Thursday, April 26, 2012

A great day for appreciating art and music.  Colleen and I met at the Disney Hall for a rehearsal of the LA Phil.  The guest conductor was Christoph Konig from Germany with active work in Brazil, Spain and Portugal among others.  He is young and lively on the podium.  I  was fortunate to see the concert twice as I had season tickets for the evening concert as well.  In addition I went to the preconcert talk by Russell Steinberg who is a music genius.  He also leads the artistic director for the LA Youth Orchestra that I want to look into.


He conducted Dvorak's Scherzo cappriciouso, Op. 66, Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, and Brahms' Symphony No. 2 in D major.  The Dvorak was full of energy with the great orchestra with waltz themes that had the conductor and everyone else swaying in time with the music.

Pepe Romero was the guitar soloist for the Rodrigo piece.  It was amazing.  The story is that he began writing this on his honeymoon so the first movement is very lively and energetic.  The second movement is very melancholy...actually the theme song for the Chrysler commercial with Corinthian Leather by Ricardo Montalban.  Evidently he and his wife lost their first child through a misscarriage and he spent weeks in a closed room playing this melody.  The last movement is lively and cheery with a great back and forth between the guitar and the English Horn.  Carolyn Hove the player was called out to stand for an ovation after the piece was over.

The Brahams was beautiful with the cradle song burried in the melody although in a lively beat.  Arianna Ghez, the principal Oboe player (my favorite) was called out to stand for an applase.

In addition to the concerts, I had lunch in Pasadena with a colleauge and then toured a sections of the Norton Simon museum specifically the French painters in the 19th century including the Impressionists.  I was moved by several paintings....always the Van Gogh Cezzanne and Renior but also the Corot and Pizzaro.  Below I have attached a photo of the Bouquet of Lilacs painted in 1875 By Pierre Auguste Renoir. I am always moved by his colors, particularly the reds and blues when present.

When entering the Norton Simon Museum you are greeted by hugh sculptures by Auguste Rodin.  Most notibly are the Burghers of Calais.  The Rodin estate allowed only 12 broze casts to be made and we are fortunate that one is in So. Cal.  These sculptures serve as a momument to an poccurance in 1347 during the 100 years war when Calais, on the English Chanel was under siege by the English for over a year.  The story goes that the the English offered to save the lives of the village if 6 of the top leaders would surrender themselves by walking out almost naked whearing nooses around their necks and carrying the keys to the city and castle. 

As it turns out the English King's wife asked that they not be killed as it would be a bad omen for their unborn child.  But the story of bravery and sacrifice is moving and remembered in these amazing larger than life bronzes.  As a big man it is nice to be able to feel small next to the large bodies, hand and feet of these Burghers.

The first picture below is of the Rodin bronze of Balzac noted for his profound quotes and referred to by the mayor's wife in "The Music Man".  The second  photo is of one of the Burghers.
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This is a not so good illegal picture if the morning rehearsal of the LA Phil at the Disney Hall.