Houston Symphony 2006-2007
Oh the excitement and the promise of beautiful music to lift my heart, soothe my soul and strum the heartstrings of my emotions. What's this, you ask? Well, I just treated myself to a number of classical concerts at the Houston Symphony for this upcoming season. I actually purchased tickets for 4 performances myself, and through the wonderful generosity of my good friend Anna, I have plans to attend 2 additional concerts as well! It was extremely difficult to pick my 4 favorites of all the pieces that are being performed in the upcoming year, but I finally decided on the following:
Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade - (listen to samples)
Anyone remember Dougray Scott's portrayal of Sultan Shahryar in the TV miniseries of 1,001 Arabian Nights about 6 years ago? Well, he and Mili Avital who played Scheherazade seemed to have some on-screen and perhaps off-screen chemistry ... ahem. I remember one particular line Scheherazade said to Shahryar after he had told her a story of what an awful dark person he was and then asked her who she saw when she looked into his eyes and she said "I see me, my love, looking back at you." I thought that was such a sweet way to evade the question and reassure him at the same time. This performance date also includes Shostakovich: Festive Overture, Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto #3 and Prokofiev: Piano Concerto #1. This is a great line up and was the fastest selling concert (save Yo-Yo Ma). I'm sure it will be outstanding!
Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto - (listen to samples)
I have always loved piano, and Beethoven's are some of my favorite pieces. The only song that I can play on the piano is Fur Elise by Beethoven. This piece is not one with which I am intimately familiar, however, it is reminiscent of many other Beethoven piano pieces that I love. This performance also includes: Stucky: Son et luminiere and Schumann: Symphony #1, Spring.
Hilary Hahn and Peer Gynt - (listen to samples)
I have always loved the Peer Gynt suites by Grieg. Some of my favorites include: Ase's death (you know, the bad prince from Little Einstein's ... at least I think), Anitra's dance (I can't help but dance around to this one) and Solvejg's song (this is my very favorite Grieg song when sung with the vocals). These pieces evoke such strong memories of my college days. Also being performed this night are Korgold's Violin Concerto and Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor. Did I mention that my wonderful friend Anna is taking me to see this one? Yay!
Yo-Yo Ma - (listen to samples)
I have only recently been able to name the instrument that is my favorite, and it is the cello. My friend Anna helped me to figure this out, as I wasn't sure if it was a bass or what. The low, grinding, almost crunchy sounds that come from the cello seem to vibrate within me as if someone were playing the strings of my soul itself. That probably sounds pretty weird, but it's a rather visceral experience for me. How could I miss a performance of my favorite instrument played by the best cellist in the world? I couldn't!! Anna and I will have to bring tissue for the nose bleeds we may get in our seats, but I wouldn't miss it! Yippee! Being performed this night are Dukas: Fanfare from La Peri, Debussy: Jeux, Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Dvorak: Cello Concerto.
Brahms German Requiem - (listen to samples)
Oh my ... I don't know which I am more excited about, Yo-Yo Ma on cello, or Brahms German Requiem. Aside from piano and cello, my other favorite instrument is the voice. What better medium to convey human emotion and passion than a human voice? I absolutely love this kind of singing and was thrilled to hear from my opera singing friend Dan Buchanan that he is also performing this piece next month. I'm all over that! This music stirs me beyond mere emotions and I can hardly believe I am lucky enough to get to hear it live. God is so good to me!
Joshua Bell's Brahms - (listen to samples) - (listen to samples)
Finally, although I would gladly have paid to see this one, my friend Anna plans to take me to this one as well. The violin takes you through a journey that is full of sweet longing and lively, playful dancing with that lovely crunchy grinding and tender singing of strings. Being played are Brahms' Violin Concerto and Brahms' Symphony #2.
Okay, so I am WAY looking forward to this season's performances.
Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade - (listen to samples)
Anyone remember Dougray Scott's portrayal of Sultan Shahryar in the TV miniseries of 1,001 Arabian Nights about 6 years ago? Well, he and Mili Avital who played Scheherazade seemed to have some on-screen and perhaps off-screen chemistry ... ahem. I remember one particular line Scheherazade said to Shahryar after he had told her a story of what an awful dark person he was and then asked her who she saw when she looked into his eyes and she said "I see me, my love, looking back at you." I thought that was such a sweet way to evade the question and reassure him at the same time. This performance date also includes Shostakovich: Festive Overture, Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto #3 and Prokofiev: Piano Concerto #1. This is a great line up and was the fastest selling concert (save Yo-Yo Ma). I'm sure it will be outstanding!
Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto - (listen to samples)
I have always loved piano, and Beethoven's are some of my favorite pieces. The only song that I can play on the piano is Fur Elise by Beethoven. This piece is not one with which I am intimately familiar, however, it is reminiscent of many other Beethoven piano pieces that I love. This performance also includes: Stucky: Son et luminiere and Schumann: Symphony #1, Spring.
Hilary Hahn and Peer Gynt - (listen to samples)
I have always loved the Peer Gynt suites by Grieg. Some of my favorites include: Ase's death (you know, the bad prince from Little Einstein's ... at least I think), Anitra's dance (I can't help but dance around to this one) and Solvejg's song (this is my very favorite Grieg song when sung with the vocals). These pieces evoke such strong memories of my college days. Also being performed this night are Korgold's Violin Concerto and Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor. Did I mention that my wonderful friend Anna is taking me to see this one? Yay!
Yo-Yo Ma - (listen to samples)
I have only recently been able to name the instrument that is my favorite, and it is the cello. My friend Anna helped me to figure this out, as I wasn't sure if it was a bass or what. The low, grinding, almost crunchy sounds that come from the cello seem to vibrate within me as if someone were playing the strings of my soul itself. That probably sounds pretty weird, but it's a rather visceral experience for me. How could I miss a performance of my favorite instrument played by the best cellist in the world? I couldn't!! Anna and I will have to bring tissue for the nose bleeds we may get in our seats, but I wouldn't miss it! Yippee! Being performed this night are Dukas: Fanfare from La Peri, Debussy: Jeux, Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Dvorak: Cello Concerto.
Brahms German Requiem - (listen to samples)
Oh my ... I don't know which I am more excited about, Yo-Yo Ma on cello, or Brahms German Requiem. Aside from piano and cello, my other favorite instrument is the voice. What better medium to convey human emotion and passion than a human voice? I absolutely love this kind of singing and was thrilled to hear from my opera singing friend Dan Buchanan that he is also performing this piece next month. I'm all over that! This music stirs me beyond mere emotions and I can hardly believe I am lucky enough to get to hear it live. God is so good to me!
Joshua Bell's Brahms - (listen to samples) - (listen to samples)
Finally, although I would gladly have paid to see this one, my friend Anna plans to take me to this one as well. The violin takes you through a journey that is full of sweet longing and lively, playful dancing with that lovely crunchy grinding and tender singing of strings. Being played are Brahms' Violin Concerto and Brahms' Symphony #2.
Okay, so I am WAY looking forward to this season's performances.
posted by Mandy Klevenski | 5:08 PM
5 Comments:
OMGosh - I'm so excited for you!! Scheherazade has always been one of my favorites. I have a 1964 Leopold Stokowski/London Symphany Orchestra recording that I totally stole from my mom. I used to fill up the bathtub and soak while playing it. Why? Because I was SUCH a geek. lol
Cello? My favorite instrument. Seeing YoYo Ma should be completely thrilling.
Ok, I'll stop gushing now.
Enjoy!!
Wow, my brain - I was going to say something about how independently of one another we've decided that the cello is our favorite instrument and how that proves the whole soulmate thing. :)
What's this you keep saying about what a geek you are? I've listened to classical music my whole life doing a myriad of odd things, like having to pull over to the side of the road because I got so into Bach's Anna Magdalena I couldn't drive, or lying on the floor sobbing to Beethoven's 7th symphony allegretto. God help me if I ever see this piece in public, I'll be a mess! I don't think that makes me a geek though, just a heartfelt classical music lover!
I am so thrilled to finally be able to put a name to the instrument whose sound I love! I played some pieces for my friend Anna and kept saying "yeah, that sound right there ... what is that?" Too funny!
And the soul mate thing ... I totally agree! I love you! :D
I am always in awe of people that can distinguish classical music. I find it totally exciting and beautiful, but like horses, they all look alike to me. I think I'm such a word girl, that music without it is too much for me. (how dumb am I?) HOwever, I do listen to it in the car now (Stink calls it his Scooby music and tells me stories... even sometimes tell me how sad Scooby is on a slow song) so I have hopes of enlightening myself. Have a blast! (And I love how what on the surface can look like a blog about a mom in Texas and then out pours this other incredible passion... it's great) And thanks for the links to the sounds....
Mama P - Thanks for your comments! I believe my love of classical music started when my mom took me to see some free symphonies at the SD Convention Center when I was a little bitty kid. I wish I had taken Johnny to a performance sooner, and I hope to soon. Johnny and I have similar tastes in classical music as we have a lot of the same favorites. Johnny doesn't like opera though ... I guess I can't win them all! You're right ... this has been a pretty "surface" blog about my kids, but occasionally I feel motivated to share tidbits about myself. I appreciate my privacy and don't tend to tell the world my every thought, but sometimes I do get so excited about something I can't help but want to share it!
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