Expensive noise.

Liszt Piano Works; Stephen Hough, piano

While I lived in Orlando, Florida, during 1992, I kept a keen eye on two specific things: concerts and my wallet. Only a couple of times did these two entities mutually agree to bestow a green light on an excursion. In late February of 1992, I saw that the Florida Symphony Orchestra would present a performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring British pianist Stephen Hough.

I saw that I could afford a Friday morning concert. So I joined the Cotton Top Club for an outing to the symphony. In addition to Mr. Rachmaninoff, the orchestra performed Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” and an overture by Gioacchino Rossini. I enjoyed the concert thoroughly, especially the pianist, Mr. Hough. His CD’s evaded my gaze for years until I happened upon one at the Tower Records store in Washington, DC.

The following year, in April, the Florida Symphony Orchestra closed up shop after many years of financial woes. Many others across the nation have shut down since then for similar reasons. When the great writer said that “Music is the most expensive of noises”, I don’t think he was talking about money. But he might as well have been.

Credits: To musical lay people, who fight tooth and nail to sustain a performing arts organization in their community, who can see the impact that a live performance has on the culturally deprived, who can experience a moment of personal, artistic significance, and encounter themselves upon reflection. Bravo, to you. Thank you.