I share the awe that many of my classmates experienced after listening to Tchaikovsky’s “The Tempest.” This was certainly my favorite performance from the four that we saw at Carnegie Hall because it was very engaging since the piece seemed to tell a story, yet at the same time this performance was calm and pleasant. I was utterly surprised at how well the piece portrayed a serene and yet, an eerie atmosphere at the sea. It seemed as if we were in fact hearing the sea rather than an orchestra. Further, the piece perfectly flowed through an occurrence of events in Shakespeare’s play.

Tchaikovsky is a VIRTUOSO in his contributions to classical music. However, our conductor Pablo Heras-Casado also deserves many compliments because he was spectacular in the manner which he led the orchestra in playing Tchaikovsky’s work. The music and the instruments lived along side with him. He lived with every note played through his body motioning, it seemed as if channeled the music through his body.

P.S. By the way, this is what was happening in the piece:

“Starting with the sea, the uninhabited island, the mighty and forbidding figure of the magician Prospero, then switching to the graceful and womanly Miranda, rather like the primordial Eve, she has never laid eyes on any breed of man (besides Prospero), until struck by the tempest she is flung ashore with the handsome youth Ferdinand; they fall in love with each other, and I think at this point in the first half of the overture there should be a wonderful and poetic motif, as Miranda gradually becomes more animated and leaves behind her childhood innocence to become a young woman in love. In the second half of the overture her and Ferdinand’s passion should already be in full sail, as they embrace the fires of love… the middle section of the overture would be grouped into three main sections: the half-beast Caliban, the enchanted spirit Ariel, and his chorus of elves. The overture ought to end by depicting Prospero’s renunciation of his magic powers, the blessing of the young couple’s union, and the return to the mainland.”

-Angelika