The Trouble with the Symphony
I love classical music, and I like hearing it live, but I often really can't bear going to the symphony to get that musical experience.
For me, music is about passion and movement. Almost every kind of music makes me want to move, even if I am sitting and listening to it.
Going to the symphony (and really, most all classical music venues) are pretty much passionless affairs. Even with some of the most stirring music in the world (Karen and I were at the symphony last night - for Valentine's day- and heard some great pieces - Bach, Mozart, Britten, Shostakovich and Piazzolla), the audience may as well have been at a funeral. People just sit there and though I do everything I can to restrain myself, I can't help tapping my feet, fingers and just moving however I can, because the music moves me and I just can't help myself.
Probably annoys the hell out of the people around me (many of whom look like they might just deop dead on the spot, the audience is so old at these things), but, I go for it anyway.
For me, almost better to just stay home and listen to recordings so I can get up and move, conduct, dance, whatever. And it's a shame, because the musicians are world class, the music is great, it sounds great played live, but I can't stand the overall experience.
One thing I will say is that more and more these days I'm enjoying going to smaller venues to hear chamber or chamber orchestra music. I like the intimacy and immediacy of it more than the grand scale of the symphony hall.
Ah, if only they could marry the passion and high of a Grateful Dead concert with the grandness of symphonic music in a similar environment. Now that would be very cool.
For me, music is about passion and movement. Almost every kind of music makes me want to move, even if I am sitting and listening to it.
Going to the symphony (and really, most all classical music venues) are pretty much passionless affairs. Even with some of the most stirring music in the world (Karen and I were at the symphony last night - for Valentine's day- and heard some great pieces - Bach, Mozart, Britten, Shostakovich and Piazzolla), the audience may as well have been at a funeral. People just sit there and though I do everything I can to restrain myself, I can't help tapping my feet, fingers and just moving however I can, because the music moves me and I just can't help myself.
Probably annoys the hell out of the people around me (many of whom look like they might just deop dead on the spot, the audience is so old at these things), but, I go for it anyway.
For me, almost better to just stay home and listen to recordings so I can get up and move, conduct, dance, whatever. And it's a shame, because the musicians are world class, the music is great, it sounds great played live, but I can't stand the overall experience.
One thing I will say is that more and more these days I'm enjoying going to smaller venues to hear chamber or chamber orchestra music. I like the intimacy and immediacy of it more than the grand scale of the symphony hall.
Ah, if only they could marry the passion and high of a Grateful Dead concert with the grandness of symphonic music in a similar environment. Now that would be very cool.
posted by Paul Salinger at 9:37 PM
2 Comments:
Amen to that!
Dave
Absolutely agree on this one. Live classical music can be filled with tremendous passion, but most of the folks in the seats at concert halls listening seem to be emulating Terri Schaivo.
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