Alex Waterhouse-Hayward: Tanya Tomkins

Said Death To Passion - Emily Dickinson

Said Death to Passion

'Give of thine an Acre unto me.'

Said Passion, through contracting Breaths

'A Thousand Times Thee Nay.'

Bore Death from Passion

All His East

He - sovereign as the Sun

Resituated in the West

And the Debate was done.

Berkeley cellist Tanya Tomkins is playing tonight at the Chan with the Portland Baroque Orchestra directed by virtuoso violinist Monica Huggett. The concert is presented by Early Music Vancouver.

I had the luck to photograph Tomkins today at 12:30 in her hotel. This is the Fuji “Polaroid” I took. I imagined it last night in my-middle-of-the-night insomnia. Tomkins plays with unadulterated passion. I do believe my portrait miight show us a glimpse of it.

The Orchestra is playing Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons but I will be watching Tomkins from my third row (centre) seat as she bangs (she promised me she would) Vivaldi’s String Sinfonia “alla Rustica” RV 151.

A coda on gut strings by bassist Curtis Daily

We Wear the Mask That Grins And Lies
It was not death for I stood alone
The Music in the Violin Does Not Emerge Alone
I tend my flowers for thee
Lavinia Norcross Dickinson
Pray gather me anemone!
Ample make her bed
His caravan of red
Me-come! My dazzled face
Develops pearl and weed
But peers beyond her mesh
Surgeons must be very careful
Water is taught by thirst
I could not prove that years had feet
April played her fiddle
A violin in Baize replaced
I think the longest hour
The spirit lasts
http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2014/03/i-left-them-in-ground-emily-dickinson.html
http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2014/01/i-felt-my-life-with-both-my-hands.html
http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/03/currer-bell-emily-dickinson-charlotte.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/03/and-zero-at-bone-with-dirks-of-melody.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/05/charm-invests-her-face.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/06/tell-truth-but-tell-it-slant.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/06/theres-certain-slant-of-light.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/06/then-mashes-it-to-death.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/06/adjusted-to-tomb.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/06/i-could-not-see-to-see.html
http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/06/blonde-assasin-passes-on.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/12/dirk-commemorate-itself.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/12/lawful-as-equilibrium.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/12/there-is-no-frigate-like-book.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2011/12/light-is-sufficient-to-itself.html

http://blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com/2012/11/thanatos-two-tiny-rhododendrons.html