Among Joshua Bell’s recorded works, I have heard several excellent interpretations, including some that I would count among my favorites. His technique, tone, and phrasing engage me in a music in a way only a few musicians can. To see him walk out onto the stage this evening at Symphony Hall, to play one of my favorite pieces with the Boston Symphony Orchestra led by Yan Pascal Tortelier was an instant delight, in anticipation of what was to come. Together, they performed the Brahms Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77. It was my first time to see it live, and what a wondrous occasion it proved to be.

The grand sound of the BSO in the hall is best experienced from center first balcony. I realized this during Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite (1945) — that the dynamics were so palpable from this vantage point gave me a profoundly new appreciation of Symphony Hall. First Balcony, Row A, Seat 21. One day I might have to purchase that seat. In the meanwhile, I was more than happy to make due with Row C, Seat 18. I felt as if I lost nothing of Bell’s solo violin from this location, though there is something to be said for having a seat close to C18 in the orchestra, where the soloist(s) are larger than life and the sound is completely enveloping.

From the first sweet note of the bassoon, the BSO moved through the first passage leading to the first solo entrance some 87 bars in with energy, culminating with a build up for Bell’s entrance that nearly felt like the end of a movement instead of the beginning. Bell entered passages grandly, though it was clear in a very few spots that passion would defeat accuracy on intonation of some impossibly high sections and on the execution of a few of the earlier chords. He seemed to be teetering precariously on the edge of control in a few fleeting moments on the highest of forte sections near the beginning. It did not detract but for a frightful moment, however, and Bell quickly held his composure and proceeded to command the first movement brilliantly. Upon anticipation at the cadenza, the hall fell as silent as I’ve ever heard it at capacity, as we held our collective breaths through the sheer magnificence of Bell’s perfect execution of his solo. I do not know the origins of the cadenza (whether he wrote it or if it was part of some standard repertoire), but I am dying already to hear it again and again. It challenged one’s understanding of the central themes, weaving in and out of familiarity and adding a new depth with colorful chords that tricked one into hearing a fullness from the solo instrument that was unexpected. The movement finishes shortly after, and I had to actively withhold my applause, though it most certainly would have been warranted in that space, especially in consideration of the cadenza.

Of course, I am least familiar with the second movement Adagio, but this performance gave me a new appreciation of the beauty in the theme, first conveyed by the purity of the oboe, to be later followed by the solo violin. Violinist Pablo de Sarasate reportedly had little patience in waiting for the oboe to finish this theme, but had he been here tonight, perhaps he would have missed his own entrance in awe of the song. The theme is pleasant, contemplative, and the sweetness of Bell’s tone throughout the Adagio moved me more than any other performance I’ve witnessed — ever. I won’t soon forget how I finally came to understand the Adagio this evening.

And yet, his performance confidence must have only grown, as the gypsy third movement was vibrant; it was clear to me that Bell was enjoying himself on stage throughout. The performance marked for me the hallmark of the Brahms by which all others will be undoubtedly compared. Even though, in a few sections, Bell and the BSO’s interpretation was slightly different than one I prefer, mostly in the choice of tempo and some of the articulation, certainly nothing was egregiously out of place, and Bell’s execution and tonal maturity were on full display tonight. It would be unfair to the Tchaikovsky to allow tonight’s excellent performance cause the Brahms to usurp it for absolute top violin concerto spot in my mind, but as soon as I was unsure how to gain further depth into the music of Brahms, this concert set me completely straight. I look forward to a lifetime of hearing equally excellent performances of this piece, starting with this Saturday night, with completely clear expectations of what to look forward to in Bell and the BSO’s performance.

Le 1097 persone che per 45 minuti hanno infilato l’atrio della stazione della metropolitana di Enfant Plaza a Washington DC lo scorso 12 gennaio in preda alla solita ampia gamma di ansie (di andare al lavoro, di litigare col capoufficio, di affrontare una scadenza urgente, di allontanarsi dal coniuge col quale avevano appena litigato), non sapevano che sarebbero state le cavie di un esperimento. Una telecamera le ha riprese mentre passavano distrattamente davanti a un violinista che, come migliaia di altri come lui in tutte le metropolitane del mondo, si esibiscono col piattino, chi per pagarsi gli studi al conservatorio e chi, invece, come triste punto di arrivo di una carriera musicale mai decollata.

Solo che quella mattina del 12 gennaio, il musicista in questione era uno dei più grandi violinisti del mondo, Joshua Bell, prestatosi con esprit e autoironia all’esperimento, organizzato dal Washington Post, il cui scopo era “valutare la percezione della bellezza secondo il contesto”. Si sarebbero resi conto, quei mille, mentre correvano appresso alla catena tortuosa dei loro pensieri, che stavano involontariamente assistendo a quello che molti altri pagherebbero centinaia di dollari per ascoltare nelle sedi canoniche, le sale da concerto? Il Post ha voluto verificare le tre teorie estetiche principali che si contendono la spiegazione all’enigma su cosa sia la bellezza. In soldoni, sono le seguenti: quella di Gottfried Leibniz, secondo cui la bellezza è un fatto misurabile, quella di David Hume, che la considera del tutto soggettiva (come già Tommaso d’Aquino), o quella di Immanuel Kant che prende un poco da entrambe ma la vede dipendere dallo stato d’animo del soggetto osservatore.

