If you saw the Poulenc Motet posted here, I do apologize! That was to be posted later … I just made a mistake and didn’t put in the correct date. (Yes, I prepare things in advance sometimes. You didn’t really think I sat around posting things they way they appear now, did you?!) If you didn’t see it … well … never mind. I’m not sorry at all! 😉
In Other News … the soloist for our Symphony Silicon Valley concerts, was amazing! Gabriela Montero not only played the Rachmaninoff, but she offered up improvisational encores at each performance. She asks that someone in the audience sing a tune, and then she created a work. I’m not talking a 1 minute piece, either. I’m talking a full blown work. Honest! In order of appearance we heard improvisations based on (I do hope I’m getting this right!) “I’ve Got Rhythm”, “Do You Know The Way To San Jose?”, “Somewhere” by Bernstein, the main theme from Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”, “Blue Skies”, and “Raindrops on Roses”. Each one was done in a different style. I can’t recall all of them at this point (muddy brain), but I know that “I’ve Got Rhythm” was Bach-ish, and “Do You Know the Way To San Jose” sounded like Debussy. I’m hopeful that some of my orchestra pals who read this will jump in with the others. Ms. Montero is simply amazing. I’d love to climb into that head of hers and see how it operates.
Here are some more treats for you!
Sometimes she only plays the tune once or twice. Sometimes she plays it a while before she begins her improv, as she does in the following (sorry, no video with this one):
And it’s always fun to make an flutist cry! (Happy tears, of course.)
And just one more short one … because it’s my blog and I can do it if I wanna! (The comments on this say it’s Scriabin-esque.):
