John, 9V1VV, and Brahms' 2nd symphony

It was in May 15 years ago when I met John Davies, 9V1VV, in person. A year or two prior to his visit here, we have run across on 40m CW. He was running an electronic keyer as a bug and seemed to be oriented to ragchewing on CW. That is why we have had so many QSOs ever since.

He was born in the Republic of South Africa and has moved to England in his boyhood days. After his father, he has started doing with radio and later has become a R/O. He seemed to have spent his young days from his twenties to thirties on aboard as a R/O. He used to tell me he had had a lot of communications with radio operators at commercial stations all over the world. He could tell who was on the key from the characteristics of keying. In late thirties in his life, he started his career as an engineer ashore in Singapore. Later, he has found himself reading the ad signs with Morse code without being conscious of that. He wanted to come back the world of Morse code communication and decided to be a ham. I wonder if this short description of his bio is not comprehensive but good enough.

I met him at a local station. A tall and smiling gentleman was there. I took him to my home and let him see my station with nothing particular set up. I have told about FOC, a British CW Club, which I had been active in and he has become a member in a few years. 

In May 15 years ago, as we promised, I met him at a local train station. At the small concourse, a tall gentleman has stood smiling at me. I took him to my home and let him show my humble shack. It was the day of the local orchestra rehearsal. I was supposed to attend it by any means since it was very close to the concert then. I impudently asked him if he would go there with me. His reply was affirmative. Maybe, by that time, I knew he had been a classical music lover. His concern was mainly baroque, I guess. He has, however, an extensive knowledge even in the music of the other ages. 

The rehearsal place was a hall in the midst of farms. Rice has been newly planted everywhere, I believe. Through the hall window, some trees were seen as this photo shows. They were swaying slightly with comfortable breeze coming over the watered rice paddies. He has listened to the rehearsal and told me this orchestra was well trained on the way back. I thought it was a diplomatic compliment. But I was still pleased to know he had not been bored with it. He seemed to have walked around the hall as well.    

The other orchestra members have welcomed this British gentleman visiting the orchestra rehearsal. 

Again, I am amazed to have had such a long period of friendship with him. Several years later, he has visited Tokyo with his son and wife. We have had a pleasant lunch together at a restaurant close to my mother school. Time sure flies so fast. He has become the editor of the FOC magazine, FOCUS, while I quit the club as well as ham radio itself. As a proverb says, those who go first will be last and those who follow will be first. Sometime in the future, hopefully, I would join him on the air by some means.

On the way back to the railway station after the rehearsal, he told me he would recall of the symphony we practised then. It was Brahms' 2nd symphony. Whenever I listen to this piece, I also recall the spring time when we met in person, and of himself as well.

Again Apres Un Reve and farming

 As I repeatedly told in this blog, my wife and I have played "Apres us Reve" at the wedding ceremony, my wife with piano and I with cello, believing that bad company telling us it was the only chance for us to compulsorily listen to our performance. Even though the ceremony was starting around noon, we were practising it at the student hall in the morning hours. Taking the instrument, we headed to the wedding hall on a taxi. How about the gig? Far away from my memory. 

Living in a small resident dorm, we were not so busy for half a year or so as it would be later. Having supper at the hospital staff restaurant, always some fries, we have gone to the student dorm hall, where we could play table tennis or play piano. Not too often, we have played some simple pieces like "Swan" by Saint Saens or this "Apre us Reve". Time was flowing slowly. It was the prelude of the hell busy days coming to us soon. In that respect, this piece is one of the unforgettable pieces for me.

Here is another excellent performance of this piece by a spanish cellist. Fairly slow tempo. At the refrain, they go faster and stronger as if they would go passinately after the dream all the way. I believe this portion should be played in this way. I love their performance so much.

By the way, less time for music at present. But I am spending much of time in the garden farm preparing for summer vegetables. I won't rely on pesticides or even chemical fertilizers. I would go with compost made from pulled weeds, rice bran or organic nutrients. It is a challenge. But the crops always taste better and could last longer after being harvested than the products by conventional farming. It's worth trying to. In a couple of weeks, when we have least chances for frost, it would be the time to plant the seedlings or to seed in the farm. It is a fun to see them growing.

