Working, Reading, Listening

I have been very busy with home improvement projects, gardening, reading, loading and testing software on my new HP desktop computer, weightlifting, walking, and writing.

It has been very hot, over 100F, each day in the afternoon.  These high temperatures make outdoor work or exercise after 11 am quite difficult for us.   

Karen and I work Tuesday and Wednesday at our school jobs this week.  Starting on Thursday, we are off work at our school jobs for summer vacation.  Karen retires this Thursday, 6/14.

I have enjoyed reading the following two books about the history of string quartets.  First, "The Cambridge Companion to the String Quartet" edited by Robin Stowell, 2003, 373 pages.  This was a Father's Day gift from Karen.  My daughter gave me three string quartet albums for Father's Day.  Second, I am also reading Paul Griffith's "The String Quartet: A History," 1983, 240 pages.  Both are difficult reading for me when it comes to the detailed explanations about the musical theory of particular compositions.  I can neither play music nor can I read music.  I'm more interested in the historical development, biographical and cultural backgrounds, the technology of the instruments and recording, and innovations.

This week, I listened to Beethoven's String Quartets, Opus 18, No. 1-6.  They were played by the Tokyo String Quartet.  I listened to the MP3 digital recordings.  Clear, crisp, exciting!  These string quartets were composed by Beethoven from 1798 to 1800.

Also, I have been listening to Kitaro's "The Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai," Volumes I - IV, 2006-2010.  This music is classified as "New Age Music."  The Ku-Kai albums were nominated for New Age Grammy awards.