Gustav Mahler

The big star tonight at the Nashville Symphony Concert was Gustav Mahler's 1st Symphony which was the
second half of the concert. You can see and hear it performed by the Vienna Symphony on YouTube.
It is a "Titan" of a symphony which was it's original name but later Mahler didn't like that and just called it The 1st. I think it ranks up there with Beethoven's Ninth and the ending reminds me of the Hallelujah Chorus. particularly the part where they sing "Forever and ever and ever . . ."

And if that wasn't enough, the evening started off with Mahler's Blumine which was originally written as a part of this first symphony but soon removed by Mahler. It is a beautiful 8-minute musical painting of spring flowers blooming. The first movement of the above symphony had some similar nature elements but was different and both are beautiful. See and hear Blumine by Berlin Symphony Orchestra on YouTube.  I am so impressed by what all is available on YouTube now!

The American Composer part of this concert was by Nashville's own Edgar Meyer, "Double Concerto for Violin, Double Bass and Orchestra." It featured him on bass and Joshua Bell on violin. Neat! But not as good as Mahler's works tonight. News Report  -  couldn't find it on YouTube

My Cemetery Cousin

That's a strange title I realize, but of all my cousins it is Gene Hugh Hardgrave who appreciates and cares the most about cemeteries and the honor and history they represent - especially Hardgrave family cemeteries! On his way back from South Carolina with his new wife Theresa they called Saturday afternoon to say they would arrive in Nashville that evening and spend the night at a hotel in the Bellevue area - would I be interested in showing them the Hardgrave Cemetery here in Middle Tennessee? Of course! Sunday morning I did my greeter duty at door 3 of the church, then changed clothes during Sunday school and headed for Bellevue.

Gene has been here before and helped with a cemetery cleanup several years ago. But it was a first visit for Theresa. Before I met them at the Hampton Inn at 10:00, Gene had already shown her the DeMoss cabin in Red Caboose Park made by a contemporary of our 5 great grandfather Francis Hardgrave who lived in the Bellevue area.and had served in the revolutionary war with Louis DeMoss. He had also already shown her the little church cemetery where we first thought Francis was buried. (One of his sons had donated the land for that church and cemetery now located in the River Plantation Condominiums.)

But I get to take them to the Hardgrave Cemetery across the Harpeth River in the edge of Williamson County. I was embarrassed that I had not cleaned it up this spring, but was surprised at how short the weeds were. Though I do need to get it cleaned up and work on removing some dead trees. Gene has offered to help financially. Here is Gene & Theresa at the cemetery:

State Parks Exploration

One of my "Bucket List" plans is to visit all 53 Tennessee State Parks and I have already done more than half. One missing section has been the majority of parks in West Tennessee, so last week I spent 4 days finding and photographing 12 parks I had either not seen or at least had no photos of (in the case of 3). It was a good week, just wish I had taken longer and spent more time at a few of them.

There's a sample photo of each park at  http://www.pbase.com/charliedoggett/travel_state_parks_west
and I plan to eventually have a separate photo gallery for each state park. We have a very good state park system and a perfect place to take "A Walk in the Woods" which is the working title of the photo book I am preparing with photos from all 53 parks. It will eventually be available in my bookstore, maybe this fall.

One of four lakes at Natchez Trace State Park

Sickness & The Great Gatsby

A week ago yesterday I got my weekly allergy shot and an hour later I started a bad cough that would not stop, taking me back to the allergy office several times since then. They are not sure, but the high mold in the community with several days of rain and then more in the shot may have started it. But it grew into stopped up sinuses, a sinus infection, and bronchitis. I'm on an antibiotic, a steroid, my regular allergy meds plus a once-a-day inhaler. Still not well.

I was the volunteer coordinator for the week-long Festival of Homiletics at church and worked all day Monday which made me sicker and I have been home and in and out of the docs office ever since. I'm staying home at least through Sunday when I will miss church and the grand opening of the new Music City Center where I was to help represent the Zoo. That's the way it goes. But if I feel better Monday, I will continue my plans to visit several TN State Parks next week since I have reservations.

In preparation to see the latest version of The Great Gatsby movie in theaters now, I have seen the Netflix 1974 version which was really good and tonight watched a Junior-High to College one-hour book guide on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It was really helpful to understand the imagery and historical significance of the story about America in the 1920's. Understanding makes everything more interesting and fun! I still have the 2000 version of the movie coming and then I will go see the new one in a theater.

George Washington

George Washington was a Netflix receipt and Indie film that I did not care for. Though the subject was
good and the lessons learned were good, it was disjointed and amateurish after just seeing a much better coming of age movie in Mud. And the kids being black had nothing to do with my dislike of the film. It was just poorly presented in my opinion - choppy, disjointed scenes and some weak camera work. The actors actually did a good job, better than the script-writer and director. This is described as:

Four youngsters who are coming of age in rural North Carolina share a slow and regretful summer. After an accident claims one of their members, the group conspires to cover up their tragic mistake, thrusting them into the world of adult choices.


Some reviewers raved about it. 

MUD The Movie

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I saw this new movie filmed in southeast Arkansas Friday afternoon and really enjoyed it. Of course the "filmed on location" Arkansas scenery and small towns was a reminder of childhood there. Then it was an adventure by two 14 year old boys doing things I might have done at that age. Plus the story kept you alert and spellbound about spurned love, not giving up, and the danger of revenge. But I won't spoil the story for you - just recommend seeing it. The adult stars are Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon and the two boys Ellis and Neckbone are played by newcomers who are good. Then I liked the typically old south teen girlfriend's double name of Pearl Mae and activities around an old drive-in and the Piggly-Wiggly store. Fun nostalgia with some good morals learned the hard way, though I don't like the hero literally getting away with murder. As in too many movies, they make it okay if you are the good guy - kind of like we glorify war. I don't like promoting the idea that it is okay to kill a bad guy because as Christians it is not. Killing is never okay except maybe in self-defense which part of this was.

http://mud-themovie.com/

Last Day with The Freer Family

Freer Family at Parthenon

I've had a lot of fun showing the Freer Family around Nashville this week and today was the last day. They head for Memphis in the morning. We started off today driving through some neighborhoods including Donelson and The Gulch before heading for The Parthenon. Then some more neighborhoods and lunch at Monell's family style restaurant in Germantown. They said that was the highlight of the day as we visited with many people at our table. One of the men paid for their lunch and I made a new friend from Atlanta.

Then we did Bicentennial Mall, Farmers' Market, and some places downtown missed earlier before taking their laundry to my house to do while we visited and relaxed at home. Then dinner was a lot of fun at McNamara's Irish Pub in Donelson with great food and a terrific music show! They said the food was more like Australian food than anywhere they've eaten in the U.S. so far. Plus the singer sang "Waltzing Matilda" which is one of the favorite songs in Australia! Small world!  I'm so glad I got to be their Nashville Guide this week!

Elvis Wedding

Wednesday night was a lot of fun as I got to be the photographer for the wedding of the son of a friend at church. They got married at the Rhinestone Chapel with Elvis (a singing Elvis impersonator). It was a lot of fun and I will post more photos on my Pbase.com Gallery soon.