Reading while staying home

One of the greatest pleasures  I have in life is looking at architecture, and while I have been stuck at home, I have had the luxury of pulling out some of the books on architecture, and photography I've collected over the past 60 years.  I've also come to really respect the art some of these great artists have brought to the black-and-white photograph. 
So I offer you a few scans from some of my recent reading (or really, viewing), and hope you are doing much the same while we await a vaccine.

Photo: Timothy Hursley
House entitled "The Monument", located in Joshua Tree, California
Architect: Josh Schweitzer
from "New Forms" by Philip Jodidio
Taschen
If you want to see architecture in all it's greatness, Taschen publishers
are about the best.  They have covered everything in large, spectacularly photographed
books at very reasonable prices.

Photo: Ag. Luisa Ricciarini
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
Major architect: Sinan
(The most famous architect in the history of Islamic art, and also the
creator of arguably the most beautiful building in the Muslim world, the Blue Mosque)
from "Royal Palaces" edited by Marcello Morelli
Barnes and Noble

Photo: Henri Stierlin
A comparison between the domes of the Blue Mosque, and its
predecessor,  and model, the Haghia Sophia, both in Istanbul.
Architect, Blue Mosque: Sinan
Architects of Haghia Sophia:  Anthemius of Tralles,  and Isidore of Miletus
Whole books have written about Haghia Sophia, which remained the largest
building in the world for centuries.  Of all the building in the world I would love to see, this is
probably No. 1, followed by the Pantheon in Rome, and St. Peter's.
from "Turkey: from the Selcuks to the Ottomans"
by Henri Stier
Taschen

Photo: Jean Roubier
Ely Cathedral, Cambridgeshire, England
from "Romanesque Art in Europe"
New York Graphic Society
Maybe only black-and-white could capture the
intense detail of such a monument.
My last planned trip to Europe was to have been to visit mostly
Romanesque cathedrals (Speyer, Aachen Worms).
Maybe someday.

Photo: Francois Cali
Strasburg Cathedral
Again, perhaps color would just get in the way
of such a work of art. 
And that organ case!
from "The Wonders of France" by
Francois Cali
Viking press
A favorite book. 

Photo: Martin Hurlimann
Venice, the Grand Canal and S. Maria Salute
No collection of black-and-white photography should
ignore Martin Hurlimann, who published wonderful collections on
Italy, France, and most of Europe.
from "Italy"
The Studio Publications, New York

Photo: Guillaume De Laubier
The Vatican Library
Architect: Domenico Fontana
from "The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World"
Jacques Bosser, text
Henry N. Abrams, Pubs.
The most beautiful library I ever visited was the one in
Melk Abbey, Austria.

I hope you enjoyed these.  

A few warblers, finally!

I was about to give up hope, it's been so cold and rainy, but this morning I drove to Wompatuck State Park in Hingham, and saw the first two and then on to a huge cemetery in Jamaica Plains that was open for driving around.  Found a little hot spot that had Yellowthroat, Black-throated Blue and Parula.  So great to see a few, finally.
Here is what I managed to photograph.  All of these were taken with my 100-400 Canon with a 1.4 teleconverter.

Eastern Phoebe (?)

Black-throated Green Warbler

American Redstart

Veery

Add caption

Northern Parula

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Blog 2 More sacred places

Since I got such a nice response from people on my cathedral blog (thank you, Neal), here are a few more favorites.

This is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, in Cartago, Costa Rica

This is the site of over a million pilgrimages, most people walking 22 miles, some doing it 

on their knees (!).

The building, as seen, was completed in the 1930's.  The original cathedral was built

in 1639, and had endured many earthquakes. 

Marvelous-looking pipe organ, unheard.  

L'eglise de la Madeleine, Paris.

Originally designed as a temple of glory to celebrate Napoleon's armies, loosely based on 

the Maison Carree in Nimes, one of the finest and best-preserved Roman temples.

