Category Archives: Wolfgang Mozart
Wolf, me and the Amadeus slander factory…
‘Monostatos’ and me and the opera Die Zauberflote…
I should preface this post by saying that from the time I was born I felt I had a connection to Wolfgang Mozart. I could identify his music even before I knew his name. With that connection came, what appeared to me as a child, to be an overwhelming burden of responsibility. I was unable to deal with it back then. It seemed he had left everything in a terrible mess and I was too small to pick up the pieces. My birth parents were dangerously immature. I had no help, no support system. So I decided to, in effect, hide the gift I had been given and live a ‘normal’ childhood. That proved to be impossible, but that’s another story…
As a young adult, when my birth family situation became unbearable, I fled to school in the UK. I had numerous opportunities to travel to the continent, and did, on my sparse student budget. I vigorously refused to go to either Austria or Germany at that time, due to their horrible Nazi past. I refused to learn German. And I refused to have anything to do with the opera Die Zauberflote.
Looking back, I can say that the turning point in my relationship with “Monostatos” was when we decided to see the Bergman film of The Magic Flute. By that time, in shell shock having to deal with the attacks against me, and the targeting of my children, I didn’t really give much thought to the fact that I was taking a major step out of my comfort zone. But then, there it was. The horrible mother, who had a split personality — one charming, one vicious — the father in the background — the kidnapping to the frozen tundra of Minnesota, the three little children — all came into focus. I had felt all along that my perspective was different from that of others. At that time I began to realize that I felt I was living inside an opera and trying to explain to others what this reality entailed.
I was able to accept the burden of responsibility, and the pain it involved. I finally accepted the call, as the hero or heroine usually does, when all other alternatives have become unbearable or unavailable..
And I have been fighting ever since…:-)
Minnegeddon…a veiled reference to the ongoing lockout? :-0
Interesting programming for the Minnesota Orchestra — starting off the year with a performance of the Overture from The Magic Flute: http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/buy/tickets/browse-calendar/eventdetail/475/-/osmo-vaenskae-and-audra-mcdonald#.VgGhG2RViko One might be tempted to ask why they feel comfortable performing Wolf’s music while refusing to hear me and, in effect, continuing to lock me out. But then, very little about the MO surprises me these days. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were even able to come up with a counterfeit Pamina and Tamino in order to thoroughly try to confuse their audiences…:-0
#MinnegeddonPartDeux…just how does a band that locked-out Mozart make a ‘comeback’? :-0 (M4B)*
Monostatos’ Orchestra seems to be attempting to go through a sort of rebirth. After the contentious and bitter lockout, which may well, in fact, have been in response to their, in effect, locking Mozart out some time ago, in terms of the great gift that I call die zauberflote, they seem to want to put the dismal recent past events behind by making a foray into new performing territory (not a bad idea) and conducting a media blitz intended to showcase them as ‘new’. Frankly, virtually nothing about this organization is ‘new’. In fact, what we may well be seeing is more of the ‘same-old, same-old’. Not that the ‘same-old’ is ‘bad’, just that it is predictably the same — a veneer of ‘grace’ and ‘loveliness’ masking the fact that its ‘voice’ (if you can even call it that) is empty and dead…
Why, you might ask, am I not tempted into mushy sentimentality about the supposed newness of the recent ‘historic’ runout or accompanying schmoozy current ad strategy? Frankly, any group who can put up with the character I call “Monostatos” is not deserving of being taken seriously. It has, in fact, settled its fate in my mind once and for all. Ironically, it appears that one of the previous administrators of this group attempted to oust this person, but in a turn of irony, they were the one to go. So I hold to no illusions about this situation. (I am, in fact, speaking from personal experience. I learned the hard way, and am not about to be fooled again.)
So, what is actually going on here? This is my impression. If this group was, in fact, put under judgment by the Lrd for their treatment, not only of an extraordinary gift of music, but of a gift of the Holy Spirit, they had the opportunity to, for example, come to repentance over the initial lockout during their own prolonged 18-month lockout and make appropriate apologies and amends. They were aware of the facts involving the initial lockout. But they chose to ignore that information and, in effect, ‘rebuild’. Not even simply rebuild, but attempt to claim they have re-invented themselves. I doubt that will work. I sincerely hope that believers will look very critically at having any involvement with this group, especially anything involving their children (yes, they manage to insinuate themselves in many schools). I consider the effect of their music unhealthy.
