Sackbutts and Hurdy Gurdys

Thursdays are usually my “long” days because I have TWO lectures in the afternoon as opposed to just one, like I do Monday-Wednesday. They are also two classes that I dread…but then usually end up enjoying every week: Aural Skills IV and Music History II: Baroque and Classical Eras.

This past Thursday, however, I got a little reprieve, because my music history lecture was meeting downtown at the Galleria dell’Accademia (where David is) to see the Historical Musical Instruments Exhibit that is permanently housed there.

I marvel at the wealth of knowledge possessed by our instructor, Kate Bolton. She’s this fantastic British woman with an infectious accent (complete with hilarious little phrases) and that iconic, dry, British sense of humor I can’t get enough of. She also knows what seems to be an infinite amount of information about the era, the composers, their music, and (as we saw on Thursday) the instruments of the time.  She could rattle on forever about these things without looking at her notes once. It was fascinating.

You always see those ridiculous pictures in university pamphlets with the small groups of students at a museum or something, all gazing intently at their professor as (s)he points out some piece of art or a historical artifact and is explaining it...well, on Thursday, I was one of those people! It actually does happen in college. I remember thinking as we were going through the exhibit (this is SO "college" right now...)

Unfortunately for us, they closed early on Thursday (unbeknownst to us) and we were cut short. So we finished the rest of the lecture in a little café in Piazza San Marco.

The exhibit is very interesting. They have several period cellos, a “tenor viola”, many violins...harpsichords, pianofortes, and all sorts of instruments you’ve never seen or heard of before (like sackbutts and the hurdy gurdy). They have a collection of period wind and percussion instruments as well. The instruments of the day (in correlation with the "baroque" style of art focusing on grandeur and splendor) were often very ornate and works of art themselves. Many of the instruments were shaped to look like animals.

They have also digitally catalogued recordings of these instruments so you can hear what they sounded like. Apparently they give concerts every now and then on the instruments in the exhibit that are still playable. Mind you, these things are a minimum of 300 years old. But many instruments, particularly stringed instruments, improve in tone quality with age. This is why the few remaining Stradivarius string instruments from the early 18^th century sell for millions of dollars. (A Russian collector recently bought a Stradivarius from 1718 for 9.5 million dollars…)

What’s been so interesting and exciting about this class is that all the music we are studying was composed HERE, or at least influenced by Italian composers of the age. Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Corelli all lived and worked here…the French composer Lully was actually born in Italy and changed his name when he moved to France…Handel, Purcell, and Bach were all heavily influenced by the Italian tradition. These composers would make a point of coming to Italy and spending time here just to learn how to do what was being created down here. And FLORENCE was THE birthplace of opera. The first operas ever performed in western history were performed right down the street. It’s incredible.

While I’m enjoying the class…I’m not enjoying the research paper we’ve been assigned that’s due on Thursday.  The prompt is to “discuss the term ‘Baroque’ focusing in particular on music.”

A bit, vague, I think.

I realize it’s been a little while since I’ve written a paper like this, and I’m out of practice. Or out of motivation. Or both. But I’ll hammer it out in the coming days. As with any history course…it’s a lot of raw facts we need to know. Our mid-term is the paper which is due, but also and IN-CLASS essay on Baroque vocal music.

I set to work on it today, Saturday, but the weather was SO GORGEOUS that I just had to take my work outside! My roommates and I set up camp on the soccer field in the middle of the olive grove on the estate, and we ate lunch and studied in the sunshine. It was in the 60s! I was in a short-sleeved shirt and more than comfortable! This is not good for studying students on the brink of midterms and Spring Break in one short week!

But that’s a topic for another day.

"If We Work in Tandem..."

Wednesday in Italian class we had what our professoressa Silvia refers to as “Tandem”

A class of high school seniors (or, the Italian equivalent) from a local high school comes to our class and we spend the hour and forty-five minutes speaking in Italian and English. The idea is that they help us with our Italian and we help them with their English.

I was dreading it. I was not in the least bit excited and prepared myself for a very awkward and embarrassing experience while these native teenagers laughed at our incapacity with their language.

But, it actually turned out to be really great! I was in a group of 4 students from my class paired with 2 girls from the Italian class. We spent the first half asking them questions we had prepared in Italian and then talking about ourselves. Half way through, we switched to English, or we were supposed to. But I was shocked at how poor their English was, so we ended up having to speak in Italian just so they could understand our questions.

