If I were in my living room on an evening the idea of listening to a Bartók Quartet would not be my idea of a pleasant relaxing evening. On the other hand being on the front row of a Microcosmos Quartet house concert is another story.

You watch the four musicians up close perform. They smile sometimes. Suddenly Bartók is all warm and pleasant (and accessible).

Marc Destrubé - Andrea Siradze - Tanya Popoff

The best part for this Argentine in last night's concert was a really easy to listen to composition (I would listen to it in the comfort of my living room any time) by Argentine composer (alive he is) Osvaldo Golijov. Marc Destrubé and Dutch cellist (he was wonderful to listen to and to watch) Diederik van Dijk gave us lots of info on Golijov but did not point out that the composer wrote the music for Francis Ford Coppola’s 1924 film Megalopolis.

Diederik van Dijk

As I watched and listened to the Microcosmos Quartet I came to understand that in this 21^st century, where experience and talent are diminishing, and mediocrity is in the increase, musicians, with their ability to read music and to play instruments, are the new secret-handshake Masons. It is difficult for me to comprehend how they do it.

I would like here to explain the significance of the opening photograph in this blog. Under Destrubé’s French violin and Golijov’s sheet music is my father’s circa 1938 Argentine flag. At my age of 82 I find myself remembering all the family and friends that preceded me and that are now dead. I stabilize my memories and feelings by taking the advice of St. Luke who wrote, as Christ was parting the bread at the last supper, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Somehow my father was with me last night.

There are still openings for the other house concerts. If interested you can go to the Microcosmos Quartet webpage.  Microcosmos Quartet

My friend graphic designer GrahamWalker accompanies me to the Microcosmos Quartet concerts.While listening to the music he sketches inspired by the music. This is his reaction to Golijev. Perhaps just like Destrubé can explain to us the complexities of Bartók I will  have to ask Walker the significance of this work.

Illustration - Graham Walker

Friday January 31, 7:30pm

The Blue House, Mt. Pleasant

SOLD OUT: waitlist

Sunday February 2, 3pm

The Amenities Room - Ocean and Lee's residence, Broadway/Granville

3 seats still available

Friday February 7, 7:30pm

Uli & John residence - Commercial/1st avenue

SOLD OUT: waitlist

Sunday February 9, 3pm

West Vancouver Marina Clubhouse

 21 seats still available

Program

Béla Bartók - String Quartet No. 2

Dimitri Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 11

 Osvaldo Golijov - Tenebrae

Coincidences happen more often than not, is something I have known since I was in my early 20s. I don’t know where I first read it. People might know of the word serendipity but few would know the antonym coined by Scottish writer William Boyd in his novel Armadillo – Zemblanity.

Sometime around the end of 2018 when I went to Leo’s on Granville Street, counter clerk and friend Jeff Gin showed me something called a Lensbaby. He said it was defective and he would sell it to me for a song. The next year, 2019, in February Rosemary and I travelled to Venice and Florence. While walking on St. Mark’s Square I dropped the Lensbaby. It was crooked but I kept using it with my Fuji X-E3 digital camera.

Two days ago I became curious about those Venice Lensbaby photographs as Jeff Gin gifted me a complete set of new Lensbaby and attachments.

I looked for Venice in my Fuji digital files in my computer. Alas! There were none. I kept at it and found Italy – Florence 01, etc and Italy-Venice. And there was Italy-Venice-Lensbaby!

I “fixed” a few and printed them. In my opinion they are fantastic.

The bittersweet element here is that Rosemary never got to see them. No coincidences for her. It’s pure zemblanity.