Saturday, May 4
9:00am – Riverside Park – 72nd Street and Riverside Drive, by the Eleanor Roosevelt statue
The tour guide for this walk was very knowledgeable, and mostly easy to hear and understand. She did use one of those personal microphones and speaker, and used it to good effect. One interesting fact right from the start was that the Eleanor Roosevelt statue was sculpted by a woman, Penelope Jenks, and that Eleanor’s sensible shoes should always be able to be seen (no plantings near or around them). When we got to the spot in the park where the West Side Highway becomes the Henry Hudson Parkway, she explained how Robert Moses used legalities and semantics to get funding (railroad tracks were covered, river access, park—all different sources of funding, and he knew how to work the system). He even managed to get funding for a boat basin during the Depression! Apparently our guide had led this tour at least once on Friday and learned the name of one of the flowers along the way, Lily of the Nile. She told us that she’s always in teacher mode, so she figured she had to share that with us on Saturday. This was a great way to start Jane’s Walks weekend for me, even if there was a bit of drizzle. Our tour group was a shade under twenty people. One of the stops along her tour was the starting point for the next walk on my schedule, so with her blessing (she told us from the start that we could leave at any time and she would not take it as an affront), I stayed at 93rd and RSD while she and the group continued uptown through the park.
11:00am – UWS Monuments and Mansions – West 93rd Street and Riverside Drive, at the Joan of Arc statue
The guide for this walk was pretty good, just not as smooth and polished as the previous one. His walk had about forty to fifty participants, which made it a little unwieldy. His comments were interesting, especially that the sculptor of Joan was a woman, Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington. Two female sculptors of two female subjects in one park in one day. Not too shabby. We saw a couple more statues, one freestanding mansion, and several nice examples of Art Deco architecture. Toward the end of the tour, we saw Riverside Church and the General Grant National Memorial (aka Grant’s Tomb). I’d seen and been in Grant’s Tomb, well, the building, not the tomb, before since it was my assigned volunteering station one year for Open House New York (another fun weekend that occurs in October, if I’m remembering correctly), but I realized that I’d never been inside Riverside Church before. So after the tour concluded, I took a stroll inside. It’s massive and very impressive.
2:00pm – Radical Village – Sheridan Square
This one was not on my original agenda. I decided to tweak it because the walk I’d planned ended on the Upper East Side at 3:00pm and I knew that if I was that close to home at that part of the day, it was very unlikely that I’d travel down to Chelsea for a 6:00pm walk. The guide for this walk was extremely knowledgeable and spouted out names and facts at a rather rapid pace and, at times, nonstop for a good ten to fifteen minutes. A lot of the people we heard about from him were associated with the Little Red School House at Sixth and Bleecker. Oddly, we never actually saw that site during the walk. And he breezed through so many names and the relationships that their children had with the children of other people that he had mentioned that it was almost sensory overload. The size of this walking group was more reasonable, however, at about fifteen to twenty again.
6:00pm – Gay Bars Gone – Limelight, 6th Avenue and 20th Street
OK, I’m not a club/dance bar kind of guy but I did go (at least once) to the Limelight. For my non-New York readers, this was an Episcopal church that changed hands quite a few times and at one point was a gay disco (though I’m sure straight people went as well). This was the kickoff point for a walk highlighting gay bars that are no longer in existence. There was a tag team of walk leaders and their shtick was amusing, up to a point. Oh, and the crowd for this one was huge—I’d estimate seventy to eighty. We went to a second bar site that was totally unknown to me. The third stop was Splash, which I had been to at least once, as well. Along the way, we were encouraged to contribute personal recollections. Outside of Splash, one young lady said that she and her mother had gone to Splash with her brother (moral support maybe?); she and her mother had gotten up on one of the boxes and danced together and then were asked if they were lesbian lovers (they were not, but it was a fun story). I went to one more site, but as we were leaving Chelsea and entering the Village, the narrower streets were getting harder to navigate because if the size of the group, so I bailed. But the other cool thing about the walk was that the leaders brought a stencil, and walker volunteers chalked up the sidewalk in front of each building we stopped at with Gay Bar Was Here. It made me chuckle.
Sunday, May 5
10:00am – rainout
The walk I was going to do was scheduled to meet at Columbus Circle. As I started to wend my way there, the rain was spitting just enough to make me turn around and go right back home. At least I got chores done.
