Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2017/08/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Bassoonist Phillip Hill with colleagues from the Prague Summer Nights festival. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/36417403991/in/dateposted-public/> A band concert in the lower gardens of the Prague Castle, given by the Castle Guard band. They were *good*. They are an important ceremonial unit, and play at many official events. I talked to several of them afterwards. All I had to do was point to myself and say the Czech word for "bassoon," and I was family. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/36555682505/in/dateposted-public/> The Municipal House is an architectural paean to Czech nationalism. Virtually every decoration and detail is made of native Czech materials, and often has symbolic meanings rooted in tradition or folklore. This mural and a companion depict several important Czech writers. The composers Smetena and Dvorak are at right. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/36555682735/in/dateposted-public/> This mural appeals to Slavic solidarity: <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/36158802640/in/dateposted-public/> A door handle in the form of a stylized brass eagle. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/35746406453/in/dateposted-public/> A lace curtain: <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/36417404381/in/dateposted-public/> A view of the Rudolfinum (symphony hall) from the adjacent bridge. You can see many statues of composers on the parapets. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/24844563 at N04/35721058974/in/dateposted-public/> There is a great story about these statues. Unfortunately, it isn't true, but it should be, so I'll tell it anyway. It comes from a novel, "Mendelssohn Is on the Roof," by Ji?? Weil. After the Nazis took over Czechoslovakia, Richard Heydrich ordered the statue of Felix Mendelssohn to be removed (Mendelssohn had been a practicing Lutheran, but his grandparents were Jewish). Two Czech workers, supervised by an SS officer, were given the task. The statues were not labeled, so they decided to knock down the one with the biggest nose. Just before they do so, they discover that they are about to destroy the statue of Hitler's idol, Richard Wagner. (In reality, the Rudolfinum never had a statue of Wagner, and Mendelssohn is still there). Enjoy! --Peter