Sunday, January 29, 2006
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra liner notes..."Top Drawer, honey"
back from last night's concert by the Atlanta Symphony...a few observations...
1. why does the ASO play the same program three nights in a row? Typically orchestras will play the same program maybe twice, not on consecutive nights...this was the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birthday and they could have played the Haffner on say, Thursday night this week and Saturday night next week. The piano soloist could have performed Friday and Saturday night this week and they could have picked a different symphony.
2. why do all the middle-aged men of means in this town look like Dan Reeves? Silver-gray hair with the same wire-rimmed glasses? Top drawer concert, honey, I must say. The wives were dressed sensibly, a few over the top, clearly having made a wrong turn at the cotillion. The place looked like what I figure the Davidson or Furman board of trustees meeting look like. Top drawer, honey.
3. noone carries scores to the concert anymore. I remember concerts in Philly and Pittsburgh way back when (but not that far back) when you could rent libretti and scores.
4. the crowd was looser than those in the Northeast, largely because a) people are looser here; b) the easy access of the wine/beer stand; c) they have little or no appreciation of the music and came largely because their corporations have sponsored the series. When 5 large men came onto stage to move the piano stage right after Piano Concerto No. 25, the crowd cheered...much like they would when the grounds crew would run onto Turner Field and drag the tarp. Top drawer, honey.
5. my old boss, Jim Kennedy, who was publisher of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel in the early 80s (known as "New Kid"), is listed among the top sponsors in the program and his mother or aunt (I cant remember which) Anne Cox Chambers has given 250K. They own Cox Enterprises, WSB, etc. and are richer than just about anyone. I remember Jim as someone without pretense, who worked the back shop, had an active role in editorials and daily reporting...the real deal...before he moved from Colorado to Atlanta.
1. why does the ASO play the same program three nights in a row? Typically orchestras will play the same program maybe twice, not on consecutive nights...this was the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birthday and they could have played the Haffner on say, Thursday night this week and Saturday night next week. The piano soloist could have performed Friday and Saturday night this week and they could have picked a different symphony.
2. why do all the middle-aged men of means in this town look like Dan Reeves? Silver-gray hair with the same wire-rimmed glasses? Top drawer concert, honey, I must say. The wives were dressed sensibly, a few over the top, clearly having made a wrong turn at the cotillion. The place looked like what I figure the Davidson or Furman board of trustees meeting look like. Top drawer, honey.
3. noone carries scores to the concert anymore. I remember concerts in Philly and Pittsburgh way back when (but not that far back) when you could rent libretti and scores.
4. the crowd was looser than those in the Northeast, largely because a) people are looser here; b) the easy access of the wine/beer stand; c) they have little or no appreciation of the music and came largely because their corporations have sponsored the series. When 5 large men came onto stage to move the piano stage right after Piano Concerto No. 25, the crowd cheered...much like they would when the grounds crew would run onto Turner Field and drag the tarp. Top drawer, honey.
5. my old boss, Jim Kennedy, who was publisher of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel in the early 80s (known as "New Kid"), is listed among the top sponsors in the program and his mother or aunt (I cant remember which) Anne Cox Chambers has given 250K. They own Cox Enterprises, WSB, etc. and are richer than just about anyone. I remember Jim as someone without pretense, who worked the back shop, had an active role in editorials and daily reporting...the real deal...before he moved from Colorado to Atlanta.
