Gemzel

Stars and Genius shined through branches of nature

2011-09-15T02:36:00.000-07:00

The Mostly Mozart Festival brought a lot of refreshing energy to the city this year. Programs full of feelings, of history, of passions. It was a re-encounter with the real genius in humankind. That genius that has been placed aside due to so many factors of our era. In key words, it was a real Festival of art.

Perhaps Mozart has taught us that there is beauty in everything that can be discovered. The programs of this year showed the audience opportunities to get some balance in a big chaos. More than the traditional chaos of daily life, this year's festival was about a reorganization of the chaos in a stream of master composers of previous years.

I believe that the festival's impact on the city's life was outstanding. Following up opinions from critics, from music lovers, from performers, from the crowd around Lincoln Center, it was obvious that the huge project made everybody shake. This challenge to our daily routines, made many look for the real human creation, to be more attentive, to find the beauty beyond the common, to think more in order to improve our perception of humanity and to look for the best in everyone.

Being able to praise grandiose masters in the piano like Mr. Nelson Freire was a big pleasure for New Yorkers. No doubt about it when Mr. Freire was the center of standing ovations one after the other during his performances. These occasions with Mr. Freire on stage showed that the contact with purity and reality of music happens through a different path more than simple appreciation of technical skills. Mr. Freire touched the hearts of concertgoers with his delicate playing, with his emotional performance, with his humble presence topped with his pleasant smile.

The orchestra players showed, in this Festival, their professional maturity, their integral ability to adjust to changes, their sincere coordination, their skill to dialogue and sing with their instruments, as well as their respect for the audience at the Avery Fisher Hall. Respect that means love for what they were playing and their response to conductors from different schools of music in terms of traditions.

The programming was simple and complex at the same time. The programing exposed Beethoven and Stravinsky to their highest levels contrasting their creativity with Mozart's. This interesting trend in the festival made the common audience think and re-think about classical music. It made me wander how much is hidden in the enormous laboratory of the auditive stimulation.

Definitively, it was a shaking interval in the cultural tradition of cultural life in NYC. It was a summer interval of connection with the grandiosity of intellect that survives wars as well as natural disasters, illness, death. Just thinking about the early physical death of Mozart, the auditive condition of Beethoven, and the overwhelming Tuberculosis attacks around Stravinsky's family made me change my perception of common problems.

Possibly, the energy of this festival was able to shake the east of America and mother nature almost stop it with an earthquake but went with a hurricane. However, stars can go through branches.

It has been painted:

"Stars appear as diamond shapes of flat white nested in black shadow. The ramped-up contrast is risky, but effective"
(Sheila Farr in Visual Arts: Striking surprises from Joseph Goldberg, Seattle Times art critic)

" . . . and stars, blank whites, peer out from black holes. The painter is pressing the extremes of contrast in what he realizes is a meager effort to imitate the effortless contrasts he sees daily in the desert"
(Regina Hackett in Goldberg's encaustic landscapes are worlds unto themselves, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Art Critic)

Unforgettable ...

Photo: "Stars through branches" (2004) by Joseph Goldberg - Encaustic on linen over wood panel. Private collection of Dr. Gemzel Hernandez

Mozart's Symphony no.29, K.201: a working session with Jaap Schröder and The Knights

2011-05-18T03:37:00.000-07:00

I heard an idea. My support was necessary. I considered it a marvelous opportunity to share in a field that is wider than any traditional perspective.

Arts, teaching, learning were offered to me as an opportunity to sail in bigger oceans. Those oceans made of good will, enthusiasm, aspirations, dreams, desire to share. Just by giving out a material good, I found an explosion of more good will, more enthusiasm, more aspirations, more dreams, more desire to share, and perhaps even more trust in all.

The famous dutch violinist Jaap Schröder came to introduce his magical touch of long term experience, outstanding knowledge and love for music, with charm and personality into the always energized, eager to learn, self challenged, and constantly moving forward New York based orchestra "The Knights".

With a workshop held at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in NYC, Mr. Schröder, with his white cotton-like hair (almost as an ancient magician), came and opened his arms to bless The Knights with the tip of his violin's bow while the evening learners shined under the lights and immensity of the hall. Each minute there were more than one smile. Each moment was one of realization. Each word was the result of a positive thought during this heavenly session.

With the orchestra, an audience of music lovers sat to learn from all the musicians and appreciate a learning performance of Mozart's Symphony no.29, K.201. For sure, no one behind the orchestra there is going to forget how to discern some of the intricacies of classical music while listening to it.

It was my pleasure to provide with funds to support this session through the Helicon Foundation. Good ideas are connecting and making of the humankind a fraternity for the well being of all. I hope this movement grows more every single day.

Photo: GAHM

Connecting after Some Time

2011-04-20T05:23:00.000-07:00

There are ways to touch the world, to connect with others without saying a word, to feel emotions and sense the beauty of a human being's state of mind. After some time embedded in the grandiosity of this big city, there is a minute to think about others. A moment to smile and share a sentiment comes to the own soul.

Looking around allows to find the sensitive humanity of an over criticized society. Paths connect everywhere across the island that stands with the name of Manhattan. Enter the subway and kindly crash with someone. Crossing the street and someone looks at you. Stand at the lobby of Grand Central Station and crossing paths is the rule for any human being there.

There is always an opportunity to understand that everyone in this planet is a neighbor and at some point everyone is in love: with another, with objects, with nature, with air, with life, with all. Then, a flirting being is everywhere.

The image of this post is "Flirt" (2008) by Jill Moser - oil on canvas - 30x30 - (from my own art collection). I connected with this painted human touch.

Notably: Redemption ...

2010-10-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

A mixed conversation on addictions, pleasures, sadness, moral values, pop culture, bits of music, recovery at Zankel Hall of Carnegie Hall. That was "Redemption Song", a program to assess the evolution of some artists on the pop culture arena. Each one had a history to tell, an anecdote, a feeling ... although emotions seemed to be under control in order to keep the audience entertained and engaged in laughs and applause. Evading the tears? Maybe ...

It was an opportunity to share with young supporters of Carnegie Hall. To remind all of us that success, luxury, money may not be the support of life and some times can bring some bitter ingredients to measure or even to avoid.

Listening to each participant of the forum was equivalent to discover a person who lost, perhaps, an important portion of their life. Someone who had an opera to write, a melody to compose, a song to write, and a voice to share. All of them trying to make us aware of their own existence, of their lost world, and praising the non-material goods that they are just discovering.

The nervousness in the hall might have been released through some laughs here, some applause there because there was a clear message: everybody is susceptible and no one knows when a rain drop will pop on one eye.

These kind of individual experiences, are consistent with what art is: an expression, a feeling, a thought, a canal for the human being to share their psyche (which was close to absent during the conversation). A shy Rickie Lee Jones, a humorous Steven Adler, a compromised Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, and a distant Ace Frehley told to the audience about the evolution of their addictions forgetting to share where the weakness was before all of that.

It was good to be there that evening and hearing their stories. After the forum, a party (and drinks ...) followed in a private place.

Happy Birthday Mr. Frederic Chopin - Thanks for the Fun

2010-10-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

It was called "A Polish Jazz Celebration" but it was more than that. This concert was a conversation through the most flexible music style. The topic: "how Chopin would say it". The experience was a translation of classical music into a contemporary rhythm that has been a tradition in NYC: Jazz. It was like a heartfelt translation of a poem into another language or another art. And that's when the quote comes back again to claim that "art doesn't have boundaries" but emotions.

Finding that the program was built by a musician was not difficult. The knowledge of the pieces, the emotions each one could elicit, the evolution of rhythms, and the understanding of the musicians were always present. Mr. Krzesimir Dębski, who also played the Violin in several pieces, was a fundamental human aspect of the program. He invited the audience to hear the translation, to look for Chopin wherever he was in the hall, to enjoy the performers. Mr. Dębski played with humor and excitement in this game of musical secrets and deep feelings.

The party started with curiosity but not shy. In crescendo was the motto of the programmer. Knowing the skills of the performers was the key. With feet defining the beat, as if every musician were one of Chopin's fingers, was that the way the music started. An evolving combination of violins, bass, changing to pianos and other percussion instruments was a pointed path. Bringing a Saxophone (a really professional one), evolving to trombones, acoustic guitar, voices and more left a special dictionary (with a clear signature) on the desk that was the stage. It was Chopin who really made the concert.

The stars of the evening (with their personal styles), conducted by Krzesimir Dębski,deserving the applause the audience felt the honor to give were:

Agnieszka Wilczyńska, Vocalist (who made a perfect match with Jagodziński Trio)
Gunhild Carling, Trombone and Trumpet (who brilliantly invaded the scenario)
Janusz Prusinowski Trio
Kwadrofonik (telling us how Chopin could even be "electronic" without exaggeration)
Grażyna Auguścik World Sound
The Chicago International Trombone Ensemble (with fun at the best sound)
Sławomir Jaskułke, Piano
Andrzej Jagodziński Trio
Special Guest: Azar Lawrence, Tenor and Soprano Saxophone

It was really a great party. It was inspiring, international, folkloric (without being isolationist). They all deserved the standing ovation they got after making of Nocturnes and Polonaises "The Joy for The Humankind".

October 2010: an entertainment plan

2010-09-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to go for a vacation plan: stay in the city, enjoy myself and surroundings, disconnect from daily work, and attending some cultural events:

1) The Chopin's 200th birthday in Carnegie Hall. The occasion is for A Polish Party with Jazz (Interesting, Isn't it?).

2) Next: The Colegiate Chorale (one of my favorite choral organizations) with Brahm's "Alto Rhapsody" and "A German Requiem".

3) Two days later: The New York Pops with "The Music of Abba". 4) Including passes to the rehearsal.

Some museum visits are planned too and I'll discuss my plans in a future post.

I'll break with some work in Germany after these concerts and come back adding another event that I'm sure I'll comment on when it happens.

This is the fun of fall: it makes me feel cravings for good entertainment. In this case they all will happen in NY.

Opening Fall in Caramoor: I hear strides, here come The Knights

2010-09-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

Caramoor is a special place. A place where the crowd gathers and grows in order to get high quality entertainment. That is exactly what I have received there. In this particular occasion, the situation was not an exception. The Knights Orchestra, a very well thought and built musical organization, was the attraction of the place last Sunday, September 26th 2010. The Knights put together an uncommon program with pieces of Ives, Saint Saens, Ljova, Golijov, Schubert, and a Mideastern Traditional piece. The opening with "The Unanswered Question" was a challenge for a more conservative audience; the distribution of sounds coming from three different points of the Venetian Theater was unexpected and, as so, it generated a sense of "surprise" among concertgoers. A surprise that seemed to be part of Ives' stylistic approach.

The Cello Concerto No. 1 by Saint Saens brought to scene a sensitive and worldwide well known performer and artist: Yo-Yo Ma. The incursion of Mr. Ma in this concert was more than engaging. The engagement of the audience was stronger because this combination, of The Knights and Yo-Yo Ma, went beyond the purely commercial, beyond what it simplistically performing and arrived into passion for the musical art and melodic notes that they could bring to the air based on the creation of a master.

The composition "Garmoshka", by Ljova, is a sensitive masterpiece and it seemed to be more than that when the composer was in the audience and the orchestra acknowledged their personal-professional relationship with him. This piece, full of feelings, complete in emotions, and obviously dedicated to a special relative was made a flourishing and progressive firework when the orchestra made the release of the full melody. I wish I'd listen more music like this and in person in my life as a music guest. These days, we are living in a world of ambitions, and some times full of mediocrity where anti-art and art get together to give nothing but just distance and some non-respect for the human thought. A piece like Ljova's is definite in touching, with the finest and magic bar, the soul and its sensitivity. This is a piece to listen to again and again.

The symphony No.3 by Franz Schubert had to be in this program to profile it as it was; with the conjunction of all instruments in the most delicate precision and with the most delightful tunes.

The end of the official program was another huge surprise. It also made of the human soul an infinite and almighty power. The marvelous history of the piece "Ascending Bird" arranged in a non-mensurable creative style and with a truly special sense of art by Mr. Colin Jacobsen, is an invitation to connection among human beings. No need of social e-networks, no app recently discovered, no electronic program can bring such cleaning of the spirit as this work as it was presented this day. It reminds that the human being is able to enjoy the joy of life and the connect the dots of the creative power as it is in the details, in the air, in the traditions, and the differences in folklore. This is another piece to be heard again to pay more attention in the details.

The Knights closed the program with an anchor, and that I choose no to describe here because some things as to be seen or heard in person to please our sense of hearing with real live connection. This orchestra has its own style and that is important in these days in this world. The conductor Mr. Eric Jacobsen is moving with large strides and seems to know the next steps ...

Movement Through the Waves of No sleep: Spring-Summer in NYC concerts

2010-07-09T17:50:00.000-07:00

Why not? Life as always moving forward which doesn't mean that humans do the same. Reasons? Because we all need to review the history to try and learn of it. I've learned a lot from the recent months while walking the city that doesn't sleep. Words in a corner, phrases in another. Paintings here and there and melodies everywhere.

Last March, Orchestra of St. Luke's gave a wonderful manifestation of art under the conduction of Christian Zacharias (who also performed playing the piano). A great combination of stories with compositions by Carl Philip Emanuel Bach, Beethoven, Bernd Alois Zimmermann, and Robert Schumann was put together for Carnegie Hall. The performance had a lot to see. However, I had this interesting experience of listening from first center row paralleling the feeling of someone who sees a big picture in a museum but very close. The orchestra was over the level of my head, bringing the sound to a different dimension; the dimension of closeness and familiarity that I feel proud to get from this marvelous dedicated group. I never can feel bored of listening to them from any angle since I know they are great professionals.

As part of a different occasion, I had the chance to hear the Venice Baroque Orchestra with Giuliano Carmignola playing violin. This concert had the fun of a melodic Italy with a joyful program including compositions of Tomaso Albinoni, Antonio Vivaldi, Francesco Geminiani, and Giuseppe Tartini. There's no doubt that the music selection was carefully calculated to keep the audience happy and wishing to hear each one of those composers again and again. The Zankel Hall contrasted with the Baroque Music, however allowed to get closer to performers as well as sensing the level of comfort that an specialized orchestra can demonstrate with music originated in their country. The interesting fact is that this music is not national anymore but worldwide expression of art as much as it can be. It was a great opportunity to go beyond Vivaldi performed live and getting more of other musicians of the same era. How fun could have been the XVII century.

Thomas Quasthoff shook the soul of New Yorkers again last May. Accompanied by Justus Zeyen in the piano, Mr. Quasthoff filled the air with the clear sound of his powerful vocal cords and his pleasant breathing. The big stage was small to the love this man shows for his work. "This is something to live in person", a friend told me during the intermission. That phrase stayed in my ears when he moved from Schubert and Frank Martin to Johannes Brahms. It was a remainder that there will always be performers who live of and for that: for giving their best on stage and eliciting emotions and concentration from each member of the audience. Mr. Quasthoff is not boring, he is not egocentric, he goes beyond his training and his knowledge of music. Mr. Quasthoff moves his spirit and the feelings of anyone who hears his voice. His smile is eighty percent of his body when receiving ovations and that makes a concertgoer connect with this singer, his technique, and the composers whose melodies come from his musical throat. Never to be forgotten: a experience to have.

The MET Orchestra was conducted by Pierre Boulez last May 16th 2010 and a clear "The Wooden Prince" of Bela Bartok came to life with all the polemic this piece can have. The mixed reaction of the audience was challenging to me. I am not used to Bartok's and, due to that, I made my own quick research on the composer and the melody. I was ready and took the whole composition as an invite to imagine, to create the piece in my brain and embed the feelings of the story with the feelings of Bartok. Also, I was told that this orchestra plays almost by itself based on their strong experience and quality of work they articulate day after day. Mr. Boulez was, probably, the cherry of the cake but that has its enormous value too.

I want to acknowledge The Helicon Foundation. The surgically designed program of Beethoven and Mendessohn on Gut Strings was another gesture of classical art of music in a golden box. The personal touch of an intimate performance by Vera beths, Johnny Gandelsman, Colin Jacobsen, Mark Steinberg, David Cerutti, Dov Scheindlin, Nina Lee, and Myron Lutzke was like a gift of the very Beethoven and Mendelsson. The interview by James Roe as Artistic Director and Moderator to Vera Beths was absolutely professional and looking for the selected audience to get much and much closer to the fact of playing on period instruments. What Ms. Beths discussed with Mr. Roe, got full attention especially because they talked about feelings, about the player and her emotions when playing. This was another chance to get a novel sense of what music used to be beyond the commercial needs of these days.

And now, closing this particular post and probably moving to my own Manhattan apartment really soon, the chance comes to mention another event and experience The Knights as full orchestra playing under conduction by Eric Jacobsen. The muse in this particular orchestra is there always joining efforts with their respect and camaraderie where no musician seems to be above the other and where their interaction seems to be clearly defined by what the music is. All of their musical selections are like flowers ready to blossom and when they play those is like the music never stops in the mind. I attended their performance at Southport CT where Schubert's Symphonies 3 and 8 as well as Mendelssohn's Overture to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" moved the concertgoers with pleasure when they gave their particular surprises as "petit cadeau" in precise moments of the concert. This is something that can become a label for an orchestra that is pushing and pushing stronger to share a better classical entertainment whenever they are to play. It was unfortunate that the performance in Naumburg Shell of "A Midsummer Night Dream" Overture turned into a natural event that changed the expectations when rain came from everywhere and musicians and audience had to say to NYC: "I'm guilty of pleasure of looking for the best execution of music". Next will be another time.

Finding Grandiosity Everywhere

2010-03-02T15:40:00.000-08:00

A week walking errands in the city made space for wonderful images. Here some of them.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: the Challenge - a reaction?

2010-02-08T18:31:00.001-08:00

I'm thinking here with whom I could share ideas that gave me an unexpected visit. After an intense work in January, February has come to me a little bit boring and challenging my thoughts and my direction.

It is very strange. Today I had a sensation of coldness of life, lack of everything with prison of all. Yesterday I was at the Metropolitan Museum of New York and the images seem to have put me on speed about the ignorance of the truth of what is life and so where it ends up.

... but today I felt some emptiness, or at least no purpose in life. It was a very strange day and I did not know what to do. It is as if everything had been frozen in a day to make me think.

I see the country of origin in free fall and my host country very confused with the new trends. Sometimes it knock at the door the idea of "Why not continue to experiment more?" but it's not really what I want. What I want is to be honest with myself and understand that there are wonderful things around me no matter where I stand up. The connection with the ancient artists as well as the contemporary ones, puts me in tune with myself to understand the sincerity of life, the experience it is.

A conclusion was made about comments I made that "everything is rented". It remains as true as emotions are exchanged for money (many times). But when emotions are exchanged by emotions there is nothing you can do with the results generated in our existence. That is life and goes beyond the concepts of time and space. That is so true that in 3 days I have connected with the poetry of Garcia Lorca, Velasquez's paintings and drawings by Bronzino (among others) something is in me today that I'm grown up more than yesterday at 8am. I'm impressed with the reality beyond time and space when I feel my mind on the ideas of these great masters.

Only with few I could share these thoughts. Life confronts me and I embrace it to understand it. Walking through the museum, I began to write down my feelings.

The city has offered me a fresh and cold wind in the corners. Others' eyes do not find me in the corners but evaded me with my ideas. It was special. Garcia Lorca and his ideas in New York, Velasquez and a shiny forehead of his model, Agnolo Bronzino and the overcoming of his teacher.

I was in New York in an unlimited life on Sunday with a Monday confronting the routine. I went for a walk. The city makes me confront my human being.

