I'm listening to Riccardo Muti conduct the Chicago Symphony doing Beethoven's 9th.
Why?
Because it's there.
What the hell is up with Muti's haircut?
There's something to be said for orchestras. It's amazing how a hundred or more professional musicians, all of whom can actually read music, can hit the same note at the same time.
It's not hard to see why proper orchestras are constantly in dire financial straits. You have to pay all those musicians. Apparently in Chicago they're paid properly, and you're playing in front of a few thousand people.
Contrast that to a rock band. Four guys who may or may not read music, but in any event, it doesn't matter, because as long as they can stand up there in an arena in front of 20,000, and make stuff up and pretend they meant to do it (improvisation, I think it's called) everyone goes home happy.
Me and one of my ex-wives used to have season tickets to the TSO back in the Andrew Davis era. Had front row balcony chairs at stage right. It was the perfect night out. You'd head into town early, park under Roy Thomson Hall, and go have a leisurely dinner at Meyers Deli down the street, then head back for the show.
Our seats were strategically located so that at intermission, if I ducked out in the middle of the applause, I'd beat the line-up at the nearest bar, which was just up the steps and around the corner, and snag a couple of brandies before a crowd gathered. If I remember correctly, in those days you could even have a smoke indoors!
Anyway, Google has determined that I might like to check out Beethoven's 7th by the Royal Concertgebouw under Ivan Fischer...
I'm not so sure. I figure I'm pretty much Beethovened out and might like a little bit of Iggy and the Stooges instead.
Like I said... greatest timewaster ever invented.
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