From Linz to Leningrad on a Sunday Afternoon

lynda and i made our way (we took the bus believe it or not! and we walked too!) to the esplanade for an afternoon performance by the philharmonic orchestra. poor lynda had to hobble in her high heel with aching thighs after a 15km morning run, in a race against time or else we risk being barred from entering the concert hall until intermission.

esplanade in sight... 10 mins before the performance... kancheong like mad! "lynda ah, faster leh, wait the 2nd bell rings ah, sure they won't allow us in" and the poor girl hobbled along despite her aching thighs


we made it in time...


uber-designed programme booklet... i have a strong suspicion that if this is Singapore in the 70s or even 80s, depicting the old USSR's proletarian emblem of the sickle and hammer might land you in jail and you'd be branded a marxist... perhaps lor...

repertoir
1. mozart's linz symphony - typically mozart... not at all my favourite composer from the classical era. he wrote 'music for softies' lah. i cannot bloody stand anything mozart (with the exception of one orotario, the requiem). almost made me fall asleep especially during the andante and menuetto movements... at least they ain't playing the blue danube or i would have knocked my head senseless *SPARE ME THE WALTZ...ANYTHING BUT THE WALTZ!!!*

2. shostakovich's leningrad symphony - one of the uber best pieces i've heard coming from a rusky comrade! woohoo! very much the style of ravel's bolero... i likeeey! but bloody helluva one long symphony lor, 1 hour 20 mins in all for 4 movements

conversations in between movements:

lynda: (in whispering hush hush tone) eh why they all never clap ah?

me: because ah, in between movements you should not clap, it is actually for you to cough as much as you want, or fart, or burp, or clear your throat of phlegm

lynda: orhhhh... liedat one ah...

me: ahhhh... liedat one... ok shhhh... next movement starting liao