Orchestras, Symphonies, Performances

Sitting in the audience during the symphony, I almost felt out of place. That feeling where it seems you don’t belong. But, it’s not to day I didn’t belong in that area listening to the music, I felt like I should have been on stage, listening and playing that music.

I can’t lie. For about half the show, I was stuck in my own memories of what I was part of a band. I played the bass clarinet and was excited that the instrument made an appearance that night. The show, despite the melancholic, military and Corpse Bride vibe, made me think about those past practices we had, me transitioning from a regular clarinet to the bass, and our first judged performance. This was all in elementary school for me so it was quite the time. Although so far away, I couldn’t help but connect.

I did see some things that surprised me. During Largo cantabile – Fugato (I just copied that word for word from the program), the bassoonist stood what seemed to be equal to the conductor, or maybe in front. For this piece, the bassoon was separated from the rest of the orchestra, separated from being under the conductor. It was show for that particular instrument. The others were just in the background, providing support. If I wasn’t so lost in my memories, I might have noticed whether the bassoonist was leading the conductor, or if the conductor leading the orchestra still had a say in when the bassoon moved.

Another part, was in some places, during the symphony, the conductor didn’t seem to be conducting. I didn’t see his hands keeping the pace. It could be that his hand were simply in front of him and he was moving slightly in order to make a particular set of instruments quiet down, or, he really wasn’t conducting. It was a mystery to me.

When I wasn’t reminiscing, or watching the symphony, or playing on my phone, I was reading the program. In it were descriptions of the pieces, of what we should expect to hear, or feel. I believe it was the Moderato that started gloomy, but then suddenly jumps into a “waltz.” I read about that, as they were starting so I anxiously waited to hear the sudden jump in tone. By having that information, I couldn’t be surprised, but at the same time, I also couldn’t prepare for what to hear.

The next biggest thing I noticed, was who played during what. In the beginning, the entire orchestra was present: woodwinds, brass, percussion etc. During the bassoon part, the bassoon was the only woodwind instrument on stage. The rest were strings. And, whatever instruments were on stage, they would huddle up together. They would close in the gaps so the sounds didn’t come from different spots on stage. I can understand that, to keep the sounds together, fluid.

Despite having been in a band myself, and having that personal connection, I really didn't want to go to the performance. I was highly tempted to just watch it live streaming but, my Professor Haefeli did say the sounds would be more defined in the real-life performance. So, because I did go, and not do the live-feed, I can't tell you if she was right or wrong, because I'm not going to watch it again.

Music...