A muso's dilemma

It's an old story and common. Is this music getting harder or am I just not practising enough? It was harder and we can always practice more but this was a doozy. Maruki truly takes on the big repertoire programs. I like it for that but it is a challenge. This day it was Wagner, Mozart and Rachmaninoff. The Wagner was his Rienzi overture, the overture that launched 1,000 proms: it was the first work played in the first London Prom concert in Queen's Hall, London, 1895. Not lightweight. The Mozart was more relaxing as this delightful classical music is. Mozart just has it. John Gould played the solo. He may not still be with the London Symphony or the Carl Pini Quartet, but there's a history that you can believe in his playing. It's a pleasure to play with such a master and the Mozart just rings so sweetly and so true. Then the real challenge to finish off. Rachmaninoff Symphony no.2, all triplet and 2 feels, variously switching, and that renowned pop melody, Never gonna fall in love again, that appears in the first notes of the third movement. That's the relaxed movement. Otherwise, there's tricks a'plenty here. Fabulous and virtuoisic and great fun with occasional great fear. Maruki always does its best in concert - I guess all orchestras do. No claim to prof status here. This was tricky and demanding. There were some surprisingly successful passages, often amongst the most difficult so most practised music, but also some perhaps less readied. Whatever it's great to take this music on and this was a program to savour. A doozy.

Maruki Orchestra played Wagner, Mozart and Rachmaninoff at Albert Hall. John Gould (violin) soloed on the Mozart concerto as Elisha Adams (conductor) directed. Otherwise, John Gould (conductor) directed.