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| The Auditorium Building, foreground, and the Wabash Building. |
One of the pleasures of navigating Chicago on foot is how the old and the new juxtapose each other. Such as the 1888 Auditorium Building set against Roosevelt University's 2012 Wabash Building. The Auditorium's 17 story tower — once the tallest building in Chicago — framed by the undulating green facade of the 32 story "vertical campus."
I could go on and on about the Auditorium, designed by Adler and Sullivan, with a young Frank Lloyd Wright creating interior ornamentation. The cornerstone was set by President Grover Cleveland. The 4,000 seat theater has seen many landmark Chicago cultural moments. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra debuted there in 1891 — George Gershwin was a featured soloist in 1933, playing piano for "Rhapsody in Blue."
The Wabash Building, being far newer, doesn't have as rich a history. Though you never know what one of the students living and studying there will do someday. It's a green LEED certified building, designed with bird safety in mind. Thus no lighting on the roof, but plant cover instead.
That's it. I was in the South Loop Tuesday afternoon because a friend asked me to talk to her class at Columbia College. The kids were attentive and respectful and asked probing questions. The sun bathed the city as I walked back to Union Station. The day was June transported to the end of October, a rare gift. Then again, what aspect of life isn't a rare gift? I always try to appreciate whatever moment I'm in, though, to be honest, some moments are easier to savor than others.
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| Harold Washington Library |
That library looks more like the headhouse for an old train station. Beebe is a terrible architect & his Sulzer Library in Lincoln Square is even worse!
ReplyDeleteThe natural light on the second floor at Sulzer is pretty cool, I think.
DeleteThank you for this
ReplyDeleteA lot of times the turmoil from our screens seeps into the brain, distracts from the beauty in the world. Architecture, music, nature, art of all sorts, still exists, right there for the looking.
How did you get that photograph on foot? Seems like you'd have to be in the parking garage across the street or something. It's awesome! I've never seen that view
ReplyDeleteThe one atop the blog? Walking west on Harrison Street. I couldn't recall having seen it either. The library I shot from the far side of Ida B. Wells.
DeleteI think your superpower is paying attention. Well done! Hope you enjoyed your walk on such a beautiful day
ReplyDeleteSweet!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the Auditorium seats are not sufficiently raked for easy viewing. I gave up expensive Joffrey tickets because of the effort of peering around the people in front of me, and I am not short.
ReplyDeleteNever knew that George Gershwin played there in 1937. It would be interesting to know the exact date of the performance. Early that same year, Gershwin began to complain of blinding headaches and of phantom odors.
ReplyDeleteNormally a superb pianist in his own compositions, he had coordination problems and blackouts during his performances. Soon after, Gershwin began having mood swings, and could not eat without spilling food. The headaches and odors continued.
On the night of July 9, 1937, Gershwin collapsed, and fell into a coma. His doctors realized that he had a brain tumor. Two days later, doctors at Cedars removed it, but Gershwin died that morning, at the age of 38.
I asked AI and it said Gershwin didn't play in Chicago in 1937, but in 1933 instead. CSO has the concert listed for June 14 1933, maybe just a NS typo https://cso.org/experience/article/8697/125-moments-084-george-gershwin
DeleteRight you are. Yesterday was a very busy day, so I batted this out this morning and neglected to check my work. 1933 it is — I've corrected it in the text. Thanks.
DeleteBingo, Mr. S...it was in connection with the 1933 World's Fair, not very far away. Gershwin was not in good shape by 1937, especially during the final months of his all-too-short life. His extremely serious health issues curtailed his performing and his composing. I found an image of the concert program on the CSO site, dated June 14, 1933.
DeletePeople here are pretty sharp, and have eagle eyes when it comes to catching typos and factual errors. In my case, it was what I did, near the end of my checkered career. Something didn't sound right, as Gershwin was, by then, becoming too sick to have played in Chicago, having already blacked out and made mistakes while performing in San Francisco. Mercifully, his decline was quite rapid, and fairly short.
Thank you for the reminder about appreciation in the present. A nice 'break' from what's in the news.
ReplyDeleteAs we were about to start a marathon together—I believe it was in Pittsburgh—my friend, an architect, reminded me to “look up” along the route. We all get so caught up in the destination, we forget the true beauty is in the journey.
ReplyDeleteThat's the best part of distance running. On the weekend after I moved to North Caroline in the mid 80s, I ran a 10K in Greensboro. History nerd that I am, I stopped mid-race to read the historical marker in front of the Woolworth's that was the site of the first lunch counter sit-in.
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