The Kids (in Hebrides) Are All Right

Started by Rinaldo, January 06, 2015, 05:15:18 AM

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Rinaldo

Just a little story that I'd like to share..

I spent the last week wandering around Outer Hebrides, ending up right under the lighthouse on Butt of Lewis, where I enjoyed a solitary New Year's Eve. When walking back to civilization later that night, a ferocious hailstorm made quick business of my determination to walk through the night and I looked for shelter. First one was provided by a New Year's party in a 'social club' next to a football field, and the second is the reason I'm mentioning this here. When the pub closed down around 4 a.m., someone recommended that I should try knocking on the windows of a particular guesthouse down the street. I did and was let in by a bunch of kids in their late teens, who were having a party in the vacant guesthouse (run by their parents). They encouraged me in (the fact that I don't look my age - 33 - probably helped) and we sat by the fireplace, exchanged stories and guess what?

At four in the morning, January 1st, on the Isle of Lewis, I encountered a group of young people raving about classical music. There were girls who played the piano and shared my enthusiasm for Ralph Vaughan Williams, there was a boy trumpeter gushing about Shostakovich ("You NEED to listen to the 5th!") and Rachmaninoff and I was just sitting there, drying my still wet socks and not believing this is actually happening.

So if you fear that classical music will eventually die of old age, fear not. At least in Outer Hebrides, it can be the subject of teenage parties.
"The truly novel things will be invented by the young ones, not by me. But this doesn't worry me at all."
~ Grażyna Bacewicz

Harry

Quote from: Rinaldo on January 06, 2015, 05:15:18 AM
Just a little story that I'd like to share..

I spent the last week wandering around Outer Hebrides, ending up right under the lighthouse on Butt of Lewis, where I enjoyed a solitary New Year's Eve. When walking back to civilization later that night, a ferocious hailstorm made quick business of my determination to walk through the night and I looked for shelter. First one was provided by a New Year's party in a 'social club' next to a football field, and the second is the reason I'm mentioning this here. When the pub closed down around 4 a.m., someone recommended that I should try knocking on the windows of a particular guesthouse down the street. I did and was let in by a bunch of kids in their late teens, who were having a party in the vacant guesthouse (run by their parents). They encouraged me in (the fact that I don't look my age - 33 - probably helped) and we sat by the fireplace, exchanged stories and guess what?

At four in the morning, January 1st, on the Isle of Lewis, I encountered a group of young people raving about classical music. There were girls who played the piano and shared my enthusiasm for Ralph Vaughan Williams, there was a boy trumpeter gushing about Shostakovich ("You NEED to listen to the 5th!") and Rachmaninoff and I was just sitting there, drying my still wet socks and not believing this is actually happening.

So if you fear that classical music will eventually die of old age, fear not. At least in Outer Hebrides, it can be the subject of teenage parties.

Remarkable! Nice to read this. Thanks for sharing.
"adding beauty to ugliness as a countermeasure to evil and destruction" that is my aim!

The new erato

Really great story! Thanks for sharing.

Fagotterdämmerung


It's all that heterophonic psalm singing.

jochanaan

"Butt" ;) would it ever happen on this side of the "pond"?  I have my doubts, but anything is possible, and "hope springs eternal..."
Imagination + discipline = creativity


Rinaldo

Quote from: jochanaan on January 06, 2015, 09:23:45 AM
"Butt" ;)

You bet I had a few conversations in the vein of

"So where did you spend New Year's Eve?"
"Right at the Butt!"
"The truly novel things will be invented by the young ones, not by me. But this doesn't worry me at all."
~ Grażyna Bacewicz

kishnevi


jochanaan

Quote from: Rinaldo on January 06, 2015, 10:20:51 AM
You bet I had a few conversations in the vein of

"So where did you spend New Year's Eve?"
"Right at the Butt!"
And so now you have a "tail" to tell. ;D
Imagination + discipline = creativity