Glazer’s concert appreciated

In a 2004 Sunday Telegram story by Bob Keyes about Frank Glazer, there was a large picture of him seated at his Steinway piano, looking like a young man. He was soon to be 90 years old but said he felt like a 20-year-old.

Glazer’s piano playing is superb. He was a pupil of the famous German pianist, Artur Schnabel, and over the years he has played in major halls in many countries. He was professor of piano at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., for 15 years, and is now artist-in-residence and lecturer in Music at Bates College in Lewiston.

I’m so glad that his recent March 30 performance in Portland’s Noonday Concert series came on a nice day, so that many could attend. His concert is one that I always look forward to.

Glazier’s wife Ruth was the founder of these half-hour concerts, presented on Thursday noons by the Portland Conservatory of Music in collaboration with the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, in the church on Congress Street, Carol Elowe, pianist, and director of these concerts, introduced Ruth Glazer to the audience. A lovely lady, she deserved all the applause she received.

Glazer’s program included Joseph Hayden’s (1732-1809) “Sonata in C Major, Hob.XVI/35,” and the three movements, Allegro con brio, Adagio, and Finale: Allegro; and by Felix Mendelssohn (1808-1847), “Songs Without Words,” 1st “Venetian Gondola” Song (G Minor), 2nd “Venetian Gondola” Song (F-sharp Minor), 3rd “Venetian Gondola” Song (A Minor), and “Spinning Song” (C Major). After the audience’s hearty applause, Mr. Glazer returned to the piano for an encore.

I was surprised in reading of Mendelssohn’s death when he was only 38 years old. Always successful, happily married, with five children-but the “Encyclopedia of Music” wrote that he died of overwork and grief, shortly after hearing of the death of his beloved sister Fanny. (She was also a composer.)

A visit to research institute

Our speaker at the WLU lecture March 25, Alan Lishness, who has been with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute for 18 years, told us that the new building of the Institute is located on Portland’s Commercial Street, near Becky’s Restaurant.

The day after his lecture I had to deliver a letter there, drove slowly by a handsome new building on Commercial Street, but there was no sign on that building. I was close to Becky’s Restaurant, but that parking lot was completely full. Next door was a small building with a big sign, Aqua Diving Academy. The lady there assured me that I was very close to my destination-that handsome new building was right next door, and with several parking places. I had read on notes to introduce our WLU speaker that the Institute is responsible for managing the siting, funding, and organizational development of an innovative marine research and education institution, and their focus is the construction of the 45,000-square-foot, $17 million Gulf of Maine Research Laboratory.

I was in the right place! The secretary I spoke with, on the third floor, Tracy, said that the sign I worried about would be there soon. The third floor view was spectacular as I looked out to the harbor, and the interior of the building is lovely.

But what impressed the most was the sidewalk into the main entrance. Each side of the walk had large areas set with paving stones, those handsome stones we used to see on streets in that area. It made an impressive entrance.

It was a busy place that day; there was a large group of adults, from New Hampshire, I was told. They were attending a conference in one of the glassed-in rooms.

So, perhaps our Woman’s Literary Union group could arrange a tour later on. One of our ladies at the lecture told Alan Lishness that she would like to visit there.

A letter ‘Pennsylvania Proofreading Service’

I’ve been putting off writing about my March 2 error in Ramblings. I guess I’m just envious that I didn’t study American History at Deering High School – I had a year of ancient history and can’t recall much about it. I did say in my column that I don’t know much about the lives of our early American presidents. I also said that we had a course in ancient history, but not one in American history at Deering High. I was wrong.

Alden Bennett, my DHS classmate, now retired after a busy career in investments, and now living in Pennsylvania, is one of our American Journal subscribers. I’m glad that he corrected me, informing me that he took American History in the sixth-period (the same time when he had band practice), so he had to give up his hard-won first chair in the trombone section.

It turned out that American History was one of his most valuable courses, Alden said. He and his wife both enjoy history and historical novels. He is now enjoying Joseph Ellis’ biography of George Washington, “His Excellency.” He recommends it without reservation.

Thanks, Awnie, I appreciated your correction.

Recipe

Today’s recipe is from Marjorie Standish’s :Cooking Down East”. I think that many of you readers have a copy of her popular book. My copy was printed in 1969.

Brownies

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 squares chocolate, melted

2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream shortening, add salt, vanilla and sugar gradually. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add melted and cooked chocolate. Add sifted flour and chopped nuts. Turn into buttered 8×8-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Do not overcook or they will be hard.

I talked with Mary Quinn last week. She mentioned that week’s chocolate cake, with mayonnaise, and said when she used to bake brownies frequently, she used mayonnaise, instead of shortening. So I decided to try that in my brownies, and they came out fine. It was easier than measuring our Crisco, too.

Copy the Story Link