Category Archives: Two-fisted Touristing

Excursions around the world, ideally with some musical seasoning.

BRAZIL – The Big Brazil August Adventure is about to Recommence!

Posted on July 30, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

BRAZIL Four years ago Ed and I spent a fantastic August touring Brazil.  This month we do it again.  Which means Notes from a Composer is going to go all out on a Brazil themed Two-Fisted Touristing series all month … Continue reading →

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Subway Motion Animation

Posted on July 30, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Look at the video below.  This sight thrills me every time I am on a Brooklyn subway train heading towards the Manhattan bridge.  I think of it as Subway Motion Animation:       The video clip above was taken … Continue reading →

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NEW YORK NEW YORK in Pieces (of Song and Puzzle)

Posted on July 25, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Let’s celebrate New York, New York in pieces!  Musical pieces!  Jigsaw puzzle pieces! The first song must be New York, New York of course! What, you thought It’d be Old Blue Eyes’ New York New York?  No worries, I won’t … Continue reading →

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Take a Cool Musical Journey through the Spree Forest Canals during these Dog Days of Summer

Posted on July 21, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Last July I posted a four part series on the Spreewald, or Spree Forest (one, two, three, four), the fabulous “rural Venice” an hour south of Berlin, Germany.  The series included an elaborate photo tour of the region, and music … Continue reading →

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A ROSE BY ANY OTHER SONG WOULD SOUND AS SWEET

Posted on June 9, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

It’s June, rose blooming season.  So let’s enjoy some beautiful roses, and since we can’t enjoy their visual splendor accompanied by their sweet smells, we’ll enjoy their sweet sounds in the forms of favorite “Rose” songs from the last hundred … Continue reading →

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SPRING – in Brooklyn & Berlin with Vivaldi

Posted on April 29, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Brooklyn

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STAHNSDORF – An American Red Oak for my Father

Posted on April 7, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

My plane was delayed by two and a half hours.  Needing only hand luggage for a five day stay I breezed past the baggage carousel at Berlin-Tegel, but the taxi ride added to the delay due to traffic jams on … Continue reading →

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MY 1978 SANTA BARBARA EARTHQUAKE

Posted on January 4, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

I was standing near my croquet ball holding my mallet waiting my turn when we heard the rumbling. First thing I saw was the house shaking.  A one story ranch style house made with vertical wooden slats, which were now … Continue reading →

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS – How this Carol Curmudgeon Ended Up Unwittingly Writing Three Seasonably Suited Carols Himself

Posted on December 21, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

I plead guilty to being a bit of a Christmas Carol Grinch.  OK, I used to be a BIG Christmas Carol Grinch, really loathing most carols and sometimes resorting to lip syncing rather than singing out loud when drawn into … Continue reading →

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The Slip-Sliding WATER NYMPHS and Vertical WIND TUNNEL MAN of FUERZABRUTA

Posted on September 3, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

I felt like a toddler about to have a melt down.  This intense feeling that I was this close to bawling uncontrollably and reaching out my hand high for my Mommy to clasp.  When did I last feel this way?  … Continue reading →

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CHASING WATERFALLS – The Flabbergasting Force of Foz do Iguacu

Posted on August 29, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Time for another bout of Two-fisted Touristing with musical accompaniment.  Today the amazing Foz do Iguacu waterfalls, which cascade partly in Brazil, where Ed and I first encountered them three years ago, and partly in Argentina, where we saw more … Continue reading →

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DANNY and KELLY go see ALICE at THE MORGAN

Posted on August 12, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Yesterday my Speakeasy co-producer Kelly Aliano and I went to The Morgan museum to take in their Alice – 150 Years of Wonderland exhibit, and tour the ground floor of the magnate’s palatial home and library too.  As Lewis Carroll’s … Continue reading →

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An ORPHAN MELODY is remembered in POMPEII

Posted on July 30, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Mark Twain.  Pompeii.  An orphan melody.  What connects these three disparate things? Wait, what do I mean by an orphan melody? A week ago Ed plunked the latest Smithsonian magazine next to my breakfast dishes and pointed to its front … Continue reading →

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A SPREE FOREST MUSICAL EXCURSION Part 4 (It’s been epic, wouldn’t you say…?)

Posted on July 9, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

And we are back for the final installment of our musical and photographic excursion into the Spreewald(lieder) – Spree Forest (Suite). (Head here and here and here for the first three parts.) The Duo Elysée performed Spreewaldlieder in concert on … Continue reading →

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A SPREE FOREST MUSICAL EXCURSION Part 3

Posted on July 6, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

And we’re back for Part 3 of the Spree Forest day trip and the Spreewaldlieder song cycle for flute and harp.  (Head back here for Part 1 and Part 2) My favorite compliment I have received for the Spreewaldlieder song … Continue reading →

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A SPREE FOREST MUSICAL EXCURSION Part 2

Posted on July 2, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Welcome back to the Spree Forest and the Spreewaldlieder song cycle for flute and harp.  (Head here for Part 1 if you missed it.) When I got the commission from the Duo Elysée I was excited to compose for flute … Continue reading →

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