40th Anniversary Report: Tumbling Tumbleweeds

So, we were in Vienna a few days last week, being shown the sights by Brother Number Four, when we visited the Leopold Museum on July 15.  The Wife was particularly interested in the collection of Gustav Klimt paintings.

While wandering around the museum, I happened to notice (well, "happened" is not exactly the right word, but it will have to do for now,) a very attractive young woman, in her late 20s or early 30s, with bright red hair, wearing an elegant, long butt-hugging dress, very high heels, a black hat and veil, long black gloves and a red fur.  She looked like she had stepped out of a fin-de-siecle painting and was casually strolling around to see who else was in the museum.  I tried hard not to stare, but to casually look at the Klimt's, which I'm sure were wonderful, while keeping an eye on where she was.  Nobody in the museum was talking with her, except for the young man accompanying her, but everyone was staring at her, while trying hard not to stare.  I half-expected her at some point to climb back into a painting and resume a mysterious smile.

There was no point in pretending to The Wife that I was not admiring this young woman, everyone in the museum was watching her with great fascination (men) and envy (women.)  I tried to get The Wife, and also Brother Number Four (who has an amazing way with women) to go ask her what her schtick was, but everyone, including me, was too shy.

Finally, we left the museum and outside on the steps, there were some musicians playing music and some young people slowly tumbling down the steps.  Here is some video I took of that sight.

While watching that strange performance, I noticed the mysterious young lady in red at the bottom of the stairs also watching it.  After trying again to get The Wife and Number Four Brother to go find out what's up, I finally decided I would do it.  So, I went over and asked her why she was dressed like that. She told me that she always dresses like that; she like the decadence of the fin de siecle area.  I asked her where she was from -- it turned out she was from Poland; she's a costume designer and she works

with the dance troupe that was tumbling down the stairs.  They had been brought to Vienna by the Polish consulate to perform later that evening and this was kind of a preview.  We continued talking about people staring at her, and whether many actually came up and talked with her (not many,) animal rights advocates and their objections to her wearing fur, our upcoming trip to Paris, etc. As I was talking, I glanced to my side and there at my right elbow (that was after the  picture was taken) were Brother Number Four and The Wife, trying to listen in on the conversation, but too shy to get involved themselves.

The Wife and I were quite impressed with the whole deal -- the strangely dressed young woman and the artistes tumbling down the stairs, so the next morning at the Vienna Airport, we decided to see if we could impress anyone.  As we were going down the escalator with our nifty new rolling Swiss bags, The Wife tried to adjust her bag just before she reached the bottom, whereupon it fell over, knocking her over, into me, and I and my nifty new Swiss bag went down, all in a heap at the bottom of the escalator.  We were unhurt, except for our dignity, and we discovered the fun of having everyone around us staring at us.

It was so much fun that when we got to Paris a couple of hours later, we tried it again.  This time, it was at the top of the escalator and The Wife had already safely escaped when my bag and I went down.  Again, there were no serious injuries.  I had a nasty-looking gash in the back of my head, for which The Wife wanted to take me to the socialized medicine hospital to get stitches, but I insisted  on just stanching the blood and hoped for a nasty-looking scar that would gain me respect, with the stares.

As a result of our adventures, The Wife and I see the attraction in getting stared at, but I am trying to talk her into a butt-hugging dress, black hat, veil, gloves and high heels, so we can stop the stair tumbling.  (Alas, no pictures of our escapades.)

40th Anniversary Report: A Sleepless Night

About a year ago, I realized that The Wife and I had our 40th anniversary coming up August 14, 2011, and I didn't particularly look forward to commemorating by posting the customary before and after pictures in the newspaper,so I had to come up with a really good way to celebrate.

The Wife and I didn't go to Paris for our honeymoon, we went to Montreal (I took along $300 to finance the trip and came back with money left in the wallet.) Three years later we did hit Paris for a few days while we were doing the Grand Tour, just before I entered law school. It had never worked out for us both to return, although I took Son Number Two to Paris about 10 years ago for violin master classes. So, I got the idea that we would spend three weeks in an apartment in Paris for our 40th anniversary.