New furnitures

 My wife has been complaining of backache when asleep on a couch before TV. It is an old one we bought almost 30 years ago. Its cushion is "tired" and the central portion was settled a bit, which might be causing her backache. We have talking of purchasing a new couch. It could be a present commemorating her retirement. 

We have been to a big furniture store and found a good couch with spring cushion. It might be resilient enough and would last long, at least, for another decade until either of us go to heaven and the other would come into a facility for aged. We have decided to purchase it. It is already set in the living dining room. It was not a perfect solution to her backache but has still been of help to her. She is watching TV lying there with our cat Hikaru. 

I also have been considering of replacing my chair in my room. Pretty old one. A portion of the back fur was torn. At the store, I was fascinated by this chair made in Norway. It seemed good for relaxation. Honestly, the size is a bit too big for reading or writing etc. The reclining is, however, perfect. I love it so much. Again, it may accompany with me for the rest of my life.

We also replaced the bed mattresses. The old ones were almost 40 years old and again pretty tired for cushioning. The new ones have tight spring cushion. The manufacturer says it is a high density continuous spring system with polyesther hollow structure on each side. The tension is high and evenly distributed. In addition, as they advertize, it would last for 10 or 20 years, longer than the other types of beds. It is long enough for us. 

Most of our furnitures or electrical items are getting old as the owners are. It will be the last timing to replace them now. We won't spend much money for travelling or the other enjoyments any longer. We might be allowed to waste some for such a thing now.

Azalea blooming and my mother's anniversary soon

This row of azalea was planted along the entrance almost 40 years ago. I can't remember if we asked some gardener to do that or if I have done it with my father. Too long time has passed. It is called Satsuki, a kind of azalea, which stands for May in Japanese. Or the season when this tree blooms might be called Satsuki. It used to come out typically in May. But it is flowering earlier like this.

As written elsewhere my mother used to sit at the place this row of azalea ended late afternoon wathcing people and cars going on the street. It was some time after my father had passed away and when she suffered from dementia. She was as if waiting for my father coming home. 

As written elsewhere in this blog, in April of 2009, she has been gone to Miyagi where my brother and his wife cared for her. My brother and his wife wanted to be with her. It turned out a bit tough for them to do so and she was admitted to a facility there, where she has suffered from the big earthquake and eventually died at a hospital also in April of 2011. She has wanted to come here. She might have dreamed of this azalea or magnolia coming out in the garden.   

In April of 2009, she was on my brother's car heading north to Miyagi. She was excited as if going for another trip like used to do for many times. She has not known it was the last trip for her without coming back home here. The same photo was uploaded elsewhere.  

The flowers are out as if nothing has happened to us since those days.  

Along the street, the dogwood trees are literally in full blossom as well.  

My brother and his wife will visit here and the grave our parents are in eternal sleep in the beginning of next month.

 

A small collection of CDs sorted out

I wanted to put the CDs in order and, if possible, to record them as files in the hard disc. Then I could have quickly found the CD or sound source I would like to listen to. I would do that when retired. As a digital luddite, however, I felt inclined not to start that project but left them cluttered and scattered around at various places. It has been a task for me to find out a sound source necessary.

Some of them have been put in a few boxes. Giving up the above mentioned digitalization project, I decided to sort them out in more boxes with title. The total amount is not so many. Only 400 CDs or so. I have still found the CDs I have not listened for years. They were sorted out according to the composers into 10 boxes.  

It is a primitive system. But it won't be too long before I should give up listening to them. This is sufficient for me.

Arranging things in this way, I found my collection, not large enough at all, is confined to only limited genres of music. I should get more of such as Haydn, baroques or earlier music. I also would like to have more chamber music variety. Keyboard music is the genre I need to be more familiar with. I would not only enrich the collection but also enjoy the old favorites even more. 

This is for the bed room. I have the other sets of audio at my own room and at the living dining. I may bring a few CDs into those rooms when I would listen to them there.

 

Apple flowers Artificial pollination

We have a copule of apple trees in the lawn area. Their flowers are fully blooming right now. Some of them are already starting falling down. I remembered they had been different species of apple but was not sure if they were compatible with effective pollination between them. 

