The Hills are Alive
It's been a rich musical year for our family...violin lessons, orchestra rehearsals, church choir practices, season tickets to the orchestra, and I was even designated the church pianist in our little congregation (they were really desperate.)
"Every Czech is born with a violin under his chin." Despite this being the traditional saying, after looking at a list of faculty at the music school, we realize it's more likely to be an accordian. There are more accordian teachers at Caleb's music school than violin teachers. Is anyone even aware of a single accordian teacher back home? Other popular instruments are the classical guitar and the wooden recorder, which is often played as a musician's primary instrument and not just as a starter instrument.
Caleb's music school is housed in a former monastery, and along with the adjoining church, it is the oldest building in Ceske Budejovice. It was originally built in 1265 right as the city was founded and has been renovated many times. It's a lovely experience to attend Caleb's lesson each week and walk under the 25 foot vaulted ceilings. During orchestra practice I often wait in the courtyard which is lined with religious statues and has a tall ivy-covered wall on one end. The school also teaches art and often there are art projects installed on the grounds.
Caleb plays in a small string orchestra with about a dozen other musicians. Their conductor is the concert master of the philharmonic, Mr. Ludek Volek. He is a friendly, energetic man who has been very helpful to Caleb. He began the year by repeating all the instructions in English, then half way through the year stopped translating and it's gone just fine.
Jaroslav Sklenicka is Caleb's private teacher, he's also very cheerful and affirming. I think I had visions of finding music teachers who resembled old Slavic taskmasters. Gratefully, that stereotype turned out to be incorrect. At first I attended the lessons to act as translator, as Mr. Sklenicka spoke very little English. Caleb's Czech improved, as did Mr. Sklenicka's English, so unfortunately they don't need me anymore. It was a time I looked forward to each week to hear beautiful music and relax in a gorgeous environment.
A Czech friend had warned me that music education here is very steeped in technique. Ninety percent of the lesson is spent on scales, arpeggios, etudes, intonation, tone production, etc. At first Caleb was very frustrated by all the technique, but he now admits it has improved his overall playing.
Ceske Budejovice is home to the Southern Bohemia Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra so we've been privileged to hear great orchestral music every couple of weeks. Amongst others, we've listened to a local-boy-gone-big-time playing Bohuslav Martinu on the violin, a mezzo-soprano singing Respighi, a famous cimbalist from Slovakia who played three encores (!), a French clarinetist playing a very slinky Gershwin...
We've have noticed a few differences in audience behavior. Czechs dress rather formally- women usually wear silk, fur and glitter, while men wear suitcoats and ties. We have yet to see a standing ovation, as we do regularly at the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, but instead the audience claps for a very long time at the end of a piece they enjoy, perhaps 5 minutes. Finally, they start clapping in unison to request an encore. At more than half of the concerts we have been treated to encores. When you need to slide down the row past people to get to your seat, the Czechs always, always face the people, unlike in the US where we've noticed a mixture of front and backsides.
I have had the privilege of sitting next to Mr. Zdenek Pycha, a grandpa in his 70's, at these concerts. It's wild for me to find other Picha's and Pycha's here, while at home it's considered quite an unusual name. Mr. Pycha is cute and talkative, telling me about his day's adventures each time we meet. He spent his life repairing stringed instruments, and is quite open-minded about music. Once, when we listened to Martinu, he admitted he hadn't like it, but also declared he was willing to give it another chance. During intermission he bought a Martinu CD, determined to listen to it 2 or 3 times before he passed final judgment. I have enjoyed his company.
You know a country is truly classy when they use classical music to announce the arrival of a train at the busiest station in the capital. In Prague, you can hear the first four notes of Vysehrad, a movement from the tone poem My Countryland by Bedrich Smetana, each time a train arrives. One of my wishes for a future adventure here is to attend the opening night of the international music festival, Prague Spring, to hear this piece played.
The Czech lands have produced an inordinate number of world-class composers:
Bedrich Smetana--mentioned above
Antonin Dvorak-- most well-known for his New World Symphony, for me he's up there with Bach!
Bohuslav Martinu-- born in my ancestors' neighborhood
Leos Janacek--whom I'm still working to appreciate, but many others enjoy his work
Mozart hung out in Prague, his opera Don Giovanni premiered there. We were at a castle last week and saw a piano on which he played. Gustav Mahler was born, and spent a significant part of his life, here. The Czechs have produced the famous violinist, Josef Suk and the sopranist, Ema Destinnova who frequently performed with Enrico Caruso.
