Well, it is for me but maybe not for you - except that at least it will keep me from wittering away on this blog! I'm off to see the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra play an almost perfect concert for my taste. It will start with Sibelius's "Finlandia" which, though a stirring piece is not necessarily my favourite - I'd rather hear his Fifth - but it will do very nicely as an aperitif.
Then we will have Elgar's "Cello concerto" which might cause me problems because I may well start to weep! The sheer intensity of feeling in that piece, resonant as it is of the dead of WWI, is difficult to cope with. Then, the concert ends with Tchaikovsky's "5th Symphony". As Wiki explains, it will always be linked to the memorable rendition of it in October 1941 as a scratch orchestra in Leningrad played on amidst the bombing, the starvation and the wreckage of the city under intense pressure from the Germans. Again, I might be reduced to tears!
NOTE TO SELF: Remember to take plenty of tissues!
ADDITIONAL: How was it for me last night? Sublime! Or to quote 'me old mate', Aufidius, "I was moved withal." Mankind has much to answer for should there ever be a reckoning but the greatest of music will help weigh the balance. Last night, the music was of the very highest quality, passionate, intense and deeply moving. I had forgotten how long ago it was since I last attended a live classical music concert and just how intense the feeling can be. I am, of course, totally ignorant on the technicalities of music so I cannot judge the expertise of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, suffice to say that they, with a little help from Elgar and Tchaikovsky, thrilled and moved me emotionally.
You have a good program in store, David. Tchaikovsky's 5th is a favorite of orchestras everywhere. Finlandia probably isn't Sibelius's best effort but it's not hard to listen to. My favorite Elgar is his String Serenade. I'm not familiar with the Cello Concerto, but will give it a listen. Enjoy.
Posted by: Bob | Wednesday, 25 September 2019 at 17:18
For me, the cello can be the most evocative instrument in an orchestra.
Posted by: Whitewall | Wednesday, 25 September 2019 at 18:10
BTW, David, how was the performance?
Posted by: Bob | Saturday, 28 September 2019 at 02:01