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Chapter 4 　Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828, died at 31 years old) Why did I choose Schubert for Chapter 4? The year before last, 2020, is the year of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, and last year, 2021, is the year of the Chopin International Competition for the first time in five years. Thus, there were a lot of TV and radio broadcasts of music relating to these composers. I was little tired of listening to Beethoven and Chopin during that time, but since I did not have many opportunities to listen to Schubert's work, I wanted to listen to Schubert more carefully. Born in Lichtental near Vienna, Schubert was the fourth child of 14 children of the first wife of his father who was a teacher with a family background of peasant. His father and brothers gave basic musical lessons to young Schubert, and at the age of 12, he entered the theological school (Konvikt) as a member of the children's choir of the Royal Chapel. He completed the course from elementary school to high school and was given specialized education in music. He left Konvikt at the age of 16 and started composing while attending a normal school (to become a teacher) with the help of his father financially as he did not seem to be particularly talented as a performing musician. While working as a music teacher, he made a living with the support of his disciples. Schubert was inspired by the soprano singer of his composition Misa in G minor, Therese Grob, who premiered it at the church in Lichtental, but his shy personality was an obstacle to the relationship. After his unrequited love to Therese Grob, when he was around 19 years of age, he started to compose “Symphony No. 4”, “No. 5”, “Lichtental”, “Death and the Maiden”, and so forth, and he has already established Schubert's style as a German Lied composer. At the age of 20, Schubert became a good friend of Johann Vogel, a baritone singer, 20 years older than he was, whom he met through the introduction of a poet, F. Showbar, to whom Schubert had been deeply indebted for a long time. Schubert's Lied (songs) were well received in Vogel’s premier public performance. With the help of his good friends, his fame gradually increased, and Schubertiade, a group of friends centered around Schubert, was formed. In his late twenties, he composed one after another, including “Die Schöne München” and “Winterreise” and “Symphony No. 7 - Unfinished”. When Schubert was 30 years old Beethoven died in March of that year, and he participated in the funeral with a torch. In September of that year, he visited Graz and held his own concert while leading a comfortable life and vigorously composing music, including “Impromptus” and “Moments Musicaux.” He made an enormous success at the recital in March of the following year, and he earned a huge sum of money for the first time. He paid off his debts, treated his friends, bought his long-sought new piano and spent them all. In October of that year, Schubert set out on a journey to visit Haydn's grave. After that, his health deteriorated sharply, he was diagnosed with typhus in November, and died soon after. He was buried near the grave of his beloved Beethoven as he said in his deathbed. I remember that my school music instructor said Symphony No. 8 “The Great” takes too long to listen to at once, however at my age now, the length is exactly right. It is a great piece of music with soothing tunes. I feel particularly calm when I listen to the performance of the Berlin Philharmoniker Orchestra conducted by Karl Böhm, and by the NHK Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Zinman (2009). Symphony No. 7 “Unfinished” is not an inferior music, but the subtitle of “Unfinished” makes me feel that it would be a luxury if I could listen to the music a little longer. No. 2 is Mozart-like, but when it comes to No. 4 “Tragic”, the heavy sound of Beethoven-like strings can be heard everywhere. The piano piece “Six Moments Musicaux” has beautiful tunes reminiscent of songs, and especially No. 3 (F minor) has been loved by the public since it was used for the opening of NHK's music program. The piano quintet “The Trout” is truly a masterpiece. The recordings by Yang Panenka (piano) and Smetana Quartet will shake my soul every time I listen. Piano Trio No. 2 (even its key is major) has sad minor tunes flow everywhere, and it is a masterpiece. The final Piano Sonata No. 21 is a supreme masterpiece that deserves to be truly a sacred heavenly music. String Quartet No. 14 “Death and the Maiden” is a masterpiece of the mature period of his later years with intense emotional manifestations. Arpeggione Sonata (D821) performed by the ancient instrument, Arpeggione, is a wonderful piece of music that I can understand its goodness. I enjoy listening to it when having a leisurely Sunday breakfast. The songbook “Beautiful Water Wheelhouse Girl” performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who is an excellent singer, I can listen to all the beautiful songs in which the rugged German pronunciation is arranged in order. The songbook “Winter Journey” is a song by Hans Hotter. I have listened to all the songs several times, but honestly, I do not really like it because it is a dark song except for “Good night,” “Bodhi,” and “Spring dream.” I also listened to all the songs of “Winter Journey” by Christian Gerhaher (baritone) and Gerold Huber (piano), who are artists of our time. They are much easier to listen, and the lyrics are convincing. “Winter Journey” was composed one year before the composer's death. Do the songs express anxiety, fear, and despair about death? According to Einstein, Schubert became a great composer because the duets are a sign of friendship ... and there are many fine works for piano duets. Schubert's music is simple yet highly artistic. Schubert says, “When I sing love, it is distress. When I sing distress, it is love.” For your reference, the table below shows the list of works by the composer that I listened to.

