Texas Camerata - Musical Performance

Texas Camerata

The Travelling Toe recently attended a performance presented by Texas Camerata at the Piano Pavilion at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.

Texas Camerata specializes in what is called Early Music and Baroque Music.  The group has been in existence since 1990 and are celebrating their 25th anniversary season.  Inquiring minds wanted to know what does camerata mean ,well dear readers it means a small chamber orchestra or choir.

The musicians of Texas Camerata play instruments that are characteristic to this  time period.  Because of the age of these instruments, they often need re-turning.  The players for the concert according to the performance program were:

Violin                                                                                               Double Bass
Kristin Van Cleve                                                                           George Dimitri
Ellen Lovelace

Viola                                                                                               Flute
Donna Hall                                                                                     Lee Lattimore

Violoncello & Viola da Gamba                                                  Harpsichord
Karen Hall                                                                                        Brad Bennight


Paul Leenhouts was the feature guest artistic director.  He also transcribed and edited the works performed as well as playing beautifully on the recorder.  Mr. Leenhouts is the director of the Early Music Studies & the Baroque Orchestra at University of North Texas.  It is enjoyable to watch Mr. Leenhouts play as he shows his love and joy of these type of music to those of us lucky enough to be in the audience.

The entire program presented was  both interesting and enjoyable evoking many emotions from joy to sadness and back to joyfulness.  The Travelling Toe was thoroughly entranced with the music played and the dedication of this entire musical group.

One favorite was the solo piece,  titled "Passacaglia" from 1690, that was played by the harpsichordist.   The last piece, the passacaglia from "Concert pastorella con due flutts",featured instead of 2 flutes, one flute and one recorder. It was an ooutstanding piece.

The Travelling Toe loved the entire performance!   BRAVO!!!!

                                             Texas Camerata Performance Program 
                                                   Saturday, February 7, 2015
                                           

Texas Camerata
web site

Some of the composers for the program:

George Muffat
France

Johann Heinrich Schmelzer
Austria

Antonio Bertali
Italy

Johann Christoph Pez
German

Baroque Music was composed and played approximately from 1600 - 1750.  This era of music followed the Renaissance era.  The music was played with new instruments and different techniques.  The size, range and playing was expanded.  Baroque music established opera, cantata, oratorio, concerto and sonata.  The word Baroque comes from a Portuguese word meaning irregular in shape, such as a pearl.  It is a negative description of the ornamental music of this time period.   But The Travelling Toe is happy to report that Baroque lives on!

The Wedding Ringer (movie critique)

The Wedding Ringer

With some trepidation, The Travelling Toe ,along with the Friday Movie Mavens, headed to the local multiplex to see "The Wedding Ringer".   The Travelling Toe was concerned that the movie would be geared towards the urban young man target audience full of fart jokes and bathroom humor.  Surprisingly the movie was pretty funny and did not have too many gross jokes.  

The premise of the movie is that Doug Harris, played by Josh Gad, is getting married and can not find any male friends willing to be his best man as well as any his groomsman.  The wedding is just weeks away and Doug is desperate.  Through the wedding planner he is referred to Jimmy Callahan played by Kevin Hart, who is CEO of BMI - Best Man Inc.   Jimmy's job is to provide best man services as well as groomsmen for socially challenged guys.

Josh Gad

Kevin Hart

The groomsmen Jimmy selects for Doug are a rag tag, mismatched group of the strange, weird and freaky.   However, Jimmy has a plan and starts pulling all these fake friendships off - at least appearance wise.  One of the funniest bits was when all the pictures were manufactured at different local spots to appear that Doug and his friends were having exotic adventures and travels together...such as sky diving, scuba diving and even mountain climbing.

The bride, Gretchen Palmer, played by Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, is totally unaware of the problems revolving around her.   As the wedding day arrives, only chaos arrives at the altar.

Kaley Cuoco-Sweating 

Do Doug and Gretchen really get married or are there more adventures ahead for Doug?  You will just have to see this movie and find out as The Travelling Toe will not spoil the fun for you.

As the movie is ending one of the groomsmen, Lurch, played by Jorge Garcia delivers the funniest throw away line.   The Travelling Toe hopes that you have a laugh at it as well!

