Yesterday Jan Welmers and I again discussed the possible value of this blog in documenting the many conversations we had, for instance regarding young generations of organists. He emphasized the importance of referring to nature, like in the previous post the fact that we often make long walks in nature and combine talking about music with, for instance, bird watching.
During my studies in the early '80s, the organ class including professors Theo Teunissen and Jan Welmers made a trip to the Alsace to visit some of the many beautiful organs there, but we also drove up the Grand Ballon to enjoy the mountain with its wonderful views. Some ten years later (in the meantime I was a professor of organ myself), the organ class went to visit organs in Toulouse, now also accompanied by professor Kees Van Houten. I remember that Jan Welmers strongly suggested that we should also visit the Pyrenees, but unfortunately this was not possible.
Yesterday evening an interesting program on princess Irene was broadcasted to celebrate her 75th birthday. In the past, she became known as "the princess who talks with trees" and was sometimes a little laughed at because of that, but it is quite impressive to see and hear this noble person speak about her relation to nature.
