End of story

As all good things comes to an end, so it happened Saturday evening with George Enescu Festival.

For about a month it seems like living in another world, a better world  where nothing mattered but the euphorically state and the happiness (seemed a lot like a hypnotic state) that filled up my soul and seems to persist even after its end. I wonder for how long it will last and how taught it will be coming back to the every day reality.

Sill, I have to say I appreciate a lot one of the festival's sponsors (event hough I am aware of the fact that all of them were important and without them probably the festival would had been to a lower extent), a sponsor that made, in a way, a bit easier the ending of this event. Now I am talking about that sponsor that offered gifts at the end of the shows - CD and books.

Even from during the festival, I was curious to read one of the books received and this was for, sometimes, I was having a few moments for reading during the breaks. So, I have started to read "Pfitz" by Andrew Crumey. It was really interesting to discover a few ideas that might apply to history itself. This book can make one wonder about the reality and facts that are storied in historical books, biographies or else. It also make one ask about how much is hazard and how much one can influence the present, the future or even the past. Which purposes may excuse such influences or is it right or fare and is it, till the end, allowed by destiny all that to happen? But well, I am only at the beginning of the book and everything may turn around by the end. So, I am anxious to see what other ideas or contexts are brought to attention by the author.

And just because my attention has been drawn to something else, in a way related to the festival, might be a good thing and makes the festival's closure for this year to be easier. And, yes, when I think of all the others book I have to read for some time now, it makes me happy already and eager to finish Pfitz and start reading something of Tolstoi or Kafka. But about that and more, I will story you at the right time.

"George Enescu" Festival

It gets harder and harder to talk about this event that happens onces at two years. This is because, every evening happens more and more and the delight and enjoyment grows proportionaly every time. It is true I have attended only the Great Orchestras evenings so far, but, tomorrow, beside the usual, I intend to make it even to a special event: LUCIAN BAN & NEW YORK ENESCO PROJECT.

This week was fantastic and when I think there is one more day of it, I can hardly wait tomorrow to come. I particularly loved it because of the piano accent of some evenings but not only for that. When I think of so many talented musicians any of the people attended this huge event has seen and listened, I sometimes cannot believe how fortunate we are to have this festival here, in Bucharest.

I do not know what the Festival means for any of them but I guess they wouldn't have attended it unless they were found of Enescu's work as well. I am happy I have seen and listened not only great Romanian musicians (Dan Grigore - pianist; Horia Andeescu - conductor, Alexandru Tomescu - violin, Horia Mihail - piano, Razvan Suma - cello, etc.) but also others famous ones from all over the World (Helene Grimaud - piano, Joshua Bell - violin, Nigel Kennedy - violin, and so on).

But this is not what I wanted to tell you about. In fact, I wanted to story a bit about this evening which was really special. This evening was about "Oberon" (Weber), Symphony no. 100 (Haydn) and Symphony no. 8 (Dvorak).

I do not know if "Oberon" was ever linked to the Amber series (Zelazny) or vice versa but it suited the character "Oberon" there and to the basic idea of the stories - a mighty ruler and a World of our own, made by our pattern just for us and our family, and any external interference will unbalance it even to the point of destroying it. Even the conflicts between relatives might bring its extinction unless alternative solutions and working together one with another may help.

The idea of the pattern, its creation, the shifting of it imply a huge capacity to understand its most basic existence, the fragile harmony, the influence and interference, the emotions, the changing, the growing and even falling, and this was what ROYAL CONCERTGEBOW ORCHESTRA AMSTERDAM conducted by MARISS JANSONS has done the entire evening, starting with "Oberon". Needless to say no other evening so far at the Palace Grand Hall made the audience raise and all the performance has grown and grown and when I left, beside being happy of being part of it I have felt sorry for it ended so fast. There is still hope - tomorrow they are there again, I am sure, with more surprises as they have been very resourceful this evening.

Beside enjoying it, it is said in a way because with the passing days, we are approaching its ending and when I think that there is only one week more to go I start to feel sad already. For certain after it, there will be an empty space that will be filled only with the hope two years will pass fast enough to the next festival.

Joshua Bell

When I have heard Joshua Bell will come to George Enescu Festival, I said to myself, this will be an event that cannot be missed. Therefore, Saturday evening, I went to the concert very confident it will be a night to remember.

I was not wrong, considering the previous experience from two years ago when I have heard him interpreting live for the first time.

Probably it is due to several main factors that when Joshua Bell is there, the success of the event is obvious: a great, if not one of the most qualitative, Stradivarius violin, an immense talent and skill, a lot of sensitivity and a delicately approach of the interpretetion.

For Saturday evening, maybe the Spanish Symphony by Lalo added a plus to the entire evening and success - every sound of the violin seemed to float into the air, sending vibes and emotions not only dreams.

