Persian Parade

 The Sun and the Lion is their national Symbol.

It was listed in the paper as the Persian Parade.  Some banners had it as the Iranian parade.  There were also people marching from Kurdistan and Armenia.  Most likely because the Persian Empire at it's height went from the Danube in the East to the Indus in the West and the Caspian Sea in the North to the Persian Gulf in the South.  Many of those people were marching for their homelands.  The state religion at that time was Zoroaster-ism, named for the founder Zoroaster AKA [also known as] Zarathustra.  I saw a number of banners for Zoroaster.  Also banners for Runi - a Persian poet of the 12th century and Mazdak who died around 524.  He was a religious activist who advocated communal sharing and instituted social reforms.  There was a banner wishing everyone a Happy Nowruz [Happy New Year - celebrated since Zoroaster.  It's the first day of Spring].  Another banner celebrating Yalda, the longest night of the year, and the birthday of Mithra, the god of Zoroaster-ism.  It would fall around 12/21 to 12/25. 
The Persian empire was frequently overrun by Greeks, Arabs, Turks and Mongols.  It was united as Iran in 1501 and was ruled by a monarch, the Shah, until the revolution of 1979.  Their were no banners for the Shah nor the Ayatollah.

 Every parade needs a marching band.

But not every parade has whirling dervishes.

Scandinavia House

Went to Scandinavia House for 'Keyboard Conversations with Pianist Jeffrey Siegel: Concerts with lively commentary'.
This particular day he was doing 'A Love triangle: Music of Robert Schumann [1810-1856], Clara Schumann 1819-1896], and Johannes Brahms [1833-1897].' 
The pieces that he played were:
Novelette in F Major, Op. 21, No. 1 by Robert Schumann,
Romance in G Minor, Op.5 by Clara Schumann [ both written as love letters, after her father forbade them to see each other],
Sonata in F Minor, Op. 5 by Brahms ,written when he was 20.  About the time he visited the Schumann's to study music with them.  Clara's father was a famous teacher and Clara continued to teach and perform.  She was considered one of the best teachers and a very popular pianist.  One of her students Carl Friedberg brought her tradition and style to the Julliard School in NY.
Romance in G Minor, Op. 21 by Clara.  She composed music and traveled all over Europe performing and promoting her husband's work and Brahms's.  She was the primary bread winner for her husband and their 7 children.  When one of her sons died and the other was institutionalized she became the primary breadwinner for her grandchildren too.
Intermezzo in C Major, Op 119, No. 3 by Brahms as a gift to Clara [after her husband's death in an insane asylum].  Brahms 'courted' Clara but she turned him down.
Intermission
Variations from Sextet, Op, 18 and Variations on a theme by Paganini, Op. 35 by Brahms.

 First there was a very good 3-course dinner.

 I was seated next to the tree, which got me in the Nordic mood.

 Then to the Victor Borge Concert Hall.
Had a great time for $34.