Cartoon Trainride to a Wistful West
Hallo Leute!
I went to see another Berliner Philharmoniker concert last night, this time Claudio Abbado conducting a reconstructed Bach Violin Konzert, Weill's Violin Concerto, and Brahms' 3rd Symphony. Seats were Stehplatz, about as high and as far right as you can go in the concert hall. The acoustics, still, continue to astound; obviously the orcehstra sounds a bit more distant from way up there (as opposed to the directly-behind-the-orchestra podiumplaty seat I had for the Jansons/Mahler 1 concert. Did I ever mention, incidentally, how broad Jansons' tempos were for Petroushka? Thats a piece that defies stoicism, but he did his best (but also did manage to bring out a lot of the more theatrical aspects through those slow-ass tempos).
Anyway, it was supertoll to see Abbado conduct. He moved through the Brahms in a rather incredible way. I'd never heard Weill's Violin Concerto before, but it was a pretty cool piece, especially its first and second movements (the third lost me for most of it until its Coda, where it becomes a bit more obvious frantic rush into nonsense). The first movement especially, utilizes a rythmic groove that sounds something like an off kilter train, and then theres some scenery, provided by the solo violin, often in a very different mode than the wind orchestra behind it.
Incidentally, I think maybe the best thing about the Berliner Phil is its Woodwind section (including the horns) - especially its quintet of Principal players. They were locked in, soundwise, during the Brahms, as well as Iäve ever heard a Woodwind section sound.
On Thursday, I went to a free concert at a church of Messain's L'Ascencsion (spelling...), it being Christi fahrt in Himmel day and all. It turned out to actually be a whole church service with the Messain interspersed through it, so that was a drag. The sermon was like 45 minutes long. I caught some of it, but not much, reminded me of being little and going to church with our Grandparents. Well played though, and interesting music (perhaps made more interesting by the boredome between movements).
And also on Thursday, I went and saw David Lynch's new movie Inland Empire (in English with German subtitles). It's kind of a mess, but generally interesting. It's like he decided that Mulholland Dr. was too easy. Its in digital video, as opposed to film.
And finally, I've officially upgraded my personal appraisal of my German knowledge from "nur ein Bisschen" to "nicht genug."
I went to see another Berliner Philharmoniker concert last night, this time Claudio Abbado conducting a reconstructed Bach Violin Konzert, Weill's Violin Concerto, and Brahms' 3rd Symphony. Seats were Stehplatz, about as high and as far right as you can go in the concert hall. The acoustics, still, continue to astound; obviously the orcehstra sounds a bit more distant from way up there (as opposed to the directly-behind-the-orchestra podiumplaty seat I had for the Jansons/Mahler 1 concert. Did I ever mention, incidentally, how broad Jansons' tempos were for Petroushka? Thats a piece that defies stoicism, but he did his best (but also did manage to bring out a lot of the more theatrical aspects through those slow-ass tempos).
Anyway, it was supertoll to see Abbado conduct. He moved through the Brahms in a rather incredible way. I'd never heard Weill's Violin Concerto before, but it was a pretty cool piece, especially its first and second movements (the third lost me for most of it until its Coda, where it becomes a bit more obvious frantic rush into nonsense). The first movement especially, utilizes a rythmic groove that sounds something like an off kilter train, and then theres some scenery, provided by the solo violin, often in a very different mode than the wind orchestra behind it.
Incidentally, I think maybe the best thing about the Berliner Phil is its Woodwind section (including the horns) - especially its quintet of Principal players. They were locked in, soundwise, during the Brahms, as well as Iäve ever heard a Woodwind section sound.
On Thursday, I went to a free concert at a church of Messain's L'Ascencsion (spelling...), it being Christi fahrt in Himmel day and all. It turned out to actually be a whole church service with the Messain interspersed through it, so that was a drag. The sermon was like 45 minutes long. I caught some of it, but not much, reminded me of being little and going to church with our Grandparents. Well played though, and interesting music (perhaps made more interesting by the boredome between movements).
And also on Thursday, I went and saw David Lynch's new movie Inland Empire (in English with German subtitles). It's kind of a mess, but generally interesting. It's like he decided that Mulholland Dr. was too easy. Its in digital video, as opposed to film.
And finally, I've officially upgraded my personal appraisal of my German knowledge from "nur ein Bisschen" to "nicht genug."
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