Scraps Of Mind

Music In Warm Places

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Yes it’s another music post. When Fate decides to have a laugh at your expense she makes it a good belly laugh (anyone who doesn’t understand the reference please read Music…Ughh! What is it Good For?). It’s just that I’ve been to such a great variety of music related events in the last couple of months (and I haven’t even written about them all!).

This one was yet another special experience. The setting was a mid 19^th century bluestone farmhouse set in the middle of old Germantown, now in the heart of suburban, brick-veneer Thomastown, Melbourne.

The Farmhouse together with an old German Cemetery (1850) and Australia’s oldest operating Lutheran Church (1856) is situated in lovely open parklands surrounded by well established trees. I lived and worked in the surrounding suburbs for twenty years and I never realised this place existed. It’s a bit Brigadoon-ish.

Ziebell’s Farmhouse has been rescued from disintegration by a group of volunteers and supported by a grant from the local council. My sister Elaine found out about this concert (and Music in Warm Places is the name of the concert) and arranged for tickets. Apparently they hold a couple of music afternoons each year. And what a fabulous setting to do it in!

Carol Appelt (flute) and Igor Pelka (guitar) treated a small audience of a couple of dozen to a great repertoire, ranging from Bach and Mozart to Villa Lobos and an Afro-Cuban Lullaby.

Rows of chairs filled the front parlour with the musicians at one end of the room and it was a very intimate event. The audience was very connected with the musicians (so there was nowhere to hide when a wrong note escaped) and being such a small group, it felt very personal and special. A roaring fire at the other end of the room added to the atmosphere. Mulled wine would have been nice, but you can’t have everything.

After two highly entertaining brackets everyone adjourned to the farmhouse kitchen where a magnificent afternoon tea was laid out. It was a traditional CWA/WI type spread with a host of magnificent cakes, sandwiches etc. And we all crowded around the farmhouse kitchen table whilst the cast iron stove burned in the corner to keep the chills away. How good was that?!!

But wait, it gets better…. It was all free!!!!