Then it turned out that Son Number Two's string quartet, JACK, was playing in concert in Reims,  just 45 minutes northeast of Paris by fast rail, on July 14 - 18, and we really could not miss that, and Brother Number Four (who is now 52 years old -- that is more of a shock than my own age) has lived in Vienna for seven years without a visit from us, so we had to go see him while we were in Europe.  All of those things have now been done, and The Wife and I are now happily settled into our beautiful apartment, enjoying the pleasures of Paris -- indisputably the Number One City in the World.

To catch you up on our adventures, we left Champaign on July 12, driving to O'Hare Airport where we would catch a 5:00 o'clock British Airways flight to London.  Everything went fine.  Traffic, no problem. Parking, no problem.  Shuttle to terminal 5, no problem.  Security, no problem.  Getting on the plane, no problem.  Seats, no problem.  I had scored seats just behind the bulkhead separating the business class from the peasants, which gave us more leg room.  Seat mate(s) -- problem.

We were in a three-seat section, the window seat being occupied by a young woman (23, and from Macedonia, we later found out) and her infant son, big for his age, but under two years old (or so she claimed) so he could ride for free sitting on her lap.  The plane had not yet left the gate when he began to cry -- not whimper -- cry.  Her response, quite sensibly enough, was to tell him to "stop that" and try to get him to drink his bottle of milk.  He would take a few gulps and then start crying again.  This went on continuously all the way across the Atlantic -- thankfully only an eight hour trip, not the six weeks it took my ancestors to come the other way.

I felt sorry for the mother, her child, for us and the other passengers.  I have never seen a mother as ill equipped for her job.  She had brought absolutely nothing to entertain or distract the baby, other than the bottle.  She had brought no books, no toys, no tapes -- nothing.  All night long, as he cried, she would say, "Stop that. Shut up."  She said she had given him Benadryl before the trip, and gave him another dose on the plane, apparently to try to drug him to sleep.  He did sleep for maybe an hour of the flight, but otherwise he was crying.

I was not angry with the mother.  I think she was just ignorant about how to travel with the child.  How could I be angry with the child?  He was obviously miserable, upset and didn't want to be there as badly as we didn't want him there.  The mother had lived in the United States for three years, she had no relatives here, other than her husband, who was also from Macedonia, but who was not making the trip.  I think she never had anyone to teach her parenting skills, and although some mothers can pick up parenting naturally, some need to be taught.

Joel Stein has a funny article in last week's Time about traveling with children - his solution is to put them in their own compartment in the back, and to segregate everyone else by their own demographic.  I don't like that idea.  I don't relish the thought of being in a compartment with a bunch of old overweight white guys.  I think the belching and the farting might be worse than hearing a baby cry all night long.

Obed is moving on up

So, here's my 8-month-old grandson, Obed, figuring out how to climb stairs.

Crave Radiance: New and Selected Poems 1990-2010 by Elizabeth Alexander

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is a collection of poems written by Elizabeth Alexander over the last 20 years. One of Ms. Alexander's poetry books was a finalist for the Pulitzer prize. She read her poem, "Praise Song for the Day," at Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009. She has won a number of poetry awards and is chair of the African American Studies Department at Yale. So, obviously, smarter people than me think she is a great poet. It would take more chutzpah than I have, a simple, unlearned Amish boy, to criticize this book. I just know what I like. And I don't like this poetry.

I suppose the purpose of publishing a book of mostly previously-published poetry by a particular author is to show how the author has developed over the years. I will grant you that the latter poems appeal to me more than the early poems. (So, why not just leave out the early poems? Because I don't know what I'm talking about when I don't like these poems. They're great; they must be great because the experts have said so.) It's not that I hate all poetry. When I'm inaugurated as president, I want Julia Kasdorf or Rona Laban or David Wright to read one of their poems. Or, if they are busy, Billy Collins will do. Elizabeth Alexander? Meh.

