Sir Charles Mackerras!

Greetings!:

Yet again, in the name of the House of Old-School, I extend further best wishes and congratulations on a birthday, this one being of my favourite conductor
as regular visitors to this house already know, Sir Charles Mackerras, this being his 81st!

Believe it or not, this conductor, usually associated with England nowadays though he is widely travelled, was actually born in Schenectady, New York, on
this date in 1925 of Australian parents.  If I am not mistaken, he returned to Australia at an early age, and I do know that his early musical studies
were in Sydney and later, _MOST_ importantly, in Prague, where his lifelong love of Czech music began.  He came to England in either the late 1940's or
early 1950's, and there, as the Website of his Managers, Askonas Holt (please see my favourite links for their Web address), tells us, a production of
the early-20th-Century Moravian/Czech composer, Leos Janacek's, opera, _Katya_ _Kavanova_, which the future Sir Charles conducted at what was then called
Sadlers Wells Opera (later English National Opera), won critical acclaim.  I recall hearing an interview on the Web with Sir Charles in which he told us
that he participated in productions of the comic operas of that famous English team of Gilbert and Sullivan during his school days, and one of the earliest
manifestations of him also loving those operas was a ballet which he arranged from the music of these, _Pineapple_ _Poll_, which was premiered also in
the early '50's.  His first recording of it was also the first commercial recording he ever made, and, fortunately for those of us who admire his work,
he has been making recordings ever since to use an avowedly-unoriginal phrase!  According to a review of some orchestral music from Verdi's operas which
a man on Amazon, with whom I have recently begun corresponding, wrote, as well as one of a collection of early recordings of ballet music released to honour
Sir Charles's 80th birthday last year, this latter on the _Gramophone_ _Magazine_'s Website (
www.gramophone.co.uk), he
would sometimes be asked to step in for conductors who were indisposed for whatever reason, and this helped build up his reputation for the future.  He
would go on to become Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera in the late 1960's (he was there when I started corresponding with him in 1969, and this
correspondence would continue for much of the next 35 years), but, before that, he would start on another famous aspect of his career, the performance
and recording of Baroque (the period in music history from roughly 1600 to 1750), and later Classical (as I wrote in an earlier post, this latter period
goes roughly from 1750 to the early years of the next Century), music in a style as close as could be determined to that in which this music was first
performed.  In 1959, he made a famous late-night recording of Handel's _Music_ _For_ _The_ _Royal_ _Fireworks_ with a band of wind, brass and percussion
players from various London orchestras.  This is the scoring in which Handel wrote this work and which he apparently preferred, though there is still some
question as to whether it was performed thus in the composer's lifetime.  Then, in 1966, he made one of three landmark recordings of Handel's _Messiah_
which were made around that time, the other two having been conducted by the then-future Sir Colin Davis and the now-late Dr. Robert Shaw.  Of those three,
the then-future Sir Charles's probably came closest to what was then believed to have been Handel's manner of performing his oratorios, though one could
perhaps question the amount of vocal and instrumental ornamentation which was added in that version, and further discoveries pertaining to Handelian practice
have been made since then.  Yet, despite this and perhaps some speeds being slower in it than one expects nowadays, and though I admittedly no longer play
it (I played it last for the 80th birthday), there is still some vital music-making in this recording, notably from the chorus, the Ambrosian Singers,
and particularly from the higher-voiced soloists, the now-late Miss Elizabeth Harwood (soprano), the then-future Dame Janet Baker (mezzo soprano), and
counter-tenor Mr. Paul Esswood.  In that same year he also recorded Purcell's (an English composer who lived in the later part of the century before Handel
came to England from Germany via Italy) music for Dryden's _The_ _Indian_ _Queen_, and though this too may now be somewhat outdated, I still like to play
it on his birthday, and hope to do so again during a break from this writing.  While in Hamburg, he made another Purcell recording which I still also like,
of that composer's famous opera, _Dido_ _And_ _Aeneas_ (has its female title role ever been sung more movingly than by the now-late Miss Troyanos, perhaps
even more so than on a subsequent recording she made of this opera under another conductor?).  And, with some of the same forces he used on his _Messiah_
recording, he later recorded Purcell's 1692 _Ode_ _On_ _St._ _Cecilia's_ _Day_ (the Patron Saint of Music whose day is 22 November).  Upon returning to
England in, if memory serves, 1969, he took up appointment as Music Director of what again would soon become English National Opera, and it would be there
that I met him in person during my first visit to England in 1977 at productions of Puccini's beloved _La_ _Boheme_ and French composer Massenet's opera,
_Werther_.  My third meeting with him was also during that same visit, at a concert he gave for the BBC of Haydn's _Nelson_ _Mass_ and Stravinsky's ballet,
_Appolon_ _Musagette_.  I recall that the members of the ENO Orchestra were in some sort of dispute with the Company at that time, and one of our conversations
was interrupted by someone he described as a "recalcitrant cellist."  His long-time wife, Lady Judy Mackerras, was quite vivacious in those days, but was
somewhat more subdued during conversations I had with her a few years ago.  She seems _MOST_ capable at helping to manage his affairs!  By the bye, I now
