Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

Just got out of dress rehearsal for the Japan benefit concert with Ryu Goto, and wow, he is fabulous.

I feel like it's so rare these days that I truly enjoy listening to other people's music, especially instrumental music.
Like when I go to concerts, I might be impressed by certain things, and ruminate throughout the performance about this and that detail that was pleasant or successful. Or I might be quite uncomfortable because of some issue like tuning, as at the concerto competition concert last semester, after which, despite a lusty standing ovation and my pre-professional pianist-friend's raving ("he could be a professional!!"), I had to recover from a headache from the violinist's insistence on half the time playing just under-pitch enough to cause me pain).

Anyway, a lot of times I get to thinking that perhaps I have just not adequately developed my skills of appreciation as a listener. And I do think that's true, to an extent, especially with regard to composition; the more familiar I become with a piece, the more I will probably grow to love it, but often the first time I hear it it will usually do nothing for me. And often even a familiar piece played by quite a competent ensemble will still not feel that great to me as a listener, and I will just listen awkwardly and self-consciously, wondering what I'm supposed to be feeling.

Familiarity probably contributed to my appreciation of the Tchaikovsky tonight, but Ryu did that piece justice in a way that I think few people could. Listening to him (during my many rests), I wasn't thinking about how impressive his skills are, or what it is that makes his violin sound so great. Okay, such things did cross my mind. But mostly I wasn't thinking about it, I was just taking it in, cuz it was just so dang good! I was listening to it with my heart, or that's what it physically felt like.

It renewed my understanding of why people can be so passionate about instrumental music and about practicing 4 and more hours a day just to master an instrument. If I could make fantastic sounds like that from a piece of wood, with such ease and creative control, I would do it all day! Imagine jamming along with your fellow virtuosos, it would be like Nama songs on crack or something! By jamming I mean just playing classical music with the easy freedom and understanding of a master.

The interesting thing about listening to someone like Ryu Goto is that in the moment it doesn't feel like he is some extreme, superhuman virtuoso. It just feels like Mm, keep that going! That right there is some music!

I think maybe that's why I've focused on singing in recent years. Because I want to have that kind of top-notch, in the zone kind of musical experience, where I can sing masterpieces that get to your soul (that Tchaikovsky concerto is pretty awesome in itself) and have that easy freedom and understanding to really make that music. I want that, but I don't want to devote my life to practicing an instrument, so I use my built-in, automatic instrument!
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I couldn't find a video of Ryu doing the Tchaikovsky, but here's a video of him doing the Paganini concerto that he played with us our freshman year. If you can imagine, he's gotten even better since this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxjGZeK3Yzo