How Do You Get To Carnegie Hall?

I know, you look at me and think, "rock & roller". True, I loves my classic rock, but I am more than a one dimensional music fan.

Around my junior year of college, I started listening to classical music, after Top 40 radio annoyed me more than entertained. I found it so relaxing, and it was a great way to listen to a long span of music without commercials. Seeing as I didn't go to parties, clubs or date much on Saturday nights, I usually turned to the radio for my weekend entertainment. I would listen to the live broadcasts from Symphony Hall, hearing Keith Lockhart conduct the Pops or Seiji Ozawa conduct the BSO. It soon became something I eagerly anticipated.

Even now, if there's nothing on TV, I'll turn on the Light Classical station and peruse a pile of magazines or snuggle with a new book of crosswords to occupy my time. It's probably the closest thing to meditation I know.

So when I came across an e-mail saying the BU Symphony & Chorus were going to perform at Carnegie Hall to commemorate the inauguration of new BU president Robert Brown, I thought it would be fun to check it out. I found cheap tickets and dragged Erin with me. I've always wanted to go to Carnegie Hall and this seemed like a good event to make my maiden voyage.

After walking many, many, many stairs, we took our seats in the nosebleed section. I must admit, it was awesome to be in the same room all the great performers from Billie Holliday to Andy Kaufman have played in. However, the excitement of being in the venue dissipated pretty quickly.

Considering this was supposed to be a celebration, the music was among the most depressing I have ever heard. The show opened with a trumpet/trombone duet, creating a wall of sound, which it did, just not in a Phil Spector good way. It went downhill from there. During Act II, they had a movement entitled "the Angel of Death". Welcome to BU, President Brown!

Erin and I considered leaving early, but good manners got the best of us. If nothing else, at least I know how to get to Carnegie Hall.

Quote of the Day:
"It is by acts and not by ideas that people live." -Anatole France