A message from Obama: "The rest of you are on your own"
Von: Earl Evleth (evleth@wanadoo.fr) [Profil]
Datum: 05.11.2009 08:36
Message-ID: <C7183F08.186E0C%evleth@wanadoo.fr>
Newsgroup: alt.activism.death-penalty
Datum: 05.11.2009 08:36
Message-ID: <C7183F08.186E0C%evleth@wanadoo.fr>
Newsgroup: alt.activism.death-penalty
Obama tattles on JFK as he greets White House classical music audience November 4, 2009 | 8:21 pm Etiquette and protocol probably figure into any proceedings in the East Room of the White House. But with classical music on the agenda Wednesday evening, President Obama was alert to some special do's and don'ts as he welcomed an audience for performances by violinist Joshua Bell, guitarist Sharon Isbin, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianist Awadagin Pratt, with some young student musicians sitting in. Obama harked back to the Kennedy White House's "Camelot" legacy of cultural involvement, but not altogether reverently. Here's the humorous insider-anecdote he shared, as relayed by the White House press office in a transcript of the president's remarks. "Now, if any of you in the audience are newcomers to classical music, and aren¹t sure when to applaud, don¹t be nervous. (Laughter.) Apparently, President Kennedy had the same problem. (Laughter.) He and Jackie held several classical music events here, and more than once he started applauding when he wasn¹t supposed to. (Laughter.) So the social secretary worked out a system where she¹d signal him -- (laughter) -- through a crack in the door to the cross-hall. "Now, fortunately, I have Michelle to tell me when to applaud. (Laughter.) The rest of you are on your own. (Laughter.) "This is, of course, a unique concert venue. But tonight, all across America, in community centers and concert halls, in homes and in schools, the sounds of classical music are lifting hearts and spurring imagination, just as they always have. And it¹s easy to understand why. There¹s precision, of course; but there¹s also great feeling and improvisation. There¹s structure; but there¹s also creativity. It¹s music that defies simple definition even as it speaks to a common, universal language. "So whether you are new to classical music, or have been an aficionado for many, many years, we hope that you enjoy tonight."[ Auf dieses Posting antworten ]