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One of my close friends was a cast member in the UBC Musical Theatre Troupe’s production of Legally Blonde – The Musical. Not only did I get to go and support her Mar. 24 performance, I was also able to document it in my MUSC 326a concert journal! Having attended two operas and a VSO concert for my previous entries, Legally Blonde would definitely be a striking change in musical genres! Originally a novel by Amanda Brown, it was famously adapted into a 2001 film starring Reese Witherspoon. In 2007, the movie was then turned into a contemporary music that opened on Broadway. The story focuses on Elle Woods, a sorority president and fashion merchandising student at UCLA who decides to pursue a law degree at Harvard after being rejected by her boyfriend for not being “serious enough.” We follow her difficulties fitting in with the Harvard crowd, constantly being ostracized for her love of fashion, beauty, and the colour pink. Ultimately, she learns to apply her talents to her legal education, proving to herself and others her formidable legal capabilities.

In many ways, Legally Blonde retains musical features that are reminiscent of both Italian Opera Buffa and Wagnerian Opera. Opera buffa originated from comedic intermezzi performed between acts of dramatic opera seria. These performances represented the natural stories of contemporary life, a vast contrast to the mythical features of opera seria, and thus gained popularity due to their relatability. This is representative of how contemporary musicals like Legally Blonde have gained popularity in the 21th century, for they depict stories directly relatable to a general audience. The story of Elle Woods reverberates with any would-be theatre-goer who ever felt as though they did not fit in or had their accomplishments and inner qualities overshadowed by a physical attribute. Through the uplifting, lighthearted lyrics and a charming score Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, the modern audience becomes captivated the same way early-Classical audiences fell in love with opera buffa.

Though composed nearly 125 years after the death of Richard Wagner, elements of Wagnerian leitmotifs are still prevalent in the score. Much like the Prelude to Tristan and Isolde, the very brief overture to Legally Blonde provides us a brief look at some recurring themes that will be heard later. One prevalent theme is present in the first number “Ohmigod you guys.” The melodic that accompanies the lyric “Oh mi god, oh mi god you guys!” can be heard throughout the musical, often playing in times Elle Woods experiences success or victory. The theme from “Serious” can also be heard throughout the musical, indicating moments where Elle experiences self-doubt.

One final comment can be made on the structure of the musical performance. Unlike other popular musicals, such as Les Miserables, or Phantom of the Operawhich employs constituent “recitative,” Legally Blonde does not have constant musical instrumentation. Rather, the plot is moved forward mainly be dialogue, with individual numbers, much like the structure of a singspiel. As a result, ever number can be isolated as an individual performance, and allow for applause breaks between piece.

It is interesting to see how features of opera from the 18^thand 19^thcentury, as well as the factors that draw audiences to the theatre, are still very relevant in 2019! (4/5)

On Mar. 22, 2019, I attended the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Mozart’s three final symphonies at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. The orchestra was under the baton of Otto Tausk, the new conductor of the VSO. In his opening remarks, Tausk shared with the audience that Mozart’s Symphonies 39-41 were all conducted over the span of one summer in 1788. He mentioned that, in many ways, the three symphonies acted as the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rdmovement of a larger unified composition, thus they should be performed back-to-back in order to appreciate this phenomenon. Most interestingly, Tausk directed the audience’s attention to two instruments situated behind the orchestra: a harpsichord and a fortepiano. During the Classical Era, it was very common for a composer to direct their own work sitting at a keyboard in front of an orchestra and play along. Since it is not known which instrument Mozart played while conducting these symphonies, both were included in the performance. Unfortunately, Tausk himself admitted his inability to play the instruments, and thus a separate musician was behind each keyboard. Remarkably, the keyboardist improvised the whole performance, building off many of the bass notes and chords, as this keyboard role is not written into the score. She did such a fantastic job that Tausk actually gave her the bouquet of flowers he received at the end of the performance!

The concert began with Symphony No. 39 in E flat major, a four movement piece. The movement opens with a slow fanfare, as if to indicate the grand beginnings of a unified musical masterpiece spanning his three symphonies. Interestingly, the begin is quite slow, and a fast theme is not heard until later until the exposition, signifying the beginning of sonata form. A Wikipedia search also revealed sonata form is used in 3 out of the 4 movements in this symphony! As expected, the second movement was of slower tempo, while the third appears to be in triple meter, forming a minuet and trio. The piece closes with another fast section written in sonata form, composed of rapid scales played by the strings and light carefree melodies from the woodwinds.

