If you know me, you know that I love the violin. Although I like to focus on rock, folk, and pop outside practice time (electric strings are so sweet),I was ecstatic to see Itzhak Perlman, arguably the world's best classical violinist, in concert yesterday. He played Vivaldi's "Winter" and "Summer" brilliantly with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and then he conducted two pieces by Mozart and Brahms. The music was, frankly, amazing.
Unless you are a classical music fan, however, you probably couldn't care less about what he played. But Perlman was more than a stony-faced maestro. He was down-to-earth and he had a prominent sense of humor. While he played "Winter," his sheet music kept blowing off his stand, probably due to an draft on stage. When he finished, he just laughed it off, remarking that it is usually windy in winter.
That day, the Baltimore NFL team (the Ravens) were playing a home game against Texas crucial to their season standings. Perlman seemed aware that many in the audience, while enjoying the performance, had football at the back of their minds. He made a couple jokes about this between pieces. Before conducting the Mozart, he deadpanned, "It's the fourth quarter, 20-13" with a wry smile on his face. After the intermission, he gave the audience members a thumbs-up. The Ravens had won. That was one of the best symphonies I've ever heard, and the football game wasn't too shabby, either. Itzhak Perlman is now my favorite violinist and one of my personal heroes. It almost makes me forget about the Ravens' upcoming match with the Patriots.
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