Walking into the New York Philharmonic’s rehearsal, I suddenly had the feeling that I was at the wrong place. Why are there so many people here just for a rehearsal? After a few minutes a sitting down and listening to the performance, I realized the answer.
Featuring Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, the rehearsal also included Liszt’s Les Préludes, Symphonic Poem No. 3, and Elgar’s In the South. The music was exceptional, but the setting seemed odd. Rather than crisp suits and polished shoes, the musicians all appeared pedestrian. The audience members also appeared very informal. Rather than a formal music group, it just seemed as if a random assortment of people were picked from the street and asked to play onstage. Their music, however, separated them from the rest of us.
It is difficult to fathom encapsulating words to describe their performance: beautiful, majestic, mind-blowing. Individually, all of the performers seemed to be on task with the music. For example, the bows of all the performers for a given string section all rose and fell in synch with one another. When the sounds of each instrument came together to produce a gestalt, the true passion and emotions of each piece could truly be felt. From pianissimo to fortissimo and back again, the powerful crescendos made the music worthwhile. Having never heard any of these pieces before, I was filled with awe just listening to them.
It was also interesting to see Riccardo Muti serve as the conductor. His criticisms to the musicians themselves as well as his engaging of the audience kept everyone in the room alert and interested during the performance. My only complaint was the wooden chairs. Even with the amazing performance of the Philharmonic, it was difficult to sit on the chair comfortable for three hours. Even though it was just a rehearsal, seeing the New York Philharmonic perform was one of the best musical experiences I have ever had.