1:00pm – Tour of City Center, West 55th Street
Ding-ding! This was the winner of the weekend as far as I was concerned. The walk/tour met in the lobby of City Center. Again, for my non-NY readers, do a search—the building is gorgeous inside and out. The lobby is very ornate, as is the inside of the theater. Fun fact: built in 1923, it was originally called the Mecca Temple, by the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Yep, it was the meeting hall of the Shriners! When we went in to the theater, we were on the mezzanine level, which gave us a good view of the orchestra level as well as the balcony level. Most of my experiences as an audience member have been from the balcony level, so I was unaware that the audience sections below are relatively shallow. That really came to the fore when we went onstage. Yes, I have now trod the boards at City Center. In fact, we saw the set of High Button Shoes close up, as its Encores production was starting the next week. The guide for the walk/tour was a City Center employee who had also been a performer there with various dance companies. As he explained it to us, for a theater that seats so many people, it was really a somewhat intimate feeling for performers because of the relative proximity of the audience, especially in the orchestra and mezzanine. We also went up to one of the dance studios that had an art installation in it. And the back wall of that studio still has the imprint of where the original throne was for the Shriners. All in all, a great tour with a leader who knew a lot and added personal touches without it being all about him.
3:00pm – Tour of Rockefeller Center – 30 Rockefeller Center, on the Plaza or indoors
Well, we met indoors because the weather was still iffy. The sound level inside 30 Rock was not very conducive to hearing a tour guide. It seemed like she had interesting things to say, if only we could hear them. Remember the first Saturday walk and the microphone that was used? That would have been helpful here. We did venture outside for a few minutes. The guide actually leaned against an outdoor sculpture on display and had to be admonished by a security guard. It was actually a little easier to hear her outside as opposed to inside. But inside we did go again, where she promptly led us to an area that was for residents only, and was admonished again. I promptly left the walk and went home.
Would I do Jane’s Walks again? Definitely. It’s always hit or miss but when you get one like the City Center tour, you know you’ve hit the jackpot. If you pair that with last year’s hands-down winner, the uptown Audubon Mural Project walk, next year, you’re guaranteed a good time, my NY peeps (weather permitting, of course). And my non-NY peeps, check out janeswalk.org; there may be walks near you next year, too.
ConcertMeister (WalkMeister, here)
Saturday, May 18, 2019
Monday, May 13, 2019
Rothschild & Sons (5/2/19)
This was a concert reading of the one-act musical, presented as a commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoa). The show was written by Jerry Bock (composer), Sheldon Harnick (lyrics), and Sherman Yellen (book). In addition to the performance, Mr. Bock was presented with the 2019 National Jewish Theater Foundation/Holocaust Theater International Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award.
The musical has a bit of a backstory; The Rothschilds, was on Broadway in 1970 and had an Off-Broadway revival in 1990. The piece I heard was a reworking of the original, compressing it into a one-act show.
The show is essentially the story of the Rothschild banking family, and its trials and tribulations of being Jews in the traditionally non-Jewish world of high finance. The head of the family sires five sons and he educates all of them to become wheelers and dealers in the banking world. Of course, he is headstrong and some of the boys are headstrong as well, which leads to familial fireworks.
I enjoyed all of the performances in this well-presented concert version. A fully staged production of this one-act version had a recent run at the York Theatre (my old stomping grounds) and a recent run in London. This performance was directed by the director of those productions, and some of the cast were repeating their roles, too. Interestingly, the actor playing Mayer Rothschild here played the most headstrong of the five sons, Nathan, in the Off-Broadway revival. What goes around comes around sometimes. The music and lyrics were good but inevitably have to be compared to Bock and Harnick’s Fiddler on the Roof—Jewish themes, headstrong father, sort of long-suffering wife, and five children (sons here, instead of daughters). But the vocal writing in this score is also a bit more intricate. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening.
Mr. Yellen was in attendance and spoke very movingly in a tribute to Mr. Bock. And another speaker that evening had very nice things to say about Mr. Yellen. Jessica Hillman-McCord, author of Echoes of the Holocaust on the American Musical Stage, spoke briefly about the show, and had read the revised libretto. She said, “The Rothschilds intensifies its portrayal of anti-Semitism by entering into the endlessly complicated arena of insidious stereotypes regarding Jews and money. In the face of the stereotypes’ strength, the creators of The Rothschilds fought valiantly to clarify how money functions in this musical: not for greed, but for a purpose, as a weapon against oppression and hatred and a means to fight for equality. Our revered guest tonight Sherman Yellen’s updated and tightened version of his libretto makes this point strongly and movingly. I’m thrilled to have read this new version and to witness this show taking on new life. The Rothschilds’ (now Rothschild & Sons) examination of hatred and oppression is sadly all too significant today—we may only passionately hope there will come a time when Anti-Semitism and hatred of the Other will not be so immediately relevant. Until that day we promise to never forget.”