Chapter 3 Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdi (1809-1847, died at 38 years old) Although various literature states that Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany, I do not know where his birthplace really was after I lived in Hamburg for a total of five years. Similarly, Brahms, who was born in Hamburg, his birthplace and museum-like objects still exist in the city. Mendelssohn, blessed with music, he was called a child prodigy, and grew up and educated in a wealthy Jewish family. Even though he was full of talent, I still wonder why his birthplace was not open to the public at least. Mendelssohn’s grandfather, Moses, was a philosopher, and his father, Abraham, was a banker. The family moved to Berlin when Mendelssohn was two years old. Mendelssohn, who founded the Leipzig Conservatory, had given an enormous influence on the music world in the 19th century, and with his devotion to Bach music, almost forgotten at that time, also played a significant role in its revival. These are great achievements he left besides his more than 750 compositions. During the period while he was living abroad, he often went to England and Italy, and composed his impressions of these countries in his symphonies No. 3 "Scottish" and No. 4 "Italians". Speaking of Mendelssohn's composition, the first thing that comes to mind is the sweet melody of "Violin Concerto" * ③, and the symphonies No. 3 "Scottish" * ① and No. 4 "Italian" * ②. I often listen to the orchestral music "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and the overture "The Hebrides" * ④. But surprisingly, Mendelssohn’s music is performed much less compared to other famous composers of the same period. I noticed that again, but I am not sure if my thoughts are just an impression. Mendelssohn’s famous "Wedding March" is the eighth song of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", but Wagner's "Wedding March", which is also famous in Japan, is played in the third act of "Lohengrin". It is sometimes necessary to know that in Europe, "Lohengrin" is such a tragic story that people find Wagner's "Wedding March" unsuitable for weddings. For your reference the following is a list of the composer's works that I listened this time. ※① Symphony No. 3 in A minor (Op. 56) "Scottish": Mendelssohn started composing this piece when he went to England for a concert in 1829, and completed 13 years later in 1842, and all four movements were performed seamlessly. ※② Symphony No. 4 in A major (Op. 90) "Italian": This was composed while Mendelssohn was traveling in Italy in 1831. This familiar Roman dance music in the final movement (Saltarello) provides rich melody and light rhythm and gives strong impression of Italy. ※③ Violin Concerto in E minor (Op. 64): This is a masterpiece representing Mendelssohn that begins with a melancholic and sweet solo tune. It took six years from conception to completion and this concerto was dedicated to F. David, the concertmaster of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig. ※④ Overture "The Hebrides" (Op. 26): This is composed during a performance trip to London on a Scottish island. The music is like a reminiscent of a leading landscape painter who has drawn the impression of visiting the Great Cave of Bizarre. November 7, 2021

After two years of not performing in public, amid the Corona, MONATS-Trio concert at a nearby church was satisfactorily completed on Saturday, February 26th, with a new pianist who has joined us since last summer. In the state of California and the county of San Mateo, the restrictions on wearing masks in public places were lifted from February 16th, so, we were fortunate to be able to play without a mask. We, however, tested in the morning of the concert day to confirm that we were all negative for COVID-19. People in general still feel hesitant in going to public places, especially theaters and concerts. In that environment, with the warm support of family and friends, about 30 people came to the performance. Although we have some reflections of the performance, it was the best performance we could bring as amateur players. I was incredibly happy, though, that we have received many warm compliments, reviews and encouragements. The program was: Oblivion Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) Arr. for violin, cello, and piano by José Bragato (1915 --2017) Piano Trio in G major, Hob, XV: 25 “Gypsy” Joseph Haydn (1732 --1809) · Andante · Poco Adagio · Finale. Rondo all’Ongarese. Presto Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 66 Felix Mendelssohn (1809 --1847) · Allegro energico e con fuoco · Andante espressivo · Scherzo. Molto allegro, quasi presto · Finale. Allegro appassionato The fun of amateur musicians is, of course, we are music lovers, and we have fun and enjoy playing together. In addition, the playing becomes very "social activity" and wanting to share our music with family and friends. I have come to feel that way especially recently. Of course, there is always aspiration, and amateurs are aware of the difference from professionals, but the primary purpose of amateur is to "play and enjoy" aside from the results, which is a shared value among MONATS-Trio members. It is a very cozy world of hobbies, with no competition and friendly musical friends.

