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Gustavo Dudamel conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic with his well-know expertise and dramatic style once again. When he and superstar American cellist, Alisa Weilerstein walked onto the stage, there was a roar of applause. The excitement was growing inside the amazing architecture of Disney Hall; we all knew we were about to experience something very exciting and wonderful.

The performance began with Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, by Anton Dvorak, a 19th Century Bohemian composer. This cello concerto was composed toward the end of a 2 1/2 year period while Dvorak was teaching and performing in New York City. He added unconventional instrumentation to the composition by including more brass, woodwind, and percussion than was custom at the time. It was amazing to hear the LA Philharmonic in this performance with 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 french horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, a tuba, timpani, triangle, strings, and solo cello. Alisa Weilerstein, as one with her cello and with her renowned passion, added a complete additional layer of haunting and exhilarating musical sound and emotion to the piece.

After intermission we were delighted to a four movement piece by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky entitled Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, “Pathetique”. Again – amazing. More brass and percussion were included in the instrumentation of this piece. According to Tchaikovsky, “Music is not illusion, but revelation rather. Its triumphant power resides in the fact that it reveals to us beauties we find nowhere else.” In his compositions, Tchaikovsky uses music to tell a story, to take us on a journey. There is much debate as to the journey this final masterpiece in his repertoire lays bare. “Pathetique”, or impassioned suffering, is something that is a part of the human journey for whatever reason brings it into each of our lives. Dudamel, conducting the talented musicians of the LA Philharmonic, demonstrated with orchestral intensity the power of these emotions. He brought us to the depths of our despair and filled us with joy; but in the end, he left us in our own reality to bear in silence.

Bravo, Gustavo! Bravo!