Halfway There, Halfway Gone

Bach Statue Outside of St. Thomas Church

Haha, I’ve fallen behind on posting, haven’t I? I’ve skipped a whole city! We’re on our way to Berlin and, really, one blog post isn’t enough to discuss the beauty of Leipzig so I’m glad to know my peers have been sharing this incredible journey with you. We’re just over the halfway point of this trip which, for me, is bittersweet. As much as I adore getting to walk around these amazing and beautiful cities, it’ll be nice to be back in Washington in a few weeks and back to daily routine life (and not walking 6+ miles a day!). As I haven’t posted recently, I’ll recap what’s happened in the past few days.

We made it to Leipzig, Germany, home of Bach. As a Bach enthusiast, myself, this was an especially exciting part of this trip. It’s funny to thin that they have entire museums dedicated to a single person here. It’s to the point where, at times, I’ve forgotten that Bach truly was a real person.Bach has always played a significant role in my musical journey. I’ve listened to the Brandenburg Concertos more times than I can count and have performed in Bach Cantatas, yet conceptualizing him as a person who actually walked the earth is… difficult? I don’t know how to describe it. 1685 wasn’t that far away (I guess) but I suppose because I’ve only ever seen Bach as a singular portrait painting, its hard to imagine that painting come to life as a person.  Did Bach know his legacy was going to be relevant today? Did he know what a big deal he was going to be to the modern world? Did Mendelssohn think that one day his apartment would be coveted as a historical landmark because of the music he composed? Then again, do any of us know that we won’t be a prominent historical figure in the future?  Bach and Mendelssohn were two composers that really shaped my musical interests growing up. They were two of the composers I frequently played and enjoyed listening to. Standing in the same halls and churches that they performed in is an overwhelming feeling. I always played music with the intent of being technically correct. Being in the places these composers were, I can see that it wasn’t all about technical perfection. They were inspired by what surrounded them to compose their works. Bach’s cantatas were composed about praising the Lord, which he experienced every day in his work. It gives me something new to work towards when I perform, which excites me.

St. Thomas Church

It’s always nice to attend a performance that’s differs from the classical music genre. When I was a kid, PBS used to air this music program, Celtic Woman. It was a program I looked forward to through the year as I loved every aspect of it; the style of music, the women’s voices and, of course, the pretty dresses. The violinist of the group, Máiréad Nesbitt was one of the many reasons I took up violin. The way she played with such a fluid motion and sound, along with her ability to dance while playing. The Danceperados of Ireland reminded me of the style of many of the Celtic folk songs from the program. The performance revolved around the idea of Ireland and whiskey. Apart from the fact that the majority of the program was said in German and therefore I didn’t understand that part of it, it was really fun to watch. Irish step dance looks hard to say the least. To be able to move your feet that fast without moving your upper body takes a lot more muscular strength than it may sound. It was kind of like super extreme tap dancing. Watching the dancers move across the floor, it was like watching them slide on ice from one place to another, so smoothly. I could never imagine dancing like that; I can’t even touch my toes.

Wandering around the city, Leipzig is my favorite city thus far and probably will be throughout this whole trip. Not just because I adore Bach but because I loved the atmosphere of it. It differed from Vienna and Prague, which were both beautiful but presented in a much more touristy fashion. The cities seemed to be slightly split between what was preserved throughout history and a growing urban community. Leipzig seemed to integrate both. Older buildings had been converted into cafes and restaurants and around them were outlet malls. The streets were primarily pedestrians with the occasional car coming through, creating a more intimate environment. Yes, Leipzig will surely be my favorite city.

I think this was the bank..?

Dr. Powell would tell us that at some point in this trip, we would hit a wall. Between being far from home, physically exhausted and surrounded by people a majority of the time, it can be an overwhelming experience. I’ve hit the wall, for sure. Sometimes it feels like I’ve slammed into it. Multiple times. I’m enjoying this trip, for sure, but it is a lot to handle physically, mentally and emotionally. I’ve started counting down the days in my journal both in sadness and celebration. It’s two weeks in and I feel like I’m just starting to get to know some of the classmates I hadn’t interacted with. The jet lag is finally wearing off (two weeks, really?!) and thus far the weather has been beautiful. At the same time, though, my ankles and back are sore and living out of a backpack is starting to become a hassle and I’m watching the amount of money in my account slowly disappear. I can’t wait to go home but I know when it comes, I’ll be yearning to come back soon.
Till next time, S~