http://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals%21&limit=500&action=history&feed=atomRanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals! - Revision history2024-03-28T10:15:13ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.33.3http://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=4100&oldid=prevWikiSysop: Reverted edits by 80.152.24.10 (Talk); changed back to last version by Tometheus2011-07-13T04:59:23Z<p>Reverted edits by <a href="/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/80.152.24.10" title="Special:Contributions/80.152.24.10">80.152.24.10</a> (<a href="/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:80.152.24.10&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User talk:80.152.24.10 (page does not exist)">Talk</a>); changed back to last version by <a href="/wiki/index.php/User:Tometheus" title="User:Tometheus">Tometheus</a></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 04:59, 13 July 2011</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Heck </del>of a <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">job </del>there, it <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">asboltuely helps </del>me out.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">==[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|Van Cliburn Classicals!]]==</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude>[[Category:RanTom Thoughts]]</noinclude></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">(hrmn.. just not the same as 'rocks')</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><includeonly>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|right|Van Cliburn]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></includeonly>Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. <noinclude>Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">First, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)</noinclude></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-10-27_VanCliburn_Lawn_tn.jpg|thumb|right|The Lawn Crowd]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></noinclude>This weekend at [http://www.ravinia.org/ Ravinia], Van Cliburn was going to be back, 30 years since his last appearance there. Alas, I was going to miss it due to this project in Nevada. However, when my clearance didn't come through, I was finally able to make it. I have to say, it more than made up for the disappointment of not being able to go to the Nevada Test Site.<noinclude> Ravinia has 3 levels of seating. Two for $50/$75 in the covered amphitheater and $10 for the lawn surrounding it. The lawn doesn't have a direct view onto the stage, so you get two types of people coming to Ravinia concerts. Those who wish to see and be seen (monkey suit types) who buy the $75 tickets, and those who go just to hear good live music buy lawn tickets.</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-16@23-17-10_VanCliburn_Picnic.jpg|thumb|left|135px|Having a picnic]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">People out on the lawn bring games, wine, food, candles, etc.. it's like a huge community picnic before the concert starts. Now some of my friends would despise lawn-goers, but personally, I like the experience of the lawn better. It's more 'earthy', which is more my style. This concert had a 4th level of people who paid $600 for the gala dinner afterwards. Way out of my price range, thankyouverymuch.</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-16@23-12-13_VanCliburn_MyView.jpg|thumb|right|My view at the beginning of the concert]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Part </ins>of <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">the Ravinia experience for many lawn-goers is taking the [http://www.metrarail.com/ Metra] to the event. There's </ins>a <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Metra stop right at the gate of the park, with a special Metra train that leaves the station 15 minutes after the concert ends. It's fun being on the train-ride back, with everyone talking about the concert we were all just attending. I arrived 2 hours early so I could grab some lunch / dinner at the park. (The one downside of my evening, a $9 chicken garlic sandwich that was so dry I couldn't swallow it and the bread was hard as a rock.) I found a tree fairly close to the amphitheater and read a book. (''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitals Vitals]'' by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Bear Greg Bear])</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Eventually, the concert started and the first three parts are 'just' the [http://cso.org CSO] playing superbly (although pops-esque stuff). (Schubert's ''Overture to Rosamunde'', Ponchielli's ''Dance of the Hours'', and Rossini's ''William Tell Overture''.) A few early cicadas and other insects were out contributing to the score. (Part of the appeal to outdoor classical concerts to me. I like the confluence of nature and music on a nice summer day.)</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-17@00-50-30_VanCliburn_TheGathering.jpg|thumb|right|The Gathering around the ampitheater]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">At this point, a large portion of the lawn audience started getting up and drifting over to the amphitheater to stand around the outside and look down to the stage. Of course I joined them :D When Van Cliburn came on stage </ins>there <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">was a huge round of applause</ins>, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">but </ins>it <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">was nothing compared to what would come later.