Subject: brief reflections on our talk this Sunday From: Leah Meyer Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:51:44 -0400 To: ernstmeyer@earthlink.net X-Account-Key: account2 X-UIDL: 11e7-b937-d2ad0848-8911-002128140a66 X-Mozilla-Status: 1001 X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 Status: U Return-Path: Received: from mx-dipper.atl.sa.earthlink.net ([207.69.195.166]) by mdl-ignite.atl.sa.earthlink.net (EarthLink SMTP Server) with SMTP id 1E7cJk3k43Nl3770; Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:51:46 -0400 (EDT) Received: from mail-ua0-f194.google.com ([209.85.217.194]) by mx-dipper.atl.sa.earthlink.net (EarthLink SMTP Server) with ESMTP id 1E7cJjvz3Nl36u2 for ; Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:51:45 -0400 (EDT) Received: by mail-ua0-f194.google.com with SMTP id n38so16838692uai.11 for ; Tue, 24 Oct 2017 20:51:45 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=yale.edu; s=googleprd; h=mime-version:from:date:message-id:subject:to; bh=wu2pv7bWKUJq3OxhL1GdPOb5Swo503DshzZEVme9M5I=; b=z8y38AdJP59V27nN6Jfguzsdh0SGBRF2VSycfiC5Rf9UE3Q9yms7GL/YVyC2y/RkdF uzcUtb54y4+ht3cAqq6pkv1iZZAApiaUGnDnhsfdYm2YRYfSMmoucvVUvNvGlDbLYbss Dw8+ULPJ/+d0+nfaxIygbTY+eH/HOlUl6h6Bg= X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:from:date:message-id:subject:to; bh=wu2pv7bWKUJq3OxhL1GdPOb5Swo503DshzZEVme9M5I=; b=nimoPf7J1cGm2I/lP75P1PNjlQfy/2VVi1qf8eP1bM3wpqF9vBkT9vZIM+kuCpU04k 5LOlImsxwcu/nRWAXfdrpE4Ne8AnaxqwSrJ7jOqsSIH+cl5/huEGPVJ5fuKl4mfLg9Bm 0eK2Vs+AROyHsrj2jC4PNfj7pUEEeOhMBU46hmoheQQM7iKox5w0C26Lx8rIGSo9fhcJ mypqm0uAxFky1t+VMjMm/bQtjrOoQq33cTwN8hHEa8fEKCofYj1iphDCS20FN5HbpxGL 8i2g0D4CA1uaG5THnJ4tQPvUjS9SucG7UrtJr0OpPMkeJkBPysEt96h/phnczHKEibpY kcKQ== X-Gm-Message-State: AMCzsaXRsxJ1OPRAxuYXOVxE8YHwXXIdmVQTZOXNvz8JoMMPUsf3Dr9+ 8WcM52sKcQrO6WZnaqcoS9Pw2Swb1IZKxajKUuyH5CLM X-Google-Smtp-Source: ABhQp+Rn72/3IaaesfFWizywx8tZvATh29yNiAFAdo8+hgAYCn6rtHJ+OTNtOwY0Skm927E4EAdY4/bpL7YPB9Z/Oy0= X-Received: by 10.176.74.139 with SMTP id s11mr594991uae.129.1508903505201; Tue, 24 Oct 2017 20:51:45 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.159.58.237 with HTTP; Tue, 24 Oct 2017 20:51:44 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="f403045f90a46db189055c56f995" X-ELNK-TLSInbound: 1 X-ELNK-Received-Info: spv=0; X-Authentication-Results: dkim="pass"; (0:no or failed dkim processing); dmarc="none"; (1); dwl="miss"; den="not exempt" X-ELNK-AV: 0 X-ELNK-Info: sbv=0; sbrc=.0; sbf=b0; sbw=000; Dear Yoyo, I'm sitting in a coffee shop across from Sterling library, finding solace and hopefully some energy in a cup of English Breakfast tea. Maybe it's because the English are having their breakfast around the time that I'm having a cup of their tea, but it always hits the spot. This is a brief note, because I need to get some readings done for my music history class - they're the basis for our final paper, in which we address either 1) a set of three pieces by Adorno, or 2) a number of pieces discussing the role of the music history survey course, and the state of musicological education today. The Adorno, so far, is frustratingly opaque, but the sociological bent of many of his arguments interests me. I hope I might feel confident enough in my understanding of Adorno's pieces so that I can reflect on them in my paper, but otherwise, the question of current educational approaches to classical music is appealing as well. Its immediacy helps with that. To put it simply, I'm glad I came over to see you on Sunday. Some other time, I might feel more comfortable, and have more time, to explore the reasons why I've been so increasingly absent over the past several years. Tonight is not that night. And maybe it's not important for me to do so beyond my own private reflection. But for now, I'd like to share a poem with you. I went back to visit some high school teachers of mine last week, and to play in the high school wind ensemble, which I did at 7:35 every morning for 4 years. I surprised my junior year (American literature) teacher by dropping in, and told her how every year since then, I've kept the copy of a poem she gave to every member of our class at the end of the school year. I kept it posted on the wall next to my bed, and brought it with me to college, every August and May pasting and unpasting it from the stucco walls of my dorm. (I'm not sure what that feature is called - the interior walls aren't truly stucco, but they have that somewhat bumpy texture). It's a somewhat famous poem, one I think is probably taught in high schools and shared often. There's more to my story with this poem, but I'll leave it to you clear of my thoughts for now. The Waking BY THEODORE ROETHKE I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I feel my fate in what I cannot fear. I learn by going where I have to go. We think by feeling. What is there to know? I hear my being dance from ear to ear. I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. Of those so close beside me, which are you? God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there, And learn by going where I have to go. Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how? The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair; I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. Great Nature has another thing to do To you and me; so take the lively air, And, lovely, learn by going where to go. This shaking keeps me steady. I should know. What falls away is always. And is near. I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I learn by going where I have to go. Much love, Leah