Delicate Symbols in a Theatrical Broadway Play: good and bad vibrations

2010-01-12T03:47:00.000-08:00

The stage reflects how society imposes controls and cannot deal with human nature easy: while there are feelings, curiosity, love, new relationships, female behavior there is rigor, coldness, distance, male behavior in the other room. "The Other Room or The Vibrator Play" is a theatrical play full of symbols that come to a confluence in the center of social structure. Nature and cold behavior are confronted through the wild connection of mind and body on a stage clearly organized to delineate a border: just a wall with a door that closes and opens under desires only but most of the times stays closed.

Each character brings to life personality of a sensitivity. While the wife seems to feature solitude and frustration, Dr. Givings provides with a feeling of fear for his own problems believing he's able to solve those of others. The troubled couple reflects confusion and miscommunication and the first patient portrays exogenous depression and craving for empathy. This same character (the second wife) connects everyone on stage and she also relates to each of them through an individual well established association.

The presence of the nurse (as well as the actress who plays the character) sets the control when she oversees and even deals directly with the troubled patients, relatives. She might have shaken the audience when reveals herself reacting to language of music as well as her very own feelings.

The male patient seems to create confusion when looking like a powerful representation of impulses and emotions ends showing his susceptibility to external insights. His artistic thoughts combined with his intentions to try whatever he hasn't previously, end in a path to a travel for exploring with other energies and new impulses.

There's no doubt that not being able to feed the baby (the life that is waiting, the life that is in a third room, the life that needs to grow, the same that suffers when no attention is paid to it) disrupt the environment when a loyal servant ends taking care of it with her best respect and knowing that she lost her baby (her own portion of life) and has something inside her chest still waiting to be released. What a delicate dagger is pushed into the situation.

When the end comes and a full clarity is then found, the whole ambient space transforms and pull out everything is a "carry-on luggage" to display a complete sad and happy (orgasmic?) moment in the human relation. Snow falls down in a subtle manner like slowing the time of this (more than complex) experience that goes beyond "The other room" and not relying on a pure electrical device.

A musical instrument back in my hands to make a brand new start of it

2010-01-11T18:24:00.000-08:00

I received an amazing gift in the Great City. I did not know how to react when perhaps after more than 15 years my musical instrument came back to my arms. I guess that it is similar to the feelings that some people, kids, and even animals react when they show encountered feelings for someone who left them behind without explanations. It was put back in my hug and I had that weird feeling. I think I have to reconstitute events:

I was told that many wonderful things can happen in NYC and later I was told that it can be specially true if you put your efforts for making the humankind better and better day after day. I came with my best purposes and my emotions in the luggage of my soul. This place opened the door so I entered in.

When my mother was about to die I was distracting myself playing and practicing cuatro venezolano. I even appointed myself in classes since I found that I was in my way to give more. After several years of experience I thought back then, in Caracas, that it was time to get serious and started classes. The Cuatro then started sounding with low quality to my ears and I didn't like its sound anymore. Despite this the classes started and when I had a class to attend my mother started living her very last hours so I called the school to apologize understanding that maybe that day it shouldn't happen (and maybe never again). That night my mother died and I didn't play anymore. It became just part of my previous years.

I like the Cuatro music very much. I always thought that it is a magic instrument and, as any, you have to treat it with special love and respect so it will bring beautiful music to brilliant life.

It came the Christmas Day under the cold weather of NY winter and it smiled to me from the case of my christmas gift box: a venezuelan Cuatro. I could not believe it.

I think that is what they say when they sing:

"My little town blues

They are melting away

I gonna make a brand new start of it

In old New York

If I can make it there

I'll make it anywhere

It's up to you

New York, New York..."

So I walked later as a refurbished musician to grab a cab ...

A Decade was going away in the Cultural Arena of NYC, while I lived it

2009-12-15T03:36:00.000-08:00

The city and its culture has blessed me with so many events that crowded my life from last months of fall and these winter months. I lost track of many of my multiple adventures as well as many of my feelings regarding to each experience. Concerts, parties, meals, trips, elevated life as it occurs in NYC.

"Der Rosenkavalier", a majestic long opera by Richard Strauss in three acts introduced variety to new opera listeners. For me it was a distribution of music, voices, emotions, and confusions. The 3 performers were absolutely splendid and I personally knew one of them: Mrs. Miah Persson. She really represents what singers' fans would look for. Mrs. Persson connects with the audience, she smiles, she almost cry, she prays, she adjust her voice to the feelings of the composer. She shows her engagement with the piece and at the same time beg for your engagement on it too. Mrs. Persson, in the brilliant act where all the stage becomes in a stellar scene, with all the white and lights it brings, completed the scene with her presence and her style. The costumes used during this act as well as the white light coming incessantly from the front will stay in my memories as my "Der Rosenkavalier" memory. Because that was what this opera represented: an encounter of souls, a conflict of passions, followed by unexpected closures.

When during the final act Mrs. Persson character walked away from stage, I'm sure many attendees had tears as I did not without humming the "Waltz" on their way home.

No without too much time distant from the opera at the Met, a unprecedented concert of waltzes and songs of Vienna came to life under the environment of the prestigious "world-class chamber music in an intimate setting": The Helicon Foundation. I personally would consider this particular event as the highest musical class forum I've ever assisted. Putting together on stage, musicians of the quality of Miah Persson (Soprano), Colin Jacobsen (Violin), Kristi Helberg (Violin), Nicholas Cords (Viola), Eric Jacobsen (Cello), Ilya Polataev (Piano), Steven Beck (Harmonium), Alexandra Sopp (Flute), and Richard Faria (Clarinet) for playing such an unforgettable program is something that might happen again but maybe every ten years in the privacy of the home of music that the organization offers to members and guests. No one was uncomfortable, everybody was happy, everybody wanted more because everyone felt the commitment for rising the best from the music sheets. I'm sure everyone enjoyed as I did this pleasant evening.

As this concert happened, the US families got together to celebrate Thanksgiving's Day and I was gladly invited to do so at Stamford with such a friendly, natural, open American family. I wanted to point out this event here because (although it wasn't in NYC) came from a strong relation for and in the city. The relation between friendship, love, family, music, champagne, parties and here it came the opportunity for me to read the following quote to all the guests:

"It is delightfully easy to thank God for the grace we ourselves have received, but it requires great grace to thank God always for the grace given to others" ~ James Smith

... so I did it during the whole season starting this day.

Entering in December a special celebration happened at a country house and a crowd of interesting people got together to receive from who was sharing. I witnessed all the preparedness and supported all the interest in making people feel great as well as the rrival and joy of every guest. The party went smoothly with souls smiling while, at some point, the most beautiful snow introduced the real winter to the area. The slow and continuous precipitation decorated each window in the most dynamic manner proposing additional art beyond the walls since these were all covered with the human creation. So the divine creation completed that wonderful gathering. What a way to complete a human experience with such a natural and clean event.

Once more the "intimate setting" of The Helicon Foundation gave venue to another symposium with wonderful string music accompanied by a image change for the organization. When this concert happened most of us was surprised of how much comfort was added to the experience. A extra touch of class gave frame to the performance of The Brentano String Quartet with two meditative pieces from such great geniuses: Beethoven and Schubert. The Brentano String Quartet is dedicated, music lovers, is a conglomerate with precision and passion, that makes string compositions look like human beings with all their states of mind, their emotions, their joy. It's a group to follow up since it's obvious their relation with the music.

Since I invited special people to the concert I invited them to come home so I had my after-concert party which is something so New Yorker that I really feel special and unique here. Mr. Mark Steinberg (violin of The Brentano) pleased my guests with his presence since that's something avery concertgoer wants to do: to meet the performer and have the oportunity to thank them for the sound, and to get to know more of their human nature, close to their expressions and emotions. My guests were really pleased with this experience.

And then it came: the official invasion of pines for sale on the sidewalks to greet the Christmas season. To my surprise there is variety of pines that are for sale based on the leaves. The price is based on height and the seller will show each one you would like to see separately. Each tree has its own style: there are trees that look skinny, others look very strong and full, some are sad, some are happy, there are those ones like big monsters with beautiful sentiments, and there are those that are small but seem to be revengers of the nature. Pines are also of different prices according to the area of the city. The ones from the Upper West side are cheaper, plenty of joy, ready to dance and try costumes. The trees from the Upper East Side look at you above their shoulder, tend to be delicate and thinner, and are more expensive ... isn't it weird? ... I thought that prices and merchandise would be standard. It wasn't.

So christmas came to Manhattan with crowds of tourists and shoppers. Every corner: a multitude of cameras, recorders, groups, bags, open mouths. What can anyone expect from the center of the universe?

Two wonderful concerts were also in my path, so I was there. At Park Avenue Christian Church, my favorite orchestra (Orchestra Saint Lukes) and the Baroque Soloists is participating of a great experience: "Cantatas in Context" with the outstanding compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach. The attention that JS Bach deserves due to his melodies is nothing compared with the feelings that they generate in any sensitive human being. The combination of powerful musical solos and the full orchestra and voices playing in a church can arise the soul of any New Yorker from their protective posture. Mrs. Mary Greer (Artistic Director) of AnimaMusic is doing a great job focusing her efforts in the Bach's music and makes of baroque a great event in the big city.

Saying Good Bye to the old year listening to Bach's music is a way to say it elegantly. Away of the crowds of Times Square. With the style that we New Yorkers deserve after the life that runs here every day, day after day with the sirens of the ambulances, firefighters, and the yellow of the cabs that (by the way) disappear during New Years Eve ... so I took the bus for going home not without a walk under falling snow. Thanks 2000s for framing my conversion to New Yorker. Happy New Years. Just imagine the tears listening "Air on a G string" by Johann Sebastian Bach to close a decade in Park Avenue with all the growth that these years represented.

Expression made explosion like in space: David Mann at McKenzie Gallery

2009-10-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

Visiting McKenzie Fine Art Gallery, some months ago, gave a wonderful feeling on abstract expressionism to me. I am really engaged in appreciating abstract art and how it conveys to elicit feelings from potential feelings.

More recently, David Mann's exhibition at this gallery provided me with immediate reactions on colors, shapes, simulated symmetry, improvised lights, as well as recreation of life. Mr. Mann's artworks are absolutely entertaining since you stand in front of his works by the first time.

The combination of kinetics and biological shapes connects your inner feelings with art. Mr. Mann's pieces may make you wander about where everything could have started. The diversity of colors confronts the reality of life as appreciated by anyone from a scientist up to a poet. The dark background put the explorer in the nothing and in everything. It gives approximation to constellations as well as to microscopic beings. From space to body substances.

The shapes developed by Mr. Mann combines images of what can be seen in the deepness of the ocean, imagined in the immensity of the sky, and even considered in the focus of a microscope. The colors and their different grades express creation and smiles to the individual imagination. The illumination comes from the pieces themselves instead of any external source. Standing in front of this pieces made me imagine how they could work in any space, since they go beyond expression but touches real creation.

I thought and decided, based on my ideas, and bought one of his artworks: "The Near and Within".

Mr. Mann sent to me, through his artistic expression, a greeting for confluence and creation. So, now, I am interested owner of David Mann's "The Near and Within". I'm so happy for it and hope to see more of his artworks again.

Unforgettable and twisting evening with The New York Pops and Wayne Brady

2009-10-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

Perhaps one of the greatest shows at Carnegie Hall, happened last night (October 9th 2009) having The New York Pops followed by Wayne Brady as guest artist in an tribute to Sammy Davis Jr. and Sam Cooke.

The orchestra waited for Mr. Steven Reineke (Conductor and Music Director) who made his entrance with his own Celebration Fanfare. Mr. Reineke gave gala of his voice and oratory when addressed the multitude to introduce some pieces creating the connection with the audience mainly identified with the generation who enjoyed more the Big Band Music. Each announcement wast followed by sighs from an audience that seemed to evoke memories with the melodies.

The wall of the stage showed colors, symbols, and added some variety making of the performance a real "pop" and sophisticated one. The playing of "Unforgettable" as well as of "Mack the Knife" were delightful. Mr. Reineke seemed to enjoy the music very much with a tendency to dance as if he were not conducting. This was so interesting since most of the conductors focus strong on the direction duties but Mr. Reineke is a real "pop".

The second half was an outstanding show of Mr. Wayne Brady who expressed his emotion of being accomplishing a dream after seventeen years: perform at Carnegie Hall. He really did a great job. He brought audience members to stage, interviewed them and improvised lyrics based on the result of the interview. He was also accompanied by a fantastic team of professional dancers that made their best with most of the melodies some of them including Mr. Brady in the choreography with perfect timing.

Wayne Brady did it great. His combination of popularity and elegance on stage were complete when adjusting with Reineke's conduction. The "Twistin' The Night Away" made the audience release their joy (... and some insubordinates went to the front aisle to show they could).

Unforgettable and twisting evening at the Stern Perelman Stage.

American Music Roots at Carnegie Hall

2009-10-10T14:49:00.001-07:00

Supporting as Notables at Carnegie Hall gets better as I follow up calendar of events in a closer manner. However, on October 6th I received a late notice invite for attending "An Evening of Bluegrass and Banjo" with Steve Martin as well as Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys. When these gentlemen appeared on stage, I couldn't believe I was having a new first time experience: Original american folk music at Carnegie Hall.

The event was full of fun and laughs since Mr. Stanley and the "Boys" created an environment full of traditions, gapless ages, experience, and continuous good humor. Questions and answers made me feel like if I were at a front porch in Kentucky (where I've never been), seeing horses being raided around, or with a bonfire having some drinks. The banjo and all other string instruments were the difference that night at CH. The voices being tuned according to some pre-established order for getting together at specific points like making themselves identified with the lead introspection.

That is an experience: being put into context of traditions and what is typical through the experience of music. Although not easy to understand some lyrics and dialogues due to the accents or dialects, the whole feeling of listening bluegrass live and with real players (who seem to love their playing too) was absolutely wonderful.

These "Boys" brought the roots to Carnegie Hall and now I want to learn more about banjo and bluegrass.

Arrows to the precious target: A Concert of The Helicon Foundation

2009-10-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

On October 4th 2009, I joined to the delicacy of the whole event that The Helicon Foundation's Symposium brought to the city. As usual, the event was preceded by a welcome pre-concert reception where chamber music lovers get together to chat on the experiences since the most recent symposium. Later, a triumphant walk upstairs leave to the heaven of the "intimate musical experience". In this case, an outstanding program in two parts with an intermission was put in beyond the hands of the concertgoers: exactly in the place where Cupido's arrows are supposed to target, in the softer part of the spirit.

The first half was a brilliant selection signaled by the mixtures of feelings from Richard Strauss and Anton Webern songs coming to life in the voice of Mrs. Miah Persson and pianist Ilya Poletaev. For this segment of the program, Persson's voice (and attitude) was like a blessing for the evening as well as her shy smile and shiny eyes completed her performance. Her connection with Poletaev through smiles, glaring , etcetera, inspired the most intricate thoughts about the the feelings that the composer expressed through their songs. This duo deserves to get together on stage again.

The second half was just a completion of the journey from love feelings to the most spiritual joy that the human being can have: Waltzes by Johann Strauss. With a subtle composition of titles, the program made the transfer from Roses through Lagoons up to the Emperor. At the most crucial moment of the concert ("The Waltz of The Emperor"), the performance made audience smile, smile and smile. Most of us reluctant to believe that this presentation was live just few steps before everybody attending. Incredible that music can be put together in a well organized frame where the link between passion and joy would never get lost.

This is the thought: Music shouldn't be lost in huge venues where people might be attending just for fun. Music needs to be brought to the audience thinking in them, in the feelings that it will elicit from the most stoic souls. Music in the intimacy is a great experience and that's what I have found in these Symposiums: I being surrounded by musical notes as angels whispering aloud to my ears. I can say that I am more than eager to live the experience that's going to be the next.

From Rain of Plastic Arts

2009-09-13T05:04:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended an invite for Members only at the MoMa here in New York. A rainy fresh day followed by an evening with New Yorkers looking for things to do, precluded the event. My arrival at MoMa was meaningful to me. Contemporary art brings together passions, feelings, discoveries, colors. The artworks at this museum make of it an immense book or artistic history and real life. The building was presented to me as a architectural masterpiece where details and views provide with additional representations of what can be in the human creative mind.

The entrance of the building is transparent and the main hall is just exact in terms of precision of color (white) and lines (no detours, no curves: just the attendant and the walls). The stairs invite to come up and each spot means art lending a hand to the visitor.

The permanent collection can make cry to the one who use to look books of art as entertaining. Just turning around and a page of a book will come to reality. Almost everything is famous. The Picasso's artworks, the Miro's, the Van Gogh's, the Dali's ... all of them make a round around the visitor holding their frames and distances like hands for dancing harmoniously without overwhelming.

The exhibitions include Ensor's work. His picardy translucence through each of his imagery. His smile in the portraits as well as photographs as shown there asks continuously: "Do you like it? ... Isn't it fun?". The colors in Ensor's works are fresh, most of them spring colors. The subjects are fun people combined with death symbols and costumes. The sizes of the pieces tells a lot about the mood of the author and how much he wanted to paint that particular subject. The exhibit is set in a way that allows to see everything again and again without tiring the view.

Walking through some corridors I was asked to see the empty spaces of the building. A wall with long windows vertically aligned incorporates visitors as images to frames creating evolving kinetic pieces that can be seen once only. The helicopter in the empty column of air at the axis of the stairs, is a metaphor of imagination arriving in a space where beauty is allowed to express itself.

It's a place to go and go back again and again. Great evening for discovering MoMa.

Urquinaona. Back from Spain in NY

2009-09-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

I came back from Spain ... I went through a smooth transition back to NYC since I arrived on Labor Day Weekend.

Today, I took a walk by 42nd street detouring by Madison avenue as well as 46th street. When I arrived in Times Square, I had a feeling of greatness. In my head sounded the word "Urquinaona-Urquinaona ..." like an eco from nowhere. It reminded me from the energy of metropolis. I thought about the experience. The friends there and the life here. I thought how strong is my association with NYC now.

What makes the difference? (I wandered while entering in the new pedestrian pathway at Times Square) ...

The most diverse crowd came and went around me while my eyes went into a re-encounter with the multiple screens. People and more people (none looked alike). I realized that this is the difference: the diversity in the crowd, the people themselves. I realized how fantastic is the crowd that empowers NYC as the center of the universe. Where tourists are essential part of the city, where workers after lunch get together to invade buildings with more energy. I realized that a redhaired was waiting with a black and an asian for crossing the streets while all of these men chatted and laughed before going back to work.

Everybody is here. Together ... the New Yorkers are enclosed by a fence of universality and no boundaries to appearance or goals in life. I turned around and I saw the building theatre called "Lyceum" and I thought: "Urqinanona! ... this city has everything embeded everywhere!".

I welcome back myself to NY.

... I almost forgot: South Pacific in the East Coast

2009-08-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

It's just the overture which recreates sea waves and dancing movements of the palm trees. South Pacific (the musical) represents a story that combines classic style and good mood with love, ethnic conflicts, and social needs. I was invited to see the show without knowing the real context. The audience was (unusually if compared with most of Broadway shows) mainly composed by americans from many states beyond New York. This is important to say because it reflects a historical moment of USA that may be a sensitive point for the common opinion.

I was told that the play is really meaningful for the common citizen. I was told that most of the songs are classical for the american culture and later I agreed. The show reminded me of most of the movies that I used to watch on TV during afternoon on my summer vacations. Later after the lunch, I recall taking some time to spend it in musical movies, black and white films, and, once in a while, western movies. The world war as a background sounded so distant to me. The love story as a main motif for a story used to make me think about real life embedded in a bigger real life or Love framed by War.

This show has in fact a great attraction: the musical arrangements and the respect for the orchestra (since it opens, breaks, and closes the performance as a main role of the movie). The choreography is not impressive but the singing voices are. The costumes (if any) are introduced smoothly among soft changes in the scenario decoration. The deepness of the stage is interesting specially because it goes to some dunes after which is easy to see the sea being brought to the sandy shore.