have, thanks to the Chandos Opera-In-English Series, a recording of that production of _Werther_ as recorded at the Coliseum, ENO's home, but with a different
tenor than the one I heard when I was there.  Dame Janet Baker sang the female lead in this opera, Charlotte, in both performances.  Sir Charles would
later become Music Director of Welsh National Opera, and presumably, while there, he first worked with a then-young Welsh bass-baritone called Mr. Bryn
Terfel!  He also, with the WNO orchestra and sometimes the chorus, made some _SUPERB_, in my opinion, recordings of works by four English composers, notably
a series of works by a composer Sir Charles seemed to particularly be championing in those days, Delius.  I have already mentioned his disc of Elgar's
youth-oriented music, featuring Mr. Terfel, in my 31-August post.  Suffice it to say that, in addition to Mr. Terfel's contributions in the Suite from
_The_ _Starlight_ _Express_, I especially enjoy Sir Charles's accounts of the two _Dream_ _Children_, and in particular the first of these!  There were
also recordings of five Gilbert-and-Sullivan operas, though, apart from _Trial_ _By_ _Jury_ which is all sung, these omitted Gilbert's spoken dialogue.
 Yet most of the musical performances are _EXCELLENT_, notably the recording of their most famous opera, _The_ _Mikado_!  Sir Charles made other Elgar
recordings with the London orchestras, his account of that composer's _Second_ _Symphony_ being a particular personal favourite!  He made two recordings
of Elgar's best-known large-scale orchestral work, the _"Enigma"_ _Variations_, and I personally prefer the first of these which he made on the EMI Label.
 It is coupled with the composer's Symphonic Study based on Shakespeare's accounts of the historical Falstaff, and, though it is now deleted, you _MIGHT_
be able to find it on Amazon since a copy of it was on offer there the last time I checked.  There was also that recording of Britten's _Gloriana_ mentioned
in that 31-August post.  But Sir Charles did not exclusively confine his performances and recordings to England and the UK!  In Vienna he made a series
of recordings of his beloved Janacek's (pronounced yanachek) operas, and these garnered much just critical acclaim (one of these was of that composer's
next-to-last opera, _The_ _Makropoulos_ _Case_, but a new recording of this, from ENO and in Sir Charles's new performing edition of that opera's score,
is due for release next year again as part of Chandos OIE, he having recorded Janacek's earlier opera, _Jenufa_, for that series a few years ago, etc.).
 In the late '80's and into the '90's, Sir Charles would record much Mozart, though he had recorded a little of his work previously.  There would be all
of his Symphonies with the Prague Chamber Orchestra, some of the Piano Concerti performed by an Irish pianist, Mr. John O'Connor, with the Scottish Chamber
Orchestra, and most of his important operas with that same orchestra, all of these recordings being for the American Telarc Label, as were his Gilbert-and-Sullivan
series.  He also made a fine recording of Handel's _Water_ _Music_ and some _SUPERB_, again in my view, accounts of some of Haydn's best-known Symphonies
with the New-York-based Orchestra of St. Luke's, though not the most famous of them, the "Surprise."  There would also be more Handel orchestral music
with the English Chamber Orchestra, with which he had made that landmark _Messiah_ and three other Handel oratorios, though these latter are also now somewhat
outdated as per performance practice.  Yet I still have and play his account of _Judas_ _Maccabaeus_ since it is still probably the best version of that
popular oratorio we currently have.  In the late '80's he also began to work and record with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, a London-based
orchestra playing on instruments of the late-18th and early-19th Centuries, notably Schubert's last two symphonies, the famous _8th_, the "Unfinished,"
having been completed for another conductor by an English Schubert scholar called Mr. Brian Newbold (spelling hopefully correct).  In the '90's Sir Charles
was Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and made some _MARVELLOUS_ recordings with them, particularly a disc of Richard Strauss
tone poems, two Mahler (a late-19th/early-20th-Century Austrian composer and near-contemporary of the German Strauss) symphonies and a straightforward
set of all of the Beethoven symphonies relying on the scholarship of a current Beethoven authority, Mr. Jonathan Del Mar, as well as a Telarc recording
of that composer's only opera, _Fidelio_, the _Violin_ _Concerto_ on EMI with Miss Monica Huggett and the OAE and a disc for the Hyperion Label of Beethoven's
ballet, _The_ _Creatures_ _Of_ _Prometheus_.  And we must not overlook another set I particularly like, a landmark series of the Brahms symphonies, again
for Telarc, which offers them with the approximate size of orchestra Brahms preferred, just under 50 players, and incorporating information left by his
pupils as to how he wanted these works to be played.  He continued to conduct and record Czech music, with several recordings of music by one of its most
popular representatives, Dvorak (it would be difficult to accurately write how that should be pronounced, but hopefully at least some of you know it anyway
and can thus assist those who do not).  Besides that forthcoming recording of _The_ _Makropoulos_ _Case_, one of his most recent recordings of Czech music
has also been previously mentioned, Miss Susan Gritton's favourite among her recordings as of earlier this year, an English-language version, again for
OIE, of Smetana's comic opera, _The_ _Bartered_ _Bride_!  His Mozart disc with Mr. Terfel, _Tutto_ _Mozart_, has also been recently released, and he is
to record this month, if he has not yet done so, yet another OIE contribution, of Humperdinck's (not the popular singer of some years ago, but his German
namesake) ever-popular opera, _Hansel_ _And_ _Grettel_.

