Mourning in the Dark with Schmidt

Last night Jeff and I had a lovely date night out. We transformed to our formal selves and headed downtown. We went to Newport's for a pre-performance drink and appetizer. It was my first time there and I liked it. After that we headed to the Meyerson for the DSO performance.

We were particularly excited about this concert as Andrew Litton, the DSO's conductor before Jaap van Zweden, was back as a guest conductor. We have seen him a few times before and each time have been very impressed with him. He is comfortable and natural to watch. He usually chooses at least one piece that is unfamiliar to us and does a great job making it approachable. For example, he introduced us to Charles Ives' Central Park in the Dark a few years ago, which is a piece we were quite taken by and still really enjoy.

Litton's choice did not disappoint. He introduced us (and I think most of the rest of the audience as well) to Franz Schmidt. He selected his Symphony No.4 in C major. It was introduced as a "requiem for Schmidt's daughter" and in my opinion, it precisely captured the sense of anguish going through daily life after loosing a loved one. Litton joked when introducing the piece that you may want to hit the bar at intermission. And dark it was.

I am glad to have been introduced to Schmidt. It was a melancholic piece, but beautiful. It captured the tension of trying to move forward, but being rendered immobile by grief. Perhaps I laid some of my own experience on it, but I think I really heard it in the music. It was very powerful. Sitting in the dark, collectively crying with many of the people around me. I stayed with the music, but periodically would move outside of it to notice people wiping their eyes and reaching for each other. I was not the only one moved.

The second piece was Brahm's Piano Concerto No.1 in D Minor, Op.15. It was incredible and I have a feeling I would have been quite taken by it had I not been so emotionally drained from the first half. It was nice to just sit back and let it carry me and clear my brain of images. I just enjoyed the notes and the comparatively harmonious piece.

It was a lovely evening and I am glad I got experience it. I really like van Zweden, but I will be looking forward to when Litton comes to guest conduct again.