Mozart, Tea, and Architecture

A connection struck me recently between two buildings which had some of the most wonderful spatial qualities I think I’ve ever experienced.  One is a favorite of mine, Andrea Palladio’s Villa Rotonda:

The other is simply a beautiful twentieth century home I recently visited. 

What do they have in common?  Even with contrasting styles, both had a beautiful connectedness between interior and exterior spaces.

Looking at the plan of Villa Rotonda, you can see the lines of sight that cut through every room and out to a window.  Being in the space, there is an absolutely wonderful awareness of not only the room you are in, but how it is a part of the rest of the spatial organization.  And the outside--on opposite sides of the building--is also always visible.

It was the same in the twentieth century residence.  Not nearly such a clear, simply geometry of course, but in a house that could otherwise have been quite standard there was an amazing spatial quality achieved through beautifully thoughtful arrangements of visual connections throughout.  No matter where one stood, the outside on either side of the house and layers of internal spaces were always present.

“Elegance and comfort are not incompatible, and whoever maintains the contrary simply doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”     ~Salvatore Ferragamo

“Architecture is frozen music.”  --Goethe

I have had a couple rather surprisingly bad experiences in the last week with audiences at the ballet.  I would just like to make note of some general etiquette to follow when attending the symphony, opera, or ballet.  Please do try to keep these things in mind, something like applause during a performance can really ruin the evening for others!

• The performance starts with the overture.  This is not a time for you to shuffle around and adjust yourself.  It deserves your full attention, a completely critical part of the music which sets your ears to the entire following piece.  Pay attention, or at least don’t make it harder for others to enjoy it.

• No talking/commenting, phones, excessive moving, etc..  This should all be obvious anyhow.

• For symphonies: do not applaud in between movements of a piece.  Get comfortable, stretch a little, but overall it is a quiet breath from the music.

• For operas: it is debatable at times whether or not to applaud after great arias, but in general, it is better not to.

• For anything: simply don’t applaud while the musicians are playing.  It’s disrespectful to the music and the performance overall, not to mention your fellow audience members.  Live performances are incredibly magical experiences, one can become so wonderfully wrapped up in the worlds on stage and ringing through the hall, but that magic is hard to find when every slightly spectacular spin or splits in the air must result in the moment being broken by applause.  

• Saying “bravo” and standing are great ways to indicate appreciation for something really exceptional, but don't yell or whistle

Really, just: Don’t do anything that detracts from the music/performance itself!!

Moodboard for Mozart’s Symphony no. 38, “Prague”

• spend time with loved ones, of course!

• lots of coffee and other warm favorite drinks, particularly while writing poetry or just getting lost in thought

• writing, or other creative things like photography or sewing

• going for long walks with someone you love, be they human or a four-legged friend

• a nice amount of holiday shopping, just as long as it isn’t too much

• watching great movies

• reading

• going to special events like concerts with loved ones