I was so right about Terry Riley`s music being nothing for minimalists: "The Sands" has to be practised very carefully and well to make the piece effective. But it`s going to be a lot of fun. The Kronos Quartet has been great to work with - friendly and competent gentlemen with collegial attititudes and a handshake for those at the back of the orchestra, not just those at the front. Thanks guys, for not forgetting the grassroots.
Another fellow who didn`t forget the grassroots was Leonard Bernstein, known to all American musicians of my generation (the Baby Boomers) simply as "Lenny". Sadly I missed out on meeting him during my student years in Boston. But of my colleagues who knew him, everybody loved him. Nothing but good was ever said about Lenny, his kindness, wit and generosity. He wrote so much energy into his music that one can`t help reproducing it while playing. It makes me very nostalgic for the country and the times in which I grew up- times that were slower and more naive. But there was a belief there that the world is a good place- I think that Lenny`s music reflects that faith.
The Third Half: you`re going to see the Basel Symphony Orchestra like you`ve never seen it before (and possibly never again). Putting together Riley`s "In C" has been a major
high. It`s like asking everybody to exchange instruments and play something completely new, except that any exchanges here have been completely voluntary. This is why you`ll see a whole new selection of instruments on the stage on Thursday evening, including a Celtic harp, an accordion, a viola d `amore,a "Naturhorn", a guitar, a kazoo, etc. It´s really a blast and as always with DRD, easy as pie. I think he must have sold Obama the motto, "Yes, we can", because ever since we`ve been working with him that`s always what we`ve experienced. We`re a happy bunch of musicians when he`s around, and you hear it.
I can`t wait for Thursday!
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