There is _MUCH_ else I could cover, including a _WONDERFUL_ disc of excerpts from Wagner's _Gotterdammerung_ (Twilight of the Gods) from the '70's, etc.,
but I hope I have managed to represent what this conductor's artistry has meant to me since the late '60's.  If I recall anything else I should have covered,
I will try to add it as a comment to this post.  Hopefully Sir Charles had a fine, though presumably not as elaborate as his 80th, 81st birthday!

Gratefully and joyfully submitted,

J. V.

Happy Belated Birthday, US Marine Corps, etc.!

Greetings!:

In the name of the House of Old-School, I extend my heartiest belated congratulations and best wishes to the United States Marine Corps on its 231st birthday!
 I would have written this sooner, but was busy attending events related to this over the just-concluded weekend, including the dedication of the new National
Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia, of which hopefully more later.

As I wrote in my post saluting the Navy's birthday, the Continental Congress initially established a navy when General Washington arranged for the acquisition
of a few ships.  Further, on 10 November, 1775, they authorized the establishment of two battalions of Marines.  During the Revolution, these Marines supported
naval operations as well as fought on land.  As had been done with the Continental Navy, these battalions were disbanded after the Revolutionary War ended
in 1783.  Then, on 11 July, 1798, the same day on which the Marine Band, discussed in my post of that day in this year, was established, the US Congress
established the United States Marine Corps!  During the years prior to the War of 1812, Marines served in several places, notably against the Barbary Pirates
along the "shores of Tripoli" later to be immortalized in the "Marines' Hymn."  During that second war with England begun in 1812, Marines continued to
assist in Naval operations, one notable land engagement being assisting in the defense of our then-rather-new Nation's Capital by engaging at nearby Bladensburg,
Maryland.  They further notably fought with General Jackson in the famous Battle of New Orleans.  The Corps would see further action between then and the
War Between theStates, that other reference in the "Marines' Hymn" being from the Mexican War, in which Marines fought into Mexico City where were "the
halls of Montezuma."  Marines continued to work with the Navy during the Civil War, but used their infantry skills in a number of land battles as well.
 Throughout the remainder of the 19th Century and up to the First World War, the Corps was called upon to serve in various foreign locales, notably those
near seacoasts as one might expect.  Then, near the end of what was supposed to have been "the war to end all wars," Marines showed particular bravery
in a battle of which I did not yet know or had forgotten about, Belleau Wood, along with certain others throughout 1918 prior to the Armistice.  Marine
Aviation began initially in 1912, and the amphibious capabilities for which the Corps is now so well known were developed between the two World Wars.
As is also well known, Marines fought prominently in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, their two most famous engagements probably being Guadalcanal
and, of course, Iwo Jima, where a contingent of Marines raised American flags on Mt. Seribachi.  The raising of the second, larger flag was famously photographed,
and this, at least one of the widest-circulated photographs in history, formed the basis of the design of both the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington,
Virginia, where a ceremony takes place each Marine Corps Birthday and which I have attended numerous times, and the afore-mentioned new National Museum
of the Marine Corps, which opened to the public on 13 November, 2006, the day on which I am now writing.  By the bye, the photographer who took that photograph,
one Mr. Joseph Rosenthal, made an Honourary Marine some years ago, died just recently.  Something which interested me when I read it was that the Corps'
strength jumped from between 100,000 and 200,000 to just under 500,000 at the peak of the War.  I was told today that it is currently at about 181,000,
though it would probably be at least desirable to increase it to around 200,000.  Following World War II, the Corps began to develop another capability
