Philippe in UCONN on Nov. 6th, 2011

It seems his facebook doesn't like my comment, so I write it here. I watch his concert in UCONN on Nov. 6th. It was the craziest thing I have done in my life, driving more than 7 hours round trip for just a concert for a specific artist, and it definitely will be the last time I do so because I do not enjoy or appreciate being irrational. But he signed the pictures I drew. It worthies the trip. Here is what I think about it.

1. Mr. Jaroussky is unsurprisingly good. There is no different listening to him live or on YouTube or iPod. He caught every note accurately without a single out of tune, for 9 arias, which I think is very difficult. I have never made a perfect piano recital; at least I must make one strike wrong. He sang with his whole body. It is a heavy duty labor work. I really appreciate it. Many thanks for showing me the arts of singing. Bravo!

2. Apollo's Fire is surprisingly good. I have never expected any orchestra in US could play early music so well. I can tell that they are not making big fortune, but they really have the passion on music. At some point I felt that they were not playing for the audience, but for themselves and for the sake of music------real artists.

3. Fans of Mr. Jaroussky are touchingly good. Generally speaking, Love of fans to their artists is much better than that of artists to their fans. Fans take the time, efforts, trouble, and financial budget for the pure love of what the artists possessing. I am not saying it is not real that artists also like their fans, but admits it or not, it is mixed with financial purpose. For this, fans are more artistic.

4. I only buy songs from Amazon because I do not like the idea of bundle sale. Although it is more expensive buying songs one by one than buying one album, I do not buy a bunch of flowers with extract dead leaves, and I can have more information from Google than from the CD cover. Of course that will cause problem with traditional CD sellers. But that is the way it is: technology is changing everyone's life.

Suzi

You´re welcome here!

Point 1. and 3 . - absolutely agree with you! Mr. Jaroussky works hard for this shining perfection- to share it with us. Deep bow.

And yes - the stars just allow their followers to admire themselves. That´s right.
But Mr. Jaroussky is still exceptionally generous to his fans.

JaRoWi1647,

I'm sure you are right about Mr. Jaroussky's kindness. He was not signing any CDs because he was rushing packing that night after the concert, but he still signed the pictures I drew.

I was waiting at his dressing room. When he opened the door he was still dressing himself and smiling at me, and his suitcase was at a mess. It was at that moment I realized that his job was not fun, traveling all the time, without a love one taking care of him on the way... I have never liked sleeping in any hotel room even I went travel for fun. It is so natural that he thinks about death when he travels often (I knew it from an interview on why he made recording --- his CDs survive him as he said.) He has a very amiable personality, and that is why I like him, not because he can sing.

You can see at the lower right corner of my avatar is his signature. I can load another one if you like to see.

SUZI,

I also wonder how he is managing to get over a tour like this one in the USA.
So many concerts with only one day in between to travel (and sleep as well !).Not to mention the jetlag... (As far as I am concerned, I never sleep during the first night in a hotel when I am on a business trip.)
Then going back to Europe, having more concerts....He must be completely exhausted, but it seems he is getting better and better. Only his suits are looking quite tired .

I can only say : I take my hat off to him.

Yes, my dear Suzi and Duffy. It's a hard work, but it's his work!! And He is a very, very good worker!

Maybe this is not the correct topic to say this, but I NEED to say that I've heard three times the new CD "Duetti" whith Cencic and W. Christie. What a marvellous airs!!!

When he sings "quando veggo un ussignolo": he has made me think at his voice singing "il nitrito dei fieri cavalli" from Sedecia. Really a dream!

I'm anxious to hear him the next 2 december at the Liceu, in Barcelona!!![You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Mercè

He received a critic by a private blogger who was a little bit disappointed, concerning the concert in Bordeaux.
The blogger talks about P being tired and therefore singing rather low and singing without engagement, the encores were only another planned little recital on top and so on. I hope he has enough time to recover before starting the tour with the Freiburger Barock Orchester............if that is true.

Duffy

He was not alone though. He had a "CD-seller" traveling with him. She was no doubt an American, but not familiar with UCONN. She was suppose to drop him off at the backstage entrance, where there was sign on the door for Apollo's Fire. But she dropped him off at the front gate of the theater. He had to climb the stairs and walked quickly with his suitcase, and asked for the dressing-room. At the interval, she sold CDs.

Also, about the critic on the concert in Bordeaux, I believe it is true because it is exactly how I felt in UCONN, but I insist that if I have nothing good to say, just don't say a thing. Of course, this rule only applies to my love ones.

Mercè

You are right. When he sang the coloratura of "il nitrito dei fieri cavalli", he knew he owned the audience. Good for you having a chance to see him live. If he came to New York City, I'd definitely go, driving only 2 hours round trip. You know what, I was at the first row at UCONN. I could even see the design of his blazer collar. I really like his clothes, well cut and tailored with excellent material.

Suzi

it seems that there is a vacant job, caring for the artist (and his suitcase?)
Any volunteers ?

Duffy

I think we would be in a long queue....

Nenuphar wrote:

Duffy

I think we would be in a long queue....

Ooooh, yesss...... we'd meet there!

I'm in the queue, too, of course; he'd need a grandmother... to protect him

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Duffy

Wow, I'm late. You just mentioned the idea, and there are already so many people in the line. That's a great idea.

Yes ladies, and I'm the next in the row to see him !

