my own particular blend

Sep 4, 2008 8:45 AM

In an attempt to ready myself for this season's classical concerts with the PSO, I've created a new blog, aptly titled: "Beauty of Classical Music." Being a subscriber to the Pittsburgh Symphony seemed not enough. I like creative writing, and so instead of simply describing my concert experiences in a limited forum of my flickr photo pages, I thought this blog would be the perfect venue, in this modern era of technology, melded with art, and of course my own nature photos, for combining these elements in my own particular blend. Welcome!


The web site of the PSO is very informative, they offer such a wealth of information. Now I happened there this morning, and found this nice introduction to the season:

The 2008-2009 Season marks the arrivals of Music Director Manfred Honeck and Principal Guest Conductor Leonard Slatkin, the return of some of the most talented guest conductors and soloists in the world, and concerts by the world-class musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra!

I think perhaps I would have written this in the opposite order, leading with the 'world-class musicians' of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. They are the main-stay of this orchestra.

I suppose there are so many folks, in this great wide world, who are drawn into beauty using star power, and don't get me wrong, star attraction is all well fine and dandy. But I, however, appreciate the heart and soul of beauty, the pieces of the puzzle, the cogs and gears that when combined in an exquisite combination of pure artistic talent amalgamation, form the true essence of the power behind the music. The Pittsburgh Symphony orchestra is indeed an entity made up of the whole of all the 'world-class musicians' who play for the orchestra, who are part of the orchestra, who comprise the orchestra. They of course need their leader, the maestro who conducts, to not only lend that star power, in the form of Messrs Slatkin (one of my personal favorites) and Honeck, and often a star performer in the form of a soloist for the various concertos of that form and variety of music, but this is perhaps a bit of a facade on top of the true star, each of the musicians, the players.

I personally come to see the players. I enjoy the music and watch each of them play. These musicians offer, to me, the draw power. If they had no conductor or soloist, I'd be there. The drama, therefore, for perhaps most people, other than myself, is the contrast and interaction between the players and the conductor or the soloist. Well lets just agree that they all play a role, and so does the audience, we are there to hear and enjoy. I look forward to a beautiful season.