Russian Giant: Shostakovich Symphony No. 8

Conductor Claude Villaret and the TPO acknowledge the audience’s sustained applause following its performance of Shostakovich Sym. No. 8.
Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. 27 March 2010. It surprises me that at this advanced stage of my life, I am less eager to attend concert performances of those musical works that I have known well for all of my life, and, instead, yearn for the new, or at least for works that I haven’t heard before. This might be less adventuresome than it at first sounds because, by some measure, what is new to me is considered quite staid and old hat to others. Shostakovich is a case in point.

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) is a composer I would not have listened to thirty years ago. I was then steeped in melody and classical structures, so the dissonance of Shostakovich and his lack of predictable familiar patterns put me off. But perhaps 15 years or so ago in Munich, Germany, I heard and liked a live performance of Shostakovich’s violin concerto no. 2, and the CD of that work, which I purchased after the concert, also contained Shostakovich’s violin concerto no. 1, and with these two pieces under my belt, I was on my way. There followed a recording of Shostakovich’s symphony no. 5 and three of his piano concertos. Before I knew it, I had a small collection of Shostakovich’s music to choose from at home, which I did do with some regularity.

When the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra programmed Shostakovich’s massive Symphony No. 8 as part of its regular concert season, I decided to attend and to prepare myself for the occasion by purchasing, via an MP3 download, a performance of the work by the LSO under Rastropovich, and listening to it at least twice before the live event. The fact that I immediately liked it was some indication to me of the expansion of my musical horizons. Because of the complexity of the work and the big sound it requires, I was somewhat doubtful about the TPO tackling it, and thought that it might be a little ahead of itself. Well, I need not have been concerned.

Under the direction of Swiss conductor Claude Villaret, the TPO gave a stunning performance of this sometimes somber, sometimes exciting, and always emotional, work, and its 68-minute length was quickly absorbed. The musicians, mostly Thai students supported by their musician professors, played as if they had been brought up on modern Russian composition; it had the ring of authenticity. I was particularly impressed by the strings, which played richly and with unison equal to any professional orchestra. The individual woodwind and brass soloists and their ensembles sounded flawless. Much credit must be given to Villaret, who gave the performance perfect direction and, more importantly, had molded the players during rehearsals into a beautiful instrument for displaying Shostakovich’s complex richness. In short, this was a thrilling performance, which was recognized as such by the generous applause of the appreciative audience.


There was some excitement getting to the Mahidol Salaya concert hall, because my driver had to pass through the heart of the red shirt protest near Sanam Luang. It took about 30 minutes extra to navigate through the mob, but they were in a festive mood, as was I, and they seemed to like having their pictures taken. Coincidentally, I was wearing a red hat, so they could take me for one of their own.

Yoko Kakishita Plays Beautiful Chopin

Bangkok, March 22, 2010. I think it was Artur Rubinstein who said “Chopin is the piano.” Regardless of who said it, it is impossible to think of the piano without paying homage to Chopin. Since this is the 200th anniversary year of Chopin’s birth, it is not surprising that many pianists are devoting themselves to Chopin’s large repertory and performing all-Chopin recitals. This is more difficult than it might at first seem, because Chopin’s works are intimately known to all who attend this type of musical event and, if played badly, the audience is quickly lost.

For her all-Chopin evening at the Goethe Institute recital hall, Japanese pianist Yoko Kakishita chose two of Chopin’s well-know and often performed pieces, the Fantasie in f minor, and the complete 24 preludes. Immediately, Kakishita showed a love for Chopin and an understanding of the demands of these difficult pieces. There is nothing worse than a pianist who tries to eek out beauty from Chopin as it can turn into maudlin sentimentality. On the other hand, a literal reading of the notes, no matter how accurately or flawlessly played, will leave the listener cold. Whatever balance is needed, Kakishita has it, and the ultimate goal, which is to play beautiful music, was achieved during most of this evening’s playing. Kakishita’s formidable technique did have some lapses, but she quickly recovered and gave no indication that a wrong note here and there, or a memory lapse had occurred. That’s real professionalism. The program, although satisfying, was not long and even with two Chopin encores, this reviewer was longing for more.

Reds March on Bangkok---Over and Out

Red shirt protesters as defiant as ever.

