I watched the New York Philharmonic Orchestra perform Symphony No.5 of Dimitri Shostakovich, which took place at Bunka Kainan, Tokyo, Japan in 1979. This concert was conducted by Leonard Bernstein. The concert lasted approximately 50 minutes and included varieties of instruments. Instruments to name are a large group of violins, clarinets, cellos, French horns, a harp, flutes, basses including a bassoon and oboe. I tend to hear various melodies used elsewhere either from Star Wars and or Pink Panther like melodies.
The Symphony is originally composed of four parts; moderato, allegretto, largo and allegro. The beginning of the concert opens slowly with emotions running deep and meaningful with short tempo spikes to surprise and evoke nervousness, then bring you back to your seat in forgiving consonant intervals. A piano, French horns and trumpets bring a dark concerned, uneasy feeling of urgency as the violins and basses run away with the tempo. Symbols and drums take me back to an earlier revolutionary period with a rhythmic beat almost portraying strides leading up to a battle. Typically Leonard Bernstein would bring the tempo back down underlying a slow river with high pitched flute notes including a xylophone. …show more content…
It seemed like a straight forward concert with all eyes on the conductor. I do believe there was a piccolo being used by a certain musician. The majority of the solos were played in a very relaxed slow tempo that helped build excitement or bring it to an end. Allegretto opened with deep string harmony. From then on this movement seemed very witty and jumpy, each of the solos were very bright and light spirited, very similar mocking 19th century music. The conductor’s body language played a very good hint as to what tempos the music was building up
The Symphony is originally composed of four parts; moderato, allegretto, largo and allegro. The beginning of the concert opens slowly with emotions running deep and meaningful with short tempo spikes to surprise and evoke nervousness, then bring you back to your seat in forgiving consonant intervals. A piano, French horns and trumpets bring a dark concerned, uneasy feeling of urgency as the violins and basses run away with the tempo. Symbols and drums take me back to an earlier revolutionary period with a rhythmic beat almost portraying strides leading up to a battle. Typically Leonard Bernstein would bring the tempo back down underlying a slow river with high pitched flute notes including a xylophone. …show more content…
It seemed like a straight forward concert with all eyes on the conductor. I do believe there was a piccolo being used by a certain musician. The majority of the solos were played in a very relaxed slow tempo that helped build excitement or bring it to an end. Allegretto opened with deep string harmony. From then on this movement seemed very witty and jumpy, each of the solos were very bright and light spirited, very similar mocking 19th century music. The conductor’s body language played a very good hint as to what tempos the music was building up