Encounter with Saxophone About 20 years ago, when I retired from the life as a businessman, I started playing saxophone. Soon after, I recruited friends and started the "Takarazuka Masters Ensemble (TMA),” performing for the elderly at their assisted living facilities as volunteers once or twice a month. Around the same time, the "Takarazuka Music and Cinema Club" (Kinema-no-Kai) was founded, and club meetings have been hosted every month to enjoy movies and music. At times, we invited guest performers. My first encounter with saxophone is about 20 years ago when I started trial lessons in a musical instrument class. Although I was a natural music lover, I did not particularly like the saxophone. Oddly enough, however, in 1961 when I was first assigned to work for a major Japanese textile company, the section manager assigned me to become a women's volleyball team (what I did was picking up volleyballs, cheering the players and accompanying to their expedition matches) while doing six months of accounting training at a factory in southern Osaka. Six months later, when I was transferred to a factory in Hyogo prefecture, the volleyball team gave me a farewell gift of a single record played by the jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins. Record jacket at that time ⇒ A few decades later, when I started playing the saxophone, a Japanese movie called “Swing Girls” was a great hit. In short, the story of the movie goes that high school girls with no musical instrument experience start brass band and climb to national championship. There were several high schools that said to be modeled after to produce the film, and with one among them, I made an appointment with a teacher at a high schools in Nagano prefecture. I visited the school and heard the untold story of the film making. Exhibits related to the movie "Swing Girls" of a high school in Nagano prefecture that I visited "Films・Musicals・Musical Instrument Performance ～Excitement Changes Your Way of Life～" Mini Concert Series Recalling that, in 2006, under the title of "Films・Musicals・Musical Instruments Performance ～Excitement Changes the Way of Life～", a total of four lectures and mini-concert were given at the "Sorio Hall" in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, where my current home is. Hosting the series of recitals was the beginning of my musical performance activities after that. Originally a music lover, after I encountered Sax, of course I wanted to play well, but more than that, I wanted to play more of my favorite songs, including movie music, musicals, classic, standard, canzone, jazz-like songs, ballad, and children's songs. The number of repertoires has increased rapidly. In recent years, I asked my piano teacher to transcribe the music of the classic masterpieces (including "Sous les toits de Paris (Under the Roofs of Paris)" and "An Affair to Remember") of which scores are not easily available. The repertoires have further increase The saxophone is an instrument invented by Adolphe Sax of Belgium in the middle of the 19th century. 2014 marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Adolphe Sax, and events were held all over the world. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel to Holland and Belgium for a two-week family trip that year, to the city of Dinant, Belgium, the birthplace of Adolf, and to see the colorful saxophones on all the railings of the long bridge over the Meuse River. Colorful saxophones on all the railings of the long bridge over the Meuse River, Dinan City (on the left), and the author in front of the Adolphe Sax Museum (on the right). The places where we play sax in "Takarazuka Masters Ensemble" are volunteer performances at facilities for the elderly. Other memorable places and cities where I performed include, "Takarazuka Culture Creation Center (former Takarazuka Music School Building)" at its opening, the Village in Sasayama City, Takarazuka Nishitani-no-Mori Park, Nara City, Yamato Koriyama City, Moriguchi City, Hirakata City, Nishi-no-Miyahama, Suita City Senri, Osaka City Dojima, Umeda Herbis Plaze ENT, Tenmabashi, Shin-Osaka and Hiyoshi in Yokohama City Kohoku Ward, Suita, Minato-ku in Tokyo, Syracuse in NY State, St. Louis in Missouri to name a few. Takarazuka City has recently settled down as the main place for our performance. TMA member at the time of formation A duo of piano and saxophone Takarazuka Culture Creation Center (at the time of opening) "Takarazuka Cinema and Music Cub" The "Takarazuka Kinema (Cinema) and Music Club" initially used two public halls in Takarazuka City to show movies and have guest musicians perform. I have carried the equipment for movie screening (including projector, DVD player, audio player, and electric wires) in a large suitcase from home, took train, assembled the equipment at the site, disassembled and cleaned up after the performance and carried these back home. A few years ago, I changed the venue to rent a "meeting room" in my condominium complex, so the time burden was halved. After the movie screening and performance, we were looking