Jorge Garcia 

Mortdecai (movie critique)

Mortdecai

The Travelling Toe wonders how many more quirky roles Johnny Depp can play in his career.   He has been The Mad Hatter, Tonto, Barnabas Collins, The Big Bad Wolf, and Edward Scissorhands just to name a few.  Well, dear readers he has added another one to his repertoire - Lord Charlie Mortdecai, with an elaborate mustache upon his face.

Johnny Depp

The Lord is in deep financial peril as his taxes of a vast sum are late being paid to the British Government and he is about to lose the family estate.   He seems inapt of making any type of  deal that would save his estate.  But his wife Johanna, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, is so much smarter than Charlie or his friend, a MI5 agent, played by the very handsome Ewan McGregor, that in the end she saves the day....or does she??????????  The plot of the movie centers on Lord Mortdecai trying to locate a stolen painting that contains the account number of a secret bank account full of Nazi gold that was stolen during the World Ward II occupation of Paris. Needless to say others are also after this same information and the gold.

Ewan McGregor

Gwyneth Paltrow

Lord Mortdecai's valet, Jock, played by the debonair Paul Bettany, who not unlike what Bates would do on Downton Abbey, always as the Lord's back no matter what or who is after them - as well has having a bit of hanky-panky with lady friends or even strangers on a plane for that matter!

Paul Bettany

The action moves from London to Russia then to Los Angeles and back to London.   It was clever how they were able to let audience members know where the plane was heading next. The last travel bit was very funny.

This is not a movie for everyone but the Friday Movie Mavens did find some chuckles along the way.   The movie is rated R for language and sexual material.  

The Travelling Toe awards this movie 1 pinky toe with polish and a painted flower on it.

One final hint about the movie, one of the production companies is Odd Lots Entertainment.

Odd Lot Entertainment 

Odd Lott Entertainment

Downton Abbey



Disclaimer:   The Travelling Toe is not a professional movie critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.

Rosedown: A Louisiana Plantation Home

Rosedown Plantation House

Rosedown Plantation Home

During a recent road trip to Baton Rogue, Louisiana, The Travelling Toe and 2 friends embarked on a tour of Rosedown, a lovely plantation home.   The grounds and gardens for Rosedown are just amazing.  It is easy to get lost walking down one trail or another.   But the joy is that each pathway takes you to a water feature or a garden sculpture.   One of the best features of the property were all the oak trees that lined the entrance way from the house to the street.   The oak trees were as massive as the ones at Oak Alley. We did take the tour of the house that was offered and it was interesting to learn about the history of Rosedown and the various families that had lived there.   As with many families of that time period, most died from illnesses that were unpreventable at the time  - such as malaria.  The house fell upon hard times but was later purchased by a family from Houston, TX and lovingly restored in the 1960's.

If you have the opportunity to visit Rosedown, do take the tour as it is only $10.00  and is certainly worth the time and money.   Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and explained how the house came to be and then how it was re-born.  

Bathroom facilities are nice and well cared for, and have easy access.   And of course the trio travelers had to visit the gift shop.  It is lovely and has many interesting items to pursue and purchase.  The Travelling Toe has a fondness for books pertaining to the region that is visited as well as refrigerator magnets and was not disappointed in the quest.

The merry band of intrepid travelers visited Rosedown, October, 2013.  One last note, Rosedown is part of the National Park system.  

Oak Ally

Oak Alley Plantation Home


Baton Rouge LA


St Francisville Antebellum Plantations Home Tours


National Park System

American Sniper (movie critique)

American Sniper

There is much controversy surrounding the movie "American Sniper:.  As The Travelling Toe has not read Mr Kyle's 2012 autobiography which the movie is supposedly based on nor been a sniper, this review will be a personal viewpoint of the movie only.

First of all, Bradley Cooper did a excellent job playing Chris Kyle.   He bulked up his body to play a highly trained navy SEAL and was able to portray a veteran dealing with PTSD issues.  Sienna Miller, with dark hair,  played Chris' wife Taya and also did an excellent job in her role.

 What struck this movie goer was that the movie showed Chris was taught from an early age by his rather stern father, it was his responsibility to watch out and protect his younger brother.  This mentality was brought over into his service life as he thought of the soldiers on the ground and in his squad as his "brothers" and he had to protect them.   Chris was given the nickname "Legend" due to his ability to make impossible shots.

