My idea of cultural mecca is the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago. It’s has a spectacular old world lobby and is just steps away from the Art Institute and Symphony Hall.
I took advantage of it’s proximity to the latter tonight and attended a performance (under Bernard Haitink) of Webern Im Sommerwind, Mahler Ruckert Lieder (with Christianne Stotijn) and Brahms Symphony Number 1.

To an orchestral music lover, this is a multi-course meal at a fabulous restaurant. One comes away content  on a number of levels, marveling at the display of mastery that one has just witnessed. And, ultimately, the only thing one takes away is a memory.

The Webern was the biggest surprise. A huge romantic tone poem from the master of modernist  miniatures. I will use this piece, in addition to Schoenberg’s Gurralieder and Transfigured Night as proof that one needs to have complete mastery of the current language before one can explore new worlds with any credibility.

The Ruckert Lieder is to me kind of an odd combination of songs but also is Mahler at his time-suspending best (and of reasonable length…see my earlier post about Mahler).

However, if you are thinking about getting  into classical music, is there any better vehicle than the 4th (last) movement of the Brahms first symphony? This is the response of the first composing genius after Beethoven, dealing with legacy of his predecessor.

Even if you don’t know anything about classical music, this music will move you. There is something so perfect about the chord progressions and that wonderful choral harmony. It just works. It’s kind of like water, you just know that you need it and that it is good for you.

It’s hard to not get choked up when an aging conductor, clearly moving slowly on his second curtain call, instead of turning to face the thunderous applause and standing ovation, pauses, with his back to the audience, beaming at the orchestra and making a subtle, sort of stiff gesture with his right hand. Only when he is certain that the message of  “it wasn’t just me, we did this as a team” is transmitted, does he turn and face his appreciative audience.

I’m trying to reach the others, the ones who haven’t discovered their personal connection with classical (serious) music.  Is it possible that my deliberate choice of the previous words might offend some people? Hopefully,  because my point is;  how can you question whether or not a higher power exists after one has experienced Beethoven, Brahms, Bartok or Shostokovich?

The purpose of music is to communicate emotion, in a non-verbal and therefore a more pure way. Mahler said one of his Ruckert Lieder should convey “the way one feels in the presence of a beloved being of whom one is completely sure without a single word needing to be spoken”.  Maybe that’s too sappy for some, but if the concept of music expressing this detailed an emotion is new to you…LISTEN UP!! You have no idea what you are missing!

Last  night was my return to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I’ve heard James Levine conduct the Met Opera Orchestra, both in opera and in concert settings and have always been impressed. This was my first opportunity to see what he has been doing in Boston.

I went to college in Boston and had a subscription to the BSO. Now I wish I had saved those programs…lots of eye opening experiences (ok, ear opening) highlighted by hearing the Shostakovich 4th…unprepared!!

Anyway, the Berg Violin Concerto is one of the greatest 20th century compositions and a highlight of serialism, not to mention beauty and profundity. One of my favorite pieces of music. I could go on and on, but I won’t. If you’re not familiar with this piece, listen to it about a dozen times.

The other piece on the program was one of my least favorite, by one of my least favorite composers…the Mahler 9th. I know I know, it’s one of those “important” works, full of profundity, but I have the same reaction to Mahler that I do to Chopin…”too many notes, Mozart”.

Here is my impression of Mahler..

noodle noodle noodle noodle …. Oh, that’s pretty … noodle noodle noodle noodle… oh that’s exciting….noodle noodle noodle noodle… Oh look , the horns are standing up…Jeezus, my butt hurts, what time is it…

Yes, he can evoke lots of orchestral color, blah blah, but only someone whose ego is bigger than…anything… would think that everything he has to say should take so long.

I should have left at intermission, with that great Berg ringing in my ears. I would have missed the occasionally sloppy passage work and fleeting intonation problems as well.