The artwork above the altar depicts the history of Christianity.

This organ was built by the most celebrated of all French organ firms, Cavaille-Coll, completed in 1845.

It has been re-voiced and re-built several times. 

Some of the organists have been Saint-Saens, Dubois, Faure, and Demessieux.

Saint-Eustache, Paris

An enormous church, larger that Notre Dame (the 2019 Easter services normally held at Notre Dame were

transferred to Saint-Eustache because of the fire).

This building was constructed between 1532 and 1632.

The church was named after a general who was burned to death for converting to Christianity.

Some famous names are connected:  Cardinal Richelieu, Madame Pompadour, and Moliere were baptized here.

Mozart's mother had her funeral there. 

Some of the  people buried at Saint-Eustache are Scaramouche (famous Italian comic actor), and Rameau.

The pipe organ, with 8,000 pipes, is the largest in France.  It was featured in the premier of Berlioz's "Te Deum"

The famous titular organist Jean Guillou had it almost completely rebuilt in 1989.

Guillou had so much influence, that a console (keyboards and pedal, stoptabs) for the organ was added on the floor of the cathedral, so that he could be seen during organ recitals.  When Susan and I visited the church in 2001, we attended an Easter service in the morning and then returned in the afternoon to hear Guillou perform a recital.  He performed the first part of the recital on this console, and then moved up to the organ loft in back for the finale, (Vierne), on the original console.  

An awesome sight.  The original console is just behind the closest pipes in front.

Cathedrals I love (and their pipe organs)

While I have all this time on my hands, I've gone back into my old photographs, and picked out some shots taken in France and Germany.  I absolutely adore architecture, and if I'm given a few more years, will try to get to England, Spain, and a few other places to see more.

The great Notre Dame of Paris.

Ravaged by fire last year, it is being repaired.  This photo was taken from the terrace of the

Moroccan restaurant atop of the World Arab Institute.

The view everybody knows.  

The enormous West rose window.

Rheims Cathedral, probably the most perfect in Gothic architecture.

And the astounding front portals.

Melk Abbey, one of the great Baroque masterpieces.

You stand agape, there is so much turmoil to see.

Here is the organ in the rear.  While we were visiting, a choir from the 

U.S. was contributing to the service. 

Laon Cathedral.  In the twin towers are statues of oxen, a tribute to the oxen which

miraculously appeared while hauling the stone for its construction.

And the interior.

Sienna Cathedral in Tuscany, a remarkable and bold work of art.  

Attached to the cathedral is the Piccolomino Library, and one of the most beautiful 

ceilings I have ever seen. 

And perhaps the most glorious of them all, Passau Cathedral in Germany.

The architect's choice of white with incredible paintings creates thrilling space.

The pipe organ is the largest in Europe.  This case continues into the aisles on both sides. 

Susan and I heard a noontime organ recital, in which thousands of people showed up. 

Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.  To see this for the first time is to be struck dumb by

the medieval glass.  You enter through the bottom chapel, designed for normal citizens, and then you

climb a circular staireway, and walk into the royal chapel, and magical light.  Stunning!

More next time.

April 1 Blog

No one seems in the mood for April Fool jokes, so I'll just present you with a small blog with a few recent shots.  The big new for me was photographing a Caspian Tern, a life list bird, very unexpected.

Princess curious about Susan's face

And here is the Caspian Tern!

They are only in Mass. about two weeks

I only know what these birds are because of David Ludlow, from Mass Audubon, who I 

happened to run into this morning and he pointed them out. 

David has added about 20 North American birds to my life list. 

A rare get together with Erin, Ken, Oliver and Jackson, walking in the woods at a state park.

A Savanah Sparrow.

Yellow Warbler, first warbler of 2020.

And the circle of life goes on.

Erin, Millie, and Ken

Red-tail, right next to the road.

One more look at the Sandhill Cranes

Bluebird of Happiness