REVIEW POTPOURRI: Music of Richard Strauss, Maurice Ravel, and more…

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Music

of Richard Strauss (1864-1949), Maurice Ravel (1874-1937), and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791); Elisabeth Soderstrom (1927-2009), soprano, with various conductors and orchestras; BBC Legends ­– BBCL 4153-2, CD, from 1960, 1971 and 1976 broadcast concerts.

Nicolai Gedda

Like her compatriot, the great tenor Nicolai Gedda (1925-2017), Swedish-born soprano Elisabeth Soderstrom sang in several languages, and possessed one of the most beautiful, disciplined voices to be found anywhere.

The above CD contains three live broadcast performances from the BBC – Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs with the Royal Philharmonic conducted by the late, phenomenally great Antal Dorati (1906-1988), from October 3, 1976; Ravel’s Sheherazade with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Boulez (1925-2016), from August 3, 1971; and two arias from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic under Sir John Pritchard (1921-1989), from August 20, 1960.

Richard Strauss wrote his final work, the Four Last Songs, in 1948, one that has generated a number of very good recordings. The words are pre-occupied with the confrontation with, and acceptance of, one’s mortality. After a lifetime of composing some of the most exciting music that display the full expressive and technical range of the modern orchestra – including the crazy, brilliant tone poems, Don Juan, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Death and Transfiguration, A Hero’s Life, etc., and the awesomely violent operas, Salome (with its Dance of the Seven Veils and Final Scene, in which the deranged Salome sings of her love for John the Baptist to his head on a platter) and Elektra – as well as a batch of rather dull pieces, Strauss presented music of the deepest, most eloquent serenity. Soderstrom and Dorati did a very satisfying performance that holds its own with other singers and conductors.

The composer was married for more than 50 years to his wife, Pauline; he once described her as ” very complex, perverse, coquettish, at every minute different from how she had been a moment before,” and often screaming at him, “Richard, we are low on cash – go write something!,” even though they were quite wealthy! But he reportedly considered their marriage a very happy one.

The Ravel Sheherazade and the Mozart Figaro arias are also given exemplary performances, consistent with Soderstrom’s unusually gifted reputation for adapting her beautiful voice to the exacting style and sound of different composers. For lovers of true vocal art, this cd is especially recommended!

Hymns Triumphant
Volume 2

arranged and conducted by Lee Holdridge; Birdwing BWC 2058, cassette, recorded 1984.

Lee Holdridge

The very talented composer, conductor and arranger, Lee Holdridge (1944-), has assembled and ar­rang­ed approximately 30 hymns and conducts the Amen Choir of the Van Nuys, Cali­fornia, First Baptist Church and England’s National Philharmonic Orchestra in performances that lack the sentimentality of previous similar glee clubby albums. Holdridge has arranged for numerous singers, the most prominent being Neil Diamond, while both men collaborated on the soundtrack for Jonathan Livingston Seagull. He has also composed a fine Violin Concerto and music for various films and TV shows, which are listed in his wiki biography.

Spring book sales at the Kennebec Historical Society

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Hallowell bookseller John Merrill is downsizing and moving to 110 Water Street in Hallowell. He has generously donated books to the Kennebec Historical Society’s annual Spring Book Sale. However, as the donation filled more than 65 boxes, there will be three sales in the garage at the Society headquarters, 107 Winthrop Street, Augusta: May 19, May 26, and June 2. The sales will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be more than 1,000 hardback and paperback books at each sale. Subjects include fiction, biography, history, travel, business, china and porcelain, children’s books, and many more. The hardbacks and trade paperbacks will sell for $1 and regular paperbacks for 50 cents. Starting at 1 p.m., all books will be reduced to $1 a bag. For more information, call 622-7718.

Ice out…boats in!

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Photo courtesy town of China

It’s official! Ice is finally out on China Lake, following what seemed an endless winter. The Town Line’s judge ruled ice went out on the lake on Monday, April 23, 2018. With her dead-on correct guess of April 23, Maggie Hanigan, of North Vassalboro, is the winner of the 2018 ice out contest.

