what a night

I have to say that I’ve got a new high point in my career with the OSO so far.  Last night’s subscription concert was at such a high level of polish and sophistication that I almost want to shout from the rooftops that the Oregon Symphony is, without a doubt, one of the best orchestras in the country right now.  More specifically, we play Mozart like a European orchestra – a very good European orchestra.

We have a conductor who knows Mozart inside and out, has good ideas, and knows how to show them.  He also trusts us to pick up subtle changes on the fly – and we know we can do it.  As we were playing the first movement of the G minor Symphony, I was thinking to myself that I couldn’t believe that I was playing Mozart at such a high level with my own orchestra, it was a wonderful experience, and as I looked over across the violins, I saw many of my colleagues moving in unison with their bodies to the phrases, and it was like watching the Berlin Philharmonic violins, it was so dynamic and alive.  Clearly, the audience felt it as well, giving a warm round of applause between the first and second movements.

And that wasn’t all.  Jun Iwasaki, our new concertmaster now in his second season, played the holy hell out of the Korngold Violin Concerto as well.  Truly inspiring, and the orchestra gave delicate support with obvious relish of the display of musicianship going on before us.  Gutsy playing, both powerful and subtle, was the order of the evening from our colleague, Jun.  We’re lucky to have him here – he is already at the front rank of concertmasters in the US, and there is no doubt that he will become one of the greats as his career unfolds.  What’s more, he really is a well-rounded player, with mad skillz in not only orchestral repertoire, but in chamber music and solo repertoire as well.  It’s inspiring to watch him play.

The night finished with Strauss’ Dance of the Seven Veils from Salomé, and here the orchestra finally got let off its leash.  I’m happy to say that the viola section virtually sawed our instruments in half with the slashing opening frenzy, and Joël Belgique did his slithery solos with great character as well.  Lots of great stuff from the brass and woodwinds and percussion as well – it was all a great, kaleidoscopic, phantasmagoric orgy of orchestral color that, as good as it was, couldn’t overshadow the greatness of what came before it.

What a night!