Here it is a fragment from Joshua Bell - "Symphonie espagnole,Op. 21 Rondo (Allegro)" - Lalo

You can try listening also Joshua Bell playing Ave Maria

Maybe a visit to his site will inspire you more, especially accessing the section "Listen"

Enjoy!

Nigel Kennedy, Charles Dutoit and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London

It is hard to talk about what happened at George Enescu Festival, Friday evening, after so many were written on the press.

To tell you the truth, for such experiences I honestly do not believe words can actually describe the event.

It is useless to tell you how wonderful this evening was and how fast it passed because of the fascination of the sounds and interpretation of all pieces selected for the evening.

Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody opened the evening and Ludwig van Beethoven's Concerto for violin and orchestra made a great closure of the evening.

Should the concert kept on, I am sure all the audience would have been able to spend their entire night there.

I guess the secret was Nigel Kennedy after all, that added a little spices in the performing.

I really do not know what the truth is, but I hope someone to make me understand how a concert and a soloist, no matter of what instrument it is, is actually conducted: the conductor and the orchestra has to follow the soloist or the soloist has to follow the conductor and orchestra? I personally incline to believe it is the first one and, if so, Nigel Kennedy marked the day and added a fun note to the evening and the atmosphere was more relaxed than tense and serious.

As a plus add to the evening was the bis of Nigel Kennedy, as he interpreted an adapted song of Maria Tanase's. Searching the internet, I was even surprised to find this interpretation:

Tribute to Maria Tanase

I hope you will enjoy it as well.

"Geroge Enescu" Festival

Starting with 30 August 2009, for about a month, "Gerge Enescu" Festival is the most important event in Bucharest.

It's program includes "Opera and Ballet" series, "Romanian Music of the 20th Century" series, Midnight concerts, "Enescu and his contemporaries" series, "Chamber Music" series, "Great Orchestras" series and "Classical music in jazz arrangements" series.

As George Enescu Festival has already started, it was expected the night series for "Great Orchestras" to start as well.

Today, the first concert of the "Great Orchestras" series begined with Ludwing Van Beethoven.

MAXIM VENGEROV regarded as one of the world’s most dynamic artists, had conducted the "GEORGE ENESCU" PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA for this event. Seeing conductors, one can wonder where do some have that much energy from?

The program for the evening included Overture "Leonora III" op. 72a, Triple Concerto for piano, violin, cello and orchestra in C Major op. 56 and Symphony no. 5 in c minor op. 67 and, as expected it was a delight to hear them.

I cannot say I know music but I love the effect music have on me. Based on the sounds, armonies etc. one cand live different moods so suddenly shifted, not to mention where the waves of sound can lead one's imagination.

Still, the best part of the entire event was the participation of the Romanian Piano Trio - ALEXANDRU TOMESCU – violin, HORIA MIHAIL – piano, RAZVAN SUMA – cello. Their performance was like a sort of conversation, competing eachother, susteining eachother and debating one with another.

As I find music fascinating, sometimes I wonder if music can hypnotize as it seems hypnoze to lead you into another reality.

For anyone curious to hear a little bit of the Romanian Piano Trio, here it is a piece of it (not a quality one as sond and image though).

Romanian_Piano_Trio

Enjoy!

Protector

For those science fiction readers, here it is a link to a book's summery:

Protector

You may find even some answeres regarding our "ancestors", our evolution needs and many other interesting things.

After reading it, you may start the Ringworld series.

Enjoy.

Books, context and life

Recently, I have read a book that made me ask myself how much reality you can find in a story and how much fiction there is in there.

One can see a lot of events on the news, terrible ones, and by comparison, books sometimes seem innocent descriptions of unfortunate events. Yet, they have in common tragedies that, in my opinion, should never occur.

Some say we draw such events in our lives but I wonder in what degree or if it is true?

But coming back to the book, it is about a man that was deprived of his liberty. The fact he was physically captured and kept in a very restrictive area, is obviously not a question of drawing such event upon him. The way he lived his life is more related to the rescue attempt and its success. As he did not let any track of him and his voyage made him untraceable.

In such circumstances one wonders – Was it good? Was it wrong? What was wrong? Why? What’s the meaning of it? What can be done? Was it done by my hand?

The book is more a reflection and manifestation of will of the captive man. Here it is a bit of his thought:

“Yes … Not to have been that letter …. As even dreams have the gift sometimes to show you the truth in their way, once he reached here, it had no point fooling himself. He had enough of excuses. All left behind was dead. He did them by his hand.

As for his present vacation, he had adopted an extremely secretive attitude and, in purpose, came there without confessing any colleague the destination of the trip. And it was not all about the silence, but the fact he did his best to make things in misery, consciously. … “

From another perspective, the story is about people who just because they want to control destinies choose for others and constrain them to follow their will, even if there was a reason behind it. When it comes to something like that, there rise always the question - are purposes excusing the means?