After Hours: Wednesday Edition
Well, our first Mendelssohn concert is in the books, and as usual, we're eager to hear what you thought about it! If you were in the house on Wednesday night, chime in down in the comments and tell us what you liked, what you thought needed a different angle, and what you would have liked to hear more or less of.
In particular, we're interested in hearing what you thought of the pacing of the first half of the show. We made a conscious decision (based largely on audience feedback from past ItC shows) to jump around more in the first half than we have in the past, spending less time than usual on the featured piece specifically and more time exploring the composer's life and music as a whole, and the way the orchestra approaches the music in rehearsal and performance. So if that worked for you, let us know, and if it didn't, tell us why, as well as any ideas you might have for future concerts.
As always, thanks so much for taking the time to come out and support live music, and I hope we'll see you all again for our March concerts...
In particular, we're interested in hearing what you thought of the pacing of the first half of the show. We made a conscious decision (based largely on audience feedback from past ItC shows) to jump around more in the first half than we have in the past, spending less time than usual on the featured piece specifically and more time exploring the composer's life and music as a whole, and the way the orchestra approaches the music in rehearsal and performance. So if that worked for you, let us know, and if it didn't, tell us why, as well as any ideas you might have for future concerts.
As always, thanks so much for taking the time to come out and support live music, and I hope we'll see you all again for our March concerts...
Labels: after hours, audience feedback
posted by Sam at
9:00 PM
12 Comments:
Good Job! We enjoyed the concert and really like the 1st half - hearing other works by the composer and inside information about him/her.
Since I would bet most of the audience doesn't delve into the backgrounds of the composers, the little known facts and putting them into the context of the times are fun.
I really do wish you would put on your blog who is going to present the pre-concert talk. I can understand not printing it in the program, but you must know the day of the event and it could go online.
Sarah, why did you drop Hatsuko? Just curious...
Carol and Phil (metronome question)
Carol and Phil:
I went with the Hatsuko for years as a nod to my Japanese heritage, but after a meeting with a prominent PR person last summer, realized that it just made my name cumbersome. "Sarah Hicks" is much easier to remember, and there's the added benefit of no-one stumbling over my middle name!
WOW is all I can say! What a fantastic concert! Between the cold weather and the crappy economy it's been a stressful winter, this was just the ticket! I loved learning about Mendelssohn and learning more about the orchestra. I brought my teenage daughter. Next time I'll bring more!
Felix ROCKS!
This was my first time seeing the MN Orchestra and I have to say that I loved it! One point I was holding back tears. I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when she goes to the opera for the first time.
This was the perfect introduction to the Orchestra for me. I love how the listener is introduced to the composer for the first half and then gets to hear a classic symphony. Thank you.
I enjoyed the format for the first half. It was interesting, well paced and informative.
Regarding the music question about the film "Breaking Away." It appears that the opening music may have been both Menndelssohn's Italian and Rossini's Overture to "Barber of Seville" as they are both listed in the soundtrack.
It was wonderful! You both are skilled public speakers. I loved the role playing with the Mendelssohn sister, too. They were fantastic vocalists!
I really enjoyed the first half as well. I don't know much about symphonic music so I like learning about the form as well as what the composer did with it. (Like the fact that symphonies were "supposed" to start and end in the same key, but Mendelssohn changed the final movement to A minor.) I'd love to hear even more about that. What were the original rules for symphonies? Who made them up? How did they change over the years and who made those changes? With all the challenging of the rules that different composers have done over the centuries, what rules are still in effect for composers today?
I like Sarah's theory section for this same reason as well.
I love what you guys are doing; this is the first time I've bought series tickets to anything.
My question is about the piece the octet (?) played at the end of the first half. It was so familiar. Does it have words that go to it (is there a folk song version) or a is it a hymn? Thanks!
Does it have words that go to it (is there a folk song version) or a is it a hymn?
Hmm. I'm assuming you're talking about the driving half-note theme that comes along a few times in the finale of the octet, since that's the only part that would be slow enough to sing along to. And the answer is that I do happen to know some words that certain musicians I know have put to that theme, but they're no hymn, and aren't suitable to reprint here. As far as I know, that theme is pure Mendelssohn.
If it sounds familiar, it's possible you've simply heard the octet before. Musicians love to play it, so it tends to show up a lot...
Outstanding as usual! The buzz around where I was sitting was people LOVED the octet, I heard two people say they wish they'd play it again in the second half. The older gentleman sitting next to me was positively giddy!! The only critical comment I might have is it would've been nice to move the conductor's podium before the octet piece, both see we could see you better, and it did sound a bit muffled. But, I realize that's probably not practical, and my seat was (too) close this time, that had a lot to do with it.
Killer intro, Sam. I really liked the pace and jumping around, as you put it. It seemed to fly by. It was nice to see a big turnout for the Q&A afterwards, too, it's a great thing you guys do.
The best part, though, was how the mics were color coordinated with your shirts, nice touch ;P (I notice the weirdest things) :)
We attended the first session in November and this was our second experience with this type of "learning concert". We have attended concert 3 to 6 times a year for the last 25 years, with neither one of us having a musical background. Therefore these two concerts provided much information for us, and we have thoroughly enjoyed expanding our knowledge. We could actually hear the difference in the concert. I plan to purchase tickets for the concert in March.
I really enjoyed the concert. I appreciated the showcase of other Mendelssohn pieces, as I didn't know much about him before coming to the performance. I would like to see even a bit more history and context to understand how the piece(s) or the composer might reflect his/her era and surroundings.
I liked how you had the flute section demonstrate double tonguing. And also how the violin section demonstrated phrasing. Both examples made me appreciate the level of musicianship even more because I better understood the technique and effort required to play well.
Fun concert and I hope you continue to feature these learn & listen type performances.
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