Lucky by Alice Sebold

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is an excellent book, a memoir that concentrates mostly on the author's rape as a college freshman at Syracuse University and the traumatic aftermath. I liked the first three-fourths of the book even more than her most famous book, "Lovely Bones," which recently came out as a movie. There is no question that as a practioner of the craft of writing, she is superb. The last fourth of the book left me a little skeptical about what she was leaving out and kept me from giving the book my top rating.

JACK live at the Greene Space in NYC on Thursday

A Death in the Family by James Agee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The advantage of not having been an English major in college is that all the classics are new to me. This book, the only novel by James Agee, may be the finest novel I have ever read. It is the only one he ever wrote and it was published posthumously in 1946, two years after he died. Agee was well-known in his life-time for a work of non-fiction about depression-era tenant farmers, "Let Us Now Praise Famous Men," and for his movie reviews.

"A Death in the Family," won the Pulitzer Prize for literature. It is said to be based on Agee's own life. Not much happens in the way of plot. The father of a little boy is killed in an automobile accident. The book skillfully explores the relationship between the boy and his father and the rest of the family. It describes with sensitivity how the boy felt about his father's death, a mixture of sadness and exhilaration that he was now "half an orphan." The prelude is a description of a walk the son takes with his father downtown and back. Its descriptions are astounding. They remind me a lot of Irene Nemirovsky's descriptions in "Suite Francais," which was written around the same time, in their vividness and authenticity.

Even if you generally don't read fiction, this is one book everyone MUST read. The truths in it are far beyond any nonfiction you will ever read.

Annual Books and Movies List - 2010

Every year since I started this blog, I have listed and rated the books I read and listened to and the movies I watched in theaters. I never got around to doing it for 2010 for some reason, mainly because I wasn't blogging much at all around the end of year. So, for myself as much as for anyone else, here is my list.

Just a note about methodology: The ratings are based on five stars being the highest. The books are ones I have read or listened to this year, some of them for the second or third time. I read (or listened to) 58 books this year, down from last year's record 67. Eleven were non-fiction; 56 were fiction.

Although five stars is officially my highest rating, if a book makes me say, "Wow!!" at the end, I might give it Five Plus Stars. Five Plus Stars should be rare; last year I awarded none of those. Either I read better quality books this year or I was feeling more generous as I read five books that got Five Plus Stars.

I only list 25 movies this year, down from 42 last year. The movies I listed are ones I saw in theaters because of my conviction that seeing DVDs at home on even large television screens is not experiencing the whole movie as it was intended by the directors of the movies. I can change. Having allowed The Wife and Son Number One to talk me into acquiring a large flat screen tv with a blu-ray DVD player and an on-line connection, I find that I am enjoying watching movies at home as much or more than watching them in a theater. Plus the convenience and low cost of watching Netflix, particularly their instant offerings, has meant that the vast majority of movies I am watching now are at home, so for 2011, I will list and rate those also. The movies marked Ebertfest were ones I saw at the Roger Ebert Film Festival here in April. Most of them were not in wide release and many are not even available on Netflix.


My book of the year is Generosity by Richard Powers

Five Plus Stars
Generosity Richard Powers
Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck
The Bridge of San Luis Rey Thornton Wilder
The Gravedigger's Daughter Joyce Carol Oates
The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver

Five Stars

Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories Annie Proulx
Bridge of Sighs Richard Russo
Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
Country Driving Peter Hessler
Digging to America Anne Tyler
Good-Bye Columbus and Other Short Stories by Philip Roth
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen
My Father's Tears: Short Stories John Updike
Noah's Compass Anne Tyler
Nonviolent Communication Marshall Rosenberg
The Art of Travel Alain de Bottom
The Maple Stories John Steinbeck
Zeitoun Dave Eggers

