Dress rehearsal finally starts with plain old rehearsing. Humbled by yesterday’s difficulties with the third movement, we start with a few minutes on that first. We spent some considerable time on it in each of the sectionals, but we need to integrate the percussion and put the thing together with some schwung.
Again we tune and play through, stopping for a break after the third movement. It’s a whole new level from even this afternoon in sectionals, and you can feel the confidence growing throughout the band as we play. Angela and Amy are exquisite, and the choir is pretty good although still not there yet. Because of the insane rehearsal schedule we usually have to deal with, OES dress rehearsals are often extremely intense in a not-so-great way, but tonight it’s just intense music making. Everyone is relaxed, confident and in the flow. I’ve been careful to pace myself physically all day in the other rehearsals, but there’s no pacing oneself in a run through of Mahler 2. By the end, I’m completely wrung out.
After the run through we go over a few spots, and we’re done- dare I even say, ready?
So Ken, we’re dying to know: How did the performance go? Can we find a review somewhere?