Orchestration

Today was mostly a pretty normal Friday. Swimming, coffee, painting at Studio 2 (I even painted a few place cards), lunch, home, naps. We finished off the evening by going to the performance of the Chattanooga Symphony. And it was a wonderful program.

The opening number was by Peter Schickele, writing as P.D.Q.Bach. I hope you know about this man and his music. He's a fascinating combination of musical and comic genius. The piece Maestro Bernhardt chose was the "Unbegun Symphony", a musical conglomeration of themes and phrases of a myriad of other composers, and does "not contain a single original theme". It truly must be heard to be appreciated and chuckled over.

The second selection was by a 20th Century Argentine composer, Astor Piazzolla, "The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires". It's an intriguing, unusual composition, combining unusual sounds made by the strings with beautifully lyrical themes. The soloist, Benny Kim, was superb. This composer is definitely worth more listening.

After the intermission, the orchestra performed Franz Josef Hayden's "Symphony No. 104 in D Major, 'London'". This was a charming and lovely symphonic work - eminently listenable.

During the performance, I thought about the word, "orchestrate", as it is used as the answer to a clue in crossword or double crostic puzzles. The phrase usually used is something like "to work together" or "to combine harmoniously". You know how thought processes will jump from A to B to N 1/2 or some such. Anyhow, the thought occurred that government OUGHT to be working like an orchestra.

The Head of Government should be out front, guiding the whole group. Each part of the group has its own theme (or agenda), its own tone, its own high and low notes, its own sound, etc., etc., etc. It's the job and duty of the Maestro to gather all these disparate voices together. It's the job and duty of the voices to work together under the leadership of the Maestro. It's the job and duty of both to produce a beautiful, harmonius, and successful combination of efforts. The Maestro cannot accomplish the desired end by pushing and threatening, but only by leading. The players cannot accomplish the desired end unless they agree to work together. All must have respect for one another and for each one's role in the production.

Why can't government work like an orchestra?

Today's picture is of morning fog on the Cumberland River.