Last night I attended a concert at Carnegie Hall.
The program:
Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550; Orchestra of St. Luke’s; Robert Spano, conductor
Bryce Dessner, “Voy a dormir”; Kelley O’Connor, Mezzo-Soprano
Beethoven, Piano Concerto in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (“Emperor”); Jeremy Denk, piano
I jotted down some notes and impressions as well as personal thoughts on my way home.
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Mozart symphony no 40
have known and loved the first movement from a very young age
but, to my surprise, I think I enjoyed the second movement (Andante) even more tonight … it is a musical conversation between the instruments … Mozart THINKS musically (as I noted in a previous post)
The second piece, “Voy a dormir,” was the world premiere of a work by a young composer … beautiful soprano voice (the composer collaborated with her on the work) … Spanish text, based on poetry by Alfonsina Storni (Argentinian)
It is pleasurable to hear Spanish and to be able to follow the lyrics, since I know the language. It sounded so beautiful, as are all the Romance languages. All kind of the same — in a way — and at the same time each unique with its own “melody.” En el fondo del mar / hay una casa / de cristal.
Listening to the Emperor Concerto performed live. What an experience. There is such a range of emotions in Beethoven — e.g., from the first to the second movement.
One can HEAR such a difference in and evolution of styles between and from Mozart to Beethoven. From classical to romantic. But, to me, Haydn is the clearest exemplar of the classical style — not Mozart (not to detract from Mozart; it’s just a question of musical styles).
I had unusually good seats. It was great to watch the conductor, Robert Spano, and the piano soloist close up.
There must be such an incredible feeling of power to be the soloist in a piano concerto.
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I thought of my father, a pianist who conducted occasionally
and of my family’s experience with music as performers
my father, who graduated from Harvard with a bachelor’s degree in music and who was a professional musician and piano teacher
my mother, who was in the Radcliffe College chorus and played the piano
my three siblings, all of whom are gifted musicians, notably on the piano, and each of whom achieved proficiency in more than one instrument
my maternal grandmother, who — I never knew this during her lifetime — is said to have played the piano well
my paternal grandmother, who was a church organist and choir director … and my father the same
my paternal grandmother’s mother (my great-grandmother), who, I was told by an aunt, played the piano and sang in a Methodist Church in the nineteenth century
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I have hazy memories of my father conducting once or twice … I see him striding down the aisle proudly with his usual good posture, perhaps a bit more serious of mien than usual, but not overly so; assuming an appropriate air of dignity … being applauded … the performance commencing
where did he learn to conduct? … guess it’s not difficult if you have performed in orchestras … he did not, to my knowledge, conduct classical works
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when one is growing up, one takes one’s parents and nuclear family largely for granted … they are a given, like your front yard or neighborhood
your parents’ unique or distinctive attributes are something you are not likely to think about until much later in life
watching this particular concert, I felt a twinge of sadness, loss, and regret for my father and mother — occasioned by thoughts of what such a concert would have meant to them; how we could have talked about it (and would have enjoyed doing so); and how their existence and persons not only made mine possible, but endowed me with musical and aesthetic sensitivity
— Roger W. Smith
February 16, 2018
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Mozart. Symphony No. 40
second movement (Andante)