Four Stars

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius Dave Eggers
An American Type Henry Roth
Elementals A.S. Byatt
Family Meeting Miles DeMott
Following the Equator Mark Twain
How Proust Can Change Your Life Alain de Bottom
Imperfect Birds Anne Lamotte
Jaybar Crow Wendell Berry
La's Orchestra Saves The World Alexander McCall Smith
Last Night in Twisted River John Irving
Letting Go Philip Roth
Pylon William Faulkner
Revolutionary Road Richard Yates
Sanctuary William Faulkner
She Got Up Off The Couch Haven Kimmel
Solar Ian McEwan
The Facts Philip Roth
The Good Boatman: A Portrait of Gandhi by Rajmohan Gandhi
The Help Kathleen Stockett
The Women T. Coraghessan Boyle
When She Was Good Philip Roth

Three Stars

Alaska James Michener
A Tale of Two Revolts Rajmohan Gandhi
Deception Philip Roth
Diary of A Pigeon Watcher Doris Schwerin
Ella Minnow Pea Mark Dunn
Girl With Curious Hair David Foster Wallace
In Dubious Battle John Steinbeck
Musicophilia Oliver Sacks
Songs Without Words Ann Packer
The Bean Trees Barbara Kingsolver
The Breast Philip Roth
The Clinton Tapes Taylor Branch
The Flying Troutmans Miriam Toews
The Professor of Desire Philip Roth

Two Stars

I Like You Amy Sedaris
My French Whore Gene Wilder
Once On A Moonless Night Dai Sijie
South of Broad Pat Conroy
Traveling With Pomegranates Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor

Movies

Five Plus Stars

The Messenger (also my movie of the year.)

Five Stars

A Single Man
"Departures"
Song Sung Blue (Ebertfest)
The Kids Are All Right
Trucker (Ebertfest)
Vincent: A Life in Color (Ebertfest)

Four Stars

Babies
Barfly (Ebertfest)
Crazy Heart
It's Complicated
Synecdoche, New York (Ebertfest)
Up In The Air
Wall Street II
You The Living (Ebertfest)

Three Stars

Dinner For Schmucks
Extraordinary Measures
I Capture the Castle (Ebertfest)
Man With A Movie Camera (Ebertfest)
Morning Glories
Pink Floyd: The Wall (Ebertfest)
The Last Station
The New Age (Ebertfest)

Two Stars

Apocalypse Now Redux (Ebertfest)
Leading Ladies
Salt

What I Saw Under the Table Last Night

Last night I attended a dinner hosted by a group that promotes discussion and understanding among the Abrahamic religions (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, all of whom claim the blessing God supposedly gave to the descendants of Abraham.) I went primarily to support my brother, the Humble Philosopher/Carpenter/Farmer who gave the initial presentation about a document called A Common Word Between Us and You, prepared by a group of Muslim scholars and religious leaders to Pope Benedict and other Christian leaders following a speech by the Pope in which he appeared to denigrade Muslims (once again.) A rabbi, the head of a local Christian seminary and a Muslim leader spoke in response to the letter. The food was good, the discussion was interesting and I really was not looking under the tables because I was bored. Honest. Nor because I have a shoe fetish.

It was purely accidental that I happened to glance under a table and saw some very sexy-looking very high heeled shoes being worn by a Muslim woman in full hijab. She had everything covered from top to bottom except her face and her shoes. She looked good. Actually, to this old man, she looked better than Britney Spears climbing out of a limousine with a very short skirt hiked up to her waist and not wearing underwear. But, then, that's probably because I grew up Amish where the most daring footwear a young woman could put on were sneakers.

Remember Me?

