This past weekend G and I went out to a symphony concert. We had a lovely time and we are both eager to go again. I am looking into getting a subscription for next year, and we are also buying tickets for a chamber concert this coming weekend.
The main work was Gustav Holst's The Planets, and quite frankly I was surprised to find G eager to attend. In the past he looked down at the work as a form of "classical for the masses". In this case I think that hearing something too often does the original work no favors as one becomes inured to its joys. G however has lost most of his previous associations of things including his memories of bad performances of popular symphonic works performed by second-rate orchestras. For this I am happy, as the concert was truly lovely and the piece was well played.
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra could not compete with the New York Philharmonic on a good day, but I might argue that I've heard some sub-standard Philharmonic performances and Knoxville's Orchestra could at least hold its own. But it has been a few years since we have heard the New York Philharmonic and our only basis of comparison would be the American Symphony Orchestra and I would say the Knoxville performance was far more enjoyable than any symphonic performance we have heard at Bard, either of the ASO or the Bard Symphony Orchestra. The music was, in fact, far better than we expected, considerably better than The American Symphony Orchestra which tends to be muddy and to overplay the accoustics in the theater, which does not help.
Also performed was a piece by Aaron Jay Kernis, Musical Celestis for String Orchestra which was quite lovely, and a Concerto in B Minor for Viola and Orchestra purported to be by Handel, but actually composed by a French violist named Henri Casadesus. Neither of us recalled having heard this piece before and it was quite beautiful and well played by violist Mary Persin, whom we have heard play many times in the Biava Quartet, but never as a soloist.
On a completely more shallow note, I was happy to see that people actually dressed for the concert, something that did not necessarily happen up at my country abode. In fact I fell squarely on the underdressed side in a simple gray skirt, gray sweater, tights and black flats. This had been deliberate after we attended a choral concerts where I had been dismayed to be conspicuously overdressed for the occasion while most of the audience seemed to be wearing jeans or chinos and fleece jackets. Really I find it much easier to dress "up" than "down". Even after years of semi- then full retirement I still find casual to be be difficult. I am happy to know that there will be events where I can occasionally pull out a nice dress, perhaps even lace, and dress up occasionally.
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10 responses to “Venturing Out”
So glad you enjoyed the music! This past Sunday we attended a concert presented by the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra; it was lovely! Yes, we can (and do) hear the Chicago Symphony–but this performance (Scandanavian symphonic music) was performed well (and one of the pieces we had not heard before: Berwald’s Sinfonie Singuliere).
And how nice to have an occasion to wear some dressier garments!
I know what you mean, I sometimes say to Le Duc, “You wear a dress, baby/I’ll wear a tie”, a line from a Tom Waits song, “New Coat of Paint” and he knows I’m saying, let’s go somewhere where we can dress up. G sounds like he has been a discerning listener; sometimes it’s good to go with someone who for whatever reason is happy just to be listening to a live orchestra.
I know it’s often difficult to suspend that level of discernment, honed over many, many years and musical performances, but when we do, I’m often surprised at what delights we can discover.
And I’m with you on the dressing up — I find that easier, most times, than the dressing down.
I’m sure you’ll soon get the hang of which events attract people who dress up and which ones catch people any old way.
Patti, It was wonderful to go out. We always heard concerts at various levels of expertise, but we were happy that this was better than expected. And I am happy that G handled it well and is looking forward to more.
Duchesse, that is it exactly, It was nice to just go, and it was nice that we both were just happy to go. G taught me a lot about music, but it is also nice to just enjoy the opportunity, whatever it may be.
Mater, I know exactly what you mean. You have to be willing to sit back and just enjoy, and send that critical nuggin packing.
Glad to know Im not the last die-hard person who likes to dress up.
Yeah, Rose, we are beginning to get the hang of the new place and settle in. But it is nice to be surprised as well.
Yay for dressing up and enjoying a live performance!
Susan, yeah is right! It is nice to celebrate something sometimes.