The Sinfonieorchester Basel is running at full speed these days- we
have an amazing scheduled filled with amazing projects. And all of
them give me a total high -wow, life is good!
Our Sunday started out early, catching the bus to Bern for two
concerts with the pianist Rudolf Buchbinder. When we got to Bern and
checked out the view from the terrace of the concert hall - it was a
picture postcard vista of the Bernese Alps- the only thought was, "oh
man, to be there now...". But the two concerts were better than
anything I could ever have imagined doing on that day - without
exception. Buchbinder plays the piano as if he's breathing music, his
intense energy just grabbed us and took us along for the ride- and a
great one it was! I experienced my colleagues as a very happy and
absolutely committed group of musicians functioning as one entity -
everything seemed effortless. Who needs drugs when you can have
Beethoven?
We didn't have much time to change gears, because on Monday morning we
had our first rehearsal with the Lovebugs. "And now for something
completely different!" The atmosphere started out well-meaning
curious, gravitated to playful (no pun intended) and went on to happy
enthusiasm. The band's arrangements are a joy, intelligent and witty-
just like the guys themselves, real charmers who are naturally
likeable. These two days are the kind that make plastic surgery
redundant- you get more energetic and youthful just by being there.
Today we start working for our concert with the "Basler Liedertafel",
a rare event in our program as we have little opportunity to work
with the local choirs. The Basler Liedertafel is a traditional male
choir and has been a faithful partner for many years. I'm quite
curious about how they're progressing and growing. The program
includes Cherubini's "Requiem" and "Die Wüste" ("The Desert") by
Felicien David. This piece sounds like a distant relative of Bizet
with a bit of oriental seasonings thrown in, quite a rarety on the
choral repertory. I hope the gents will have a successful concert in a
well-filled hall. We'll give them our heartiest support.
Along with all of these events, we musicians are scurrying to find
rehearsal time for our concerts during the Museums Night. Eight hours
of music, being played simultaneously in four places - I'm counting
the orchestra's performance of "Giselle"- ain't just whistling
"Dixie." On the whole, we 're playing five different productions this
week- we don't have time to be tired.
Working like I do this week - playing a wide spectrum of repertory -
makes think how lucky I am; there's no room for boredom or routine in
my professional life. But I also wouldn't mind spending a Sunday with
my family.
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