I haven't even touched on their folk music history, which was not popular with the Communists, or their strong choral tradition. Jazz, blues and dixieland music are frequently heard on the streets of Prague. Occasionally we hear a woman practicing opera on our own town square. Suffice it say, I would love to spend an entire year here just traveling from concert to concert.
This blog entry brought to you by Kristine basking in musical paradise
"Every Czech is born with a violin under his chin." Despite this being the traditional saying, after looking at a list of faculty at the music school, we realize it's more likely to be an accordian. There are more accordian teachers at Caleb's music school than violin teachers. Is anyone even aware of a single accordian teacher back home? Other popular instruments are the classical guitar and the wooden recorder, which is often played as a musician's primary instrument and not just as a starter instrument.
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| Recital Hall in which Caleb's orchestra plays From music |
Caleb plays in a small string orchestra with about a dozen other musicians. Their conductor is the concert master of the philharmonic, Mr. Ludek Volek. He is a friendly, energetic man who has been very helpful to Caleb. He began the year by repeating all the instructions in English, then half way through the year stopped translating and it's gone just fine.
 |
| Gorgeous hallway in music school From music |
Jaroslav Sklenicka is Caleb's private teacher, he's also very cheerful and affirming. I think I had visions of finding music teachers who resembled old Slavic taskmasters. Gratefully, that stereotype turned out to be incorrect. At first I attended the lessons to act as translator, as Mr. Sklenicka spoke very little English. Caleb's Czech improved, as did Mr. Sklenicka's English, so unfortunately they don't need me anymore. It was a time I looked forward to each week to hear beautiful music and relax in a gorgeous environment.
A Czech friend had warned me that music education here is very steeped in technique. Ninety percent of the lesson is spent on scales, arpeggios, etudes, intonation, tone production, etc. At first Caleb was very frustrated by all the technique, but he now admits it has improved his overall playing.
Ceske Budejovice is home to the Southern Bohemia Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra so we've been privileged to hear great orchestral music every couple of weeks. Amongst others, we've listened to a local-boy-gone-big-time playing Bohuslav Martinu on the violin, a mezzo-soprano singing Respighi, a famous cimbalist from Slovakia who played three encores (!), a French clarinetist playing a very slinky Gershwin...
We've have noticed a few differences in audience behavior. Czechs dress rather formally- women usually wear silk, fur and glitter, while men wear suitcoats and ties. We have yet to see a standing ovation, as we do regularly at the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, but instead the audience claps for a very long time at the end of a piece they enjoy, perhaps 5 minutes. Finally, they start clapping in unison to request an encore. At more than half of the concerts we have been treated to encores. When you need to slide down the row past people to get to your seat, the Czechs always, always face the people, unlike in the US where we've noticed a mixture of front and backsides.
I have had the privilege of sitting next to Mr. Zdenek Pycha, a grandpa in his 70's, at these concerts. It's wild for me to find other Picha's and Pycha's here, while at home it's considered quite an unusual name. Mr. Pycha is cute and talkative, telling me about his day's adventures each time we meet. He spent his life repairing stringed instruments, and is quite open-minded about music. Once, when we listened to Martinu, he admitted he hadn't like it, but also declared he was willing to give it another chance. During intermission he bought a Martinu CD, determined to listen to it 2 or 3 times before he passed final judgment. I have enjoyed his company.
| ||
The Czech lands have produced an inordinate number of world-class composers:
Bedrich Smetana--mentioned above
Antonin Dvorak-- most well-known for his New World Symphony, for me he's up there with Bach!
Bohuslav Martinu-- born in my ancestors' neighborhood
Leos Janacek--whom I'm still working to appreciate, but many others enjoy his work
Mozart hung out in Prague, his opera Don Giovanni premiered there. We were at a castle last week and saw a piano on which he played. Gustav Mahler was born, and spent a significant part of his life, here. The Czechs have produced the famous violinist, Josef Suk and the sopranist, Ema Destinnova who frequently performed with Enrico Caruso.
 |
| Renaissance music at a town festival From music |
I haven't even touched on their folk music history, which was not popular with the Communists, or their strong choral tradition. Jazz, blues and dixieland music are frequently heard on the streets of Prague. Occasionally we hear a woman practicing opera on our own town square. Suffice it say, I would love to spend an entire year here just traveling from concert to concert.
This blog entry brought to you by Kristine basking in musical paradise
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Love the video! Caleb sounds really good! Are you going to be able to bring the sword and shield home for Silas? I think he might be heartbroken if he has to leave it there.
The sword and shield will be a permanent, dangerous fixture in our yellow house.
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