MASTERWORKS V

BY ED BRUCE edbrucevegas@yahoo.com


MASTERWORKS PLUS


HERE.... RANDOM THOUGHTS AND REACTIONs TO THE LAST LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC MASTERS CONCERT OF THE SEASON.


THIS A ONE NIGHTER AT THE SMITH CENTER....IT WAS SENSATIONAL


ONE MORE LVPHIL CONCERT THIS SEASON...MAY 17TH AT THE SMITH CENTER...... POPS V
702 749 2000 FOR TICKETS TO THIS....THE LVPHIL A TRUE TREASURE IN THIS CITY AND GETTING BETTER.


WHAT A NIGHT


THIS WEEK THE LVPHIL ANNOUNCED THEIR NEW CONDUCTOR....I LIKED ALL THE CANDIDATES AND  TONIGHT AFTER THE FACT YET ANOTHER CANDIDATE FELL INTO PLACE.


ALONDRA DE LA PARRA.....MY FIRST FEMALE CONDUCTOR AND CERTAINLY SECOND TO NO ONE ON THE LIST OF THOSE WHO ARE EDUCATED...TRAINED AND LOVE MUSIC....THE WAY THE MUSICIANS AND AUDIENCE RESPONDED TO HER WAS  A TREAT IN ITSELF.


ALONDRA ONLY 34 BORN IN NEW YORK DID THE PRE SHOW TALK (THE WORLDS BEST IDEA SINCE SEX)......AT 2 SHE MOVED FROM NEW YORK TO MEXICO CITY (HERE IS A TRANSITION) AND AT 13 BECAME INTESTED IN CONDUCTING THROUGH HER FATHERS INFLUENCE....PURSUED THE CAREER IN MEXICO AND ONTO NEW YORK FOR THE MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND JUMPED INTO A WORLD CAREER HAVING PLAYED CARNEIGE HALL AND THE WORLD AND ONTO HER FIRST OPERA IN RIO THIS YEAR.


SO EASY TO SEE...... IN HER PRE SHOW TALK ...... HER PASSION AND EDUCATION FOR THE EXCERCISE AT HAND...SHE INSTANTLY CHARMED AND WON OVER THE AUDIENCE......I WAS READY AT 6:45 AND MORE READY AFTER HER TALK...SHE TOOK QUESTIONS....YES


OH YA MUSIC....


DE LA PARRA SELECTED THE MUSIC...FIRST HALF  .....SPANISH MEXICAN THEMES AND SOUNDS...COMPOSERS UNHEARD OF TO ME...ONE STILL ALIVE...GREAT SOUNDS YET UNHEARD FOR THIS EAR...ANSWERING MY PERSONAL THEME...."SO MANY SYMPHONIES YET TO BE HEARD..SO LITTLE TIME".     


DANZON NO 2 FOR ORCHESTRA....FAST POWERFUL...GREAT OPENING


CASTRO INTERMEZZO DE ATZIMBA....SLOW SOFT SWEET


RODRIGO CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ....FAMILAR THEMES BEAUTIFULLY INTERPRETTED BY SOLOIST PABLO VILLEGAS, CLASSICAL GUITAR.....HE INTRODUCED THE PIECE...IT WORKED SO WELL WITH THE ORCHESTRA WHICH SAT IN AMAZING AWE FOR HIS ENCORE WHICH DREW 3 STANDING OVATIONS.
THE SOUND AND EXECUTION ON THIS NIGHT SPECTACULAR....I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS GUY QUICKLY ....I MUST BE GETTING SOFT....TWO LOVE AFFAIRS IN ONE NIGHT.


THERE WAS THAT DAMN 23 MINUTE INTERMISSION


SCHEHERAZADE; SUITE SYMPHONIOUS, OP.35......DE LA PARRA SAID SHE HAD DONE THIS PIECE 10 TIMES AND HAD A PERSONAL TOUCH AND PREFERENCE FOR IT....IN THE PRE TALK SHE MENTION THAT IF MONET PAINTED A CAT ON A COUCH IT WOULD LOOK DIFFERENT THAN A CAT ON A COUCH PAINTED BY REMBRANDT....A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW EACH CONDUCTOR WOULD APPROACH EACH PIECE OF MUSIC....WHATEVER SHE DID TO THIS, IT WAS PERFECT....LOTS OF VIOLIN SOLO WORK FOR CONCERTMASTER DEANN LETOURNEAU WHO WAS AT THE PEAK OF HER POWERS AS ALWAYS.


CANT EXPRESS HOW MUCH I ENJOYED ALL THIS....LAS VEGAS STANDS TALL IN SELECTING THIS PHILHARMONIC IN THIS VENUE THIS TYPLE OF CONDUCTING.


THE DAMN THING 11 MINUTES LATE....SO SAD THAT WITH ALL THIS THEY LOSE 11 POINTS FOR UNTIMELYNESS...UNACCEPTABLE....GREAT CROWD...LOVED IT.


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