September 30, 2005 at 6:58 AM

I haven't blogged for a while because I've been busy at work and out of town. Needless to say, my violin practicing has fallen by the wayside, but I'm back on track now.

While I haven't been playing much, I have been immersed in all things Joshua Bell. Yes, I am a groupie; I timed my annual visit to my parents, who live in Manhattan, KS, so that I could see him perform in Kansas City last Monday. I don't feel like posting a long review of the concert here, especially since Sydney already did so, so I'll just note that the first half featuring Josh's solo work was fantastic. I was a bit underwhelmed with the UMKC conservatory orchestra and Josh's performance of the Mendelssohn, however.

Instead, I'll discuss something else: Josh's new Tchaikovsky CD, which was released Sept. 20 and is now apparently #2 on the Billboard Classical charts. In a word, it is magnificent. I don't much care for the recording he did with Decca twenty years ago, but this new one is played by a completely different violinist. It's lush, passionate, and everything I think the Tchaikovsky should be. And here's a tip: Barnes & Noble sells the "exclusive version" which contains a bonus track of the Sérénade mélancolique. If you buy it anywhere else, you won't get this.

In other news, I'm seriously considering quitting my community orchestra after this semester. I was so excited about getting to play in a big group again, but I just don't think I want to do it this way. The first violin section only has four people (four hired professionals, including the concertmaster, will be joining us at the concert), and there's just no sense of cohesion in the section. The other three players are all over sixty. One woman is an excellent player but has just had cataract surgery and can't see half the notes, and another guy is always off in his own little world and will play loudly for half a page never realizing he's a measure off. All in all, I don't think this experience is making me a better violinist, just a more frustrated one. There will be other opportunities in the future.

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September 30, 2005 at 6:58 AM

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