Come avrebbero reagito i passanti? Avrebbero realizzato, almeno per un istante, che davanti a loro era un autentico genio del violino, uno che solitamente per le sue esibizioni guadagna una media di mille dollari al minuto? Se ne sarebbero accorti immediatamente, tanto la qualità intriseca delle musica suonata era al di sopra della media? Si sarebbe formato un capannello davanti all’ignoto virtuoso? Oppure l’eccezionale e irrepetibile performance sarebbe passata sotto la più totale, distratta indifferenza?

I numeri della performance di Bell: 32 i dollari guadagnati (più gli spicci), sette le persone che si sono fermate un minuto ad osservare incuriosite, mentre il violinista americano suonava la Ciaccona della Partita per violino numero 2 di Bach, che oltre ad essere una delle vette musicali d’Occidente è anche un pezzo mostruosamente difficile da suonare (sono quattordici minuti di variazioni sulla stessa progressione musicale che creano un’architettura sonora di grande complessità).

Una sola persona si è fermata e lo ha riconosciuto, rimanendo persa nella meraviglia surreale di vedere un genio suonare per degli spicci. Gli altri mille nemmeno per un istante hanno distolto la mente e le orecchie dalla loro trafila mattutina.

Bell è il classico ex-enfant prodige che ha saputo mantenere le promesse, diventando un solista di livello stratosferico. Suona uno Stradivari del 1710, l’annata migliore, del valore di circa tre milioni e mezzo di dollari, che ha portato con sé alla “performance” in taxi, anche se il suo albergo era a due isolati di distanza. Bell ha dimostrato di avere fegato nell’accettare di essere ignorato (lui, il fulcro dell’attenzione ovunque vada da quando era un poppante) e di uscire malconcio dall’esperimento, una cosa rara in un musicista del suo livello.

La fine di pezzi come la Ciaccona di Bach o l’Ave Maria di Schubert, che di solito esegue in un auditorium davanti a mille persone rapite che trattengono il respiro e che invece quella mattina erano soffocati dal caos della città che si sveglia, anziché l’esplosione estatica dell’applauso hanno strappato solo l’assordante frastuono dell’indifferenza.

L’esperimento di Bell illumina la nostra capacità di soffermarci sull’unicità del momento presente, per quanto ripetitiva e scontata sia la nostra routine. Di stare svegli, insomma.

Mi ha fatto pensare al risentimento e al fastidio che ho provato di recente camminando nel tunnel che porta al V&A Museum con la mia musica incanalata nelle orecchie tramite iPod. Un violinista suonava un Vivaldi, credo, producendo un suono che copriva quello che stavo ascoltando: rompeva la bolla d’isolamento che mi ero gelosamente costruito con la sua fastidiosa intrusione. Fosse stato anche Gidon Kremer, probabilmente non me ne sarei accorto, e anzi, ero risentito.

Sarà anche “arte senza cornice”, come ha scritto il sagace commentatore del Post, ma il flop di Joshua Bell nella metro di Washington è soprattutto la prova tangibile del nostro permanente sonnambulismo metropolitano.

Qui il link allo stupendo pezzo del WPost.

Estratto dall’articolo di b-loggedonlondon, Leonardo Clausi

Saluti Patrizia

Joshua Bell will be performing tonight, Friday (matinee), Saturday, and next Tuesday in a series of concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I broke down and decided to go at least this Tuesday and Saturday’s shows, since he will be performing one of my two favorite violin concertos: Brahms, D Major, Op. 77. Instead of waiting in line for an hour or more for the certainly popular rush tickets tomorrow night, I decided to buy a $20 under-40 ticket. Among my seat choices was an excellent orchestra seat, dead center in row Z, or a third row first balcony seat, also in the center. While I’d rarely pass up that wonderful orchestra seat, I’ve seen all but one show from the orchestra and have not spent any time on the first balcony. Since all of my rush and student tickets so far have been in the orchestra, I opted for the first balcony seat, where I will certainly have another unique perspective on the power of Bell’s solo violin carrying throughout Symphony Hall. On Saturday night, my seats are stage left orchestra seats, so it will be an interesting experiment in acoustics to see how similar (but not identical) performances sound from different seats. I can already hear the low hum of the side vents in those orchestra seats, however ….

Unfortunately, Sir Andrew Davis was not able to be with us for this series of concerts, and Yan Pascal Tortelier will serve as his replacement in his BSO debut at Symphony Hall. Along with this change, instead of Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements, the BSO will do Stravinsky’s 1945 Firebird Suite, which I think will be quite a treat.

I plan on attending the pre-concert talk on Tuesday that will be given by Elizabeth Seitz, but I am not planning on staying for the signing of Bell’s new album, At Home With Friends. It’s not that I do not wish to meet Mr Bell, which I would like to do perhaps one day, but there’s something incredibly objectionable to me to stand in line in order to meet someone and have them scribble their name onto the liner notes of a CD. I might have to invite Hilary Hahn to dinner though, if I get a chance to meet her later in the season ….

I have several of Bell’s albums and particularly enjoy his performances of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto (my other favorite) and Kreisler violin pieces. Having never heard him play the Brahms, I will be interested in his and the BSO’s interpretation.

(from Literally, Genevieve Clare)

Perception

Something to think about….