forward to having a toast at the Japanese style room in the public hall or at "izakaya" (a local Japanese style pub). We also have been hosting a "sukiyaki" party with famous Kobe beef twice a year. Friends of "Takarazuka Kinema (Cinema) and Music Club" Lunch party at a mountain lodge-style inn Author's postscript: This article is a partial amendment of the article posted in the old boys' society's quarterly magazine several years back of the company that I worked for. There have been some changes since then in musical activities and my life in general, so, I have edited for this blog use. There may be some redundancies and ambiguities to the readers of this Blog, but I have kept the article to the extent that it does not impair originality, so I would like to ask you to understand that point. If you are interested there is a part 2 of this article discussing My “Classic Film and Art Theory” Part 2 of 2.

My "Classic Film Theory" Many old movies are masterpieces, but with the generations change, it is usually difficult to convey it. I attempt to explain my belief and hope it would be easier for (younger) readers to understand my "Classic Film Theory." Today, we are terribly busy every day! With the further development of Information Technology (or computers and other telecommunication systems), the society in which information is viewed and exchanged on just a mere smartphone or Internet based texting software such as Line (communication software in Japan) is further promoting this tendency. The era in which I lived was also a period of high economic growth, and I was busy. However, since it was an era when IT was less developed, it was not as easy to obtain information instantaneously as it is now, so I had to go to places where I could have access to information. In other words, you can access information by looking up in dictionaries and encyclopedias, reading newspapers and magazines, watching movies, listening to music, going to concerts, listening to CDs/records, going to exhibitions, reading books, and so forth. The first half of this list above, that is, looking up in dictionaries and encyclopedias, and reading newspapers and magazines, is now no longer needed. And most of the latter part of the list, that is, watching movies, going to concerts, listening to CDs/records, going to exhibitions, and reading books, is taught as a part of ‘intellectual education’ in elementary and middle schools in their music, art, language and literature classes, except 'going to the movies.' Whether you like it or not, basic knowledge and practical skills of ‘art and culture’ are taught in school thus at least you have an opportunity to gain some knowledge. In the history of classical music, from Bach, Handel, Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Label, Bize, and Mussorgsky to modern composers including Hindemith, Berg and Toru Takemitsu, these names are mentioned in textbooks. There may be also singing and choir classes with piano and organ accompaniment. As for paintings, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raffaele, Millet, Corot, Rembrandt, Monet, Renoir, Dogan, Turner, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Klimt, are in textbooks as well. In Western literature, I always remember Shakespeare, Hermann Hesse, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Hemmingway, and in Japanese literature, Ogai Mori, Ichiyo Higuchi, Soseki Natsume, and Yuzo Yamamoto. Are Movies Art or Pure Entertainment? ～ My "Classic Film Theory" ～ It is a controversial subject whether a movie should be recognized as an artistic culture, or it should be considered as mere mass entertainment. Movies usually are not taken up in school classes. It takes at least 2 hours to watch a movie and we normally do not know which one is good until you see it. Good movies were produced in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, and we do not have many occasions to watch old movies now. In this busy modern society we do not come across many masterpieces that impress us. Many movies which are called masterpieces have solid original literature, screenplays, and themes. This is because the directors, screen writers, actors, cameras, and music that support them are also solid. Movies made after the 1970s may be satisfying to those who seek stimulus. It is not an exaggeration to say that very few are impressive. Therefore, the trend that people watch movies in theaters without knowing any old masterpieces are like reading Haruki Murakami and Kafka without reading classics in literature. In the world of painting, it is like seeing works of Picasso and Masuo Ikeda without knowing painters in the impressionist or even earlier eras. It is highly possible that you are exposed to the music of Berg and Toru Takemitsu without listening to the masterpieces in the classic and romantic eras in terms of music. As with any artistic culture, by the time you come across a decent work, you have seen and listened to many of mediocre and worthless works. The value standard is naturally nurtured and established by going through the