If I am correct, this glossy sheen of new-found respectability will in time wear thin and the public will once again have no choice but to deal with the grisly reality at the core of this group. As long as Monostatos is being protected there, this is an organization that can only be called Anti-Mozart. And, as we are, artistically speaking, currently in the middle of what I call “Minnegeddon” (this being ‘PartDeux’ as post-MO lockout) — that is the time when all Anti-Mozart is revealed. And so it will be. I could be wrong. But I don’t think so…
*Mozart for Believers…
#MinnegeddonPartDeux…The Week that Was…this could have been so simple…:-0
Even I can’t make this stuff up, and, you may have noticed, I have a fairly good imagination. But no, this has completely taken even me by surprise. During the course of one week two different venticellis made there way from halfway around the world (one Croatia, the other West Africa) to locations that have a connection to me (one to a library in the town where I live) and apparently my pony and I were slated to have been set up for sacrifice (so to speak) on a plain in the Twin Cities (read ‘the plain of Mediggo’ in Revelation…:-0).
I have been talking about a Minnegeddon in the Twin Cities since I found myself under attack (for no other reason than being good) as a flute performance major at the UofM. That was quite a while ago. I brought up this concept again during the lockout of the Minnesota Orchestra, particularly as it had occurred to me that my three (at the time, little) children and I may have had a tangential connection to it. As a result, I even wrote to different people at the orchestra — Mr. Henson, Mr. Sprenger, and even Mr. Vanska, asking for an opportunity to play for them on the stage where I was once encouraged and even enticed to play by a tiny cadre of players, again, long ago. But I was not even granted the courtesy of a reply. Instead, there seems to have been waves of controversy that threatened to engulf my family and me. There have been hidden agendas and dirty tricks, all of which have been discouraging. People I hoped would be eager to help have run away, throwing others to, apparently, act as proxies in their place.
In other words, this has been very confusing. But during this time I have had a safe haven. Almost every day I go to visit and ride my horse. Out into the country — beautiful rolling hills with stunning horse estates…There was a terrible accident a few weeks ago at the barn. One of my friends’ horses was severely hurt in what seems to be a freak accident (nobody was watching) and had to be put down. I was at the barn that day. This was very traumatic. Once I realized I was getting worried looks from Miles, my horse, I left, realizing that I was no help to anyone that day. About a week later I was asked if I wanted to play the flute for a wake that would be held in the pasture where the accident took place. Full of sadness and wanting to help, I said I would consider it. I was then told that they would love to have someone lead my horse out to the pasture while I played. All of this would be advertized in a flier to be handed out. Last but not least, they would be including my birth family name (which I stopped used at the level of the press some years ago) in the flier. I found myself with a bad case of dread. I speak at times of feeling that I am under attack by a dark angel that I call Lermontov. This concept seemed to me to be pure Lermontov. I decided to decline, and was met with a great deal of pressure to do this, using a great deal of emotional and flattering rhetoric. When it became evident that I really did mean ‘no’ I finally had a sense of relief. And so the wake went off beautifully, led by a bagpiper who played on the plain as the sun was starting to set…if anyone thinks “Minnegeddon” is just a concept I invented, I ask you to think again. Plus, it is my thinking that all of this could have been prevented if those in the know at the MO had given me the opportunity to validate my credentials as the Other Mozart and had then confirmed them at the level of the press. But then, as the ringleader of the cadre I call “Monostatos” (I’m not being cute, I don’t want to be sued by using a real name) loves to say, “Some people just have to do things the hard way”…:-0
What is “Monostatos”? One example…:-0
This photograph was taken by one of the cadre of players that I call “Monostatos”. I was introduced to this person at Orchestra Hall and since this person was also an avid amateur photographer they asked if they could photograph me. I was looking for a photo for an upcoming recital and was delighted at the offer.
When this person arrived at my house for the photo session , I was practicing in my studio with the windows open. I happened to be practicing a Mozart violin concerto. When I went to open the front door they practically burst in and almost literally ran around the first floor, whispering, “Mozart! Mozart! Mozart!” I laughed, and said, “Yes, that is what I was playing,’ but they then gave me a horrified look, as though I didn’t understand. At that point I became puzzled. I have since been told that some people think they hear the voice of Mozart in the sound of die zauberflote, but at that time didn’t really have a clue. (I am not aware of hearing any voice, for the most part.) Later I did ask their help in getting me a proper introduction to the Music Director, but they declined to do so. I was, of course, puzzled and disappointed. Some time after this, this person contracted a terminal illness and died.
For those who thought I was not supportive of the current players during the lockout, I ask you to look at this situation from my somewhat unique and eccentric viewpoint, which is that if I did not care about them I would have remained silent and not bothered to try to warn them about the one of the clique who remains who may have led them astray. And I would have to have that burden on my conscience as well…
Die Zauberflote…has the opera come to life in Minnesota?
