American Views Abroad

One very good reason for celebrating the New Year at home is the traditional concerts performed live on TV by two of the world's best orchestras within a day of each other. New Year's Eve began with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle. This year's concert had the added bonus of Thomas Quasthoff whose great voice sang old American folk songs by Aaron Copland, including I Bought Me a Cat, a children's song which was a sheer delight to listen to. Quasthoff's rendering of Old Man River at the end was breathtaking.

New Year's Day begins with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, this year under Daniel Barenboim in one of the most beautiful concert halls. It was duly noted this time there were two women in the orchestra, long a domain of men only. Barenboim said what so many are hoping for --- that this New Year will be a peaceful one and that human justice prevails in the Middle East. Amen.