A New Year!

This is the time when people of the Jewish faith welcome in a new religious year. But in a broader spectrum, it is, for all people who appreciate classical music, the beginning of the musical scene throughout the world. It’s a time for eager anticipation of the year (season) to come, but also a time to reflect on the past.

Although I have not blogged for the last several months, I have attended several memorable performances. I have been told, by some, that most of my writing has been of a negative nature (don’t shoot the messenger), and so I am pleased to report that for the most part these recent performances have met or exceeded my expectations. After having experienced more mediocre performances, by some of our major arts organizations, than one should expect, it was indeed great to leave a performance with a smile on my face and a feeling of emotional satisfaction. I was especially relieved because I was beginning to think that, perhaps, I had, indeed, become jaded or had lost my sense of objectivity. Or, could it be, that my expectations or standards were unrealistic? But, alas, I have come away with renewed belief that we must not allow ourselves to lower our standards just because many of our arts organizations have lowered their's (for whatever reason) and that an uneducated or uninvolved audience goes along with the mediocrity. It has renewed my belief that art is, in fact, “art” because it is something special and not just another “day at the office.” And that in the right hands it is a magical thing. Here then, briefly, is my “Summer of Contentment”

When my wife mentioned that the 5th Avenue Theater was presenting “Candide” and wanted to buy tickets, I was quite skeptical. I knew that Seattle was having a ”Bernstein Festival” and therefore could understand the 5th’s desire to stage “Candide”, but I also realized how challenging a piece it is to mount.
We had, many, years earlier, experienced a performance in New York that was incredible, and I did not want to diminish my memories of this unique, theatrical work. However, after 46 years of marriage, I realized that if my wife really wanted to see another “Candide” we should see another “Candide”. My wife was right. (why is this not surprising?) The production was very professionally produced and did full justice to Bernstein and Voltaire’s genius. Even the very challenging musical score, albeit with scaled down orchestra, was effective. Kudos to the 5th Avenue Theater and condolences to those that did not see it. What a pleasure to leave the theater feeling you had experienced something special.

Shortly thereafter we took our two granddaughters to PNB’s performance of “Coppellia” which again was well done and a very enjoyable evening. I was late acquiring ticket (seems to be a theme going here) and the matinees were sold out, so we went to an evening performance. This is relevant because our granddaughters were 4 and 8, and sat focused on the stage throughout the entire ballet which was not finished till after 10:00pm. I will admit that the 8 year old did say she felt that toward the end there were several dances that, she felt, did not fit in; an observation I totally agreed with, but as with many ballets there usually seem to be the an extra pas-de-deux (or trois). Her comment made me even more impressed with the quality of the performance since it showed that my granddaughter (as with most children) was a discerning observer. If more audiences could be as involved and objective as children are, the arts would be better served.

A month later our 8 year old turned 9 (she announced that she was now a tween), and as a birthday present (more for us than for her) we took her to Los Angeles for a few days. Along with the usual LA "shtick”, we took her to the Hollywood Bowl to hear the LA Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. First of all, the Hollywood Bowl is a magical place, and there is something very special about an outdoor concert on a summer evening (I’m not sure why more cities don’t work harder to develop suitable outdoor venues). In Seattle we had one on Green Lake, but it was torn down to make room for a rowing facility! The LA Philharmonic is a great symphony orchestra (yes Virginia, there is a difference) and Gustavo Dudamel, whom we saw for the first time, really lives up to the hype. The program was predominantly Latino with the addition of Ravel’s “Bolero”. I could quibble a bit about his somewhat understated reading of the Ravel, but on the whole it made for a wonderful musical experience. Also on the program were songs by Manuel de Falla that were beautifully performed by mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, whose vocal production is one of the healthiest and most satisfying I have encountered in a long time. It was a real pleasure. Again my (now tween) granddaughter was charmed by the evening, and we exchanged comments on various parts of the concert as we made our way back to our hotel in the LA traffic.

I’ve mentioned my granddaughters quite a bit, and I do so not to dote or to try to show how smart and gifted they are (after all, they are my grandchildren), but because they are “children” and most people do not believe children can sit through an evening of “classical music”. Not only is this not the fact, but children can be some of the best audiences, because they are able to approach and enjoy the music (or whatever) for what it is and not what critics or the snobbish “musical elite” say it is.
Children are not afraid to tell you what they think. (How novel is that?) We simply don’t give them enough chances to experience the classical arts in this great country of ours.

There actually were two other evenings: one when my grandchildren sat through an evening of German lieder, and another when my “tween” accompanied me when I judged a vocal competition. The point of all this is that I am now more energized than ever and feel very strongly that we must not lower our standards. Good art does inspire and enrich the soul.

Just as Jews all over the world spend the next few days examining their values and strive to live more meaningful lives, may we, who care about the classical arts, not accept mediocrity either because it is too hard and unpopular to fight “the establishment”, or because we are swayed by media hype. Perhaps we should not let the program notes or our vast "musical knowledge" get in the way of our pure emotional reaction to what we hear and experience. Maybe Isaiah had it right: “a little child shall lead them”.