Pug’s Place

Great performance. Let me quote the concert information, first:

Wrap yourself in unbridled emotion and lush melody with the Tchaikovsky Gala, performed by Russia’s prized musical treasure, the Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus led by Pavel Sorokin. The 110-member orchestra and 60 member chorale have been praised since their 1978 beginnings for their extraordinary level of artistic excellence in bringing 18th-, 19th- and 20th century repertoire throughout the Russias and, eventually, the globe.

PROGRAM:

• Marche Slave
• Piano Concert
• Souvenir d’un lieu cher (Melody and Waltz Scherzo), Opus 42
• Opera Charodeika Choir and dance of Schomorocks
• Opera The Maid of Orleans chorus Long Live the King
• Eugene Onegin, Act I, Scene III
• Pique Dame, Intermezzo and Chorus
• 1812 Overture

This is the first time I’ve been at a good vantage point to watch other French Horn players. I was most amused to see these world-class professionals using the rests to take a death grip on the horn with their left hand, and then rotate it in large sweeps to get all of the water out of the numerous pipes (For those not acquainted, the French Horn, due to the intricacies of its piping, can hide a huge amount of saliva inside, that gets many many feet into the horn. There are a series of “spit valves” that let out such water, but you have to rotate the horn to get the water to the valves!).

I was also quite happy that all of the pieces started with French Horn openings within the first 8 measures or so. Woo!

As any good Tchaikovsky concert will, they ended with the 1812 Overture. I was able to replicate the (semi) correct fingerings for the Horn part through most of the work, to my astonishment, which means that were I ever to pick up a Horn again, likely the only music I could play would be the 1812 Overture… I find this somewhat fitting.

Those who know me well would probably find this fitting too: Does anyone else out there wish the French would put up more of a fight in the Overture? I want the Russian battle horn call to ring out even more… not just because it’s a French Horn moment, of course… for … other reasons… that I cannot name… Yeah…

Now that I’ve rambled a bit, I’m going to eat.