For the first time, perhaps ever, I experienced a musical catharsis while assisting a live performance this afternoon. I should stipulate that I completend my studies in piano performance and musicology at the oberlin conservatory and have attended a multitude of performances both there and in paris, london, new york, &c, &c... the world's "music capitals" as they call them... Needless to say, though I'm not yet as jaded a classical music concert goer as the one who dares leave during the last movement of the final piece, I've been around the musical block enough to know what to expect from a live performance, having been an orchestral pianist myself. And yet, this afternoon, something special happened... What happened this afternoon was cathartic in the respect that something happened that rarely happens these days. I managed to obtain last minute box seats to a performance by the Russian National Orchestra at Lincoln Center. I was moved to tears. While the program was nothing extra-ordinary - Tchaikovsky's Francesca da Rimini, Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, & Glazunov's Symphony No. 6 - what transpired was an ignition of the synapses reviving a lifelong passion for music making. This afternoon I saw my favourite orchestra for the first time in a live performance after 17 years of hunting and narrow missing. For the first time I saw Mikhail Pletnev command this consortium of the world's finest musicians, and I can assure you that each person in attendance left Avery Fisher Hall feeling as I did; as though those musicians had performed solely for every individual there. Rare are the orchestrae who possess such a capacity. Never ave I been struck to the core as I was today. The power to emote that these musicians possess is simply awe inspiring. I am very familiar with good conductors. As I am an avid proponent of 20th century music, and proudly nationalistic, I will, without hesitation, claim Boulez to be the world's greatest living conductor. I recently saw him perform Bartok's Miraculous Mandarin at Carnegie Hall with the Chicago Symphony - the same orchestra with which he recorded the same for DG. The Sound which Boulez can obtain from an orchestra is astounding... His sound is precise, crisp, rich, and perfectly balanced. However, as a pianist and musical soul, there is something I shall perhaps never really ascertain. This is the Russian sensibility for music making. What is it that they, the Russians know that we, the French or whomever you may be, don't. My point ... I listend to Glazunov and was enthralled... GLAZUNOV, and not even the Violin Concerto, but the 6th Symphony!! What do the Russians know that they can even make Glazunov captivating?! Also ... in conparison to Boulez's Chicago Symphony concert, there was one thing that I did notice today. The AGE of the musicians. Pletnev - who also happens to me my most co-respected pianist alongside Argerich and co-respected conductor alongside Boulez - created this orchestra 17 years ago; a young age for a wrold reknowned orchestra. NEVER have I counted so many young and energetic musicians in an orchestra as I did today. The energy and enthusiasm with which these musicians performed - perhaps for the Nth time - Tchaikovsky's Francesca da Rimini was simply amazing. The symbiotic relationship between musician, musician, and conductor was never before seen! I may perhaps come across as overly enthused by this Sunday afternoon performance, and if I do, it's in part because Pletnev is my favourite pianist and the RNO is my favourite orchestra. However, while nursing my drink at intermission, I couldn't help but count the blue haired ladies in attendance while pondering the future of classical music. Who's going to pay for these people's season subscriptions once they pass on?? The concert going pupulation is aging, rapidly, and so are the orchestras who are catering to them. The classical music world is in dire need of youth, energy, and emotional rebirth. Who is going to provide this, and when? When are people going to wake up and demande this sound; this cathartically tight, rich sound? Two questions: The first - which I've been asking myself my entire life - What do the Russians know that we don't? and the second - When is the classical music world going to wake up and start catering to a new and younger audience (emotionally)? (Also, when are we going to stop hearing the same boring Beethoven and Mozart season in, season out???) PS - I hardly consider the VAPID Hilary Hahns, Lang Langs, and Yundi Li's the recipients of the beacon of the Classical Music torch to pass on to future afficionadi... To ponder. olivier solanet [log in to unmask] http://web.mac.com/solaneto *********************************************** The CLASSICAL mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's HDMail High Deliverability Mailer for reliable, lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html