for which it is justly famous, the use of helicopters.  Marines would again figure prominently in the next two wars, Korea and Vietnam.  Both had their
frustrations, especially the latter, though Marines would fight valiantly as per their tough nature.  The last Marine ground forces were pulled out of
Vietnam in 1971, though other Marines would help embassy personnel and others to leave Saigon and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 1975.  A major activity in the
late 1970's was development of the Rapid Deployment Force, a multi-service unit designed to help do just that, _MOST_ important, it would seem, in our
time!  It further seems that there is now more inter-service co-operation than at any previous point in our history.  The 20th Century, for the Corps and
other service branches, would close with engagements such as in Beirut, Grenada and, of course, the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield and certainly
one of the swiftest wars in our history, Operation Desert Storm.  Humanitarian aid was also offered at home, the latest major manifestation of this being
from last year's two major hurricanes.  9-11-2001 brought the beginning of the current Global War On Terror, and while there is much controversy surrounding
the present war in Iraq, and while our tactical approach _MAY_ require some re-assessment, I for one hope that we will _NOT_ leave there in humiliation!

As has been my custom over recent service birthday posts, I would like to offer a birthday message for the Marine Corps, belated on two accounts.  The first
of these, as already related, is that the birthday itself, 10 November, was this past Friday, and I was out attending events related to it and Veterans
Day over the weekend (I was home yesterday, but doing other things).  But the latter is that the man who wrote the below, General Michael W. Hagee, passed
command of the Corps to its new Commandant, General James T. Conway, in a ceremony held on the parade deck at Marine Barracks Washington at mid-day to-day,
a ceremony which I was also privileged to attend.  So here is one of outgoing Commandant Hagee's last acts in that position:

Daily Media Report

10 NOVEMBER 2006

A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS

On November 10th, 1775, our Corps was born as the Continental Congress raised the “first and second battalions of American Marines.” Each year as we celebrate
our birthday, we pause to reflect on the Marines of yesteryear who fought in our touchstone battles and forged the modern Marine Corps with their courage,
integrity, and undying commitment to their fellow Marines. Each of our storied battles is a link in the long chain that binds all Marines together – from
the Continental Marines at Bunker Hill to the Teufelhunden crossing the wheat fields of Belleau Wood. This chain binds us to the Marines on the crest of
Mount Suribachi; it passes through the ice and snow of the Chosin Reservoir and the steaming jungles of Vietnam, and it anchors firmly today in the desert
sands of Iraq.

This year’s celebration again finds many from ranks serving with distinction in harm’s way. As we have for the past 231 years, our Corps is answering the
Nation’s call. I can report first hand that our Marines fighting on the front lines of the Long War on Terror are performing brilliantly, acquitting themselves
with honor, dedication, and dignity in difficult and dangerous environments.

All Marines are making a difference. Regardless of where you are serving, you are adding new chapters to the legacy that was earned with sweat and blood
on old battlefields. Just as previous generations of Marines shaped today’s Marine Corps, your deeds are molding the Corps of tomorrow. Our Corps has never
been stronger, and all Americans are extremely proud of your magnificent performance and unwavering commitment to serve our Corps and country. With high
caliber Marines like you, our future has never been brighter.

Another irreplaceable element of our success as Marines is the terrific support we receive from our families. Through the long hours, the exercises, and
the combat deployments, their support is unconditional and firm. They give us love and devotion, providing us with the strength to drive on when duty calls.
Today we should all acknowledge our loved ones for their patient, steadfast service.

