"Music under the Stars" at the Mission

Thursday evening (the 8th) Patrick, LaRae and I attended the San Antonio Missions home game in Nelson Wolfe Stadium, against the Midland Rockhounds of the Texas League (AA level). It was a great night for a baseball game, and the Missions' home field is a top-notch park. The game went well -- until top of the fifth inning, when the visitors pounded out 8 runs. So we left, and even tho' on the radio we heard the home team never give up trying to come back, they still lost.

Great consolation came the very next night, courtesy the OTHER type of S.A. mission. What I mean is that I went to Mission San José, for my second "Music Under the Stars" concert. (My first was two years ago.) This is presented by USAA, the insurance and financial firm headquartered here,that serves the US military, dependants and vets. Employees of USAA (United services Automotive Association) have formed musician and singing groups, and perform in public. This evening we were entertained (for free) in the mission compound by the USAA Jazz Band, The USAA Concert Band and the USAA Chorus.

The three amateur musical groups gave us a wonderful evening of entertainment! True the weather wasn't quite as picture-perfect as it was two years ago. But that didn't lessen the crowd, much of which was families. Hundreds of lawn chairs was set up under the trees and on the grass in the large open area enclosed by the mission compound's walls. Other folk spread blankets or sat on the permanent benches scattered around the compound, as I did.

In addition to the musical show, a few people got to speak. Most notable of the speakers was Father David García. He is about to retire from being Rector (head priest) of San Fernando Cathedral and become the archdiocesan clergyman in charge of funding for upkeep of the church sanctuaries at the four missions in the San Antonio Missions National Park. In his speech Father David was quite energetic and enthusiastic. So much so that the emcee or someone made mention of the clergyman's electric spirit!

Among the USAA Jazz Band's instrumental offerings were a couple in which a lady with a beautiful singing voice (soprano) sang lyrics. One was the 1960s' pop hit "The Girl from Ipanema" which celebrates a beauty on the famous beach of Rio in Brazil. Later in the program the jazz instrumentalists played «Perfidia». I knew this beautiful, sweetly-flowing piece for years, long before I ever learned the name of it. And when I learned that name, I was shocked! Such a sad name for such beautiful music! The name is a cognate; it means "perfidy" or "betrayal" in English.

In the second half of the show some numbers were straight instrumental, done by the USAA Concert Band. But on most songs the USAA Concert Choir provided vocals. I suppose that due to this being a different choir from that of two years ago ("Lift Every Voice" Choir) the selection was more varied. That is, it wasn't all gospel songs. But they did sing a few songs with spiritual content. They also sang a song about New Orleans, many of whose residents evacuated to our city upon the destruction of their own by Hurricane Katrina. (And some of whom chose to permanently reside here.) There was also a salute to the five armed services in the playing of the anthem of each branch. Of course I sang out loudly on the first one, for the Army! "Over hill, over dale, we will hit the dusty trail, as the Army goes rolling along!"

All during the concert I kept marveling how THIS show could only have taken place in San Antonio. All the distinctive elements -- the old Spanish mission as venue, the performances by people from a major employer (only the medical professions, the government and the active military surpass USAA here) that has strong military connections (in a "military city"), the audience of residents of varied ethnicity and language, arranged solo, in couples and especially in families, under a lovely Spring evening environment -- all this IS the city I love so much.

Thank God for San Antonio! God bless San Antonio!