process of seeing and listening to mediocre works. Another troublesome thing about old movies is that the degree to which the color of colored objects deteriorates over time due to the preservation state of the work is more severe than that of works of other art forms and culture. So, it is almost impossible to watch a lot of (deteriorated) old movies. In music, old records and tapes deteriorate in the same way, but it is the performance of the composers works, and the deterioration of the performer's works on records or tapes, but the original music exists, and other contemporary performers perform the same compositions. So, the deterioration of the original movies is different from deterioration of music on records. Most of the masterpieces that impressed me were made before the 1960s. I hope you understand my point of "classical film theory". Author's postscript: This article is a partial amendment of the article posted in the old boys' society's quarterly magazine several years back of the company that I worked for. There have been some changes since then in musical activities and my life in general, so, I have edited for this blog use. There may be some redundancies and ambiguities to the readers of this Blog, but I have kept the article to the extent that it does not impair originality, so I would like to ask you to understand that point. If you are interested there is a part 1 of this article discussing My “The World of Hobbies” Part 1 of 2.

The music selection on January 14 by Burton-Hill is "E Lucevan Le Stelle (And the Stars were shining)” sung by Cavaradossi (tenor) in the aria in Tosca, an opera composed by Giacomo Puccini, which premiered in Rome on January 14, 1900. Opera Tosca is one of Luciano Pavarotti’s favorites and some opera fans (especially women) say that they get teary before they hear it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU5roitYI1s According to Burton-Hill, "Opera demands exaggerated stories and high dramas. Puccini's Tosca is no exception. Burning emotions are displayed on the stage. The painter Mario, who fell in love with the singer Floria Tosca, was involved in a complex plot (desire, betrayal, the course of a normal opera). In the third act, Cavaradossi sings this aria, while he is waiting for his death sentence. He has just been told that he has an hour to live. Svanì per sempre il sogno mio d'amore (My dream of love has vanished forever) L'ora è fuggita, e muoio disperato! (That moment has vanished, and I die in despair!) E muoio disperato! (And I die in despair!) E non ho amato mai tanto la vita, tanto la vita! (And never have I loved life so much, loved life so much!) Kabuki, traditional Japanese arts, and opera have much in common. There are various descriptions about this, but to put it simply, both were born as folk performing arts around 1600 AD, then refined and developed, and as a form close to completion as today's performing arts and theater (entertainment). Both began with actors' narratives, such as "between songs and lines," and began to use current elaborate costumes, sets, and sound effects. Unfortunately, the big difference is that opera has spread all over the world over the span of 400 years, but Kabuki is performed only by Japanese actors as a classical art unique to Japan (and the Japanese language). What is interesting in common today is not only the period, but both are striving to produce, promote and perform contemporary opera and contemporary Kabuki.

On October 15, 1825 Mendelssohn finished his first indisputable masterpiece, the Octet in E flat Major op.20, when Mendelssohn was sixteen years old. Mendelssohn wrote this piece as a birthday gift for his great friend and violin teacher Edward Rietz (or Eduard Rietz, born in Berlin, October 17, 1802; died in Berlin, January 22, 1832 ). A year later, at age of seventeen, another of his masterpieces – the Overture to the Shakespeare play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was completed. Those two pieces are most well known among his earlier works. Written for four violins, two violas, and two cellos (double string quartets), this piece was created a new chamber music genre. Conrad Wilson summarizes that "its youthful verve, brilliance and perfection make it one of the miracles of nineteenth-century music." This was one of the first works of Mendelssohn to be very well-received. Mendelssohn instructed in the public score; "This Octet must be played by all the instruments in symphonic orchestral style. Pianos and fortes must be strictly observed and more strongly emphasized than is usual in pieces of this character." The work has four movements, and typically takes about 30 minutes. The first movement is the longest and takes about half of this. Allegro moderato ma con fuoco (E-flat major) Andante (C minor) Scherzo: Allegro leggierissimo (G minor) Presto (E-flat major) I listened to the Octet performed by Jasper String Quartet and Jupiter　String Quartet; impressive for its fine execution. Mendelssohn always loved this piece and I highly recommend this extremely "enjoyable" piece he composed.

