Friday, April 27, 2007
Another Evening at Symphony
I've been musically traumatized ever since the forced listening to the Schoenberg violin concerto (see below) at Symphony Hall. My disgust that we still perform that crap so many years later had a powerful effect on me. I've paid careful attention to all kinds of music trying to find some that sucks almost as much as Schoenberg. I've had no success at finding anything as remotely awful. I mean, I think Pink Floyd really sucks, but they can't hold a candle to Schoenberg.
The final concert of our season subscription to the Boston Symphony was conducted by Andre Previn, and began with Mozart's lovely and famous Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. This always reminds me of the scene at the beginning of Amadeus, where the priest talking to Salieri recognizes its opening melody and enthusiastically sings a bit of it and says how much he loves that piece and didn't realize Salieri had written it. He didn't; it was Mozart. Ha! Ha! How embarrassing.
Anne Sophie Mutter then played the first Mozart violin concerto. She sure has a fabulous bow technique. It's great being a really terrible violinist (as opposed to not playing it at all) because now I know where the difficulties lie and can appreciate good playing. She's able to get her fingers in the right spot and play in tune, too. She wore a stunning sexy gown and sure does look stern while performing.
At intermission, most overheard talk was not about the music performance, but rather about the beautiful Ms. Mutter's gown or her being married to the elderly Maestro Previn. I wondered aloud how I can get such a babe in my late 70's. Alice pointed out she can play the violin really well, too! Alice kept wondering what there is about Andre Previn - first Mia Farrow, and now this.
After intermission was the world premier (actually, the fourth performance, being the Tuesday concert) of Andre Previn's Double Concerto for violin, double bass, and orchestra. As noted above, I pay particularly close attention to all modern compositions, searching for any suckiness remotely comparable to Schoenberg, but again failed to find it in this piece. I can say that a double-bass is a pretty bizarre-sounding instrument when playing solo in its upper registers. After getting used to the sound, the piece made a pretty favorable impression, especially the interlude between 1st and 2nd movements, which is a pretty extended little chamber piece for violin and double bass where they blend quite well. All-in-all, hard to assimilate in one hearing, but quite enjoyable. (Quite a noticeable contrast to Schoenberg, which can never be assimilated and never be enjoyed, and will forever suck.)
The concert concluded with the complete Mother Goose, by Ravel, yet another contemporary of Schoenberg whose music does not suck. I've heard the suite, but never the complete ballet. It was odd how unfamiliar it was, and then there'd be the very familiar sections included in the suite.
I've been musically traumatized ever since the forced listening to the Schoenberg violin concerto (see below) at Symphony Hall. My disgust that we still perform that crap so many years later had a powerful effect on me. I've paid careful attention to all kinds of music trying to find some that sucks almost as much as Schoenberg. I've had no success at finding anything as remotely awful. I mean, I think Pink Floyd really sucks, but they can't hold a candle to Schoenberg.
The final concert of our season subscription to the Boston Symphony was conducted by Andre Previn, and began with Mozart's lovely and famous Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. This always reminds me of the scene at the beginning of Amadeus, where the priest talking to Salieri recognizes its opening melody and enthusiastically sings a bit of it and says how much he loves that piece and didn't realize Salieri had written it. He didn't; it was Mozart. Ha! Ha! How embarrassing.
Anne Sophie Mutter then played the first Mozart violin concerto. She sure has a fabulous bow technique. It's great being a really terrible violinist (as opposed to not playing it at all) because now I know where the difficulties lie and can appreciate good playing. She's able to get her fingers in the right spot and play in tune, too. She wore a stunning sexy gown and sure does look stern while performing.
At intermission, most overheard talk was not about the music performance, but rather about the beautiful Ms. Mutter's gown or her being married to the elderly Maestro Previn. I wondered aloud how I can get such a babe in my late 70's. Alice pointed out she can play the violin really well, too! Alice kept wondering what there is about Andre Previn - first Mia Farrow, and now this.
