Early August at Tanglewood, the Tuba Gets its Turn

Last night my friend Joe emailed me asking what I was doing Friday night. My one-word answer said it all: Tanglewood. That's all I needed to say, since anyone who has been there on a golden summer evening knows exactly what it's all about.

Cindy and I joined our friends Rick and Susanna who are Tanglexperts, toting their special low table, candles, flowers, appropriate folding chairs and even a $90 corkscrew. Rick and I had fun with that extravagance; it really does do a better job opening a cold bottle of chardonnay than some cheap plastic gizmo. Rick's even got special candle holding stakes, and glasses holders at knee length.

We got there with plenty of time to spread out our picnic and claim a perfect spot right in front of the big screen, with the rolling Berkshires stretching out behind us. The table was set, the Proseco dry Italian sparkling white was poured, and the picnic began in earnest.

Oh, and later that night Joshua Bell

played virtuoso violin. He played "Poéme" from Chausson and "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso" from Saint-Saens. The gentle songs gave this young (age 40) genius a chance to shine. His playing was magnificent, and a good violinist like this is something to behold.

Tanglewood etiquette demands that after the festive picnicking on the lawn, a series of bells ring. After the third bell, you can hear a pin drop. These oldsters know that nobody clinks a glass nor makes a sound once the symphony plays its first note. The big screen gave us a look at each instrument as it got a turn, the harps, the oboes, the French horns, and later even a tuba got a spotlight. I forgot what that instrument was called, and laughed when Cindy reminded me of that funny name.

When the BSO was all finished, and most of the picnickers had folded their tables and packed away their wineglasses, we took our time, as it was a sultry night and there was no rush. The golden evening had given way to the inky darkness of early August, and all was right with the world.