It has been another challenging year for many people. I hope you and yours are safe and well, and settling in for a happy holiday season! I am staying home in Menlo Park, California, this year end. I hope to resume traveling to Japan in mid-March 2022, and to Paris before the summer if the new COVID variant, Omicron, does not get worse. I have not been out of the U.S. for over two years now. Hopefully, we will be back to the “new semi-normal” life next year. “Staying-at-home” has brought me joy as well. I have played the violin more, played ensembles (thanks a million to my musical friends), started my own blog (www.emimusicfriends.com), made walking a routine, got together with friends and cooked more at home. My piano trio group, MONATS-Trio, welcomed a new pianist this summer. We will have our recital on Saturday, February 26, 2022. I am attaching a program so hopefully those of you in the neighborhood can join us. I would love to see you! It has already been 10 years since I retired. Although I am getting less productive, I have finally started to enjoy the slow-paced life more. This lifestyle has become a reality partly due to “staying-at-home” the past years. I have also re-learned that happiness is to have “something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.” This was a life motto of my late husband who lived his life exactly that way. 2022 is the year of Tiger (my zodiac). Tiger is the third of the twelve Chinese zodiacs. According to the legend, Tiger was confident that no one could compete with its speed and vigor for the celestial race that would decide the order of the zodiacs. When Tiger climbed out of the river, thinking it was first, it learned that Rat (the zodiac of my late husband) placed first for its cunning, and Ox (the zodiac of my brother in Japan) placed second for its diligence. This left the king of the jungle having to settle for third place 😊😊😊. I hope that you embrace the new year with an open heart and go forward with hope and courage. I look forward to seeing many of you in 2022, especially those whom I have not seen these past years. Please stay safe and well, and drop me a note or send articles to the blog to share your life with me and our readers.

Drama Rated: R Stars: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Jack Farthing, Sally Hawkins Director: Paulo Lorraine Writer: Steven Knight The movie begins with these words: “A fable from a true tragedy.” That quote stayed with me the entire movie. I was constantly saying to myself “Did this happen? Is it a version of what happened? Is this pure fiction?” After leaving the theater I did a little research and now I understand that a few of the things in the film are based on true facts but most of the film is a fictional account of the writer, Steven Knight. This was filmed at various locations in England and Germany to represent Sandringham Castle where the Royal Family spends each Christmas. The period is at the end of the marriage between Charles and Dianna. For me one of the most interesting scenes comes early in the movie and show the entourage that arriving ahead of The Royals to open the house for the three-day holiday. Truck after truck comes down the driveway then a huge staff of uniformed men bring elaborate food, flowers, and wine into the kitchen in lovely baskets. As they complete the setup the camera pans to a sign above the kitchen that says “Quiet, They Can Hear You.” That bone chilling sign sets the tone of the story, and it is carried throughout the film. The focus of the film is on Dianna and how incredibly unhappy she was at the end of her marriage, and it depicts her as being moody, depressed, and childlike. Symbolically, she is obsessed with a book about Anne Boleyn and relates to Anne’s plight by imagining that Boleyn is with her at times. There are also other scenes that are dream like sequences that show Dianna breaking into her childhood home, dancing in halls, and running in fields. This all seemed a bit too much for me. Kristen Stewart did a good job getting Dianna’s accent right and certainly looked the part, but I never really felt sorry for her. In fact, I felt sorry for the young boys who portrayed William and Harry because they were the victims of her mood swings and emotional state. For people who like fashion, there is one scene that shows Stewart wearing some the most famous dresses Dianna ever wore. While it did not make sense to me why it was in the film, I did appreciate the costume department’s effort and skill. I enjoyed the film and really liked the set designs and costumes but, in the end, I was left with the feeling that Dianna would not have liked this representation of her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lagauhb5GyY