Next was the famous Symphony No. 40 in G minor, which we studied in class. It was a treat to listen to a piece we discussed at length be performed by a live orchestra! Unlike No. 39, and 41, No. 40 is the only symphony written in a minor mode. If the 3 symphonies are to act as one unified piece, it is as if Mozart intended to begin in a major key, flip to a minor key, and resolve this tension by ending once again on a major key. The iconic first movement began with the breathless melody we know so well that captures the essence of Sturm und Drang. Like No. 39, No. 40 also has its first movement written in sonata form. Again, movement 2 is expectedly slow, movement 3 a minuet and trio, and movement 4 a fast tempo. I particular enjoyed movement 4, which included fast-paced, “breathless” melodies similar to what we heard in the first movement.

Finally came Symphony No. 41 in C major, also known as the Jupiter Symphony. While it parallels the first three symphonies in movement structure, something about the melodies and instrumentation made it seem “grander” than the previous two. The first movement opens with a vibrant, dramatic melody played by the stringers and bolstered by bass and timpani. However, the final movement of the Jupiter was definitely the highlight. Here, we can hear numerous themes played together in what almost sounds like polyphony. We can also hear what sounds like a fugue, with multiple entries of an exposition. The end of the 4^thmovement is by far the most grandiose of the 3 pieces, a fitting close to note only the concert, but also to the last symphony ever written by Mozart. (3/5)

On Feb. 19, 2019, I attended an incredible performance of Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme, staged by the Vancouver Opera (VO). I had attended two other Puccini operas performed by VO in the past, Madame Butterfly and Turandot, so naturally, I was very excited to see La Boheme for the first time! Puccini was an Italian opera composer of the late 19^thcentury. No doubt influence by Giuseppi Verdi, his operas typically focused on love stories and tragedies, set to beautifully lyrical melodies. La Boheme is no exception. After an initial debut at Teatro Regio in Turin in 1896, it has captivated audience for over 100 years.

As the opera begins, there is the lack of an overture, as one would expect from a baroque or classical era opera. Instead the orchestra gives only a brief musical introduction that leads directly into singing. This captures the sentiment of Romantic era operas, where the voice seems to lead and is the main source of passion and emotion; the orchestra existing mainly as an accompaniment to the voice. As we enter 1830’s Paris, we are introduced to the artist Marcello and his friend Rodolfo, a poet. Despite near-destitution, the pair live happy and humble lives, frolicking with their other friends, a musician and a philosopher. While the four sing as an opera ensemble, much of their singing seems to consist entirely of what sounds like continuous recitative, perhaps a representation of how Romantic opera had evolved to consist of uninterrupted music rather than fragmented numbers. While arias are still used, this musical structure seemed to comprise most of the opera.

Just as the group is about to leave for dinner, they are interrupted by their neighbour Mimi who is overcome with illness. Rodolfo decides to stay behind to tend to Mimi, and in the dark, they fall in love. This love story becomes the central focus of the rest of the opera. Rodolfo introduces Mimi to his friends as they eat dinner in the Latin Quarter of Paris. The music from the orchestra is lively as to mirror the bustling crowds. It is here that Marcello runs into his former lover, Musetta, who tries to spark jealousy by performer the risqué “Quando m’en vo’,” more famously known as Musetta’s Waltz. It is a through-composed aria in triple meter, and the theme we hear becomes a recurring motif throughout the opera. However, the aria is swept away by the lively ongoings of the Latin Quarter. An energetic marching band appears onstage, accompanied by a parade of fanciful costumes and giant dolls to close the 2^ndact.

