4th Post: Christian Wolff report + observations

Christian Wolff concert - 24 April 2013

I didn't get the chance to speak with the composer but I am going to interview performers Leah Asher and/or Batya McAdam-Somer and Professor Charles Curtis, all of whom had the chance to work & perform with Christian Wolff on several of his pieces. 

The performance itself: must admit it was difficult to sit through, not for lack of performance abilities (so much talent on the stage!!) but because the pieces themselves were difficult to understand.  For concerts primarily of New Music I always appreciate extensive program notes but in this case there was basically nothing.  I found out too late about the panel discussion with 5 faculty members + Christian Wolff on 23 April 2013 but hopefully I will be able to get some more information from Charles Curtis (who mediated the discussion).  The philosophy behind the composition would be good to know because all I could tell from the performance was that there was a lot of improvisation & extended instrumental techniques involved. 

I did not find the performance itself alienating but I did notice several (well, many) people walk out mid-way through pieces, not even bothering to wait in-between them.  I don't know if they all had commitments at 9:30pm on a Wednesday night but it was clear that several were there hoping for a classical piano performance of sorts and were pretty surprised/disappointed/annoyed/etc with what they were presented.  It was particularly annoying when 2 women walked into the concert hall in the middle of the 2nd to last piece.  What the heck??  First of all, the sounds of the doors opening & closing were distraction, but then these people walk in making noise & whispering.  If we couldn't hear them making noise it wouldn't be such a big deal but the fact that their noise was cutting through the sound of music on stage was just aggravating to say the least. 

Anyways, my observations of the people who left early makes me feel that my earlier question of whether New Music was perhaps diminishing interest and appreciation in western art music (including 'old' classical music) is valid, and perhaps proving true...?  I don't think this is enough proof for anything conclusive but we will see what I learn from the professional performers during my interviews. 

Cheers & goodnight/morning...