Three hours of glorious Bach - Day 13
"Do you want people to accept you as you are or do you want them to like you?"
Really, I just wanna get along.....
Daniel Barenboim celebrated the 50th anniversary of his 1956 London concert début with a recital of both volumes of The Well-Tempered Clavier, no less than 24 Preludes and Fugues, one for each of the major and minor keys. The performance was nothing short of amazing and well deserving of a standing ovation at the end, although this was perhaps as much to celebrate the audience's endurance as the quality of the playing, for it was very much a concert for die-hard Bach devotees... not, I fear, the two rather annoying Americans sitting next to me. Really, lady, do you have to read the entire programme to your husband word for word? Can he not read? Quietly, to himself?? Not to mention stupid comments such as "oh, well Bach wrote that music for 18th century clavier and it wasn't meant to be played in a concert hall on a grand piano, so it probably shouldn't be played any more", which isn't even worth dignifying with a response. The whole of life is in Bach's music, yet underlying it is unrivalled mathematical precision and impeccable technique. Bach's music is more than mere notes on an 18th century clavier; his music says that through logic and reason we can attain the highest qualities of life.
The concert was also remarkable for the prevalence of coughing in the audience. Is it really possible that people cannot go 3 hours without coughing? I find that impossible to believe. I can think of no other setting in society in which people must feel compelled to cough before, during and after each and every one of the 24 fugues. Even TB patients can do better.........
In case you're wondering, roasted tilapia with rice and Greek yogurt, followed by raspberry crème brulée....
Daniel Barenboim celebrated the 50th anniversary of his 1956 London concert début with a recital of both volumes of The Well-Tempered Clavier, no less than 24 Preludes and Fugues, one for each of the major and minor keys. The performance was nothing short of amazing and well deserving of a standing ovation at the end, although this was perhaps as much to celebrate the audience's endurance as the quality of the playing, for it was very much a concert for die-hard Bach devotees... not, I fear, the two rather annoying Americans sitting next to me. Really, lady, do you have to read the entire programme to your husband word for word? Can he not read? Quietly, to himself?? Not to mention stupid comments such as "oh, well Bach wrote that music for 18th century clavier and it wasn't meant to be played in a concert hall on a grand piano, so it probably shouldn't be played any more", which isn't even worth dignifying with a response. The whole of life is in Bach's music, yet underlying it is unrivalled mathematical precision and impeccable technique. Bach's music is more than mere notes on an 18th century clavier; his music says that through logic and reason we can attain the highest qualities of life.
The concert was also remarkable for the prevalence of coughing in the audience. Is it really possible that people cannot go 3 hours without coughing? I find that impossible to believe. I can think of no other setting in society in which people must feel compelled to cough before, during and after each and every one of the 24 fugues. Even TB patients can do better.........
In case you're wondering, roasted tilapia with rice and Greek yogurt, followed by raspberry crème brulée....
posted by CCT at 9:41 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home