It's a good thing he is a classical musician. Any selfrespecting rockstar would be seriously disappointed with the idea of, after working your tail off for more than half your life, when the groupies are finally lined up outside your dressingroom door, all they want to do is press your suit and pack your suitcase for you. :/


Edit: Typo

Did I ever mention that I am REALLY good at packing suitcases?

Ladies,

I can cook the chicken soup very well! Any needs?

Suzi, about buying only loose songs from Amazon...

When artists make a CD, they do not put together a random collection of songs, just to sell them. Classical CD's do not have flipsides. This is a very hard process, with much deliberation from outside experts as well. The CD has to have a mood, the songs must fit eachother, the order must be just right. Selecting the songs is probably more work than recording them.

I really advise you to get a whole CD and just go with the path they have laid out for you. You just might end up in wonderful places where you never would have imagined going. Just doing the a prima facie cherry picking seems smart, but in the end derives you from so much beauty you really cannot do without. Think of it as a good wine: an acquired taste. You have to learn to appreciate it, but when you do, ah, than you do!

Artaserse wrote:

Ladies,

I can cook the chicken soup very well! Any needs?

Of course, just incase he gets a cold! We also need someone to sing a lullaby, and someone to get him a drink of water, and someone to tuck him in and someone to read him a bedtime story and someone to sit by the bed in the dark until he falls asleep.

There's whole entourage of mothers forming here.

carolineleiden wrote:

Of course, just incase he gets a cold! We also need someone to sing a lullaby, and someone to get him a drink of water, and someone to tuck him in and someone to read him a bedtime story and someone to sit by the bed in the dark until he falls asleep.

There's whole entourage of mothers forming here.

I think this would be too confusing for him - I'm able of multi-tasking!!!
But btw - it doesn't have to be a mothers job...

carolineleiden

Many thanks for your valuable, heartfelt advice.

You know what, I had the same exact thought before. It can't be a coincidence. I believe this theory is perfect and it's what we were taught in music education. I did try, and I still have a lot of music CDs (piano only now mostly for my practice, because I donated most of them). My relationship with music is barely physical. I feel it with my mind. When I was younger, I could force myself to listen to or play the music that I didn't like, but now I feel it tortures. If I had to play the Etudes I played five years ago, I'd rather just not play at all. I tried listen to the album samples on Amazon, but for only 30 seconds each song, my mind had wandered away, and I found my finger was going to press the skip button. I also borrow CDs of Philippe Jaroussky and other signers, such as Diana Damrau, from the library, to get the atmosphere or feelings you suggested, but I just can NOT.

I'm not a good student, not very much trainable in a "normal" way. I draw but never made any draft upfront, because I use more maths in my drawing. I listen to music but I sometimes listen to only one song continuously for the whole afternoon instead of listening to a whole album. In such a way, my mind gets what it wants --- dive into a dimension of nothing. Do you know what I'm talking about? I'm really sorry to confuse you with my strange feelings.

carolineleiden

Quote :

all they want to do is press your suit and pack your suitcase for you. :/

I take the risk that I will get a warning by arteaserse this time, but how do you know that was all I wanted?

SJuli

Sorry, I think this was a result of that one extremely gorgeous picture of Madrid.....

Oh yes, his pictures sometimes cause strange side effects...

Hi carolineleiden and Duffy as well,

You know- I also sometimes feel like an human being. And some good chicken soup is very useful not only in case of a cold.

Best regards,
Artaserse.

artaserse

OK, I finally know now what I'm going to ask him next time: " What's news about Caravaggio" ,and "do you like chicken soup". I'll need quite a lot of strength not to burst into laughter...how should I explain.....

Duffy

Oh no................. He´ll answer - But I´m not sick !

Ok, then I'm gonna say :"Show me your suitcase, afterwards you will be sick, hopefully!"
Can't stop giggling...I'm going to have a glass of Syrah now and finish that....
I promise I'll be serious and well educated after the concert.

Suzi,

You're not strange or mad or wrong, just different. There is nothing wrong with listening to music in the way that gives you the most pleasure, even if it is by listening to one song twenty times in a row.

I sometimes do that too, to stay in the atmosphere of that particiular song. I can take in an hour of Cara Sposa, and still like it as much as the first time. (Which is good if you're busy learning it!)

But sometimes when I am painting or something, than I like a whole CD, and I just go with the flow they designed. Just play the CD over and over again. This does not go for pop music, btw. But Bach: anytime, anywhere.

One question though: don't you think the magic goes away if you over analyse a piece? The moment I understand the structure, sometimes that happens to me and it seriously spoils the fun for me.

Artaserse? It is a bit off topic, but it is a serious discussion about enjoying music, so is that okay?

carolineleiden

You are absolutely right: the magic goes away if I over analyze a piece. That is also my very personal experience. From the moment I begin to learn a piece of music on my piano, the way I listening to it has been changed. When the music plays in the CD, I cannot "hear" it anymore, but only "see" it: the notes, the piano keys, and my left hand movements. That is why for so many years, I still refuse to learn Moonlight Sonata. When I get something, I lose something else. Fair enough!

Thus, when I listen to one song/music, I feel it instead of analyze it, for the ultimate purpose of diving into a dimension of nothing. Do you see the David Jones' Locker described in the movie? It is just like that. The easiest way to get that feeling actually is practicing scale.

Dear Caroline, it's so happy to tell you how I feel, and I understand how you feel. I know you know that I'm not crazy.