FREIBURGER ZEITGEISTLITERATURE (Satis Shroff)

THE TIBETAN PRAYER WHEEL (Satis Shroff) (Subtitle: O, cry with me) Adieu winter, The signs of growth are here, Between sunshine and rain. There’s a subtle greening everywhere. People work line bees, Cutting and pruning weeds Using their ancient hoes To plough the terraces The joy that plants have survived Beneath the deadwood. There’s optimism in the air And with it hope, When crocuses rear their heads. Lovely lupins, delphiniums and daffodils, In the meadows of the Himalayas. People are bathing in the tributaries of holy rivers, Chanting vedic hymns. Those who have lost their mothers, Remember them through rites, Followed by a bath in the river Matatirtha. The sound of thundering hoofs in Tudikhel, In the heart of Catmandu. Snorting and foaming horses, And cheering Nepalese. Spectators who watch the great chariots Of Bhairawa and Bhadrakali. The joy of the fresh air, In the tranquility of the blue Mahabharat hills...

I had the pleasure of singing Carl Orff's Carmina Burana at the Kolleg San Sebastian (Stegan) with a Project Choir on 21st of July 2015. It was great to be there and sing with parents, teachers,music students. The music was of a high quality and the participants were all dressed in black and white (Abendgarderobe,eh?). Before it commenced, there was excitement in the air. Elderly and young were sitting, clapping hands, carrying out animated conversations, some were going in and out, till 7pm. Then coloured lights flashed on the stage, followed by an Asian gong. There was a deep silence.   The atmosphere was real good and the audience was very appreciative. The programme was rather long and divided into two parts. Part I: The first part was sung by classes 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d and comprised: Sound the trumpet (Henry Purcell). A lovely song in English. 'Das klinget so herrlich' from the Magic Flute (W.A.Mozart). 'Abend treten Elcke aus den Dünen' (Satz: Pe...

SUMMER WIND (Satis Shroff) It’s a lovely morning, the blackbirds are awake and singing. Towards St. Peter and Stegen the sun has arisen in all its golden and scarlet splendor. It’s six o’ clock in the morning on my balcony. A wind blows from Maier’s hill and the rows of pine trees begin to sway. The blackbirds, finches and sparrows begin chirping and twittering in stuccato rhythm. My neighbour’s weeping willow tree on the hill begins a dance of its own, with its long flaying green branches and twigs. The wind on the pines creates a steady wave-like howling din which increases in intensity. It begins to pitter and patter, as the rain is unleashed gradually by the grey rain clouds above. Out in the blue mountainous horizon of the Schwarzwald, the sky still has a yellow glow but in Kappel, a storm seems to be building up. I sit on the chair in the balcony and drink my cuppa Earl Grey tea pepped up with garam masala, and register the rainy phenomenon. Mrs. Loy’s blue lavender,...

  VISITING MOZART: IMPRESSIONS FROM VIENNA (Satis Shroff) In the EC train from Munich to Vienna you get pampered by a brunette stewardess in a tight stretch skirt. She seems to have a Ukranian accent, and you’re served water, newspapers, mags and snacks. A delight in comparison to the German stressed stewardess. Austrians are good at service management. The train is speeding at 140kmph past meadows and forested areas. A big lake to the right, mixed deciduous forests, past maize fields. The sky is blue with scattered fluffy clouds, detached Austrian houses with dark brown, wooden balconies, decorated with geraniums on the windows and house fronts. A saw mill with piles of planks near a forest. Another lake to the right with sailing boats and the vast sky above.  There’s no wifi connection between Munich and Salzburg. The Austrian telecommunication takes over from Salzburg. This is because there’s no agreement between German and Austrian railways in this regar...

  A WALTZ WITH YOU (Satis Shroff) Ah, the sound of Vienna begins. I execute a perfect circular waltz, With you in a gown And I in tails, After the pre-ball sekt.   It’s amazing how even teenagers Go voluntarily to learn How to waltz, And how to kiss a lady’s hands, Impeccably.   I learned it at socials Organised by the nuns of St. Helen’s And the Christian Brothers of Ireland. When the ‘ladies choice’ was announced By the Master of Ceremonies, You could feel the adrelanin Surging in your young blood.   It helps to develop your self-confidence, In a society where balls are a way of life.   But a waltz in Vienna, Is a legacy of Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph. Strauss and Mozart rule the dancing floors. In palaces, concert halls, posh hotels, The 19 th century Sofiensaal.   You dance in your polished best, For the Viennese or your society. The art of formal ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKKknTXlwv4 SIRTAKI AND GREEK WINE By Satis Shroff Georgos is a Greek and and Hans is a German. They’re old student friends sitting at their Stammtisch in a tavern in Freiburg-Kappel. The two have ordered Weizenbeer and say: ‘Prost!’ and take big gulps. ‘So what’s up in Europe?’ asks Hans. Georgos: ‘A lot.’ Hans: ‘Grexit?’ Georgos: ‘Looks like it’s inevitable.’ Hans: ‘Can Athens be saved?’ Georgos: ‘Not before Alexis Zorbas, I mean Tschipras, comes up with concrete reforms. Hans: ‘But Tschipras did come smiling with his baby-face and new savings plans and reform suggestions lately. Georgos: ‘Wolfgang Schäuble(CDU) dubbed it as an ‘extraordinary,  difficult summit debate. The European governments have lost confidence in Greece’s latest leftist government ever since they took charge in January. The hope that was evident in the past months has disappeared.’ Hans: ‘What does Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Chief of the Euro-group sa...