August 26, 2006

World Equestrian Games Journals from Aachen
Mack's Musings
By Father Mack (a.k.a.: Father Larry David McCormick)

“A Quick Peek Behind the Curtain”
Special to Dressage Daily #16

Courtesy of Terri Ciotti Gallo, we are permitted (like Dorothy and Toto in “The Wizard of Oz”) to take a glimpse behind the scrim that inhibits the sight of others. To be less obscure, Terri has provided (only for readers of Dressage Daily…at least to the best of my knowledge) the “play list” to which the US riders and their horses will dance in tonight’s (Saturday’s) Grand Prix Kür. It is a tantalizing piece of information provided by Ms. Gallo (proprietor of Klassic Kur…definitely a lady worth knowing when you have need of the highest quality music for your freestyle!). Many thanks, Terri!

Herr Seidel’s program will demonstrate his personal affection for the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber in the musical “Evita.” Yes, yes, onlookers in the stadium this evening will have an opportunity to hear the strains of “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina,” but we expect that the more interesting use of Webber’s music will be heard in the transitions. People who have seen Aragon’s lovely move from his walk into his canter and thence into the tempis will (God willing) find these lovely shifts in gait complemented by the accompanying music that originated in the theatre.

Finally, concerning Guenter and Aragon, Terri tells me to keep a sharp eye and a carefully tuned ear as this duo moves in its final sequence from the canter to the extended trot. Will do, Terri! And thanks for the suggestions.

Herr Peters’, by comparison, will show his affection for the music of Fleetwood Mac. We have been clued in to listen for two longer uses of this musical group’s “Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)” at the beginning and again at the end of Steffen and Floriano’s program. This same piece of music pops up before the walk and during a brief passage segment.

Borrowing from almost the same era of modern music, Supertramp’s “Give a Little Bit” has been selected to enhance the canter while John Lennon’s “Imagine” cues the walk and Fleetwood Mac makes an encore appearance at the trot. One can only hope that there are no obsessive fans of classical music in the judges’ boxes (or, if there are, that they are sufficiently open-minded to see and hear how the music serves as a foil to the natural gaits of our friend the horse).

And there you have it. I for one will be hanging on tenter hooks when these two gifted riders and their equine colleagues enter the arena tonight. I have little doubt that the musical designs of Terri coupled with the athletic and artistic skills of two of America’s top riders will give the rest of the field a run for its money.