The participation of the orchestra during the return after the intermission (Entr'Acte) puts people back in context (It was like listening to the music coming from the gramophone!). Making musicians to stand up and dancing according to their individual play is unique, especially if they are not on stage. That was exciting for most of the audience, particularly kids which attention was just immediately attracted to the center of events.

There's no doubt of the impact of the story on the collective state of mind. People react frenetically when the show ends. I guess it reminds that the country has evolved. However there is an essence and that doesn't go with the wind but comes back once in a while with the sea waves at the seashore.

A great night brought the day to its end with a long long walk home.

Brief anecdote

2009-08-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

Today ... a woman in her 40s, early morning at a corner after I crossed the street. She was yelling at someone through her cell phone. Perhaps a little bit furious while held a book against her chest as if it were her bible and she a preacher. The title of the book: "How to deal with difficult people".

... I guess she'd just started reading it.

Summer Months and trying to keep the memory

2009-08-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

This summer started some time ago. It didn't let itself be announced in advance, but it came. So many things happened in my daily living that I am sure I will not be able to summarize here. However, I will try.

Living in Manhattan brings old friends and friends relatives to you. The New Yorker becomes in a favorite motif for a destination. With that, everybody is happy. Happy to arrive on a Sunday afternoon while I came from spending some relaxing time in Garrison. Garri

son is a town that doesn't seem to have borders. It joins to some other towns to become in the

country of "the city". The Hudson river rides magnificent in its valley while it takes the hands of trains and those towns that I mentioned before.

According to some proprietors, most of the trees clear themselves to show the "real state" around the houses. In the meantime, the trees are covering the soil and cars cannot be seen although they sound their engines.

Houses with good taste and the personal touch of the owners give comfort to guests as the visit from the city (myself included).

I believe in the magic of the country, its animals, its varied vegetation, the animals, and the relaxed mind of the people. For that reason, I stop writing about the towns at the north of Manhattan.

So ... I came back to Manhattan and my first visitor was waiting more than happy for me.

The interesting thing is that he's an architect and this city is a real paradise for this profession. The realm of architecture in the city is extensive and concentrated. Exploring some avenues and finding descriptive elements in them while the walk transform in a tour is really emotional. It makes me feel proud of the city. A pride that links the heart and the mind to the fact that Manhattan conglomerates the creative power of the humankind.

That's so true that during the presence of my first visitor, I was invited to Zankel Hall to put my senses in Vivaldi's melodies. The concert (Vivaldi's Venice) with the Vivaldi's Big Band from The Little Orchestra Society gave me an impulse to listen his music in a more intensive way. I did it and, in fact I started days in advance finding Vivaldi beyond Four Seasons, Vivaldi in the streets, Vivaldi in a podcast of The New Yorker and it was Vivaldi at Zankel Hall. The Music Director and Conductor in this concert did an outstanding job putting the audience in context at each pause between pieces when with good humor and literacy provided us with short speeches to understand the piece. Thanks to Jim Roe for letting me know about this concert and an acknowledge to his Oboe playing which was the one of a specialist in chamber music.

Days after this show, I received my second visitor (already a regular) with whom I went to see a more mature Jamie Cullum at Carnegie Hall. Jamie Cullun used to be a grown kid on stage. His voice, perfectly articulated with the band that served his purpose, just gave a delicious sense of what jazz revival is "these" times. Mr. Cullum tried to make the kid again, but it was different. He challenged the "Carnegie Hall Protocol" and came down to perform in the aisle at the orchestra section. He invited the crowd and allowed to take pictures. Everybody was a kind at that moment. Those ones who could, came close to him and sat in the floor to see Mr. Cullum perform just face to face. I said at that happy moment: "You can challenge Carnegie Hall in NY only".

No too later than that event, I prepared a surprise for my closest people at the moment: "Bebel Gilberto - Live in Town Hall". Bebel is definitely a lady on stage. Her entrance, combined with the musicality of Brazilian rhythm gave a splash of freshness to the hall. Her attitude, her dancing, her unforgettable sweet voice as well as her relation with the band, put together a performance filled with the delicacy of a night for change in the repertoire.

Some time later, a social relaxed invite put me in the apartment of a Venezuelan friend, model and former beauty queen and her husband, the photographer Peter Hurley. The music, the camaraderie, the food ... everything made of that evening a friendly New Yorker night. Where many thoughts are created, many flavors are joined to music, and fun time is refreshed by some drinks. I hope it happens again.

The NY city opera performed for the River to River Festival "The Magic Flute". The location: Rockefeller Park, an area exposed to the Sun and covered with a really green lawn while the Hudson river opens to meet Statue of Liberty and saying Good Bye to the Trump Buildings. A performance signaled by the sunlight, air and some birds that sounded like part of the orchestra. No doubts that the orchestra did it very good at this outside venue.

And it came the time for the third visitor with whom I went to see the play "9 to 5" with Allison Janney (as convincing as always), Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty and Marc Kudisch. (Preceded by Macy's 4th of July Fireworks at 57th street and Hudson Parkway). This "9 to 5" musical goes beyond a pure regurgitation of popular music but brings the idea of what we all do for work. How can we realize that, everywhere, the corporate environment can be improved for the benefit of the employee when some responsibility is given to him or her. When creativity and positive attitude are allowed in the office. The production is full of color, light and dance (and walk!). Good for being in the orchestra area after getting the tickets with discount just two hours in advance ...

Something fantastic among the stress of the days at work, came to world with the performance of Imani Winds at the Naumburg Shell in Central Park. But ... who are these Imani Winds. I learned that they are a wonderful ensemble, with a versatile style, able to play beyond limits, with many smiles and subsequent laughs, able to explore, and able to pioneer. This concert was framed by a great weather with beautiful pieces and friendly speeches. The first started to acknowledge the invited performer Jim (Jimmy) Roe - Oboe.

The other "short talks" helped the audience to understand the melodies, to get the contexts, to get embedded in the combinations of musical notes to arrive in a feeling of love when one member of the audience remembered (on stage) that he met his girlfriend at a concert of Imani in another venue last year ... the Manhattan magic flourished at 8pm when this gentleman kneeled and offered his eternal love to the lady ... The audience got energized and gave an ovation while tears appeared in the sensitive faces, when the air blew among the trees of Central Park, when Cupido laughed at the dome of the shell, when many sighed ... The concert ended but the group courteously played an anchor: "Venezuelan Vals" (Arranged by Paquito D' Rivera) and people reacted positive to the music that came from where I did.

I read recently something like: "They say that If I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere ... that's fine but you have to know what and how to make it there ... " New York, New York.

This week will end with a break from the city for vacation in Madrid, Santiago de Compostela, and Barcelona (and more if time and condition allows it).

Walking and Rambling and Walking: a Sunday crossing Manhattan

2009-05-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

Finding the time for a walk in Manhattan is not difficult when the energy is around. When the morning is one of Sunday and fresh without threats of storms, rains, or those challenges to what the city is always exposed ... the time is more than perfect.

One method is to set a goal. Being ready to find happiness just in the air. Understanding that you can do it and opening your eyes to find singularities everywhere.

This early morning, a walk from east to west (crossing the park and including the Ramble) showed how easy NY makes itself to be enjoyed by anyone with pureness of feelings and openness to the unlimited world. The blue in the sky appeared with a few clouds only. A smooth refreshing breeze demanded some fast steps once in a while. The trees of the upper east side made musical sounds of "please be silent" while the corners removed the dust if any in the clothes.

Each step, each block was plenty of admiration. The townhouses showed themselves candid among some residential skyscrapers but not without pride of being there. No traffic. Businesses just getting open for getting ready for getting customers at some point of brunch time.

Entering into the magnificent Upper East Side 5th avenue was just an experience of human comfort. A delicate green shade, coming from all the crossing trees' branches, opened the arms of the city to an unprecedented happy park.

The park just started to receive the healthy visitors: joggers and dog owners. Hundreds of New Yorkers dogs were finding their friends and relatives among the spaces of Central Park (east shore). Most of them seemed to have met before but that was just a motivation to play without limits.

Among all the green, there were some spots of different colors. But the sky and the trees had the main role of this movie.

The Ramble was in the path. A huge opportunity to see what you don't pay attention all the time: birds, birds, and more birds, sounds, colors. Wood pickers. Cardinals. American Robin. A modest ornithological moment for somebody without knowledge about it early Sunday morning.

Arriving to Central Park West reminded that the trees were only to the right but it allowed to admire the elegant architecture manifested in the facades of each building on the east border of the Upper West Side. The walls and the windows. The big entrances and ornaments. Each building was a resemblance of a professor who reminded of respect for the nature.

The following streets in the Upper West Side were also quiet, with less and less traffic but Broadway appeared and reminded of the city that never sleep. With the cabs, the busses, and people visiting the grocery stores. The wind was stronger and told us how happy it was of joining to enjoy the city this Sunday morning.

The serious West End Avenue introduced to the day with its wide sidewalks and the respect for the neighbor sleep. The shades of the big brick buildings, made this avenue perhaps the fresher for the morning. It open the door to the wind coming from the rest of the U.S.

A Sunday crossing the park, smiling from east to west.

From Andre Previn, I Got a Magic Day

2009-04-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

The excitement was everywhere all over the city. The warm noon in a sunny day annouced a typical New York day with hundreds of pedestrians in slow motion enjoying the sun, cabs fighting for getting into the streets, but ... I was heading (with a in-black dressed up musician great friend to a performance at the Carnegie Hall). The performance: Mr. Andre Previn conducting my favorite orchestra in New York - The Orchestra St. Lukes.

After suffering the traffic, a parade in 5th avenue, walking tourists taking pictures, and the warmest day of this spring, I arrived in the CH for going up to the balcony (center front row) where the sounds focus after surrounding the curved walls bringing a clean and delicate sound's experience.

Mr. Previn, walking with some difficulty but with a rapid pace came to play the piano and received the applause with soprano Renee Fleming and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter to play "The Giraffes Go to Hamburg", for Soprano, Alto Flute, and Piano. What a wonderful poem to have music added.

Next, for my first time, I saw an american orchestra elegantly entering into stage together as a whole instrument. This made the audience feel excitement and more respect for the performers. When later, Mr. Previn came to stage, the formal applause started. However, when he was helped to go up some steps on the podium and finally arrived to conduct, the audience increased the energy of the applause and I cried silently proud of being there.

Mr. Previn's pieces included "The Giraffes Go to Hamburg", "Concerto for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra", Arias from "A Streetcar Named Desire" ("I Want Magic", "I Can Smell the Sea Air"), and Violin Concerto "Anne-Sophie". All of the pieces were full of a Hollywood style and, as it is necessary for it, they were full of different tunes and a continuous evocation of a diversity of feelings. The set of pieces selected was kindly put together by the orchestra with a delicate style as I have found typical of them.

It was a pleasure, over all the experience, to witness Mr. Andre Previn conducting in the Carnegie Hall. He is passionate and he conducted gracefully all of his pieces. He controlled the moment although he didn't behave like a pop star on stage. He was more professional than expected, being there only to be sure his music was played with high quality. He didn't show an altered ego but a kind proposal of his music.

For many, perhaps it had been an oportunity for Ms. Flemming to be the star of the play. It wasn't that way. Obviously, Ms. Flemming gave all the credit to whom really deserved it: the conductor and composer.

After the concert, the city was still moving with the mercury of thermometers. An outstanding energy break for a weekend that brought thousands of flowers, light dressed people, heat, sunlight, and traffic to New York avenues and streets. A concert that started with "The Giraffes Go to Hamburg", continued with "I Want Magic", "I Can Smell the Sea Air", and ended in an eternal love piece.

From a move, desires, feelings ... Mr. Previn's concert really fitted into New York state of mind.

Shy Colorful Spring at Central Park

2009-04-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

There is something very interesting in the US society/culture, particularly in NYC. The american society has been always pictured as cold and distant. Probably due to the issues at airports and embassies as well as one or other unadapted to the rules that have put together this country.

The interesting matter in the culture is that there is some type of courtesy and respect when you bring good will, work intentions, and intelligence.

This is also translated in respect for each other, almost something like "Love thy neighbor ... ".

These days spring has been coming shy but definite. Some days fight against a simulation of summer and some days it hides to allow the winter's farewell.

Last weekend, Central Park showed its splendor in a mixture of fresh and vivid colors under a white and blue "clear" sky. However, the low temperature combined with the wind made its unexpected joke. No matter what was the intention, if you were there for fitness, reading, walking errands, etc. you had to feel what the mood in a chilly spring could make.

Faces enjoying the time, souls getting together, pets getting the love of their masters, kids running where they could ... a courtesy in the environment that invited to smile and offer good feelings whomever was in the way.

That's Central Park. A space where the humankind can get together and share a smile without knowing the consequences. It is a recompense for all New Yorkers and tourists that find themselves isolated, abstracted, extracted for the nature in a concrete but fun made jungle.

Because there is a culture of meritocracy and respect, it seems that Central Park can be the venue for and the award ceremony itself. Making everybody "allowed" happy if you deserve it seems to be the hand that the universal consistency shows in NY. It was a moment of mourn but Central Park supported the feelings.

Beethoven's Ninth by The Bavarian Radio Symphony at Carnegie Hall

2009-03-18T16:05:00.000-07:00

... It means a lot. It means when you have a perfect spot to appreciate it. The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mariss Jansons brought to Carnegie Hall breeze from the origins of the piece. Silence when silence is necessary. Sound and melody when we as audience expected. A pleasant conducting of a high quality orchestra based on coordination and correspondence among the instruments.

The violins of this orchestra made the piece more honorable than the name of the composer. The wind section made ears smile. How the solos of the principal oboe delighted the audience.

The piece is an intricate one. Full of amazing movements, defying the audience to ask for something more and always giving it up.

The opening of the vocal segment with baritone Michael Volle was outstanding. It was like telling to the audience: "be ready that here we go".

There is no doubt that the orchestra worked to reach musical perfection for an rigorous audience. Its size helped the piece to be more significant than ever and the concertgoers appreciated this when honored the performers for almost 6 minutes continued of applause.

All the joy of the piece lighted the auditorium, filled the minds, announced something good to come (particularly for me with some good news literally waiting for me the very same day).

The evening was closed by a special social occasion for the notables supporters of Carnegie Hall at the Shorin Club Room including the solo singers of the night.

Happy, unforgettable, friendly ... a night when many things could happen (with an important musical soundtrack presenting JOY to whatever can happen). A night that taught that good things may erase the unimportant.

How special the music can be and make and prepare for a moment.

... After Strauss by the Vienna Philharmonic, Beethoven by the Bavarian was also a special symbolic experience ...

Art Supporting Weird Times

2009-03-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Now, going through the transition from winter to spring. Slowly. It's been a 3 months without posting a new comment. NYC has offered a mixture of many things. Going through the economic upheaval of the country, the hemisphere, and the world.

Besides all the historical situation, the city has continued moving forward. Nothing stops it of waking up early morning and show the energy it has.

From James Levine conducting, Zubin Mehta before the Vienna Philharmonic with a smiley Lang Lang in the piano and a hall being absorbed in valses and polkas, Saint Lukes Orchestra playing as good and professional as usual with a sudden change in one of its vocal performers, a defying American Composers Orchestra (Orchestra Underground) combining music with visual arts, a crazy operatic drama in the opening night for Verdi's "Il Trovatore", latin rhythm's pieces with Carnegie mellon Philharmonic, Brentano String Quartet combining literature with music...

All of these artistic expressions have made of the ongoing history a motive to shake our own mind. All of this has told us that life goes beyond the material essence of our society. The masters' genius had worked for future generations to leave a legacy full of real human divinity.

The city has said under the defying moments, that all our diversity, all our cultural power, all of the citizens who wake up early to move the planet in advance for the rest of the world, can also have a moment of introspection to realize of the greatness in humankind.

Streets has been "redecorated" with a gross type of signs: "Sale", "Getting out of Business", "Closing"... Restaurants are not being overcrowded at the doors ... However, the Newyorker, the real human being is still thinking: "What can I do to keep the world moving on?"

That is a real NY habitant. The one who wonders about the human essence, about social-inclusive nature, about buses, trains, streets, and bridges to be shared with others.

Bookstores are active, as well as theaters, galleries, and museums. Groups of thinkers are finding solutions like in the ancient times again. People are concerning about people in this city when writers mention and get into what matters to the majority.

The energy is still here. It seems to be getting bigger under the challenge. The moment seems to occur like a shy Spring break.

... and the weather never stopped the history ... and the history didn't stop NYC.

Awakenings in January

2009-01-06T04:33:00.000-08:00

Transitioning from holidays to actual days in NY is smooth. After all the excess energy in the streets and avenues, the overcrowded stores and sidewalks, the stock traffic, and so forth... the city gets into its own mood. The individual joy readdressed and the collective attitude directed toward work. The spaces are transitioning from tourists and shoppers to workers everywhere. The Christmas trees in the garbage, the stores' windows lessening the noise of "Sale" signs, and fresh faces confronting actual cold weather.

The city seems to recover quickly from holidays' hangover, waking and standing up soon to get into the business again.

New York doesn't stop and seems to be looking forward to continue the path toward a new season. Time gets afraid of the city's and citizens' attitude.

New York started a New Year again. That's NY, NY.

Among strings and clarinet: Vienna in NYC

2008-12-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

A program entitled "Vienna - Two Late Mozart Quintets" can be challenging from different perspectives. The Helicon Foundation, through the creative soul of Mr. James Roe, put together a beautiful program that I'm sure there's no place in the world at that very moment where people could go and listen this excellent program. Having Mozart for a Vienna Symposium is obvious but what it's not (given the genius) is making the performance an academic, stylish one, and founded on passion for chamber music.

The symposium started with the Quintet for Strings in D Major, K. 593 letting us know about the complicated origin of the piece. The violin player Mark Steinberg was invited by Roe to play the two versions for a segment of the piece. Mr. Steinberg showed what was done after Mozart death and what Mozart did: the quickly nothing-sneaking melody but complicated in notes and going back and forward to colorful and aesthetic natural notes of nature. Without the explanation, the appreciation of this piece couldn't have been so especial.

The Quintet for Clarinet and String in A Major, K.581 was preceded by an interview (graciously moderated by Mr. Roe) to famous Mr. Eric Hoeprich whose clarinets are as the ancient ones and gave examples of differences between the modern and the originals. Later Mr. Hoeprich delighted the audience with his performance. Several tears came to several faces and this and more made the symposium unforgettable.

This is one of those live experiences for never reject. Especially when the seat is in the first row and with some intimacy.

East Village Opera Company (Before The Grammy Announcement)

2008-12-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

What can the music be if it is not played? The academic music was made for people and not for academies. Music is more than a sensation or an emotion. It's a way to get related one to other.

Even developing networks or sparing populations.

East Village Opera Company seems to have taken the challenge. Defying the audience and the orthodox institutions of music bringing the experience of classical music under a wave of rock. However, accepting the challenge is not enough. The performance with quality in its highest level was the north for this institution last Saturday, November 29th at The Blender Theater. Voices and sounds, show and presence was all what East Village Opera Company splashed on the attendees. It was like an invitation to the party, to dance, to feel what great composers could do. The program had several opera arias and instrumental solos without comparison with other avant garde classical music institutions.

No doubt after listening to this band why they are nominated to "Best Classical Crossover Album" for their record "Olde School". Its lead vocalists Ann Marie Milazzo and Tyler Ross are excellent and extremely well synchronized leaving to the listeners material for imagination. Congratulations to its producer/arranger Peter Kiesewalter and all the members of the Company.

"A Man For All Seasons" in Broadway

2008-12-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

There are several feelings and thoughts in the world that we don't understand. Somebody said once something like "what we learn from history is that we don't learn from history". A world shaken for many happenings. And broadway brought a superb exhibition of history, theatrical play, and emotions. "A Man for All Seasons" with Frank Langella is an opportunity to allow the audience flow with history. Mr. Langella created and developed emotions in the audience. His progressive transformation, from a stoic professional man to what power corruption usually makes to wise people, is brilliantly presented in his facial expressions as well as the course of his physical decline.

