Yesterday (Sunday) was the first day of summer, so Paris celebrated with an evening of music. Music groups could be heard almost everywhere we went--bridges, cafés, parks, the river--everywhere. The evening was warm enough if you brought a sweater, and the crowds were out like I have not seen for years.
We began the late Sunday afternoon as usual, by going to the Eglise St Eustache to hear another organ recital. We went at what we assumed would be 30 minutes ahead of the recital so we could get seats, but I had not done my homework. The recital began at 5:00 rather than the usual 5:30, and the enormous cathedral-like church was filled, with people sitting even on the cold stone floor. I later learned that St Eustache had either live music or a Mass scheduled, back to back, for 36 straight hours! All kinds of groups, from the classical organ repertoire to rock, gospel to choral music and jazz.
Since I couldn't sit, and since the organ works were transcriptions of orchestral compositions (a bit on the popular side), I listened casually while strolling where I could, taking photos of people listening. There was standing room only throughout the church, and nearly everybody remained there for the full 45 minutes.
People tried to catch a glimpse of the organist, craning around pillars and pulpit.
The cool floor likely felt fine on the warm afternoon.
The organist always has a page turner who stands. The man in the blue sweatshirt was one of the volunteers who helped to organize the crowd as it moved out at the west end of the church so that the next crowd could enter at the southern transept.
Some volunteers were stationed so that nobody approached the altar or the choir stalls. Things were set up for the 6:00 Mass which followed.
The organist played the console at ground level, but the thousands of pipes are up quite high.
A photo of a photo.
For Ravel's ever-popular Bolero, someone played the snare drum ever so steadily. Its rhythmic pattern, once established, never changes. People love it.
Not many organists can dream of such large enthusiastic audiences.
More later, with love from us both as we are in count-down mode,
Evan
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