Intermission

So far so good- Ives really came together. I think it would be even better with a bigger string section- it’s very much a chamber orchestra work, but I think the end could be softer with 16 firsts than it can with 6 or 8. This is a fundamental truth that most people don’t realize- bigger string sections can play softer than smaller ones.

Schumann was rather rockin’- what a team Mick Nagle, our principal, assembled. Richard Lewis on 1^st was doing his 7^th Konzertstucke, and it showed- nerves of steel. Don’t tell him, though, but my favorite part is the 4^th horn, too often under-played (except on Gardiner’s recording, which is wonderfully swarthy). Andy Osbourne ripped it (which is good) as did Mick and Andy Feist on 3^rd. Fun piece.

(Schumann Konzertstuck, May 2nd 2009, Surrey Mozart Players, Guildford (L-R) Andy Osborne, Andy Feist, Mick Nagle, Dickie Lewis)

Talked possibly too long before the Ives- hope it was worth it. Lots to talk about on this program- fascinating connections, parallels and paradoxes. Coming up, a Mozart symphony, the ultimate core chamber orchestra repertoire, which was premiered by a 106 piece orchestra in Paris (with Mozart present and delighted!), and a Shostakovich symphony, handiwork one of the biggest and noisiest symphonists who ever lived, premiered on string quartet…..

Damn, is it hot on stage here!