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

Aquela poderia ser mais uma manhã como outra qualquer. Eis que o sujeito desce na estação do metrô: vestindo jeans, camiseta e boné, encosta-se próximo à entrada, tira o violino da caixa e começa a tocar com entusiasmo para a multidão que passa por ali, bem na hora do rush matinal.

Mesmo assim, durante os 45 minutos que tocou, foi praticamente ignorado pelos passantes.  Ninguém  sabia, mas o músico era Joshua Bell, um dos maiores violinistas do mundo,  executando peças musicais consagradas num instrumento raríssimo, um Stradivarius de 1713, estimado em mais de 3 milhões de dólares.

Alguns dias antes Bell havia tocado no Symphony Hall de Boston, onde os melhores lugares custam a bagatela de 1.000 dólares. A experiência, gravada em vídeo, mostra homens e mulheres de andar ligeiro, copo de café na mão, celular no ouvido, crachá  balançando no pescoço, indiferentes ao som do violino. A iniciativa realizada pelo  jornal “The Washington Post” era a de lançar um debate sobre valor, contexto e arte.

A conclusão: estamos acostumados a dar valor às coisas quando estão num contexto. Bell era uma obra de arte sem moldura. Um artefato de luxo sem etiqueta de grife. Esse é  um exemplo daquelas tantas situações que acontecem em nossas vidas que são únicas, singulares, e a que não damos a menor bola porque não vêm com a etiqueta de seu preço.

O que tem valor real para nós, independentemente de marcas, preços e grifes? É o que  o mercado diz que você deve ter, sentir, vestir ou ser?

Essa experiência mostra como na sociedade em que vivemos os nossos sentimentos e a  nossa apreciação de beleza são manipulados pelo mercado, pela mídia, e pelas instituições que detém o poder financeiro. Mostra-nos como estamos condicionados a nos mover quando estamos no meio do rebanho.

Nota do Blog:

Devido à baixa qualidade do video, preferi postar um outro, onde Joshua Bell executa Ave Maria, com suavidade e emoção. Quem quiser ver o video citado no texto acima, acesse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myq8upzJDJc

Perception << Bits of Wisdom

Something to think about…

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on the way to work. After 3 minutes a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, then turned to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat, and without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3-year-old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly. (bold emphasis is mine)

45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

The questions raised:

• In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
• Do we stop to appreciate it?
• Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made:

How many other things are we missing?

Comment I left:
Two things come to mind:  the children noticed; stop and smell the roses

May Your Glass Always Be Half Full

Read a chapter of Over the Edge at: maximalone.com

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As I’ve said in another post, Classical Music needs a great PR campaign if it is to stand a chance of survival.  It seems to me that the entire industry is pretty fatalistic about the future–cynical and resigned about things like market share, concert attendance, etc. News stories of the a world renowned violinist playing in a New York Subway on a Stradivarius– and being almost totally ignored, only confirms the almost Apocalyptic view of the major players.

So, what to do? Do we “go softly into that good night”?

No, but if Classical Music is going to be revived in the public consciousness, somebody better bring out a giant defibrillator soon.

Here’s some suggestions:

• Organize into a national consortium to pool resources and execute unified goals

• Consider using other successful models as a template: American Idol and/or professional sports come to mind
  • American Idol is obvious and has been used to some extent in the classical venue. But the idea of giving a huge prize and having a national search for talent is compelling.
  • Professional Sports is more obtuse, but still a possibility. Could competition play a role in local symphonies on a number of different levels? Auditions can be promoted like draft picks, the composition of the orchestra could be debated and fantasized about, a “world series” could be staged, and an all-star orchestra could give special concerts. (The musicians union would have to be agreeable. That is a whole ‘nother post!) Promotion strategies could be aimed at creating a fan-base that identifies the “hometown” symphony as clearly as the hometown baseball team. The chance of success would rest on finding the nugget of suspenseful conflict and staging it like a contest. Everyone is drawn to a good fight, right?
• Grow the fans from the ground up.  If a person grows up with something, they usually identify with it later in adult life.
  • At Birth: Give a free CD or I-tunes album to every family with a newborn. Promote the benefits of classical music for infant development and serenity.
  • Teach day-care centers about using classical music in the children’s daily routine and supply with a CD or Itune account.
  • Coordinate with producers of entertainment media to supply classical music at a really reasonable cost–just to get our foot back in the door. These could include: Video games, cartoons, education materials, toy manufacturers for embedding, and of course, movies aimed at children.
  • Use existing research linking children’s intellect and social skills with learning to play a musical instrument to get music back into the primary schools. Without music by second grade, the upper levels will never perform exceptionally. Get instruments donated and high school or college musicians to help teach groups of children Suzuki method.
  • Sponsor research on children’s behavior which shows that children behave better with classical music in the background. Use these findings to push for classical music to be piped into schools (hallways and classrooms) and buses. Start with the primary grades and inch upward into middle school and finally high schools.
  • Create and sponsor school competitions for classical music knowledge which would combine “Name that Tune”, “Jeopardy”, and actual student performances.  (Students perform any of a set repertoire of pieces under pressure.) The music teams go to meets and competitions just like gymnasts or debaters.
  • Help to sponsor scholarship competitions (Similar to pageants) for both young men and young women based on classical music performances, service, knowledge, and background.  Have statewide competitions feed into a national competition.  Then a worldwide competition.
  • Encourage professional classical musicians to create interesting programs they can take into schools. Use humor! See Ingudsman and Joo.
    
