I went to a concert he was featured in today, and oh my Mozart was it fantastic.
To fill you in, here are the details from today's performance with the Habsburg Symphony Orchestra: Jeffrey Tate was conducting, playing Vaughan Williams' Overture to Aristophanes' Comedy The Wasps, followed by Brahms' Violin Concert in D Major, op. 77, with Braunstein as soloist, and after intermission, Dvorak's Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, op. 70.
And let me tell you, it was great.
I actually had no idea I was going to any concert at all today, and only found out from my father after leaving my lesson (that had been rescheduled because of the audition that was cancelled and all that beeswax that I'm not going into again). Naturally, I was irritated, as I had had plans of going home, wearing a horribly clashing outfit of my heinously yellow Seussical t-shirt and grey and pink yoga pants, and watching Star Trek all afternoon, all of which were now dashed. But, I'm glad I sucked it up and went, because it was well worth it.
I have to say, I was a little alarmed by Tate initially, and I feel terrible for it. But, all skepticism was instantaneously removed once Wasps began, and I was decidedly impressed. One thing I noticed, though, was he is one of the types of conductors that conducts just a moment ahead of the beat, something I can't quite imagine having to follow. I suppose it's a type of thing where you look for beat one from him, and then play with everyone else to keep time (something, that with all the somewhat unsteady conductors I've had to follow (to sound rather ostentatious), I consider myself familiar with). I don't quite see the advantage of doing so, however. The only possible reason I can think of is when you're as lost as an elephant in the Pacific ocean, having "one" from the conductor slightly ahead of when it should be played gives you a chance to gather your brains and fall back into place.
Other than that, I'm still unconvinced it's a better idea.
At one point during the violin concerto, I remember thinking to myself: "If he"-meaning Braunstein-"isn't sweating yet, I'm thoroughly impressed." Sure enough, a while later he pulls out a decently-sized towel out of somewhere (I'm still not totally sure where he was fitting it) and mops his face. I found it kind of funny, but I'd bet there was someone in the audience who went "Ew, gross!", most likely one of the several white-haired ladies in the front of the orchestra section.
Despite the somewhat immature trains of thought running through my brain as to funny things I noticed (like how a bassist strongly resembled the sous-chef from Ratatouille), I managed to enjoy the music. Braunstein seemed to turn into an excited, extremely talented child through the music, excepting the more somber movements. That might sound like an insult, but I swear it isn't meant as one. Neither is the fact that I instantly judged that he was either pompous or very grounded, neither of which I've been able to figure out (I'm fairly sure, from various hard-to-describe events during bows, that it's the latter).
Speaking of children, the second bassoonist looked remarkably like my friend's younger brother who's in the eighth grade - in terms of appearance and in age. The other bassoonist looked like Keith Olbermann to me, but I wasn't wearing my glasses, so you don't have to take my word for it.
All in all, it was a really thrilling and engaging concert. The music was beautiful, and it was well worth the initial irritation that I experienced. (By the way, if you're wondering, the lesson went well. I'm finally decided on my NYSSMA soli for this year. Vaughan Williams for oboe, ironically, and Wolf-Ferrari for English horn. I'm, for once, excited.)
To fill you in, here are the details from today's performance with the Habsburg Symphony Orchestra: Jeffrey Tate was conducting, playing Vaughan Williams' Overture to Aristophanes' Comedy The Wasps, followed by Brahms' Violin Concert in D Major, op. 77, with Braunstein as soloist, and after intermission, Dvorak's Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, op. 70.
And let me tell you, it was great.
I actually had no idea I was going to any concert at all today, and only found out from my father after leaving my lesson (that had been rescheduled because of the audition that was cancelled and all that beeswax that I'm not going into again). Naturally, I was irritated, as I had had plans of going home, wearing a horribly clashing outfit of my heinously yellow Seussical t-shirt and grey and pink yoga pants, and watching Star Trek all afternoon, all of which were now dashed. But, I'm glad I sucked it up and went, because it was well worth it.
I have to say, I was a little alarmed by Tate initially, and I feel terrible for it. But, all skepticism was instantaneously removed once Wasps began, and I was decidedly impressed. One thing I noticed, though, was he is one of the types of conductors that conducts just a moment ahead of the beat, something I can't quite imagine having to follow. I suppose it's a type of thing where you look for beat one from him, and then play with everyone else to keep time (something, that with all the somewhat unsteady conductors I've had to follow (to sound rather ostentatious), I consider myself familiar with). I don't quite see the advantage of doing so, however. The only possible reason I can think of is when you're as lost as an elephant in the Pacific ocean, having "one" from the conductor slightly ahead of when it should be played gives you a chance to gather your brains and fall back into place.
Other than that, I'm still unconvinced it's a better idea.
At one point during the violin concerto, I remember thinking to myself: "If he"-meaning Braunstein-"isn't sweating yet, I'm thoroughly impressed." Sure enough, a while later he pulls out a decently-sized towel out of somewhere (I'm still not totally sure where he was fitting it) and mops his face. I found it kind of funny, but I'd bet there was someone in the audience who went "Ew, gross!", most likely one of the several white-haired ladies in the front of the orchestra section.
Despite the somewhat immature trains of thought running through my brain as to funny things I noticed (like how a bassist strongly resembled the sous-chef from Ratatouille), I managed to enjoy the music. Braunstein seemed to turn into an excited, extremely talented child through the music, excepting the more somber movements. That might sound like an insult, but I swear it isn't meant as one. Neither is the fact that I instantly judged that he was either pompous or very grounded, neither of which I've been able to figure out (I'm fairly sure, from various hard-to-describe events during bows, that it's the latter).
Speaking of children, the second bassoonist looked remarkably like my friend's younger brother who's in the eighth grade - in terms of appearance and in age. The other bassoonist looked like Keith Olbermann to me, but I wasn't wearing my glasses, so you don't have to take my word for it.
All in all, it was a really thrilling and engaging concert. The music was beautiful, and it was well worth the initial irritation that I experienced. (By the way, if you're wondering, the lesson went well. I'm finally decided on my NYSSMA soli for this year. Vaughan Williams for oboe, ironically, and Wolf-Ferrari for English horn. I'm, for once, excited.)
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