We drove out to Potsdam, about an hour away from Berlin, and toured the recreational palace of Frederick the Great. This Prussian monarch was famous for playing the flute, composing very brief symphonies, jamming with CPE Bach, speaking French instead of German, having philosophical discussions with his friends and making war on all the neighboring countries. His palace is known as the Prussian Versailles. There were a lot of concert rooms, including one with the very harpsichord on which CPE used to play when he visited. In order to protect the floors from maurading feet, we were all required to wear huge fuzzy slippers over our shoes. We all thought this was Too Funny. An orchestra member who shall remain nameless had a bit too much fun skating and crashed down on his or her behind.
We had lunch in central Potsdam and took in the European housing squish and cobbled streets. The rest of the day was spent in Juterbog where we performed our second concert. The church was from the 13th century, Catholic-turned-Protestant, with a sense of space and venerable age and a musty smell like a Grimm fairy tale. Our concert organizer performed the Bach c minor Toccata on the huge organ (one of two), and between rehearsal and concert we climbed up the bell tower for a fantastic view.
Pictures!! Lots of pictures!! I figured out pictures!!!
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