so i am sitting here at my desk whilst waiting for a high school friend who lives in the VALLEY to get her ass here to the bowl, so we may take in beethoven's 9th tonight. well when in my office i stream WQXR which is the classical station of the new york times, and each evening they have a programme called "symphony hall" which featured tonight among other works, schumann symphony no. 3 "the rhenish" symphony as performed by the san fran symphony and michael tilson thomas ("MTT"). funnily MTT is conducting tonight here at the bowl.
MORE funnily as the symphony ended, the dj says:
that was the third symphony by robert schumann, the rhenish. its sort of funny because just four years later he would throw himself into the rhein river in an attempted suicide, only to be later institutionalized where he would die only two years later. umm, maybe funny is the wrong word.
YOU THINK? anyhow, its more amusing because he was insane most likely due to the mercury poisoning he had as a result of being treated for syphillis--for which mercury was a common prescription in those days.
just thought you'd like to know. as for the picture? well who doesnt love a nicole kidman as she is about to whisper shout "DRIIIIVE."