  • Create a curriculum for high schools that shows how classical music can be a promoter of cutting edge causes:
    • Symphony No. 1 by Daniel Bukvich (In Memoriam Dresden 1945) (I wish this were a better performance. I went to one at a college that both terrified me and brought me to tears–all in a matter of five memorable minutes)
    • The Cellist from Sarajevo Vedran Smailovic

    • 

      He courageously played during sniper shooting to honor the fallen

    • Encourage TV shows and movies about classical musicians of the past and present. Also inspiring stories of people who go into the ghetto or third world to teach children to play classically.
    • Have dance classes in school (social and individual) that use classical music for at least some of their music to perform with.
    • Make classical music concerts much more fun and interactive.  Create symphony events for parents and children that are really entertaining. Really. See my post on this subject.
    • Stop trying to shove the avant garde stuff down the throats of the civilian population. Keep it in the ivory towers where it belongs. (Oh, except the Bombing of Dresden Symphony. . .I guess there are exceptions. Sigh)
• Associate classical music with romance in the public mind.  Romance is a powerful motivator for teens and adults. So many people are tiring of blatant sex and want some romance instead. OK, so many WOMEN are tired of blatant sex and want some romance instead. But that’s half the population.
• Associate classical music with fantasy. Ditto for drama. You could have so many cool concert ideas!!!  That will be another post. . .
• I think I would seriously consider always having a big screen visual behind any concert performance.  People now require interesting visuals at all times or they start texting.
• Play up the Hollywood connection with classical music and the movies. That is the one remaining lifeline to current popular culture that classical music maintains.  Grow it and exploit it.
• Stop being so territorial about visual recordings of professional symphonies.  You guys are shooting yourselves in the foot by not sharing your image and music to generate interest worldwide.
• Create a new model of funding for the arts that is not based on wealthy donors. When your fan base is expanded by appealing to youngsters, classical music will be much more self-sustaining.
• Write and perform more classical music for kids.  “A child’s guide to the Symphony” and “Peter and the Wolf” just don’t cut it. It would be interesting to perform pieces that used to be played with the “Tom and Jerry” cartoons and show the cartoons on a big screen.
• Why did Disney cut the Disney Youth Orchestra summer program? That was super cool.
• Develop summer music camps in empty schools or churches. These could be tons of fun and profitable.
• Charter schools/magnet schools emphasizing performing arts or classical music. (I know there are a few of these already)

~ Inspired by Chopin’s “Nocturne”…as rendered by Joshua Bell…

~*~

My world turns as slowly
as the ebb and fall of your chest
A dove flutters to the window
I watch her as I lay next to you
Just as she watches me across the glass
I wonder…
if I could see the world with only one view
…as she does
Would I still view it as complete
…as she does?
Would I be as content with it
…as she is?
If I saw two different perspectives
which merge in the darkness that lies between my eyes
Would I still be as peaceful
…as she is?

The truth runs across the dancing everglades
With the storm clouds of dreams
threatening to explode above them
Would I be the woman
that lets her child run through them
willing to let it fall
to let it come back bleeding,
or would I protect it
so much that it never knows
to walk against the winds of change
never knowing what existence
my womb has to it lent?

Silence falls like feathers in the night
It’s a nocturne symphony the gifted are meant to hear
Fewer among them are the messiahs
betrothed to the art in their souls
who play them as if the world exists no more
I wonder…
if I were one of them
Would I find the song of every movement
…as they do?
Would I bleed willingly with the pain of so much tenderness
…as they do?
Would I close my eyes to open my ears to the Uni Verse
…as they do?
And let my soul depart from this containment to the towers of musical splendor
…as they do?

Form gives way to formlessness
the names hush into namelessness
griefs shatter into peace
and violence breaks down into melody
such is a magic…a thing called beauty…that lasts an eternity.

• Director: François Girard
• Guionista: Don McKellar & François Girard
• Productor: Niv Fichman
• Coproductores: Daniel Iron & Giannandrea Pecorelli
• Música: John Corigliano
  • Solista: Joshua Bell

  REPARTO

  Samuel L. Jackson, Greta Scacchi, Jason Flemyng, Colm Feore, Carlo Cecchi, Irene Grazioli,Jean-Luc Bideau, Sylvia Chang

I’ve been way into French music these days.  I listen to it almost non-stop (save a little Dvorak, and recently some Riegger, just for kicks).  This piece is BY FAR my current favorite.

It kills me that this was the last thing Debussy ever wrote.  I’m not particularly a fan of his earlier stuff (Claire de fricking Lune, anybody?), but this is so heart-wrenchingly painful, it kills me every time I listen to it.  And these days, I can’t seem to get enough.  I literally listen to this piece every night when I get home from work.  I just love it.  Especially when he transitions into major (at 1:32 in the video) for just a little while.  So so so so beautiful.

How much do you love Debussy now??  Right?  Just listen.  I mean, REALLY listen to it.  He is so unabashedly unapologetic about his dissonance, not even bothering to resolve it or hide it most of the time.  And he is still so in-your-face French, even at the end of his life (this was due to his hatred for Wagner, and really, who could blame the guy? everyone hated Wagner except Wagner…), except he still manages to incorporate all these other styles in his writing…mostly Asian and Spanish, from his traveling.  And still, with all that going on, with the whole tones and the dissonance and the cornucopia of style, you can still hear the pain and the triumph of his life in this piece.  The guy was dying of rectal cancer.  I mean, COME ON.