</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">I slowly drifted forward along the side and eventually had a better view than 3/4 of the people in the actual seats. (1/2 of them couldn't see his hands and I was about 1/2 way up on the side that could see them.) They played Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16, which has some excellent places to showcase his mastery of the ivory. I'd never seen a video of him playing before, but he played exactly as I'd imagined he would, with the energy and kinetic motion you'd expect from how his recordings sound. I was in heaven, finally seeing the hands that had given </ins>me <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">countless hours of enjoyment as a kid. (With an impromptu performance by a car alarm in the middle of the performance.)</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">When it ended, the applause was deafening. I think we were all trying to thank him for all of our cumulative hours of musical enjoyment he'd given us over the last 40 years. He did I think 9 curtain calls and 3 encores, finishing up with Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2, to which the audience (even the black suits) burst </ins>out <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">in a huge round of applause as soon as we heard the first bars. (I was so happy :D ) I had that stuck in my head the whole 3 hour trip back home :) The concert was everything I expected and more. To think that I could have been in the middle of the desert instead.</ins></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><includeonly>[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|more >>]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></includeonly>--[[Image:Tometheus-sig.png]] [[User:Tometheus|Tometheus]] <small>([[User_talk:Tometheus|talk]])</small> 19:17, 17 July 2005 (UTC)<noinclude></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn</ins>.<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">jpg|thumb|center|662px|Van Cliburn's performance from my final vantage point]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></noinclude></ins></div></td></tr>
</table>WikiSysophttp://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=4091&oldid=prev80.152.24.10: /* Van Cliburn Classicals! */2011-07-10T01:58:50Z<p><span dir="auto"><span class="autocomment"><a href="/wiki/index.php/RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!" title="RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!">Van Cliburn Classicals!</a></span></span></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 01:58, 10 July 2011</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">==[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|Van Cliburn Classicals!]]==</del></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Heck </ins>of a <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">job </ins>there, it <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">asboltuely helps </ins>me out.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude>[[Category:RanTom Thoughts]]</noinclude></del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">(hrmn.. just not the same as 'rocks')</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><includeonly>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|right|Van Cliburn]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></includeonly>Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. <noinclude>Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">First, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)</noinclude></del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-10-27_VanCliburn_Lawn_tn.jpg|thumb|right|The Lawn Crowd]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></noinclude>This weekend at [http://www.ravinia.org/ Ravinia], Van Cliburn was going to be back, 30 years since his last appearance there. Alas, I was going to miss it due to this project in Nevada. However, when my clearance didn't come through, I was finally able to make it. I have to say, it more than made up for the disappointment of not being able to go to the Nevada Test Site.<noinclude> Ravinia has 3 levels of seating. Two for $50/$75 in the covered amphitheater and $10 for the lawn surrounding it. The lawn doesn't have a direct view onto the stage, so you get two types of people coming to Ravinia concerts. Those who wish to see and be seen (monkey suit types) who buy the $75 tickets, and those who go just to hear good live music buy lawn tickets.</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-16@23-17-10_VanCliburn_Picnic.jpg|thumb|left|135px|Having a picnic]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">People out on the lawn bring games, wine, food, candles, etc.. it's like a huge community picnic before the concert starts. Now some of my friends would despise lawn-goers, but personally, I like the experience of the lawn better. It's more 'earthy', which is more my style. This concert had a 4th level of people who paid $600 for the gala dinner afterwards. Way out of my price range, thankyouverymuch.