It’s the beginning of July and we are heading for the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the beautiful Tanglewood deep in the Berkshires countryside in Up State Massachusetts at Lenox.
To get directly to Lenox is a 2.5 hour drive up the I90 freeway (dual carriageway and tolls – rental cars have e tags) from Boston. It’s a very pretty New England township surrounded by the wonderful green wooded hills and valleys of the Berkshires. These are secondary woodlands of maple and oak, amongst others, the original timber becoming charcoal to feed the coal and iron industries now largely disappeared .
An alternative but slightly longer route is the Mohawk Trail, which we took this time that runs north of the I90, through many interesting townships. We stopped in one called Shelburne Falls for lunch and a wander, en route to Lenox.
Berkshires & Lenox via Mohawk Trail and Shelburne Falls
We are here in the Berkshires for three nights, primarily to see James Taylor on night three in concert at Tanglewood whose wonderful music we are growing gracefully older with. But on research we find a “ rock and roll musical” for our first evening being produced at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, to good an opportunity to see a live show!!
Pittsfield
What a fantastic show, and what an amazing story, Alan Freed a DJ from Ohio, went to New York having discovered “ rock and roll”, Little Richard and many others on the way, before passing away aged 43. From the exterior the Colonial Theatre looks a little bland, solid brick and unassuming.
From the theatres interior, “what a beauty”, which hopefully the pictures above capture a little of. The theatre is a wonderful venue and the shows performers, include “ Norm” from Cheers – those who remember the TV series about the famous bar in Boston. Norm, in real life George Wendt , plays a stunning grumpy FBI Edgar Hoover and has a surprisingly good voice. We had a brilliant time and chatting to our neighbours in the audience made it an evening to long remember.
Non Music Activities in the Berkshires
The Berkshires woodlands, valleys and hills in summer present a superb green portrait for the eye to drink in. The Fall will however be the stunner as the maples in particular turn and it would be an amazing sight. Winter time brings heavy snow – James Taylor sings, “Now the first of December was covered with snow. And so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston Though the Berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frosting,” in his famous song “Sweet Baby James
Yes winter too would be beautiful to witness and there are many cross country ski fields in the area.
We opted for a couple of walks to explore the woodlands, from Park Street Stockbridge up a hill, 600 feet of elevation and 3km to Laura’s Tower, then the next day a lower level walk to the Ice Glade and some wonderful glacier deposited boulders, rocks and cooling wafts of air from the depths. The walks were not super well signposted but we found our way there and back without too many problems. From the shady car park, across the river, over the train tracks and into the woods. Returning from the Laura Tower walk we heard a train approaching and arrived at the tracks in time for the view and sounds as the driver sounded that familiar, “ wail”, from so many American railroad movies!
Berkshires – Homes for the Super Wealthy
When the train line from Boston opened up the Berkshires in the 19th century, wealthy citizens from Boston in particular seemed to compete on who could create the grandest property and gardens. As a result are so many beautiful properties both traditional weatherboard town houses but also some mind boggling mansions.
We visited on a bit of a spur of the moment the mansion called Naumkeag, which we came across on a back road from Stockbridge to Lenox. It was the front roofs viewed from the road that caused us to stop, turn around, peer over a stone wall and take photos of. Naumkeag then seemed to say “ come and see all of me”, and we did with a tour guide who was just so knowledgeable and presented so professionally.
Built by a wealthy Boston Law Partner Joseph Hodges Choate who went on to be US Ambassador to the U.K. from 1899, we spent a super afternoon touring the house and gardens.
Naumkeag
Tanglewood and James Taylor
And finally to Tanglewood, a beautiful extensive parkland estate with a number of music venues, principally for the classical music of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Over the summer a number of “ popular artists” perform, our purpose on a warm wonderful July 4 Independence Day was an evening with James Taylor, his All Star Band including accompaniments on vocals from wife Kim and son Henry.
The venue is unique, it’s called “ The Shed”, is open at three sides to the surrounding lawns, trees and gardens it has a packed earthen floor. Overall imagine a two storey wedge of cheese with the pointed end the stage and 5000 seats fanning and gently elevating back from that. Another 13,000 concert goers are set out on the surrounding lawns with “ concert displayed big screens”, deckchairs, tables, shades, candlabras, food and drink !! It’s party time at Tanglewood with James Taylor who first performed there in 1974 and in 2019, aged 71 has a voice and enthusiasm as strong as ever in this his 27th year to appear.
We had a magical 4th of July Tanglewood JT evening with Independence Day fireworks at the end. As James said, “ if only we spent our military budget on fireworks the world might be a better place” – what a political challenge!!
Travels with My Wife 
Great little story and photographs. It looks like an interesting place, with a variety of architecture.
Great to see Peter striking a pose, and not stealing all the limelight from the gate posts.
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