It's Advent! In fact, we're two weeks in already. To get in the spirit, a friend invited us to a performance of Olivier Messiaen's "Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésu"(1944), a monumental suite of madly dissonant pieces for piano. The event organizer spread the twenty pieces among five pianists, which was interesting but added a perhaps unneeded texture - and made for a three hour concert! Also an addition which may or may not have detracted from the integrity of the experience were projections of art works, one for each piece. Still, it was wonderful to spend time with Wassily Kandinsky's "In Blue," and to experience it together with the delirious tenth piece, "Regard de l'Esprit de joie." Monday, December 10, 2018
O holy night
It's Advent! In fact, we're two weeks in already. To get in the spirit, a friend invited us to a performance of Olivier Messiaen's "Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jésu"(1944), a monumental suite of madly dissonant pieces for piano. The event organizer spread the twenty pieces among five pianists, which was interesting but added a perhaps unneeded texture - and made for a three hour concert! Also an addition which may or may not have detracted from the integrity of the experience were projections of art works, one for each piece. Still, it was wonderful to spend time with Wassily Kandinsky's "In Blue," and to experience it together with the delirious tenth piece, "Regard de l'Esprit de joie." 