Yesterday afternoon and evening, we went to Concerts on the Square on the grounds of Wisconsin's State Capitol. It was a beautiful afternoon and evening. The performers were the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and the Wisconsin Dells Singers from the Ho Chunk tribe.
In order to get good seats, it's common for some state employees to leave work and start setting up blankets on the grounds at 3 p.m, returning after the workday is over.
We squeezed in shortly before 5 p.m. for the 7 p.m. concert. By showtime, there is no space left on the grass, and tens of thousands of people are in attendance on all sides of the capitol. Most people can't even see the performers but watch on big screens set up on the other three sides.
Both of us love the people watching. We bring a picnic and stretch out on a large blanket. There was a nice breeze to keep the air moving.
By the time the music starts, and after a glass or two of wine, I'm usually laying on my back, looking up at the trees. I'm not a huge fan of chamber music, and I almost fell asleep in the middle of the crowd.
There is no sleeping, however, during the Ho-Chunk performance, which is energizing to me.
The Ho-Chunk is not a poor nation, operating two very successful casinos and other businesses in the area. William Funmaker thanked us for coming out and encouraged everyone to visit a Ho-Chunk Casino soon. I'll pass but really enjoyed the music.
2 comments:
It's interesting how much Native American music sounds alike. When we first moved to Albuquerque a neighbor and I would visit over the back wall, his radio in his nearby apartment tuned to a Native station. And though I couldn't distinguish a difference, now and then he'd join in and sing along.
I've been to a couple of pow wows open to the public when we lived in Green Bay, and there are similarities. It would help me if I understood the lyrics. My understanding is that Native American music is a way that they tell their stories and a record of their history. My musical tastes gravitate towards the story-telling aspects of folk and bluegrass.
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