Poetry in music as Vadim Gluzman played a Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto at the Sydney Opera House... 3 July 2016

 When I listen to a live performance where a virtuoso masters a concerto that challenges instrument and performer to technical and musicality extremes, I lose my breath and feel my conscious self transported to another plane, and, the stresses of the every-day-goings-on dissipate. It happened to me on Saturday night, 2 July 2016.

 
As Vadim Gluzman emerged from backstage and walked between the violinists of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra with the 1690 ‘ex-Leopold Auer’ Stradivari held high leading him to front centre stage, applause erupted and I knew the night was going to be special. The Stradivari is on extended loan to him through the generosity of the Stradivari Society of Chicago. I can’t describe this violin’s sound any better than the website http://tarisio.comthe `Auer´ has a beautiful, noble voice. Its luscious low register, penetrating E string, immensely wide color-palette, and power of projection have mesmerized audiences everywhere it has been heard.  
 
The violin by itself can’t create music nor can the composer’s notes upon a page: they need a virtuoso. Last night, hearing the passion of the Russian Gluzman play Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D, Op.35, prompted my musician-friend Roslyn to say: “See what happens when a Russian plays the Romantics.” Ros couldn’t say anything else: she was choked for the joy of the music.
 
Poetry does that to me mainly. Currently, I’m absorbing the poems in Sylvia Plath’s collection entitled Ariel.
 
Before the concert yesterday I had met with my writing critique group. My Fic Chick friends pointed out that Blogs have to be regular, hence today’s effort. And then they asked when I was going to send them extracts from the second draft of my first novel for adults. I received the first draft’s structural edit from Nicola O’Shea mid-June 101.0.115.127/~nicolaos/. Well, for family reasons I am in a state of heightened emotion and know it’s best for my MS if it sits and waits for me. Also, when I’m in this state I’m creative and it’s the best time for me to write poetry (Of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that I must have 10 poems in terrific shape by October for a Poetry Assessment with Australian poet Martin Langford at the NSW Writers’ Centre!)
 
And panicking about that reminded me that the last thing Martin Langford had said to a class of his I attended in April 2014 was that if we wanted to take our poetry further we must interact with the Poetry World. Umm. Well, I haven’t done that, very much.
 
I’m aware from Norm Neill’s email newsletter of all the poetry events in Sydney and surrounds so there is no excuse not to interact with others who write poetry.  It’s not that I’m shy but I do like being an introvert at home writing and I always have a lot going on with my big Italian family. (To receive Norm’s e-newsletter of events please contact him: normie@exemail.com.au)
 
According to the NSW Writers' Centre "Spotlight On ..." Norm Neill’s mission is to foster the sense of community among poets and the poetry-appreciation community. Maybe it's time to attend Norm’s weekly poetry workshops …. Wednesdays, 6.30pm, NSW Writers’ Centre. www.nswwc.org.au/2015/09/spotlight-on-norm-neill/


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Poetry in music as Vadim Gluzman played a Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto at the Sydney Opera House... 3 July 2016

 When I listen to a live performance where a virtuoso masters a concerto that challenges instrument and performer to technical and musicality extremes, I lose my breath and feel my conscious self transported to another plane, and, the stresses of the every-day-goings-on dissipate. It happened to me on Saturday night, 2 July 2016.

 
As Vadim Gluzman emerged from backstage and walked between the violinists of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra with the 1690 ‘ex-Leopold Auer’ Stradivari held high leading him to front centre stage, applause erupted and I knew the night was going to be special. The Stradivari is on extended loan to him through the generosity of the Stradivari Society of Chicago. I can’t describe this violin’s sound any better than the website http://tarisio.comthe `Auer´ has a beautiful, noble voice. Its luscious low register, penetrating E string, immensely wide color-palette, and power of projection have mesmerized audiences everywhere it has been heard.  
 
The violin by itself can’t create music nor can the composer’s notes upon a page: they need a virtuoso. Last night, hearing the passion of the Russian Gluzman play Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D, Op.35, prompted my musician-friend Roslyn to say: “See what happens when a Russian plays the Romantics.” Ros couldn’t say anything else: she was choked for the joy of the music.
 
Poetry does that to me mainly. Currently, I’m absorbing the poems in Sylvia Plath’s collection entitled Ariel.
 
Before the concert yesterday I had met with my writing critique group. My Fic Chick friends pointed out that Blogs have to be regular, hence today’s effort. And then they asked when I was going to send them extracts from the second draft of my first novel for adults. I received the first draft’s structural edit from Nicola O’Shea mid-June 101.0.115.127/~nicolaos/. Well, for family reasons I am in a state of heightened emotion and know it’s best for my MS if it sits and waits for me. Also, when I’m in this state I’m creative and it’s the best time for me to write poetry (Of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that I must have 10 poems in terrific shape by October for a Poetry Assessment with Australian poet Martin Langford at the NSW Writers’ Centre!)
 
And panicking about that reminded me that the last thing Martin Langford had said to a class of his I attended in April 2014 was that if we wanted to take our poetry further we must interact with the Poetry World. Umm. Well, I haven’t done that, very much.
 
I’m aware from Norm Neill’s email newsletter of all the poetry events in Sydney and surrounds so there is no excuse not to interact with others who write poetry.  It’s not that I’m shy but I do like being an introvert at home writing and I always have a lot going on with my big Italian family. (To receive Norm’s e-newsletter of events please contact him: normie@exemail.com.au)
 
According to the NSW Writers' Centre "Spotlight On ..." Norm Neill’s mission is to foster the sense of community among poets and the poetry-appreciation community. Maybe it's time to attend Norm’s weekly poetry workshops …. Wednesdays, 6.30pm, NSW Writers’ Centre. www.nswwc.org.au/2015/09/spotlight-on-norm-neill/


Back To Blog  Subscribe