A moving evening of discussion and theater. I’m very glad to say that I am a friend of Mr. Yellen, all because of reading a book one day while I was on my way to the Library for the Performing Arts (where this concert reading took place). What goes around comes around, indeed.
ConcertMeister
The musical has a bit of a backstory; The Rothschilds, was on Broadway in 1970 and had an Off-Broadway revival in 1990. The piece I heard was a reworking of the original, compressing it into a one-act show.
The show is essentially the story of the Rothschild banking family, and its trials and tribulations of being Jews in the traditionally non-Jewish world of high finance. The head of the family sires five sons and he educates all of them to become wheelers and dealers in the banking world. Of course, he is headstrong and some of the boys are headstrong as well, which leads to familial fireworks.
I enjoyed all of the performances in this well-presented concert version. A fully staged production of this one-act version had a recent run at the York Theatre (my old stomping grounds) and a recent run in London. This performance was directed by the director of those productions, and some of the cast were repeating their roles, too. Interestingly, the actor playing Mayer Rothschild here played the most headstrong of the five sons, Nathan, in the Off-Broadway revival. What goes around comes around sometimes. The music and lyrics were good but inevitably have to be compared to Bock and Harnick’s Fiddler on the Roof—Jewish themes, headstrong father, sort of long-suffering wife, and five children (sons here, instead of daughters). But the vocal writing in this score is also a bit more intricate. All in all, it was an enjoyable evening.
Mr. Yellen was in attendance and spoke very movingly in a tribute to Mr. Bock. And another speaker that evening had very nice things to say about Mr. Yellen. Jessica Hillman-McCord, author of Echoes of the Holocaust on the American Musical Stage, spoke briefly about the show, and had read the revised libretto. She said, “The Rothschilds intensifies its portrayal of anti-Semitism by entering into the endlessly complicated arena of insidious stereotypes regarding Jews and money. In the face of the stereotypes’ strength, the creators of The Rothschilds fought valiantly to clarify how money functions in this musical: not for greed, but for a purpose, as a weapon against oppression and hatred and a means to fight for equality. Our revered guest tonight Sherman Yellen’s updated and tightened version of his libretto makes this point strongly and movingly. I’m thrilled to have read this new version and to witness this show taking on new life. The Rothschilds’ (now Rothschild & Sons) examination of hatred and oppression is sadly all too significant today—we may only passionately hope there will come a time when Anti-Semitism and hatred of the Other will not be so immediately relevant. Until that day we promise to never forget.”
A moving evening of discussion and theater. I’m very glad to say that I am a friend of Mr. Yellen, all because of reading a book one day while I was on my way to the Library for the Performing Arts (where this concert reading took place). What goes around comes around, indeed.
ConcertMeister
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Midday Masterpieces (5/1/19)
SOOM Quintet
Wind Quintet – Paul Taffanel
Wind Quintet – John Harbison
SOOM is a quintet (flute, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, and oboe) of Juilliard students who took their name from a Korean word that, appropriately, means breath. The two pieces they played were vastly different from each other. I guessed at movements when taking my notes, as no printed program was available.
The first movement of the Taffanel was a fun march (though not really martial). It was very pleasant, with a nice mix and range of dynamics. The second was gentler and had an extended horn solo tune accompanied by the others. It reminded me of an aria. The full group then played together, though at times the clarinet and oboe had their individual moments to shine. Once again, it was pleasant without being too sweet. The third movement was brisk and had touches of playfulness, almost as if they were chasing each other or running around, just for the fun of it. There was a false ending, and then the real one with a button to cap the piece off. Written in 1878, it was the only wind quintet that Taffanel composed. Those last tidbits were announced from the stage after the piece was over.
We also heard that Harbison wrote his quintet with the express intention of exploring new techniques for the wind instruments. He succeeded. It had lots of dissonances right from the start, with disjointed phrases. It was somewhat interesting but a little hard to listen to. And it had a slightly strange ending. The movement that followed was gentler and easier to listen to though still with a lot of dissonances. And another strange ending. The third was slow and rich—I got a feeling of water though I don’t exactly know why—followed by a section that was quite harsh. The fourth movement was quick with a lot of forward motion that didn’t really hold my attention while the fifth was calmer to begin with and then forged ahead with more rhythmic quickness. Overall, I did not find the piece particularly enjoyable. The players, however, gave it their all and seemed to enjoy it. And played both quintets very well.
ConcertMeister
Wind Quintet – Paul Taffanel
Wind Quintet – John Harbison
SOOM is a quintet (flute, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, and oboe) of Juilliard students who took their name from a Korean word that, appropriately, means breath. The two pieces they played were vastly different from each other. I guessed at movements when taking my notes, as no printed program was available.