</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-16@23-12-13_VanCliburn_MyView.jpg|thumb|right|My view at the beginning of the concert]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Part </del>of <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">the Ravinia experience for many lawn-goers is taking the [http://www.metrarail.com/ Metra] to the event. There's </del>a <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Metra stop right at the gate of the park, with a special Metra train that leaves the station 15 minutes after the concert ends. It's fun being on the train-ride back, with everyone talking about the concert we were all just attending. I arrived 2 hours early so I could grab some lunch / dinner at the park. (The one downside of my evening, a $9 chicken garlic sandwich that was so dry I couldn't swallow it and the bread was hard as a rock.) I found a tree fairly close to the amphitheater and read a book. (''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitals Vitals]'' by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Bear Greg Bear])</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Eventually, the concert started and the first three parts are 'just' the [http://cso.org CSO] playing superbly (although pops-esque stuff). (Schubert's ''Overture to Rosamunde'', Ponchielli's ''Dance of the Hours'', and Rossini's ''William Tell Overture''.) A few early cicadas and other insects were out contributing to the score. (Part of the appeal to outdoor classical concerts to me. I like the confluence of nature and music on a nice summer day.)</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-17@00-50-30_VanCliburn_TheGathering.jpg|thumb|right|The Gathering around the ampitheater]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">At this point, a large portion of the lawn audience started getting up and drifting over to the amphitheater to stand around the outside and look down to the stage. Of course I joined them :D When Van Cliburn came on stage </del>there <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">was a huge round of applause</del>, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">but </del>it <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">was nothing compared to what would come later.</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">I slowly drifted forward along the side and eventually had a better view than 3/4 of the people in the actual seats. (1/2 of them couldn't see his hands and I was about 1/2 way up on the side that could see them.) They played Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16, which has some excellent places to showcase his mastery of the ivory. I'd never seen a video of him playing before, but he played exactly as I'd imagined he would, with the energy and kinetic motion you'd expect from how his recordings sound. I was in heaven, finally seeing the hands that had given </del>me <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">countless hours of enjoyment as a kid. (With an impromptu performance by a car alarm in the middle of the performance.)</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">When it ended, the applause was deafening. I think we were all trying to thank him for all of our cumulative hours of musical enjoyment he'd given us over the last 40 years. He did I think 9 curtain calls and 3 encores, finishing up with Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2, to which the audience (even the black suits) burst </del>out <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">in a huge round of applause as soon as we heard the first bars. (I was so happy :D ) I had that stuck in my head the whole 3 hour trip back home :) The concert was everything I expected and more. To think that I could have been in the middle of the desert instead.</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></noinclude></del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><includeonly>[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|more >>]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></includeonly>--[[Image:Tometheus-sig.png]] [[User:Tometheus|Tometheus]] <small>([[User_talk:Tometheus|talk]])</small> 19:17, 17 July 2005 (UTC)<noinclude></del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn</del>.<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">jpg|thumb|center|662px|Van Cliburn's performance from my final vantage point]]</del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
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</table>80.152.24.10http://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=2612&oldid=prevTometheus at 00:52, 19 April 20072007-04-19T00:52:42Z<p></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 00:52, 19 April 2007</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l20" >Line 20:</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Eventually, the concert <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">starts </del>and the first three parts are 'just' the [http://cso.org CSO] playing superbly (although pops-esque stuff). (Schubert's Overture to Rosamunde, Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours, and Rossini's William Tell Overture.) A few early cicadas and other insects were out contributing to the score. (Part of the appeal to outdoor classical concerts to me. I like the confluence of nature and music on a nice summer day.