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All materials on this site are protected; Copyright © 2025 by the author, Bernadette Joolen; All Rights Reserved. Which includes all text; design; and photographs. Greetings; and thank you!
Updated 19 January 2026.❤🌹
One. Here is Jacqueline du Pre on the Dvorak cello concerto. She played it for the Czech people in 1968; when the Soviet Union invaded their land. I felt that somehow; i remembered that somehow; and sought it again when Trompeta became president in our land. I felt the passion; i felt the anger in her playing. I have never seen a woman play that way!
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Two. Here is Pablo; and his famous playing of the Schumann. He was known to moan and groan while he played; and so; he seemed to be in the room with me!
I read a cool book about him once too.
I learned to play the tender second movement of that concerto; when i had cello lessons in high school. But just as Yo-yo Ma has said too; in interviews; i most loved ensemble work.-I loved the thrill; and human engagement; of a duo or quartet or orchestra. Yo-yo is always trying to play with people; with everyone! He is very fun and engaging and cool.
You should listen to him too! He is famous; well; for everything; of course. But especially for his Bach Suites.❤🌹
IN ONE of my former workplaces; one of my coworkers would call me Yo-yo; which is how you say the "J" of my name. Which no American would honor me to do! Which is not a respectful thing; is it? Americans need to bump it up; on their language skills; or they will be the fools of the world.
Nor would they say the o's right.-In Dutch; two o's makes oh; not ooh. And yet; no matter how often you would teach and explain; they would not do it. But she would.
Yo-yo! she would call. She was an Asian lady; who had escaped from mainland China by swimming to Taiwan. (Wait; did i get that right?) But no; she swam to Hong Kong!
They silently practiced swimming in the middle of the night; in the pool at the work camp. And when they escaped; they would travel through the forest to the sea by night! And sleep by day; to avoid being seen. When they swam; some grew tired and did not make it. Some; tragically; were eaten by sharks.-That is what freedom is worth to people. Which is an amazing story in itself! But she grew past all that. Though she would still swim; and isn't this deeply moving? In a pool at the Y after work each day.❤🌹
YO-YO! It is time to go to lunch! she would call to me; from the other side of the cubicle wall.-I liked her. We were birds of a feather in many ways; i think.-My family had survived the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam; and came to America by boat in the post world war; and i was on that boat!
So i understood the crux of her life; and the powerful importance of freedom.-She was fun for me. Most computer folk were bent on a certain image of status and power; and we were both top at our game; but it was nice to have fun too. You would also live for human things. I would; i did. By the teachings of my parents; and my sweet modest immigrant life. That was always good enough for me!❤🌹
Three. Here is a violin piece by the Polish-Jewish composer; Wieniawski. Written to win the hand of his sweetheart; the British Isabella Hampton; whose family resisted his proposals before.-Wow. That is a sad piece.
And that was a powerful love; wasn't it? I could deeply feel the longing; the tenderness. In high school; i was always in love!-First; with the same boy my two friends were. But then; with the Native American flute boy; because we spoke the same language. (And both; very well at that.) But by the end of this piece; you can feel the joy. It is palpable; isn't it? You can feel the joy. And both are good; aren't they? Both are good. Love is good.❤🌹
Four. And here is Jean-Pierre Rampal; playing the Mozart Flute Concerto; which is so bright and gay at the start.-It made me dance; it made me high! And i confess; i would do pretend ballet.-Great leaps through the air! Until i sorely hurt my back that way! But i liked that concerto so much; that i learned to play some of it on my alto recorder. And isn't that conductor's face so cool? But sorry; Sydney; so sorry. For what happened the other day. (December 2025.)
The world is not good in this day. But music is a medicine. Music is an important antidote. Music will help humans to be good; and to prevail.❤🌹
Here is Bernadette on Youtube!
https://www.youtube.com/@bernadettejoolen
And now also on Medium!!
Under the same name.
Let's go!!❤🌹
Copyright and Permissions.
All materials on this site are protected; Copyright © 2025 by the author, Bernadette Joolen; All Rights Reserved. Which includes all text; design; and photographs.
THE AUTHOR can be reached
at contactbjoolen@gmail.com.
All materials on this site are protected; Copyright © 2025 by the author, Bernadette Joolen; All Rights Reserved. Which includes all text; design; and photographs.
THE AUTHOR can be reached
at contactbjoolen@gmail.com.
❤🌹