"A Man for All Seasons" tells a story of discrepancies, envy, greed, power, and unfairness. The actors of the play provide the audience with individual characters and projected personalities. It's easy to feel horror, sadness, empathy. While Frank Langella personifies Sir Thomas Moore's righteousness with dignity, Zach Grenier shakes the lowest emotions acting as Thomas Cromwell leaving an stele of hate and power cravings. Mr. Grenier does an unavoidable personification with high quality of acting.

The scenography is simple but well structured. Delicate in lights and changes. The costumes are special given the particular care taken of colors and textures.

This "A Man for All Seasons" is a theatrical play to experience in NYC.

A Celestial Dialogue of St. Luke's at The Congregation Shearith Israel

2008-12-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

I had a long time without coming back here. No particular reason but that there have been so many things to do that when I arrive at home I just want to relax and think a little bit less than the hour before. However, I am on vacation. It doesn't mean I have fewer things to do. Quite the opposite.

I had the opportunity to visit the Congregation Sheatrith Israel last November 5th, 2008. A program called "Celestial Dialogues" with the St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble had this beautiful venue providing the audience with such a delightful experience. An experience based on the lights of the temple, the golden reflections, a singular distribution of the attendees, and professional performers of music composed by Geoge Frideric Handel, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and Johann Sebastian Bach. I would consider this concert like a paradigm in term of execution and artistic direction based on the academy as well as fluidity of this program.

In the frame of the stylish performance of the ensemble, the countertenor Daniel Bubeck calmed the audience with his presence and voice. His melodious sounds, well controlled volume, as well as professional tonality gave to "Giulio Cesare in Egitto" arias particular personality and grace. Mr. Bubeck was an architect of the play honored with the quality of the ensemble.

From Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, the Concerto for Flute, Strings and Continuo in D minor, Wq.22/H.425 represented the time's essence in its more classic manner. Bart Feller outstandingly gave gala of his virtuosity on the flute. The combination of his sounds based on a quasi perfection of length of expiration reached the level when audience had the feeling of grandness of his professional style, respiration, training, constance, and passion for the instrument.

I have no doubt that this program was made easily attractive by the artistic director given the composers and pieces. Selecting Handel and both Bachs gave to the moment the grandiosity deserved and not easy findable on massive concerts. St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, being the "artistic core" of the St. Luke's Orchestra is a dignified musical organization that really knows how to make of music a Celestial Dialogue.

This was also my first time wearing kippah... I felt so honored for it.

The Congregation Shearith Israel (The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in NY) was founded in 1654 and was the first Jewish Congregation to be established in North America. Twenty-three Jews, mostly of Spain and Portugal, founded it. The architect of the current building was Arnold Brunner, an American-born Jewish architect with a distinguished career. The building is the fith synagogue building that the congregation has built in its history. It's built in the style of spanish and portuguese congregations.

A long week III: Election Night 2008

2008-11-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

The day started in the east of the country. The national election day started awakening the citizens to show their compromise with the country's principle. Talking to people just made me feel their hope. They felt the need to improve and being inspired. News TV stations attracting the attention from the common citizen.

There's no change in the day in terms of work. People works and vote as if it is another duty for the day. Like going to work, having breakfast, paying the bills, or walking the dog. Go and elect the president of the USA.

While the country awakes in every time zone the expectation arises. Until late night when the country was knowing the trend of the results. At 11pm (EST) the TV stations announced the statistical projection: a new face for office. Tears came from everywhere.

The US showed to the world that there was commitment with principles and that there's a need for continuous participation. That having to great citizens as presidential candidates can make an election more difficult but more beneficial for the nation. For a population still looking for more solid principles of existence and shaken by the aggressions from everywhere.

This day, americans cried satisfied seeing one of theirs completing a run. The run of those who respect and work for the citizenship and people. I also felt emotional watching on TV a smiley face showing that dreams can become true.

Congratulations my american hosts.

Photos: Genevieve Ross/Associated Press and Doug Mills/The New York Times

A long week II: The Marathon 2008 in NY

2008-11-12T18:17:00.000-08:00

A marathon with its personality... One year ago I brought some feelings to this blog. I published my first post based on the experiences during the NYC marathon. This year I was expecting to find new emotions but the strenght of the runners always brings a renovated energy to the island as soon as they arrive via Queensborough Bridge.

No matter who comes, no matter the inspiration or the level of training, no matter where they come from, it's just positive energy. Motivation for humankind to deviate for some hours its attention and focus in our passions, in our people, in our similars. The crowd gathered silently around the route and as soon as cars, TV, engines from motorbikes sound, lights from ambulances announce the entrance of runners; people join efforts to upscale the commitment of the moment.

People cheer no expecting for anything in exchange. Just smiles and positive gestures from the runners. A quiet neighborhood turns into people making noise, pop music from a band, kids wanting to see more, complete families and group of tourists supporting efforts.

Walking among the crowd just invite to cry of joy. There's no way the energy can be better there.

I thought: the UN has its real venue at this corner and the organization hasn't realized of the real principles... at 59th and first just 10 blocks uptown... where passions, inspirations, and desire to be better get together for some hours and perhaps endless.

A long week I: A Symposium of The Helicon Foundation

2008-11-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

A week may occur with us looking for experiences or experiences running into us. That's common and easy in New York.

An outstanding and interesting program was put together by my friend Mr. James Roe (Artistic Director of The Helicon Foundation). I really know what this organization represents for him beyond work and work. It seems to be a source of inspiration for research and combination with instincts. A musician and artist not always has the ability to administrate and manage an organization. Mr. Roe is exemplary in this regard and last Sunday, November 2nd. a program of American compositions were performed by a brilliant set of performers. In a very intimate environment, Charles Loeffler's Rhapsody for Oboe and Viola and Piano Songs by Charles Ives, Samuel Barber's String Quartet, Op. 11 followed later by John Cage's solo piano "In a Landscape" and Amy Beach's Piano Quintet in F# Minor, Op. 67, brought to my mind what is continuity in melodies and instruments.

The playing of Loeffler's Rhapsody filled the air with the sweetness and the solemnity of the oboe and the piano with violins. A probed articulation of notes resounded in the hall making people closing their eyes and loosing themselves in meditation. I did see this in the audience. There's no doubt that what musicians were looking for were found in this room.

As a second segment of the program, Tenor Mr. Nicholas Phan delighted with his singing of such variety of compositions. The selected songs represented several emotional states going from fun to melancoly and viceversa.

Brooklin Ryder is a group of musicians with an stylish academic performance. They seem to explore the pieces to play beyond the notes, beyond what audiences know about composers, they seem to get engaged into the soul of the original version as well as into the mind of the contemporary listener. They relaxed our emotions, particularly at the moment of their playing of the adagio. What a feeling they generated in me! I can consider this one of my best moments of being in touch with Barber as a composer.

In this occassion I heard Pedja Muzijevic playing Cage's "In a Landscape" for the second time in my life. However, listening to it in a warm wooden room just challenged my appreciation. There's no doubt that an intimate room makes of this piece a very individualized expression of music. Faces were smiling most of the time focused on Mr. Muzijevic touches.

Definitely, the program, performance, and concertgoers made of this symposium a special ocassion in the upper east side of Manhattan.

My walk back home that evening just made me feel how emotions can come and go with music.

New York and its weekend emotions

2008-10-20T05:43:00.000-07:00

The particularity of this weekend was based in the diversity of walking experiences. I decided to take a long walk on Saturday and explore the evening at very popular and common stops of the city.

I took the train after waiting for it maybe 7 minutes. A crowd was accumulating in the station making of the trains the typical environment of weekdays but without stress. Newyorkers tend to behave at the station when the trains are almost empty. We acquiesce to logical and natural rules when they are clearly natural and logical. So it was the example. As usual, people were reading, smiling, laughing while talking, serious, reading, smiling...

When I left the train at Astor Place, I could see a set of maybe 12 or more people with makeups portraying bleeding faces, bloody and broken clothes, black eyes, pales like zombies recently killed. The mood was amazing at the station.

People laughing, taking pictures, everybody was having fun. The most interesting image was when the train closed its doors and these bloody faces, were pushed against the glasses of the doors while the train moved forward as taking hundreds of zombies to the deep tunnel.

I walked Broadway until Flatiron looking the Empire State building with unusual color lights for me and then continued by 5th avenue for coming back home. The acrimony of the weekdays was not an issue this Saturday although I saw a young guy dressed in jeans and white crying so emotional while seated in a bench. I was tempted to offer support but I also thought that crying may be equivalent to the needs for reading, talking, smiling, that people had at the station... and I didn't ask for participating neither.

The night was over the city and while I crossed a street my telephone rang but I couldn't hear it because of my iPod. A guy made signals for me to let me know that I had a phone call. I smiled.

This set of simple experiences makes of NYC a place where we all can find the homogeneous composition of a human being. Innocence, fun, emotional, etc are together but realizing of it may take its time.

It's as finding the purpose of living. Maybe it starts with simplifying life, finding its singularity and avoiding becoming acerbic when it's not necessary, especially in New York. That makes of a human being being more adept for living.

Lura at Zankel Hall (Invited as Notable)

2008-10-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

Cape Verde has brought new energy to Zankel Hall through the melodious, strong, and sensitive voice of Lura, who filled with energy and passion for singing the stage of this excellent venue. An expectant audience was awaiting to hear what this lady would bring to New York. The rigorous Saturday Night audience of Carnegie Hall was ready to learn more from this source of music and find similarities and disparities between legend Cesaria Evora, young Mayra Andrade, and this gem not completely discovered for most of us there. Similarities: many based on the rhythm from the same country. Disparities: accentuation of presence maybe based on confidence in an exigent audience.

The clean stage received the band who distributed across the line of view. The back was covered by a black fabric reflecting the illumination with figures of leaves maybe crating a tree shade. Lura entered into the stage (as if she were walking on the sand of a beach) after one minute of sounds from the band. It was like a simulation of a girl awakening and going to the shore to receive fresh air from the sea. The bouncing of her verticality (dressed in radiating green) with such flexibility, was immediately followed by a welcome applause. No other thing could follow that entrance. Her voice came after her to get together with drums, piano, and strings. The violins solo were immensely well accepted and made the tones of Lura's voice like her individual chorus line. Later, her comprehension of the moment she was living allowed her to enjoy her own performance and brought more fun and energy than expected.

She made people sing, dance, cheer, and applause and applause. A wonderful selection of musical pieces gave her a field to play for almost two hours. She also made one of the typical scenes of the famous legend queen of latin soul "La Lupe" releasing her feet from the formality of her shoes to show more her passion for her own performance. That gesture shook the attendees positively and made everybody to engage more into the show. She made of herself the most powerful singer she could show to Zankel Hall. It was just extreme energy and positive vibrations on stage.

Later, Lura had a seat and drummed an imprecise instrument which dull sound was like a sand sac while the "shade of the tree" protected her partially from "the sun light" making of that precise instant an imitation of nature (Honors for the illumination controller).

These type of shows are not usual in the most famous venues of NY, but Carnegie Hall opens its stages to talented people of the world providing us with the pleasure of admiring what's being done abroad. As a member of the Notables membership program, this was a show I really appreciate having been invited. Thanks to the manager of the program Mr. Tyler Armstrong for stimulating our presence in the diversified cultural scene of the city that never sleeps.

A Sunday SoHo night in NYC

2008-09-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

Sunday nights in Manhattan have their particular features. I had the opportunity to have dinner at one of the curious local restaurants "Antique Garage". Antique (Chef Utku Cinel) is a real garage with some notes of music, a certain degree of exhibition from inside to the outside and viceversa, as well as its location in a street not asphalted as in the current days. The menu is full of delicious turkish and mediterranean combinations. The boreks for example, reminded me of my nationals tequegnos. The meatballs although turkish, have that taste of the greek food. They also have some live music, which is impressive sometimes and most of it is jazz and easy listening in general. It's decoration is appropriately completed with old art and supplies. They have a pleasant staff and supportive in your decisions. This is a place to be visited regularly.

After spending some time at "Antique Garage", I went and gave a walk by the Broadway of Soho. That Broadway that is usually imposible to transit due to the crowd full of turists and locals. The same crowd that wakes up late on Saturdays and Sundays and decide to feel the energy of the stores without the incandescent lamps of Times Square. However, what I found was the remnants of informal sellers, of some neighboors finding the peace of the avenue after the weekend, of closing windows getting ready for the next day, of some afraid people, of the cabs looking for passengers in the corners...

I took the train after my post-dinner walk and found different faces. Quiet minds watching the floor, people looking the nothing aesthetic anouncements in the train, humans with sadness and tiredness, late shoppers on their way home, readers of the key news from the free journals. NY has a unique face on Sundays' nights and is filed with the feelings of the people that have to work the following day. With the people ready to sleep for pushing the economy, the art, the creativity, the music of the world.

I also was a late shopper and felt so free in a market at 9:30pm.

Bad ones and easiness to erase them

2008-09-02T17:44:00.000-07:00

Well... I had the intention to enjoy a Theatrical Performance that night. A small crowd gathered in a space designed for almost 60 people or more. The lights were pointing toward the audience (something completely inappropriate considering the space). A few furniture in the center of the stage mostly resembling end of 1800s or beginnings of the 20th century. And a story looking for its place in the literature. The Seduction of Edgar Degas was an experiment mixing aliquots of dance, general culture, rehearsals, and droplets of french with a tale about Monsieur Degas trying to paint ballet dancers at some academy.

People seemed not engaged in the performance. A couple at my side was even more interesting to me since she tried to keep him awake during the whole first act. After some considerations during the intermission, a little disappointed about the failure of my election for entertainment, my friend Jim and I came out with an excellent idea: not coming back to our seats that night.

A lady heard our segments of our brief analysis and said: "I can't go back there... I'm too old" (I personally thought she wasn't old enough but it was just an excuse for fulfilling her need of running away). After the vote and without making any recount: "let's go away from here... it's not worthy".

A great steak was waiting for me at Columbus Circle Time Warner Center and the night rebuilt itself. Landmarc is a restaurant with a lounge environment, an exercise of architectural shapes based on metals, wood, and screwers as well as with some darkness and tall ceiling. It was great that the restaurant wasn't packed. Marc Murphy is the chef and proprietor with Pamela Schein Murphy. The attention is average plus for NY and the flavor of the beef is just delicate and excellent: steak "strip" with shallot bordelaise sauce delightfully combined with sauteed mushrooms (my election and a great success for my palate). They also have a variety of wines and the waiter was really kind and helpful when providing with suggestions.

It's part of NYC too: finding something that may be distasteful but as the city has many firefighters' truck to end any fire, it also has excellent ways of entertainment to erase from the mind the bad ones. It's an issue of improvisations and decisions and decisions and improvisations. So it is that I almost forget to write that I didn't like that first act of that Theatrical Play.

If I just had paid attention to the reviews.

Music Metamorphosis into a Mass - Mostly Mozart' 08 ends

2008-08-27T03:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a night. The last evening of Mostly Mozart Festival was straight forward with two pieces. However, each piece was full of complicated art expressions. Both compositions may be associated to conflicts of the humankind. A world full changes may have found the perfect congregation of thoughts in this program. A piece clearly tragic and complicatedly dramatic bringing to the mind the stupidity of evolution signaled by international conflicts, leaders out of mind, irrational destruction, and devotion of the misery, combined with a mass. The later was completely fed in human interpretations of an artist of what's been considered always divine. The program was a mime of a challenge to God: "see what happens in the world... let me pray but this is how I believe that all started" seems to have been the idea behind the creation of this closing night.

The first piece was Metamorphosen composed by Richard Strauss. The structure of this composition is entangled in the string of the respective instruments. It was composed to be played by strings only and the professionalism of the performers was settled on stage. If there were mistakes, the Mozartean audience may not know. If they liked or not, is doubt worthy. The music was continuous and, at the same time, almost incidental. It was not easy to process but allowed to meditate on the theory of relativity. To meditate was perhaps the decision of the people in the hall.

The second piece Mass in C minor (K.427) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was outstandingly performed by the orchestra and ornamented with the soft voice of Mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey who showed his talent on stage with delicacy and purity. Ms. Lindsey is awarded with skills that allow her to bring her voice together with her tones and notes to the right place in the right mood. Beyond creating a set of voice and songs, Ms. Lindsey mixed the prays of the mass with the progressive story and her well measured vocal sounds in a well appropriate manner. With Ms. Lindsay were Sally Matthews (Soprano), William Ferguson (Tenor) filling the hall with a sweet and stylish voice, Jason Grant (Bass-baritone) singing at a unfair late request of the composer, and a brilliant, not overcrowded, perfectly articulated, and well trained choir of the Concert Chorale of New York.

Of course the Mass in C minor deserved an ovation from the audience. No wonder why flowers flew everywhere on stage. I guess that in a metamorphosis of times, flowers that came from the audience, these days they come from backstage. One of the great moments (beyond the typical applause for the singers) was the respect with which the conductor gave his flowers to the oboe player Randall Ellis. This was a great moment because Ellis represented at that moment what each musician of the orchestra is in a performance: a dedicated professional focused on make of their talent the appropriate dose of synchrony and harmony for the best sound of the band.

Mostly Mozart Festival 2008 ended and, with it, it seems to start the change of season from summer to autumn.

The winds, a piano, a festival: Two evenings of music

2008-08-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

A program with three musical pieces was the focus of attention last Tuesday and Wednesday (I attended to both of them). A celebration of instruments and notes combined with innovative features like the conductor playing, a barefoot pianist, a courtesy piece not related to Mozart, and a festive Mozart Symphony to close the spiritual aura on stage of those nights.

The winds gather in an open angle to perform their version of Mozart's Serenade for winds in C minor (K.388) with Osmo Vanska conducting from his performer's position playing the clarinet. The Allegro of the serenade is characterized by the solemnity of notes followed by a dialogue between clarinets and oboes. The sounds were clean and soft but strong enough to invade the silence of the hall. A progressive and intermittent mixture of melodic harmonies was also printed with some discrepant notes owned by this segment. A slow introduction of clarinets opened the Andante to transfer the power to the rest of the winds including the christmas magic typical of french horns. French horns took a leading role but with the delicacy of their sounds requiring also delicacy from ears. The Menuetto in Canone was clean and powerful also with oboes providing general instructions to the orchestra (a grand duo allowed to hear a definitive equalization of both oboes). The final Allegro started with an oboes' solid choir converting the ending section into a festive gathering of all instruments. Again, a new melodic and synchronized dialogue was established between oboes and clarinets under the magic of french horns controlled by bassoons. The prodigious talent and outstanding skills from oboes showed how trained is requested to be to play with that such speed.

The piano concerto No. 3 in C minor of Beethoven was on the hands and body of Mihaela Ursuleasa. Her communication with Vanska and the entire orchestra (mostly with the violins close to her) was evident. I could appreciate it more during the second evening because I was on a stage seat. Ms. Ursuleasa was energetic, she is also an almost dancer and actress giving all the corporeal manifestations surrounding her playing. This piano concerto is extremely organized in terms of general pauses, piano introductions, transfers of roles, echoes and repetition as well as some simulations of sounds (like piano imitating an harp or timpani miming the bassoons). From the operatic overture-style of the Allegro con Brio to those discharges of notes from the piano, the piece was performed accordingly to the time a piece like this deserves. It was easy to see smiling faces giving response to the melodic sequences. It was also easy to see people turning their heads toward their companions (looking for agreement on the show of Ms. Ursuleasa). The special beauty of the Largo invited people to forget what it's ugly out of the hall. The segments reminding "Panis Angelicus" as well as "Tara's Theme" from the soundtrack of "Gone with The Wind" make of this a subtle love incidental music. The progressive participation of notes, instruments, and people make of the Rondo: Allegro-Presto a mathematical expression of music to end with a wonderful fanfare.