They’ve apparently been taking English for 8 years…but I felt like we were almost on equal footing with them in terms of our handle on the foreign language. One of the girls HATED English and said it was a very poor school subject for her; she found it very difficult.

Understandable. I’m using my 3 years of knowledge of Spanish to help me along. And there are many cognates in Italian and Spanish and French, etc…But certainly not in English. There are very few English/Italian cognates, and if you only know Italian, I can see how English would be very difficult to learn.

Our language is completely different from other romance languages. There are certain things about English that I think just make more sense. Like not having 6 versions of every single verb depending on who is performing the action. And our lack of reflexive verbs that add little pointless words all over the place that make it unnecessarily clear as to whom you are talking about.

But then I think…well, every other western language seems to have them…so…I guess we ARE the weird ones.

Later in the semester we will be going to their class at their school to do this again. But we’re going on a Saturday.

Because they have school six days a week in Italy.

God bless the USA.

Venice for Carnevale!

(LOTS of picture links in this one...they are worth it! click them!)

This past Sunday I took a trip to Venice for Carnevale, which is a European celebration that actually originated in Venice that celebrates the 10-days before Lent begins.

Basically, it’s a 10-day Mardi Gras.

And they sure know how to party. Masks are the chief component of any guise, but most people have taken it to the next level and basically made it Halloween in February. There are festivals throughout Italy and Europe, and every town has its own way of celebrating, but Venice is by far the most grand.

Venezia is in the northeastern corner of Italy in the region of Veneto. It is by far the most beautiful city I have visited thus far. If I get the chance to go back, I just might…especially when the weather will be warmer and it will be less crowded.

There were so many people in Venice last weekend. The city was NOT built to hold that many people. The tiny little alleys and streets and footbridges crossing the hundreds of canals were so jam packed that at times we were simply at a stand-still.

But it was worth it. Venice is arguably the most romantic city on the planet. If you don’t get at least a little sentimental while you’re there, you have no heart. The waterways through the city are simply magical; there’s no place like it on Earth. And the gondolas are really everywhere, though I didn't hear any of the boatmen singing...I think you have to pay extra for that! You can see as many movies and pictures of it as you like, but there’s nothing like being there.

I went with a group called “Florence For Fun” which organizes trips around Italy and even to other countries. We paid 65 Euro to catch a bus at 7:30 (Well, we left by 8:30…) and rode for three hours to Venice. Once we were there, we took a private ferry boat down the grand canal along the outside of the city to San Marco Square. We were on our own for the rest of the day. The group of friends I was with grabbed lunch at a little place with outdoor seating. The weather was beautiful, but still a bit chilly.

One of my favorite highlights about the city is that Antonio Vivaldi was born, raised, and spent his life there! There are many buildings, shops, and restaurants devoted to his name.

Venice is also famous for its Murano glass, and it is sold EVERYWHERE. It’s a little pricey, but extremely beautiful and everyone bought souvenirs/gifts for loved ones at home.

We got home pretty late (around 11:00) and decided that would be a good time to check out the Florence Diner, and American-style diner in Florence that’s very popular with young study abroad students. Here, we heartily enjoyed a feast of cheeseburgers and French fries that we’ve all been craving for weeks. Of course, it wasn’t QUITE the same as in the states, but it’s nice to have a taste of home every now and then.

Some people stayed up to watch the Academy Awards (which started at 2:00 AM over here…) but I chose to get some sleep after a long day on my feet! Unfortunately, I came home to no power, no water, and no internet…all of which have since been successfully restored, but it made for an interesting night!

Pictures from my trip to Venice can be seen HERE

Authentic Balsamic Vinegar in Modena

A couple weeks ago on Friday, February 13^th I had the opportunity to take a day trip with the office of student life here at NYU to the town of Modena, in the region just north of Tuscany: Emilia Ramagna.

It was just a two hour bus ride to the little town famous for a few notable things: Luciano Pavarotti, Ferraris, and Authentic Balsamic Vinegar.

The main purpose of our trip was because we were invited into the home of Marisa Barbieri Giuliani, an 80 year-old woman who has been a member of the Balsamic Vinegar Consortium for many many years.

