The Prom concert with the Alban Berg violin concerto gave rise to other less high-minded thoughts than those in my previous post. The orcheatra was a composite of top students from the Royal College of Music in London and the Julliard school in New York under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen, a world-renowned specialist in the modern repertoire. As I watched the concert I could not help wondering which members of the orchestra came from which conservatory. Were they comparing their respective competences? How were the top virtuosi of the Royal College looking next to the virtuosi of the Julliard? Musical prodigees are highly obsessive, highly competitive, I’m sure.
And then the soloist comes out to play the Berg wearing a beautiful diaphanous dress. a young player like all the members of the orchestra. She is where they would like to be, playing the starring role. She gets to wear the gorgeous outfit, while they are all dressed in black and white like so many foot soldiers. How the orchestra applauded her at the end of the piece, especially the female violinists! How she smiled graciously and munificently towards them! I wonder. Is it just my evil mind? Or is the dumpy first violinst looking at her thinking she could do a better job?
peoplearerubbish 