However, the flourishing romance between Rodolfo and Mimi begins to diminish as the two get into a fight at the beginning of the 3^rdact. She, upset by his jealously, and him, by his helplessness in curing her from her worsening illness, later lead the couple to end their relationship. The 3^rdact is filled with incredibly moving, lyrical music that symbolizes the main essence of the Romantic era: music so passionate it can move the audience to tears. With Marcello and Musetta’s relationship also on the rocks, together with Mimi and Rodolfo, the quartet sings “Addio dolce svegliare alla mattina” symbolizing the end of their respective romances as they pray for brighter outcomes in the future. No such outcome arrives, as Mimi arrives at Rodolfo’s home in act 4 sicker than ever. While the Rodolfo’s friends rush to seek medicine and a muff for Mimi’s ice-cold hands, Rodolfo and Mimi sing the emotional duet “Sono andati,” where she professes her undying love for Rodolfo. Unfortunately, the medicine and garment arrive too late, and Mimi succumbs to her disease, thereby ending the opera. VO certainly uses some theatrical magic to represent the immortalization of Mimi as some eternal spirit. After the ensemble crowds around Mimi’s body, they disperse, revealing to a stunned audience that Mimi had disappeared.

Overall, VO’s La Boheme was an incredible musical experience. The use of continuous recitatives such by soloists and ensembles, coupled with powerful arias and a moving storyline in many ways summarized the essence of Romantic era Italian Opera. It is no wonder that La Boheme continues to be one of the most performed operas over 100 years following its debut. (2/5)

On Feb. 1, 2019, I was delighted to have been able to attend a fantastic performance of The Magic Flute, an opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart that we explored in class. Since I had taken piano lessons as a child, I had a small music background and thus had been familiar with more well-known excerpts from the opera, such as the overture, 2^ndaria of the Queen of the Night, and the duet between Papageno and Papagena. However, I had only ever listened to these pieces on YouTube, and thus was extremely excited to be able to witness, for the first time, the opera being performed live in its entirety!

The opera began with the iconic overture, written in sonata form. With its grand, fanfare-like entrance of 3 chords, followed by both fast-paced and slower, lyrical themes, the piece seemed to foreshadow what was to come. The first theme presented in the exposition is quick and on-edge, as if someone/thing is being chased. Played rapidly by the strings, the theme seemed to hint we would be embarking on a journey filled with action, adventure, and excitement. The second theme of the exposition, a more lyrical melody played the woodwinds, seemed to represent the fantastical realm the characters of the opera exist in, filled with magical sorcerers, evil queens, and enchanted instruments.

At the end of the overture, Prince Tamino enters while being chased by a serpent. After he faints in fear, three ladies appear who manage to take down the beast and rescue Tamino. Together, they comprised an opera ensemble as they sang about who should guard Tamino whilst the other two depart. I must say, the UBC opera students playing the three ladies did an excellent job adding humour into their roles, putting a more sassy and flirtatious spin on these iconic characters. This almost humanized the three ladies, making them more relatable and playing into the more opera buffa aspect of the Magic Flute.

While I do not have space to discuss the entire opera, there are a few other moments I would like to point out. First, I must commend whoever played the Queen of the Night for doing an outstanding job. It is no secret that both of her arias, with the stratospheric coloratura and impossibly high staccatos, are some of the most technically challenging pieces ever written for sopranos. This actress not only hit every single note clearly but sang them with the sustained dramatic power expected of the Queen of the Night. Incredibly, she even held the high F at the end of the coloratura run of “O zittre nicht mein lieber Sohn.” Her superb performance was evidenced by the loud cheers and standing ovations she received at the final bow.

Another highlight of the show was when Pamina and Papageno were cornered by Monostatos and his minions. When all seemed lost, Papageno remembers the magic bells gifted to him by the Three Ladies. As he begins to play, the music is so delightfully captivating that it manages to put the would-be captors into a trance! They start singing and dancing along to the bells, along Pamina and Papageno to escape. This was definitely a moment of levity that had the audience in giggles. I can only imagine the pressure on the glockenspiel player in the orchestra responsible for generating the music of the bells!

Overall, I had a wonderful time attending UBC Opera’s The Magic Flute. For such a dynamic opera that (as we discussed in class) includes elements on opera seria, opera buffa, singspiel, and sacred music, the UBC Opera students did a phenomenal job! This was a much-needed break leading up to midterms at the time. (1/5)

Being a fan of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for many years, I just needed to watch one of their performances during the final exam period as my way to relax and destress. Out of the options such as the legendary Mozart and Beethoven, I chose one with the concept that I was not as familiar with – the Russian composers who dealt with political minefields of Russia and the Soviet Union in different ways: Stravinsky, Prokofiev & Shostakovich.

