Thursday, November 17, 2011

11.11.11 11:11:11 .. and later

Last Friday I rode to the city on the bike. Just managed to reach the Shrine of Remembrance when 11 hours stroke. And few minutes later I watched this..



.. there is no year on my watch, so it showed only five elevens. Official ceremonies ended soon after and could see memories from those times, almost 100 years ago..



.. horse-drawn ambulance. Horses contribution to military history of Australia has been commemorated in this statue..



I still had one important point on my schedule, afternoon concert at Australian National Academy od Music (ANAM). It was only a short ride, I changed my dress and was ready. The concert started with Suite No 5 for cello by J.S. Bach. Opening Prelude was breathtaking (hear this). Next few parts went smoothly, and then, close to the end of the second Gavotte, there was some commotion behind the scene. The soloist performed few ending bars and stopped. An official appeared on the stage and announced a short break due to someone in the auditorium needing medical help. People started turning heads looking for a person in need. I did the same and saw few candidates for medical help, but was quite worried as many people looked questioningly at me. Luckily, the official asked us all to move away to make medical procedures easier. I got the message - who is not able to leave the room, will be taken by the ambulance. People hurried outside. In the foyer we could refresh ourselves with cooled water and fill declarations of donations for the Academy. The second option had also desired effect - people went outside, preferably on the other side of the road. After few minutes paramedics transported unlucky person to the ambulance and we were invited inside.
The soloist bravely performed the last part of the Suite. Then we listened to very refreshing French songs, and finally Till Eulenspiegel by Richard Strauss. Not the original piece for full orchestra, but a condensed version for an instrumental quintet. How light and witty it was! Check here.
Time to return home. I rode to the station and took the train. There was one thing, which bothered me a bit: how come, that the only photo I took from the WW I memories, was an ambulance? Was it a prediction of things to happen at the concert?