Please read Cartr Brey's remarkable Essay

[MarcMcCarron]

I think Carters eloquent essay belongs in the "front row"

Carter, Thanks for sharing your remarkable experience with us.

http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/Pyongyang.doc

[Joe Myerson]

Thank you, Carter, for posting this personal description of an amazing trip.

And thanks, Marc, for posting the link.

--Joe

P.S. Carter, if you ever decide to choose poverty over fame, you could definitely join the ranks of professional writers.

[Neil Gordon]

P.S. Carter, if you ever decide to choose poverty over fame, you could definitely join the ranks of professional writers.

Think more broadly, fellas. There are lots of professions where you can have BOTH.

[Cathy Monaghan]

There's an article in the Feb. 27th issue of "The Star-Ledger" (our local newspaper), page 8, that also has a photograph which shows Maazel, you and a bunch of other folks in the philharmonic. Do you keep clippings and photos for a scrapbook? If so, I can send it to you.


Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

[tartansailor]

The New York Philharmonic continues to be a significant part of my life, ever since Leonard Bernstein first took to the podium.
PBS aired two presentations of the concert; I viewed both and recorded the first.
Carter played with noticeable vigor.
Much greater minds probably have a rational goal oriented reason for permitting our beloved orchestra to affably condescend to feed them cake, but to my mind -well lets not go there- I hope some good comes of it.
Carter, I know that you always want to, and do please your audience, but were you pleased?

Dick

[Troy Scott]

I've been to Seoul several times over the last 25 years. Once in about 1983 I was in the Opera House on a private tour of the house and pipe organ when suddenly the whole place was on lockdown because a North Korean pilot was defecting with one of their air-force jets. The city was pretty tense in those days. It's gotten more relaxed since then, fewer air raid drills, etc.. Still, how could there NOT be occasional tense moments when you consider a free society in the world's second-largest city less than 50 miles from the DMZ which separates them from one of the world's poorest and most authoritarian states with whom they are still technically at war? Over the years I've made several friends there. I've gotten into several long discussions about the idea of reunification, a dream many Koreans hold dear. My personal belief is that it would be much more difficult than the reunification of Germany. The vastly different political ideas and generations of propaganda will be difficult to overcome...., even if the opportunity somehow presents itself.

I'm leaving Friday, March 7 to be there about 17 days to put the finishing touches on a new (American made) pipe organ. Wish me "bon voyage"!

[Dick Villamil]

Who needs a camera to record this memorable event when you have the picture-perfect memories and words by Carter Brey - well done! This may very well be the beginning of a long slow thawing period - lets hope. I saw the show on VPT and listened to it on VPR and I am sure that it will remain one of those events similar to the time when we beat the Soviet Union in hockey.

[Sea Owl]

Carter;

Welcome home! I applaud the courage the your entire group showed. That may sound strange, but I have worked in and around Korea since 1975. I have seen and experienced first hand a 'non-public' version of North Korea. The so called "Great Leader" could have had you all killed with a snap of his fingers, and no North Korean would have blinked at carrying it out. Stark fear and a threat of starvation/imprisonment is a great motivator. Thank God it was well publicized, increasing your safety!

Despite high hopes, I doubt your tour had any affect on the Megalomaniac running the country. I do hope, with you, that somewhere, somewhen, the people themselves that were lucky enough to hear it will remember it with pleasure. And that alone makes the effort worthwhile!

Your description of the trip was excellent - well done!

[nprice]

Great article, thanks.
You can see the performance of Arirang at:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27oCLrSzDLQ

[Troy Scott]

Well I guess it's silly, but this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27oCLrSzDLQ
brought tears to my eyes.
back in the 80s I owned a Contessa 26 (great boat) named ARIRANG.