During class, I had heard a brief introduction about Stravinsky and his ballet “The Rite of Spring”; but I had no prior knowledge for Prokofiev and Shostakovich. Therefore, I went in with an open mind, hoping to get a sense of Russian classical music at the end of the concert.

The concert started with a short introduction given by the Music Director of VSO, Otto Tausk, on a brief explanation of the pieces. The first piece is the Funeral Song by Stravinsky. Stravinsky left Russia before the Russian Revolution, and in fact, he could not return until very late of his life. The ‘Funeral Song’ was recently discovered, since it was lost during the Russian Revolution. The song started with a depressed mood – with the strings on very low notes, following by wind instruments intensifying the suspense. The strings had two sections in the song – one with longer notes playing very sorrowful and heartbreaking melodies; the other section were playing fast sextuplets, for which I felt that there was something underlying that wanted to rush and breakthrough. The minor key made this song very dark and gloomy, and the song reminded me of one of the dark Harry Potter soundtracks.

The second piece of work was Violin Concerto No.2 in G minor by Prokofiev, featuring Rosanne Philippens on solo violin. In comparison with the Stravinsky piece and especially with the next Shostakovich piece, the orchestra size for this one is relevantly smaller – there was a maximum of two identical instruments playing for each kind of wind and brass instrument. There were three movements in total, with the first and the third being Allegro and the second being Andante. The most impressive part was the solo violin. Rosanne was playing with enthusiasm and fierce, playing beautifully on the long solo where there were many notes with rapid jumps.

The final piece was a majestic one: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: Suite Arr. James Conlon by Shostakovich. This opera was banned in the Soviet Union for censorship for many years. To end the concert, this piece involved with a full orchestra – with five percussionists. The original work was the opera written by Shostakovich, based on the story of Lady Macbeth: a woman who falls in love with one of her husband’s workers and commits a murder. Thus, it sounded very serious and dramatic, and just like opera seria, an unresolved conflict was being painted quite clearly. When Mr. Otto Tausk extended his arms fully to cue for the full orchestra to play the climax on forte, I had goosebumps all over me. There were so much solemnity and majesty in this piece of work.

After all, the concert was fantastic – it was very worth receiving a standing ovation from the audience. After listening to this concert, I just can’t wait to go to the next one.

Conductor – Tania Miller, Guitar – Pablo Sainz Villegas

Mozart – Symphony No. 35 in D Major, K.385, Haffner

Rodrigo – Concierto de Aranjuez

Schumann – Symphony No.2 in C Major, Op.61

VSO night opened with Mozart “Symphony No. 35 in D Major, K. 385, Haffner”. This symphony is named after Sigismund Haffner, a son of the Salzburg’s former Burgomaster. Mozart created this piece for a celebration, held in Salzburg, for Haffner’s advancement to the nobility. As soon the first movement started, the whole tone of the orchestra played passionately was resonated in the concert hall. One interesting thing I felt was all the instruments seemed to play with same tone in earlier part of this movement; homophonic texture. The first movement seemed to overwhelm the audience with its powerful them. Second movement was felt rather elegant, delicate, and comfortable compared to the first movement. In this movement, I also drew an image as if people are gathering in a beautiful hall and chatting lightly. The atmosphere of the third movement was quite similar to the second movement as third movement “Menuetto” was being played with a minuet-specific bright feeling. It was like people enjoying a party in the court without any worries. The fourth movement, overall, was as powerful as the first but the whole part, mainly string instruments, played much faster.

