Truly, I was ready to forgive and forget Saturday's `Moses und Aron'
unpleasantness, but the early 20th century wouldn't let me go.

Went to an Oakland Symphony rehearsal today to meet Michael Morgan, and
what did fate hold in store for me?

That `M&A' guy's Chamber Symphony, Op.  9, not really atonal, but (for
1906) `horribly dissonant.'

For 1999? Terrific.  Including some of the best music Richard Strauss
never wrote.  Enjoyed it.  Want to hear it again.

And so, on to the Tokyo String Quartet in Herbst, and a notice on the wall.
Instead of Bartok, just for me, a substitution:  Webern's Five Movements
for String Quartet, from 1909, a truly atonal (if not a serial) work.

And how did it sound 90 years later? Superb.  `Sehr langsam,' the 13-bar
second movement is the magnificent summary of `Transfigured Night'; `Sehr
bewegt' is exciting; `Sehr langsam' is mysterious, `In zarter Bewegung'
leads to a quietly dramatic and breathtakingly beautiful conclusion.

Look, Ma!  I am getting with the new century!  One hundred more years,
and it'll be Y2K.

(PS:  In Portland, OR, there is a brewing company called Hair of the Dog.)

Janos Gereben/SF
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