measi's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pops goes the Fourth The Fourth of July is a special time in Boston. It's the night where people from all over the world converge on a narrow strip of land along the Charles River beginning early in the morning, hanging out all day in the hot sunshine, for a special concert and fireworks starting at 8 p.m. Ah yes, Pops Goes the Fourth. If you've never experienced it live, it should be on one of those "do to" lists. I began watching this concert with my dad on July Fourth when I was five. My dad's almost always on-call for deliveries at the hospital for the holiday, so he had to stick close to home. Until cable TV became more common, the concert was on PBS. Then A&E picked it up, where it's been shown ever since. It became a tradition for my father and me. Sit down, watch the concert, and be amazed by the gigantic fireworks display afterwards. One of my favorite parts, however, has always been the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky. I learned to appreciate and love classical music through my father. And this song, particularly the Pops' version of it (with real cannons and church bells from Beacon Hill), is incredible. It honestly makes my heart stop. It's just one of those pieces that moves me. I swore as a teenager that some day I would be there, on that riverbank, to listen to that concert and that song live. And I got to for the first time in 1996. I was less than 200 feet from the cannons, underneath the tree ring of the Hatch Shell stage. The song literally brought me to tears. It was the first "before I die, I need to do this" dream that I'd met. The following year, we spent the day on the Esplanade again. Then two years ago, we spent the evening on the rooftop of my workplace on Beacon Street, away from the crowds, but still with the wonderful views and songs floating in the air. The Fourth is a magickal night in Boston. As I write this, I'm watching the fireworks on TV from the Charles River-- only about eight blocks from where I'm actually sitting. Anyone who watches them on TV-- see that Prudential Building on the screen? I'm currently right behind it. :) The fireworks are booming, reverberating off of my apartment building-- the sound barrier keeps them a couple seconds delayed from the screen. Despite the heat and humidity, part of me wants to be there, among the throng of hundreds of thousands of people along the Esplanade, watching these fireworks in person. I did it two years in a row. Despite the crowds and the crushing pain at time as everyone fights to see, it's an amazing experience. For just a few minutes, the entire crowd is unified-- proud to be Americans, celebrating our country's independence. If only it could last the entire year... Happy Fourth, everyone. 10:29 p.m. - 4 July 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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