I am VERY annoyed.


And I like that because it reminds me that I'm not a stupid robot mugging mindlessly for exams. But it doesn't make me any happier.


What do you do, when your beliefs are challenged? What do you do when there is no way of ever resolving the damn debate?


Where to start. OK. The concert.


Popper. Requiem.


I'm not here to talk about the cellists' skills. Personally, as long as I feel they do the music justice(my expectations aren't very high)(well I have the same standards for them and for myself! Go figure. For their standards it's not very high, for mine they are.) Anyway, if they do the music justice, it's worth listening to. If they're good enough to get a response out of the audience(eg standing ovation, tears, etc) then that's just a bonus. But unnecessary.


Anyway, I thought the Requiem wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Rather conventional harmony(well, it's Popper.) And somehow, the absence of the playful tone, or blisteringly difficult passages from this work, robs it of a lot of interest value.


Kats-Chernin. Phoenix Story - I. Dark Green, II. Light Green

Firstly, what kind of a name is that?(I'm not saying it's bad, just that it's really weird beyond comprehension.) I got a little bored of the I-play-melody-and-you-play-accompaniment after a while, but what harmony and rhythm! I think some parts of the first movement would sound better on an electric guitar. The piece seems to be every type of music and yet none of them at all, all at once. Very weird. But the weirdness provokes thought. Therefore, I enjoyed it.


Mozart. Adagio.

Never liked Mozart. This was no exception.


Piazzolla. La Muerte del Angel.

Typical Piazzolla. I'm definitely never going to tap my cello like that. I don't find Piazzolla bad music, but all his music sounds much the same to me. Same comments to the 4 seasons


Goltermann. Serenade.

Slow with conventional harmony and rhythms. Not particularly interesting.(Yes, I do admit that I appreciate the fast pieces better. There's always the possibility that I fail to see what's good in the music.)


Parkin. Piatti's Caprice No. 12

Now this was a fun one. Over 60 quotes from various famous cello works. I picked up quotes from the E minor Brahms Sonata, 1st movement; the F major one, last movement, and second too I think. Shostakovich Eb, Elgar, Haydn C, Dvorak, Saint-Saens A min, Brahms double concertos. Vocalise. Alan said he picked up Schumann but I don't listen to it much so I'm not sure. Definitely a piece for entertainment rather than serious music in my opinion.


Barralet. Four Folk Songs from the World

I loved the Indian one. Hungary and Russia were OK I guess. The Tetris theme at the end was totally -.- but at least it still sounded nice.


That leaves me wondering if I should have gone in the first place.


The one question I need to ask is, why on earth was I gifted with so much brainpower(which I don't need) and so little physical abilities? Sure I could train but it'll just mean I'll become a strong clumsy oaf instead of just a clumsy oaf. I tackle tasks with my head, and do things by analysis - it's just that I lack the muscle and coordination to put in the little action that's needed.