Bangkok. March 23, 2010. The red shirts continue to disrupt Bangkok traffic and remain on the front pages of Thai newspapers. But, the presence of their street circus has become a minor nuisance, rather than a major factor in my life or in the lives of other Bangkokians. On Saturday, March 20, about 65,000 protesters (not an insignificant number) and 2,000 of their vehicles, wound around the streets of Bangkok causing very temporary traffic mayhem until the lot passed through, finally arriving back at their rally base in the late afternoon.. A similar traveling entertainment caravan is promised for this Saturday (March 27). I have no idea where this will end, and the potential for violence, which has so far been avoided, remains. For variety, I’d like this story to get off the front pages, but for this observer, it’s “over and out” unless and until the picture changes significantly.

Day 6 Reds March on Bangkok

Red protesters pose for my camera

Day 6. Wednesday March 18, 2010. The red shirts continued their cursing ceremonies, today at PM Abhisit’s residence (the PM and family left the home weeks ago), which is in my neighborhood, where they again dumped blood collected from their supporters. However, the size of the mob was considerably reduced to 10,000, from its weekend high of 120,000. As the mob passed nearby my apartment, I heard their loudspeakers and Thai country music, but I didn’t go out to see them pass. However, as I went to school about two hours later, I came across a group of six red shirts, who were fixing a disabled vehicle used in the parade. In my very imperfect Thai, I asked their permission to take their pictures and we had a short, but very friendly and nice conversation. It was great fun for all of us. They liked having their picture taken and sent to America. I liked having my Thai understood. That’s known as a “win-win” situation.

Day 5 Reds March on Bangkok

Day 5. Tuesday March 16, 2010. Street theatre continues on the streets of Bangkok. The red shirts collected blood from 50,000 of their supporters and then pour it at Government House (the Thai PM’s office) and at the party headquarters of the political party that leads the current coalition government. The two blood dumping and cursing ceremonies were lead by a Brahmin priest, but the chief Brahmin priest at the royal palace denounced the tactic as un-Brahmin. Immediately after the blood was dumped, 100 city cleaners cleaned up the mess. In a sign of modern thinking, the government spokesman said that the government would not reverse the curse (how do you reverse a curse?), but would concentrate on the clean-up operation. For tomorrow, the red shirts plan more blood dumping around Bangkok, but their numbers are dwindling as many are exhausted and lonesome for their families and farms in Isaan.

Day 4 Reds March on Bangkok

Red shirts donate blood to throw at government

Day 4. Monday March 15, 2010. As promised, the red shirts traipsed out to the army base to deliver their ultimatum to PM Thaksin for him to resign and call elections. He said “no,” so they traipsed back to their rally site. Their next move, for Tuesday, is to have members of the red shirt mob donate their blood, which will then be thrown at Government House. This bizarre move turns the protest into farce, albeit a dangerous one. In the meantime, the Thai stock market continues it’s almost daily rise, and traffic in Bangkok has returned to normal except for the limited area around the rally site.

Day 3 Reds March on Bangkok

Prime Minister Abhisit announces he won't resign

Day 3. Sunday March 14, 2010. With 120,000 protesters (police estimate) at the rally site in Bangkok, the red shirts gave an ultimatum to the government to resign and call new elections within 24 hours. It is not clear why they think that they are in a position to enforce an ultimatum, and a current public opinion poll found that more than half, 57 per cent, believe that the red shirt rally is not a true democratic expression, as it is being held to benefit one person (Thaksin) and is considered as a political game to stir up the government. On Sunday, most parts of Bangkok, including my neighbourhood, were calm and unaffected by the protest. On Monday, the protesters are going to move to the 11th Infantry Regiment Headquarters where PM Abhisit is ensconced with army and security personnel, a move which is sure to disrupt commuter traffic.

Day 2 Reds March on Bangkok

Thai soldiers relax waiting to be called if needed

Day 2. Saturday March 13, 2010. With only 70,000-80,000 red shirt protesters in Bangkok and another 20,000 expected for the mass rally tomorrow (Sunday), it’s beginning to look like the whole affair is a dud, which will be a good thing for Thailand and for me. The red shirt supporters of fugitive ex-PM Thaksin had promised that a million red shirts would descend on Bangkok, and one-tenth that number is a far cry from the support that they claim to have. While 100,000 dedicated anarchists are more than enough to visit chaos on Bangkok, the government appears ready to deal with them in an adept way, and any attempt by the red shirts to resort to violence or the mayhem that they caused this past April, will only further weaken their cause. Except for the immediate area of the protest site, Bangkok was without traffic problems on Saturday, which was a relief from the always present traffic jams, and was evidence that, like me, Bangkokians had decided to sit this one out at home. The rally starts at noon on Sunday and there are 30,000 army personnel, 10,000 police and 10,000 security volunteers, all unarmed, on the streets of Bangkok to deal with any incidents. The platoon of police in the park on my block, still have their riot gear stowed in sight of all, and I doubt that they will have any need for it.

