Out of the bosom of the air, out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,
Over the woodlands brown and bare,
Silent and soft and slow descends the snow... (Henry Wadsworth)
We are getting slammed with a Mess In The West... Blizzards. I love it.
Reminds me of when I was a little boy and the first of many times I ever came to
Wyoming.
Will try to leave here in the late afternoon... IF the roads are safe. And I
will write again from Utah and then New Zealand.
But I think of another favorite poet of mine...
IF, in the twilight of memory we shall speak again together and you shall sing to me
a deeper song,
And IF our hands should meet in another dream, we shall build another tower in the sky.
The snow is lovely soft and deep, but I have miles to go before I sleep and promises to keep
and promises to keep.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Mystries and Secrets within music
It is 10:42 PM EST. 8:42 RMT...
I have had an
over dose of so many beautiful emotions as well as love, music, new understandings about music, and most of all bits and pieces about who and what I am!
Things can get quite dull in Wyoming (I guess?) Not for me. I never ever read enough books, see enough movies, watch enough sunsets, sunrises, smell enough scents of pine, cedar, sagebrush and ever so many perfumes that travel on the air currents of open spaces. NOW in NYC one can get it all in one breath.
I took the Long Island Railway to hungtinton to be with two of my beloved friends... Ernie and Carol.
(She is a musical mentor, master of my musical spirit as well as my mind and hands)
They live in a sacred space of beauty and the balance between space and land is PERFECT! One has to simply walk out their kitchen door and breath in the perfection of squirrels, birds, leaves turning into pallets of cosmic colors... (YOU CANNOT GO THERE UNLESS YOU BELONG TO THE CLUB OF BEAUTY AND LOVE!)
Carol is a pianist chef. She can cook food that makes any pianist's abilities reach beyond imagination. She also cares. That is the KEY to opening any door within the inner sanctum a person's sacred sanctuary of musical spirituality. She is the nurturing angel of musical creativity and she has the gift of releasing the magic of one's own music. WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN MUSICAL DNA. SHE CAN FIND IT AND ALLOWS IT TO OPEN IT'S WINGS.
After a wonderful performance class I was privileged to spend the night in her home... I am wake up by the sounds of her piano. Breakfast is from heaven... then WORK. I MEAN WORK... I do believe my playing has found it's freedom. We had a glorious lunch of Fennel and potato soup, breads, cheese and wine... then of to the train...
Because of a change in plans I met up with Seymour Berstein, my adored teacher for many years... WHAT A LESSON. We worked on Brhams. I learned so very many things about his scores... the Rach. Preludes I am working on... we went to a favorite Japanese Restaurant for dinner. His stories are priceless. He has known some amazing artists that are no longer wit us. Astoniting as it sounds SEYMOUR IS 83 and looks younger than me! He is one of the most intelligent people I have ever known and his piano is a palette most artists would cry for.
He and Carol met up on line this year! Two of my dearest and most loved musical friends. I cannot for a moment imagine life without either one of them.
Carol's book THE ANATOMY OF A NY RECITAL gave me the spark to possibly do such an amazing feat. Seymour's book WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS drove me to the moment. I saved money, I practiced my guts out, I cried, I laughed, I believed and most of all I DID IT. BECAUSE OF TWO PEOPLE'S WRITTEN WORDS and because when I wrote them simple works on paper they BELIEVED IN ME. Which made all the difference!
If there be anyone out there that has dreams there are angels that will take you there. My two musical angels are out there but I will never reveal where they are unless I KNOW YOU!
I return to Wyoming early in the morning. Like 7 AM. God that means I have to be up at some ungodly hour! WHO CARES??!!
Because of economy this is the first year I have not attended at Concert or Musical in NYC... My lessons were more important. The concerts with my teachers were the blessed gifts that NO money can buy ...
I have had an
over dose of so many beautiful emotions as well as love, music, new understandings about music, and most of all bits and pieces about who and what I am!
Things can get quite dull in Wyoming (I guess?) Not for me. I never ever read enough books, see enough movies, watch enough sunsets, sunrises, smell enough scents of pine, cedar, sagebrush and ever so many perfumes that travel on the air currents of open spaces. NOW in NYC one can get it all in one breath.
I took the Long Island Railway to hungtinton to be with two of my beloved friends... Ernie and Carol.
(She is a musical mentor, master of my musical spirit as well as my mind and hands)
They live in a sacred space of beauty and the balance between space and land is PERFECT! One has to simply walk out their kitchen door and breath in the perfection of squirrels, birds, leaves turning into pallets of cosmic colors... (YOU CANNOT GO THERE UNLESS YOU BELONG TO THE CLUB OF BEAUTY AND LOVE!)
