02 May 2013

No. 6 Lite: Go to the Symphony

No. 6 Lite: Go to the Symphony

I confess.
I did not really go to the symphony.
But I did go hear some wonderful classical music that was symphony-worthy.

Only it was just two people playing, not  a whole symphony.

Never the less, it was a lovely experience.

Sunday night after viewing the Picasso Black and White exhibit at the MFAH, my friend Martha and I stayed for the Picasso in Paris concert.

The duo of Lachezar Kostov (Cello) and Viktor Valkov (piano) played music that was written by contemporaries and collaborators of Pablo Picasso.  Five works by five different composers and Igor Stravinsky was the only name I recognized. O well, I never pretended to be a classical music aficionado. It doesn't lessen my experience to be unfamiliar.

Rather than a symphony hall, they played in one of the museum galleries. We were surrounded by gorgeous oils (unfortunately not Picassos) and it was an intimate and sumptuous setting.

And the cellist was kind of cute.

Martha, the cellist Lachezar Kostov  and Me. 

Afterwards there was a reception where we got to be groupies and meet the duo. We learned that the woman turning the pages for the pianist was his girlfriend.
I had wondered how one would get that job.
Martha guessed it was girlfriend territory.
I figured it was an over eager music student internship.
As usual, Martha was right.  She's one smart cookie.

The cellist was kind and let us have our picture taken with him.  He had joked during the program that he was using a borrowed antique bow for his cello and if he could just get a little help he could steal a painting off the wall, sell it on eBay and then have the money to buy his own bow.   We offered to help with the heist but he wisely turned us down.

Ok, so it wasn't the whole symphony, but it was so much more up close and personal.
And I will still do the symphony somewhere down the road.
But this was a start.







2 comments:

Bubbles said...

Did you enjoy the music?

Nancie Nelson said...

LOVED the music. Was very easy to get lost in.
I was also amazed at the physical stamina required for those two to play for 1 1/2 hours straight. Don't normally think of playing a musical instrument as "physical labor".