Local students compete at robotics tournament

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Let the games begin. These Lawrence High School students getting ready for competition are, left to right, Kaleb Anderson, Justin Trott, Robert Klean and Hunter Dusoe. (Photo by Dan Cassidy)

Students from SAD #49, in Fairfield, and RSU #18, from Messalonskee High School, in Oakland, participated with many students from all over New England in designs programs motivating more than 450,000 young students from in 88 countries to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math skills.

The robotics tournament put teams together to see what students can accomplish using creativity, problem solving and teamwork with the help of mentors from the worlds of education and business. The future workforce learns how to collaborate, encourage one another and persevere in this year’s challenge FIRST Power UP, according to the Pine Tree District Event Planning Committee’s program release.

Students compete on time clocks by using Robots working together to exchange power cubes, climb the scale tower to face the ‘boss’ and try to escape the game. Operators take control for the final two minutes and 15 seconds of the match, scoring points by gaining ownership of the scale or their alliance’s switch, delivering power cubes to the alliance’s vault, using power ups for a timed advantage, parking on the scale platform or climbing the scale to face the boss. The alliance with the highest score at the end of the match defeats the boss and wins.

The program highlights indicate that it’s the hardest fun you’ll ever have.

Retired educators to hold meeting

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Bill Green (source: MaineNewsCenter.com)

Hundreds of retired educators and guests are expected to attend MEA-Retired’s 66th annual meeting and convention at the Augusta Civic Center on Thursday, May 3, where Bill Green, of Portland, will be keynote speaker.

Widely known for “Bill Green’s Maine” on WCSH Channel 6, Portland, Bill grew up in Bangor and has lived his whole life in Maine. He attended Bangor schools where Phil Gonyar was his high school social studies teacher. He attended the University of Maine at Orono.

His renowned show, “Bill Green’s Maine,” has been acclaimed the “Most Popular TV Program in Maine” by the readers of Down East Magazine.

In 2015, he won the Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for feature reporting. In 2016, “Bill Green’s Maine” won the Regional Emmy as the Outstanding Magazine Program in New England.

Bill Green is an inductee into the Maine Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame, the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, and the Silver Circle of the New England Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Bill is a registered Maine guide, senior warden at Trinity Episcopal Church, in Portland, and assistant JV baseball coach at Greely High School.

Bill and his wife Pam reside in Cumberland and they have two grown children.

Retirees representing thousands of years of service to teaching Maine’s youth may choose from four breakout sessions as follows:

Dr. David Richards, Director of the Margaret Chase Smith Library, in Skowhegan, will give a presentation on what he considers are the positive outcomes of hitting a moose on Maine’s roadways.

Dr. Richards majored in history at Bates College, in Lewiston, holds a M. A. in New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine and a Ph. D. in History from the University of New Hampshire. He has facilitated more than 400 Maine Humanities Council book discussions since 1996.

Jane Conroy, Extension Educator Emeritus, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, will present a “Keep, Take or Toss” session.

Designed to help us purge and downsize our possessions, this session will help us organize important papers, control clutter and save money.

Each workshop participants is asked to bring along a clutter issue, item or question to share with the group.

A lifetime Mainer, Jane graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington as a home economics major and earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Southern Maine.

Jane is very active in her community and is a member of the Piscataquis County Retired Teachers. She serves as chairperson of MEA-Retired Communications Committee.

She and her husband live in Dover-Foxcroft and have three adult children, one granddaughter and five grand dogs.

Paul Johnson, of Oakland, will highlight some of the features of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument— especially along the East Branch.

Since 2008, Paul Johnson has spent a few days each summer working on a campsite and portage trail stewardship project on the section of the Penobscot River’s East Branch below Matagamon Lake.

This has provided him the opportunity to see and appreciate the natural resources of an area that is now part of Maine’s new national monument and to learn about the area’s rich history.

From 1969 to 2005, Paul worked as a fishery biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in the Moosehead Lake Region. In retirement he remains committed to efforts to conserve Maine’s natural resources and to maintain their traditional uses.

Currently, he serves on the board of directors of Maine Woods Forever and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation.