OK, it's time to get the old blog fired up again. I doubt that I have any readers left after that long hiatus, but I need to write for myself, if no one else. I started the blog almost six years ago as The Wife and I were getting ready to go to Lucerne, Switzerland to see Son Number Two perform at the Lucerne Festival. I started it and named it partly as a take off on Mark Twain's "An Innocent Abroad," in which he recounted his adventures visiting Europe, including Lucerne. Since then it has evolved (or devolved) into a little bit of politics, some Amish arcana, some book and movie reviews and whatever else strikes my fancy.

I love Facebook, but unfortunately, it has drained some of my writing creativity. You can write a sentence or two and get immediate feedback from people you know. It's easier to post photographs and to see your friends' pictures. It has also been a very busy time for me at work, so given the time demands, I have taken the easy way out.

This week, I bought tickets for The Wife and I to go to Europe to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary in July. We'll be going to Vienna for a few days to see my brother, The Do-Gooder, and then to Paris for a couple of weeks and return via London. While we're in Paris, we'll run up to Rheims one night to hear JACK play, and on our way home, we'll hear the quartet play again in London, at the venerable Wigmore Hall, as part of that venue's 125th anniversary celebration. So, I'll have lots to write about this summer and I need to write it so when I'm an old man, I can go back and read it and remember what we did.

I have not been keeping the blog (I won't say readers because I doubt I have any left) up to date on the growth of the cutest baby in the world, Grandson Number One. We're going to go see him in Brooklyn two weeks from today. Meanwhile, here's a picture I just love of Son Number Two and Grandson Number One.

The Third Generation

Some Words Of Wisdom From A Guy With Whom I Generally Disagree

I am stealing this link from my friend, Catch Her In the Wry. Ron Paul is a libertarian and has many good ideas, but, generally, I think he is a nut. But there is nothing nutty about what he says here.

All You Ever Wanted (Or Needed) To Know About Alaska

Alaska by James A. Michener

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is my second Michener book after shying away from him for years and years because of his reputation.  Now, I find myself enjoying the books for all the knowledge I get in very palatable form.  As in the earlier book of Michener's that I read, "The Source," he starts with prehistoric times, and then mixes stories with facts to give a complete history of the place.  It's not a great work of literature, some of the stories are too cheesy.  But without this book, I would never have bothered to learn much about Alaska beyond what has been in the news the last two years about its flaky former governor.  The book is more than 1,000 pages long, but if you take it in little bites (it took me almost four months to finish it,) it's worth the effort.

Obed Report: Grandson Number One is Here!

Not all newborn babies are cute. I'm so glad that we were lucky enough to get a cute one. Obed arrived yesterday morning at 12:49 a.m., missing by 50 minutes our hope that he would be born on 10-20-2010. He is a biggie -- 9 pounds, 6 ounces and 21 inches long. He was about three weeks overdue, which I think accounts for his size and alertness. He looks like he is well aware of what is going on and is taking it all in.

Obed Report: Still Waiting

So, The Wife and I are in New York this week, awaiting the arrival of Grandson Number One, Obed Henry Otto. He was due October 1, but he is following the example of several relatives (not me) who tend to be late. Yesterday, we spent most of the day at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (yes, I, too, thought it was Botanical Gardens, because that would make sense, but it's not.) The weather was perfect yesterday and today.

Today, we went to Manhattan and walked around the Union Square area. The specific errand was to go to the Farmer's Market, but an added benefit to going anywhere in New York City is to watch the people. This is a libertarian's paradise. Anything goes, from a man, clothed only in a hat, shoes, socks and a placard (in front; nothing but the cool Manhattan breeze in the back) reminding people to remember Eric Williamson to a poor ex-(we hope)prostitute, just trying to get some donations in order to stay ex-. You don't know who Eric Williamson is? I didn't either, until I googled him and found these stories,here, here, and here.

The picture of the ex-prostitute flatters her. Forgive Crockhead for being cynical, but despite the man talking to her, business could not have been booming before she decided to rehabilitate herself. She probably needs better advertising. Maybe some flyers promoting a going-out-of-business sale would attract some better heeled customers.

