Ca 1 Mike Schaufeli e4a
For CA 1 I went to Leningrad, Performed by Het Gelders Orkest, it was classical Music. While the
music was playing I could not make up a story behind it in my mind. The only thing I could was listen
and enjoy the music. Leningrad is an old piece of music Which has been adapted through time. Even
though there wasn’t a clear theme I could feel a certain emotion while I was listening, it brought up
the emotion you get when you have a victory. This music symbolised victory for me.
I wanted to go to this activity for two reasons, of of them was because it sounded interesting, well at
least more interesting than the other shows I could visit. And the other reason was because if I would
go there I wouldn’t be the going to the show by myself.
‘’Well, that's finally some music!" Cried Liszt following the elegant Rococo Variations (1876) by
Tsjaikovsky, based on a theme from Mozart style. The piece was dedicated to the cellovirtuoso
Wilhelm Fitzenhagen, who to the chagrin of Tchaikovsky ‘embellished' things here and there. His
version has long been the most played, until the original manuscript was published in the middle of
the last century. Masterly orchestration, bizarre contrasts and spiky dissonance characterize the
music of Sjostakovitsj. Though he was convinced communist, he was constantly in trouble with the
central government in Moscow. His Seventh Symphony from 1941 describes the resistance of
Leningrad against the 'fascist barbarians’. The success of this "war symphony ' broke the unnerving
situation where Sjostakovitsj was in: the alleged' enemy state 'was now a hero.
I thought that this show was very impressive, not only the Music, but also the orchestra. During this
play I felt victorious in a way, because the music was so cheering and massive. Almost the whole
performance long I had this picture in my head of me standing on a hill after I just won a war or
something like that. Not only did this play make me feel victorious, but at certain parts I also felt
emotional, because when the music slowed down some parts made me think of my aunt who battled
cancer and lost 5 years ago. Before I went to the play I thought to myself ‘’Met frisse tegenzin er
tegenaan’’, but after the play I was happy that I went, because I thought it was beautiful. This was
actually close the kind of music I really enjoy, as I have displayed in my introduction, the ‘’Epic
music’’. All by all I thought this was a splendid and impressive performance.