"The Merry Month Of May"

When I was growing up, May was always a big deal around my house.  First there was Mother's Day with all the religious reverence for motherhood on ample display at church followed a week or so later by Mother's birthday.  Both reasons for much celebration in my early life.  Then once we got through all that, then finally it was my turn for a celebration of my own birthday 8 days after Mother's.  This usually coincides with Memorial Day Weekend with some years Memorial Day actually being my birthday.   I always thought the Nation took a holiday because it was my birthday before I was old enough to understand the significance of the holiday.  

In my adult years, it was much the same except Mother's Day and her birthday were now command performances complete with appropriate attire, flowers, gift or both.  After the Navy and I parted ways, those days remained command performances, but were anything but joyous celebrations for me.  The days events usually ended up in heartache and tears all the way home, so much so that just the thought of May approaching brought dread into my heart.  No one remembered my birthday except my Mother.  That was only if I had made the right genuflections and applied the appropriate bribe for her good favor.  That even got fewer and further between as the chasm widened by my Mother's refusal to accept and deal with reality.  The first two years after Dad died, she didn't remember at all.  So getting to Memorial Day Weekend was a marathon of highly charged emotions and undue expense to be survived.  The celebration was because I got through another May.  

After Dad died, I really did just disappear from family life.  I was not informed, invited or required to put in an appearance.  This is because of my Mother's mastery of if we don't say it, acknowledge it or believe it, then it is not so, can't be so and will not be believed to be so, all in accordance with  the strictest of Southern Baptist Religious Propriety and Southern Decorum.  I finally quit going and saved myself the heart ache and tears until Mother's later years when she made a half hearted attempt to include me in things for appearances sake.  

There is more than enough heartache, tears and of course guilt now that she is gone to weigh any ten people down, not just me.  Now the family ignores me unless it is absolutely necessary.  I say good riddance because now I have reasons to celebrate in May.  

My buddy Steeler Joe has a birthday on the 10th, Will has his on the 17th and them mine is the 27th.  All happy occasions to celebrate.  This year I am doing it up right and actually going on a real vacation.  I am driving up to visit my old friend Steve R in Virginia Beach and stay for a few days.  I have reservations at the Hilton.  I am on vacation and Steve does have triplet 11 year old boys, so I thought a hotel was the best move.  That way Steve and I can catch up but I don't put a big stumbling block in the family routine as far as the boys go.  I am so looking forward to it.  I am leaving on the 25th and returning June 1.  I will not be posting that weekend but promise pictures and stories when I return.   So here's to a very Merry Month of May all around for everyone!

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For your listening pleasure we again visit with an Italian Baroque Master and one of my all time favorite composers: Antonio Lucio Vivaldi.  The mandolin was essentially the instrument of amateur musicians in the early to mid 18th century. Vivaldi composed many concerti and trios for the young ladies of the Ospiedale della Pieta – including the famous G major RV532, which must rank as one of his most popular works after the Four Seasons. 

The concerti and trios on this CD make a delightful program, written for the pleasure of gifted students and patrons, full of the hallmarks of Vivaldian style that will not disappoint those who love the famous Four Seasons violin concertos from his Op.8 set. Simple, catchy melodies abound, in both still and often poignant slow movements as well as sparky fast movements. 

This recording was released in 2009 on the Brilliant Classics label by L'Arte dell'Arco under the baton of Federico Guglielmo.  Frederico Gugliemo studied with Salvatore Accardo, Isaac Stern and The Amadeus, LaSalle and Quartetto Italiano string quartets before turning to period instrument performance under the guidance of Christopher Hogwood.  A complete track listing is below the video. 

00:00:00 Concerto for 2 mandolins, strings and continuo in G Major RV 532
00:03:54 Concerto for 2 mandolins, strings and continuo in G Major RV 532
00:08:15 Concerto for 2 mandolins, strings and continuo in G Major RV 532
00:11:48 Concerto for mandolin, strings and continuo in C Major RV 425
00:14:26 Concerto for mandolin, strings and continuo in C Major RV 425
00:17:44 Concerto for mandolin, strings and continuo in C Major RV 425
00:19:57 Trio for Violin, lute and basso in g Minor RV 85
00:24:00 Trio for Violin, lute and basso in g Minor RV 85
00:27:01 Trio for Violin, lute and basso in g Minor RV 85
00:28:53 Concerto for 2 Violin, lute and basso in D Major RV 93
00:32:22 Concerto for 2 Violin, lute and basso in D Major RV 93
00:36:33 Concerto for 2 Violin, lute and basso in D Major RV 93
00:38:44 Trio for Violin, lute and basso in C Major RV 82
00:42:51 Trio for Violin, lute and basso in C Major RV 82
00:45:54 Trio for Violin, lute and basso in C Major RV 82
00:47:52 Concerto for Viola d’amore, lute, strings and basso in d Minor RV 540
00:53:13 Concerto for Viola d’amore, lute, strings and basso in d Minor RV 540
00:56:15 Concerto for Viola d’amore, lute, strings and basso in d Minor RV 540
00:59:47 Concerto for harpsichord, strings and continuo in A Major RV 780
01:03:30 Concerto for harpsichord, strings and continuo in A Major RV 780
01:05:40 Concerto for harpsichord, strings and continuo in A Major RV 780

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To close out the day I once again have just one model and only three photographs of one amazingly beautiful young man.  The young man in question definitely has some Latin heritage in there somewhere be it Italian or Hispanic, it is all beautiful and surging with life.  Scroll down and peruse at your leisure.  Thank you for your visit, do come again and as always, Enjoy!

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