Thank you Mrs. Fowler!

A sweetheart who shopped at my old place of work, Eileen Fowler, gave me her VSO ticket for a February 26th show. Bramwell Tovey conducted the orchestra and their guest from the former USSR, Vadim Gluzman. It was spectacular! The first and final pices were beautiful (especially the last piece, from the Nutcracker, which was dedicated to the passing of some musician or other).

The middle piece was horrifying! But in a good way! It was by a female Russian composer who Vadim worked closely with many years prior. I’ve never taken a liking to Shostakovich, who always seems to fall short of the mark for me. It’s just not extreme enough for me.

Sofia Gubaidulina’s masterpiece Offertorium was compelling, anxious, and terrifying, like the soundtrack to a Hitchcock thriller. Not everyone there loved it (most people prefer beauty to horror; I like both), but I was riveted. Astounded. Sofia has more balls than any male composer I’ve ever heard. It was the most maculine, unyeilding, strong piece I’ve yet heard in a classical music setting.

Awesome!