Long story short, I LOVE THIS PIECE.  I love the almost counterpoint going on between the piano and violin.  I love the bitonality and the way he employed the ENTIRE spectrum of the violin.  I love the sadness and the beauty and the fact that this was the last thing he left us before he died.

Also, in case anyone was curious, this is not the greatest performance of the piece.  I vote Joshua Bell or Midori, but this was all I could find on youtube.

Un violinista se encuentra en una estación de metro en la ciudad de Washington D.C. EEUU en Enero de 2007 y comienza a tocar obras de Bach por 45 minutos aproximadamente, y esto es lo que ocurre en diferentes lapsos de tiempo:

- 4 minutos después: Una mujer arroja un dólar y sigue su camino sin detenerse

- 6 minutos después: Un hombre se recarga en la pared para escucharlo, da un vistazo a su reloj, y se retira.

- 10 minutos después: Un niño de tres años se detiene pero es empujado y apurado por su madre. El niño no para de mirar al violinista, pero su madre no para de empujar. Esta acción fue repetida por varios niños, pero ninguno de sus padres se detuvo, y forzaron a sus hijos a seguir caminando.

- 45 minutos después: El violinista tocó sin parar y sólo 6 personas se detuvieron a escuchar. Unas 20 personas dieron dinero, pero no se detuvieron. El músico recolectó un total de 32 dólares.

1 hora después: El músico se retira y nadie lo notó, no hubo aplausos ni algún tipo de reconocimiento.

Ahora bien, nadie sabía esto, pero el violinista no era nada menos que Joshua Bell, uno de los más grandes músicos del mundo, tocando una de las obras más complicadas jamás compuestas, utilizando un violín Stradivarius valuado en aproximadamente 3.5 millones de dólares. Dos días antes había agotado las entradas (100 dólares en promedio cada una) en un concierto en Boston.

¿Qué tanto sabemos apreciar la belleza?, ¿Sabemos reconocer el talento aunque lo veamos en un lugar y contexto inesperado (fuera de una sala de conciertos, sin el atuendo elegante, sin poses, sin presentaciones)? Si estás leyendo esto, te invito a que reflexiones que el talento, y no sólo el musical, se puede encontrar en cualquier lugar, no sólo dentro de un CD, un video, la televisión o un concierto concurrido (que si a mí me lo preguntan, a recentes fechas es donde menos podemos encontrar talento de verdad). No niego que los rockstars o popstars o toda esa gente que vive de sus shows tienen algún contenido de entretenimiento, pero la belleza, el arte, lo sublime viene en otras presentaciones menos plastificadas.

Tomado de: http://derrocadero.blogspot.com/

I received this story via email yesterday and just HAD to post it! There is such a wonderful lesson in it, and it reminded me to be open and ready for blessings and opportunities at all times. So many times we want opportunities and await blessings, but miss them, because they are packaged differently than we were expecting! Don’t miss them!

Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.

How many other things are we missing?

Washington D.C. Metro station on a bitterly cold January morning in 2007:

Near the entrance, a young white man in jeans and a baseball cap stands playing his violin…He plays 6 Bach pieces and during that time 1097 people go through the station, most of them on their way to work…3 minutes into his performance (63 people have passed him by), a man notices there is a musician playing…He slows down, looks at him and then hurries on to meet his schedule…Half a minute later, the fiddler receives his first donation; a woman throws a dollar into his hat without stopping…It isn’t until 6 minutes into the performance that someone actually stands against a wall and listens…But he soon looks at his watch and starts to walk again…Clearly, he has to get somewhere soon…

A few minutes later, a 3 year old boy stops to listen but his mother pulls him away…She’s obviously in a hurry…The kid stops and looks at the violinist again but his mother pulls him harder and he walks on…This action is repeated by several other children and all of them are pulled away by their parents…

The musician plays for 43 minutes and then silence takes over…In those 43 minutes, only 7 people had stopped for more than a minute and 27 had ‘donated’ money, most of them on the run, for a total of $32.17…Only 1 woman had recognized him and had stopped to chat (she gave him $20)…1070 people had passed him by without giving him a second glance…

The violinist is none other than Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world…He played some of the most intricate and beautiful music ever written, with a handcrafted 1713 Stradivarius violin worth millions…Two days earlier, Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100 apiece…

Joshua Bell playing incognito in a Washington D.C. metro station was organized by The Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities…[Full Story]

Gene Weingarten, the author of the piece in The Washington Post, describes the crux of the experiment:
“Each passerby had a quick choice to make, one familiar to commuters in any urban area where the occasional street performer is part of the cityscape: Do you stop and listen? Do you hurry past with a blend of guilt and irritation, aware of your cupidity but annoyed by the unbidden demand on your time and your wallet? Do you throw in a buck, just to be polite? Does your decision change if he’s really bad? What if he’s really good? Do you have time for beauty? Shouldn’t you? What’s the moral mathematics of the moment?”

