2023-12-29 18:38:13
«I would dream of seeing a symphony orchestra concert because it is more distinguished and noble! »
Responding to the questionnaire given to him at the end of his internship by the magazine Okapi (edited as The cross by Bayard), a third grade student wrote these few words. Here is his dream of a cultural outing: a symphony concert. And these are the values that she associates with classical music, which is said to be off-putting for modern generations.
This girl of today, well in her time, lively – she did not waste a minute during her week of internship to find out about the daily life of a press title, the work of the editors, the choice of subjects treated… – thus seeks “distinction” and “nobility”. Not only does she see nothing out of date or dated in it but, on the contrary, she aspires to what, according to her, the classical concert has “extra”.
Enviable values
After an exchange with this young girl, enthusiastic in her thirst for knowledge, it becomes clear that the notions of distinction and nobility do not only imply neat dress and polite behavior but, much more fundamentally, a quality of presence, an intensity listening and concentration that everyday life deprives us of. And probably deprives her too, since she wants it « plus ».
One might be surprised that this wish comes from an adolescent to whom cultural policies are most often addressed in terms of “demystification” of art. We will indeed prefer to highlight the accessibility, topicality, proximity of a work or its creator, rather than praising its “distinction” and its “nobility”. Enough to meditate on the relevance of arguments which sometimes convince more those who use them, in good conscience, than those for whom they are intended.
New Year’s rites
I sincerely hope that our young friend will attend not only one but, if reality confirms her hopes, several symphony concerts during the new year. In the meantime, a trip to the television channels will give him a nice glimpse of what classical music imperturbably ritualizes during the transition from one vintage to another. From the traditional concert of Viennese waltzes from the Austrian capital, this year under the direction of Christian Thielemann (January 1, at 11 a.m. on France 2 and France Music), to that given by Fabio Luisi under the auspices of La Fenice in Venice (on the 1st, at 6:40 p.m. on until), passing through Berlin and the Wagner program offered on the plateforme Digital Hall of the Philharmonic Orchestra (December 31 at 5:30 p.m.).
Here and there, a carefully calibrated dose of “distinction” and “nobility”, also of fervor when the obligatory exercise lets out sudden bursts of vibrant spontaneity. They are especially expected at the Berlin Philharmonie, under the dazzling baton of Kirill Petrenko (1), who has chosen to cross the 2023-2024 milestone with the first act of The Valkyrie by Richard Wagner: one of the most beautiful love songs to music, and to music, ever written.
(1) If the conductor, recently ill, can conduct the concert…
#dreaming #music