After intermission was the world premier (actually, the fourth performance, being the Tuesday concert) of Andre Previn's Double Concerto for violin, double bass, and orchestra. As noted above, I pay particularly close attention to all modern compositions, searching for any suckiness remotely comparable to Schoenberg, but again failed to find it in this piece. I can say that a double-bass is a pretty bizarre-sounding instrument when playing solo in its upper registers. After getting used to the sound, the piece made a pretty favorable impression, especially the interlude between 1st and 2nd movements, which is a pretty extended little chamber piece for violin and double bass where they blend quite well. All-in-all, hard to assimilate in one hearing, but quite enjoyable. (Quite a noticeable contrast to Schoenberg, which can never be assimilated and never be enjoyed, and will forever suck.)
The concert concluded with the complete Mother Goose, by Ravel, yet another contemporary of Schoenberg whose music does not suck. I've heard the suite, but never the complete ballet. It was odd how unfamiliar it was, and then there'd be the very familiar sections included in the suite.
The Best Pie I Ever Made
I was reading the hi monkey site again, and nearly fell out my chair reading how to make a grilled cheese using an iron. The various grilled cheese recipes looked good, but as usual, I drifted over to see the pies. Mmmm, the lemon sour cream pie sure looks delectable and not too terribly difficult to make. It put me quite in the mood for a cool slice of pie. Too bad it is only pictures. But this reminds me of something I've been meaning to tell everyone about.
There is a company which makes all-natural frozen pies ready to bake. They were giving away samples at the supermarket, apple and blueberry-apple, and they were quite good. They are made by (careful of this link, it contains sound. I hate web sites that surprise you with sound.) Vermont Mystic Pie Company. I went with the blueberry-apple pie of course, as I just love berry pies. I've made several of these blueberry pies, and they are really good. My only complaint is that when I'm on my 2nd or 3rd slice, I notice that there is a bit too much cinnamon, or some spice, that begins to stand out. It would be better with less of that.
For a change, last week I tried the apple pie. I was stunned. I can say in all honesty that it was unequivocally the best apple pie I have ever eaten, bar none. Fortunately, Garrett had a slice or two, so when Alice asked if I'd eaten the entire pie by myself, I was able to honestly say no, Garrett had helped.
While it may lack the pizazz and mess of making a pie from scratch, I'd pit that apple pie against any other. Like any truly great pie, it is a health disaster, with butter dripping from the hot crust, and apple juice drippings that are like apple candy heaven. If you see them in your supermarket, try them. Did I mention that their blueberry pies are quite good, too?
I just noticed on their web site that they make pie shells. I've seen them in the supermarket but ignored them. I bet they'd be a delicious easy way out for monkey's lemon sour cream pie. Maybe I'll make one of those next summer, after a few more apple and blueberry pies.
I was reading the hi monkey site again, and nearly fell out my chair reading how to make a grilled cheese using an iron. The various grilled cheese recipes looked good, but as usual, I drifted over to see the pies. Mmmm, the lemon sour cream pie sure looks delectable and not too terribly difficult to make. It put me quite in the mood for a cool slice of pie. Too bad it is only pictures. But this reminds me of something I've been meaning to tell everyone about.
There is a company which makes all-natural frozen pies ready to bake. They were giving away samples at the supermarket, apple and blueberry-apple, and they were quite good. They are made by (careful of this link, it contains sound. I hate web sites that surprise you with sound.) Vermont Mystic Pie Company. I went with the blueberry-apple pie of course, as I just love berry pies. I've made several of these blueberry pies, and they are really good. My only complaint is that when I'm on my 2nd or 3rd slice, I notice that there is a bit too much cinnamon, or some spice, that begins to stand out. It would be better with less of that.
For a change, last week I tried the apple pie. I was stunned. I can say in all honesty that it was unequivocally the best apple pie I have ever eaten, bar none. Fortunately, Garrett had a slice or two, so when Alice asked if I'd eaten the entire pie by myself, I was able to honestly say no, Garrett had helped.
While it may lack the pizazz and mess of making a pie from scratch, I'd pit that apple pie against any other. Like any truly great pie, it is a health disaster, with butter dripping from the hot crust, and apple juice drippings that are like apple candy heaven. If you see them in your supermarket, try them. Did I mention that their blueberry pies are quite good, too?
I just noticed on their web site that they make pie shells. I've seen them in the supermarket but ignored them. I bet they'd be a delicious easy way out for monkey's lemon sour cream pie. Maybe I'll make one of those next summer, after a few more apple and blueberry pies.
