Igor

Prior to my encounter with Beethoven in Milwaukee, I went to a performance by the Madison Symphony Orchestra. It was the weekend of their season finale with a programme featuring:

"Concerto No. 4 in C Minor" by Camille Saint-Saens
Franz Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony
Igor Stravinsky's Suite from "The Firebird" ballet

Entering Overture Hall, that feeling of ambivalence returned. Part of me thinks that, if a symphony plays indoors, the hall should look like it was constructed in the 19th century. This part of me thinks Overture Hall came out of an Ikea catalogue. If you can't film a scene for a Beethoven bio with only minor modifications to the hall, then it just doesn't cut the mustard. I am old school in this respect. On the other hand, the place is really nice. The sound is fantastic and I think the lighting is perfect and really sets a great mood for MSO performances. And so this side of me is always in conflict with the antiquarian side on this issue.

I sat next to an elderly couple and struck up a conversation with them. They have been buying season tickets for ages but were going to give them up due because it was becoming increasingly difficult for them to get to their seats. However, they were pleased to see a young person taking an interest in the symphony. The paucity of the under 40 crowd at classical music performances is a shame. While I understand that symphony tickets are pricey, I get the feeling that the audience is composed primarily of middle-aged and older folks because of the music. The MSO has this group called Club 201 which is an attempt to get people 21-39 to the symphony. I hope I don’t come across as too much of a Negative Nelly, but I'm skeptical since the club is associated with Madison MAGNET, a group that appears to be a yuppie networking outfit. I am genuinely curious to know about the Club 201 members. Do they really get into the music or are they just there to be seen and to network?

A review of the Friday MSO performance appeared in the Capital Times. I have to say that pianist Stephen Hough appeared at the Saturday performance that I attended in the same Mandarin shirt and red velvet loafers. He was a bit of an odd sight considering all the suits and tuxes onstage but his playing was great on the Saint-Saens piece. Listening to Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony, I realized that much of it was familiar. This made me feel that I really ought to bone up on my classical music as attending the symphony can, at times, make me feel woefully ignorant.

I chose this performance because of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. While I can't lecture you on the ballet, I just like this piece. Just as in the Cap Times' review, many folks in the audience were jolted awake when "Infernal Dance" began. The "unified down-strokes of the strings and beats of the drums" really got me going. I know that there are many classical fans that don't like modern and contemporary pieces. Stravinsky is often too "primitive" with those heavy beats. But I love 'em. I love the contrast that rhythm-heavy sections give to the more melodic bits and Stravinsky is good that way. Really good. I didn't listen to it trying to find recapitulations and thematic development, but rather it was to find out where the piece would go next.

I am really looking forward to Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring next month in Chicago.