Jacobs Masterworks - Book Report/Review Example

Jacob’s Masterworks The weekend of Friday, May 17, 2013 to Sunday, May 19, 2013 saw the presentation of Jacobs Masterworks in the Copley Symphony Hall, San Diego. Although the program was expected to run for the whole weekend, there was no difference in the performances. Being an orchestra lover, I attended the Friday performance. Not only would it provide me with an opportunity to relax myself and end my week in a happy mood, I also wanted to catch the performers still fresh with energy. While to many non-orchestra lovers this would mean a good place for a night out, an orchestra lover had the best time of every performance. The hall was capacity full, which was not a rare spectacle San Diego symphony hall. However, something was different in this particular hall, the huge representation of the young generation. Classical music is preferred by the old and the grown up, whilst the youth love pop concerts and loud clubs. I found this rather different. Many of them were in classical attire, setting the mood for the night. Personally, I love classical music despite being quite young, something my friends find rather funny. While they tease me of belonging to the old-school generation, it is nights like this in a hall like the Copley Symphony Hall performing Jacobs masterworks that gives me joy of my lifetime. Although the program included orchestration pieces performed by Enrique Granados and Celedonio Romero, what caught my attention most was the intermission by Romero, and Gould’s “Troubadour Music for Four Guitars.” I found Especially with Manuel de Falla’s “El amor brujo” to have been the heaviest work on the program, especially due to the metallic nature of the performances and the loudness. The intermission was classical enough that I found it catchier than any other classical performance I have attended so far. It was not hard for me to find fun, neither did the team have to do too much to catch my attention and get me entertained. However, through the orchestrations, I was expectant of the intermission moment, when Morton Gould would take over and make my night. Little did he disappoint, as he gave his best on the pieces. I could feel; every word of the lead, while the soprano was loud and ear catching. This was the moment of my night, and I felt I had made the right decision. There was no better way to forget my whole week’s tiredness and trouble than in a classical orchestra hall with violins and voices sounding that sweet. Indeed, I felt I like jumping on stage and joining in the lead, as In the Cave was playing. I have always loved the song, and every performance that I attend and the song get played, I loose myself to the words and the strings of the guitar. Having been slated as the lead song on the intermission, there was no better way to have me on the performance too, one that I performed for myself. However, this lively mood was cut short by Song of a Broken Heart, which was next. Of course I have memorized the whole program, and knew which song would come next. But I had totally forgotten that this would be the next song in the list. I wished it would have come much later, or even earlier too. In particular, I did not hate the performance, but had a personal attachment to the song. Song of a broken heart reminded me of a time when I was heartbroken. This classic reminded me of every episode that went through over the entire period. But I was over that, and so, to crown my efforts of having had the strength to move on and forget the past, I sang along to the song, and felt relieved. Gould work, having been written in 1969 and unheard in concert halls of San Diego since then, was equally entertaining to the audience as to the performers. The song was written for the founding father of San Diego during the 200 anniversary. This reminded part of the history of my country. At this moment, I realized how great it is to be a patriot of my country. An old man, who occupied the space next to me, narrated a brief history of the first time the song was played to the public. According to him, in comparison people in the 1960s were more patriotic than currently they were. As the band kept playing, he narrated to me episodes he considered to have been the most important in his life history, especially the war of Vietnam. Although I missed an opportunity to listen to the entire song, I got a chance to learn more about San Diego. I got to the music just as the lead singer was hitting the climax of the song in a captivating high note. In the jovial mood, the audience cheered just as Celin, Pepe, Lito and Celino revealed their jubilation in the performance from the manner in which they faded the music. The conductor, Jahja Ling showed mastery in leading the team, as he energetically led the team through the list of songs in the program. All performers were happy except for mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. She had been assigned three sections to sing although her worst performance was “El amor brujo” which is loosely translated to mean, “Love, the Magician”. However, although she did a rather substandard performance, the music did not stop. I kept looking forward to other performances which would lift up my spirits again. When the next soprano took the stage, it was all classical again, as I danced to the Ritual Fire Dance and the Dance of the Game of Love. These particular songs made me feel electrified and rekindled my lost spirit for the high. All other sessions were quite as interesting, although I did not find them quite as interesting as these two. As the music faded away and the stage closed with the Scene, all I could say to myself was, “that was rely a piece of classic music, I feel like a Romero myself.” The performance was generally great, as I could not compare the fun I got with any other symphony classic performance I have attended so far. I concluded that classic music was not for the old after all, even the young can have equally as much fun. Read More