Delft Taptoe plus 'foreplay..

Photo right (taken by Will Steffen): Kik and I, somewhat cold, but enjoying while watching the parade of the marchingbands trough Delft. In the background Delft's old churchtower, de 'Ouwe Jan', which "leaning over" has been succesfully coppied in the 13th/14th century by the city of Pisa ;-)

Yesterday it was the day of the marchingbands in Delft. In the afternoon the canals and streets of the innercity of Delft was full of music performed by around 20 marchingbands who followed eachother while marching trough our city centre along the old, mostly still 17th century canals.
Kik and I, with some dear friends followe dit all from a 'terraceboat' in fron of the "Stadskoffiehuys" on the Oude Delft, the canal on which I live and to be more exact, actually just around one hundred meters from my own front door!
The weather was not ideal but we were allready glad we all stayed dry!

When Delft started again with its famous Delft Taptoe, one of the conditions put forward by the cuty councill for funding this wonderfull and musical event, was that all the participating marchingbands should walk for free in a kind of parade trough the innercity of Delft. So, since that decision and acceptance by the marchingbands, every saterday afternoon when the Taptoe is on the city calander to take place on friday and saterday evening, we cann all enjoy the qualities of these bands during the day for free!
Personally I would have also turned that part into a competition and I would every year have a jury choose the best marchingband performing while marching trough Delfts innercity (which, due to its canals and sometimes somewhat smaller streets, really challenges the bands in the way they can adjust performing in allmost any condition they are placed in!) as well as I would have a jury of ordinary by standers along the route select a 'winner' as well and so would hand out two prizes, one given by a specialised and 'proffesion' jury and one by simply a popular vote..... to hand over to the respective bands at closing of the taptoe on the saterday night!

Well, thats what I would do, hehe.... but all in all it was simply a great event, also when we attended the taptoe itself at night! On the old market square, with a beautifull illuminated New Church (also 14 century) in the background, it was simply a feast of marching music in lots of different styles and marching excellence.
There was also a performance of Tjaikovsky's Overture 1812, in which they used 'antigue cannons' fired by guys dressed up like soldiers from the late 18th, early 19th century.
The Taptoe was closed with all the participating marchingbands, whom all had at least 15 minutes of showtime each as a band on its own on the paradeground, playing in beautifull unision our national anthem (hope I wrote that correctly here). But can one go wrong there when allmost600 till 800 brass musicians all play together??

Wel, that is it for my first entry again since early july, so sorry it took so long, BUT I now feel more urgency to make time to write down some contributions, small or big.