The first evening the applause was so encouraging for Ms. Ursuleasa that she came back to stage and played a Rumanian piece that made people loving her. The second evening, public's reaction was even more enthusiastic but she didn't correspond as the previous night.

The symphony No.39 in E-flat major (K.543) was most of the beauty of Mozart's compositions. Four movements characterized by the changes in tuning and volumes, by his explorations of same notes in different instruments. The orchestra showed more of their experience under continuous construction for the symphonic compositions. Vanska played very good with his almost knee folding as well as his baton and he also played with the silence in the hall waiting for an anti-coughing solution for the generalized audience affected by the pollution levels of the city.

From now, just to wait for the Closing Night and from there I'll be considering myself more engaged into the sounds of a genius.

Twice: Osmo Vanska conducting Sibelius, Mozart, Beethoven - Lincoln Center

2008-08-17T06:55:00.000-07:00

Last evening was my second concert "replay". As the program was pretty straight forward (composed of incidental music, an instrumental concerto, and a Beethoven symphony), I decided to have the experience again.

Under the direction of Osmo Vanska, the orchestra was reorganized into three different sets of orchestras according to the compositions. This circumstance made of this program a very active one although implying changes in the stage with some extended pauses (including those of the pieces themselves).

Osmo Vanska appeared on stage and seemed to provide the orchestra with all his respects as well as third of minute of concentration and meditation. Vanska had the ability of making of silence a wonderful part of the performance. Vanska seemed also to take the show more seriously than the audience, creating an atmosphere of solemnity decidedly and intentionally necessary for some concerts of this festival.

Pelleas och Melisande (Suite, Op.46) by Jean Sibelius was initiated by an almost sacred set of notes, of course giving relevance to the drama being narrated. Water droplets played with violins' strings help to create the scene of tears or maybe rain in a sad day. The solemnity of winds slowly combined with the drums' strength, break that introduction to give space for the celestial oboe sound (Randall Ellis). Toward the second movement, Ellis invited to meditation and pray (probably following the story in Mellisande's mind). Slow pauses surrounded that particular meditation's theme like sighs during the crying of the soul. The thrilling but calculated sounds of drums announced a imminent storm, movement this that ends with an unexpected final. A passionate combination of notes invaded the environment with clarinet (in the breath and hands of the stylish Jon Manasse) having a sweet dialogue with oboe. This dialogue concludes in a hug of both instruments with an unforgettable duo outstandingly directed by Vanska. Toward the final three movements there's a journey from happiness to sadness ending with a violins' stampede full of mourning and with sequences that reminded me of the popular soul song that says "And I think to myself... what a wonderful world..."

The following part of the program was Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A Major (K.622). This was maybe the motivational piece for most of attendees. Three movements organized in Allegro-Adagio-Rondo:Allegro sequence allowed some dancing on stage by the invited basset clarinet player Kari Kriikku (who performed with his own candeza according to the program notes). Kriikku joined with his instrument to the harmonious melody being played by the orchestra bringing some notes from the center of stage (literally). The Adagio (most well known movement) was clean and professional with an intensification of the typical high and low notes of the entire piece. The Allegro made Vanska to jump on his site providing the orchestra with his directions beyond his precise baton. It's really interesting how the composer experimented with the newness of the instrument by those years, extracting all possible sounds with every combination possible.

The performance of Beethoven's Symphony No.2 in D major (Op. 36) was played with the experience of the orchestra bringing all the chamber style to the big piece. A first movement with a magnanimous intro where timpani and oboes work together to recreate seriousness. Several pauses filled with the articulated sounds of winds was key in the playing of this segment. Unfortunately a ring of cellphone broke the final tranquilizing melody. The second movement is such a melodic combination of violins transferring sounds to clarinets and bassoons, followed by french horns introducing oboes and flutes making of this segment of the piece an outstanding opportunity for the listener to explore the art of delegation and combination (I did like the sounds of the wind section during this performance). A third movement was featured by a powerful management of volumes and tunes by Vanska with a shy covering of his lips when focusing on oboes and bassoons. Finally, the fourth is an insisting mixture of notes in the sound of strings making the segment festive and closing with an kneeled Vanska insisting in his instructions to the orchestra.

Great show, Vanska. Sorry the cellphone of a lack-of-consideration attendee made you show your human feelings on stage. I agree with this type of frustration in entertainment. The audience should be more serious about respecting other's rights. Appreciating music may require more extraction of ourselves from a convoluted world where we barely have time to meditate and think without moving or talking incessantly. Some day we all will have the need to isolate each one in a world of arts and pure humanity.

The picture showed here was taken after the end of the concert when the theatre was almost completely empty (I waited for it).

Game of Rain and Light

2008-08-15T08:45:00.001-07:00

In the city, there are many things that skysrapers may hide. These confusing rainy days have brought a pleasant weather with mixtures of colors and light changes in temperature. August 2008 has become in an odd summer's month in NYC. The natural wonders mixed with the human ones provide with a challenging sense of appreciation. That's so NY...

Here's a picture of the Queensborough Bridge (another way to Manhattan).

From Introductions and Conversations to Celebration: Martinu - Mozart - Beethoven

2008-08-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

A program introduction with strings only may sound unusual for a Mostly Mozart audience. However, a feature of this festival has been the performance of experiments of short duration. That may be respectful for an squared sensed audience. Mostly Mozart has been really educative this season and it really may cultivate tastes among many listeners. Bohuslav Martinu's Serenade No.2, H.216 was played with confidence by the articulated strings full of expertise in Mozartean shows. The short duration of the piece, based on the influence of popular composers, was like a warm-up for this set of experienced players. It's not a complicated piece but a melodic exercise required in a Serenade. No more than three clear movements, defined by positive emotions and maybe close to the sensation of dancing without motives, was the basic sequence of the first performance of the evening. The short stature of Mr. Jiri Belohlavek as well as his classical attitude in front of an orchestra was main focus of the exigent audience.

In a second session, Belohlavek brought to the stage Mozart in the hands of two young players (Janine Jansen, violin and Maxim Rysanov, viola) who came to the front wearing interesting clothes challenging traditions of a festival where Belohlavek points toward a conservatorial school. The emotional dialogue between both soloists mimed the early morning birds: those closer to a window when everything is melody in the background. Their performance signaled a continuous effort, though perhaps in its birthdays, declares a decided career for the years to come. Jansen and Rysanov were in the mood of Mozart, interested, joyful, practicing, and teasing some times. Thanks to the strings of the orchestra and the rest of the instruments, the Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major for Violin and Viola, K.364, arrived fresh and decided to the ears in the hall.

Beethoven has been insisting in make of this Festival his individual documentary: "How to get Mozart serious on stage". However, closing a program with his Symphony No.7 in A major, Op. 92 sealed the similarity instead of the differences. The winds section, again, was the center of the stage (literally and professionally). A well sequenced seventh symphony requires synchrony, eyes, ear, reflexes, and breathing: the winds were always expectant. A continuous instruction dictated and provided by the strings make of this composition of four movements an exhausting exercise for flutes, oboes, bassoons, and french horns. It was not easy to find shortcomings but to enjoy the difficulties with which the players performed was satisfactory.

The numerous, alarming sometimes, and celebration-full notes as well as changes in speed (but not in tonalities) created the environment for which many heads danced rhythmically and repetitively in the attending crowd. All four movements were intense and the orchestra played with intensity; no doubt that the composer may be dangerous once in a while.

During the final ovation, the audience was impressively responsive with glorious cheers for the timpani player who is a real show on that corner of the stage. The audience was also impressed by the winds and provided with a defined style of applause for each set of instruments. I guess that the attendees didn't dance at the rhythm of this version of the seventh because the Avery Fischer is really squared...

NEUE Galerie: My first visit

2008-08-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

There's a special place at the Upper East Side (UES) to enjoy when no crowds is are in the plans. The UES has been where I have been born again but in NYC. It's high class spaces, restaurants, buildings complete a glamorous and enjoyable quiet zone of 5th avenue. The museums may get overwhelmingly noisy and a real battle to look at some pieces with patience and parsimony (if required). However, visiting the hidden NEUE Galerie (for german and austrian art) can be a great experience although its building is small when compared to the typical self-expanding museums of the world.

The experience starts with its cafeteria where the space is not an issue and where breakfast or lunch can be more than a simple need to satisfy. The menu of this place which name is the same of the co-founder of the Galerie (Serge Sabarsky) is plenty of flavors, experiments to taste and traditions to explore. It's wooden decoration transfer the eater to an european evironment. It's windows allow most of the visitors to see the traffic of 5th avenue as well as some of the trees of Central Park East from a ground level. They have a piano at the left of the entrance and many small round tables are surrounded by face to face parallel seats aligned perpendicular to the windows. The light was clear and illuminated the hall by lunch time. Although the service had some shortcomings, the rest of the moment there made for me one of the most special I have had as a New Yorker.

The collection is presented in an excellent combination. Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele (already among my favorites based on their enigmatic art) form the basis of the attraction. Schiele's irreverent depictions of the human body and Klimt's elaborated and mathematical combination of figures and faces, invite to stay in front of their pieces longer than expected.

I intent to go there some other morning for, after breakfast, spend my time appropriately with the sensation of really being enjoying art in almost all its manifestations: sculptures, paints, photography, architecture, design, music, meals, nature, streets, new yorkers...

Mozart and Mozart again with Fauré and Ravel

2008-08-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I attended a concert and went back the following night. What a program! The harmonies came fluently through a delicate conduction paying respects to all the instruments of the Mostly Mozart Orchestra. A well mannered sound came from the wind instruments with "Le Tombeau de Couperin" (Maurice Ravel) when all its four movements filled the Avery Fischer Hall environment with solemnity and particularities in the notes. No doubt that this was the result of a more articulated and well trained orchestra, where musicians understood the paramount role of their individual participation as well as the rest of the orchestra. What did it create that sensation of respect and delight in the audience? Was it the piece only? It was the synchrony of reality, history, emotions, combined with rehearsals and practice looking for the perfect sounds.

The take away of these nights performances was the Mozart's Piano Concerto No.18 in B-flat major K.456 with the virtuosity of Mr. Benedetto Lupo. Mr. Lupo showed his domain of the piece signaled by orchestra echoing his piano and vice versa. Since the first performance my ears were caught by his surprising method, I paid attention to the sound during the second performance. The variety of sounds, profuse in numerous but marvelous combination of notes, were fingerprinted by his professionalism and talent. His knowledge of the Mozart's Piano Concerto 18th was so evident especially when he didn't need any music sheet and was in constant eye communication with conductor and orchestra. This piece required speed and elegance as well as domain and Lupo just provided with it and more to both audiences looking for Mozart, Mozart, and more Mozart.

After the intermission, that was quiet during the first night and amazingly social for me during the second, a set of two pieces came to life in the hall.

Pelleas et Melisande, Suite, Op. 80 by Gabriel Faure is a beautiful composition I didn't know in its four movements. This suite allows the audience to exercise meditation given its natural slow but rhythmic progression where the composer played with lows and highs as well as repetitions in different tonalities that almost invite to a collective humming.

Finally, this night gave the attendees and performers to listen an energetic Symphony No.25 in G minor, K.183 by Mozart. It's two Allegro movements created a sense solemnity and celebration in the hall. From the craziness and joy went to the inspiring drama but at the same time walked us through the happiness of dance without any motives. Unfortunately, I didn't know this piece very well but listening to it twice live inspired me more respect for Mozart, whose presence during these two concerts was strong although ornamented with the melodies by Fauré and Ravel.

Thanks to Randall Ellis, James Roe, and the excellent performer Judith Mendelhaln to whom I had the pleasure to meet and in whom I found an outstanding person, musician and (overall) flute player. The beautiful sound from the clarinet of Jon Manasse is something for never forgetting neither.

This program was an example of what we all want to hear when looking for a well structured and based program. It made me be there twice and I could be there every week...

Lionel Bringuier on Stage with Mozart and Beethoven's compositions

2008-08-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

What Lionel Bringuier brought to the stage was the youth and energetic attitude that audience is looking for in such venues like Lincoln Center. Bringuier provided the orchestra with his freshness and young talent having the challenge to conduct pieces composed by such geniuses.

Bringuier's approach in the Overture to "Le nozze di Figaro" K.492, was very well calculated based on a repetitive sequence of joy and meditation owned by the piece with more evident changes in volumes than in timing. His left hand precluded almost each sound while the right just confirmed the final direction. His conductance was very academic and mathematic and it was easy to watch each of his directions from the perspective I had: right side on stage. His professionalism and training was his fingerprint during his entire job this evening.

For the Piano Concerto No.25 in C major K.503, Bringuier had the presence of Garrick Ohlsson, piano. Ohlsson was fantastic, superb, fabulous following the introductions from the orchestra. His experience with the piece was transparent on stage. This combination Bringuier-Ohlsson, also added a touch of revolution to the stage filling the generational gap just with talent and knowledge.

In this composition, Bringuier controlled with digital precision all the pauses as well as the changing leadership on stage from orchestra to piano and from this to the orchestra again. He also signaled all echoes of the piece as good as it gets. Particularly, the principal flute Judy Mendenhall couldn't be better than any flutist this evening. While Bringuier reached the point of perfection articulating the multiple echoes, it was amazing how Ms. Mendehall arrived with her instrument giving relevance to it as it can be found in Tchaikovsky's Chinese Dance from The Nutcracker. Her control of blowing and breathing was so clear especially when her facial muscles contracted at a rhythm miming localized fasciculations.

Beethoven's 4th. symphony: flute and clarinets took almost entire control of the piece and timpani made of the performance more fun. This piece is particularly enthusiastic and Bringuier worked well in it. Although a better sound could be expected from the seat I had, it wasn't the more impressive the orchestra could generate and, I personally think, that it's due to the building acoustics more than to the orchestra itself. Mozart was different to Beethoven. The student followed the teacher and the style in composition was nicely presented and made an art collage by Bringuier and Mostly Mozart Orchestra.

Expectations from Today's Mostly Mozart concert

2008-08-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

I expect a concert able to join the magic of two composers. Beethoven with all his seriousness and passion and Mozart with all his repetitions in different tunes. Beethoven has his place in a Mozart Festival, there's no doubt abou it. Today is perhaps enough for a crowd looking for Mozart compositionsin a Mozartean Festival: Today's program seems to bring freshness back to the audience.

The solemnity and youth of Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60 may be comparable to all the structure found in the Mozart's Allegro Molto of Symphony No.40. The later, for me, is also linked to the sounds of the Allegro ma non troppo of Beethoven's violin concerto (an eternal reminder of my father taste).

Beethoven introduces its 4th with diligence based on extensive notes and delayed changes when they reach high tunes to explode in a set of emotional melodies, full of passions, repetitions from violins, beats of drums, and sudden gentleness from winds. Mozart also prints in his symphonies the sudden and repetitive in winds and in violins and that's what may be attractive from both composers.

I expect to hear those typical features and being able to compare them while the same orchestra provides with each performance: Two close perspectives of music to be shown separated in this festival.

Mozart's: where Webern's was not expected

2008-08-02T04:49:00.000-07:00

The invitee

Although the "invited" portion of the program was far of being preference of a Mozartean audience, last night concert of "Mostly Mozart Festival" (Lincoln Center) opened space to appreciate some Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart pieces. Anton Webern's pieces were full of experimental composition based on subtle changes between monotonous and urban-noisy. It reminded me of my first "Einstein in the Beach", although different, at that moment I heard a sonorous sigh from people in the audience when the first movement ended. Last night I didn't hear any exhalation but saw faces consulting each other looking for transference of feelings against the Webern's.

Mozart's spirit

By its side, Mozart's were always engaging, enthusiastic, eliciting smiles from the crowd. Because that's what a Mozartean audience wants, but surprises...

My best memory will be "Masonic Funeral Music", K.477. Unfortunately, I didn't know this piece before to enjoy the delightful playing by this orchestra. The transition from the slow but powerful expirations in the wind instruments (maybe representing the mourning of friends) to the increasing and enigmatic percussion (symbolizing the journey to a grave) lead to an emotional set of thoughts about Mozart's work. The strings were delicate giving the background sounds for hearing the most adequate level required by winds and drums. This poetic composition provided with more arena to perceive what Mozart can be still for his followers attending a NY's festival.

A conception about a festival

Festivals, in my personal concept, are for that; for finding more about a topic, for finding similarities and discrepancies in a context, for getting more knowledge about a specialty. Although we might not find what we're looking for, running into the deepness of a theme helps to give more value to a festival.

Closing Remarks

The playing of K.477 last night, introduced me to a new perspective about Mozart's compositions where the relevance of instruments stepped away from the typical focus in energetic violins to the "breathing-and beating" instruments (wind's and drums). Like lungs and heart in the body: where active movements of the muscles tend to deviate what define us as living beings, making us forget from where the oxygen and the blood come from to deliver energy to all tissues.

It's a shame I didn't hear K.477 to appreciate more last night's performance but I will look for it.

Anna Larsson: Mahler's piece and her Mostly Mozart Debut

2008-07-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

Last night Mostly Mozart Orchestra played its Opening Night Program constitued by the popular Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K.550 (Mozart) followed by Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde (chamber version).

A dressed up in white and black orchestra shined under the lights of the stage.

Anna Larsson (alto) was singing for her Mostly Mozart debut fullfiling the Avery Fischer Hall with a melodic and powerfull voice with no precedents. Although the piece was heavy and slow in most of its lenght, the strong movements (plenty of percussion and low tones in the piano) provided Anna with the permission necessary to refer all the focus of attractions to her terrific talent.

Anna has a voice that goes from the sweetness to the strongest showing emotions according to the poem she was singing. Anna was also of very pleasant manners with the audience showing courteous smiles that completed her charm on stage.

Anna surpassed the intensity of orchestral tones with her skilled voice, her vigorous lungs, and her perfectly modulated vocal cords.

Anna Larsson: a lady amazingly and professionally talented.

Music for pop dance: Midsummer Night Swing 08

2008-07-27T02:59:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting and attractive experiences from the american culture is volunteering. Some time ago I found that, in USA, people are encouraged to participate in the preservation of their community through some activity where they feel comfortable working and not receiving money. As part of my personal involvement within my new society, I addressed my intention of volunteering when my company published an opportunity. When I knew about the opportunity I decided to participate and see what this experience could be.

Every summer, Lincoln Center has an outdoors event entitled Midsummer Night Swing (MSNS). MSNS represents a chance to dance different styles of music in a huge dance floor. This year, the huge dance floor was in Damrosch Park (just at the south west corner of Lincoln Center Campus).

I scheduled to participate in four concerts: one on Saturday and three from Thursday through Saturday the following week. My duty was being wrist-bander: receiving tickets and putting a bracelet in exchange. Thus, this was like my big moment to see whom the big city has as inhabitants and visitors and have a little talk with most of them.

People answered with their attendance organized in different type of crowds that I will try to describe now. One crowd really knows what they are going to see, hear, and dance: defined. Other are trying to find the cultural diversity of the city: curious. A third group want to know more on how to dance seriously: learners. There are those ones who don't move a foot neither for killing an ant: posts. The pseudo-professional dancers who don't dance but want to take the show for themselves: propellers. A set of non-dancers, not curious, undefined, uninterested, slow walkers who are there just for see (some of them with iPods): lamps. Finally a mix of all above described who don't pay, didn't pay, will not pay, want to dance, have drinks, would like to enter the dance floor (they try time after time), and will stay until the end of the show very happy of having been there: Miss Swan.

The proportions of defined, curious, learners, posts, propellers, lamps, and Miss-Swans, varies according to the show. For latin music (salsa) and for Jazz, defined are the most. However latin music brings many curious, learners and Miss-Swans... actually, a lot of Miss-Swans and well organized posts. During the Rumba Catalana show, the audience was composed by learners and curious with some propellers and lamps but neither Miss Swan nor posts.