PG-13 Stars: Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeo, Suzuka Ohgo, Mako, Gong Li Director: Rob Marshall Producer: Steven Spielberg Music: John Williams Running Time: 2h 25min Recently I had lunch with Emi, and I asked her to tell me about the Geisha culture in Japan. Coming from mid-west America, it always sounded so exotic to me, and the women seemed so beautiful. She did an excellent job telling me about the art form of the Geisha and I wanted to know more so that night I remembered there was a movie many years ago about a Geisha. It debuted in 2005 and is called “Memoirs of A Geisha”. This drama is a fictional account of a nine-year old girl named Chiyo who is sold to a Kyoto geisha house in the 1920’s and it follows her life until after WWII. In the beginning, the event is very traumatic experience for the child because she is separated from her sister who is also sold into a different geisha home. Chiyo is a slave for the house and is mistreated by the lead geisha who brings in the income that keeps the place running. The woman who runs the home changes Chiyo’s name to Sayuri since the young girl is willful and disobedient. She no longer even has her own name. In time, Sayuri becomes fascinated with the life of a Geisha but the mother of the house refuses to put her though the expensive training. Then by chance Sayuri meets a kind gentleman who pays for her training after he sees something special about the child and she embarks on the rigorous education as a geisha. Memoirs is based on a novel by the same name written by American author Arthur Golden. I have no idea what kind of research Mr. Golden did to create this story, but I hope he was true to the Geisha culture. The music by John Williams sets a wonderful undertone to this film and the cinematography is lovely. You can certainly see the hand that Steven Spielberg had in the telling of this tale. The one problem I had with the film was that many of the actresses were Chinese rather than Japanese. I can only blame Hollywood for that! All the actors do a fantastic job however, and the story is both sad and beautiful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4L-xlmakQvc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFhNH2KdG9k

Chapter 2 Peter Tschaikowsky (1840-1893, died at 53 years old) Tchaikovsky had a strong interest in music from an early age, but his parents had an environment where music was one of their hobbies, and he graduated from law school and became a government official. However, as a graduate of the 1st class of Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, he also taught as a musician. In his early days, he interacted with the Russian Nationalist “The Mighty Five”, including Parakilev, and was influenced by his teacher Anton Rubinstein during his time at the Conservatory, and his style was rooted in Western European traditions. He married his student at the age of 37 but soon divorced. After that, he often lived in Switzerland, Italy, and France, and devoted himself to his compositions with the pension assistance of Mrs. Mech, a millionaire widow. He returned to Moscow at the age of 45 and entered his most fulfilling period of musical activities. However, contrary to his growing fame, his health deteriorated due to overwork, and he died of typhus in Saint Petersburg at the age of 53. Mrs. Mech's assistance was discontinued by then. I had experienced the bombing of Tokyo at home in Shibuya-ku in March 1945, several months earlier of the end of the war on August 15, 1945 (World War II also called “Pacific War” ended 76 years ago). I moved to Minami-Azumi-gun, Nagano Prefecture (currently Azumino-shi) in June of that year due to evacuation. Six years later in 1952, since the house in Shibuya, where I used to live, was burned down, my family moved to live in Ota-ku, Tokyo. After the war, I remember my father, despite his busy daily work and life, taking care of his rose garden and listening to several records daily, at our home in Ota-ku, Tokyo. One was Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique Symphony", and the other was "Blue Canary" sung by American pop singer Dinah Sure. I had never had an opportunity to ask my father why he listened to these two pieces of music repeatedly. Naturally, the first thing I knew about Tchaikovsky was the melancholic and sweet melody of "Pathetique Symphony" that burned into my mind since childhood. Remembering my mother, my mother was an avid reader, especially she liked "MANYOH-SHU", and I remember that she was looking forward to taking a short monthly trip with her circle of friends relating to MANYOH-SHU. In addition, I remember that my mother participated in an annual memorial trip for her second brother, who died on board as the chief accountant of the battleship Mutsu, which sank off Hashira-jima (Island) in 1943 due to an unexplained explosion. The characteristic of Tchaikovsky's work is that