Phil Gonyar and Carl Daiker will present a session entitled “Around the Horn in 22 Days,” about their cruise in February 2018 from Santiago, Chile, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Four days of the cruise will be in the waters of Antarctica.

Gonyar is a former social studies chairman and long-time activist in the MEA and MEA-Retired. Daiker retired from 30 years with the Orange County (NY) Department of Planning where he coordinatred federal, state, and local funding of the county’s transit system. Both Gonyar and Daiker have traveled extensively throughout six of the world’s seven continents and are awaiting the sights and sounds of the seventh continent.

The event is open to more retirees and guests: Registration includes lunch and is $20. Checks may be made payable to MEA-Retired and send to June Nickerson-Hovey, 145 Waterville Road, Skowhegan, ME 04976. Questions? Call 207-474-9472.

Winslow girls receive legislative sentiment

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Contributed photo

The Winslow High School’s girls basketball team visited the State House, in Augusta, on April 13, to be cited by the Legislature with a legislative sentiment recognizing their Class B state championship victory. During their visit, they were greeted by local delegation, Sen. Scott Cyrway and Rep. Catherine Nadeau, of Winslow.

Agenda for China TIF committee meeting

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The China Tax Increment Finance Committee will hold its regular meeting on Monday, May 7, at 6:30 p.m., in the China Town Office.

The public information session will be a review of progress on current initiatives:

  • Bridge replacement and the Causeway Road, by Tom Michaud, Jim Wilkens and Frank Soares.
  • Phase I, bridge replacement, with Joe McLean from Wright-Pierce.
  • Phase II, other site improvements and the need to proceed (parking enhancements, waterfront configuration, boat ramp, and permitting. Phase III, additional parking considerations.

There will also be a revolving loan fund program update, and presentations on the China for  Lifetime Committee, with chairman Christopher Hahn, Alewive Restoration Initiative with Landis Hudson.

Other items at the meeting will include China Lake access, China Forest Trails/Project Learning Tree, Four Seasons Events building.

Finally there will be applications to the TIF Committee for consideration of funding from the TIF resource.

Dr. Barnhart speaks at Albert Church Brown Memorial Library

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Dr. Louisa Barnhart speaks in front of a packed house at ACB Memorial Library in China. (Contributed photo)

On April 22, the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, in China Village, hosted Dr. Louisa Barnhart who spoke to a full room of participants and showed pictures and videos of her three month trip to Southeast Asia with her husband, Michael Klein. Their travels included Bhutan, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Dr. Barnhart described the visit to Bhutan in detail with pictures and videos. There were dances with elaborate costumes and masks that illustrated the mythology of their culture. Then she described numerous adventures in other cultures, including changes she experienced from travel 35 years ago.

Items were on display from Dr. Barnhart’s Southeast Asia trip.

A display of the textiles, masks used in celebrations, and samples of various foods and drinks representing the area. Participants were able to taste the foods and drinks and get acquainted with some items that Dr. Barnhart brought back from Southeast Asia.

China selectmen approve MJEK liquor license; adds a police officer for day work

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by Mary Grow

MJEK’s added a new indoor dining room last year.

The April 18 China selectmen’s meeting was preceded by a public hearing on a liquor license application for MJEK, Michael Marois’ seafood restaurant on Lakeview Drive. Town Manager Daniel L’Heureux reported that no public comments were made. During their meeting selectmen approved the application.

In other business, L’Heureux said:

  • Selectmen added another China police officer, appointing former Clinton Police Chief Craig Johnson, who will be able to patrol during the day and work on special details when needed.

They heard a report from Jim Dinkle, executive director of the Kennebec Regional Develo­pment Authority that runs the FirstPark business park, in Oakland, about marketing the park.

  • They signed a roadside mowing contract with Richard Drew, doing business as Aggressive Cuts, LLC, of Hampden
  • They appointed Janet Lully to the Revolving Loan Fund Committee.

China’s TIF (Tax Increment Finance) Committee will hold a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 7, to update residents on the causeway project at the head of China Lake’s east basin. The hearing will be followed by a TIF meeting.

