Beethoven, Chopin, Ravel, Nosé and the Public

Chronicle of a Musical Evening

I always try to be conscious, to be deeply alert to everything that happens around me. In theater, especially, I try to get the most out of the experience and make it unforgettable. Especially when I attend a concert, I refine my senses, and my mind moves with the intimate mechanics of music. Often, I discover that I am also too aware of the conscious context in which that music manifests.

That unfortunate context was, last February 16 at the Guiniguada Theater, when Alberto Nosé performed a brilliant, apparently sincere interpretation of works by Beethoven, Chopin and Ravel. From what I could observe during this musical evening, I give this continuation account:

First part. A few depths of background, very beautiful black piano on the stage. Alberto Nosé appears. Applause. Nosé bows. He sits, adjusts the bench, he hears the same notes of support and defiance. He sits again. The auction begins, with an attack of the other signs. The polyphony was raised in the middle of the concert, making the occasional comparison with the music especially suspicious. I try to ignore all this, and I submerge in the delicious sounds that some audience member, very well interpreted, keeps me with the form of the Polish night. But the public does not seem to be paying attention. A lady begins to lose. She doesn’t get up; she doesn’t know how many times she came and went. The applause does not cease. Before the insistence, the interpreter Italian was given her own chopiniana. When speaking to her, the public applauds, but they are going to cool down in their task. People begin to get up. When the intensity of the applause was dying, distinguished Nosé left the stage gradually, inevitably, then he came back to applaud, for what little else remains. Nosé goes back to sit. People go back to applaud. Nosé goes back to clap. Hey, will there be people in the aisles, waiting to exit, so that they can’t be identified with what was given outside the program, but was great, reaching the consecration of the audience at the public. Was Nosé’s revenge? Or were they just looking at the clock, wishing to be lost? Lost. After 7 minutes more of this dance interpretation by the performer, people return to applaud (but timidly, maybe they know that if they applaud Nosé will come back to play) and the concert ends.

Before such as I want to say, I listen carefully to the musical works in the tranquility of the home, far from the disturbing context of the places where the same melody is manifested in the concert from the sound, the time and the space in which it develops. And that is precisely what happened that evening, restraining it in a new methodical context. And that is making a profit from better acoustics and a bigger atmosphere of collection that will bring the essential life of music.

I lose myself in the music. And I wonder: what does it have of melancholic, a moon ray? When one admits existential about the abyss of the movement, very well interpreted, only a fashion sound. Shouts of protest and feelings of the audience there is no more. The action begins to have an attack of the others. The polyphony is raised in the middle of the concert, making him want to listen to it especially. I try to ignore all this, and I submerge in the delicious sounds that allows me to enjoy the Polish night. But the public does not seem to be paying attention. A lady begins to lose. She doesn’t get up; she doesn’t know how many times she came and went. The applause does not cease. Before the insistence, the interpreter Italian was given her own chopiniana. When speaking to her, the public applauds, but they are going to cool down in their task. People begin to get up. When the intensity of the applause was dying, distinguished Nosé left the stage gradually, inevitably, then he came back to applaud, for what little else remains. Nosé goes back to sit. People go back to applaud. Nosé goes back to clap. Hey, will there be people in the aisles, waiting to exit, so that they can’t be identified with what was given outside the program, but was great, reaching the consecration of the audience at the public. Was Nosé’s revenge? Or were they just looking at the clock, wishing to be lost?

Second Part. The beginning passes without major surprises. The improved character of the “Impromptu op.51”, which, although it’s a beautiful piece, the range of colours that Chopin offers, makes Beethoven seem almost trivial in comparison. Without embargo, the interpretation of the “Sonata op.27 no.2” by Beethoven was beautiful, and the public applauds. Nosé bows preferably more than applauded, so he gets up.

He tries to concentrate on the following interpretation. But the public keeps applauding, he leaves the concert, making him feel slightly annoyed. He sounds the Polonaise in F sharp minor, op.44, of Chopin, and he dreams. He returns to the same audience, pleased, although to form a tremendous impact both in the arduous occasions. Up to this point, the evening was progressing strength like subtlety. After the interpretation of the ballet up to “La Valse” of Ravel. Grotesque, expression, to the disturbing emotions incredibly lyrical, he has interpreted in a fairly way by Nosé, who gives the most strength possible to the demanding demon. He returns to those of the same audience, pleased, although to form a tremendous impact both in the arduous occasions. Up to this point, the evening was progressing strength like subtlety.

After the interpretation of the ballet up to “La Valse” of Ravel. Grotesque, expression, to the disturbing emotions incredibly lyrical, he has interpreted in a fairly way by Nosé, who gives the most strength possible to the demanding demon. He returns to those of the same audience, pleased, although to form a tremendous impact both in the arduous occasions. Up to this point, the evening was progressing strength like subtlety. After the interpretation of the ballet up to “La Valse” of Ravel. Grotesque, expression, to the disturbing emotions incredibly lyrical, he has interpreted in a fairly way by Nosé, who gives the most strength possible to the demanding demon. He returns to those of the same audience, pleased, although to form a tremendous impact both in the arduous occasions. Up to this point, the evening was progressing strength like subtlety. After the interpretation of the ballet up to “La Valse” of Ravel. Grotesque, expression, to the disturbing emotions incredibly lyrical, he has interpreted in a fairly way by Nosé, who gives the most strength possible to the demanding demon. He returns to those of the same audience, pleased, although to form a tremendous impact both in the arduous occasions. Up to this point, the evening was progressing strength like subtlety.

Nosé gets up. He rises. He leaves the stage. He returns, grateful. Nosé sits at the piano. He gets up. He rises. He leaves the stage. He returns, grateful. Nosé sits at the piano. The applause, the praised, the applause.

David Moratón
El Dia, Tenerife, Spain
18 January
2007