My first SSO concert in a long long long while. Sarah Chang playing Sibelius! The last classical concert I attended was by The Perfect Orchestra *straight face*, playing Sibelius (again) Symphonies.
Sibelius Violin Concerto is the only violin work I like (talk about fidelity to the cello). That is despite having a pretty good violinist in the quartet who is always pulling out some tune or another very loudly.
The first time I heard the Sibelius violin concerto was in the music room in RJ. Someone was playing Sarah Chang's recording and me in all my ignorance went 'What's that?". It was stormy and angsty and quiet and lonely and drama. It was as nice as drinking Bailey's coffee, where you get this warm feeling in your stomach.
That's not a very good analogy. Whatever.
Today she played like a guy. Bashed the violin way more than Joshua Bell, and she had this occasional constipated look. Playing was pretty tight but a bit too airless. Airtight. Hmm. (I'm talking to myself!)
Notably, it was like Koreans Night Out. Front back left right, all Koreans, I never knew the community in Singapore was so large. Great display of ethnic/national solidarity. If there was a Singapore band performing in the US, would any Singaporeans go and watch? Then again, if there was a Singapore group performing in Singapore, the turnout might not be great either.
Except of course for singers who break into all the other Asian markets and then return back to Singapore.
1 comment:
I could empathise with what you had felt about her playing. I suspect it wasn't her, but the orchestra. Unfortunately, after the previous piece, the musicians were apparently too drained to summon up the emotional intensity that was required in the Sibelius.
Check out the SSO concert on the 23rd this month. Schubert 8th with Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto. Excellent programme, and I suppose that would be much better, given the nature of both pieces.
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