ODE TO JOY

Last Friday night we invited Gratiela, one of Carolyn's English students, to join us at the Philharmonic for a concert of Mussorgsky (Musorgski), Mozart & Resphigi. During the intermission (pausa) Gratiela, a delightful 15 year-old, explained that in the Romanian language one does not play an instrument - they "sing at the violin" and "sing at the piano". As I heard 80+ musicians singing the second half of the concert, I realized that I will never hear anyone play again - from now on they will always be singing!

December 20th: Corurile reunite Midori-Ku si al Filarmonicii de Stat Targu Mures, Orchestra simfonica a Filarmonicii de Stat Targu Mures/A japan Midori-Ku vegyeskar es a Marosvasarhelyi Allami Filharmonia korusa es szimfonikus zenekara - Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with a combined Romanian, Hungarian and Japanese choir(Midori-Ku), conducted by Shinya Ozaki, sung in German at the "Palace of Culture". Since Friday concerts start at seven o'clock, we usually splurge by going out afterward to eat. That night, Carolyn suggested dinner at the Continental Hotel. An especially fortuitous choice, immediately evident as we entered the restaurant and heard a pocket tape recorder loudly replaying "Ode to Joy" to the delight of the Japonese women choir members. While we ordered from the menu, they chose from a lovely buffet that had been prepared just for them. The room was filled with Japanese conversation and then the Director and the Conductor of the Symphony arrived to enthusiastic applause. The evening was regularly punctuated with Nikons flashing and high-pitched giggling. As we ordered dessert, it became apparent that special dinner entertainment had been arranged. Thus, the evening was capped with Hungarian, Romanian, and Gypsy folk music and dance, speeches translated from Hungarian to Japanese and vice-versa and conversation in English, German, French, Hungarian, Romanian and naturally Japanese. The female director of the chorus provided the translation between Hungarian and Japanese whenever she was not learning a folk dance with the dancers. We talked with many - even the visiting French horn player from Philadelphia!