Carol is a pianist chef. She can cook food that makes any pianist's abilities reach beyond imagination. She also cares. That is the KEY to opening any door within the inner sanctum a person's sacred sanctuary of musical spirituality. She is the nurturing angel of musical creativity and she has the gift of releasing the magic of one's own music. WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN MUSICAL DNA. SHE CAN FIND IT AND ALLOWS IT TO OPEN IT'S WINGS.
After a wonderful performance class I was privileged to spend the night in her home... I am wake up by the sounds of her piano. Breakfast is from heaven... then WORK. I MEAN WORK... I do believe my playing has found it's freedom. We had a glorious lunch of Fennel and potato soup, breads, cheese and wine... then of to the train...
Because of a change in plans I met up with Seymour Berstein, my adored teacher for many years... WHAT A LESSON. We worked on Brhams. I learned so very many things about his scores... the Rach. Preludes I am working on... we went to a favorite Japanese Restaurant for dinner. His stories are priceless. He has known some amazing artists that are no longer wit us. Astoniting as it sounds SEYMOUR IS 83 and looks younger than me! He is one of the most intelligent people I have ever known and his piano is a palette most artists would cry for.
He and Carol met up on line this year! Two of my dearest and most loved musical friends. I cannot for a moment imagine life without either one of them.
Carol's book THE ANATOMY OF A NY RECITAL gave me the spark to possibly do such an amazing feat. Seymour's book WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS drove me to the moment. I saved money, I practiced my guts out, I cried, I laughed, I believed and most of all I DID IT. BECAUSE OF TWO PEOPLE'S WRITTEN WORDS and because when I wrote them simple works on paper they BELIEVED IN ME. Which made all the difference!
If there be anyone out there that has dreams there are angels that will take you there. My two musical angels are out there but I will never reveal where they are unless I KNOW YOU!
I return to Wyoming early in the morning. Like 7 AM. God that means I have to be up at some ungodly hour! WHO CARES??!!
Because of economy this is the first year I have not attended at Concert or Musical in NYC... My lessons were more important. The concerts with my teachers were the blessed gifts that NO money can buy ...
Friday, November 12, 2010
It's still a great world...
My time in New Orleans was an absolute pleasure. Great food, gorgeous Jazz and interesting, loving people. The city keeps rebuilding and at the same time maintaining it's vibrant energy. If anyone is going to New Orleans do spend time in the Sculpture Garden at the city park. I was amazed they do not charge admission. The place is magic. Two nights I sat in the show room of the Sonesta Hotel listening to music that only comes out of the heart and soul of men and woman that have found their voice and USE IT!
I am writing this from Penn Station in NYC. Waiting for my train to Long Island. I have loved this city since I was a little boy. I dreamed of the day I would be able to visit it. My first visit was when I was 17. Since then I have made at least 40 trips to Gotham City... Since 1968 to 2010 I've experienced the evolution of one of the most powerful cities on planet earth. It all has been for the best. Most of all I love the art galleries, theaters, concerts, music and I always discover some place I've never been before.
Yesterday I rented a practice room at Steinway Hall. The room had two gorgeous instruments. One was listed at $71,000.00 the other $52,000.00. I want them both. I played on the one, then moved to the other piano performing the same piece. There is one thing about Steinways, each piano has it's own sound... personality. From there I spent the day at a Museum I knew nothing about, The Museum of Art and Design on Columbus Circle. OMG, it is wonderful and the restaurant on the 9th floor is the perfect place for a scrumptious meal and the view of Central Park is amazing... all the fall colors.
After 4 hours in the museum I walked the park until darkness. The crest of the moon guiding me back to my hotel.
I am a blessed man beyond my wildest dreams... It is still a wonderful world.
I am writing this from Penn Station in NYC. Waiting for my train to Long Island. I have loved this city since I was a little boy. I dreamed of the day I would be able to visit it. My first visit was when I was 17. Since then I have made at least 40 trips to Gotham City... Since 1968 to 2010 I've experienced the evolution of one of the most powerful cities on planet earth. It all has been for the best. Most of all I love the art galleries, theaters, concerts, music and I always discover some place I've never been before.