There are some instructions for the attendees: neither bags nor bottles or drinks allowed. No way to help people understand this. As well as trying to explain to Miss-Swans the usefulness of a ticket (for the very same day show) to get into the dance floor.

The most frustrating activity is putting a bracelet to a propeller... I don't want to talk about it here.

Volunteering brings to the soul relieve if it's conceived as a way to help people. It's surrounded by many facts: like surprising courtesy, friendship, support from the co-volunteers, as well as sociology lessons. Particularly, this volunteering sessions could be considered a real encounter with a real universal sample population (it goes beyond Times Square because it also gathers newyorkers).

It was great to listen to and see live: Albita, Harlem Renaissance Orchestra with Mary Stallings, Peret, La Troba Kun-Fu, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and the very dancers.

I would do it again.

Giselle - Romantic Ballet in 2 acts with American Ballet Theatre

2008-07-16T05:03:00.000-07:00

The production

Last Saturday, Lincoln Center held the Ballet Giselle performed by the American Ballet City. Lights went up and the orchestra started to play when the curtains of the stage opened. The stage was composed by a forest with a house at the left and the principal dancers started their performance. Although I was expecting more "show" based on the way the stage could look, dancers were the focus of my attention given their skills and style.

The choreography

The choreography was composed by symmetrical elements softly put together in a triangular space. Most of those elements were conformed by the Corps de ballet in geometrical drawings. The dissolution of such geometrical figures was followed by a systematic and elegant centralization of soloists dancers who performed lines diagonally traced in the stage with the appropriate acrobatics. They showed the balance and strength required based on their discipline as well as on concentration. Many of the figures were basic according to what is popular in the ballet: like the exercises at the barre but rapid and professional. Other were extremely interesting showing flexibility and muscular technique without mentioning the pirouettes and fouettes. The jetes and grand jetes are unforgettable as well as the section where the corps de ballet show synchrony in a beautiful work of crossing rows (second act).

The music and orchestra

Giselle is full of charming danceable music (composed by Adolphe Adam). The conjunction of smooth transitions (this night most of them based on the play of incredible clean and delightful sound of wind instruments) followed by waltzes and marches (reinforced by drums) make of the soundtrack a continuous stimulation of the senses.

The history

Giselle is a tale that plays with human and divine symbols. They are shown in a classical structure of a tragedy surrounded by comedy and love story. The first act presents an introductory sequence clearly depicting the characters by attitudes: the lovely lady, the charming gentleman, the rival, the supportive mother, and a couple that help create more social reality as the background. A conflict is presented in a rural festival where the ensemble of dancers are introduced to the audience. After the occurrence of Giselle's death founded in passionate reasons the stage is prepared for the second act.
During the second act, the corps de ballet help to create an oneiric environment to introduce a divine Giselle now suffering after her death (beyond the real world). During this act, male soloists have the opportunity of unfold their professional training debating with fantastic movements between the real and the fabulous (not only of their performance but of the story). The eternal love of Giselle give power to Albrecht to be rescued from death.

General Overview of this performance

American Ballet Theatre gave an example of what it should be to perform ballet during the current days. The current days are full of entertainment that may challenge the skills of musicians and ballet dancers. ABT put in its artistic director (Kevin McKenzie) a challenge and it seems to have been accepted proudly to provide attendees with what we can look for during a Saturday night (July 12th 2008 - Lincoln Center) in NY with so many options. The classical made a modern entertaiment at LC.

A 4th of July 2008

2008-07-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

When two years ago I had my second 4th of July in USA in my life, my experience was truly different to what it was yesterday.

Buying tickets for the train to Garrison at Grand Central Station (42nd street) seemed mission impossible. Lines were really crowded as well as the areas for buying at machines. However, the lines were pretty efficient although the nervousness and anxiety were increasing among passengers.

I got the ticket at the right time with 3 minutes for boarding. The temperature was relatively acceptable when compared with previous summer days. I had seat by the window opening my senses to the new experience of the year. The train emerged to the surface after leaving Grand Central, and stations and views of a varied Manhattan appeared one after the other in a well organized manner.

The sky was cloudy but clear enough to give light to the day. At one of the stations, fans of Yankees were getting ready to have fun. Hudson river was at the right side of the train showing a mixture of some ships, hills, and attraction.

At the shore of the river, a gentleman was seated over a stone reading while watching the water. There was no waving on the river but a continuous movement in a undetermined direction.

The city stayed behind slowly giving some space to the green of the vegetation. The green became a constant factor in my window until the end of the trip beyond the train itself.

Garrison is a quiet place. A combination of rural sighs and evasive newyorkers, opened its own space among flora and fauna. The ways are well signaled and give the impressive effect of an endless journey.

The silence there was a therapy for my emotions. Arriving to the house where I was going to stay allowed me to find a place between my city and my tiredness. After having some meal and drinks, I had the chance to sleep a nap of two hours and more.

Later, I joined to the guests for the celebration. A live oboe and piano concert gave delight to the invitees for one hour. We went to a different house to enjoy a barbecue and watching the fireworks from different points of the river. It was so. The sound of explosions announced the anniversary of the independence while the trees stayed silent waiting for the lights. I had many thought during those moments at the table. Most of them reminding me of the joy of life.

I had later the opportunity to join to the nature under some darkness. Finding the flowers, the grass, and stones in the floor. The end of the barbecue made place for a quiet sleeping again... A soft mist from the sky declared the rain to the environment among some breeze and sounds from the trees.

Garrison seems to be an always quiet place. Houses distant from each other give area for imagination. I learned that some space relieve some anxiety but under its own conditions. That silence is an art work when compared to introspection. That happiness is where we wish to see it only...

The supermarket is very simple but with all that anyone could consider necessary. It's at Cold Spring, a place that becomes noisy based on the coincidence of human natures.

I also visited a space very unique because it allowed the conjunction of human work, nature, and needs. Wood houses over the side of an average hill, surrounding a pond that looked calculated but natural. The presence of melancholy and needs, gathering with trees and water, makes of this area a space to meditate. I had to say to myself: it's good to see the ground as seeing the sky.

It was a very relaxing day close to the nature at Garrison, north of New York City celebrating a new 4th of July in USA.

A happy bel canto teacher: Robert (Bobby) White

2008-07-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

Bobby White (Mr. Robert White) invited me to attend a special performance of some of his students at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. I met Mr. White the day before when he was introduced to me as a outstanding singer with a great historical background. His personality is full of energy, smiles, laughs, and good will. Typical of the natural stars, he was giving instructions, organizing procedures, considering small flaws sharply, and providing with wise quick solutions.

During the performance, his students were really well controlled in the use of their voices. Understanding the breathing process from a pulmonologist perspective, I found them singing without big efforts but with sweetness in the physiological mechanics.

This day I learned, with just a few couple of phrases, that for singing brilliantly it is not required to have a loud or screaming voice. The articulation of the diafragm (heart of ventilation/respiration) with the self control of exhalation is fundamental for not being heard as a screamer.

No need for using neck muscles or intercostals if the core muscle (diafragm) is appropriately exercised and relaxed enough to make its job. It's like free style gymnastics when compared with heavy weigh streght workout. The former is singing with style and the later may be considered as yelling directly to the ears.

When listening some singers, now I understand more what I felt before. It goes beyond genetics and pure strenght. It's a mixture of delicacy in the treatment of the thorax and movement of the vocal cords. It's like making of the body a guitar: if it's treated apropriately and the strings are touched with love, the sound will be full of sweetness, fluidity, melody, and harmony... but you need a kind and trained player to reach this level of perfection. I found these facts in just a few comments from Mr. Robert White (Bobby)... a great teacher of bel canto.

Bobby received his students and some special guests at his place after the show. He provided everybody with a delightful moment to share supper as a unique gift for our presence.

Father, Son and Mozart after intermission - Saint Luke's

2008-06-30T14:07:00.001-07:00

What happens if you say yes to a sudden invitation? Is it too much improvisation or is it an opportunity? Starting last weekend I had that experience and the following hours just went over the standards.

I've been really close to the process of listening classical music since I was a kid. Two memoirs are really remarkable for me: my father waking the family up early Sunday with the Allegro ma non Troppo from Beethoven's Violin Concerto is one of them and other is receiving the New Year with 1812 Overture while opening bottles of champagne after midnight. I enjoyed those situations in a very special way.

Last Saturday, I received one of the never-to-forget invitations: traveling no more and no less than in the bus of the Orchestra of Saint Luke's with most of its members and part of the staff from Manhattan to Caramoor at Westchester for their performance at The 2008 International Music Festival. Seeing how an orchestra is put together gathering the players at different points of the city, under the coordination of their Director of Operations, gave me the real perspective of where the behind the scenes really starts (and it's not at the venue but perhaps hours before being there).

After arrival, and being introduced to almost all of the performers, I saw them getting together and finding their places on stage, greeting each other, getting ready just for the rehearsal and finding their best mood for playing. Trumpeters tuning their instruments playing to the trees, violinists finding their best space in their necks, cellists getting room between the chairs, oboe and french horn players exercising their forceful breath. While this happened, I had a seat at the empty hall of the Venetian Theater while they started the rehearsal. I also began to read some poems intending not disturbing them with my attention. The music started and I began to look at the sides of the big tent covering the hall where the gardens, full of green and flowers, gave nest to singing birds that believed they also had to play later. The outstanding playing of Peter Serkin (pianist) made me stand up and walk because I didn't want to use my senses to enjoy his perfection during the rehearsal only. I decided to hold my expectation for later because Serkin was playing exactly as if there were no rehearsal. My walk around the theater was accompanied by melodies like the popular Allegro Molto from the Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K.550 by Mozart watching the variety of trees ad flowers as well as water fountains and statues in the free areas of this excellent and bucolic venue.

The only event that muted the sound of the orchestra during the practice was a "tropical" rainstorm with thunders and lightnings to make of the music more than a complex notes' combination in the real nature: a battle on the power of pleasant sound. After making adjustments to their melodic sounds, to the harmony and soul of their instruments, they had a frugal healthy meal that kept their commitment awaken for the evening's duties.

Hours later the crowd started to fill the theater, bringing their joy and energy to the seats, getting excited about this special performance. Musicians started to enter into the stage dressed in black and providing the space with the typical sense of concentration that only professionals can tolerate. The silence invaded the room until Andreas Delfs (conductor) walked happily to his place for starting a program with music of son and father (literally in that order). The music of Johann Christian Bach was opening of the program followed by the Keyboard Concerto No.1 in D minor, BWV 1052 of Johann Sebastian Bach (which Delfs knows to dance very well).

An intermission allowed the crowd to relax for listening pieces composed by Mozart with all his melodic and well thought repetitions of notes in the Concert Rondo for Piano (Peter Serkin of course showing why he is such a virtuoso) and Orchestra (Saint Luke's getting more solid but fluid than ever) in D Major, K.382 and the Symphony No.40.

The reaction of the audience was supernatural with hundreds of smiling faces (I had mine too). When the event's finale came, the musicians headed up to the bus again for coming to Manhattan. Musicians redistributed again to their encounter points, maybe without realizing that all their efforts of traveling, practicing, performing, and responding to the discipline of an institution like Orchestra of St. Luke's really made of this evening an unforgettable moment in the lives of many.

I believe now more than ever that Orchestra of St. Luke's had the right musicians for the perfect pieces and the best venues. I think they all made of my continuous observation a process of perfect investment in my persistent growth as a music lover. Great Saint Luke's!

Meeting the Relatives

2008-06-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

The modern seems to represent our incessant thinking process. It shows the results of our figurative thought that is looking for more and more continuously. Visiting the American Museum of Natural History exposes our own human being to what we were, to what we tried before arriving to our current civilization. What were we looking for? Was it a matter of survival or getting the best of life? Was it joy or simply food?

There are several elements well represented at the exhibition in the Anne and Bernard Spitzer -Hall of Human Origins. Since our progressive nature from walking, eating, gathering, and surviving to communication and arts (including toys and music), they mix under the scientific scope. The exhibition invites to find the reasons to answer questions about the chronicles of our evolution. Some of the depictions help to understand that many of our behaviors as purely instincts. However, finding that our nature is to have fun, gather, and love is amazing when you walk through the corridors watching static hominids.

To see for instance the almost complete ciphosis in our ancestors, impulses the spectator to stand up straight. A tribe eating aggressively the meat reminds of the needs to elect appropriate foods. A group of people getting together around kids and elderly brings to the mind the required teach-and-learn attitude. A couple walking together surprises with a feeling of love, interaction, relation, respect, and care.

The communicative process has been essential to evolve. How to understand the needs, the tales, and then trying to find the right tool for supporting the process was there millions of years ago. The mimetic attitude with different animal species helped those beings to get the best of the world as well as the worst. However what impulsed our career in the evolution is not easy to adumbrate. A transcendental sensation stays around the visitor when finding arts as part of life since our origins in history.

Unfortunately, there's no space enough to meditate before the skeletons and mannequins. The crowd was moderate but the personal aspiration disappears when a mother carrying a baby, a trolley, another kid and her husband, stands in front of the glass but before you forgetting that you also existed but in the current times...

The evolution of our civilization is complicated and based on more complex facts. The modern Homo sapiens is not as they are because of a pure biological reality. The interesting element is that the exhibition states at its entrance that more 90% of Neardental's DNA and 99% of monkey's is like ours these days.

To confirm visit the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. And they say: Meet your Relatives.

Sunday night - Finding what I was looking for

2008-06-15T19:55:00.001-07:00

Today I went to Virgin at Union Square. It was a particular sensation when compared to Times Square where I use to go more often. Corridors at Union Square were free for walking. Customers are Newyorkers instead of the migratory birds of Times Square (to which I belonged some time ago). Light is different there and the ceiling is tall enough to have the sensation of free breathing. Although this is not my first time there, I don't know why but I had the sensation of making a discovery that is typical of NYC. When I went to the classical music area (located in the basement that I had never visited before), the "now-playing" was Herbert Von Karajan with all the pompous style of his chosen pieces. Nobody was there and I had the chance to play with the box sets to see which one I preferred until Bach (40 CDs set) won. I had a good time there and found that it's worthy to go there on Sunday afternoon. I had the feeling of time transportation when I had to hear "La Lupe" getting crazy with her peculiar voice in the area of music of the world. At the same time I was upset that I was finding everything I was looking for and I stopped of looking for anything else (Although I took my copy of "The Best of Mariachi Vargas" and "Ultimate Disco" - a box set of 6 CDs).

I paid my shopping pretty quick and took the subway for coming back home. In it, for the first time I diagnosed a singer. The gentleman seemed to be a Broadway actor memorizing his role. He had some sheet music and was reading quiet while his lips moved imitating spoken words making pauses to look at nowhere. I said at that point: I'm at home. I am in NYC. I left the train at Lexington/59th street with some hunger...

Time disappearing and spirit remaining

2008-06-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

When a Mass is going to be played at Carnegie Hall, followed by Carmina Burana, a collage of thoughts come to mind. A senior couple at my left were talking about the combined topics in the program: a wedding mass followed by profane songs where the eroticism is a key factor. The artistic director really played the game with courage!

Timothy Michael Powell's Mass in C major No. 1 (Wedding Mass) is a challenge to the traditional joining the contemporary choral expression to the academic heritage of medieval times. Powell was born in 1974 and was conducting the Distinguished Concerts International New York "DCINY" (Orchestra and Choir) this evening which made of this performance something very special for me: a composer younger than me conducting his own piece in Carnegie Hall. The opening of the piece is based on a piano solo followed by the almost immediate sound of violins. The melody is more of a love story soundtrack style when in fact is mercy begging through the chorus. When the following prays defy the legends, everything about mass is perceived differently. No rigidity but love in the entire composition. The intro to Credo is amazingly engaging in a conviction of faith, particularly when a sweet soprano (Suzannah Moorman) announces her belief. The melody goes from an idilic image to the mystery when a gregorian style fills the ears, and later it turns into an epic closure, like riding a horse, when percussion appears as starting a battle. The is a love piece "When Love is Found", sung in english with text by Brian Wren which is in some way monotonous until the end when drum-beat defies this trend. The text has a point when male voices of the choir are a smart addition saying: "When love has flowered in trust and care, build each day, that love may dare to reach beyond home's warmth and light, to serve and strive for truth and right". Finally, the piece ends with a "Sanctus/Benedictus" and "Agnus Dei". For the first, the joy could be adumbrating a solitaire walk in a lonely beach early morning or like watching the stars through the window late night. The second travels again from idilic to epic with the concluding percussive effect.

In December of 2005 I received a birthday gift from my cousin Ireana in Santiago de Compostela: a ticket to see "Carmina Burana" as a monumental opera at the Sala Multisusos do Sar - Complexo Deportivo Santa Isabel, where almost 5000 music lovers testified a great spectacle. Given that Santiago is a medieval city, being there for that performance only could be delightful, particularly when the choir came from the back of the audience with monasterial monks habits and lights in their hands. Following this, a series of images with many actors turned the Sport Complex into an ancient coliseum.

Last night all my respects had to be presented to the DCINY when Gardar Cortes as conductor made a conglomerate of practice, perseverance, perfection, and performance in "Carmina Burana: Cantiones Profanae". I was in the second row and it wasn't less than any of the multiple outstanding recordings of the famous musical composition. No mistakes, no regrets for those who know the piece very well. Cortes reached the level described by Orff: "The time element disappears, and only the spiritual element remains". All the mystery was brilliantly manifested with concentration and passion. The double manifesto of love in the composition (courteous and erotic) was explicit in the play. The main singers were perfectly synchronized with their choir: Sigrun Hjalmtysdottir Diddu (soprano), Bergthor Palsson (Baritone), and a more than funny Dillon McCartney (tenor) who elicited a humorous response from the audience when he started to act for his "Olis lacus colueram". At the end of the performance the audience reaction was immediate and collective: an ovation that lasted more than five minutes with the Stern Perelman stood up enthusiastically engaged with the performers. It was my first sudden "get-up-yourself" at one of my favorite venues. I hope to see DCINY soon again!

Trinayan (the thid eye) in Guna - Joyce Soho

2008-06-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Joyce Soho is an intimate casual place to see dance performances. There are not many but enough seats to appreciate the shows. The staff is very kind and they always have surprises (maybe they don't realize of it). The location of each seat allows audience to see without interferences (unless very tall people seat in the front row)...

A group of musicians entered into the stage and aligned to the left and on the floor. Almost immediately, a melody of high pitched instruments with male voices joined to the beat of drums and wheeze of a wonderful flaute. A video in the background showed confusing pictures of India full of collors and images of the river. Lights over the continous waving water. A female voice said, more or less, among several phrases: meditation is not fighting against the problems, is observing them.

That was the preparing to see TRINAYAN collective. The dancers aligned in several postures typical of indians artworks combining them with a sucession of gestures eliciting (puzzling) feelings from the audience. Hundreds of signals, conflicts, solutions, rhytmic steps, and sudden paralysis. Among those movements, the trembling hands sometimes helped eyes to express more than rythm. Sometimes, darkness was a permission to applaude and it was more than for showing approval. It was a permission to relieve our concentration due to the passionate dancing of the collective.

After a pause (no intermission), a duet composed by a female voice (Shobana Raghavan - Carnatic Vocals) and a drummer started a delightful mixture of anxiety and passion, of melody and noise, of music and folklore, of voice and beat. Shobana filled the hall with her voice that sounded like a fine high tuned string in a big box. She just manifested concentration and love for the carnatic classical music. It's also interesting that she learned violin which may make of her a reproduction of it or viceversa. They received an ovation that couldn't find a perfect place in the same show because the dancers came back quickly to give more of what they called "Power, Passion, Devotion".