When I told a friend of mine that there had been very few apples borne in the past, I was told to do artificial pollination. I thought it had been done by bees. I should have kept bees for that purpose. Without bee keeping, I should do manual pollination.

A couple days ago, I have poliinated with a fluffy material of a earpick. I don't know if it will work or not. The 1st trial. After pollination, a wire has been tied to the base of each flower. About 10 of them were done with the procedure. Looking forward to having fresh apples in fall.

 A bit later from now in a year, I often heard Cap W0CCA proudly talking of the beautiful apple flowers blooming in his big orchard. Watching our 2 trees flowering in the way the photo shows, I always remember of his story of the apple orchard far away in Colorado. 

A promise will be realized this fall

My wife has finally decided to retire this fall. At age of 70 years. She has worked longer as a doctor than I have. As a doctor, a mother and a wife, she has worked amazingly well. It is not easy for her to get her clinic closed. A lot of things to do. Even though her clinic is a relatively small one, it has taken over the legal status of the medical corporation I had established at my clinic years ago. As with the procedures in administration, closing the corporation is quite tedious and troublesome. An accounting firm will help her to do that. A lot of items should be transferred from the office to home here. My wife is not good at such work!, I know, and I am sure I will be deployed for that moving work then. 

When we were in engagement in medical school days, we once took a walk along Shinobazunoike in Ueno at night. It was a big pond in a park quiet and serene away from the noisy downtown of Tokyo. Neonsigns were recflecting on the water of the pond. At the height of happiness, sitting on a bench along the lake side by side with her, I told her "Let's do the house chores half and half in the future." Of course, she nodded with big smile. 

Decades have passed ever since.  

Several days ago, she has started talking in smiling tone about how we should share the house chores after her retirement. She asked me how about cooking of 3 days each other and buying something for supper for a day. Candidly, I was dreaming of being freed from cooking. But recalling that words we spoke at that night, I could not deny or resist her proposal. I might have to ask her about that episode in Ueno later.

Anyway, a new and possibly the last phase of our lives will start this fall.

One of the recent supper dish. Home grown spinach with bacon and egg.  

 

Faure's Requiem

A good friend of mine, Takeshi JA4IIJ, told me he would prefer Faure's requiem to Bach's St. Matthews Passion when I mentioned about the latter around Easter last month. St. Matthews Passion is a bit too heavy for him, as he said. I fully understood what he had meant. The latter depicts a story of Jesus from the pleasant story of pass over to his death on the cross in Golgotha. His ressurection, although it is not directely described in this Passion, assures of redemption of our sin, which is the main creed in Christianity. It sure is involved in the existence of ourselves. In that context, it could never be more serious than any other religious music.

On the other hand, Faure has described a departure from life on earth full of relieves and pacification. So beautiful and paradisiac world is unfolded in every piece of this requiem. Death seems to be a relief itself. Different from the other requiem, Dies irae, the day of wrath, itself is miniaturized in the end of Libera me. I often ask myself if Faure has yearned for death and subsequent world of paradise. This music may reflect such an idea he has had.

For a while in my twenties of age, I have spent a time when I admired this music. In the 1st movement of Introit et Kyrie, after several measures of introduction, a phrase of nostalgia starts in unison by the two parts of viola and the highest part of three parts of cello. I was most fascinated with that phrase which might work as a counterpoint to the phrase of tenor sung a few measures later. I sure would have liked to play it in an orchestra by myself. Dreaming of such a chance, I often listened to this music at the dorm of the medical university late at night. 

I have got a score of this music. The date I got it was written down on the 1st page as May 7th 1974. With methodical hand wiring. I have started very busy days with professional studies at the school those days. In a life of ups and downs as a student, I wonder what I was thinking when I got this score.

It is a pretty poor binding book. With rather thick papers of page, already sunburnt, it could be torn apart easily when being read repeatedly. I don't believe anyone would take it over after my death. I would read it until it wears out. 　

Almost half a century since I got it. As I often say, time flies so fast. 

