Thursday, March 31, 2005

concert (and a sense of humor)

I just (just) got back from a piano concert—part of Calvin’s Artist Series. [I decided to go last minute—bought the ticket this afternoon. Seven dollars with the student discount—seven dollars!! When else can you go and listen to an internationally beloved musician for seven dollars? It was a good seat, too. I’ll really miss the student discount after I graduate…]

I haven’t been to a piano concert in ages, and I forgot how much I loved them… made me homesick to be playing piano again, much as I love the organ.

I think the best thing about watching a master pianist and his piano, is that I feel like I’m eavesdropping on two best friends, listening to them joke, discuss, even argue. It was clear that the pianist—Richard Goode—loved what he was doing, and the audience and I couldn’t help but love to listen and watch.

My favorite part was the second half of the concert. He played a sonata by Leos Janacek, followed by seven of Debussy’s preludes. And much as I love Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven (the composers featured in the first half), I’m more of a Debussy girl myself. The Janacek was fabulous as well.

—Not to sidetrack too much, but last fall I read an essay (for my creative non-fiction class) about laughter. The author claimed (and I agree) that laughter is sweetest when it is most forbidden. Like in church, or… at a concert.

Anytime you gather that many people in one place to listen to an incredible performance, something funny has to happen, and best of all… no one is supposed to laugh! Which makes everything that much funnier.

The faintest, faintest snore two rows behind me.

The frenzied search for a cough drop in a purse, and after the triumph of its discovery comes the uncrinkling.

A textbook perfect sneeze (the wind-up… the pitch…) followed by a few rebellious snickers.

Or, my current favorite: tonight a large, round microphone, which usually hangs suspended in the middle of the auditorium, plummeted from the ceiling to a sudden stop ten feet above the audience. During the performance. Then came the little rash of whispers, everyone looking up to see what else might be falling… the Phantom of the Fine Arts Center, reenacting his chandelier scene? It was raised very slooowly back up to the ceiling, only to drop again a few minutes later. (An audience member left to remedy the situation, and it didn’t happen again.)

So, do share. Does anyone have a funny concert story? Or even a concert story? (Hey, even a plain old funny story would be awesome.) Please please send in a comment and share! Or, if you think my urge to laugh during a fantastic concert is utterly uncalled for, let me know! Ha ha ha!—jl

Posted by Jenn Langefeld on 03/31 at 11:01 PM
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