Favourite Music: David Garrett in Munich



On May 5^th, my favourite violin player, David Garrett gave a classical concert here in Munich, in the philharmonic concert hall called “Gasteig”. I was fortunate enough to get tickets at very short notice – via eBay. Since I bought from a private seller, I only paid like five € more than the regular price would have been. My mom decided to join me, since we share the same taste in music. Our evening started at one of the Gasteig’s four restaurants. A shortly before the concert very very busy place, that had taken over the “vapiano” concept, but served delicious food. Afterwards we only had to take a few steps, to make it into the concert hall.

One thing has to be said in advance: if you love classical music in the usual German classical-concert-way, which means lots of elderly, people in dark, decent clothes, no funny tales told between the songs and a quiet, serious audience that applauds exactly and only when allowed – you better should not attend a concert of David Garrett no matter if a classical one or rock-crossover.

 via: don't know since taking pictures in the hall was not allowed *looks innocent*

First of all you will find a very mixed audience. Well, not really gender wise that is…. Though frankly speaking there also ARE men in the room, and quite some of them look as if they were enjoying the music. What really amazes at least me is, that there is nearly no limitation in age. Primary school girls up to Grannies, everyone can be found at David’s concert. And last but not least, of course, your sophisticated looking regular lover of classical music.

The next point is the clothing. Most important thing: you may wear whatever you want.

I absolutely love watching people in the street, and this concert was a splendid place for watching people, especially when you’re seated far up in the back like we were. I had the whole audience in front of me. A lot of young women had opted for a semi formal style, that is jeans worn with leather shoes, blouse or shirt and blazer. But there were also lots of dresses to be seen; quite some one might think you’d rather find in a club on the dance floor. And especially the first row obviously likes to show off legs ;) . From my place in the back I was even able to spot a Sonia Rykiel for h&m dress and was wondering, how many people in the Gasteig were identifying it in that very moment. One more favourite was a remarkably young girl in super high heels, leather leggings, a tiny black dress, and lots of make-up.

Another thing is that you have to pay 8 € for a super skinny programme which features information on the artists and what will be played tonight, and a few sexy photos of the master himself.

But now I should come to the basic point: the music. David Garrett was discovered as a “wunderkind” at a very young age. In his late teens the pressure that came with his success got too much for him, so he decided to leave Germany to study the violin at New York’s renowned Juilliard School. There he finally was able to live a free and independent life and somehow found himself. After his studies he decided that besides playing classical music, he wanted to do his own thing. He started playing crossover, a mix of classical and modern – pop and rock music, to arouse young people’s interest in classical instruments and finally also classical music. Tonight he was going to introduce us to two of his favourite composers, Fritz Kreisler and Ludwig van Beethoven.

David Garrett was supported by the National Philharmonic of Russia, directed by Vladimir Spivakov. The first part of the concert contained mostly pieces of the Austrian Kreisler. Before the concert I wasn’t that familiar with his music, now I can say that I really like it. Among my favourite pieces were the Prelude and Liebesleid („Love’s Sorrow“). Apart from Kreisler there was Rachmaninov’s Paganini Varition No 18 and the orchestra played some compositions by Tchaikovsky without David. Especially in Tchaikovsky’s “Russian Dance” they gave a wonderfully performance and proved that they definitely don’t need a famous face in front of them, to catch an audience. In-between the pieces David told us funny stories about his life, which pictured him as a very clumsy human being and caused a lot of laughter.

After the break David and the Orchestra played Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major. I had never heard it before and must say I haven’t often enjoyed a concert as much as I enjoyed this one. David playing the cadenzas with so much empathy and emotion was simply breathtaking. And apparently I was not the only one who felt like that, I could not believe how quiet the audience was. Only once people were applauding not only between the concerto’s pieces but even right in the middle of one play.

 

At the end of the concert once again David craziness started. Various females – one with a little child – came to the stage to hand him flowers and little presents over. And after he was gone there was quite a crowd of young girls queuing for autographs at the stage entrance.

What can I say as a conclusion? I absolutely love David Garrett’s play without being crazily in love with him (though pictures like to one on the bottom might make me change my mind). Therefore I find his reputation and status somewhat ambivalent. One thing is that those fans that idolize him, definitely CAN be annoying. But more important is that there seems to be soo much commerce going on around him. It’s a great plan to try to motivate young people for classical music, but how shall that work out, when you have to pay a fortune to get a ticket? Moreover the whole David craziness makes those internet broker guys buy lots of tickets, get them out of the regular market and try to resell them on ebay for even more horrendous prizes. In Munich this plan obviously didn’t really work out. Some people were standing outside the concert hall, trying to sell the tickets they still had, and inside some of the best places remained empty – shame! Another point that annoys me is that serious concert critics seem to have a problem with writing too positive reviews about this so uncommon classic player. But I’m probably lacking the competence to criticise those professional critics… All I can say is that I and those who joined me had a wonderful evening! But in case prizes will rise even more I might prefer to listen to my CDs next time.

David Garrett is coming back to Munich in June as part of his crossover “Rock Symphonies” Tour and next year in spring to play one more classical concert at the Gasteig, joined by the pianist Julien Quentin.

via: taken on that very evening by the only one in the room who was apparently allowed to