Totally out of my life plan

Potatoes are sprouting now. Surprisingly, the old wrinkled ones have come out earlier than fresh ones. They were already budding much before being planted. It is not yet clear if they would bear good potato fruits. Seemingly, though, they would. I am sure those old potatoes are working hard in order to deliver lives to the next generation. Is it too much exaggerated to say that we old bones could do something for the next generation in the society?!

Green peas crawling up the net. They have survived this cold winter. The growth is a bit slower than expected. As an amateur farmer, I am always puzzled if I should give such plants some fertilizer. I have given enough amount of compost but least fertilizer. I have learned too much fertilizer could spoil the vegetables and have them eaten by insects easier than less fertilizer given. The balance is a matter of experience. Could I become experienced in the rest of my life? 

A corner of the flower bed. It belongs to my wife. She does with such spiritual metaphysics as these flowers while I work for physical matters, that is, edible vegetables.

I have been preparing pieces of small farms for pumpkins and sweet potatoes which will be planted in several weeks. I realize, as the natural farming says, that farms could be a small nature. We should refrain from modifying it and should keep it as it is. Such soil cared for with the natural farming way should be prosperous and sustainable, I know. But the problem in such way of soil making in the natural farming requires a few years to be accomplished. So I should go in a style of compromise between the natural and the conventional farming. Not easy but still a fun.

Stretching out my back, I often feel amazed at myself working as a part time farmer like this way. It is totally out of my life plan. 

Beethoven in his last days and a good friend of mine

At my age, I could not be more interested in how people in the past have spent their last years in their lives than ever. Especially the musicians and/or composers whom I love. I believe that time in their lives is always the fruits or the results to how not only they but we ourselves have lived. No, I am not a fatalism believer but am still firmly believe that our lives could be wonderful, depending on what attitude and way of life we are in that period of our lives, however miserable they may look like to others. It is the last and most important chance to enhance or enrich our lives in the end chapter. 

A couple of informations regarding Beethoven's last days have been published by a group in Facebook and in a medical journal, respectively. They let us know how he has lived in the end of his life and what pathograpical meaning these events might have had especially to his last works. 

The group named "Ludwig Van Beethoven" in Facebook announced it was the anniversary of Beethoven's passing in the end of last month. It told that Beethoven had asked his doctor to publish on his death and its cause after he passed away. The sketch of him at deathbed mentioned in the announcement is not sharerable here but showed his peceful countenance. In his desk, there was the famous Heiligenstadt Testament found after his death. He has fought against the hearing issue for nearly 3 decades as the Testament told while composing the historically renowned and memorable works.  

The announcement describes how he and his room looked like as follows;

 "196 years ago today, on the afternoon of March 26, 1827, Ludwig van Beethoven died. The pencil drawings of Beethoven on his deathbed come from the sketchbook of the Austrian painter Josef Teltscher. He made them in March 1827 in Ludwig van Beethoven's sickroom. "The ailing Beethoven lay, as when well, in the room with two windows (in the room entered before going into his study). The bed stood next to the wall which separated the large room from the study, opposite the door, with its head next to the back wall, so that Beethoven's face was towards the two windows, his left side towards the middle of the chamber, thus commanding a view of the room.", recalled Beethoven's friend Gerhard von Breuning in 1874."

This description and his sketch makes me feel as if I was attending there at his death. The paper mentioned below said he had had a lot of wine at lunch almost every day for the last years. It sure has aggravated his illness, I believe, even if I am not sure he should be diagnosed as an alcoholic. As with most alcoholics, however, he must have had physical as well as mental hardship especially as for the problem of his nephew at that time. 

There was a research paper regarding the genomic analysis of his hair published lately.

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(23)00181-1?fbclid=IwAR3ds1Q5lbmZhcAbZYg0oNlGdUx0kDbV-IF1ukhWL7dzETEDOvo-_IqUJl4

He has had a genetic predisposition for liver dysfunction. Together with massive intake of alcohol, the hepatitis B virus infection seemed to have caused liver cirrhosis, which could lead him to death. It has denied lead poisoning which was previously insisted as a death cause. At least, for the last several months, he must have had symptoms of cirrhosis. 

