New Season

The leaves are starting to turn; it must be fall.

We noted these first signs of fall at the end of our driveway as we headed north to the Berkshires for the first of the September chamber music series at South Mountain.  The weather was cool, and having seen the first glimmer of color, we enjoyed looking for scattered signs.  By the time we got to Pittsfield, the signs were not longer scattered, but obvious everywhere.

It was the first concert we had been to in months and I was eager and filled with anticipation and the concert did not disappoint.  The first work, Mozart's Adagio & Fugue in C minor, K 546, was lovely and graceful, a wonderful opening piece.

I think my concert ears were rusty because I was not completely in tune with the Beethoven Quartet #3. The second movement seemed to drag a little to me, although the performance actually did make me think of the piece in a slightly different light, something I tend to think is always a good thing.  But my mind wandered after that, perhaps not due so much to the performance as my own lack of listening skills and a mid-afternoon slump following the drive.   No mind.  By the final movement they had my attention again.  It was a magnificent conclusion and obviously the musicians were having a great time playing.  It was then that I noticed how the Peter Zazofsky, the first violinist, would be so seriously involved in the music and then at the end of a particularly beautiful note he would get a little smile of complete satisfaction.  It was just a glimmer, but it was a joy to watch.

After the intermission we heard the Brahms Quintent in B minor with a fabulous young clarinetist, Alexander Fiterstein.  Any lingering fuzz was quickly dispelled from my brain as I listened, and watched, with rapt attention.   It was an excellent first concert.  I am filled with relief because we actually attended something.  I am filled with anticipation for the experiences ahead.