The first movement of the Taffanel was a fun march (though not really martial). It was very pleasant, with a nice mix and range of dynamics. The second was gentler and had an extended horn solo tune accompanied by the others. It reminded me of an aria. The full group then played together, though at times the clarinet and oboe had their individual moments to shine. Once again, it was pleasant without being too sweet. The third movement was brisk and had touches of playfulness, almost as if they were chasing each other or running around, just for the fun of it. There was a false ending, and then the real one with a button to cap the piece off. Written in 1878, it was the only wind quintet that Taffanel composed. Those last tidbits were announced from the stage after the piece was over.
We also heard that Harbison wrote his quintet with the express intention of exploring new techniques for the wind instruments. He succeeded. It had lots of dissonances right from the start, with disjointed phrases. It was somewhat interesting but a little hard to listen to. And it had a slightly strange ending. The movement that followed was gentler and easier to listen to though still with a lot of dissonances. And another strange ending. The third was slow and rich—I got a feeling of water though I don’t exactly know why—followed by a section that was quite harsh. The fourth movement was quick with a lot of forward motion that didn’t really hold my attention while the fifth was calmer to begin with and then forged ahead with more rhythmic quickness. Overall, I did not find the piece particularly enjoyable. The players, however, gave it their all and seemed to enjoy it. And played both quintets very well.
ConcertMeister
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
I’m Late … I’m Late ... (4/27–28/19)
Technically, I was not late. On Saturday, twenty-eight blocks of Broadway were closed to vehicular traffic for a belated Earth Day event (Earth Day was actually on April 22). It was similar to Summer Streets just on a much smaller level. There were, however, a lot of NYC-based environmental booths and kiosks. And a few giveaways. And Citi Bike seemed to have some sort of program going, as well as rollerblades available for free use, and at least two spots with group workouts going on. It was OK but a little awkward, since Broadway cuts through the other grid-based streets which made some intersections somewhat dicey. Still, it was good to have fewer cars on the road, even if only for a few hours (9am–3pm). This was the inaugural occurrence—we’ll see if it happens again next year.
Sunday found me in Brooklyn on Stratford Road for Shakespeare on Stratford, celebrating the Bard’s 455th birthday (his actual birthday was April 23). Fifteen sonnets were brought to life by costumed actors from Brave New World Repertory Theatre, performed on front porches and, in some cases, the sidewalks along Stratford. There was no set time for the individual performances, and audience members strolled from performer to performer. It was interesting, if a little odd because if you missed the first line, you couldn’t put a name to a performer unless you hung around for the next iteration. The sonnets were listed in a scroll/program by their number and first line, so a little signage with the sonnet number would have been helpful. Most of the performers varied their delivery, providing at least two or more renditions of their sonnet, which I found pretty cool. My favorites were When in the chronicle of wasted time and When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see. After the sonnet recitations, all fifteen performers got together for some spirited madrigal singing—Now Is the Month of Maying, So Well I Know Who’s Happy, and Sing We and Chant It (a version I did not know). Then we were invited to sing along with Now Is the Month of Maying after the performers had finished their three songs. And you all know that I'm gung-ho for a sing-along. That was followed by a courtly dance that morphed into an Afro-Haitian finale. I skipped out after the courtly dance part.
I’m not sure whether this is an annual event, but I’m pretty sure it’s a one and done for me.
ConcertMeister
Sunday found me in Brooklyn on Stratford Road for Shakespeare on Stratford, celebrating the Bard’s 455th birthday (his actual birthday was April 23). Fifteen sonnets were brought to life by costumed actors from Brave New World Repertory Theatre, performed on front porches and, in some cases, the sidewalks along Stratford. There was no set time for the individual performances, and audience members strolled from performer to performer. It was interesting, if a little odd because if you missed the first line, you couldn’t put a name to a performer unless you hung around for the next iteration. The sonnets were listed in a scroll/program by their number and first line, so a little signage with the sonnet number would have been helpful. Most of the performers varied their delivery, providing at least two or more renditions of their sonnet, which I found pretty cool. My favorites were When in the chronicle of wasted time and When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see. After the sonnet recitations, all fifteen performers got together for some spirited madrigal singing—Now Is the Month of Maying, So Well I Know Who’s Happy, and Sing We and Chant It (a version I did not know). Then we were invited to sing along with Now Is the Month of Maying after the performers had finished their three songs. And you all know that I'm gung-ho for a sing-along. That was followed by a courtly dance that morphed into an Afro-Haitian finale. I skipped out after the courtly dance part.
I’m not sure whether this is an annual event, but I’m pretty sure it’s a one and done for me.
ConcertMeister
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