MS Music Concert Appreciation Report

Name: Claire Chung         Grade: 7

Date: 1/22/2017

1.     Please attach Concert Program and concert ticket except school concert. I performed in this concert, so I don’t have a ticket.

2.     What instrument do you play? I play piano, violin, and recorder.

3.     Which song is your favorite song in this concert? Why? (Please write down two reasons to describe why you like it the best in about 50 words)  Please draw and explain the diagram of the stage/instrument setting.

My favorite song in this concert is N. Rimsky Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op.35. This symphony has four movements:

I. The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship                

II. The Kalendar Prince        

III. The Young Prince and The Young Princess        

IV. Festival at Baghdad, The Sea, The Ship Breaks against a Cliff Surmounted by a Bronze Horseman

I liked this song the best because it is telling the story The Arabian Nights. This orchestral work combines two features : Russian music and the characteristic of Rimsky-Korsakov (dazzling, colorful, and an interest in the East, which figured greatly in the history of Imperial Russia.) It is considered Rimsky-Korsakov's most popular work. Also, this song is very expressive, with emotional beautiful melodies played by the strings and strong, expressive parts played by the percussion, woodwinds, and horns. The part of this song varies from the tides of the sea, to dancing music, to festival celebration, and finally back to the repeating tides of the sea that brings the song to its highest peak. I enjoyed playing this song as well because it was very fun to participate in such expressive, beautiful music.

4.     Please describe the beginning and ending songs in the program in about 50 words

The first song was F. Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, played by a piano solo. In the first movement, it is in allegro maestoso, with a more “self-important” and tragical feeling. The second movement is in larghetto, which is very slow, and plays a sad but beautiful melody. The third movement was happier, in the form of rondo. I liked this song but didn’t enjoy playing it because we had to play softly most of the times and there was no melody, only accompaniment.

The second and last song, N. Rimsky Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op.35 ,  is telling the story The Arabian Nights. This orchestral work combines two features : Russian music and the characteristic of Rimsky-Korsakov (dazzling, colorful, and an interest in the East, which figured greatly in the history of Imperial Russia.) It is considered Rimsky-Korsakov's most popular work. Also, this song is very expressive, with emotional beautiful melodies played by the strings and strong, expressive parts played by the percussion, woodwinds, and horns. The part of this song varies from the tides of the sea, to dancing music, to festival celebration, and finally back to the repeating tides of the sea that brings the song to its highest peak. I enjoyed playing this song as well because it was very fun to participate in such expressive, beautiful music.

5.     Please describe the audience behavior in this concert in about 30 words.

The audiences did not make any noises during the performance and clapped after each symphony. However on the stage it was annoying for the audiences to clap between movements because they weren’t supposed to clap except after the whole song is finished. They didn’t stand up and shout since this is a classical performance. Everyone is dressed very nicely and very polite, such as clapping hands at the end and paying full attention.