Are we spirit and flesh............

[Enrique]

Music is art for the ears, more precisely for that part of the brain that processes sounds. However watching the musicians play one gets engaged with that coming through the eyes at the same time! And one thing feeds the other. This happens when you go to the theater to listen to music, maybe the concert hall. When playing a record or just closing the lid of the notebook you are accessing youtube with, only the sound reaches you. You could say the ethereal only is there. Vision is more like the sense of tact, almost like tact at a distance and hence, corporeal.

And however experience undoes this reasoning (of course you could want not being disturbed by the images and prefer, at that moment, not taking care of it). It's as if we need to use all our senses to embrace the musical act. Because, after all, somewhere there is or were some people playing. Now watch this woman playing and tell me if she justifies my words.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_yxtaeFuEQ

[Peter]

Ah thanks for posting this video of the great 'cellist Jacqueline du Pre playing my favourite 'cello concerto conducted by her husband Daniel Barenboim. I think it is an interesting point you make. I think the whole experience is enhanced by the visual element and in that sense, nothing beats a live concert. I experimented with this and tried looking away but found myself impossibly tempted to keep watching!

[Enrique]

Yes, that is the cellists' favorite concerto. It has everything for the soloist and the orchestral writing is superb. It is not music for cello with orchestral accompaniment. It was composed about the same time as the famous 9th symphony and resembles it in many ways. No wonder it sounds as it sounds.

[Albert Gans]

Fully agree that the visual experience at a concert just reinforces the sensations one gets. Having seen some great performances in my life, I can only tell people it is a very intense experience to be at a concert and have a common sense of understanding of a people permeating through the hall. I always tell people that seeing a string section of 50 or so play pianissimmo is something out of this world.... the silence in a hall with 1500 is simply overwhelming.

Talking about Barenboim, a few weeks ago, I accidentally ran into him at a station in Paris (I had just gone to see András Schiff the day before) as he was going to take the train to Brussels and had the honour and pleasure of talking to him for about 10 minutes over a coffee.... I was baffled to see him all on his own there. Totally unexpected and unforgettable. No selfies. Just a chat.

[Chris]

Talking about Barenboim, a few weeks ago, I accidentally ran into him at a station in Paris (I had just gone to see András Schiff the day before) as he was going to take the train to Brussels and had the honour and pleasure of talking to him for about 10 minutes over a coffee.... I was baffled to see him all on his own there. Totally unexpected and unforgettable. No selfies. Just a chat.

What a fortunate encounter! I wonder how often even the most famous classical musicians are recognized in public these days?

[Peter]

Talking about Barenboim, a few weeks ago, I accidentally ran into him at a station in Paris (I had just gone to see András Schiff the day before) as he was going to take the train to Brussels and had the honour and pleasure of talking to him for about 10 minutes over a coffee.... I was baffled to see him all on his own there. Totally unexpected and unforgettable. No selfies. Just a chat.

Indeed a special and rare occurrence - how lucky!

[Enrique]

I can't help mentioning the same happend to me with Alberto Ginastera. He haad gone to see the premier in Buenos Aires of a mechanical orange, but the censorship had frustraded him. Perhaps Bomarzo helps locating him.