When the dancers came back, had new performers now dressed in black which allowed the gold to look more shiny. Trinayan gave a show uniting the ancient music and dance with the contemporary style that was born from there. It gave more chance to Bani Ray to please the audience with her dance and her manners. The play finished followed by an homage to all in the theatre.

It was "Guna: chaos, passion, light" by Trinayan Collective at Joyce Soho Theatre. And they invited to a cocktail at the end. Thanks.

Annual Notable Ocassion at Carnegie Hall

2008-06-06T09:55:00.001-07:00

Last Monday, June 2, 2008, Carnegie Hall hosted the Annual Notable Ocassion. This event was created for the Notables (Membership Program that I'm proud to support). In this ocassion, organizers and members shared afterwork cocktails at Bulgari Store (Fith avenue and 57th street) during more than one hour. Following this special party, we were invited to a private performance at Zankel Hall. A potpourri of melodies composed by Leonard Bernstein brought the mixture of youth and classic style typical of this composer to the audience . Besides the playing of Copland's "El Salon Mexico" (arr. Bernstein) by Gabriela Martinez and Elizabeth Joy Roe, outstanding singers reached our ears with their wonderful voices with a set of songs and duets from "Candide" and "West Side Story". Jason Danieley (Baritone) entered proudly and charming into the stage showing all his strenght and passion for the fisrt song. Not only his voice was remarkable, but also his attitude and corporal expression seen in his hands strongly holding each other with the most frenetically composed pieces.

Jason Danieley, later introduced Anna Christy (soprano), who made also a performance based not only in her pleasant voice but in her professional and enjoyable acting adapted to the mood of the song. Both of them were accompanied by the pianist David Loud.

After this delightful performance, members and guests had dinner at Carnegie Hall's Rohartyn Room where many of us made some new friends and exchanged opinions on the most varied topics that affect people during current days.

Thanks to the organizers and responsibles for the Carnegie Hall Notables membership program (Particularly Tyler Armstrong, who has been a good professional worker keeping in touch with -who-knows-how-many busy members like me). This event encouraged me to keep supporting a great institution with great goals. Goals based in the art of music of all the times and all the life. It was an agreeable and notable ocassion.

A warm and natural concert: The Knights

2008-06-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

It was raining during the morning but for that afternoon the sky cleared for a while. Then, I took the bus going downtown to 17th street where I walked through until Washington Irving School. Some days before I had the oportunity to attend the rehearsal of The Knights. The Knights are a gorup of musicians that look pretty young and enjoy playing classical music. However ,I doesn't preclude they wouln't be able to enjoy other style in music. During this rehearsal (which was held at the Brooklyn Liceum) I found the orchestra members playing carefully one the pieces that later I would listen to completely. Every performer seemed to feel a musician: no apparent big egos, no attitude, just an interest to play and do it as best as they can.

The venue for the concert was The Washington Irving High School auditorium. There they were The Knights. No air conditioner but with intense lamps focused on the stage and part of the audience. Under these conditions, the humidity after the Manhattan's rain just was higher inside the hall. But the knights were giving the final touches to their performance. They were dressed up sweeting to almost dehydration in the stage. With lights turned on, they started playing nothing else than Beethoven's Pastorale. Everything was forgotten at that precise time. The Pastorale is a piece full of images based in country figures. Many events of the nature are represented in its melody and require precision in terms of time and sound's intensity. The Knights gave their kind treatment to the piece making the audience smile while the melody got younger in their instruments. They really broke protocols to the point at where the listeners got some confusion at the end of each moment (aplauses were ready and complete the 5 times). Eric Jacobsen stared the audience with a satisfaction smile (the smile of a musician). The sound in the auditorium was good and also allowed the noise of a new rain to incorporate to the orchestra. During the mid of the piece (where bucolic paints had place) the storm outside also found its moment in the hall. It was a beautyful playing of the Pastorale.

The Knights changed their technique to an "Motion Picture Academy Orchestra" style. One of the violinists sang several of her songs with the symphonic company and a acoustic guitar with an accordion. For the surprise of the mixed audience, the violinist had a mixture Bjork and most of the trendy alternative singers in her voice. Although, I believe that the accordion player didn't get an individual response from the public, this performer got my whole abstrated atention during this second part of the concert. He just did an outstanding job making of his instrument a quiet male choir singer sharing the scene with Christina Courtin.

I really enjoyed this The Knights' performance. I hope to hear them playing again soon (In a fresher room).

Their website: http://www.knightsmusic.net/about/default.asp

Transfigured Night in NYC with Brahms and Schoenberg music

2008-05-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

It was my intention to develop this post several weeks ago. However, I thought about it a little more and here it goes. And I will write about it as first person in the story...

I got a special invitation to attend a private performance at 15th east - 65th street. It was scheduled at evening and I thought I was late. I decided to take a cab for being there on time. In a very close point I agreed with the driver to walk toward the venue. The street was quiet (being Sunday) and I walked into the place. Gently, hosts at the entrance welcomed my presence and invited me to enter into a wooden room with friendly and elegant people talking and having some cocktails and hors d'oevres. I joined to a conversation where somebody was talking pleasantly about the organizer (who is my friend and who later came to greet the guests indiviudally). After gathering more and more assistants to the event, everybody started to move upstairs to the concert hall. Lines of seats were settled around the musicians area. I found a place (thanks to other friends) in the third row and waited for the start.

Usually, concerts are surrounded by that impersonal atmosphere where we have to deal with the notes of the program on the Playbill with its advertisements. Here, I thought that the experience would be similar until James Roe entered and started his talk about the first piece we would listen to: Sextet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 36 by Johannes Brahms.

The string sextet constituted by Vera Beths, Mark Steinberg, David Cerutti, Dov Scheindlin, Nina Lee, and Myron Lutzke joined all their strengths to denote their passion, commitment, and time dedicated to practice. Playing in small environments and with selected audience is challenging and they gave respect and compromise for both factors. They together gave me the opportunity to hear Brahms live for the first time and invited me to learn more about him and his works.

After a brief intermission we all came back to the hall. To a collective surprise, James Roe introduced the following piece: "Verklarte Nacht", Op. 4 by Arnold Schoenberg. Although I didn't know about this composer I was excited about what I would hear. Roe did something really unusual. Musicians stepped into the room and were invited to play segments of the piece to be heard. A religious experienced just started...

The Romantic era of classical music was really prodigious. Perhaps composers found an audience that tried to gather their feelings and emotions for understanding their purpose in life. Richard Dehmel wrote the poem "Verklarte Nacht" (Transfigured Night) full of images plenty of idilic and bucolic figures:

"Two people are walking through the bare, cold grove;

the moon accompanies them..."

and a dramatic love story begins to be developed in less than an hour. Each section of the poem was transfigured for the audience into segments of music. Roe started to show sections of the string that described the tale. Each musical expression has its meaning in parts of the poem. Each sentiment from the poem was drawn meticulously by Schoenberg with the combination of musical notes. The two people in the Dehmel's writing were psychologically analyzed and their feelings were organized into musical instruments. Beyond that, their emotional structure was presented and divided into musical strings instruments. At that moment, under such intensive analysis we (the audience) began to see a film in our minds. Roe reached this goal due to his engagement and his careful research about the piece. This was repeated for every critical moment in our virtual movie. After that, we all were ready to listen to the composition when the musicians started. We all found a story in the piece that was unbuilt for our understanding and then rebuilt by the performers.

No doubt, this event became a "Transfigured Night" for the public that evening. Later I told to James Roe:

"The dialogue between the instruments was so emotional that I felt a strong communication among the musicians going beyond expressive eyes or other signals. It was through a paranormal communication with their instruments. It's difficult for me to explain that, but I believe it's due to practice and rehearsals... It was like if the musicians were blind and mute and had to reach each other with music"

This was an brilliant job made reality by the Helicon Foundation. Good job, there. Later I went for dinner in good company walking through 5th avenue toward 57th street.

Brahms - A German Requiem - At Carnegie Hall

2008-05-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

There's a prayer I recalled earlier today. Then, later in this evening it came back to my mind. Here there are some excerpts:

"Let nothing trouble you

Let nothing scare you

All is fleeting...

Patience

Everything obtains..."

Johannes Brahms composed his German Requiem when he was in his 30s. He already meet the death of some close people. During that period of his life he started interesting friendships (Clara Schuman and her family, for example). The result is an extraordinary musical piece full of simplicity and sobriety. I had been training myself on this piece listening to a recorded version played by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and sang by Chicago Symphony Chorus with Kiri Te Kanawa and Bernd Weikl. However, The Oratorio Society of New York with Susana Phillips and Christopher Feigum with the Orchestra of the Society directed all by Kent Tritle gave an outstanding live version not only of the Requiem but also of the Tragic Overture in D minor. I was expecting that this concert would open with the German Requiem and was scared that it would be followed by a piece of 15 minutes duration. To my surprise the expectancy of the concert was seed by the Overture revealing a warm Orchestra playing a piece that was enjoyable in all its movements. The fifteen minutes went pretty quick, full of melody and no thoughts (just music) stretching our ears for exercising with the following hour and a half piece.

The combination of the poetry and music in this composition makes of it very special. Brahms seemed to avoid the typical religious signals that humankind has linked to death. Here I found a very particular note in the program that my mind tried to make it its own. Marie Gansemi wrote: "speaks to the mourners, comforting them and reminding them that the inevitability of death makes it a part of life". I thought about the death shade in China last week, the death of relatives, the death of friends of my friends... I thought about how to understand these happenings. The Brahms' Requiem opened more doors in my thinking process. While the orchestra played a game of mourn and resignation, quitting the pain in the soul and at the same time holding the reality of a loss. The sequence of "screams", joy and peace with its pauses between movements were brilliantly put together by the performers. Although sometimes the female voices were really predominant (maybe due to the overcrowded segment of the gender), the director knew how to balance this issue. Several times (particularly during the second to last movement) female and male voices appeared like waves in the ocean reinforced by the instruments of the orchestra. An this was repeated during the music playing often.

"Be patient, beloved brethern, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer tends the delicious fruits of the earth, patiently awaiting the morning and evening rains". This was part of one of the songs that reminded me of the prayer mentioned at the start of this text. The piece is full of feelings, empty of fruitless religion. It is like a recommendation of a psychotherapist when they give comfort but help you understand the importance of accepting what's happening. The piece is to be heard several times and listening to it live is also a requirement because the music and the lyrics are more than food for thoughts. It is a composition that deserves attention.

Thanks to the Oratorio Society of NY for making of this, very complicated week, a week for the meditation and for creating a well nourished perspective of life. Some things really difficult may happen but they may be part of the past tomorrow... How music can promote clean paths of thought!

"... our restless pursuits are like vapor. We head up stores and know not who will use them..." (from "Herr, lehre doch mich" 3rd movement of the Requiem). Hard and cold sentences, perhaps they also pass some day and human beings live their life more happily.

A lunch time some days ago

2008-05-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

These are the days when I leave office and go for a walk near by. I thought that taking a walk would give some freshness to my mind for keep working. I just finished lunch some days ago and said to myself: let's go for a walk, the day is gorgeous outside. It was a kind of gift for my constant thinking process. Then, I went out through 42nd street and found life. My neighbors in the city were enjoying the light, the sun itself, the colors, the life. I thought how great my city was this day. I thought how delicate was the virtual painter choosing the colors and chasing the place. I had my "lethal weapon". A complicated mixture of taste and technology joined to my right hand in my pocket holding the camera. And I found a crowd high due to the touch of nature in the environment. The street were fresh and crowded, full of curiosity and innocence in the sidewalks. The cars were desperate looking for a path. I was walking pretty quickly making my "no destiny" journey. People arriving to the street from the box of Grand Central Station. Others running to find a gate there. Opened mouths looking at the hawk and the teeth of the Chrysler. Steps and minds together. Me... finding the beauty. Specially when I arrived to the 5th where people were mixed among tourists and furtive workers. And I arrived to the Library where red colors reflected the light again. However, in Bryant Park, people found themselves forgetting many things. Just meeting with them. Having an irrational moment of a grouped humankind. Meanwhile, I looked for an image of that moment. When I found what an alien would find if they arrive in the Earth at that moment. Human beings living a life together. Here they are. Having fun at lunch time. I just thought we can be together. It was positive for just an hour. That was New York at lunch time in spring time. Great...

A visit to "Caracas Arepa Bar" in Manhattan

2008-05-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

Food is also a big pleasure. Particularly when it is well prepared. Finding good places to eat in NY is also a big pleasure and yesterday I felt as an expert. "Caracas Arepa bar" is a place very typical from Venezuela in the big apple. Almost everything is exactly like in Venezuela. The difference are the customers. The informality (they don't accept reservations), the people who work there (all smiles and camaraderie), the drinks (unfortunately it is unbelievable they don't have "Solera" beers), the movement in the place (very tight like in the best and popular places in Venezuela), as well as the arepas in plastic baskets, make of this place a really typical restaurant more than some in Maracaibo, Porlamar, Barquisimeto, Valencia, or Caracas. They were out of business cards ("no hay"). The combination of flavors are as exquisite and traditional as in home there. The species/condiments, the white cheese, the black beans, blossom as it has to be in each dish. There's no insinuation of snobism. There's simplicity and adequacy in the portions. There's no "haute venezuelan cuisine" but almost perfect "really traditional local kitchen". No mixtures and no newness. It's exactly as a venezuelan friend would cook for you a traditional recipe. No industrial flavors. I was very pleased with the size of the arepas (a perfect dose maybe based on my medical background) as well as the content. The "Pabellon" has the right amounts of rice, meat, beans, plantains, and cheese (in fact I would say that it includes the apetizer and an entree in terms of proportions based on the nature of the components). The tequegnos were fantastic (just important to be careful when biting because of the water from the cheese that could be sprayed out). Tostones and little spicy guacamole as they are prepared in some beaches there. In summary, this is a place to visit to feel the real sensation of a venezuelan "taguarita" in New York. I had loved to hear some local music instead of reagge (but that's also typical of Venezuela: they don't attach to paradigms when it's time to hang out with friends - who cares if you're having fun). I believe I will be back (to this restaurant...) and also my friends from USA, Sweden, Holland, and Poland said the same. Caracas Arepa Bar: 93 1/2 east, 7th street, New York, New York. They are still working on their website (very typical too): www.caracasarepabar.com - Good job guys!

Hey Mayra Andrade... We couldn't talk

2008-05-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

... yesterday. Your performance at The Zanker Hall last night was outstanding. When I entered into the hall for finding my seat I could see many seats were empty. I hadn't hear about you until Carnegie Hall posted your future performance there. I previously documented myself about your country (Cape Verde) and looked for some videos of your previous presentations. I also tried to hear more the music of Cesaria Evora (one of the most confusing musics for me given that I don't feel it easy to categorize). I waited for your show for about ten minutes in company of a friend with whom I drank some champagne before. Your musicians presented themselves with happy faces ready to receive you on stage. Then you walked slowly and elegant through the scene with an unusual style for us Newyorker audience at the Carnegie Hall. Your voice came after yourself. A combination of melody and rhythm in the first piece with your varied voice started the show. I have to describe your voice as varied because some times it was harsh and most of the time was choral, operatic, almost mezzo-soprano. Your voice turned into aggressive from sweet and from crying into angry and then it came back to its original (which I can't easily define but I guess it is like traditional in Cape Verde) with every piece in a perfect mood.

When you looked into the audience it was like eliciting a "please look at me" from each listener in the public. When you took your strange but "full of freedom" hair, it was like sending fresh breeze to us. This gesture mixed with your long light blue and white dress was like seeing you coming from the sky. You also sang a solo with a composer that seemed to enjoy your singing more than ever. Your drummer... just a god behind you sending signals, beats for your heart that you helped several times beating your exposed chest. The cords in those three musicians convinced of their sounds because they were also believing in you more than ever that time. They really supported your performance. The collective reaction was in crescendo song after song until we couldn't keep seated. Your speech showed a delicate and smooth persona, with pleasant manners, with sensitivity, with shyness and respect, with your youth, with all your presence on stage. You maybe didn't realize but you made people happy, cry, opened mouth, melancholic, nostalgic... you talked to us about the beach, about fishermen, about moments in Cape Verde...

And this was your first presentation in the US... keep coming... keep coming Mayra Andrade... although we can't have a short talk about what motivates you to sing what you sing and how you do that.

A new Path

2008-05-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

... and I read and smiled

and felt an internal peace

my inner senses led me to feel peace

and I also felt fear

I don't know why to fear

but it was a need

more than a need it was egocentrism

I just wanted my own attention

I just wanted to realize I was enjoying

I have had many illusions

none was as my life today

and I read and smiled again

It was like admonish to myself

to my world

my illusion

while the foggy air cut me short of flying away

to follow my arrow in the sky

I talked and heard myself

and I smiled

I had a subtle idea rounding my mind

and I smiled

I felt the world, my world changing

I kept the path and saw the singing birds

the blossom flowers

the hands held

finding the illusion made real

and I smiled

while the previous world was going away

slowly

but sure

full of memories that opened a present

to live

and I smiled

I did.

Flowering Art(s)

2008-04-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I forgot to write my thoughts about a concert that I attended recently: "Les Arts Florissants". Some years ago I began to get information about Baroque music. It was like getting some sense of emotional music available for every moment of the day, for every moment in the history, for every mood. Baroque music began to open an uncover area in the field of arts with some short pieces or long ones with different pitches and harmonies dedicated to personalities of those moments of those countries. More than an intentional curiosity from my side, learning a little about baroque music was accompanied by a appreciation of its melodies.

For the first time I dedicated my time to hear french composers of Baroque music inspired on christianity and full of emotions to elicit sense of compassion from the audience. The music composed by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Jean-Baptiste Lully, and Marin Marais was played with sincerity under the direction of William Christie (who played the organ and Harpsichord). The singers were not fluent with their voices but with their expressions. All they looked to like the saints in a chapel. Their faces could be easily transfered to the altars and it was part of the concert too. I believe that Charpentier was more cheerful than Lully although the motives were sacred.

In terms of the voices, I wandered if it was the same during 17th and 18th centuries. It's like in the current days one can hear nice voices in the church, non-professional singers singing with all their love for the religion. I wandered if those singers had directions of imitating the simplicity of the churches.

I consider that the piece "Le Reniement de Saint Pierre" with all that story related to St. Peter's denial created clear emotions about that moment of the passion. I did like that piece in its whole context (story, music, interaction between singers and with the musicians).

In general, this concert provided me with some insights to search more about baroque music and appreciate low pitches in music (which perhaps displaced the importance of musical instruments to allow the voices be heard).

Perspectives: Bobby McFerrin and Orchestra St. Luke's

2008-04-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

Some weeks ago, I attended a concert at Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic playing "St. Matthew's Passion"... I felt so disappointed for many reasons, particularly because I trained myself for going there and the orchestra just made a mess.

Today, I attended a performance of Orchestra of St. Luke's conducted by Bobby McFerrin playing Prokofiev, Ravel, and Faure and it was just an outstanding performance showing that Carnegie Hall accepted a great combination of somebody who loves music with enthusiastic musicians excited (and respectful) about the pieces, the concert, the conductor, and the audience.

With the interpretation of Prokoviev's "Classical" some tears appeared in my eyes giving me the sensation that somebody, somewhere, someday composed this piece and the OSL just resuscitated dying flowers. The sounds were so clean and toned, so full of passion and sobriety, that the audience kneeled with their silence. These features persisted through all the performance.

"Le tombeau de Couperin" composed by Maurice Ravel was like a christmas carol inviting to meditate and feel the energy taking a break some times and mixing the instruments that exchanged their main role with subtlety: from winds to strings to percussion and in reverse. The OSL showed their professionalism with elegance and sweetness.

After the improvisations made by Mr. McFerrin (including Ave Maria, a Disney song, and Twinkle twinkle), the "Requiem", by Gabriel Faure, with the voices of Morgan State University Choir, opened a pray in the middle of the afternoon in a hall that they turned into a church. The stars (Nathan Gunn and Dominique Labelle) incorporated to a choir that gave their best with some shyness until they realized that people were there for assessing their relationship with a popular musician during the performance. After they understood how important it was for us to listen to them, they just gave their heart.

