Encore?

She might be Miss Prima Donna but tonight performance is kind of disappointing.... I had expected to hear more punch, more energy...to bring out Dvořák's Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104 passion and power.... but Miss Prima Donna's cello was nearly drowned by the SSO team playing... Disappointed I was.... But then music is highly subjective and so one man's music is another man's noise. I was a little shocked that there was an encore, even when there was no standing bravo or applause... And my heart just goes........aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.... ??

But the second part on Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55 'Eroica' by SSO more than made up for it... Beethoven's Third Symphony was originally dedicated to and named after Beethoven's hero Naopleon Buonaparte. But when Napoleon declared himself Emperor of Austria in 1804, an enraged Beethoven ripped up the dedication and retitled the work "Eroica" meaning hero and rededicated it to Jean Baptiste Bernadotte. Anywhere that's history.... =P

The role of the conductor had always puzzled me and from time to time, I really question the importance of the Conductor. I mean after vigorous and numerous practices, surely and definitely, all the players should know their parts and their turns very well, right? Majority of the players in the orchestra never seem to be taking notice of the cue from the Conductor anyway. i understand that the role of the conductor is to communicate real-time information to performers like the beat, tempo, dynamics and other musical elements. Plus maybe to catch any sleeping players or a distracted player playing a wrong note. Bababababababahahahahaha!! K...lah...enough of my nonsense. To understand more about conducting and the meaning of the hand movements, check it out on Wikiepedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conducting.

But Singaporeans do still need to learn a few Concert etiquettes....

1) Do not be late for concert. Or you would only be led into during intermission. More than 50 people would being let in after the intermission. It's was amazing...or shocking.

2) One symphony or piece is usually made up of 3-4 movements which is indicated on the program book. Do take note and do not start clapping during the orchestra's pause between these movements. One is suppose to clap only after the whole piece was played.

3) Do not talk or make noise during performance. It's very rude even if you would to think that the orchestra is playing crap. There was this KID sitting beside me and he just couldn't shut his trap. With his irrate mummy and daddy trying to explain to him what is this and what is that? This is very distracting and disturbing to other concert goers who had paid much to come and listen and enjoy the music and not your voice. Moreover the concert environment is very quiet and your whisper is like a dinosaur talking. Even if you would to cough, one must try to control till a suitable break as not to disturb the performance.

4) Wear appropriately and not sloppy with slippers and tank-top. Concert tickets are expensive and watching a concert is and should not be like watching a movie.