On the homepage today, I begin a “Salzburg Journal” (to be completed tomorrow). Early on in these jottings, I talk about Golda Schultz, a young South African soprano, with whom I did a public interview. She said many interesting things. And she happened to disclose that she was currently binge-watching Star Trek — the TV show, not the movies.
I wanted to say something about William Shatner here on the Corner. As you know, he was Captain Kirk on Star Trek. And I talked with him many years ago in a green room. I had just seen a documentary called “Trekkies.” It was about, naturally, the phenomenon of Star Trek fandom.
Shatner spoke wisely, sympathetically, and even touchingly about these “Trekkies.” He said that he and other actors would show up at their conventions and whatnot. “And we soon learned that it was not about us — it was about them.” Their interests, their enthusiasm, their sense of family. The actors could show up or not. It really didn’t matter much to the Trekkies.
Okay, back to Golda Schultz. I’ll do some quoting from my journal:
Toward the end of our hour, I have an unusual question for her: “When people say to you, ‘I’d like to be interested in classical music but don’t know how,’ what do you say to them?” Golda tells them to listen to the Mahler Second — the Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” of Gustav Mahler. If that doesn’t do it … well, it will.
I thought I’d link to the recording “I grew up on,” as we say: Bruno Walter, here. Reserve an hour and a half or so. It’s worth it.