China Philharmonic Nov 1

November 1. I had just visited the Forbidden City in the morning and returned to the area for the China Philharmonic concert. The concert hall is in Zhongshan Park beside the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. The program consists entirely of pieces by French composers Ravel and Jolivet.
This was my first experience going to a classical concert in China. I do not know what to expect in the hall. I find my seat in the balcony and am seated in front of a row of women. It is disconcerting that they are chatting very loudly and planning their next move, as to whether to make a dash for better seats before the concert begins. Their restlessness affects me, so I submit to the temptation of moving to a row which is less occupied.
The orchestra opened with Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin. While the orchestra was playing, latecomers were still allowed to walk in and find their seats. I was a little disappointed to see two young children walk into my row. Their moms also have food wrapped in noisy plastic and drink with them. The children were fairly well-behaved so I was slightly relieved.
The audience shifts again. There is another scramble for better seats a’la Chinese musical chairs while the stage is set up for the piano concerto.
Following that Alain LeFevre, a French pianist played the featured piano concerto. The piece performed was Saint-Saens Piano Concerto in G major. The pianist was very showy, flailing arms and lots of head banging. The sound and technique however didn't match. Everything was fast and loud. I hated the encore the most, when he played the Etude in C minor (Revolutionary). I have never heard that piece so fast and loud before but the audience loved it. I felt like he ran a train through the piece.
After intermission, I stayed for a trumpet concerto. The piece was straightforward and I don't know enough about trumpet music to judge it. I decided to leave after this as it was a cold night. As I was putting on my coat in the stairwell, I heard the trumpeter's encore. To my surprise, it was a movie theme. Sorry to say it wasn't a very good concert. I left after intermission. I made the right decision not to stay. I enjoyed Tiananmen Square at night better than I did the concert.
If I wanted a head banging concert, I would have gone to Kanye West at the Beijing Workers Stadium.