To all who have earned the title Marine, to the superb Sailors who serve with us in every clime and place, and to our precious families – I wish each of
you a heartfelt Happy 231st Birthday.

I _VERY_ much thank Captain Manuel Delarosa of the Marine Corps Public Affairs Office for providing me with the above birthday greeting from Former Commandant
Hagee, and am additionally _MOST_ indebted to the Website of the Marine Corps History and Museums Division, hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/HD/Home_Page.htm, for
the historical information given prior to that message.  As you saw, only highlights were sketchily given, so my visitors are _STRONGLY_ recommended, if
this subject interests them, to visit that Site where, among numerous other things, they may read the birthday message of the legendary Commandant, General
Lejeune, which established the current custom of observing 10 November as the Corps' official birthday, as well as about customs related to the observance
thereof over the years.  I further thank the Department of Defense Website,
www.dod.mil,
for admittedly refreshing me on the new Commandant's name and another name to follow soon.

That other name is of the late Corporal Jason Dunham, who lost his life in Iraq recently as the result of falling on a grenade to save the lives of his
fellow-Marines.  At the dedication of the Museum this past Friday, the President informed us that Corporal Dunham would be the second Medal of Honour winner
to come out of the current Iraq War, _EMINENTLY_ deserved as far as I am concerned!!!  Another highlight for me from that ceremony was the speech given
by Dr. Jim Lehrer from PBS and a Former Marine.  He told us that, at his first drill session, the Drill Instructor mispronounced his name.  Recruit Lehrer
impulsively, yet seemingly respectfully, corrected him, whereupon the Instructor came, got in his face, and told him that if he said that his name was
Little Bo Peep, then Little Bo Peep was his name!  He _NEVER_ forgot it, and, in the tradition of the Corps, "once a Marine, always a Marine," he has been
a loyal Marine ever since, bringing this fact into his equally-_SUPERB_, again in my opinion, address he gave at Harvard's Commencement/Alumni Meeting
this past June!  As for the Museum itself, which I was privileged to tour the following day, much of it is visual, and thus I cannot comment as fully as
I would wish.  Yet I _CAN_ tell you that at least two of its exhibits are simulators, the first being a booth in which one simulates being yelled at by,
yes, a Drill Instructor, the other being landing under fire in a Vietnam-Era helicopter and then quickly deploying onto rough terrain to serve in what
I recall being a sort of suicide mission.  Those who _CAN_ see the structure tell me that it is _INDEED_ beautiful/impressive!  After the 3:00 p.m. Museum
tour, we went outside to what is called Semper Fidelis Memorial Park (as many of you hopefully know, the Corps' motto is "semper Fidelis," Latin for "always
Faithful") for its initial dedication.  When fully developed, it will be more fully landscaped, and one of its features will be a hill representing the
hill which a Marine Recruit must climb in order to, at its top, receive the Eagle, Globe and Anchor of a United States Marine.  If I am not mistaken, a
chapel is planned for the top of that hill.  There are, or again eventually will be if all goes well, memorial bricks for which the Marine Corps Heritage
Foundation, which operates the Museum and Park, raised private funds.  I would like to eventually return to Quantico to visit the Marine Corps University,
etc.  Despite much requiring vision, these events, along with the annual ceremony at the Marine Corps War Memorial and today's Passing-Of-Command Ceremony,
were _MOST_ meaningful for me!  By the bye, having mentioned that, of course, Naval and other Officers have served as astronauts, it was good that one
of their pioneers and a Former Marine, Senator John Glenn, was at least in attendance at the Museum Dedication!

The man who conducted me on the tour of the Museum, one Sergeant Jones, told me that new amphibious landing craft are being developed for the Corps, and
he showed me a new tractor-like vehicle which can take men and materials unloaded from a ship somewhat farther inland than previous amphibious landing
craft might have allowed.  These, along with presumably other technological advances, should keep the Corps in good stead in the coming days and years
along with hopefully the best men and women that can be mustered!

Once again I extend my best wishes and congratulations to the Corps on yet another meaningful birthday, and conclude this series of birthday tributes to
all five branches of our Armed Forces by thanking _ALL_ our Veterans, both past and present, for the loyal and dedicated service they have provided, this
past Saturday having been, as we all know, Veterans Day.  _SEMPER_ _FI_, Marines, and the _VERY_ best to the rest!!!

Gratefully and joyfully submitted,

J. V.