Tonight was the Cleveland Orchestra performance. First off was Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral")--good standard classical fare. The second piece was the most interesting, HK Gruber's Frankenstein!!, described as "A pan-demonium for chansonnier and orchestra after children's rhymes by H.C. Artmann"--complete with balloons being popped on stage. Others seem to have really liked this piece, but I have to disagree, I thought it was good but having the rhymes being read along was a bit distracting from the music. It was also interesting that the composer was also there as the speaker/chansonnier (a word which I'll have to look up at some point, since I have no idea).
The last main piece was Suppe's Overture to Poet and Peasant. I thought this was the best piece, certainly since I like big expansive fast-tempo'd works :) The encore was also good, and I think they almost gave a second one, but then decided against it.
Also of note was a woman sitting next to us, who originally was from Cleveland, really into music, and filled my friend and I in on some of the history of the orchestra (well, some of it was more like gossip, but that has too many negative connotations to be appropriate).
All in all a good evening. Just have to remember to get some school work done ;-)
11:42:32 PM 
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