even possible under a Democratic administration? Is this the change we were all waiting for? The change we could believe in? Is Obama just another pol after all?
Is it possible they really are all the same?
Ya think?
Democrats and Republicans, perhaps the two most useless political parties for the people they’re supposed to represent on the face of the earth.When 2012 rolls around, amici ... well, listen to the band ...
“Meet the new boss ... same as the old boss.”
You fucking got that right, Jack.
—Knucks
And the DOC says ...
Hey Chaz,
Nice to hear that you are getting a little culture, although that image of you floating above the crowd is a little frightening... more so for the crowd cowering below you.
It’s been a quiet week in politics. They had some primaries Tuesday and it looks like all the Dem incumbents got the bum’s rush. I hope the Reps don’t get too excited, because I think it’s the “incumbent” brand that puts the target on your back.
People are tired of these career politicians. This country needs to be turned around and these 70 year old John McCain types don’t turn nothing around except maybe their shopping carts in the adult diaper aisle.
Blumenthal says he “mis-spoke” about his Viet Nam combat experience. When did that become a word? It’s not in my dictionary. Lying is. He claims he has no idea how he got those five deferments. I was draft age during the Viet Nam War and you damn well knew when you had a deferment and when you didn’t. To me, you mis-speak when you give directions saying the titty bar is 3 blocks west when in reality the titty bar is 3 blocks east. This is excusable because you just left the titty bar and you’re drunk and disoriented.
My years from 1969-1974 are a little blurry, but I remember using the Arlo Guthrie method of taking your Army physical. I went to Whitehall Street straight from the Plateau Tavern after 12 hours of solution oriented, full-contact drinking because I wanted to show up looking and feeling my best. After half a day of going from room to room wearing only my BVDs and boots with about 2,000 other guys in similar garb I finally got to the last room.
The Army guy said, “You have flat feet and you’re colorblind.”
I said, “Does that get me out?”
He said, “No, we like colorblind guys because you’re not fooled by camouflage.”
To date, I’m still not fooled by camouflage, but I also can’t match a tie to a shirt.
Here is some period color.
Enjoy the show, Slim
Your pal,
Doc