At 6:15 p.m. the board held a public hearing relating to a new liquor license application for MJEK Ent. LLC, sole proprietor, Michael Marois, 239 Lakeview Drive. After the public hearing and during the regular board meeting, the board approved the application.

The Board also:

  • Approved of and signed the Ration and Declaration and Reimbursement Application, a declaration of a certified ratio or percentage of just value upon which local assessments are based;
  • Approved of and signed Red Light Applications for WMVFD, SCVFD, and CVVFD department members;
  • Heard updates from select board member Irene L. Belanger on active committees and other organizations;
  • Had a brief conversation about the proposed new Marijuana Laws in Maine and how Medical Marijuana establishments are licensed;
  • Had an Executive Session pursuant to 1 M.R.S.A. §405 (6) (E) Consultation with Legal Counsel;
  • Established the next regular SB meeting to be held on Monday evening, April 30, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. in the town office, and,
  • Decided to have a Board meeting on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. in the portable classroom to review applications for the position of town manager.

SOLON & BEYOND: Scams, corn beef suppers and grange 141st anniversary

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

My apologies that the bottle drive that was held last weekend at the Solon Fire Station was submitted too late for publishing. I have to receive news by Sunday to get it in on Thursday’s paper. I thank Aryke Coombs, very much. This is the second time I have received news from her, and I can’t begin to state how much that means to me.

Perhaps if you had some place where bottles could be dropped off at any time, that might help. If you think that would work, just let me know, and I will print it here.

Another thing I would like to bring up, since Lief got scammed we do not answer the phone unless you are leaving a message. (Being scammed is not something I wish to go through again, EVER!) As I have stated here more than once, I truly do appreciate hearing from you with any news that you have, that I can print. On one occasion, a person had e-mailed and I found it in my dump box so it never got printed, (my computer has a mind of its own! But…..) I try to forgive this machine when it brings me e-mails like the following one from G.G. Roberts. “Thank you so much for writing about our January soup and sandwich! Turnout was very light but your article brought some to us! Would you be able to include a notice in your column about the following?”

East Madison Grange is having a: corn beef and cabbage supper with all the Irish fixings on Saturday, May 19, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., at the Grange. FMI contact G.G.Roberts, 730-0878.

And you are personally invited! Make yourself known to me and eat and enjoy us for free!

East Madison Grange 141st anniversary is Saturday, May 12, and the meeting is open to the public. Supper at 5:30 p.m. and meeting at 7 p.m. Surrounding granges and folks interested in Grange come to this party.

She writes that, “My information is that “everyone reads Marilyn.” (Such sweet words, and very much appreciated! Thank you, G.G.)

The following information will be of absolutely no use to women now-a-days but, I thought it might give some of you a good laugh. How to put on Your Back Lace Corset. Loosen lacings to full length, so that the spread is three or four inches across laces. Fasten front clasp and hooks below. Next pull corset over hips and set at waistline. Always fasten back supporters first, side supporters next, and front supporters loosely so that they will not pull garment down in front. Pull strongly and evenly on waist loops to set corset firmly at waistline. Pull evenly on lacers at hip loops, and tighten lacings until garment is comfortable. Tie at waistline. When finally adjusted, laces should be two or three inches apart. Tuck in lacing next to body. To take off corset, always loosen lacer at waist loop and hip loop. This relieves strain on front clasp, which helps keep garment in shape, as well as making it easier to remove.

Another really informative one on this little old yellowed card is, “How To Wash Your Rubber Reducing Corset.” This really precious, (to me anyway) little card , was in among some old papers that my brother Steve gave to me. Hope you enjoyed reading about the ‘Good Old Days’!

Now we mustn’t forget about Percy’s memoir entitled Extra Things. We thank Thee, God, for extra things You send along our way Both when our days are sunny bright And when our skies are gray. The little planned surprises dropped From Thy great, loving hand, Like unexpected showers on A parched and desert land. The meeting of an old friend, The lifting of a care, The sunlight breaking through the clouds To tell us You are there. Just why You do these extra things Our finite minds don’t know; It must be You delight in them Because You love us so! (words by Alice Hanche Mortenson.)