Overheard Orchestra Hall

From two CSO musicians, one retired, at last night's Civic Orchestra concert, from a conversation I wasn't part of. This followed Charles Dutoit's whip-crack of Bartok's Miraculous Mandarin Suite, and came before a lithe, stylish Brahms First Symphony. "That's the Paris Orchestra down there," I thought as they floated and wove their way through this often-boggy music.

On Miraculous Mandarin: "That was about the fastest I've heard that."

I just report. (The walls have ears.)

Playlist

Mahler: Symphony No. 7; Staatskapelle Berlin, Daniel Barenboim (Warner Classics)

Gyorgy Kurtag: Signs, Games and Messages; Kurt Widmer, baritone, Hiromi Kikuchi, violin, Ken Hakii, viola, Stefan Mtez, violoncello, Mircea Ardeleanu, percussion (ECM)

Anouar Brahem: Le Voyage de Sahar; Brahem, oud, Francois Couturier, piano, Jean-Louis Matinier, accordion (ECM)