September 29 – Saturday –
Day started out overcast and raining, but the wind had veered to the west, and the clouds had a different look of clearing eventually.
On my way to Erie, we dropped Peggy off at her home – we left about 12:00.
Stopped at Cease’s for a snack, in the cafeteria. The trip down one of great interest and excitement – The skies began to slowly clear – at Dunkirk the northwest sky over the lake was clear with white topped clouds – The south was still dark with forming clouds; in the low west was a great expanse of dark cerulean clouds, which seemed to suggest a storm – and it was not long indeed until we were in the midst of a blinding rainstorm.
Coloring of the trees is much earlier than usual. Jim Sample met us at the Thruway exit – and went before us to show us the way to their home (it was a rather complicated journey).
Their home was reached by a long narrow lane; situated on a bluff, rather high above the lake – surrounded by trees on all sides except the north (lake) – and on the east a deep ravine.
The house seemed to us, both inside and out with the location, a “dream” house – not new, but whoever built it, was thinking of comfort and spaciousness and achieved this without being too barn-like or imposing – The downstairs was allotted to Mr. Sample’s needs as a conductor, while Mrs. S. had the upstairs –
The whole front end of the house given over to music – an ideal “set-up” for listening to stereo-hi-fi.
S. played a number of things interesting for differing reasons – One was two “symphonies” of electronic music unfortunately I cannot remember the origin of the sounds used, nor how manipulated, but much to my surprise we both were fascinated by the “music”, especially a scherzo in the second composition. Altho both the composers of these pieces were only concerned with showing the technical possibilities of this new medium of sound, many of the sounds were of a quality that, it seems to me could be used to express human emotions.
The sounds and effects often had a strong resemblances to the music of Stravinsky, especially Petrushka, and the Rites of Spring –
He played several tapes of the Erie Symphony Orchestra, with himself as conductor – Straus’s Dance of the Seven Veils, Stravinsky’s Fire-bird Suite both excellent, especially the later, which seemed to me the most clarified performance I ever heard –
Before all these he played a “demonstration” record, which had all sorts of various sounds, including a parade to demonstrate its passage from right to left speakers. It was not too clear to me however; but Bertha said it was plain to her.
Mrs. S took us upstairs; showed us a mural she was working on for the local hospital – The small scale painting for it, was very interesting, showing every room or department in the hospital, with portraits of all the doctors, nurses, etc. – She was having difficulty finishing the full scale mural, mainly because she had already said what she wanted in the preliminary painting.
Before going to dinner, Mrs. S took us on a tour of the grounds. Before our arrival she had brought in a large bunch of dog wood leaves, (rich purple-red) which was set on the middle of the hi-fi set, - and a bouquet of very tall pampas grass in a tall vase in the middle room very beautiful.
Dinner at ? restaurant in Erie, a very pleasant affair –
We left a little after 10:00, and arrived home about 12:30 – (stopping at Cease’s for tea) – we did not get to bed until 3:00 am. (played Beethoven’s Consecration of the house Overture.)
Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, September 29, 1962