Comments

I love your description of your reactions to the musicians. I'm glad you liked Nadja so much. I, too, look for the soul behind the face, behind the playing, even when the playing is very good. I look for that elusive something, and you described it very well. Thanks. Thanks right back atcha, Pauline. As I am not a lifelong classically trained musician and can only claim expertise as a listener and observer of human nature, I had some trepidation about posting such comments here. Glad they were taken in the proper spirit. And glad you liked them! That critic's quote about battling the composer instead of interpreting him is a really silly statement I think, like a couple of other reviews I've come across recently. A critic ought to at least write something that coveys some meaning. Some meaning about the subject of the review I mean. I start wondering why these silly people give some players good reviews and others bad ones when they start talking that way. Thompson's famous review of Heifetz, you know exactly what he's saying whether you agree or not.

NSS is one I'd like to see, but whenever I get the opportunity I'm too lazy to go through with it. Then I think later it might have been fun. But I skip the next one too.

Jim - yup, she's worth seeing. She puts on a real show - it's not just the music, it's watching her, waiting with baited breath to see if she'll make a witty aside comment or share with the audience a wink or rolled eyes, which she does just enough to bring to mind Victor Borge, but always restrained enough to keep the attention focused on what she clearly reveres: the music. You could feel how engaged the audience was.
It was fun.