Liver cirrhosis is a chronically progressive illness not curable. I don't know exactly when it has started with him. But pathographically, it must have influenced on his composition of the latest works. In his declining health and the problems surrounding him, he must felt he would be free from the world soon. The great last 3 piano sonatas and the latest quartets beginning from OP127 through OP136 all are treasure in not only the history of music but also of human culture. While he realized his death in the near future, he might not be feeling even more freedom from the world than ever. I have been listening to the last 3 piano sonatas played by a respectable pianist, Horszowsky, recently. I am even more convinced that Beethoven has reached to a mind state free from any meaningless constraints in the world. The usual structure of piano sonata or the sonata form itself has been abandoned. He played in the world of freedom and transparency in music with those works.　   

Talking of the Heiligenstadt Testament, I have recalled of John AC4CA, with whom I often told and heard of the music which we recently listened to. I won't do that often. For it could force the others to listen to my favorites. It could be an aggressive peddling. John was an exception whom I could freely converse about such favorites. One time, when he was in a difficult situation with his wife's and his own health, I told him I had recently listened to Archduke trio by Beethoven. It was a music of affirmative and positive attitude in life, I believed. I also mentioned about that Heiligenstadt Testanment. Without much words for a response to me, he seemed he would listen to it and also try to find the testament by himself. I was pleased to know my story had not ended as a high pressure selling. He has been helped by music for sure. When he told me his neuroendocrine tumor won't be responsive to the current treatment and he should discuss for the future choice of treatment with the doctors in MD Anderson, he also told me he had been practising the famous Nocturn of farewell by Chopin. I was deeply moved imagining him playing piano alone at his home. I sure miss such a chance to talk to him. But I know, like Beethoven in his last days, he has become free from anxiety and physical pain for now. I must even congratulate him for that. I only hope his wife jackie has been doing well at the facility. I still miss John.  

Archduke piano trio B flat major OP97, by Casals, Vegh and Horszowsky.

The last piano sonata, Nr32 OP111 c minor, piano Horzsowsky.

The Nuclear Power Village

The base of the pressure vessel of the 1st reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant has been found destroyed. This photo shows the melted out concrete and the naked metal structure due to the nuclear fuel melting through the base of the vessel. They say it has never been directly observed nor taken for a photo before.

It proves that the fuel has really melted through the base of pressure vessel. It has melted the base structure made of reinforced concrete. Only the iron bars are left while the concrete is completely disappeared. 

Without the base structure, the pressure vessel, which weighs 400 tons, could easily fall down and destroy the containment vessel with the result that the massive radioactive substances are scattered into the air. There have been earth quakes occurring possibly as the aftermaths of the big earth quake in 2011. They could unstabilize and render the pressure vessel fallen down. 

The melted fuel could cause contamination of the underground water pouring into the reactor. The inflowing water is told up to the amount of 150 tons in a day. They are starting marine disposal of the "ALPS treated" water, which still contains tritium and probably small amount of the other nuclear materials. The newly produced contaminated water due to underground water surpasses the disposed treated water in amount. It means the marine disposal should continue almost eternally. We know little about the result of such disposal into the ocean yet. It is clear that disposed radioactive materials won't be retrieved even if there is any serious issue happening from its contamination. 

A couple of years ago, as the roadmap to decommissioning of the Fukushima nuclear power plant says, they could have reached the melted through nuclear fuel and have started discharging it out. They could never even reached it yet. Only taking photos like this around the area in the reactor.

Our government designated the nuclear power as the base load. And they would restart some nuclear power plants beyond their time limit of running planned at construction and even construct new plants. The power necessity for the country already became less than the power generation capacity mainly because of the decrease of the population. 

Without elucidation of the real cause of the serious accident at Fukushima nuclear power plant, they could bring on a disaster with another nuclear power plant in the near future. Honestly, there were discussions or proposals by researchers in seismology and science of disaster prevention alarming the nuclear power plant accident with an earthquake/tsunami at Fukushima after the big earthquake in Kobe in 1995. However, the power companies and the politicians/beaurocrats/researchers affiliated with them have postponed it or shut down before it was on the table of politics. This affiliated group of politics/business/administration is called as the Nuclear Power Village in our country. They are chasing only their own interest or concession neglecting possible further disaster.