CZECH PHILARMONIC AND DEMONSTRATIONS / LE PHILARMONIQUE TCHEQUE ET LES MANIFS

Yesterday evening we skipped synagogue for Shavouot because we had tickets for the Czech Philarmonic. They played Weber Ouverture to Der Freichutz, Beethoven Piano Concerto N3, and Martinu Symphony N4.

Hier soir nous avons saute la synagogue pour Shavouot car nous avions des billets pour le Philarnmonique Tcheque. Ils ont joue l'Ouverture de Der Freuchutz de Weber, Le concerto pour piano N3 de Beethoven et la symphonie N4 de Martinu. 

Weber Ouverture was nicely played by the orchestra, beautiful sound but a bit too slow to my taste. I don't know Weber much, but really appreciated his music.Then the beautiful concerto N3 which I almost know by heart. I was very disappointed. The English pianist was Ok but he had to follow the very slow pace of the conductor and I hated the result. Mark quite enjoyed it.

L'ouverture de Weber fut bien jouee par l'orchestre, un beau son un peu lent a mon gout, Je connais mal Weber, mais j'ai bien aime sa musique. Puis le magnifique concerto n3 que je connais presque par coeur. C'etait tres decevant. Le pianiste Anglais etait Ok mais il devait se plier au rythme tres lent du chef d'orchestre et je detestai le resultat. Mark lui, a bien aime.

Outside the concert hall in Tsim Sha Tsui there were a lot of people remembering Tianenmen crackdown and shouting slogans ; I would say they were a few thousands. But in Victoria Park, they were 100 000 people gathering and lighting candles to remember the slaughtered students. Many had come from Mainland China where they could not demonstrate.

Dehors a l'exterieur de la salle de concert de Tsim Sha Tsui il y avait plein de monde en souvenir des 25 ans Massacre de Tianenmen, ils criaient des slogans et je dirais qu'ils etaient quelques milliers. Tandis qu'a Victoria Park, ils etaient 100 000 reunis et allumant des bougies en souvenir des etudiants massacres. Beaucoup etaient venus de Chine Continentale ou ils ne pouvaient pas manifester.

There were many rather nervous policemen, and many more shouting demonstrators, but we could get through to the concert hall. After the concerto there were several "Bis" by the pianist. I hate the "Bis", it's a stupid custom so I convinced Mark not to stay for the Bis, nor for the interval and nor for Martinu (whom I never heard before, he is a Czeck composer of the end of XIX the and beginning of XXth century), probably interesting but I had no patience for this incredibly slow conductor....

Il y avait beaucoup de policiers, assez nerveux, et de manifestants hurlant, mais nous pumes passer jusqu'a la salle de concert. Apres le concerto, il y a eu plusieurs "Bis". Je deteste cette coutume idiote alors j'ai convaincu Mark de sortir avant les Bis et l'entracte et Martinu (que je n'ai encore jamais entendu, c'est un compositeur Tcheque de la fin du XIXe et du debut du XXeme siecles) sans doute interessant mais je n'avais aucune patience pour ce lambin de chef d'orchestre...

We made our way through the demonstration (One policeman kindly told us "Be carefull!"), we probably had a different age and look than the demonstrators...then we had dinner in a restaurant near the harbor in Tsim Sha Tsui and my anger against this slow conductor stopped thanks to delicious Italian food. Concerts in Hong Kong are good but not often memorable....(except for the pianist Lang Lang!!!) 

Nous nous forgeames un chemin a travers la manif ,(Un policier nous dit gentiment "Faites attention!") on ne devait pas avoir l'age ni le look des manifestants... puis nous allames diner dans un restaurant au bord de l'eau a Tsim Sha Tsui et ma colere contre le chef d'orchestre si lent, s'apaisa a coup de delicieuse cuisine Italienne. Les concerts a Hong Kong sont correct, mais pas souvent memorables...(Sauf le pianiste Lang Lang!!!)