Beethoven's Fifth, a New Mahler Glossary and Zuill Rocks!

How nice to play Beethoven 5 on one’s birthday, not to mention have “Happy Birthday” played for one by the orchestra! A real treat after a day of individual conferences with writing students, repeatedly saying things like “Yes, ‘there’ ‘they’re’ and ‘their’ actually are different words,” and “No, I don’t think you can safely cite ‘personal opinion’ as evidence for the claim that ‘most Americans are going bankrupt right now’” – you get the idea.

Here are a couple tokens of gratitude...

Linda Ashworth sent the first along. I wish we’d had this for the last concert! “Mit Parodie” is my favorite.

A New Mahler glossary
Langsam = Slowly
Schleppend = Slowly
Dampfer auf = Slowly
Mit Dampfer = Slowly
Allmahlich in das Hauptzeitmass ubergehen = do not look at conductor
Im Anfang sehr gemaechlich = in intense inner torment
Alle Betonunger sehr zart = with more intense inner torment
Getheilt = out of tune
Von hier an in sehr allmaehlicher aber stetiger Steigerung bis zum Zeichen = From this point on, the spit valves should be emptied with ever-increasing emotion
Hier ist ein frisches belebtes Zeitmass eingetreten = Slowly
Hapttempo = Slowly
Noch ein wenig bechleunigend = slowing down with a sense of speeding up
immer noch zuruckhaltend = with steadily decreasing competence
sehr gemaechlich = With indescribably horrific inner torment
Etwas bewegter, aber immer noch ruhig = Somewhat louder, though more inaudible than before
Gemaechlich = Intermission
Ganz unmerklich etwas zuruckhaltend = Slowly
Etwas gemaechlicher als zuvor = Slowly
Zurueckhaltend = Gesundheit
Von hier ab unmerklich breiter werden = As if wild animals were gnawing on your liver
Ohne cresc. = Without toothpaste
Immer noch zurueckhaltend = slowly
Allmaehlich etwas lebhafter = Screaming in agony
Ohne Nachschlag = Without milk
Kraeftig bewegt = Slowly
Alle = Second violins tacet
Mit dem Holze zu streichen = like a hole in the head
mit Parodie = Viola solo
sehr einfach und schlicht = Slowly
Daempfer ab = eyes closed
Den ersten Ton scharf herausgegeben = Do not play until buzzer sounds
Am Griffbrett = As if in tune
Aeusserst zart aber ausdrucksvoll = Radiantly joyful despite the itching
Wieder zurueckhaltend = Increasingly decreasing
Noch breiter als vorher = Better late than never
Nicht eilen = No eels
Allmaelich (unmerklich) etwas zuruckhaltend = Much faster (slower) than conductor
Lang gestrichen = Heads Up
Lang gezogen = Heads down

Tracy Sparks found this one. It’s Zuill Bailey performing the last part of the Tchaikovsky “Rococo Variations” at the February dress rehearsal. wow...



Best, DH

(And yes, I do sometimes get carded, though mostly by very old checkers with thick glasses and senile dementia.)