Entertainment for Tonight

Benaroya is a great venue and the Watjean organ is amazing. Check out the Chihuly chandeliers in the entryways! Please update after the concert.

Cool! I heard it at Benaroya for the first time this two days ago, and it was great! A beautiful lush peice that made musical sense - that is, I felt myself aligning with the music. I'd never heard the Saint Saens before, so I heard it with new ears (though my dad had told me it is good, and he's usually right!). I found the introduction of the organ into the peice (about 8 minutes in) a bit abrupt, but once it was there, it was welcome. Never overbearing, never too "churchey"! The audience communicated lots of appreciation.

And yes, that organ is something. So clean sounding, no hissing air or pumps to be heard. Base that you can feel, almost count the hertz at the lowest notes. Not overbearing but complimentary.

They also played Strauss - later used as the theme for "2001 Space Oddyssey" and wow that organ could shake the house.

Let us know what you think Mceljo.

The performance was fantastic. I didn't really like the 2001 Space Oddyssey music or the other piece done in the first half. The second half had a piece of music debut to start it off that was excellent and then the main event.

I really enjoy the organ, but even without the organ the music is wonderful and absolutely my favorite performace that I've heard so far. If it was a little closer to home I'd happily go once a month for quite a while and still enjoy it. I may make it an annual event.

The applause at the end almost sounded out of place it was so exeburant. It was the first classical concert were I saw people nearly jump to their feet and we heard more than one person hooting and hollering in a sporting event fashion.

The organ just adds an emotional element that can't be done without it.

I was thinking how well my system did on the first half of the symphony, but once the organ cut loose in the 2nd half there's no system that can duplicate that instrument.

Plain and simple, a must hear.