Chris has a new singing teacher, a young man who's keen on Schubert-Lieder and can play the accompaniments; what a fortunate discovery! They're going to be working on one or two of the Winterreise songs together this evening. This lets me off the hook to some extent, but on second thoughts, because Chris will have higher expectations after these lessons, I'll have to work harder at playing the accompaniments at home.
Last week I went to another of those Wednesday lunchtime DOMS concerts: "Opera selections by G. F. Handel and W. A. Mozart" and Lieder by Richard Strauss, including his Four Last Songs, sung by Stephanie Piercey Beames, soprano, with Nadia Boucher, pianist. The Strauss songs are very appropriate for this time of year, and have been going round my head every since I was at the concert, especially that last one, that wonderful setting of the touching Eichendorff poem, Im Abendrot. Strauss was living in Garmisch-Patenkirchen at the end of his life and must have been inspired by the peaceful Alpine landscape there. Chris and I may have the chance to go there next month, but I had better not anticipate too much. The young pianist at the concert did her job very well, but it sounds better with an orchestral accompaniment. Elizabeth Schwarzkopf probably gave the definitive performance:
Ms. Piercey Beames provided her own translation of the poems. For my taste she put too much vibrato into the songs, but her performance was well received. She obviously loved them.
From the sublime to the ridiculous ... on Friday, I was responsible for the singing of some other German songs when our Diplomatic Hospitality Group hosted an Oktoberfest-style lunch at the Maple Leaf Almrausch Club. Our German conversation group had been asked to provide the "entertainment", which consisted of me wearing a Dirndl and talking into a microphone about the origins of the Oktoberfest, then leading the German speakers and our guests (diplomats and other friends) into some singing, starting with the beer-drinking song, Im München steht ein Hofbräuhaus with its obligatory swaying (Schunkeln) to the music. I told them some anecdotes about the Hofbräuhaus which I'd looked up on the Internet beforehand. We continued with a merry folksong about the gypsies –– Lustig ist das Zigeunerleben –– then O du lieber Augustin, and Auf einem Baum ein Kuckuk saß, a repetitive children's song with a nonsense refrain that goes Simsaladim bamba saladu saladim. I got some of the diplomats singing along to that. Our accompanist was my friend Vija (also wearing a Dirndl) who had persuaded her husband to come along to help her carry and set up the electronic keyboard. She also persuaded him ... and Chris! (to his considerable embarrassment because he was put on the spot and had to sight-read)... to join in with the singing on stage. At least Chris and Rolf didn't have to wear Lederhosen.
Trunken müssen wir alle sein! / Jugend ist Trunkenheit ohne Wein; / Trinkt sich das Alter wieder zu Jugend, / So ist es wundervolle Tugend. / Für Sorgen sorgt das liebe Leben, / Und Sorgenbrecher sind die Reben.
(Drunk! We should all be drunk! / Youth is intoxication without wine; /
If old age can drink itself back to youth, / that's a marvellous virtue. / Trouble is part of our precious life, / and
vineyards counteract trouble and strife.)
I paid a preliminary visit the premises of Ottawa's Maple Leaf Almrausch Club yesterday, shall be going there again in a month or so. It's 15 minutes from the eastern edge of town, down the 417, Exit 104.
I was amused to find that Goethe poem in Gothic script on the wall of its Europahalle, liberally hung with flags. Downstairs is the Schenke (taproom) with long wooden tables and corner booths. Here's where you'd pick up your tankard of beer and sway to the music. On the top level is an indoor rifle shooting range offering noisy target practice, and outside are the soccer fields.
Almrausch is a word meaning Alpine rose (a kind of azalea native to the Alps).
In 1964, when the Maple Leaf Soccer Club and the Almrausch Bavarian folk dance Group decided to amalgamate, the result was the Maple Leaf – Almrausch Club Inc. The new Club obtained a plot of land and built their chalet-type Clubhouse. Spring is celebrated here with a Maifest (May Day Festival) and autumn with a traditional Oktoberfest. The Club also holds dance parties: the Schuhplattler musicians and dancers stage a Bavarian Festival every spring; the Schützen (Shooters) present the Schützenfest (Shooters Festival) in the spring and the Jägerball (Hunters’ Ball) in the fall.
The Christkindlmarkt (Christmas Market) takes place every year on the third weekend in November, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In the Schenke you can order snacks, or hearty meals (Gulasch, sausages, etc.) well as cakes, coffee and Glühwein.
A Schnitzel Dinner is offered to members and non-members on the third Friday of every month from January to April.
You don't need to be a German immigrant in order to enjoy this place, but it helps.
