Saturday was Bach’s 332nd birthday and to celebrate it musicians performed Bach’s greatest hits in subway stations around the world from Budapest to Singapore to Los Angeles’s Union Station.
Here in L.A, the celebration was a 10 hour marathon and I spent three hours taking in Bach performed using recorders and a digital organ.
An all recorder orchestra. Why are these wooden flutes called “recorders”? Because they were first developed to allow the player to imitate–and call–wild birds!
The large audience for the Los Angeles Recorder Orchestra concert included this man seated and asleep in the pale blue recliner! He did not seem to have anyone with him. I love watching the audience at public events
Two bass recorder players in the Los Angeles recorder orchestra. They played the Brandenberg Concerto among other Bach favorites.
Birthday balloons for Bach! Love it! This is the enormous and no unused ticketing hall in Union Station. Back in the 2940s and ’50s, this huge room would hae been crowded with rail passengers. Now it serves as a concert hall which I think is an excellent use of this space!
The painted ceiling in the ticket hall. I love the architectural details of Union Station!
