Sweet Dreams

On Friday, I went to Roy Thompson Hall to see renowned pianist Evgeny Kissin. I wish I could say more about the concert but I was asleep. Or almost. Sitting high up and facing his profile, I had nothing interesting to look at. So I stared off into space and eventually zoned out. What I can vaguely recall is that the Beethoven ("Waldstein" Sonata) was a shimmering wall of notes, played with delicacy and exceptional speed. Meanwhile, Prokofiev's Sonata No. 4 seemed to be a progression of heavy, clashing chords. During intermission, I took the free coffee available in the halls to be a bad sign. So despite Chopin and Liszt on the programme, I decided to call it in. I think I will stick to smaller venues such as Gallery 345. The closeness to the performers there really give you a chance to experience and feel the music more viscerally (and keep you awake).