Cold rain with sleet this morning in Dijon. On the train to Paris, one village had a dusting of snow on the roofs; there must have been an elevation change, but one was not apparent in the train ride. Upon arrival, lots of people were running through the Jardin des Plantes, between Gare de Lyon and the hotel.
Last time I was in Paris was a Monday, when Musée D'Orsay is closed, so I walked over. I had remembered a couple of paintings from a visit in 2013, which were found after a visit to the museum café for café Vienoisse. Back towards the Rive Gauche, Dellacroix's residence has been converted into a small museum.
At Radio France, the Orchestra was performing Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt, in "Les Clefs de l'orchestre (keys of the Orchestra) de Jean-François Zygel." I wasn't sure what this was. The host Jean-François Zygel talked about the piece in French. I caught about 25% of the words; the narrator was excited, gesticulating, and talking fast.
It became clear in short order (1). The presenter was explaining the structure of the piece, and the Orchestra would play snippets to illustrate the points (e.g., the theme moving among the instruments, instruments switching the harmony and melody, key changes, etc.). He would call out individual players by name (Jean-Baptiste on the marimba) to illustrate techniques. The Orchestra then played the whole movement before he began talking again to introduce the next section Basically, it was program notes live. The host clawed at the air like a tiger, fluttered away like a bird, played some passages on the piano, and, in general, seemed to be having a grand time for himself explaining the music (as did the audience).
Grabbing a velib (bike share) after the concert (2), I cycled 4 miles up the Seine, past the Eiffel Tower, Quai D'Orsay, Louvre, and Notre Dame, all fully illuminated at night
(1) My misspent youth hanging about Symphony Hall in Boston probably helped me figure out what was happening.
(2) For some reason, they insisted that the entire Auditorium exit via one doorway.
Gare de Lyon, Paris
Statue of Lamarck, "founder of evolution," and predecessor of Darwin (no scientist stands alone). Lamarck thought that adaptations developed during life would be passed on to descendents (called "inheritance of acquired characteristics"). For example, a giraffe stretching its neck would pass a longer neck onto their offspring. Neither LaMarck nor Darwin understood genetics (a), but Darwin's theory has aged better.
(a) The work of Gregor Mendel, studying his peas in Bohemia (in what would become genetics), was unknown to Darwin, although they two men were roughly contemporaries.
Jardin des Plantes
Grand mosque of Paris
A few paintings intrigued me:
Pierre Bonnard, Le Grand Jardin, 1895
Louis Pasteur by Edelfelt
Evening Prayer in the Sahara by Gustave Guillaumet, 1863
Fine detail from painting above
L'homme at la barre (Man at the tiller)
Gare St. Lazare, Monet
Not Lara's theme: I kissed a girl, and I liked it.
The Dellacroix museum
Radio France Auditorium; the Orchestra members practicing. The presenter stood near the piano to the right.
Downriver from the Eiffel Tower, 10:15 p.m.