Points to ponder:

• Are we so busy and caught up in our daily routines that we do not have the time to stop and listen to one of the finest music ever written, played by one of the best musicians in the world, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made? How many other things are we missing out on?
• Do we appreciate beauty only when the environment and time is right?
• Is beauty a concept created by a group of snooty elitists? If  nobody appreciates Joshua Bell in a station, then is the applause he receives in concert halls contrived? Do people love the price of a ticket more than the music itself?
• Do we only notice things when they are expected?
• Is the concept of a person listening to music for the pleasure of music itself an outdated idea? Is the personality more important than the art?
• Does this experiment really tell us anything? After all, people in a metro station are going somewhere and trains don’t stop for good music…The fact that children stopped to listen (they didn’t have schedules to keep or meetings to attend) tells us that people do recognize beauty but don’t have time to appreciate it…Where do beauty and the arts rank in life’s competing priorities?
• Do we have to recognize a musician before we can admire the music he plays?

(I first received this story by email a few months ago…I came across it again a couple of days back and it got me thinking, hence the post)

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made…How many other things are we missing?

É un fredda mattinata di gennaio al DC Metro Station di Washington. Un costante fluire di carne umana percorre i lunghi corridoi della metropolitana, illuminata asetticamente dai neon. È il plasma vitale di un assurdo sistema che ci vuole produttivi e consenzienti. Il brontolio sommesso di migliaia di zampette calzate di pelle o di gomma, è interrotto improvvisamente dal suono dolce e pungente di un violino.
Il violinista suona sei pezzi di Bach per circa quarantacinque minuti. Durante questo periodo più di duemila persone attraversano la stazione, involucri di energie sedate, trascinati quotidianamente ai loro posti di lavoro da invisibili fili. È l’assurda danza del bel mondo…
Dopo tre minuti un uomo di mezza età nota il musicista suonare. Come rapito per un attimo dalla vibrazione di quelle corde, l’uomo rallenta, si ferma per alcuni secondi e poi si affretta a tornare sulla sua strada.
Quattro minuti più tardi il violinista riceve il suo primo dollaro: una donna gli getta i soldi nel cappello e, senza fermarsi, continua a camminare. È forse un gesto istintivo, dettato dal suo inconscio?
Poco dopo un giovane si appoggia al muro ad ascoltare la musica, indeciso se farsi catturare o ritornare sui suoi passi. Guarda l’orologio e l’inganno lo sorprende nuovamente. Si allontana veloce accompagnato da un fraseggio di Bach.
Dieci minuti più tardi un bimbo di appena tre anni si ferma, ma la madre lo trascina via di fretta. Il ragazzo punta i piedi per poter guardare il violinista più da vicino, lui che non é attaccato ad alcun filo ma è appendice di una madre impegnata. Lei lo spinge, intimandogli di camminare, e lui non può fare altro che ubbidirle, ma continua a girare la testa in direzione di quella melodia, fino a quando la folla non gli sottrae alla vista le abili dita del musicista. Nell’arco della performance questo episodio si ripete molte altre volte con altrettanti bambini, ed ogni genitore, senza alcuna eccezione, trascina via di forza il proprio figlio.
Sono passati quarantacinque minuti e il musicista continua a suonare. Solamente sei persone si sono fermate ad ascoltarlo per un breve periodo. Una ventina gli ha dato dei soldi senza però fermarsi. L’uomo ha raccolto un totale di trentadue dollari.
Quando finisce di suonare nessuno lo nota. Nessuno applaude, né vi é alcun riconoscimento. Lo zampettio degli insetti riprende possesso dell’etere del corridoio.
Nessuno lo sa, ma quel violinista è Joshua Bell, uno dei più grandi musicisti al mondo. Durante quell’ora scarsa ha suonato uno dei pezzi più complessi che sia mai stato composto, con un violino del valore di tre milioni e mezzo di dollari. Due giorni prima Joshua Bell ha fatto il tutto esaurito in un teatro di Boston, dove i posti costano in media cento dollari.
Allora c’è da chiedersi, se non riusciamo a ritagliarci un momento per fermarci ed ascoltare uno dei migliori musicisti del mondo che suona gratuitamente alcune delle musiche più belle mai scritte, con uno degli strumenti più pregiati mai realizzati, quante altre cose meravigliose della nostra quotidianità ci facciamo mancare?

FINE

Questo episodio é realmente accaduto e ho deciso di costruirci sopra una piccola storia, come ho giá usato fare in passato. Il progetto l’ho chiamato “L’Orfanotrofio delle storie”, ovvero il riproporre episodi di vita o eventi con un nuovo abito.

Joshua Bell che suona in incognito alla stazione della metropolitana fu un evento organizzato dal Washington Post come parte di un esperimento sociale sulla percezione, il gusto e le priorità della gente.

Le questioni sollevate:

- In un ambiente affollato durante un’ora inopportuna, riusciamo a percepire la bellezza?

- Riusciamo a fermarci per apprezzarla?

- In un contesto inaspettato, riusciamo a riconoscere il talento?

FONTE: http://bitsofwisdom.org/2009/10/21/interesting/perception/

L’ORFANOTROFIO DELLE STORIE

Se durante la vostra navigazione vi capitasse di imbattervi in una storia senza autore, anche magari solo una parabola di poche frasi, provate ad adottarla. Cucite addosso alla trama una nuova storia, arricchendola di particolari, dandole un nuovo nome, cambiando i personaggi, stravolgendola insomma. Può rivelarsi un esercizio davvero gratificante.

