Originally Posted By: eddie1261
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I once went to our big outdoor venue here (Blossom Music Center) to see the Cleveland Orchestra do Mozart's "A Little Night Music". I went in with a blanket and a suitcase. I spread the blanket out on the lawn and opened the suitcase, which contained the score. All 4 movements, 16 staffs, 2 measures per page. I sat and followed along with the orchestra for the whole symphony. Most of the people around me were laughing at me because I wasn't "watching" the orchestra. Well, do you see a concert, or hear it? As I followed along on that sheet music, I got to both hear the music and see it, so who's the weirdo here?<...>


I've heard the Cleveland Orchestra here in Miami (winter home), the Budapest in Budapest, the Czech philharmonic in Prague, and many other famous orchestras as they travel through here (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Dresden, Oslo, etc.) but I would never go to hear Mozart.

Different tastes for different people. Although Mozart was a certified musical genius he bores me. For me music started with Beethoven's "Eroica" and peaks from Dvorak to Prokoviev to Shastakovitch.

I recall driving 350 miles (Round Trip) to hear the Moscow play Shastakovitch's 4th symphony, when the same orchestra played the 5th only about 50 miles away. Why? I've heard the 5th many times. The 4th is the one he hid until Stalin died (for fear of his life) and is absolutely brilliant. Nothing wrong with the fifth, but it's rare to hear the 4th.

I planned my vacation to Prague to hear the Czech Philharmonic play Suk's "Asriel" and caught the Prague Symphony and the Czech Opera when I was there. Found a couple of good jazz clubs too.

I generally spend most of the concert with my eyes closed. I can listen more intently and get more joy out of the music that way.

But because my main listening love is Symphonic, it doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good Muddy Waters 3 chord blues tune. It's like food. I love a great Filet Mignon, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy popcorn too.

I guess I'm either just lucky, or brain damaged wink

But I'm drifting off topic here. I love playing most kinds of music. In our duo I enjoy putting on different musical hats for different audiences, Rock, light Jazz, Caribbean, Latin American, Disco, Country, or whatever. There are things we don't play, some because we aren't suited for it (if we can't do a good job, we won't do it), and some because it just doesn't work for us. We have over 500 songs, and I enjoy them all.

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