I am going to join the orchestra of Fukushima University which will perform this piece in the next concert in this coming Dec. Fukushima, yes the place where the people have suffered from the nuclear power plant accident 5 years ago. It is also a place with the personal memories as well. I am really looking forward to playing with the young students there.
8/19/2016
Dvorak Symphony Nr 8
I could not listen to this symphony without tearing. It is the only favorite work by Dvorak whose music is not generally my favorite. I used to play this piece in the university orchestra. Lots of lovely melodies for cello part. This symphony expresses the nature, forest blown with wind, birds singing lovely songs, rain fall with beautiful rainbow and so forth. It overlaps with the memory of my young days. Aren't you fascinated with the theme in the beginning of the 1st movement played by cello and horn? I clearly remember of the orchestra days when we practiced this piece.
I am going to join the orchestra of Fukushima University which will perform this piece in the next concert in this coming Dec. Fukushima, yes the place where the people have suffered from the nuclear power plant accident 5 years ago. It is also a place with the personal memories as well. I am really looking forward to playing with the young students there.
I am going to join the orchestra of Fukushima University which will perform this piece in the next concert in this coming Dec. Fukushima, yes the place where the people have suffered from the nuclear power plant accident 5 years ago. It is also a place with the personal memories as well. I am really looking forward to playing with the young students there.
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Hi Shin,
ReplyDeleteWe saw the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra perform this piece here last month. I have always enjoyed it. The ninth is more popular but the eighth has some wonderful themes too. It is very underrated.
All the best
You think so, don't you? It is a beautiful piece in fact. Lucerne Symphony is not the same as Lucerne Festival Orchestra? Anyway, they might have performed this one beautifully. Whenever I play the 1st theme of the 1st movement, a haunting memory comes up in my mind, that is, the summer camp of the orchestra. Breeze was coming from high in the mountain. The leaves were blown rustling in that breeze. What a fond memory it is! All my memories of orchestra are finally centered in that scene haha.
DeleteHave a pleasant day there. I will be seeing CW guys at Tokyo Ham Fair including Bob MD0CCE tomorrow. See you soon.
Shin
PS;I should write about the 9th of Mahler. The final movement is really a song farewelling to the world. rally touchy music. The solo of cello sounds like the last breathing of a man. He tried to reconcile with the absurdity of his own death composing such a music. I could listen his madly desire for the relief from the fear and scare of death. I always wonder how he has died after all.
Hi Shin
DeleteThe Lucerne Symphony is a permanent orchestra, well-established and quite an old one. The Lucerne Festival is ad-hoc and was nurtured until recently by the marvellous Claudio Abbado. Since he passed away I wonder what has become of the orchestra. Of course, all the musicians were hand-picked from the great European Orchestras (many from the BPO and VPO). The LSO is a marvellous ensemble nevertheless.
I think you would be a very brave man to try to describe the spiritual and emotional impact of the Mahler 9 last movement. It bears strong similarities with the final movement of Das Lied von der Erde (Der Abschied). Both are long farewells. Very difficult to put into words. Good luck !
I have listened to Nr9 Mahler by LFO conducted by Abbado this morning. I guess you meant this recording. He has produced silence for almost a minute after the last movement was finished. It must be a planned produce. It surely sounds, however, like the silence of death. It is quite impressive. Was it when he had been found to have late stage gastric cancer? It was also interesting that a simple motif has been used throughout the last movement. Has his obsessive characteristics caused that style or has he intended to express anything from featuring that motif? Mahler is a late romantic composer extending the music larger and more colorful than ever but seems to have a mind of chamber music composer as well. So many things to learn from his music.
DeleteEven though I know Der Abschied of Das Lied von der Erde is an attractive music, as you say, I have never listened it so much. I will try it later.