Next piece was Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez”, the guitar concerto, which I fell in love after hearing this today. The guest performer Pablo Sainz Villegas from La Rioja, Spain came up to the stage to explain the background of the piece with the conductor Tania Miller. Since this concert was “musically speaking” Villegas also shared his musical experience and background such as how he first came across the guitar as a child in Spanish culture, what kind of music he loves, et cetera. It was very meaningful and interesting time because I was able to hear his thoughts about music and guitar, and the detailed background explanation of the Concierto de Ajanjuez. The composer, Rodrigo had become a blind from the age of three and composed this piece when he was 38. Villegas explained that Rodrigo’s idea when he created this piece was the inspiration from the majestic views of the palace of Aranjues, a summer holiday residence for a Spanish king of eighteenth century. It was incredible how someone who couldn’t even see music or musical instruments could create such a beautiful piece. In the first movement, there was full of vitality created from arpeggio of guitar. As Rodrigo’s expression, “the flowers and birds’ song and fountain in the palace garden”, was drawn in this movement, and indeed I was so fulfilled with the vividness of the beautiful garden. The second movement, personally, was such a great masterpiece. In contrast to the brightness and vividness of the first, the second had full of sadness and faintness. Unexpectedly, I imagined an old man recalled his happy past, and at the same time the final scene of the movie Godfather with a famous piece “Cavalleria Rusticana” was pictured in my mind. Mainly the wind instruments in orchestra and guitar solo were alternately played in the second, and the composer described this part as “the conversation with English horn, oboe, horn and guitar”. The intense warmth and lyricism in the second movement were still deeply entrenched in my mind. This atmosphere suddenly changed into brightness the third movement which surprised me again. Within a relatively short movement, it was like an image of people dancing in a cheerful and upbeat manner, as if it would blow away all the sad vibes of the past.

After this wonderful piece was over, Villegas, who appeared for the encore again with enthusiastic applause from the audience, spoke of his feelings, gratitude, and explanation of two guitar solo pieces for encore. Both were composed by Fransisco Tarrega, and the first one was “Gran Jota de Concierto”. Villegas explained that it is often played during the wine harvest season in his hometown, La Rioja where a well-known region for grapes and wineries. It was passionate, cheerful and comfortable melody. The marching-like dull sound in the latter half, when plucking the strings in arpeggione manner while holding them with another hand, was an amazing technique. The last encore piece was “Recuerdos de la Alhambra”, one of the most famous pieces of guitar music. Within tremolo style of guitar, the mystique and the sorrow lyrical melodies was such a gorgeous gem of this night.

The ending of night was Schumann’s “Symphony No. 2”. Prior the performance, the conductor added a brief explanation of this piece as “an emotional arc from conflict to victory” since Schumann had a very difficult time, both physically and mentally as his health deteriorated. Therefore, each movement, especially the first and the second started with a calm and melancholic melody then it turned out to racing-like intense and fast rhythm to create a different atmosphere. The third movement exceptionally made melancholic mood as Schumann shows his despair, anguish and deep sorrow. In the fourth movement, all the notes started intense and majestic, as if to shake every sorrow off. It was like a lied that sang hope. The last part, filled with magnificent timpani and rich chords of orchestra, seemed to shout that Schumann had finally overcome everything and won.

Since I have started this concert journey for the music appreciation journal, I have been looking something interesting and unfamiliar program to broaden my musical experiences. In the meantime, the information of this concert, which I saw on the VSO website, stood at a glance. I really love to play guitar and have looked for many guitar pieces online, but it was very unfamiliar for me that guitar is collaborating with orchestra as the form of concerto. The concert of this night with VSO and conductor Tania Miller, and guitarist Pablo Villegas was memorable, stunning and fabulous.

Friends in Low Places – Mar. 27^th. 2019 at Barnett Hall

This mini concert was performed by trombonist Jeremy Berkman and double bassist David Brown. These two instruments are quite often performed in large group of brass or jazz band, but it is not usual to hear them as duet. Most pieces of this day were relatively newly composed. Only two of eight works performed at this concert were composed before 19^th century. Because of these facts, I excited even more about the concert.

The concert began with wit as David, alone on the stage, started playing bass in a low tone, Jeremy suddenly appeared next to the audience and played the trombone with improvisational melodies.

Then they alternately had brief speech about jazz and today’s program. Soon after, the first piece began, “Duet for Trombone and Double Bass” by Edward Elgar in 1887. Elgar composed this piece for celebration of his friend’s wedding. It was quite short, so it ended quickly but there was the excitement for the celebration and solemnity for the wedding together.

Three other pieces were world premiere, composed by current UBC composition students; “The Encounter” by Carmyn Slater, “The Ground Beneath Us” by Robert Humber, and “Night Tides” by Taylor Hall. All three were in the audience together, so after each performance, the performers and the audience applauded the three. All three pieces had more contemporary musical colors than the atmosphere of jazz. All these works were esoteric pieces that were difficult to define the genre, but it was quite interesting to listen to those works with trombone and bass-specific low tone.

