Particular Aesthetic Experience

       As a musician and music educator, I have experienced many aesthetic moments. One that stands out in my mind currently is my first experience hearing the Minnesota Orchestra in Minneapolis. I was enrolled in an undergraduate arts appreciation course in the Fall of 2003 and the entire class was brought to Orchestra Hall. I don't recall everything on the program, but I do remember vividly their performance of Beethoven's 5th Symphony. The Scherzo in particular was moving.

     Their  performance, of course, had little practical purpose. I did not gain any particular intellectual insight or gain in any other way, but I did experience several emotions connected to the performance. The orchestra owns four basses that were gifted to the ensemble by a philanthropist. Each bass is valued over $100,000 and, when combined with the full force of eight bassists who all dig their end pins into the wood stage, they create a powerful sound. The rapid motion of the lower strings in the middle of the Scherzo was powerful and filled the hall. The stopping and starting of such a huge force was arresting, and once the Scherzo began in earnest I was captivated. As a Bassist myself, I was overwhelmed at the skill on display, but also musically interested in the fugal nature of the music. In fact, I spent most of my time focused on the bass section. As the Scherzo gave way to the finale, an incredible feat of musical writing in itself, I felt power giving way to a lightness and joyful energy. My focused shifted from the bass section to the overall sound of the orchestra. To this day, repeat listening to Beethoven's 5th symphony remind me of that concert and the great energy I felt from the orchestra.

    While I certainly thought about the bassists' skill at the time and into the future, I also had an increased appreciation for the Minnesota Orchestra as one of the premier orchestras. I did hear the orchestra perform at other times, but that concert is still my favorite. I do enjoy hearing orchestra performances. They provide an experience separate from daily life. Though not all orchestral experiences provide strong emotional feelings, they do contain some emotional content and, at the very least, speak to a more formalist idea of aesthetics.