Thursday was Detroit day. It was mild, windy, and raining much of the time. There was a hockey game, so all the good drinking spots were filled with lads and lasses in red shirts. Jenn was with us for the day. We started out at Lucky Coffee, then moved on to the Dearborn mailbox. I had two books waiting for me there. Then it was off to downtown, where we saw all the red shirts and full pubs. We parked (free!) on the street beside Orchestra Hall, then walked to 8 Degrees Plato. This is a store that sells craft beer and local wine. They also have a dozen taps, and sell tasters for $1 or 2$. Jenn and I had four tasters, and Deb had a taste of one of mine. The beer is always changing and always excellent and fresh.
After this we went to Whole Foods and got ourselves food from the hot take-away bar, then ate it at a booth table just outside the cashiers. By then it was time to get across the street to Orchestra Hall. Thursday night concerts are the best--the balcony is half empty! Seats are only $15, and the sound is as good as the conductor hears it down on the podium. The program opened with the Concert Mistress performing Mozart's 5th Violin Concerto. It is an odd piece, and quite lengthy. Her tone on the loaned Stradivarius was beyond the beyond, and the performance was spell binding!
After intermission came one of the greatest symphonies ever written (there are fewer of these than one might think). The 5th Symphony of Mahler dates from 1911. While the entire program featured Austrian music, and only about 135 years separates the two works, a greater contrast in style and sound could never be found in classical music. Especially music using the same basic rules. The Mozart half of the concert featured about 35 musicians, whereas the Mahler half featured more like 100. 7 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, and a tuba, along with nearly every percussion instrument made certain that Mahler had your attention. When he uses the full orchestra, which is infrequent, it feels as if the top of your skull is lifting off. When he uses smaller sections to get certain sound effects and affects, the magic is purer than it is anywhere else, except perhaps in Mozart.
So it was a truly fantastic concert, and $15 can not be better spent anywhere. It was one of those events that most people would never think could happen in Detroit, and yet it happens all the time. I wish we lived there, and could take more advantage of what is offered.
As the concert began at 7:30, we were back at our vehicle by 9:45. We had one stop remaining. As Detroit's Own hosted a one-night photography show Thursday from 7 pm till midnight. It was at the Tangent Gallery, down a side street in a suitably creepy old industrial area. The exhibit, which had a few good things but mostly garbage, was a brilliant idea. Polaroid snapshots were blown up to about 10X their size, complete with frame. They were all shots of Detroit, and a few were pretty good. Woodward Camera, the sponsor, was there selling cameras and film. I picked up a package of b&w film, and my trusty Polaroid 600 camera is loaded and ready to go! If I manage to get a lucky and decent enough shot, I can get it enlarged to poster size. How cool is that?
Deb took this cool night shot from just outside the gallery!
We stayed long enough to view the exhibit, buy my film, then headed back home. Two days later and I still have all kinds of Mahler themes running through my brain. Not a bad thing at all!
Mapman Mike
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