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Eventually, the concert <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">started </ins>and the first three parts are 'just' the [http://cso.org CSO] playing superbly (although pops-esque stuff). (Schubert's <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">''</ins>Overture to Rosamunde<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">''</ins>, Ponchielli's <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">''</ins>Dance of the Hours<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">''</ins>, and Rossini's <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">''</ins>William Tell Overture<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">''</ins>.) A few early cicadas and other insects were out contributing to the score. (Part of the appeal to outdoor classical concerts to me. I like the confluence of nature and music on a nice summer day.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-50-30_VanCliburn_TheGathering.jpg|thumb|right|The Gathering around the ampitheater]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-50-30_VanCliburn_TheGathering.jpg|thumb|right|The Gathering around the ampitheater]]</div></td></tr>
</table>Tometheushttp://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=2611&oldid=prevTometheus at 00:51, 19 April 20072007-04-19T00:51:22Z<p></p>
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</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l17" >Line 17:</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-12-13_VanCliburn_MyView.jpg|thumb|right|My view at the beginning of the concert]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-12-13_VanCliburn_MyView.jpg|thumb|right|My view at the beginning of the concert]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Part of the Ravinia experience for many lawn-goers is taking the [www.metrarail.com/ Metra] to the event. There's a Metra stop right at the gate of the park, with a special Metra train that leaves the station 15 minutes after the concert ends. It's fun being on the train-ride back, with everyone talking about the concert we were all just attending. I arrived 2 hours early so I could grab some lunch / dinner at the park. (The one downside of my evening, a $9 chicken garlic sandwich that was so dry I couldn't swallow it and the bread was hard as a rock.) I found a tree fairly close to the amphitheater and read a book. (''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitals Vitals]'' by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Bear Greg Bear])</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Part of the Ravinia experience for many lawn-goers is taking the [<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">http://</ins>www.metrarail.com/ Metra] to the event. There's a Metra stop right at the gate of the park, with a special Metra train that leaves the station 15 minutes after the concert ends. It's fun being on the train-ride back, with everyone talking about the concert we were all just attending. I arrived 2 hours early so I could grab some lunch / dinner at the park. (The one downside of my evening, a $9 chicken garlic sandwich that was so dry I couldn't swallow it and the bread was hard as a rock.) I found a tree fairly close to the amphitheater and read a book. (''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitals Vitals]'' by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Bear Greg Bear])</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]</div></td></tr>
</table>Tometheushttp://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=2610&oldid=prevTometheus: /* Van Cliburn Classicals! */2007-04-19T00:47:58Z<p><span dir="auto"><span class="autocomment"><a href="/wiki/index.php/RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!" title="RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!">Van Cliburn Classicals!</a></span></span></p>
<table class="diff diff-contentalign-left" data-mw="interface">
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">←Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 00:47, 19 April 2007</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l6" >Line 6:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 6:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></includeonly>Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. <noinclude>Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></includeonly>Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. <noinclude>Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">So</del>, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">First</ins>, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)</noinclude></div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)</noinclude></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><noinclude>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-10-27_VanCliburn_Lawn_tn.jpg|thumb|right|The Lawn Crowd]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><noinclude>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-10-27_VanCliburn_Lawn_tn.jpg|thumb|right|The Lawn Crowd]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">So, this </del>weekend at [http://www.ravinia.org/ Ravinia], Van Cliburn was going to be back, 30 years since his last appearance there. Alas, I was going to miss it due to this project in Nevada. However, when my clearance didn't come through, I was finally able to make it. I have to say, it more than made up for the disappointment of not being able to go to the Nevada Test Site.<noinclude> Ravinia has 3 levels of seating. Two for $50/$75 in the covered amphitheater and $10 for the lawn surrounding it. The lawn doesn't have a direct view onto the stage, so you get two types of people coming to Ravinia concerts. Those who wish to see and be seen (monkey suit types) who buy the $75 tickets, and those who go just to hear good live music buy lawn tickets.