JACK Report: Sold Out in Germany

Here, courtesy of Google translate, is a German newspaper account of a festival in Germany where JACK will be playing in two weeks. As best as I can make out, there are no more tickets available, not even for standing. Woo Hoo!

"Four wins at the Music Days 2010
Von Schwarzwälder-Bote, aktualisiert am 01.10.2010 um 22:31 From black-Bote, updated on 01.10.2010 22:31

Von Steffen Maier Steffen Maier

Donaueschingen. Donaueschingen. Viele sagen ihm jetzt "Mensch, Georg, das ist ja super", aber dem Georg, dem ist derzeit alles andere als super zumute. Many say it now "Hey, George, that's great," but the George, which is currently anything but super mood. Georg Riedmann sitzt an seinem Schreibtisch im Kulturamt, vor sich den Computer, schaut auf die vielen E-Mails, die meisten davon drehen sich um ein Thema: Die Absender wollen, möchten, brauchen unbedingt noch Karten für die Donaueschinger Musiktage, die Stadt in zwei Wochen zusammen mit der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde und dem Südwestrundfunk wieder auf die Beine stellt. Georg Riedmann sits at his desk in the Department of Culture, in front of the computer looks at the many e-mails that turn most of it is an issue: The sender will want, really need any tickets for the Donaueschingen Music Festival, the city in two weeks along with the Friends of Music Society and the South-West Radio is back on its feet. Aber es gibt keine Karten mehr. But there are no more tickets. Und das ist ja eigentliche eine gute Nachricht. And that's real good news.

Streng besehen sind schon mehr Karten weg, als Plätze in den Spielstätten vorhanden sind – im Flugzeug würde man sagen: die Musiktage sind überbucht. Strictly inspect even more cards away, as space is available in the venues - would tell you on the plane: the music days are overbooked. Nur dass in Donaueschingen kein Ersatzflieger bereit steht. Except that no replacement ready in Donaueschingen fliers. Wer zuerst kommt, darf auf Stühlen sitzen, viele müssen aber auch auf Hallenböden Platz nehmen oder während der Konzerte stehen. First come, must sit on chairs, many must also take place on indoor surfaces or stand during concerts.

Und genau das bereitet Georg Riedmann, dem Kulturamtsleiter einige Sorgen. And that's what prepares Georg Riedmann, the culture department head a few worries. Was, wenn etwas passiert? What if something happens? Aber Neue-Musik-Fans sind ja zum Glück kultivierte Menschen mit Anstand und Niveau, die Musiktage sind ja auch kein Massen-Rock-Konzert unter freiem Himmel, da wird schon alles gut gehen. But new music fans are fortunately cultured people with dignity and class, the music days are not much of a mass rock concert under the stars, as even all will be well.

Musiktage: Worüber viele Donaueschinger den Kopf schütteln, weil sie mit den Klängen der Musiker so rein gar nichts anfangen können, ist bei Liebhabern aus aller Welt beliebt und angesagt. Music Festival: Shake What many Donaueschingen head because, with the sounds of music as pure can start anything, is in its devotees from all over the world, popular and fashionable. Der Termin des seit 1921 in Donaueschingen stattfindenden und weltweit bedeutendsten Festivals für Neue Musik ist ein Muss in der Kenner-Szene. The date of 1921 in Donaueschingen taking place and the world's most important festivals for contemporary music is a must for the connoisseur scene.

Im Zentrum der diesjährigen Auflage steht das Streichquartett. In the center of this year's edition is the string quartet. Herzstück des Programms ist die Quardittiade am Samstag: Mit dem "Arditti Quartet" aus London, dem "Quatuor Diotima" aus Paris und dem "JACK Quartet" aus New York treffen Streichquartette dreier Generationen und Interpretationskulturen aufeinander. The heart of the program is to Quardittiade on Saturday: "Arditti Quartet" By from London, the "Quatuor Diotima" from Paris and the JACK Quartet from New York to meet one another string of three generations and cultures interpretation. Die Musiker haben einen Marathon vor sich: Jedes Quartett spielt sein Konzert an diesem Tag drei Mal, wechselnd im Strawinsky-Saal der Donauhallen, in der Christuskirche und in der Erich-Kästner-Halle. The musicians have a marathon itself: each quartet will perform his concert on that day three times, alternating in the Stravinsky Hall of the Danube halls, in the Christ Church and the Erich-Kästner-Hall.

