Today is the midpoint of a sweep of one night stands through Spain. This morning the Cleveland Orchestra boarded the busses - touring musicians spend a great deal of time on busses - for Madrid's airport to leave the Spanish capital behind. As we waited at the gate to board our airplane, the Orchestra's roving poker game surfaced for a few minutes. If I hadn't known, I could have guessed that the orchestra had been in Spanish territories for a while: they were playing for Spanish pesetas instead of dollars.

Barcelona is a thoroughly modern European city, in all the meanings of the word "modern."

To be fair, the area near a city's airport isn't usually its most attractive, though one wonders what kind of first impression that presents in a day when most visitors arrive by air. But that first impression of Barcelona's outskirts read as "bland concrete block commercial buildings." That, and smog, and a traffic jam that made the orchestra - already three quarters of an hour behind schedule when they hit the Barcelona airport - even later.

On the other hand, I should point out Spain's efforts at environmentally responsible behavior. Everywhere I see evidence that this country is joining the other European Union countries in doing their part to reduce carbon emissions and improve environmental quality. Recycling bins are plentiful on the city's streets, and its buildings are lit with efficient compact fluorescents.

All in all, a modern city.

Once we were downtown, the view improved. It became positively remarkable when we arrived at the theatre for rehearsal. The Palau de la Musica Catalana was built in the early 20th century. It's an extraordinary grand -- even excessive -- edifice. My photos can't begin to record its sheer scale. I wasn't the only one trying; before rehearsal began, several musicians made extra moments to slip away from their instruments and snap pictures of the auditorium. It's visually stunning, but the musicians reported that the sound was a little dull. Still, they were able to hear each other reasonably well.

During rehearsal, I explored the empty house. As I climbed higher in its double balconies, the theatre seemed less imposing. Could this have been the architect's deliberate design to reward those who buy the premium seats?

Tonight's program opened with the Beethoven Violin Concerto. As before on this trip, Frank Peter Zimmermann played the solo role. The auditorium's acoustics are cooler than its appearance, and sometimes Zimmermann's fiddle seemed not to set the hall ringing as well as one might have liked -- but then the entire orchestra had trouble with that. Still, the textures were clear, and Zimmermann's tuning problems of the other night seemed much improved.

The other major work offered was Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This performance was as satisfying as any the orchestra has given on this tour, and the audience cheered it roundly. Music director Christoph von Dohnanyi offered both encores. The Prokofiev Classical Symphony finale sounded fleet footed and clean.

The audiences in Spain have been a bit more diverse than those in the Canaries, in age and in dress. I saw more young people tonight, and some were dressed quite casually (for Europe). A few of them began to applaud after the first movement of the Beethoven and were summarily shushed by their neighbors. The rest of the time they were commendably quiet. In the softest sections of the Violin Concerto's slow movement, they seemed to hold their breaths, and I only heard one watch beep -- but a couple behind me were whispering well into the opening of the Stravinsky.

Tomorrow, the orchestra takes this program to Valencia.

David Roden
WKSU Assistant Program Director