The next piece, “Lawns” by Carla Bley, had a typical jazz frame, unlike the previous three. A jazzy, slow lagging rhythm and blue melody was so fascinated. This piece seemed to lyrically draw a quiet bar in one old movie. As the rhythm was being drooped, it was an attractive piece that I could listen to without worrying throughout the performance.

There was one unique piece, “Selections from Arie Musicali, Book 1” (1630) by Girolamo Frescobaldi, that had one special guest performer Christina Hutten for harpsichord. The harpsichord is an old instrument that is the predecessor of modern piano, so I never expected to be able to hear it. I was very excited about the fact that I could hear the harpsichord, which I could only hear indirectly in recordings and videos. Indeed, the sound of plucking the strings from the harpsichord, different from the notes of the piano, was very attractive. Also, as it was composed in 1630, the unique mystique of the music of the period has been reveal. I was glad to hear the melody that applies to the musical terms that I have learned from the music appreciation such as imitative polyphonic, and homophonic texture. The sound of the three instruments mixed together, but soon one instrument’s clear sound came out. It reminded me of those musical terms. Throughout all the short three movements, the charming and beautiful accompanying harpsichord came all the way, making this piece richer and more fun.

The last piece was “Six Vignettes” by Frederick A. Schipizky. This was composed in 2015, therefore it also had fairly contemporary atmosphere. It was esoteric but not unpleasant so that I could listen comfortably but carefully.

In this concert, I was amazed about the facts that there were variety of genres that two jazzy instruments could express and lots of modern music works are actually being made and studied so steadily. I am not a fan of contemporary music because of its complexity but still it is much worthwhile to listen and study since it is another different and modified way to express multiple messages and feelings today.

Mark Takeshi McGregor flute & Adrian Verdejo guitar­ – Mar. 20^th. 2019 at Barnett Hall.

Toward the Sea for alto flute and guitar (1981) – Toru Takemitsu

1. The Night, ii. Moby Dick, iii. Cape Cod

Duo I (1992-93) – Ignacio Baca-Lobera

Verdigris for flute and guitar – Jocelyn Morlock

Histoire du Tango (1986) – Astor Piazzolla

1. Bordel 1990, ii. Café 1930, iii Nightclub 1960, iv. Concert d’dujord’hui

This is probably one of the weirdest musical experiences that I ever had. The reason I became interested in this small concert was because of the unique composition of the instruments. A flute and a guitar. It is a peculiar pair that I have never heard of before, but that’s why I became more interested in the concert.

Two performers, Mark McGregor with flute and Adrian Verdejo with guitar briefly introduced of themselves and the program briefly beforehand. Four pieces of music were basically composed by four different composers from different countries, therefore they all had the distinct to contemporary music’s complexity and confusion as the colors of each country were smeared in the music.

First piece was “Toward the Sea for alto flute and guitar (1981)” composed by Toru Takemitsu from Japan. As soon as the music began, a very intense sound started to be played from the flute as if playing traditional Japanese music. I didn’t expect it would sound as that intense and peculiar from the flute, which always sounded mild and delicate. The accompanying guitar also made interesting sound as listening to Japanese music. The medium range from an alto flute was as if I were hypnotizing. The calm yet intense tone was like watching the cold sea. The guitar also produced a sense of water flowing down, with its calm melody playing in a fast rhythm.

The second piece “Duo I” which is composed by a Mexican musician, also featured a strong and sharp performance by the flute. It sounded like an old wooden wind instrument, not a brass instrument throughout the whole piece. The flute’s high tone of sound like fluttering a metal was unbelievable that it was from a flute. The accompanying guitar also plucked the strings fast and intense, so I couldn’t imagine it was a sound from a guitar at all if I was not watching it. The combination of the guitar and the flute were well blended together, and it was amazing that those sounded unpleasant.

Third piece “Verdigris for flue and guitar” was composed by a Canadian composer, Jocelyn Morlock. Overall atmosphere of this work was quite odd rather than sense of unpleasant or confused that I had felt in previous pieces. The performance of the flute and the accompanied guitar, which began in a calm manner, was like the overnight air when everything sank. Like a little chilly wind, the medium range of flute melody repeated its rise and fall, and the slow, neat sound of the guitar made the atmosphere even more mysterious. I wonder if it was this kind of feeling if I took a walk in the forest where moonlight is coming in at night.