American Sniper

Being a sniper he was positioned above the action in a 'hive", usually with a spotter, watching the soldiers below enter dangerous situations  and taking action to protect them as needed. He was given total responsibility to do what was necessary.  That type of responsibility would weigh heavy on anyone.

Another part of the story was his "dual" and hunt for a highly trained Syrian sniper who was an Olympic medal winner.  His name was Mustafa and he was as much of a deadly shot as was Chris..  

Chris did 4 tours which took a toll on him and his family life but he was determined to take out Mustafa.  On the last tour he made an impossible shot.   You will have to see the movie to find out if the impossible shot hit it's target.

The movie did show Chris's struggle with PTSD after his tours and how he came to work with other veterans with PTSD.

The end of the movie was very respectful of Chris and his family.  It was a photo montage of his service, funeral and memorial service at the Cowboy Stadium.  

A photo of of Chris and his wife Taya and one Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller in the same pose were shown and there was a great resemblance between the 2 couples.

The movie was directed by Clint Eastwood who hopefully will be remembered during the everlasting awards season.

The Travelling Toe awards this movie 2 toes up plus a corn pad!

Bradley Cooper

Sienna Miller

Clint Eastwood

American Sniper: The Autobiography of Chris Kyle

Cowboy Stadium

AT&T Stadium

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional movie critic and any opinions are for entertainment purposes only. 

Elsa and Fred (movie critique)

The Travelling Toe is finally able to share a movie that is a love story for mature adults - as in those of us to qualify for senior rates.

Elsa & Fred

The story begins with Fred, played by handsome Christopher Plummer, who is recently widowed and being moved into a condo by his daughter (Marcia Gay Harden) and her husband (Chris North). As he is moving in, his next door neighbor Elsa, played by the lovely Shirley MacLain, decides to pay him a visit.  Elsa, a free spirit, irritates Fred but she will not give up.   Eventually Elsa takes Fred outside his comfort zone and at first he grumbles and groans, then he slowly comes to have feelings for Elsa.  

 Elsa tells Fred about a dream she keeps having.   It is the famous scene from Federico Fellini's celebrated film "La Dole Vita" where Anita Ekberg goes into the Trevi Fountain and Marcello Mastroianni comes in after her.  Fred, for all his complaining, plots to make this dream of Elsa's come true.  

Trevi Fountain

LA Dolce Vita
Anita Ekberg & Marcello Mastroianni

His son-in-law is wanting Fred's money for a get rich scheme and instead, Fred and Elsa head to Rome.  Do they get there and 
re-create Elsa's fantasy?   Well dear readers, see the movie yourself to find out!

The movie is set in the lovely city of New Orleans which just adds the right background and mood for this sweet movie.  This is a wonderful, lovely, movie full of mature people.  It is a joy to watch and enjoy. And shows that you are never to late to find love!

The Travelling Toe gives this movie 2 toes and a bunion up!!

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional movie critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.  

Black and White (movie critique)

Black and White
Kevin Costner and Jillian Estell

The Travelling Toe and the Friday Movie Mavens journeyed to the local multiplex to see "Black and White".  The movie stars Kevin Costner as "Elliott", who after losing his wife in a car crash, realizes that he must now raise his granddaughter, Eloise, by himself.   Elliot and his late wife have custody of  Eloise as their daughter passed away shortly after Eloise was born.  The father, Reggie,  is out of the picture due to his drug use.  But Reggie's mother, Wee Wee, played by Octavia Spencer now wants to be more included in Eloise's upbringing.   She and Elliot's wife had had a good relationship but now that Carol is gone, Wee Wee has deep concerns about Elliot and his drinking.  Wee Wee's brother played by the ever fabulous Anthony Mackie, is a shark of a corporate lawyer and helps Wee Wee sue for custody of Eloise. Just to add more angst to the mix, Eloise's father Reggie shows up to cause even more problems.  As with most child custody cases, the child is caught in the middle as she loves all her family - black and white.  

In the end, this movie is also  about forgiveness and understanding and of course the love of a child.                                       

We agreed that it was a sweet movie, however it is just a tad long.   Seemed to drag in places and some editing might have helped it.

Kevin and Octavia did a nice job  in their  roles and Jillian Estell as Eloise had just the right mix of sweetness and spunk.

Kevin Costner

Octavia Spencer

The Travelling Toe gives this movie 1 toe and a pinky toe up.

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.