Blue Danube Sapphire Necklace

Blue Danube

Sapphire Necklace

Seven blue sapphires flow in a lazy ‘S’, from small to large – light blue to deep bold blue. Shimmering blue light gracefully glides like a waltz from source, through countryside, and past grand cities. 14K White Gold mounting and 18” chain.

College Course Blue Danube 101

College course, Music Appreciation 101, Corthell Hall 1969, Gorham State Teacher’s College. Mr. Gerald Chamberland instructed the class. It was simplified for industrial arts students. The course was really good. A half century later I remember much from the course. An important part of the class was listening to classical music with Mr. Chamberland, creating a visual narrative to accompany the music. His word pictures and the music remain with me today.

One really good example was Johann Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz. It was a river- the Danube- starting as a trickle in the high mountains and tracing the water and its flow down the mountain, across hills and through valleys, the music’s speed appropriate to the steep terrain. Then the music slowed as it became a large river flowing past villages and cities, then finally the river reaches the sea.

Music appreciation was a great course. This is my suggestion to all teachers and instructors, keep things simple, paint good visual pictures to go with course work and a deeper type of learning may take place. I met (and dated for a year), a violinist with the Portland Symphony Orchestra, then for 3 years following college I bought a season pass to the Portland Symphony Orchestra. –R.H.P.