Tuesday 19 May 2009

I is for...

Irony

domenicuskerk, amsterdam


Well, colour me gobsmacked.  I have to admit that I wasn't expecting this...  My concerts with the New Mannheim Orchestra in Holland were in churches after all, but in modern ones.  This usually means some strange-shaped, plain-bricked monstrosities with weird-acoustics, and I wasn't let down in my assumption for our first concert near The Hague (a pentagonal strangeosity). But oh!  The church in Amsterdam blew me away.


holy graffiti, batman

Modern (well, neo-Gothic, late 19th century, so yes, modern!) yet architecturally breath-taking!  (Hey, I'm an appreciator of old-fashioned buildings... what can I say?) The Domenicuskerk in Amsterdam was designed by the same man who created some of the most gorgeous train stations in the Netherlands.  And churches, castles and museums.  Okay - that sounds rather bizarre, but really - check them out here.

The colourful nave was painted in the 1920's and is heavily influenced by the art movements of the time - mostly (to my eyes) art deco...  There is colour everywhere!

rainbow saints and angels


modern frescoes aplenty

And the ceiling...  The ceiling...


a thousand gold stars for effort


And I was not let down in the stained-glass department, either...


nom nom nom


A great church, a fabulous band, scrummy music and getting to make music with some old friends.  I'd say this project was full of win!  More please!

6 comments:

Cyd Wednesday 20 May 2009 at 00:56:00 BST  

Wow - I am awestruck! How inspirational to perform in such beautiful surroundings!

Iron Needles Wednesday 20 May 2009 at 01:49:00 BST  

Amazing. Just amazing.

(Don't look! It's just me stalking you again....)

Susan Wednesday 20 May 2009 at 03:21:00 BST  

Wow! You get to go to the most amazing places and I get to see them. Thanks for sharing.

sloth-knits Wednesday 20 May 2009 at 06:49:00 BST  

It's so cool that you can sing in spaces like that!

Anonymous Wednesday 20 May 2009 at 13:06:00 BST  

Gorgeous! Now I want to go to Amsterdam

Unknown Wednesday 20 May 2009 at 18:50:00 BST  

How awesomely beautiful!!!!

Mair Bloag Weejits

Footerin' Aboot

Footerin' Aboot
Heh! I'm so funny!

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