Hey All,
So usually I wouldn't muddy up this blog with dining experiences and other nonsense. Today, I'm making a rare exception. I alluded to seeing a performance of Claude Debussy's La Mer this evening....it was amazing!
Since I can't leave things well enough alone, I absolutely have to share all the gory details. We met friends for dinner at Bambara. The food and company were great! I must preface this that Salt Lake's dining experiences are wide and varied, and what I consider a reasonably classy meal with a reasonable price point might get foodies in New York or other parts of the world all upset with me. Bambara, tho, I think might stand up to a major food scene's scrutiny. Presentation was lack-luster, and watercress always makes me a bit creepy crawly, but the preparation was divine. My scallops were perfect, beautifully seared and crispy on the outside but still perfectly done and buttery on the inside. Husbear's calmari appetizer appeared lackluster, but the flavor was something I've never had before. I think they used a bit of corn flour, and what appeared to be a generic bimini sauce was spiked perfectly with lemon. And Lushus's mussels were unsurpassed. I've never had such tender mussles, and the true flavor of the mussels wasn't overpowered. I didn't sample much else, as I had a very large ham sandwich as a snack in the late afternoon.....I need to remember, eat earlier in the day when you are going out. That and well, I'm really picky about my red meats like bison and beef, so I rarely chance them in a restaurant.
So then it was off to the symphony. OK, I was really, no, I MEAN REALLY excited about this one. Debussy is one of my favorite composers. How I came to know of him is, well, esoteric.
So way back when, when mommies and daddies (and strange uncles) used to party, we listened to electronica. I picked up Art of Noise - The Seduction of Claude Debussy on a lark. I ended up getting really stoned at a party and passing out in the car. To keep my mind from wandering to a scary place, I put on my much coveted new album. Something about those harmonies made for the best trip of my life! I'm not advocating heavy drug use here, that was a long time ago under much different circumstances, today, I wouldn't think of it.
One really great thing about Salt Lake is the culture and the fact that it is affordable. Up until this year, I was a proud season subscriber to the Utah Symphony, and that is where I rediscovered Claude in my first season. Unfortunately I burned myself out last year with 2-4 symphony engagements a month. But we still have one of the best symphonies in the nation, and its always a treat to get to see them. Oh, the things I've seen and heard, it is truly a blessing!
The symphony started off with a pretty generic Mozart. Nice fluff to set the tone for a night of beautiful harmonies that make me smile from ear to ear. Next up was a Bartok....it started off with beautiful harp chords and then....um, yikes! That was not what I signed up for. I think Debussy, and I think of all those beautiful harmonies and what I call psychadelic chords... The Bartok was strange. I honestly kept having visions of really bad film nior with a healthy splash of a BDSM porn thrown in. I suppose I should be grateful for the mental acrobatics that ensued, but I'm not sure I want to hear any Bartok again anytime soon. The soloist for the Bartok did follow up with a very nice Paganini that helped set my mood in a better direction. Le Sigh....INTERMISSION, thank god!
Then it was time for a Rachmaninov. Rach is always a huge gamble for me. I've heard some that made my heart melt; I've heard some that felt lazy; I've heard some that were the most horrifying wastes of musical talent I've ever heard. This one, however, was a beautiful suprise. I didn't know Rach had an ear for harmony and well constructed movements. It was truly breathetaking and a wonderful interlude to what was to come!
Now for the main event. Debussy.....pure, unadulterated Debussy. The first movement of La Mer is unmistakable and sets a mood for me that is nothing short of ecstacy! For me, trying to describe Debussy is like trying to describe an orgasm to a virgin.....it is that powerful, inspring, and wonderful. So for fun, here are a few links, in case you too might care to have an aural orgasm:
Claire de Lune
Arabesque #1
La Mer, Movement #1
There are plenty more out there! Do you have a story about music that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear them, especially something I might fancy a chance of seeing live!
And on a final side note....after nearly 3 years of searching, I found my copy of Art of Noise - The Seduction of Claude Debussy :) Now I'm a very happy, and after 2 glasses of Madeira, intoxicated 3Day Chef :)
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