What we are used to in the USA when we think of “balsamic vinegar” is actually not even close to the real thing. Because of the specific climate in Modena, it’s just about the only place in the world that “authentic” balsamic vinegar can be made. The process is one of putting wine into a series of barrels of varying sizes and wood-type, and letting them sit for YEARS until they have matured.

The “youngest” bottle of vinegar they sell is 12 years old. Price: € 40 (about $ 50)

The most mature vinegar is 25 years old at € 70 (about $ 90)

They were, however, selling tiny vials of the stuff for € 23 (circa $ 30)

They call it “black gold”

Funny how “black gold” in the USA is petroleum, and in Italy it’s vinegar…

Making the vinegar is a family tradition. Each of Marisa’s 5 children and her many grandchildren have a special section of the attic where their very own barrels are kept and looked after. The attic reeked of vinegar, but as we would soon find out, this was unlike anything we had ever tasted. Also, Marisa’s son Stefano is the only one of her children who have the pallet for tasting the vinegar.

In order to sell your vinegar with the packaging that denotes it as “authentic” (which includes a special bottle, label, and box) you have to bring a sample to the Consortium, where five tasters (one of whom is Marisa) who are divided by blinders so they cannot see one another, must unanimously agree that this vinegar is in fact “authentic” and makes the cut. If it passes, the vinegar is bottled right there to be sold.

I don’t like vinegar. At all. Of any kind. But this stuff changed my perception of it. It’s actually very sweet when it ferments for that long. In fact, the 25 year vinegar is recommended to be put on GELATO! Imagine putting vinegar from the USA on vanilla ice cream…

Other common uses are to top vegetables, fruit, salad, and steak. You really only use a tiny tiny bit because it’s EXTREMELY potent and (as I’ve shown above) very precious/expensive. Marisa told us that all her friends and relatives only ask for vinegar on birthdays and holidays, and when important politicians or celebrities come to the area, they are always given vinegar, and it’s considered to be a very generous gesture.

After the tasting and demonstrations, we went back downstairs and her housekeeper Maria prepared us a DELICIOUS lunch of risotto, bread (made with SALT!), and of course, wine. The wine in the Modena area is a sparkling red, though, and I much prefer the Tuscan chianti.

This was definitely one of the most interesting and culturally authentic experiences I’ve had in my time here. Something about being invited into a native Italian household and seeing how they live connects you with the culture in a way that no other experience can. And especially to see a craft that has been passed down over generations, and still continues today in the attics of everyday citizens, it was remarkable. Alexa told us that people don’t produce this vinegar to make money; it’s not a lucrative craft…and you rarely even break even. People do it because they love it.

We’re quickly running out of those things in America. Everyone is out to make money. People don’t bother with spending time and money on things that don’t have some sort of material gain. It’s just another lesson from the wise, old Italian culture.

Alexa, our leader on the trip, was exactly right when she told us that “After this trip, you’ll never think about balsamic vinegar the same way again, and you’ll always have a story to tell at the dinner table for the rest of your life.”

Cheese, Banks, and Army Knives...

I’ve got quite a bit of catching up to do on this blog over the next few days…

Last weekend I took a weekend trip to Interlaken, Switzerland. I was initially hesitant about making the trip when I heard my peers talking about it because it was € 180. But I realized that the chance to ski in the Swiss Alps was an experience I just couldn’t miss. And really…for a three-day, three-night stay at a hotel and with some meals provided, this really was worth it.

We left Florence at about 8:00 on Thursday night and made just one stop on the way. There were students on the trip from all over. Most were studying in Florence, but some had come from Rome to catch the bus. It’s funny how the people you’re with can either make or break your experience somewhere. I was lucky to be with three friends from NYU and we had a blast! But…most of the other people on the trip were incredibly annoying…but they provided some quality entertainment throughout the weekend.

We got in sometime between 4:00 and 5:00 AM at Interlaken and checked into the “Funny Farm” Hotel and Hostel. Yes, it sounds crazy, but that’s where we stayed and it was actually really really nice. Much closer to a hotel than a hostel. We slept in the first day and wandered around town exploring the town which included some ice skating at the local rink!

Interlaken is a tiny mountain town (population 5,700) that is FLOODED with tourists year-round because of its easy access to the Alps and a multitude of extreme sporting activities. It’s situated between the Brienz and Thun Lakes, which is why it’s called Interlaken.

