There’s something about the sounds of a symphony that transports me to another place, another time. I get lost in the music as it swells and dances from note to note. I am eternally grateful that I happen to live so close to one of the most renowned symphonies in the country, Dallas Symphony Orchestra. I took some friends to see DSO’s special Beethoven Symphony No. 2 concert, after which guests could meet and mingle with the musicians of the DSO.
Photography for this post is courtesy Darling Photography TX.
The DSO performs in the Meyerson, a grand building in the arts district of downtown Dallas. It has an enormous marble staircase leading guests to the lobby from Will Call and the exterior walls are almost entirely lined with floor-to-ceiling windows. The ceilings are impossibly high, what you might expect from a Texas performance hall.
You can dine in the Meyerson before the show with reservations, grab a drink at the bar, or enjoy sweets and a coffee in the lobby before the show. I took my friends Emily, Wendy, and Norberto, none of whom had ever been to the Meyerson before. We had amazing orchestra seats, but the beauty of a hall like the Meyerson is that there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. No matter where you are, you can close your eyes and get lost in the music.
Dallas Symphony was in fine form on Saturday, conducted by Nicholas McGegan. First up was Haydn’s Symphony No. 83 “The Hen” followed by Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 by the lovely Beatrice Rana on piano and finally, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2. It’s been years since I listened to Haydn and I actually think that was my favorite part of the show! Beatrice was wonderful to watch; she looked like a 1940s starlet auditioning for the role of a lifetime with every note she played. She poured her heart into it. Beethoven’s cheerful Symphony No. 2 was a pleasant way to end an exquisite show.
The entire line up was airy and bubbly. I thought I might just float away on the trills of violins. I frequent DSO’s Pops shows but this cemented that I need to make more time for one of my great loves: classical music. Learn more and get tickets at www.mydso.com.
See you at the Symphony,
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Disclaimer: Dallas Symphony Orchestra is one of my fabulous PR clients. My PR business is completely separate from The Rose Table and has no affect on my content here, but I still must disclose that.
Great! I hope they play Symphony 6 a lot, too! I think I know it from the first and original Fantasia, Symphony 5 from a Japanese animation, and from A Clockwork Orange what I’ve heard of Symphony 9. I’ve listened at least a little to it when I was a kid. I need to get more iTunes or make more YouTube/Spotfiy playlists. Some people are real competitive about their classical music.
I actually got to see DSO play the score of Fantasia live with the movie just last year! It was incredible. They’re doing the same for Jurassic Park this Labor Day and I’m counting down the days. 🙂
The funniest thing! I live in the Orlando region of Central Florida, and they have a Bach Festival Society, the director also in charge of directing at the private school here, where they usually perform. Well, anyway, a little while back – I do like seeing their performances at a discount since I take violin at the community school at an intermediate level now – they played the music for a black and white video of Joan of Arc. It was admittedly mellow; a lot of the movie seemed to just be focusing on her face, like she was having a revelation, and the portrayer was like 30 back in those days probably or 40 even maybe.
It must be hard to keep it in time, a jungle gym for the conductor and the musicians participating to practice, too!
Oh wow! I’ve never seen the film but I just love seeing movies with a live score. DSO does a couple each year and it’s such a neat experience. I’m flying in to Orlando next week! I’ll wave to you as I land. 🙂
Oh, good! I’m guessing college students are coming out. I can’t always afford a yearly pass and actually just still live with my parents at 31. I’m flying to NYC to see a traveling orchestra from Germany perform. I follow them online, every day. I found them because I like a violinist lady in it.
You seem like a good person.
Know it or not, some people seem to swear that musicians are bad or don’t mean well. I was encouraged on piano tho I didn’t elect to take lessons. My world has violin in it, now.
Hey, I’m also from the South with parents from different places.
You seem like a nice person with a nice blog and sites.
I like WordPress how it’s easier to interact. I didn’t get as much on Blogger, maybe it was popular and I started too late.
We must have a lot in common since we’re both from the South or West or the Country. Well, actually I was originally from the Southeast, Florida, and we moved to New Orleans, actually a suburb across the bridge. I know New Orleans is like Louisiana where it’s in, Mississippi, and in ways like Texas. I guess the New Orleans area can be tough, too, tho. Some people there aren’t that friendly, particularly to some people sometimes. Not being from there, sometimes I don’t get where people are coming from, what they mean when they interact, like what innuendo. I’m used to good ole sunshiny Florida. Now, I’m used to New Orleans, too.
Well, nice blog post, too. It’s great to have different things to refer to and post about like in classical music.