Day 1 Reds March on Bangkok

Red shirts descend on Bangkok

Day 1. Friday March 12, 2010. If I were the leader of the red shirts, I’d be pretty concerned after day 1 of the million person march on Bangkok, which has the avowed goal of bringing the current government down. Where thousands were expected, there were hundreds, and where hundreds were expected, tens of people showed up. The day was consumed with both blessing ceremonies for their leaders, and cursing ceremonies for their enemies. Some of the red shirts did reach Bangkok, but they dispersed by about 5:00 PM. Traffic was normal or, in my area, light. Some bank branches closed, but they were the exception. Criminal fugitive ex-PM Thaksin was reported to have left his refuge in Dubai for Cambodia, but by Saturday morning, he was reported to be on this way to join his children in Europe. My neighborhood was quiet and the police platoon camped near-by appeared as relaxed as ever as the neighborhood children and their minders flooded into the park at 4:00 PM as they do daily. As for me, I’m bored with the whole thing. Still, I’m staying near home on Saturday as, like everyone else, I don’t know what’s going to happen.

Bangkok Is Heating Up and I Don’t Mean the Weather

Red shirts begin arriving in Bangkok

Both the cast and the issues are the same: (1) the yellow shirts vs. the red shirts; and (2) will deposed ex Prime Minster Thaksin be brought back, or will he continue in his self-imposed exile as a fugitive felon. The yellow shirts are the anti-Thaksin forces who closed down Bangkok’s international airport for five days in 2008, and the red shirts are the pro-Thaksin forces who perpetrated a rampage through Bangkok 11 months ago, which caused burning, violence and death, as well as the emergency closing of a summit meeting of regional heads of state, who fled the country in fright.

Right now, life in Bangkok is focused almost entirely on the mass rally of red shirts planned for this weekend. The organizers egged on and financially supported by Thaksin from Dubai, claim that one million red shirts will descend on Bangkok beginning Friday (March 12, 2010) with the avowed purpose of bringing down the government. In contrast to their violent performance nearly a year ago, they avow that all will be peaceful this time. Most observers doubt that they will be able to muster anything near a million protesters, but the government is taking no chances. On Tuesday, the coalition government of Prime Minister Abhisit invoked the Internal Security Act, which transfers security from the corrupt police, to the more stable and reliable army. 30,000 troops and 10,000 police, all unarmed, are in Bangkok to maintain law and order.

How do things look on the ground to this Bangkok resident? For starters, it is important to this expat that none of the issues bringing the mob to Bangkok involve foreigners and no foreigners have been made scapegoats or targets. Therefore, I feel more like an interested observer than a threatened resident. Yesterday (March 10) the United States Embassy issued this very sensible “warden’s alert,” which will govern my actions over the weekend:

“This message alerts U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Thailand that political demonstrations by the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (aka UDD or "red-shirts") are expected to begin in Bangkok towards the end of this week and could last well into next week. The main demonstration is expected to occur near Government House and along Ratchadamnoen Road in the Dusit district of Bangkok, but the UDD hasalso announced plans for demonstrations in other parts of town. As a result, traffic congestion and difficulty of movement is possible throughout Bangkok. U.S. citizens should be alert to the possibility of UDD demonstrations or gatherings elsewhere in Thailand as well. While UDD leadership has pledged that the demonstrations will be peaceful, the possibility of violence cannot be ruled out and the government has invoked the Internal Security Act (ISA), which gives the police and military expanded powers to maintain security. U.S. citizens are reminded of the small bombs which exploded (or were detected) in Bangkok in late February; Thai authorities are closely monitoring the possibility of similar occurrences.

“Therefore, U.S. citizens should, particularly over the March 12-14 eekend, pay close attention to public sources of information, including media reporting and the U.S. Embassy website, concerning events on the streets of Bangkok and should be aware of their surroundings at all times. We remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence.
U.S. citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations and to exercise caution in their movements around Bangkok or if within the vicinity of any demonstrations.”

As a practical matter, this means that I will stay in my apartment most of the time and when I leave, I will stay within my neighborhood and go to such well-frequented sites as the Internet café, my favorite restaurant and the local supermarket. In the past, troubles in Bangkok have never reached my neighborhood and, unless you were watching TV or the Internet, you couldn’t tell that anything untoward was happening elsewhere in the city, such as the military coup of 2006. Many events in Bangkok scheduled to take place this weekend, have already been postponed and some school closing have been announced. Banks and other vital services have told of their contingency plans. I was thinking of going to a Saturday afternoon concert at the Mahidol Salaya campus, but I’ve canceled that idea from concerns about traffic conditions, not out of fear of personal safety.