That night we went night sledding! I’m so glad I decided to do it. Everyone who’d been says that it’s “the thing” to do while you’re there, and it really was! We had a cheese fondue dinner (Swiss specialty!) before taking a bus and then a train/tram up the mountain to the sledding place. We sledded down a narrow winding path on these cheap little plastic sleds, but it was so fun. And exhausting! But we went down the track four times and got our money’s worth.

The next morning we got up early to rent our ski gear for our day at the mountain! Jungfrau (literally “maiden/virgin”) is the 4,158 meter mountain in the Bernese Alps nearest Interlaken, and it’s nicknamed “The Top of Europe”. Skiing in the Alps is much different from my only other skiing location of “White Pass” in Washington! The runs are sooooo loooong…it’s amazing. The only downer part of the day is that it was snowing all day…so it made visibility on the slopes really difficult! But we made the most of it, and spent about 5 hours up on the mountain skiing.

We had our favorite restaurant that we ate at, downstairs at the nearby Hotel Tell (as in William Tell). The national dish of Switzerland is rösti or…hash browns. This was just fine with me! And luckily they come served with every combination of toppings (usually meat) you can think of. We also had cheeseburgers and ate at a Thai food restaurant that was randomly in the town.

Sunday we explored the “downtown” area and did a little shopping because we had to get back to the bus by 3:00. Little did we know that because of the weather, we would get STUCK trying to get out of the valley, and have to turn around and stay and extra night (for free, thankfully) in the hotel! We didn’t leave until Monday morning, and I missed all my Monday classes, because it took us 12 hours to get home thanks to tunnel closures through the mountains that forced us to go around. But, it was an experience.

One of the things I learned last weekend is that when I’m on these trips, I have to stop caring so much about spending money. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I have to take advantage of it and enjoy myself. Of course it doesn’t mean I’m going to lavishly spend my money irresponsibly, but I also don’t need to starve myself because dinner is too expensive or deprive myself of activities that all my friends are doing.

Also, when there’s a blizzard and you can’t get out of the Alps…it’s okay. Originally I was really stressed and upset about it, but…things happen, and it’s all part of traveling. You might as well make the most of it and enjoy yourself, which is what we did that night. I’ll certainly have a story to tell!

My personal pictures from the weekend are limited, but they are HERE.

The Leaning Tower Of...

Saturday we took a day trip to Pisa!

The train station is the final stop on the bus that stops outside our campus, so it couldn't be more convenient. At the station we bought our tickets from the automated kiosk. The train was leaving in about 10 minutes from when we bought our tickets, so we jetted over to the platform, hopped on the train, and we were off.

There's something nice about taking the train. It always seems special to me. I think it's because it's so much less common at home in Washington. But I always feel like I'm someone else when I ride the train...

Since we were traveling on a regional train, we made some stops along the way, but it still only took us an hour to get to Pisa. It's quite close. Pisa is essentially on the east coast of Italy in Tuscany.

The city was very quaint. It felt more homey than Florence. Florence is striking and urban, but Pisa had more of a village feel to it.

It couldn't have been a better day for exploring the city. It was chilly (we keep forgetting that it's January...) but there wasn't a cloud in the bright blue sky. The combination of the white buildings, the blue sky, and the green grass was incredibly beautiful.

We bought tickets to go up the Tower for 15 euro, and then we took the obligatory "holding up the building" picture like everyone else on the huge field in front of the tower. It was funny.

There's also a gorgeous Cathedral on the grounds that is free to go in and explore, so we did.

We had lunch at a little Pizzeria near the tower, and that was lovely. Although, it was weird to eat lunch. I don't eat lunch here...and I haven't decided if that's bad or not. I eat a huge breakfast and a huge dinner about 12 hours apart from each other. And my body has really adapted to that, I think. I felt sick yesterday like I had grossly over-eaten, just because I ate lunch!

I took a TON of pictures, which you can see HERE.

I have a lot of work to do this weekend...so today I've been trying to be productive. We're going to our friend's apartment in the city tonight for dinner because it's her birthday!

Also, they're airing the Super Bowl live tonight...but it starts at midnight...so...I don't know how much (if any) I'll be watching of it!