I want to assure my readers that I am still very much alive. Happily, it has not been panic attacks that’s been keeping me from writing. It’s been school. I honestly hope y’all understand that I take my studies very seriously. Though it pains me that I haven’t been too consistent these days, college is a top priority for me. That being said, I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to update from now on. I’ll try to blog as often as I can, probably at least once a week, but I can’t make any promises.
My love of music is one of the main factors that keeps me dancing. Even when I’m not physically dancing, my spirit dances. Hence, why I decided to attend my first symphony. I knew that it had the capability of making me dance. I was especially eager because the featured compositions were from Profokiev’s Romeo and Juliet, and Russian composers are definitely are favorite of mine. Anyway, like my first opera, I want to share with y’all my initial, impulsive thoughts.
Before the Show
“Phew! Downtown is such a maze! I’m glad I made it here before 1:30 pm. It may be a pain to get to the venue a full hour before the show, but the student discount tickets will be worth it. Now, where did Professor Elliott say we’d meet again…” [proceeds to wander aimlessly until a kind, older gentleman points me in the right direction]
[looking at the price on the ticket] “Holy crap! My seat was ninety-two freakin’ dollars at face value, and it only cost me, a lucky student, twelve?! Then again, my seat is in Row C.”
Siegfried Idyll (Wagner)
“What a wonderfully sweet-sounding piece. It certainly doesn’t sound like the one Wagner composition I’m familiar with. The softness reminds me of a lullaby, as if he wants his beloved to awaken to the soft sounds of a lark. The more vivacious parts sound like a real wedding celebration. Despite his, ahem, love-background, I find this piece quite a romantic gesture.”
Wagner’s Love-Background: This was composed for his new bride, Cosima. The nuptials for the couple, interestingly enough, came after they had a family together. While she was still married to her previous husband, Cosima had a six-year love affair with Wagner. She bore him three children, two daughters and a son, Siegfried. After Siegfried was born, she divorced her husband and married Wagner. This piece was composed in secret for her.
Violin Concerto No. 5 (Mozart)
“Ah, there is nothing like a good Mozart piece. It has an indescribable quality to it. But, how would I describe it? I’d say a good portion of his music has a lively, almost bouncy quality to it.”
[featured soloist enters] “Wow, she’s beautiful!”
[watching soloist play] “Holy crap!”
[standing up with the rest of the audience in tribute to the soloist and piece] “So, what would you call this? Orchestral peer pressure? It’s not that I’m not amazed by the soloist and Mozart. But, I want to give a standing ovation when I want to. Heh, the audience thinks this is amazing. Just wait until we get tp Prokofiev!”
Intermission
[Intellectual discussion with Professor Elliot over enjoyment of symphony, musical dissonance, and mutual difficulty over reconciling Wagner’s wonderful music with his not-so-wonderful ideology which the authoress does not wish to rehash because she’d rather focus on the music.]
Profokiev’s Romeo and Juliet
Suite No. 2 opus 64
1) Montagues and Capulets
2) Young Juliet
Suite No. 1 opus 64
1) Masks
Suite No. 2 opus 64
1) Dance: Vivo
2) Romeo at Juliet’s Before Parting
3) Dance of the Antilles Girls
4) Romeo at the Tomb of Juliet
“Man, you know it’s a real Russian composition when the conductor gets into it, and he’s really getting into it!
[During “Montagues and Capulets”] “Wow! I’ve never heard the initial measures of this song before, though this is my favorite piece from the ballet.” [proceeds to give friend a thumbs-up because the music is so dang awesome.]
[The summation of the rest of my thoughts during all the rest of the show] “…” That means I was really, really lost in the music.