The last fourth one was “Histoire du Tango” which means history of tango, composed by an Argentinian composer Piazzola. He is also very well known as a composer of Libertango, the most famous tango music. The first movement “Bordel 1900” began with light melody of flute and guitar had clearer beat and tempo compared to all the previous pieces. A guitar and a flute together created exciting melodies and rhythms. The guitar did not just stay in the role as the accompanist, but also led the melody with active performances. The second movement was “café 1930”, and this was my favorite part of this whole concert because of its lyrical and vague atmosphere. The elegant notes of flute and the low and deep notes of guitar were like reminiscent of twilight. In the third movement, “Nightclub 1960”, the mood changed slightly, starting with a quick play of a flute and a guitar. Then the tempo repeatedly became very slow for a while and then it accelerated again. The final movement “Concert d’aujourd’hui” had interesting atmosphere. It felt peculiar and odd like watching an animation Pink Panther. It seemed to be the most recent piece of the four movements, and it certainly felt like the most contemporary music. However, the last movement was so short enough to finish as soon as I got the feeling that it was a bit strange.

What I had expected of the combination of the flute and the guitar was elegant, lyrical, and calm as I have been listening in other classical works. It totally betrayed my expectation. Some of contemporary pieces had unpleasant atmosphere. But I think this was awesome musical experience that have broken my bias in music and its unlimited expression.

When I enter the VSO building, I always feel like I am in a fit of excitement. Especially I was more excited because this was my first visit in four months. Moreover, I like Beethoven, but I have never heard Beethoven’s piano concerto before, so I was looking forward to it. Today’s program was performed by VSO with conductor Dietrich Paredes.

The first piece to be played on this day was “The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave), op. 26” of Felix Mendelssohn. It was a very unfamiliar piece that I have never heard of, so I read the introductory text in the brochure, but it was not easy to fully understand it just by reading it. When Mendelssohn visited to the Hebrides, the islands located at the northwest coast of Scotland, he got colossal and extraordinary impressions after he saw a grotto known as Fingal’s cave. Fingal is a name of a hero in old Scottish mythology. Like the strong impression he received, I also had a unique impression in this work. It started with a gentle, lovely melody and soon it turned out a mystique like watching fantasy movies. The magnificent melody was repeatedly played, it seemed as if huge waves and winds were coming in and out. In the meantime, I also felt a very colorful atmosphere in the ever-changing melody.

The second piece was Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 which I was impressed the most. A young French pianist David Kadouch performed as a companion. In 1800, when Beethoven wrote this piece, he was already losing his hearing. Perhaps that is why the overall atmosphere of this concerto had dark ambience, but at the same time I thought it had a romantic melody and passionate feeling in the piece. In the first movement, it gave off a feeling of gloom as if something were pressed own in the shadow, but this atmosphere kept interchanging with another bright atmosphere of soft melody that seemed to seek hope. The unique melody performance that seems to keep moving between major and minor modes is still memorable. The atmosphere with the first movement was definitely contrasted in the second movement, which began with a quiet and calm piano performance. It was like a watercolor paint depicting a peaceful pastoral scene. The third movement seemed to have the most outstanding performance of the piano in this piece. Orchestra instruments seemed to accompany the piano while piano gave out the general theme. Especially the piano performance in the end was so beautiful that it was overwhelming.

After this piano concerto, Kadouch played a single piano solo as an encore to the audience. Chopin’s Waltz Op. 64 no.2. It is one of Chopin’s most famous waltz and famous for its lyrical and elegant style. Kadouch wrapped up his stage with all the elegance and exquisite beauty of this waltz.

The next piece after the intermission was Beethoven’s the Creatures of Prometheus, Op. 43: Overture, which was quite short. I read an introduction that was one of the only two ballet music composed by Beethoven and said it is very rare for the entire piece to be played for ballet nowadays but only the overture. Indeed, I have never heard of Beethoven writing a music for ballet. Probably because it was an overture, it seemed to have compressed a grand-scale symphony into a short passage rather than the feeling of a ballet.