Diese "Quardittiade" ist nach der "Ensembliade" 2008 und dem Schwerpunkt Sinfonieorchester 2009 der dritte und abschließende Teil des von der Ernst von Siemens-Stiftung geförderten Trilogie-Projekts zu instrumentalen Gattungen. This "Quardittiade" after the "Ensembliade" 2008 and 2009, the focus Sinfonieorchester third and final part of the instrumental from the Ernst von Siemens Foundation funded project trilogy genera. Diese Siemens-Förderung – satte 110 000 Euro in den vergangenen beiden und in diesem Jahr –ist damit erst einmal beendet. This Siemens Promotion - whopping 110 000 euros in the past two and this year is terminated for the first time. Finanziell gesichert sind die Musiktage dennoch: Weiterhin wird die Kulturstiftung des Bundes das Festival mit alljährlich 210 000 Euro unterstützen, für die Siemens-Stiftung springt ab dem nächsten Jahr das Land Baden-Württemberg ein, zusätzliche Gelder kommen vom SWR und der Stadt Donaueschingen. backed financially the music days are yet, is further support the Federal Cultural Foundation, the festival each year of 210 000 €, for the Siemens Foundation jumps in from next year, the state of Baden-Württemberg, additional funds come from the SWR and the city of Donaueschingen.

Neben den Konzerten sind in diesem Jahr auch wieder Klangkunst-Objekte Teil der Musiktage – wenn auch nur zwei, im Spiegelsaal des Museums Biedermann und bei Häring in der Josefstraße. In addition to the concerts this year again sound art objects of the music days - even if only two, in the Mirror Hall of the museum and Biedermann, Josef Haring Street. Insbesondere die Installation "Salon Q – Übungen mit Bögen, Haaren, Wangen, Wirbeln, Schnecken" von Georg Nussbaumer (Häring) soll das Schwerpunktthema Streichquartett klangkünstlerisch aufarbeiten. In particular, the installation "Salon Q - Exercises with bows, hair, cheeks, vertebrae, worm" by Georg Nussbaumer (Haring) avoid becoming the main topic string quartet sounded artistically.

Ebenso wieder Teil des Festivals sind die Donaueschinger. Similarly, again part of the festival are the Donaueschingen. War es vor zwei Jahren ein Müllwagen, hinter dem die Stadtkapelle durch die Karlstraße zog, so geben am Musiktage-Sonntag Schüler der Erich-Kästner-Schule unter der Anleitung von Christoph Hutter und Bernhard Rißmann um 15 Uhr ein Konzert in der Kästner-Halle mit selbstgebastelten Instrumenten. Was it two years ago, a garbage truck, behind which drew the chapel by the Charles street, so be on music day Sunday school of the Erich-Kästner-school under the guidance of Christoph Hutter and Bernhard Rißmann by 15 clock a concert at the Kästner-hall self-made instruments. Darauf folgt dann noch das Abschlusskonzert um 17 Uhr im Mozart-Saal der Donauhallen "Orchester, Streichquartett, Zwölftonpianos". This is followed then the final concert by 17 clock in the Mozart Hall of the Danube halls "orchestra, string quartet, Zwölftonpianos. Und dann werden die Musiktage 2010 schon wieder Geschichte sein. And then the Music Days 2010 will again be history. Und wenn alles gut gelaufen ist, dann ist auch Georg Riedmann wieder super zumute. And if everything went well, then Georg Riedmann is again felt great.