Tonight is the first night in four days that I am not sitting or standing in a concert hall.
I came to Vienna, yes for the European experience, but most importantly for the "shitload of music" (I quote my Bard College adviser, Christopher Gibbs) that engulfs even the "homeless" boy begging for Euros outside the Staatsoper.
In three nights, I saw Beethoven's glorious Ninth Symphony with not-so-glorious soloists as I've alluded to in an earlier post, Mahler's epic Second Symphony, and a Brahms Piano Concerto/Bartok Concerto for Orchestra concert. Now that I look at it, the three main works of each concert were enormous orchestral masterpieces that just happened to have occurred in chronological order. Beethoven's 9th being written in 1824, Mahler's 2nd in 1894, and Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra in 1943. The number of similarities between the first two is just humorous as they are many, but still the Bartok was an interesting and wonderful way to end the concert trilogy. One highlight that I must mention took place in the Mahler. The group was the Vienna Jeunesse Orchestra, a youth orchestra, that played quite well for what I assume were college-aged men and women. In the final movement, Mahler throws in one of his famous "offstage trumpet" sections. I had never seen this Symphony live so I'm unsure if it is always done the same way. In the Wien Konzerthaus on Monday, members from the onstage trumpet section left the stage to run to their offstage spots. Where did they all go? Some came up to the second balcony, some went to the first balcony, and two went up above the stage right next to the stage lights. I'm not sure if Mahler was looking to get a truly antiphonal effect, but he got it just two days ago. It was pretty cool --- except for a few cracked notes by one of the trumpeters. Oh well.
Every addict has to call it quits at some point, so I'm calling it quits. No more concerts for me until Sunday or Monday. Believe it or not, that's a long time to go in this town.
In other news, I was just looking up some information on Giuseppe Verdi and I found a link on Wikipedia to Verdi Square in Manhattan. I took a look at where it is --- turns out its the 72nd Street Subway Station along the 1, 2, 3. Not only did I spend a whole lot of time there while attending high school a few blocks south of it, but that area was also known as Needle Park in the 60s and 70s. For those who haven't been enlightened in drug-related havens within New York City, all the coolest druggies and drug dealers hung out and shot up in the spiritual presence of the Italian opera master, Maestro Verdi and his four most famous opera characters. Ugh. I'd only appreciate them for it if they brought speakers and blasted the Requiem on just one occasion. Something tells me they didn't.
Thanks a lot, Wikipedia. With one sentence, you ruined Verdi, New York City, and drug addicts for me.
Enjoy,
Danny Boy Rad
Great- http://gothamist.com/2010/02/08/rat_panic_in_vermin_square.php
how did you not know about Verdi Square? You haven't been paying attention.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat! I visited Vienna with two non-German speaking straight friends many years ago and the only way I could ditch them (so I could go out to the bars later) was to go to the opera, so I went to the Stadtsoper 3 nights in a row. You could get tickets in any of the small shops near the opera house and they were cheap (by Met standards anyway). Night 1: Tosca with Anna Tomowa-Sintow and Placido Domingo. 2: Maria Stuarda with Edita Gruberova and Agnes Baltsa. 3: Il Viaggio a Reims, conducted by Abbado with the Pesaro world premiere cast. I don't remember the time at the bars too well (although I'm sure I had fun) but I can still remember those performances. I hope you're having fun!
ReplyDelete