Froh! Froh!

Glad, as His suns fly
Through the Heaven's glorious design,
Run, brothers, your race,
Joyful, as a hero to victory
[Schiller, from Ode to Joy]

Last night's SSO performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony must surely be the best SSO concert I have ever attended, and I am talking about almost 2 decades of being a regular of the orchestra.

I am glad I managed to win the tickets from 92.4 FM as it was completely sold out as early as a month and a half before the concert date.

Although the tenor took the Alla Turca section a tad too fast and the flute accompaniment got carried away and played a too loudly, it did not diminish my enjoyment of it. Somebody in the audience really did not like the 2nd movement and hissed at the end of it. True, it was a bit dodgy at times, but I honestly did not find it that bad. And the bass singer (I was astounded how young he is) at only 32 did not have as rich a voice as an older singer might have, but he was good! And one thing is confirmed...Asian singers seem to always produce a 'flat', tinny sound instead of the rich timbre of European singers.

However, despite these flaws, never before has the SSO succeeded in moving me so; at times nearly bringing tears to my eyes with the delicate lyrical section by the double basses and celli and at other times sending my heart racing by the rousing tutti. The choir, despite the high As did not sound like they were screaming as I had feared and the overall effect was astounding and majestic. My heart soared with the choir

Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Freude, schöner Götterfunken
Tochter aus Elysium,
Freude, schöner Götterfunken

It was music making at its best.