Come al solito, se vi va di pubblicare i vostri lavori, segnalateli a Willoworld (info@willoworld.net) che è sempre pronto a dare disponibilità di spazio ai suoi lettori. Potete anche semplicemente segnalare una storia anonima all’Orfanotrofio delle Storie. Ci penseranno poi gli autori di Willoworld a darle un nome e la dignità che si merita.

www.willoworld.net

Recently I chanced upon a very interesting post about human perception at Bitsofwisdom. Below is a quote of the whole post from the blog.

Something to think about….

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

We live a hectic and busy lives, often so busy we do miss important things along the way. For most of us (excluding students like me), a tight schedule of work keeps the roof over our head, food on our table, electricity flowing through the house and still have that extra money in our pocket to indulge in something we want or simply save up for that unforeseen day. In a sense, we live somewhat in our own individual shell of a world. The people outside these perimeters may not see eye to eye with us, agree with what we have to say and understand what we are doing.

Often too many times, we fail to see what already exists just outside the reach of our individual perceptions. In my opinion, everyone could do justice to themselves and use the time to enjoy the excellent music, the long bus rides, smell of freshly brewed coffee and baked breads along the way. Unfortunately, it just so happens not many of us have it.

On the contrary, the music played by Joshua Bell may not be one of the most appreciated music in the world just because it takes much more effort and training to play an instrument such as the violin. Impressive however it is, the bulk of the people zipping through the subway on that morning may just not be the crowd that values Bach’s pieces as shown from the $32 he collected. I for one enjoy classical and contemporary music; actually any kind of music will do except Rap. Each has their own beauty I must say.

I better state my objections right up front on this one. Shoulder pads appear to be back and four little dessert squares (no matter how divine) will not fit on a napkin smaller than my palm. Other than that I really have only good things—make that glowing things—to say about Saturday night’s ARTrageous celebration of the renovated and just reopened theater at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

I went with my daughter, Lizabeth, a high school theatre arts student studying for an onstage career. She got the front row seat. I sat farther back so we could compare notes. Turns out Liz’s seat required infinitely more self-control. After sharing that she’s been a bit under the weather, the evening’s star entertainer gleefully threw her tissue (and I don’t mean a clean one) into the audience.

Did you catch that clue? Ask your tween son or daughter who recently appeared on the Fox television hit Glee and they’ll know in a heartbeat: the incomparable Kristin Chenoweth, known to many as the original Glinda in Wicked on Broadway. She’s also done West Wing and Pushing Daisies proud. Then there’s her Emmy. And her Tony. And oodles of other awards. (You can learn about all things Chenoweth at www.kristin-chenoweth.com.)

“You could probably get three dollars for that thing on e-Bay,” Chenoweth told the man who scooped up the truly one of a kind souvenir. Liz—I’m proud of you for not making a run for it. Let’s send Chenoweth a clean tissue and a Sharpie and see if we can get it back with an autograph, sans snot. After hearing Chenoweth’s soulful rendition of “Taylor the Latte Boy” I suspect we ought to send her a Starbucks gift card too. She’s got it bad for the espresso. I like that in a woman.

The fun began well before the lush yellow curtain opened and the giant red velvet bow marking the ribbon cutting ceremony was cut. From the moment we approached the new theater on wide pedestrian paths that meander along spacious lawns at the Scottsdale Civic Center, we were surrounded by festive sights and sounds.

Pulsating music and lights. Fast-paced video art projected on a lovely smooth exterior wall of the theater. Sculptures old and new. Beautiful people young and old. Even roving artists donning Nick Cave “Soundsuits,” which left me feeling we may well have witnessed the birth of the southwestern version of Rio’s Carnival. (To really get a feel for it check out www.smoca.org for pictures of the Cave creations that so beautifully tied everything together.)

When we entered the theater, it literally took my breath away. Organic lines. Rich colors. Glowing light.

Lizabeth was especially impressed with students from the Scottsdale Community College dance department, who served as a sort of moving exhibit as they danced individually throughout the theater while guests were buzzing about the venue’s changes and getting seated for the concert. Liz has studied with their theatre arts department but this was our first entrée into SCC dance. (It won’t be our last!)

Our family enjoyed plenty of special moments in the original theater. We saw Jennifer perform during Dance Theater West recitals. We took Lizabeth to see Mandy Patinkin when she used to fall asleep each night listening to his “Kidults” CD. (I’m still mourning the loss of Patinkin and Chicago Hope with its powerful themes of losing a child and living with mental illness.)

During Lizabeth’s decade of classical ballet training, we took her to see Mikhail Baryshnikov at this theater, sitting close enough to see beads of sweat dancing across his brow. When she studied violin (another decade long pursuit for the real artist in our family), James took Liz to see Joshua Bell.

One thing about this venue remains unchanged—the incredible diversity of top notch performers who make their way to its stage. (And don’t even get me started on the daytime attractions at Scottsdale Civic Center—like flowers beds and swans perfect for family photography fun, and a gift shop brimming with unique and affordable gifts that make it a joy to shop for teacher gifts.)

Still, on this night, I felt we had been transported to another place.

It was BIG—still intimate size-wise, but something so substantial that it really took me quite some time to take it all in. I wanted to flip open my phone and send my husband just one simple message—OMG—but somehow that seemed tacky. I just didn’t have the words for it.