Let’s see if I can give you a brief rundown of characters that exist in the opera Die Zauberflote as well as in real life…rather than give you their actual names, I will share with you the names I have given them in my saga “Piper to the Alternative”…which is fictional, but drawn from real life…
Well, me, of course — Pamina, who knew the sound of Mozart’s music even before I knew his name.
My Father, Dorian Payne. He was a metallurgist. He gave me my flute.
My Mother, Mildred, the real Queen of the Night. She was a very powerful witch, able to hurl curses and cause a room to turn white with her anger. Mildred also bewitches just about everyone except Pamina, who, because of the flute, sees right through her. Mildred’s lack of the protection of secrecy around Pamina causes her to repeatedly rage at her daughter.
The QOTN’s Ladies in waiting — they manage to turn into wannabe’s…Starla, Karin and Mili…
Papageno — my dear friend Paul, who has supported me through a lot of angst…
Tamino — a bit of a mystery…listen to the sound of the flute and then you can decide…
The three children — Karl, Krystof and Karin
Monostatos — Maurice Magus, Principal Flute at the Salzburg Northland State Orchestra, Christopher Rand, player, and Cranston Revellard, conductor (plus others)…
Oh, and of course Sarastro…but that may be another mystery:-)
#MinnegeddonPartDeux…the politics of shame? :-0
As those of us at the nucleus of die zauberflote sit in the silent center of a very noisy vortex that seems to carry with it waves of both good and evil, it can be very difficult and even stressful to attempt to analyze what is going on on the outside. Nonetheless, there have recently been some very curious events that seem, on one level, almost inexplicable, while on another level evidence that things are moving forward in a positive way.
This spring, someone I considered to be a close friend, whose word, in fact, I rarely ever doubted, did an about face and treated me rudely not only in emails but at a public event. This was such uncharacteristic behavior that I spent some serious time doubting that I had perceived things correctly. But, as others were also present, my worst fears were confirmed. Behind the scenes, it then appeared, that another person who has made it very obvious that they are my adversary, appears to have goaded this usually charming person into behaving badly.
So it has dawned on me that what I call the “Hook of Lermontov”, or the underlying agenda against die zauberflote coming forward to the level of the press, has not yet been entirely removed. While there appears to be so much positioning, and scurrying around behind the scenes and behind our backs, it would be supremely naive to fail to acknowledge this salient point.
Often times with die zauberflote the experience is quite similar to an airplane flight — while ascending there are usually choppy patches which can at times appear to be threatening, but are, in fact, just part of the process of climbing to a cruising altitude which is usually much more smooth. So it is with die zauberflote — some days are gleefully full of joy and shalom and others seem fraught with unexpected controversy. If there is one thing I have learned about it, it is that it is indeed magic, in that one never knows what to expect. Some people are comfortable with this, while others are not. Some even seem to take offense. In this case, I can imagine that my ex-friend may be quietly editing their chapter on “How to try to destroy the Most Exciting Musician Since Mozart” (words of a ‘pro’, not mine) while the adversary tries to figure out who the next proxies will be while they segue back over to the other side of the world in order to keep them ‘safe’ from the consequences of trying to block die zauberflote…in any case, this is certainly a curious and interesting time…:-0
#MinnegeddonPartDeux — Mozart’s gift and a Philosopher’s Stone? :-0
It has seemed to me for quite some time that the key to what actually happened to Wolf at the end of his life lay with the usual gift that he had that nobody talks about. This is the gift that one astute listener actually defined as the “Mozart effect”. There is undoubtedly something about his music that is calming and grounding, and something that speaks ineffably of hope and goodness. It is my thinking that the lack of discussion about this extra gift that hardly any other composer had, and none certainly to the degree that Wolf did, stems from an agenda that was used during his lifetime and has been used ever since.
In occult literature from ancient times onward there has been discussion of a “Philosopher’s Stone,” or something that a talented alchemist could use to transmute base metal into gold. There has been much secrecy and mystery about this concept. Nevertheless, some allude to having used it, and others seemed to show up unexpectedly with significant sums of money.
I don’t think it took much for people around Wolf to realize that, not only did he have this unusual gift of creating extraordinary music right out of his head, but that he had an energy that differed from that of others. This energy could be vampirized by those of ill intent. And this vampirized energy could be used as a sort of Philosopher’s Stone. The only problem was that Mozart had to be successfully slandered in order for the process to work. So those with ill-intent attempted to ingratiate themselves into his life. They flattered him to his face and slandered him behind his back. In the process they managed to vampirize this energy. They received commissions and money as he went into debt. The slander created, in fact, an extra and false persona. You might recognize it — the dictionary about it is the movie “Amadeus”. That is how Mozart was robbed of the worldly abundance that could have been his destiny, and that is how he was robbed of his life…
Le Chant du Rossignol...(song of the nightingale) 