The only visible sign in my immediate neighborhood that trouble might be expected, is that the park at the head of my soi, has been occupied by a small platoon of police 24 hours a day for about the past two weeks. A supply of riot shields for their use, are stored partially hidden behind a sign within the park. But Thai friends of mine are indicating that their level of concern appears greater than is mine. For instance, they report to me that many Thais are withdrawing money from their bank accounts, presumably because they fear the closing of the banks and their ATM machines. Others report to me that people are buying and husbanding food in anticipation of the red shirts closing down Bangkok. A Thai friend who works for a government department was told to stay late last night and complete his work scheduled for Friday and Monday, because his boss believed that the office might be closed on those days. An alert text message I just received (10:00 AM Thursday) says that since midnight, security checkpoints have been activated at designated rally points throughout Bangkok.

So, my friends and family in the United States, if you want a little excitement, Bangkok is never dull. If anything occurs which might make the international news and give you concern, I’ll post to Facebook to assure you that I’m okay.

Amateur Night at the Goethe

Adolovni Acosta began her March 8, 2010 recital at the Goethe Institute in Bangkok, by announcing to the audience that she had just arrived from India and that in India, she has spent three days traveling. The message: Don’t expect much from me tonight. The audience wasn’t disappointed.

The first half of the program was consumed with seven well-known Chopin works, all played with mechanical literacy and jagged rhythm, not to be confused with rubato. Erratic and rough, with a technique just barely equal to the task, Acosta exhibited no affinity for Chopin, and anything approaching passion or understanding of this composer were hard to detect.

The second half of the program was slightly more successful, especially Schumann’s Papillons, where Madame Acosta, a native of the Philippines now living in NYC, seemed to be at one with the composer, but her technique was not solid enough to permit her to give more than a hint that she had something to say. A short work by Albeniz, Almeria from Iberia, was idiomatic and had some of the “Spanish” sound associated with this composer. Mendelssohn’s very difficult Variations Serieuses, which concluded the program was a disaster, but it was not entirely the pianist’s fault inasmuch as half way through the piece, a stage light malfunctioned and modulated on and off to the distraction of the pianist and the audience.

Acosta’s recital began with her amateurish announcement of her travel schedule, and what followed was a recital in the same style.

Two Concerts that Worked

Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra

Most public performances are a collaborative effort involving many creators and performers. Sometimes, great talent gets together and things just don’t work out. On Broadway, when all the elements of creative design and execution create the magic that is the goal of any show, the Broadway folks say “it worked,” or “the show worked.” When asked why, they simply say “it worked.”

The same can be said of classical music performances: some work and some just don’t. Two recent concerts at Mahidol Salaya campus are examples of those indefinable elements that coalesce to produce musical magic. Yet, you could make a case that that shouldn’t have occurred. A largely student orchestra, the Thailand Philharmonic, lead by a conductor from a small country, Iceland, young soloists at the beginning of their careers, and a smallish concert hall inconveniently located a one-hour drive from central Bangkok, are not the ingredients of a superb musical cake. But, delicious it was. (Left: Cellist Mee-Hae Ryo)


The “Elgar 4 You” concert pairs on February 12 and 13, featured the Elgar cello concerto performed by the very accomplished Korean soloist, Mee-Hae Ryo, who gave a stirring and meaningful performance of this core work. Beautiful tones, technical prowess, and absorption in the music gave rise to a touching performance of this beautiful work. The same can be said for 29-year old Czech violinist Roman Patocka, who appeared on the “Scandinavian Impressions” concert pairs on February 26 and 27 playing Sibelius’s dark, but beautiful, Violin Concerto, one of the staples of the concert repertory. His prodigious technique was in service to his interpretive insight, which figured out the essential character of the concerto, and his two solo encores left no doubt that his is an artistry that listeners can return to often. (Right: Czech violinist Roman Patochka).

The two large orchestral works gave the orchestra an opportunity to display its gorgeous sound. The very familiar Borodin Symphony No. 2, often played at pops concerts, was robust, fluid and exciting. The Grieg work, Old Norwegian Melody with Variations, was pleasant and forgettable. In both, the strings resonated with deep warmth and the brass and woodwinds were impressive in their accuracy and verve, perhaps overwhelming the strings, a problem of which the conductor is, I’m sure, aware. Guini Emilsson is active and athletic on the podium, but not histrionic, and he must be given credit for shaping this orchestra into the fine sounding ensemble that it has become. (Left: Conductor Guini Emilsson)