dinsdag 18 november 2014

Gabriela Montero live at the Concertgebouw

Me and my girlfriend decided to go to a concert in stead of a movie as a going out night. I had mixed feelings after.

One hand I am deformed. I listen differently than my friends who are non-musicians. The audience loved the concert. Standing ovations, several times. And the concert was nice, sure. But nice, that was it. At least until the final part. On the other hand, I am also public and want to enjoy myself.

Montero started out with Brahms. I am not sure which piece, because I didn’t have a program. The first movement was absolutely really nice. It set a great atmosphere, and although I already realized that this not the concert of the year, I was glad I went. But in the second movement Montero started to play ‘emotional’, like postponing the one way way too many times. The same gesture over and over. Pearl chains of notes followed, sure, nice, virtuoso, but not enough to keep on the tip of my chair.

Again, until the final part where she started improvising. She is an absolute wonder of improvisation, I wish she did that the whole concert. I have never heard anything like it. The way she presented it now was like a sort of extra, a dessert. But this could be her main thing. She might develop a concert program in which she can improvise the whole time, maybe alternated with some classical tunes. Then I will hear a concert that is truly different and remarkable.

Although the improvisation is not my taste, it is very virtuosic and musical. I could imagine that if Montero would go one step further and dive into the depths of impressionims, Stranvinsky and jazz she would be able to give a sensational concert.

Funny thing is that also play much better when she is improvising, less hesitant, less ‘emotional’, more simple, straight forward, no unnecessary decorations, accelerando’s and ritenutos.

But I was one of the few who thought like this. The audience loved it. And don’t get me wrong, it was very good, but not enough. But she could be….!

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