Saturday, February 8, 2014

Roving Pittsburgher Report -
Science and the Symphony
A Review of the PSO's The Planets- An HD Odyssey Feb. 7th 2014 Performance


Science and the Symphony
A Review of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's
The Planets- An HD Odyssey Feb. 7th 2014 Performance
From: Roving Pittsburgher and PositivePittsburghLiveMagazine.com
Written By: Sunita Pandit,  Host of Mrs. Cardiology  |   Feb. 08, 2014

Mrs. Cardiology believes we must control stress in our lives. So-o-o with Valentine's day falling on a Friday making a quiet relaxed evening with Cardiologist hubby Santosh Pandit a challenger. . .  Proactive Solution: I "preponed" Valentine’s Day by one week and took him to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for their performance titled: The Planets – an HD odyssey.

Manfred Honeck
(photo courtesy: PSO)
As always, the symphony played up to its stellar reputation under the graceful guidance of Maestro Honeck. They impressed hubby (who does not enjoy sitting still for a classical piece!). . .

His comments: "The performance was excellent! It was a very good experience… I enjoyed it thoroughly!" That's a mouthful of praise coming from a cardiologist. The video complemented the music allowing us to fully appreciate the intricacies of the composition. The NASA pictures kept us engaged with the music. I wonder if the PSO could use the video screen to show us the musicians that are sitting the back especially when they are actually playing the instruments? My husband and I could only appreciate visually the violinists…He especially would like to definitely see the rest of the orchestra. We hope the PSO arrangers are listening. Santosh hopes wife takes him for a post Valentine's Day date! Thank you to PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com for providing the tickets and giving us the opportunity to review this amazing musical odyssey.

(photo courtesy: PSO)
The concert opens on earth with "The Elements, a PSO commission and world premiere, five small pieces about Pittsburgh's land and history written by local composers for the PSO's Year of Pittsburgh Composers.

Bomi Jang's "Awake," is about Pittsburgh's dwindling urban forest. Ms. Jang used a water gong, rolling bass drum, scratchy strings piccolo to create musical pictures for the audience.

"Eliza Furnace," by Mathew Rosenblum, musically depicts Pittsburgh's iron mill workers effectively using metallic instruments, brass and percussion to capture the sound and effect of the inside of a working steel mill.

Amy Williams' chaotic "Flood Lines" auspiciously about the 1936 flood culminated in an almost upbeat piano solo.

Reza Vali's "Ravan," represented well the Youghiogheny River. We could almost feel the river dancing. And during all of these wonderful pieces NASA pictures allowed our imaginations to soar, "Where no man has dared to go."

Mrs. Cardiology a raving Starwars, Star Trek, Star-anything fan sat mesmerized. . .  Dang! I was expecting a star ship to show up. . . ‘Hailing Captain Pandit… this is the interstellar Star Patrol. Please respond. Your mother is looking for you… you are late for dinner!’ Ah sci-fi fantasy at the PSO. . .  I never thought I would experience it. Awesome! Out of this world! . . .  Ahem. . .

Just make sure you experience not only my favorite part but the rest of the story! We puffed our chests with pride of knowing that Pittsburgh boasts real live music composers this talented ‘who needs New York?’ What an extraordinary way to experience nuances of Pittsburgh life! Another notch in the Most Livable City on Earth! ET come home to the classics like no other place in the world!

Additional Concert Times:
Saturday, Feb. 8th  |  8:00 PM  |  Heinz Hall
Sunday, Feb. 9th  |  2:30 PM  |  Heinz Hall

Mrs. Sunita Pandit and
Dr. Santosh Pandit
Written By: Sunita Pandit
Host of Mrs. Cardiology
Anchor Internet Radio Show on PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com

Weekly program on heart tips not tricks garnered from Fireside Conversations with her cardiologist husband, Dr. Santosh Pandit.
For more information visit http://MrsCardiology.com




Posted By: Stephanie Curtice
Good News and Cultural Reporter
PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com
RovingPittsburgher.blogspot.com
TheNewGirlintheBurgh.blogspot.com
(c) PositivelyPittsburghLiveMagazine.com 2014

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