Greetings from Texas

JerryS · May 06, 2011, 06:40:02 AM

Hello from the Texas Hill Country! I've been in love with classical music as long as I can remember. I can't explain the origin of the attraction, since no one in my family shares the interest and the only classical music I heard in my childhood was in cartoon soundtracks. I play piano and violin. Not much piano lately, although I used to be pianist for a church. I've been playing violin in community orchestras for 37 years.

I'm particularly fond of chamber music. Recently I've been spending more time with opera, including study of Wagner's Ring. I've viewed three complete video productions within the last year.

In addition to the usual masters (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, etc.) I'm also particularly fascinated by Elgar, Delius, Barber, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich. I'm currently getting my fill of Tchaikovsky via the San Antonio Symphony's Tchaikovsky Festival. All of the symphonies and both piano concertos within a couple of weeks! The 1st and 5th are tonight.

I'm delighted to find this forum and look forward to learning and contributing.

—Jerry

bhodges · May 06, 2011, 07:36:19 AM

Hi Jerry, and welcome to GMG. We have quite a few Texans running around here (and I grew up there).

Anyway, enjoy yourself - lots of fine people here.

--Bruce

Gurn Blanston · May 06, 2011, 08:02:57 AM

Howdy, amigo! Welcome to you from East Texas. Hope you enjoy your time with us.

DavidW · May 06, 2011, 09:23:23 AM

Welcome from OK Jerry! Hey Brian, looks we find your neighbor!

Brian · May 06, 2011, 11:18:37 AM

Quote from: haydnfan on May 06, 2011, 09:23:23 AM
Hey Brian, looks we find your neighbor!

No kidding!

Jerry,
I'm a Boerne High School graduate ('07) and sometime Fair Oaks Ranch resident. If you've shopped at the Boerne Walmart in the summers of 2007, 2008, or 2010, you've probably met me (cashier). I live in London right now, attending university here, but my family are still in Fair Oaks, right behind the Frost Bank, and if I can't find any kind of job when I have master's degree, then I may well have to move back to town.

My undergraduate university was Rice - where the orchestra, and indeed the orchestra program, is led by our old friend Larry Rachleff, a very fine conductor and a student favorite. It was terrific getting to see him regularly even after he'd left SA.

J.Z. Herrenberg · May 06, 2011, 11:44:06 AM

Welcome, Jerry! Epic intro, I must say. And a Delian, too... Greetings from Delft, The Netherlands!

JerryS · May 06, 2011, 11:46:25 AM

Quote from: Brian on May 06, 2011, 11:18:37 AM
No kidding!

Jerry,
I'm a Boerne High School graduate ('07) and sometime Fair Oaks Ranch resident. If you've shopped at the Boerne Walmart in the summers of 2007, 2008, or 2010, you've probably met me (cashier). I live in London right now, attending university here, but my family are still in Fair Oaks, right behind the Frost Bank, and if I can't find any kind of job when I have master's degree, then I may well have to move back to town.

My undergraduate university was Rice - where the orchestra, and indeed the orchestra program, is led by our old friend Larry Rachleff, a very fine conductor and a student favorite. It was terrific getting to see him regularly even after he'd left SA.

Brian,
Small world! I've lived in Boerne since 1997 and occasionally shop at Walmart. Chamber music groups Camerata San Antonio and Cactus Pear Festival have concerts in Boerne, nice to not have to drive to San Antonio. I wish they would have kept Larry Rachleff on, there were a lot of guest conductors between his tenure and Sebastian Lang-Lessing. Rachleff is a wonderful conductor and had some great after concert visits with the audience.

I wish you well in your studies. I'm sure I'll see you around the board.

Jerry

nimrod · May 06, 2011, 04:26:15 PM

Howdy from West Texas. There are a lot of Texans on this Forum and lots of activity. You should jump right in and enjoy.

JerryS · May 06, 2011, 08:33:57 PM

Just got in from the San Antonio Symphony performance of the Tchaikovsky 5th Symphony. Incredible energy and concentration. Tomorrow is the 6th Symphony and I expect it to be overwhelming.

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome!

Jerry

Hollywood · May 06, 2011, 11:12:54 PM

Howdy Jerry! Greetings from Vienna, Austria. Welcome to the forum.

Brian · May 08, 2011, 08:52:36 AM

Quote from: vivolin on May 06, 2011, 08:33:57 PM
Just got in from the San Antonio Symphony performance of the Tchaikovsky 5th Symphony.

Just talked to my parents - they were at that one (skipped the 6th) and had a lot of great things to say about the energy of the performance and the great orchestral solos. However, my mom said that the 5th Symphony lacked the heart-on-sleeve emotion and darkness she associates with Russian music, which caused my eyes to pop out!

P.S. I actually saw a few of the guest conductors after Rachleff - I even filled out the comment forms about Rossen Milanov (Prokofiev's Nevsky Cantata) and Sebastian Lang-Lessing (Schumann's Third).

JerryS · May 10, 2011, 03:49:00 PM

Quote from: Brian on May 08, 2011, 08:52:36 AM
Just talked to my parents - they were at that one (skipped the 6th) and had a lot of great things to say about the energy of the performance and the great orchestral solos. However, my mom said that the 5th Symphony lacked the heart-on-sleeve emotion and darkness she associates with Russian music, which caused my eyes to pop out!

Brian - The San Antonio Symphony/Lang-Lessing Tchaikovsky 6th was very moving, even disturbing. I woke up in the wee hours of the morning with the last movement resounding in my head. Couldn't get back to sleep for anything! Too bad your parents missed that one. It may have had the qualities your mom was looking for.

Next season is a Beethoven Festival. All 9 symphonies between January 13 and February 11!

Jerry

Greetings from Texas

bhodges

DavidW

nimrod