Undoubtedly, Mr. McFerrin taught the audience about his respect for classical music. He moved his arm with such delicacy that allowed to see the link between his ear, his directions, and the sounds of the groups of instruments.

During the improvisation's session, McFerrin also played his chest and voice like a guitar some times eliciting several sounds in parallel that made me think if it was that I was hearing delayed sounds from the sound system.

Once more, OSL discovered for me a synchronic way to play music with excellence on different type of circumstances like today under the conductance of a soft and delightful style from Mr. McFerrin.

At least I understood that the NY Philharmonic just did it wrong before.

From Handel to Home... honoring the music and the mood...

2008-02-17T20:51:00.000-08:00

A wonderful combination of young voices and orchestra under the happy conduction of Ton Koopman. This evening was another one of those happy evenings here. Zanker Hall should be acknowledged for its wide seats as well as its modern environment. Ton Koopman conducted the Orchestra of St. Luke's and the Ton Koopman Young Artist Choir prepared by Andrew Megill and gave pleasure to my ears with all the harmony and elegant passion of GF Handel. Two rows of young people dressed with vivid colors surrounded the orchestra which included hapsichord and organ. They were brought to the front to give life to these pieces full of background given by history and love for music. The eyes of the singers were shiny and their faces showed the level of concentration that is reached after long periods of practice. "Ode for St. Cecilia's Day" included a poem dedicated to the factors that defined music by those times. It was a presentation of respects for the instruments and elements of the music it many aspects. According to experts St. Cecilia was a martyr and had the same destiny of the beautiful melodies that you can't stop of listening it. After an intermission, Koopman brought "Dettingen" - Te Deum where basses of the chorus gave a great demonstration of beauty of sounds. I felt like listening a stereo just for me... The last phrase of "Dettingen" needs to be alive always: "O lord, in thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded"...

My great friend invited me to join to him and his guest in NY to enjoy some time together at a very friendly restaurant in 67th between Broadway and Columbus. I went walking under the rain which wasn't heavy but made the moment pretty wet. After the nice moments, came back home through 59th street by the lower border of Central Park, where a fog and lights joined in a chorus to give company to my walk...

More... music and music (Ensemble Matheus with Jennifer Larmore)

2008-02-08T07:29:00.000-08:00

Ensemble Matheus... Jean-Christhophe Spinosi (Director and violin player!!) gave an example of what is loving music and finding a program with an easy access to all audiences for a Thursday evening in NYC at the Zanker Hall. Jean-Christophe smiled a lot and transferred his taste for baroque music as well as his passion for the voice of Jennifer Larmore (Mezzo-Soprano) as another instrument at this performance.
The day had been boring and I was expecting for this concert enthusiast for Handel, Gluck, Teleman, and Vivaldi's compositions. It was more than worthy. I thought I wouldn't sleep after hearing this set of wonderful music, however I had a good rest after it. I enjoyed the voice and "acting" of Ms. Larmore (she really thought she was at the actual opera) and how she worked so nicely with Spinosi. I have to consider that the sound at the hall wasn't the best and I don't know why, but the performers did a great job.
Jean-Marc Goujon (Flute) and Luis Berduschi (recorder) played with the Ensable the Concerto for Flute and Recorder in E Minor and it reminded me of the birds early in the morning (when I woke up every sunday where I used to live my early years)... they just developed a real lovely environment in the hall... they turned the Zanker in a forest suddenly.
"Venti Turbini" was just great when Ms. Larmore turned her head to say those words to each side of the audience and competing for the target of the audience against the instrument taht played as if it should be another mezzo-soprano.
Spinosi and Larmore with the Ensamble were very kind when gave an additional piece to please the audience.
It was a great evening at Zanker Hall...

Music, Music, and more...

2008-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

This sunday I went to hear St. Luke's Orchestra conducted By Xiang Zhang performing "Three studies from Couperin" (Thomas Ades), Piano Concerto No.5 (Beethoven), and Symphony No.4 in B flat Major Op. 60. It was a nice day here in NYC and I had seat at the last row in the orchestra. When the concert began I have to confess that I was expecting something really modern coming from Ades so I just began to read the program; however, I had to stop reading because the melodic composition held my ears completely. The begining of "Three studies of Couperin" has bass with a more star role, then this is followed by dropping (leaking) water like sounds from violins leading to sensations of a kid's game discovering music where it was supposed to be. This piece was fantastic and really increased my interest in Ades' composition and his personal interpretation of music (unfortunately, the last may take time because I think there's no book about him).
Beethoven... I was reluctant to accept his genius due to the typical rumors over his personality as well as the identification of the snobish with everything he composed. The piano hasn't been my favorite instrument until recently, when I've been more exposed to his sonatas (Recent Leon Fleischer Young Artists performance) as well as some of his bios. The Helene Grimaud performance was outstanding and I have to say that after her palying I love piano and Beethoven's music. The Ms. Grimaud's hands articulated so perfectly with Xhang conductance of the friendly St. Lukes in this Piano Concerto No.5 (Emperor in E Flat major, Op.73) that I went right away to buy her record of this piece. I've been exposed to Clifford Curzon playing of the same piece (which is great), but listening it live was just sensational and is something to remember.
The 4th. symphony (in B flat Major, Po.60) was played really special given my previous considerations about the composer. I thought this was my father's favorite but it wasn't. It was just great however I had thought about a different order for this program given that Emperor was more active that the 4th.
Helene, Xiang, St. Lukes... Thanks a lot for this.

Combination, Fusion, Variations.... Uri Caine

2008-01-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

Cold walk from 42nd street to Astor Place. I found Gramercy Park in my way there but it was a dark place. I arrived to Joe's Pub due to the availability of complimentary tickets to hear Uri Caine and his ensamble playing a fusion of jazz and classical music. The place was a kind of overcrowded and the music had begun to play when I entered into the place. It was interesting to me the reading of the program where I found a sort of explanation about this music. Uri Caine someday said he wanted to play a combination of improvisation and typical (in this case: classical). I believe it was a mixture of scheduled improvisation and deviations of classical music. however, I can't deny that the sound of the classical areas were an unusual form to play them. Mozart music allowed the changes (I think his music can be updated in different shapes) and it was an easy way to introduce the style this evening. My appreciation of reactions in the audience were varied: some were just eating, others drinking, someones happy, and some hands were just busy. I would like to hear more from Uri, given his engagement with the piano and his respect for the other instruments during the play (clarinet, trumpet, drums). It was obvious (at least for me) the protagonic role of violin although most of the introductions in each piece were caught by drums. Uri and his team gave a passionate expresion of classics that needs to be processed carfully in a more extended period of time.

There was something that I liked from the general scene. There were several changes in the background colors which helped me understand the impact of some variations of the music. Those changes told to me that there were more forms to see what was in front of my eyes (and my ears) already.

The evening was followed by a mushrooms, spinach, and fetta cheese omelett...

The picture here is a variation of his at the website http://www.uricaine.com/

Senses

2008-01-27T18:50:00.000-08:00

Exploring... It was a way to explore the environment of the city. I went with a friend to have dinner at a nice italian restaurant in the Chelsea Neighborhood. My pasta was very good, however, although some of the restaurants of the city can have excellent food... customers can be really annoying for the others because they try to speak aloud, aloud, and more aloud. Anyway, for being Friday, the restaurant was not so crowded and my friend and I had a good time there. I can't remember the name of that place but I believe I can find it easily...

This saturday represented a new way to see more things in the city. Several streets (that looked pretty quiet) were in fact the venue of paints, photography, and sculpture. They abridged the path to meet many artists and my senses. I have to tell that I really enjoyed opening doors, going down stairs, watching through very weird windows, etc in every building from 22nd to 27th street between 10th and 11th avenue: "The Art Galleries"... I enjoyed a portraits exhibition (where I registered to be updated about similar works), the paints of Michael Owen (due to the combination of innocence and perfection in the colors and drawing), the works of Jeffrey Reed (with those houses in the country... full of light and blue skies), as well as some others. I believe that it was great to take the elevator to the last upper level and start the adventure of the galleries. I really think that it was a wonderful idea and hope to repeat it.

I think that these 2 pictures summarize my feelings at that day... that ended with a good dinner at one of the most friendly french restaurants of the city: L'entrecote at 1st between 58th and 59th. I would recommend this restaurant if somebody is looking for spoiling and a complete meal. I've been there twice and I think I would go back...

All the senses in a few days.

August: Osage County

2008-01-16T12:40:00.000-08:00

A completeley dysfunctional family... Almost everybody was under the influence of some type of substance: nicotine, alcohol, marihuana... Together they seemed to be trying to get together. They wanted to be friendly and normal with each other someway. However, the destiny changes when the patriarch dies and it's the moment to realize of the links they share. The mother was always trying to receive attention and seems to sublimate in the youngness of her daughters. The daughters were represented by three ladies with different perspectives about life and family. Although they have the blood link, each one is clear about the differences among them. The representation allows them to ask: who has chosen the relatives?...
In an intent to deal with the dilemma of accepting the deterioration of their lives (or maybe souls) , they get together with their problems and perspective. Unfortunately, the excess of energy over the table reaches its highest. The true supervenes. The lies too. When there's time for the meditation, many thoughts cover their spirits. So, they found themselves in very peculiar states of mind. They have to separate from each other. They need to find their individuality. They need to realize that they really exist as individuals.
Life goes on but with an understanding: lonlyness is the best for them... although death may be around.
Three acts, three floors of a house, three sisters, a distorted genealogic tree. A very interesting couple buffer the situation but, at the end, it's so much. Then, this couple gets so much involved in the dysfunction.
Message for me: understand yourself, listen to yourself, and remember that nobody belongs to anybody... just respect to your relatives.

Everybody wants to rule the world

2007-12-12T20:10:00.001-08:00

My first jazz concert... That was good. A somewhat cold evening turned into a warm one with the music of "The Bad Plus". This jazz trio articulated each component to result in a huge pyramid. The basement of the group seemed to be composed of more than traditional or modern jazz. It resulted in an outstanding performance of well communicated piano, bass, and drums. David King (drummer) was more than a musician. He was like the singer of the band. His gestures, his movements, his huge concentration and introduction of "odd" instruments were also like the dancer and the singer. The humor of Ethan Iverson generated laughs in the audience and his intensity of piano playing was definitive to soften the enthusiasm of King. Reid Anderson showed how melodic can be the bass, providing with control of the whole background, the pillow of the fluent music.

No doubt that the program was very well thought. The progression from the strong to the melodic coming back to the strong and coming to the relaxing was also perfectly driven by the musicians.

Their interpretation of "Everybody wants to rule the world" elicited different reactions from myself. I was looking for the real style of the song. It wasn't neither pop nor rock. It established a struggle (maybe political) between the drums and the piano while the bass tried to calm down both of them. The drums sounded like the discussion of those who want rule the world. The piano was like the world to be governed. The bass was like the voice of wisdom trying to reduce the chaos. That was sincerely brilliant.

Actually, the whole concert was relaxing and energizing at the same time. No parameters to measure and no restrictions to the feelings that the musical pieces could generate in the audience.

It was worthy. At the end they satisfied the ovation with an additional piece.

The evening became colder and windy and, although I decided to come home walking, I had to stop to get a hot beverage on my way.

Nobody wanted to rule the world then.

Ice and Angels in the city

2007-12-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

The park (Bryant Park) was full of people. All ages together skating happy as if everyone were kids. The amazing of the picture was the white and the blue. Like the sky (blue and white), the park has changed its color this time. I walked around and found a Christmas market with a nice tree ornamenting the square. A tall tree, tingling lights at that moment and with nice decoration that attracted me (literally). Nothing explicable, just smooth and nice... like a "real" Christmas spirit. In that moment there was no abrogation against the pureness... only the liberty to feel being in Christmas.

I came back to the entrance and walked among chairs and tables of the park... Looking for a good sight of the skate ring. I took my chair and felt the cold breeze in my face so I thought it was time to listen to some music (carols maybe). My thinking flow around my head and my hands felt the need to write something. My eyes told me that it was worthwhile to look what was happening. Then I changed my chair and sat in front of the ice skate ring and watched the kids, the youth, the women, and men finding their entertainment, their happiness, their time to feel free.

I was there for maybe an hour enjoying the joy of others.

I stand up and walked more errands until finding a coffee to drink some tea.

What it's nice is finding that everybody was living their moment although it wasn't the best given some news in other state.

I was thinking today about angels or one angel particularly. Since long time ago I heard about a very specific angel (who existed really). The same angel visited me several times (not live of course). The same angel (this makes me crazy) appeared in different shapes (including wood) around me. I have a figure of an angel made of wood that looks through my window (the same that was over my bed before). Today I watched a movie related to an angel in different shapes and materials that made me think about coincidences (again)... I had to talk to a friend about this and we share some laughs. I could see that maybe that angel is always around me and I didn't realize it. Perhaps I shouldn't write about this given that Christmas Angels may distract.

I would write more... soon.

Einstein on the beach

2007-12-06T21:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if it was that I was prepared or not... but I feel that I understand this composition. The opera is made in 4 acts with a strong stimulation of all the senses. Since the beginning the impact to the ears is constant and consistent. The music is different most of the times, from the traditional classical music. This is an absolute classical composition with an insistency for the listener to understand that it is music. It was amazing for me when a lady just exhaled loudly at the end of the scene 1 in the first act. The incorporation of the human voice as a musical instrument is also unexpected. Here the voices aren't an ingredient but an essential part of the play. I believe that the evolution of the melody from the mechanical toward the nature is achieved smoothly when the whole piece is seen in its whole context.

Einstein on the beach seems to me the transition of what we consider noise to what we consider opera. The "virtual" story begins with a trip in a train in which thoughts and ideas come one after the other. The train seems to be the invitation to thinking more than to listen. When the speed of the train reaches its highest level, then it's time to rest, to take a break and sleep. The sleep seems to be pushed with the repetitive sound of the violin solo that I can't deny shows the need and satisfaction of virtuoso in the opera. The senses become stronger and able to appreciate its presence. During the sleep, there's some type of relaxation and finally the train dies with everything in it to make the audience engage in the sensibility awaken during the night.

Symbols seem to appear and go away but in the interim the music evokes somebody (maybe Einstein) thinking and generating chains of ideas and ideas and ideas... the sleep and dreams are present again (with the violin) and a female voice comes to the scene to take care of the listener.

Finally everything is in a Spaceship where the audience looks for theories about what has happened.

The Knee Plays are real poems not only due to the words but due to the feelings and confusions that can arouse in the listener. The lady and the gentleman make a big performance with their voices in the play.

Phillip Glass and the ensemble did a good job, Tim Fain at the violin was amazing, the chorus was apocaliptical and the actors with their voices are to remember.

Then I left the Carnegie Hall at 11:00 pm, walking by 57th under 20 degrees Farenheit... It was worthwile.

No picture today... I need to think...

November 2007 was going away

2007-12-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

December 2007 has arrived and weather seems to correspond to the season. People seem to be relaxed as waiting for a new beggining and a renewal of their life. People seem to abide by the trend in the air: to share and acknowledge the hope of the world.
I feel that adults are healthly acting as kids: enjoying everything they can in the outsides, with coworkers, at stores, and at home. I believe they are acting with their original instincts when they smile each other. I, as a human being, am enjoying the same way.
I can't deny the pressure of commercial advertisements everywhere to spend all the money everyone can. However, it's a right to spend or to use the money they have produced with their effort as everyone prefer without harming anything or anybody else.
Anyway... I have to tell that there's magic and I'm pretty sure it's almost everywhere... Something happens in December and seems to be good for almost everybody.
I also believe that this is a period to offer love and respect for ourselves, to recognize our own efforts and to rejoice in our reached goals. That's a way to feel and understand that we can drive our energy consistently with the principles of the wellness and logical paths in the universe.
This week in New York was really preparatory for the season. Some days were warm but other were chilly. The stores look more shining with their lights, and christmas trees are gathered by the sidewalks offering a the chance to be creative, to be made up at home.
I went to Columbus Circle and had to stay there for an hour watching the ornament lights changing according to christmass carols, full of energy and enthusiasm and moving to the rythm of our hearts.
Last Wednesday, Rockefeller Center lighted their Christmas Tree and it was amazing how people met there to live that moment. It was not the TV station which attracted the crowd, it was nothing else but the lighting of the giant tree (and I was there). Crowds surrounded the tree, just looking at it, waiting for the special moment that took just a second... and many cried when the tree was lighted...
Many smiled and cried....

NYC Marathon (spanish)

2007-11-25T03:27:00.000-08:00

Hoy estuve de espectador en el marathon de NY 2007... un caudal de energia positiva con una mezclas de personas de los mas variados origenes y con distintas motivaciones para ganar y para apoyar a los corredores que simplemente eran un aliento para estar presente. Mi ubicacion fue en una esquina a la vuelta de mi apartamento por donde los corredores hacian su ultima entrada en Manhattan y se dirigian a la meta en Central Park. Me gusto chocar "esos cinco" con corredores que pasaban cerca de mi baranda... Me gusto ver y oir a los espectadores gritando y aupando a los competidores... me dio un gusto tremendo ver corredores en sillas de ruedas, en muletas, ancianos, al segnor Joe (un anciano que iba apoyado en el brazo de otro segnor con su numero en el pecho), a la mama de Zoe (asi decia su franela), a la barra de Espagna, los gritos de la gente cuando un corredor exigia aplausos cuando pasaba, la policia aplaudiendo a los corredores, los voluntarios dando agua y gatorade, los amigos apoyando a sus amigos, los desconocidos apoyando paises (porque si pasaba un mexicano gritaban: Arriba Mexico!!, si pasaba un frances: Vive la France!!, si pasaba Italia: Forza Italia!!)... La bandera venezolana en una acera de enfrente, algunos venezolanos tambien corriendo (incluido mi amigo Freddy a quien espere en mi calle pero el me saludo primero a mi que yo a el). Otros corredores disfrazados: Scotland Yard, Chapulin Colorado, Guerra de las Galaxias... Los musicos en vivo con musica de Los Jackson 5s, canciones country, etc... La espeluznante entrada de los Kenianos (los primeros corredores)... Hay muchas cosas que no puedo describir pero lo puedo resumir en una experiencia inspiradora y motivacional que que reafirma la capacidad del ... ser humano para seguir adelante, estimular a los demas, generar solidaridad y alimentar la fraternidad. Otra experiencia mas en el centro humano energetico del universo... Un comercial dice: La gente no viene de Nueva York... La gente VIENE a Nueva York.

Central Park in Autum (spanish)

2007-11-25T03:18:00.000-08:00

Esta magnana, parte de mis vacaciones, me senti animado a buscar algo que hacer y me entusiasme a atravesar el Central Park para llegar al Lincoln Center y comprar entradas para un concierto este viernes. La temperatura no estaba muy fria pero tenia un plan entre manos: comprobar la variedad de colores del Central Park durante el otogno... Lo impresionante es que al comenzar a atravesarlo saltaron a mi vista los verdes, los purpuras, los amarillos y marrones juntandose en un impresionante concierto de naturales expresiones. Tuve que detenerme para cerciorarme de la realidad en la pintura alrededor del lago... y creo que todos los visitantes del parque estaban cegados del brillo de la naturaleza. Las ardillas estaban apresuradas recogiendo frutos, las aves estaban como desesperadas por reconocer un rumbo, el cielo (nublado temprano) comenzaba a abrirse para mostrar las trazas ocultas del azul que prefirio mantenerse escondido ante tanta variedad de matices vegetales. Anexo, unas muestras de ese "concierto clasico de colores"... hubiera querido compartirlo en vivo pero siempre habra oportunidad para ello.