Beethoven's Fifth

Our usual Friday night football game was a rainout this weekend (okay, not really rained out, we just don't like to get wet), so instead, we went to the University of Mary Washington-Community Symphony Orchestra concert. The orchestra is a combination of college students and local musicians who put on a number of popular performances throughout the year. Last night we heard Anton Bruckner’s 4^th Symphony (come on, you've never heard of that??) and the highlight, Beethoven’s Fifth. It was definitely a bit heavier than the Pops concert we usually hear this group perform. Kevin Bartram, the conductor, started out by introducing the first piece and emphasizing how LONG it was, making me wonder if my position trapped in the center of a long row wasn't a bad idea. Turns out it wasn’t all that long, although I admit I have a pretty short attention span when it comes to classical music, preferring the short, snappy pieces to the long, unfamiliar stuff. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony was a lot more enjoyable, because I recognized two of the movements, and being familiar with the music really made it more entertaining for me. I like the greatest hits classical stuff. You know, the music you recognize from movies and commercials. The orchestra itself is a solid group of amateur musicians who do a fine job, although you’d never mistake them for a big city orchestra. Nonetheless, as always, they got the thunderous standing ovation. And you know how I feel about that.

This is the statue of George Washington in the foyer of Dodd Auditorium at the university named for Mary Washington, George's mother. Now that I'm thinking about it, I can't remember ever seeing a single image of Mary Washington anywhere on campus. I'm sure there is one somewhere, but what does the woman actually look like?