Music Ramblings: Dec 20, 2003, CSO/David Robertson Nielsen 4th

CSO/David Robertson Nielsen 4th

Dec 20, 2003

Unfortunately I rarely have a chance to hear the CSO these days, but I snuck out of the office for a 2-hour lunch yesterday and caught the 1:30 matinee to hear the CSO under David Robertson, because I never, if possible, miss a chance to hear the Nielsen 4th. I have to say, I have never heard a performance of that work, live or on record, better than what I heard yesterday. And the orchestra was in absolute peak form. I'd not heard Robertson before (though I'd read good reviews), but he knocked me out. He brought out both the beauty and the savage frenzy of the piece--real gooosebump material. It would be great if he could record it with them (dream on).

I was sitting on the far right, 1st row of the lower balcony (my favorite seats--practically on top of the basses, good view of the conductor, and I like the sound from that spot), and what was so depressing to see was the dust and cobwebs on the mics that were pulled close to the balcony's lip, unused these days thanks to the loss of sponsorship for the CSO's broadcasts. To think that performances like yesterday's are lost to the ether--when there are microphones right there hanging unused--makes me sick

Dave Royko

RMCR