it is full of sweet melody and melancholy taste, and I think that there are many melodies that can be hummed so easily. Among Tchaikovsky's works, I decided to re-listen to the memorable melody, Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique Symphony", Piano Concerto No. 1, and Violin Concerto. After that, three major ballet music I listened again and believed that this is the essence of classical ballet. "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker" are wonderful, and the ballet suite "Sleeping Beauty" (op. 66) is as light and enjoyable as the fifth piece "Waltz" which expresses the title of the song. Also, "Andante Cantabile" (String Quartet No. 1 in D major, 2nd movement) is filled with Tchaikovsky’s sweet melody. For your reference the following is a list of the composer's works that I listened this time. * (1) Symphony No. 5 in E minor (op. 64): When I listen to it again, I think it is a masterpiece full of sweet melody and melancholy taste that is as good as No. 6 "Pathetique Symphony". * ② Symphony No. 6 in B minor "Pathetique Symphony" (op. 74): A feeling of desperate grief drifts in all the masterpiece, and I think that the effect is unparalleled. ※ ③ Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor (op. 23): In 1874, Tschaikowsky was 34 years old, and wrote in just one month. The music with a magnificent opening is rich and elegant and is one of the most memorable masterpieces. Hiroko Nakamura's performance with the NHK Symphonic Orchestra (1997) is memorable. * ④ Violin Concerto in D major (work 35): Strangely, Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto was composed in 1878 when he was 38 years old in the same year Brahms' violin concerto was composed. It was unpopular at the time of the premiere as it is a difficult piece to perform, but it is now a well-played masterpiece. Akiko Suwanai's performance at the Moscow State University Hall, the youngest winner of the Tchaikovsky International Competition (1990), did not stop the audience's applause even after all the musicians left the stage. I was impressed by the performance that is full of mutual trust between a violinist Sayaka Shoji and Conductor Yuri Termikanov with St. Peterburg Symphony Orchestra at NHK Music Festival in 2008. * ⑤ Ballet Suite "Swan Lake" (op. 20): The reason why ballet lovers were first drawn in and became ballet fans is the flowing and fast-paced melody that makes me think from this work. The performance of the Swiss Romand Orchestra conducted by Ansermet is light, delicate, and comfortable. * ⑥ Ballet Suite "The Nutcracker" (op. 71): The last work of the so-called three major ballets. The story is based on the fairy tale, which is the story of Hoffman's fairy tale and the events in the country of toys and sweets that happened at Christmas, and I think it is a masterpiece that shows a lot of creativity and imagination and makes it fun and beautiful music. * ⑦ Serenade for Strings in C major (op. 48): While oozing the influence of German music such as Bach and Brahms, the unique slab-like melancholy oozes out everywhere and is beautiful. In particular, the first movement has a melody reminiscent of flowers blooming in small hills and small fish swimming in the depths of a small pond. The second movement has a sweet melody played at the opening of NHK Symphony Orchestra Hour (1995) and others. It is no exaggeration to say that it is a masterpiece among the masterpieces that you want to listen to forever. The performance of the Bavarian Radio Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis is excellent. September10, 2021

Rated: PG-13 Stars: Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Amy Ryan, Laura Benanti Writer: Max Borenstein Director: Sara Colangelo What is a life worth-monetarily? Based on the true story of what happened after 9/11 to compensate the victim’s families for their loved one’s deaths, this film asks the question: is the life of a CEO the same as a janitor? How do you put a dollar cost on a life lost? Michael Keaton plays the renowned mediator Kenneth Feinberg who leads the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Feinberg was so moved by the tragedy he volunteered his law firm to seek compensation for the families of those who died in the World Trade Center and Pentagon Pro Bono. Feinberg was a “by the numbers” guy and had success in resolving conflicts by having both parties come to a mutual resolution to settle cases. The 9/11 situation was far from anything he had ever tackled and over several years he tried to get justice for the families he came to realize his past formula wasn’t going to work this time. I never knew this part of the horror of 9/11. It is a thought provoking and inspirational telling of a tragic part of our recent history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOAemeB9CAw