The last piece of this day was Beethoven, Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36. This was another piece that I was not familiar with, but the feeling I got from this piece was stunning. The first movement was grand, vibrant, and colorful. It was also said that this work was composed around the time he lost his hearing, and it indeed seemed to me that all the clangs and emotions that Beethoven had experienced at that time were bursting out. The mood at the second movement was calmer and softer and the singing-like melody was impressive. In the third movement, there was a contrast with the cross between a loud explosion-like melody and a small murmuring-like melody gave me strong impressions. The final movement was rough and passionate, but I also had an impression like a sense of humor as if a person was smiling and hopping here and there.

Overall, my appreciation for those pieces of Beethoven on this day was that he was a such a monstrous figure. All of those works were beyond my expectations, even though there was a sense of Beethoven that I had previously though of. The fact that theses works were made at the time when he was mentally and physically suffering was absolutely understandable why he is being praised as the great composer in this era.

On Friday night in rainy day of the first day of February, I went to the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in UBC. I have seen other opera pieces on YouTube in parts, but this was my first ever experience of watching whole opera in person, so I had colossal expectation of how music would be played along with the stage performance.

“Die Zauberflote” or “Magic Flute” in English form is one of the last pieces done by Mozart. And it is also known as the complete version of his comprehensive music in those days. In the writings of the brochure in the hall corridor, the work was introduced as a typical Singspiel opera. Later, I found out it is often misidentified as Singspiel, but it is rather a unique form of opera that combines various musical styles such as opera buffa, opera seria, German lied, Bach’s coral, and Austrian folk music.

I was waiting in the dark for the opera to begin, watching the set on stage for a while. The set of opera was very engrossing. Unlike other orchestral stage such as VSO, there was a wide range of stage for actors and the hollowed-out space for orchestral players called ‘orchestra pit’. After the short amount of time had passed, the lights were on the stage and the music began. It turned out from here that my experience of watching opera is so humble. I didn’t know there was an overture to the opera, so I was quite embarrassed when the songs and actors didn’t show up for a long time after the gentle music with slow tempo being played from the orchestra pit.

The atmosphere of the stage changed instantly after the overture. Prince Tamino appeared on the stage with giant serpent. It was a scene where a prince was chased by a serpent and three ladies appeared to save the prince. While the opera was being conducted in German, English subtitles appeared on the screen located on the ceiling of the stage. It was a little cumbersome to look at both the stage and the screen alternately, but I also thought it was a way to enjoy opera.

And then there was a scene where a character called bird catcher Papageno came out and sang merrily with a bird cage, it was one of the most impressive performances to me. I had thought that every piece of classical music from the era of Mozart was serious and formal, but I realized it was a big bias. Papageno’s aria “Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja” was a fun and joyful melody like dancing in the beautiful forest, and the lyrics were also humorous. The scenes that followed also had humorous codes in between and I felt like Mozart intended to make the audience laugh at ease while watching his piece. Especially in most of the scenes where Papageno appeared, there were many factors that the audience laughed, so I really wondered about the intention of Mozart to create this character.

In the latter half of the first act, aria of Prince Tamino and aria of the Queen of the Night were also memorable scenes. Tamino’s aria was full of lyricism. It was elegant and beautiful, even though it was a tenor singing. The Queen’s aria was also magnificent. There was a queenly elegance in the melody with a dark, sad vibe in the beginning. The very high-toned coloratura that followed was even more spectacular. It was an incredible technique to believe that the soprano was a college student. The witty and joyful melody of the song in which the princess Pamina and Papageno drove out the villain of this piece, Monostatos and his men with silver bell was also indelible.

As the opera progressed, several reversals arose. It was since the appearance of Sarastro, the evil man as the Queen of the Night called. Sarastro’s grand and massive bass along with the hymn-like melody was such that I could feel that he was a deified character in the work. In contrast, the appearance of the Queen re-emerging at the end of the play was also in opposite as she started her aria. An aria of the Queen of the Night “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” is probably the most famous aria that even people who do not know much about opera and classical music would recognize. The elegance that was seen in her before was like the wind that vanished without trace, and what lay in place was an eerie rage of sharpness and malice. Especially, the ascension in the arid was a good tool to reveal the true image of the Queen.

There are many operas in the world. It was quite an interesting experience that this work, which is reputed to be the most unique opera, became my first opera experience. After I saw this piece of work made by combining different colors of style rather than one genre and style, I felt like I watched several works at once.