How Old Is Yours?
If it’s any younger than 820, don’t even mention it! There’s a photo online of a linden tree in the Czech Republic that’s been around for that many years. One in Germany is said to be 1000 years old. And a linden tree in the Republic of Georgia is 1500 years old.
The linden is a European species. We have some in the northeastern U.S. They’re known as basswood trees. In England and Ireland, they’re called lime trees, though they have nothing to do with the citrus fruit trees.
I have seen linden trees, always wondering how old they were. And those come to mind whenever I play the variations on the tune of the song Unter den Linden grüne (Under the Green Linden) by the late 16th, early 17th century Dutch composer Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck. I played pianist Andrew Rangell’s recording of it last week on Classic Mornings. The tune is a youngster, considering the age of the trees I mentioned. But if a tune has been around for several hundred years, it’s definitely in the “big leagues,” and even “hall of fame” material!
There are linden trees on the grounds of the Drottningholm Palace on the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden. Johan Helmich Roman, the Bach and Handel contemporary, wrote music for a royal wedding which took place there in August, 1744. I’ve played selections from the Drottningholm Music over the years. But last week was the first time I had the amusing thought of finding an answer to what seemed like a silly question “Can a couple have their wedding on the grounds of the Drottningholm Palace these days?”
I assumed silly, because the palace still serves as the residence of the Swedish royal family. So, I was expecting a response like: “Are you kidding?” – or maybe a bolder variation on that reply.
The answer was “yes!” You can have a wedding on the grounds of the Drottningholm Palace, which has historic buildings and gardens, and which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, not to mention a popular public gathering place. I’m guessing that a wedding party would be permitted to wear 18th century attire and to use some of the music which Johan Helmich Roman wrote for the four days of festivities that were a part of the wedding in 1744. I’m not sure if the wedding party would be able to reserve venues for fourdays. Oh, they’d certainly make some caterer happy if they did. And I wonder whether they could gather up a number of early music specialists to play Roman’s music live. In these days of wedding DJs, a classical DJ could play some recordings of that music and save them a few bucks – or Swedish kronor.
Our recording of Roman’s Drottningholm Music features the Uppsala Chamber Orchestra of Sweden led by Anthony Halstead (Naxos 8.553733 ) He calls himself “Tony” at his website. Born in Manchester, England, Halstead turned 75 last Wednesday (June 18). He’s still conducting these days. Once upon a time, he was a horn player. He was principal horn of The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, The London Symphony Orchestra, The English Chamber Orchestra, The Academy of Ancient Music, The English Concert, The Hanover Band, The English Baroque Soloists, The London Classical Players, and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. He still performs occasionally.
Pianist Alfred Brendel died last Tuesday at age 94. I’ve visited his website from time to time. I’ll share a few items that caught my attention last week. Though he was famous, his bio reminds us: “He was not a child prodigy, his parents were not musicians, there was no music in the house and, as he admits himself, he is neither a good sight-reader nor blessed with a phenomenal memory.” Being self-taught, he said helearned to distrust anything he hadn't figured out himself. More valuable than teachers is listening to other pianists, conductors, singers, and oneself. Presented with a tape-recorder, he learned by recording the piece he was studying, listening to his playing, and reacting to it.
There’s a link to his “favorite recordings.” I was excited to see which ones he selected, until I noticed that the first to be listed was his complete 114 CD box set from one particular company. I was suspicious of that. But I’d be thrilled if someone told me that they enjoyed every piece they heard on Classic Mornings!
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