The real thing

Tonight is classical music night on the Arts channel. I notice how two dimensional both the sight and sound of it are compared to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra concert I went to on Saturday. From my gallery seat to the side I could look down onto the stage and follow the music closely as it moved from section to section: percussion and drumming, woodwind, brass, piano, organ, and strings – including two harps. Gemma New, the conductor, is slight yet her graceful, balletic movements encompassed the whole orchestra with powerful effect.

The concert was stirring and fascinating from beginning to end. The Gareth Farr piece was rousing at the start, particularly as it featured the dramatic percussion and drumming for which he is well known. That was followed by the world premier of a work featuring a guest flautist and by a composer who came up from the audience to take a bow. The final work was Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, a great audience pleaser and everyone – including me, was buzzing at the end. I was moved to tears, overwhelmed by the mightiness of it all; of talented individual people making powerful, affecting music together, literally in concert. It was the ‘real thing’.

I suspect the huge energy emanating from the orchestra has helped sustain my high energy levels all week.