When Chenoweth’s petite feet first peeked out from behind the curtain, they were dripping with sparkles. Like a disco ball might look if only it could get some respect. Her strapless hot pink dress shone beautifully against the backdrop of three puddled cream-colored curtains and a delicate chandelier. Even her elbows were sexy.

Chenoweth raved over and over again about the beauty of the space. “And the acoustics are awesome,” she shouted. As she sang, the theater was otherwise bathed in silence. The audience was rapt. Except for the gentleman bouncing with the beat just one row ahead of me. I liked his style too.

This “new” venue—the Virginia G. Piper Theater at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts—really is a remarkable place. Exquisite. Breathtaking. Soul-stirring. Treat yourself to a night on the town. This theater will not disappoint. You can learn about upcoming shows at www.scottsdaleperformingarts.org.

If you happen to bump into Chenoweth someday at Starbucks, pretty please ask her where she gets her fancy footwear…

Lynn

Coming soon: ASU Gammage welcomes The Phantom of the Opera. Celebrating Halloween while enjoying the arts.

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:  The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:  A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:  A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:  The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:  He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made….. How many other things are we missing?

May you take the time from this day forward to experience the beauty of the sights and sounds that surround you.

A writer friend sent me a description of what happened when the world-class violinist, Joshua Bell, played with open violin case in a Washington, D C. metro station a couple of years ago.  He was playing Bach for solo violin, compositions unmatched for emotional and intellectual content.  For one hour he played and most people passed by without giving him a glance; one or two stopped for a little while.  You can see clips from the observation video on you tube- it is worth watching.  I don’t know the conclusions of this study, but I can speculate on what it means.

Don’t we all allow ourselves to be overstimulated at all times?  How often is it unavoidable?  Are our senses so overloaded that we resist being open to the world around us?  My friend asked the question, “If we missed one of the great violinists playing right there beside us, what else are we missing?”  I wonder, too, if we’re all so used to consulting the experts and expecting them to do our thinking for us, that we no longer trust our own judgement, especially where the arts are concerned.  Maybe we think we need someone to stand there and tell us, “This is a world-class violinist.  This is world-class music.  This is art.”  Then, we’ll believe our ears.  In the visual arts, we don’t seem to be able to come face-to-face with someone’s piece of art and re-create in our minds possible scenarios for how and why the thing was made.  We feel that we have to have a written label and an artist’s statement before we can begin to look at what is in front of our faces.  

There is absolutely no artistic expression that can be appreciated without the audience’s mind being open to possibilities.  Openness of the mind and heart invites trust- trust in our own abilities to notice and to make some sense out of the world.  Like absolutely anything else, the more we practice noticing and the more we practice thinking, the better we become at it.  Sometimes this process involves developing new friends, ones who are also open to exploration, and who encourage us in this pursuit. 

Hidden Still Life

Perception!

Something to think about…..

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.  The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.  During that time approximately two thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.  After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing.  He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the
hat and, without stopping, continued to  walk.

6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his
watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.  The
kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and
the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time.  This action
was repeated by several other children..  Every parent, without exception,
forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:
The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for
a short while.  About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal
pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over.  No one noticed.  No one
applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest
musicians in the world.  He played one of the most intricate pieces ever
written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.  Two days before,
Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station
was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about
perception, taste and people’s priorities .  The questions raised: in a
commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
Do we stop to appreciate it?  Do we recognize talent in an unexpected
context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we
do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in
the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the
most beautiful instruments ever made….. How many other things are we
missing?

Economia de fila e de tempo. Já estamos com entradas dos museus que queremos visitar em Paris compradas, e de Viena também. Ah, vou ver o Klimt no Belvedere! (suspiros).

Claro que também vimos os guias, um deles já peguei emprestado para Viena. Mas as melhores dicas eu peguei conversando com pessoas que já estiveram lá ou que, no caso de Paris, são “da gema”, nascidos e criados. Dicas assim fazem a maior diferença. Mas vou guardar detalhes para a volta, assim descrevo as minhas impressões.

Hoje peguei uma dica de restaurante para um Coq au Vin em ambiente agradável e com preço acessível. Vai a Paris? Anote então também: “Chez Rene”, na Boulevard Saint-Germain 14. A dica veio de um amigo bem exigente quando o assunto é gastronomia.

E minha dica importante é verificar a programação cultural da cidade onde você vai, de preferência com antecedência. Foi assim que descobri que a Royal Philarmonic vai tocar em Viena no dia que chegaremos lá, em única apresentação. E nós que já gostamos de música clássica, e o Rafa que adora violinos, não podíamos perder uma das maiores orquestras do mundo com um dos melhores violinistas do mundo na atualidade como solista: o Joshua Bell.

Essa dica vale para programação cultural em geral. Não só para clássicos. Se você gosta de show de bandas internacionais, ou eventos como Stomp ou Cirque du Soleil, saiba que as entradas para tais eventos costumam ser bem mais baratas do que quando eles acontecem no Brasil. Mas programe-se com antecedência, porque entradas para esses eventos esgotam rápido.

E agora, que já passa da meia-noite aqui, posso contar: falta um dia! Eu na verdade ainda preciso dormir duas vezes sem o Rafa, mas isso também passa rápido.

Muitas borboletas no estômago…