Yesterday I rented a practice room at Steinway Hall. The room had two gorgeous instruments. One was listed at $71,000.00 the other $52,000.00. I want them both. I played on the one, then moved to the other piano performing the same piece. There is one thing about Steinways, each piano has it's own sound... personality. From there I spent the day at a Museum I knew nothing about, The Museum of Art and Design on Columbus Circle. OMG, it is wonderful and the restaurant on the 9th floor is the perfect place for a scrumptious meal and the view of Central Park is amazing... all the fall colors.
After 4 hours in the museum I walked the park until darkness. The crest of the moon guiding me back to my hotel.
I am a blessed man beyond my wildest dreams... It is still a wonderful world.
Friday, November 05, 2010
DID IT
What a day!
Two years ago today, November 5th I was coming out of a major surgery... two surgeons worked on me. One removed 1/3 or my left kidney which had a cancerous tumor the size of a large lemon. I had a Pantaloon hernia repaired, some other body parts made right and probably the worst part of this ordeal: I was full of E Coli infection. By late afternoon I was out of the surgery and feeling bliss... however, morphine is not my drug of choice! DHhhhaaaa.
This afternoon I called my surgeon's office and left my words of gratitude and love with his nurse. She will tell him how happy I am. I am a different man than I was before the surgery. It has taken TIME to get to the place I am mentally, spiritually and physically.
As of today I am on you-tube. You can do a search on You-tube for Brenthoven, or Brent Johnston and some of my recorded music will be playing! I have been blessed with "STAR SEED" children and Wayne is one of those precious points of light. He did it.
We will be adding things I have composed and other recordings from past performances.
I will fly to New Orleans Sunday and spend some time with my precious sister TJ, then in to NYC. I am a strange man. I love NYC, and yet have to be isolated in small places like Alpine... Central Park is one of my favorite places on planet earth.
I am now pouring glass of my favorite wine and toasting the heavens tonight. So happy to be ALIVE and ENJOY the many things I am fortunate to enjoy.
Two years ago today, November 5th I was coming out of a major surgery... two surgeons worked on me. One removed 1/3 or my left kidney which had a cancerous tumor the size of a large lemon. I had a Pantaloon hernia repaired, some other body parts made right and probably the worst part of this ordeal: I was full of E Coli infection. By late afternoon I was out of the surgery and feeling bliss... however, morphine is not my drug of choice! DHhhhaaaa.
This afternoon I called my surgeon's office and left my words of gratitude and love with his nurse. She will tell him how happy I am. I am a different man than I was before the surgery. It has taken TIME to get to the place I am mentally, spiritually and physically.
As of today I am on you-tube. You can do a search on You-tube for Brenthoven, or Brent Johnston and some of my recorded music will be playing! I have been blessed with "STAR SEED" children and Wayne is one of those precious points of light. He did it.
We will be adding things I have composed and other recordings from past performances.
I will fly to New Orleans Sunday and spend some time with my precious sister TJ, then in to NYC. I am a strange man. I love NYC, and yet have to be isolated in small places like Alpine... Central Park is one of my favorite places on planet earth.
I am now pouring glass of my favorite wine and toasting the heavens tonight. So happy to be ALIVE and ENJOY the many things I am fortunate to enjoy.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Why Dancing under the gallows?
A precious friend in NY called yesterday. We were talking about aging and the effects this process was having on our parents as well as ourselves. How as our parents age we of course age, but the difficult moments of realizing our parents are not the people they were years ago when we were younger and mind you, WE ARE NOT THE SAME PEOPLE WE WERE YEARS AGO AS CHILDREN.
She suddenly said: "Is your computer on?" I said, "Of course." She said, I am hanging up the phone and sending you something on You Tube....... Minutes later I was watching a woman who was at one time a fine musician, who also survived the holocaust. Her energy touched me in such a way that it sent me into a different and beautiful place deep within my invisible self.
She said many things that I have often said myself... BEETHOVEN! GIVING UP HATE! The list is endless... When ever I feel I am struggling I must watch this video. I have been so fortunate to meet and know so many people in my life just like this precious angel. I am so pleased she was born in the month of NOVEMBER. SCORPIO!
She suddenly said: "Is your computer on?" I said, "Of course." She said, I am hanging up the phone and sending you something on You Tube....... Minutes later I was watching a woman who was at one time a fine musician, who also survived the holocaust. Her energy touched me in such a way that it sent me into a different and beautiful place deep within my invisible self.
She said many things that I have often said myself... BEETHOVEN! GIVING UP HATE! The list is endless... When ever I feel I am struggling I must watch this video. I have been so fortunate to meet and know so many people in my life just like this precious angel. I am so pleased she was born in the month of NOVEMBER. SCORPIO!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
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