Folks; *OT*
Occasionally I have written about life here in Kuala Lumpur. I have received several positive comments about these vignettes from some of you, so will still occasionally post a note. They are actually part of many notes I write that constitute a journal of sorts. Please let me know if these posts are obtrusive.
In the past we have spoken often about the splurging in Asia that tossed gasoline on the fire here as the economies overheated and imploded. We have discussed how Asia overbuilt, citing example after example. Today, an inventory of empty buildings and homes molder in stark testimony to this phenomenon. In our discussions a frequently used exemplar has been the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. The world's tallest building, it is the twin tower widely acknowledged as Dr. Mahatir's personal pride and joy. Many discussions about this behemoth include stories about his personal level of vexation when developers in Shanghai announced plans to build a building that is taller. Many of the buildings here feature great steel towers on top to extend hubris to new heights. This is not unlike the towering edifices built in St. Petersburg during the heyday of communism when they tried to prove to the world that Russia had arrived on the modern international scene of great cities. Stalin himself designed one of these towers.
But this isn't about criticizing Malaysia and Mahatir for building, at great expense, an edifice that no one needs. I have done that enough I guess. Nevertheless I have taken advantage of an aspect of this development that offers a rich opportunity.
As an integral part of the development, the owners, Petronas Oil, Malaysia's largest company, included a world class concert hall. It incorporates the latest technology in acoustical design and is a beautiful hall that features extensive use of local exotic woods, richly finished. With completion of the towers and the concert hall, Petronas endowed the country's first Filharmonik (spelling in Bahasa). The Orchestra, while featuring members from all over the world, has not yet reached world class status yet, but those that oversee programming have been ingenuous in including touring performers and groups in the season that are indeed world class. As a part of the subscriber series that we purchased we have seen and heard some fantastic programs that have included, for example, Neville Marriner and the incomparable Yehudi Menuhin conducting the Sinfonia Varsovia. (Menuhin, at 82, seems as lithe as the 11-year-old he was when he electrified the audience with his violin at Carnegie Hall, playing Beethoven's Violin Concerto.)
Last night we attended one of these events that was very special indeed. Visiting Malaysia for the first time the chamber ensemble “Empire Brass” spun magic on the stage in terms of music mastery that I will always remember. The ensemble is comprised of five young men, plus a percussionist. Each is an accomplished musician in his own right. Many of them studied at Boston University where the group serves as Faculty Quintet-in-Residence and conduct an annual brass seminar at that university's Tanglewood Institute. Founded by the musical visionary Leonard Bernstein, it is truly a remarkable troupe.
We were spellbound by both their virtuoso performance and their distinctly relaxed (and American) stage presence. Equally comfortable with Prokofiev, Mozart, and Stravinsky, they performed works by all these with perfection. A highlight of the performance was Mussorgsky' s “Pictures at an Exhibition” in a transcription for brass written by one of the ensemble. Another highlight was when trombonist Mark Hetzler performed the trombone “Sequenza” by Berio, the twentieth century musical experimentalist. This solo piece, written specifically for trombone, was dedicated by Berio to the great clown Grock who was a neighbor of Berio's as he was growing up. Grock's life and smashing performances in Europe in the earlier half of this century is worth looking into if you are not familiar. He was famous for uttering only one phrase, depending on the fine art of pantomime normally. The phrase he used so effectively is the age old introspection “pourquois?” (for why?). The piece calls for the trombonist to utter the phrase more then once, in what may seem a cacophony of notes but in the end becomes recognizable as a suitable metaphor for the life of a clown that makes us laugh at ourselves as we ponder the ultimate question.
As much as I enjoyed the above I have to say that when the program finished with the distinctly American music of Copland (“Simple Gifts”), Gershwin (“It Ain't Necessarily So/Summertime”), and Bernstein (“Something's Coming” and “On The Waterfront”) I nearly became hoarse with the bravos. It wasn't long until the usually reserved Asian audience was joining me instead of craning their necks to see who was shouting. What a spectacular evening in Kuala Lumpur.
One thing I should mention is that I could not help noticing the number of expatriates in the audience and also noticing that the balance of the audience was largely Chinese. I would hope that the promoters would make an effort to make the music we heard, and will hear at future events, more accessible to a broader audience including more Malay people. What a delightful and effective tool of diplomacy this truly universal language is. And what accomplished ambassadors these young men were. They will be touring China in May and I wish them God speed.
One more sidebar. Every day now we are seeing headlines touting the recovery here. The latest is a headline about how foreign investors are returning in droves. I intuitively believe this is b.s. simply because most of the things written in the paper are heavily influenced, even controlled, by the government. There has been a remarkable recovery in the local stock market however. It is just that, as I walked with Krystle to the parking lot after the splendid evening last night, I was mindful that the huge, beautiful building, in whose basement we were ambling, is largely empty. I hope it reaches its full potential someday.
Best,
Stitch
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