A concert in Amsterdam

One of the highlights of our recent trip to Amsterdam was attending the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra's performance of Brahms ein Deutsches Requiem at the Concertgebouw, one of the acoustically finest concert halls in the world. The conductor, Marc Albrecht, was enthralling. The mammoth Brahms requiem has seven parts played over 80 minutes; the music is huge, raging and thundering with an 85 voice chorale, the imposing pipe organ and pounding kettledrums, liberally scored. 

At the end, after the last note was played, the conductor held his baton aloft; there was a full house freeze-frame, like the baton had thrown out invisible filaments lassoing everyone in a spell -  the musicians, the chorale and the entire audience. No one took a breath.  Seconds passed with all eyes and concentration focused on Marc. When he finally slowly lowered the baton, it touched his stand - finis - and there was an attenuated rustling sigh as 2000 audience shoulders relaxed and the sweating musicians separated from their instruments. The audience leaped up and applause thundered.

Such a mastery of timing. Do they teach this stuff in conducting school?

From the moment the curtains parted and Marc Albrecht trotted down the staircase to the podium radiating charisma and energy, we knew we were in for a treat. These conductors and musicians study scores of works like these in some cases for years and have the opportunity to conduct a particular composition with a full orchestra perhaps only once or at most a dozen or so times in a career. We felt so lucky to have experienced this splendid performance.