Pianissimo - Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the NSO

One thing that I like the most about classical music is its ability to create so many different moods and feelings, usually in one piece. Another part that I really like is the interplay between the different instruments and parts within each performance. Last night, Wolf Trap was treated with a wonderful orchestral performance that had a little bit of everything, including all those classical music attributes that I adore so much. Jean-Yves Thibaudet is a classical pianist from France who is regarded as one of the top pianists in the world. He has performed with almost every major orchestra in the world, including groups such as the Boston Symphony, the LA Philharmonic, and the Orchestre National de France. In addition to his performances around the world, he has also played in a number of movie scores including Atonement and Pride and Prejudice (Atonement would go on to win an Academy Award for its score). While I myself am not a pianist by any means, I was in awe of this man's ability and what I most liked was that he didn't rely on pure skill to create music. He really meshed with the orchestra well and relied on more melodic playing than fast paced flourishes. Along with his performance, the NSO did a fantastic performance of the William Tell Overture and Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony. I am so glad that along with all these big rock concerts, I am able to hear beautiful classical music from some of the best musicians in the world.

This really was one of the most relaxing show that we have had. Other than the fact that we ran out of programs pretty early on, there were hardly any problems and I saw many people almost falling asleep due to the quiet music and mellow atmosphere. It was a another beautiful night and while there  were less than 1000 people on the lawn, those people really got a taste of Wolf Trap at its best. As always, looking forward to more shows in the future!

My favorite part of the night was the William Tell Overture. The USC Marching Band plays the song, albeit in a truncated version, during football games and I was really glad that I got to here the rest of the piece!

DC

Puts many of rock's keyboard players to shame