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">This </ins>weekend at [http://www.ravinia.org/ Ravinia], Van Cliburn was going to be back, 30 years since his last appearance there. Alas, I was going to miss it due to this project in Nevada. However, when my clearance didn't come through, I was finally able to make it. I have to say, it more than made up for the disappointment of not being able to go to the Nevada Test Site.<noinclude> Ravinia has 3 levels of seating. Two for $50/$75 in the covered amphitheater and $10 for the lawn surrounding it. The lawn doesn't have a direct view onto the stage, so you get two types of people coming to Ravinia concerts. Those who wish to see and be seen (monkey suit types) who buy the $75 tickets, and those who go just to hear good live music buy lawn tickets.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-17-10_VanCliburn_Picnic.jpg|thumb|left|135px|Having a picnic]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-17-10_VanCliburn_Picnic.jpg|thumb|left|135px|Having a picnic]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l20" >Line 20:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 20:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">So</del>, the concert starts and the first three parts are 'just' the [http://cso.org CSO] playing superbly (although pops-esque stuff). (Schubert's Overture to Rosamunde, Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours, and Rossini's William Tell Overture.) A few early cicadas and other insects were out contributing to the score. (Part of the appeal to outdoor classical concerts to me. I like the confluence of nature and music on a nice summer day.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Eventually</ins>, the concert starts and the first three parts are 'just' the [http://cso.org CSO] playing superbly (although pops-esque stuff). (Schubert's Overture to Rosamunde, Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours, and Rossini's William Tell Overture.) A few early cicadas and other insects were out contributing to the score. (Part of the appeal to outdoor classical concerts to me. I like the confluence of nature and music on a nice summer day.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-50-30_VanCliburn_TheGathering.jpg|thumb|right|The Gathering around the ampitheater]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@00-50-30_VanCliburn_TheGathering.jpg|thumb|right|The Gathering around the ampitheater]]</div></td></tr>
</table>Tometheushttp://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=2608&oldid=prevTometheus at 00:44, 19 April 20072007-04-19T00:44:38Z<p></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">←Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 00:44, 19 April 2007</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l8" >Line 8:</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>So, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>So, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></noinclude></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-10-27_VanCliburn_Lawn_tn.jpg|thumb|right|The Lawn Crowd]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude></ins>[[Image:2005-07-16@23-10-27_VanCliburn_Lawn_tn.jpg|thumb|right|The Lawn Crowd]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude>So, this weekend at [http://www.ravinia.org/ Ravinia], Van Cliburn was going to be back, 30 years since his last appearance there. Alas, I was going to miss it due to this project in Nevada. However, when my clearance didn't come through, I was finally able to make it. I have to say, it more than made up for the disappointment of not being able to go to the Nevada Test Site.<noinclude> Ravinia has 3 levels of seating. Two for $50/$75 in the covered amphitheater and $10 for the lawn surrounding it. The lawn doesn't have a direct view onto the stage, so you get two types of people coming to Ravinia concerts. Those who wish to see and be seen (monkey suit types) who buy the $75 tickets, and those who go just to hear good live music buy lawn tickets.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude>So, this weekend at [http://www.ravinia.org/ Ravinia], Van Cliburn was going to be back, 30 years since his last appearance there. Alas, I was going to miss it due to this project in Nevada. However, when my clearance didn't come through, I was finally able to make it. I have to say, it more than made up for the disappointment of not being able to go to the Nevada Test Site.<noinclude> Ravinia has 3 levels of seating. Two for $50/$75 in the covered amphitheater and $10 for the lawn surrounding it. The lawn doesn't have a direct view onto the stage, so you get two types of people coming to Ravinia concerts. Those who wish to see and be seen (monkey suit types) who buy the $75 tickets, and those who go just to hear good live music buy lawn tickets.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l32" >Line 32:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 32:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><includeonly>[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|more >>]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><includeonly>[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|more >>]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></includeonly>--[[Image:Tometheus-sig.png]] [[User:Tometheus|Tometheus]] <small>([[User_talk:Tometheus|talk]])</small> 19:17, 17 July 2005 (UTC)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></includeonly>--[[Image:Tometheus-sig.png]] [[User:Tometheus|Tometheus]] <small>([[User_talk:Tometheus|talk]])</small> 19:17, 17 July 2005 (UTC)<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude></del>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|center|662px|Van Cliburn's performance from my final vantage point]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|center|662px|Van Cliburn's performance from my final vantage point]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude></div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude></div></td></tr>
