A Critique Of Two Concerts

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A Critique Of Two Concerts

Music is one of the most unique performing arts due to the way it has evolved. Styles and melodies considered unfit in one era are displayed prominently in another. The two concerts previewed in this report have two different and distinct techniques. The first performance that I attended was a symphonic concert playing a mix of contemporary and early 20th century works at Carnegie Hall. The second performance was an organ recital highlighted by the by the live performance of Bach's most well known pieces. Hopefully this term paper will objectively and subjectively critique and compare the two performances.
An orchestra is a collection of a variety of instruments usually consisting of brass, woodwinds, strings and percussion sections. In the concert at Carnegie Hall, the music was abundant in tone color and a variety of pitches and moods. While the Bach music played by the organist could only demonstrate one type of sound, the multitude of instruments at the conductor's disposal can flood the listener with a variety of sound. The key pieces of music performed were Music for Violin and Orchestra by Maazal and Symphony No. 1 in D major by Mahler. Maazal’s piece pits the virtuoso, Maazal, against the entire orchestra. It seems to be a sophisticated concerto with the violinist and the orchestra dueling with each other. Unlike Baroque music, the mood changes constantly, at one moments the violin conveys a tranquil image only to be shattered by the dissonance created by the orchestra. While Toccata and Fugue in D minor is a piece of absolute music, Maazal's music is program music. The main theme is sort of a violinist's journey and struggle with the much more powerful monster-like orchestra.
Objectively, the odd notes from the percussion coupled with the frequent use of
low tone color instruments (e.g. bassoon, bass) created tension. The trills provided by the virtuoso and the strings section displayed a tension reserved only for the shower scene in Hitchcock's Psycho. The dynamics of the piece are deliberately arranged to convey images of peace and fright. When the virtuoso plays his violin for a requiem of the world it knew, it plays in a soft, whimpering manner. On the opposite is the tension created by the orchestra as it goes through a crescendo. Not only does this increase the tension, but conveys the image of a monster running after the hero as it drowns out the violin due to its increase in volume. In both cases, the music wou...

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