</table>Tometheushttp://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=2607&oldid=prevTometheus at 00:42, 19 April 20072007-04-19T00:42:49Z<p></p>
<table class="diff diff-contentalign-left" data-mw="interface">
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">←Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #222; text-align: center;">Revision as of 00:42, 19 April 2007</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l4" >Line 4:</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><includeonly>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|right|Van Cliburn]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><includeonly>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|right|Van Cliburn]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></includeonly>Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></includeonly>Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude></ins>Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><noinclude></del>So, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>So, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l30" >Line 30:</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude></div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>--[[Image:Tometheus-sig.png]] [[User:Tometheus|Tometheus]] <small>([[User_talk:Tometheus|talk]])</small> 19:17, 17 July 2005 (UTC)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><includeonly>[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|more >>]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></includeonly></ins>--[[Image:Tometheus-sig.png]] [[User:Tometheus|Tometheus]] <small>([[User_talk:Tometheus|talk]])</small> 19:17, 17 July 2005 (UTC)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><noinclude>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|center|662px|Van Cliburn's performance from my final vantage point]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><noinclude>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|center|662px|Van Cliburn's performance from my final vantage point]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">><includeonly>[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|more >>]]</includeonly</del>></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div></noinclude></div></td></tr>
</table>Tometheushttp://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=2606&oldid=prevTometheus at 00:39, 19 April 20072007-04-19T00:39:07Z<p></p>
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</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l3" >Line 3:</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>(hrmn.. just not the same as 'rocks')</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>(hrmn.. just not the same as 'rocks')</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><includeonly>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|right|Van Cliburn]]</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"></includeonly></ins>Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><noinclude>So, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #222; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><noinclude>So, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)</div></td></tr>
</table>Tometheushttp://tometheus.com/wiki/index.php?title=RanTom_Thoughts/20050717_Van_Cliburn_Classicals!&diff=2604&oldid=prevTometheus at 00:35, 19 April 20072007-04-19T00:35:36Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>==[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|Van Cliburn Classicals!]]==<br />
<noinclude>[[Category:RanTom Thoughts]]</noinclude><br />
(hrmn.. just not the same as 'rocks')<br />
<br />
Let's see, I could rant about not being able to go to the [http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/default.htm Nevada Test Site] for my project due to not getting clearance, but I won't. Today's entry isn't going to be a rant at all *gasp*. Because I wasn't able to go to NV this week, I was able to go to a concert I'd really wanted to go to this weekend. So today's [[RanTom Thoughts]] will be about that instead.<br />
<br />
<noinclude>So, some background. When I was a kid, I had [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000003EUG/ref=wl_it_dp/103-9215590-1583856 this record] of Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1 / Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 that we found at a thrift store one day. It was my favorite record in our entire collection. I would listen to it over and over and over and over and over and... well, over again :) That record was responsible for my love of Tchaikovsky. One of my goals in life at the time was to hear the pianist in concert. (*HINT* The CD is on my [http://amazon.com/gp/registry/866XSZSD965A wish list] right now for anyone who is still wanting to send a graduation present.)<br />
<br />
Well, after I moved I couldn't remember who the pianist was. (I'm terrible with remembering names.) but I heard another song of his on the radio and instantly recognized his style. I found out it was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Cliburn Van Cliburn], looked it up on the web and yep, that was the record I'd had as a kid. (Apparently a LOT of other people had it too, it was the first classical recording to go Platinum.)<br />
<br />
[[Image:2005-07-16@23-10-27_VanCliburn_Lawn_tn.jpg|thumb|right|The Lawn Crowd]]<br />
</noinclude>So, this weekend at [http://www.ravinia.org/ Ravinia], Van Cliburn was going to be back, 30 years since his last appearance there. Alas, I was going to miss it due to this project in Nevada. However, when my clearance didn't come through, I was finally able to make it. I have to say, it more than made up for the disappointment of not being able to go to the Nevada Test Site.<noinclude> Ravinia has 3 levels of seating. Two for $50/$75 in the covered amphitheater and $10 for the lawn surrounding it. The lawn doesn't have a direct view onto the stage, so you get two types of people coming to Ravinia concerts. Those who wish to see and be seen (monkey suit types) who buy the $75 tickets, and those who go just to hear good live music buy lawn tickets.<br />
<br />
[[Image:2005-07-16@23-17-10_VanCliburn_Picnic.jpg|thumb|left|135px|Having a picnic]]<br />
People out on the lawn bring games, wine, food, candles, etc.. it's like a huge community picnic before the concert starts. Now some of my friends would despise lawn-goers, but personally, I like the experience of the lawn better. It's more 'earthy', which is more my style. This concert had a 4th level of people who paid $600 for the gala dinner afterwards. Way out of my price range, thankyouverymuch.<br />
<br />
[[Image:2005-07-16@23-12-13_VanCliburn_MyView.jpg|thumb|right|My view at the beginning of the concert]]<br />
Part of the Ravinia experience for many lawn-goers is taking the [www.metrarail.com/ Metra] to the event. There's a Metra stop right at the gate of the park, with a special Metra train that leaves the station 15 minutes after the concert ends. It's fun being on the train-ride back, with everyone talking about the concert we were all just attending. I arrived 2 hours early so I could grab some lunch / dinner at the park. (The one downside of my evening, a $9 chicken garlic sandwich that was so dry I couldn't swallow it and the bread was hard as a rock.) I found a tree fairly close to the amphitheater and read a book. (''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitals Vitals]'' by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Bear Greg Bear])<br />
<br />
[[Image:2005-07-17@00-51-19_VanCliburn_Ampitheater.jpg|thumb|left|The Ravinia amphitheater]]<br />
So, the concert starts and the first three parts are 'just' the [http://cso.org CSO] playing superbly (although pops-esque stuff). (Schubert's Overture to Rosamunde, Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours, and Rossini's William Tell Overture.) A few early cicadas and other insects were out contributing to the score. (Part of the appeal to outdoor classical concerts to me. I like the confluence of nature and music on a nice summer day.)<br />
<br />
[[Image:2005-07-17@00-50-30_VanCliburn_TheGathering.jpg|thumb|right|The Gathering around the ampitheater]]<br />
At this point, a large portion of the lawn audience started getting up and drifting over to the amphitheater to stand around the outside and look down to the stage. Of course I joined them :D When Van Cliburn came on stage there was a huge round of applause, but it was nothing compared to what would come later.<br />
<br />
I slowly drifted forward along the side and eventually had a better view than 3/4 of the people in the actual seats. (1/2 of them couldn't see his hands and I was about 1/2 way up on the side that could see them.) They played Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16, which has some excellent places to showcase his mastery of the ivory. I'd never seen a video of him playing before, but he played exactly as I'd imagined he would, with the energy and kinetic motion you'd expect from how his recordings sound. I was in heaven, finally seeing the hands that had given me countless hours of enjoyment as a kid. (With an impromptu performance by a car alarm in the middle of the performance.)<br />
<br />
When it ended, the applause was deafening. I think we were all trying to thank him for all of our cumulative hours of musical enjoyment he'd given us over the last 40 years. He did I think 9 curtain calls and 3 encores, finishing up with Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2, to which the audience (even the black suits) burst out in a huge round of applause as soon as we heard the first bars. (I was so happy :D ) I had that stuck in my head the whole 3 hour trip back home :) The concert was everything I expected and more. To think that I could have been in the middle of the desert instead.<br />
</noinclude><br />
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--[[Image:Tometheus-sig.png]] [[User:Tometheus|Tometheus]] <small>([[User_talk:Tometheus|talk]])</small> 19:17, 17 July 2005 (UTC)<br />
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<noinclude>[[Image:2005-07-17@01-12-32_VanCliburn.jpg|thumb|center|662px|Van Cliburn's performance from my final vantage point]]<br />
</noinclude><includeonly>[[RanTom Thoughts/20050717 Van Cliburn Classicals!|more >>]]</includeonly></div>Tometheus