Opinions about music and everything else differ, but I enjoyed the LA Variations a great deal, and I agree that Alan Gilbert’s opening comments were very helpful. I can see that it might not be to everyone’s taste, though.

As for aging hippies, do they look more pretty and interesting if they are wearing formal clothing? I’ve been attending concerts in Ann Arbor for years and I can honestly say I don’t pay any attention to what others are wearing, but I understand that it could be a bit of an adjustment. I hope that it won’t interfere with your enjoyment of future concerts.

Welcome to Ann Arbor!

I’m late in leaving a comment on this concert, but I thought it was outstanding from start to finish. I especially liked the way that Mr. Perahia arranged the order of the recital, culminating in a powerful reading of several Romantic masterpieces. He managed to combine delicacy and intensity throughout the recital, and it was a privilege to hear him in a live performance.

I did notice that people were seated after the concert began, and while it didn’t happen near me, I thought it was a bad decision. I understand that the traffic and the game may have delayed some audience members, but UMS normally has a strict policy about this. If I were late, I would expect to sit in the lobby waiting to be seated during intermission, out of consideration for the artist, as well as those members of the audience who managed to arrive on time.

For me, the highlight of the evening was the Shostakovich concerto, where Matsuev was dazzling, and the orchestra sounded totally together the entire time. I enjoyed the entire concert, but was somewhat disappointed in Gergiev’s reading of “Heldenleben.” It sounded more like Mahler than Strauss to me, but the violinist was brilliant.

I was very glad to have the opportunity to have a CD that I purchased signed by Mr. Matsuev and Maestro Gergiev, and hope to see this for future concerts, when possible. I especially appreciated their willingness to do this after such a grueling day and a very late night! I am glad to see that the proceeds from the sale of CDs in the lobby go to support UMS and DSO. Excellent idea!

On a separate note, the seat next to me was occupied by a UMS usher, who was playing with his cellphone between the Shostakovich and Stravinsky. Apparently, he was checking football scores, based on his whispered conversation with the usher sitting next to him. Since the paying members of the audience are asked to turn off their electronic devices, I don’t know why ushers would be allowed to keep theirs turned on. I found it distracting and very unusual, since most UMS ushers are friendly, courteous, and considerate.

I loved the recital and was impressed with Blechacz’s ability to handle the passages requiring muscular playing, without sacrificing lyricism and delicacy when that’s what the music called for. He was able to play the Szymanowski sonata in a way that held my interest throughout, and I’m not sure that would have been the case with another pianist. The Chopin was consistently beautiful and just sounded right: more youthful than many of the well-known recordings by other pianists, but never idiosyncratic.

I'm enjoying the exchange of opinions here. The common theme seems to be that everyone loved the concert, and I did, too. To one degree or another, I agree with some of the very civil criticisms that have been stated.

The songs by Mehldau were less accessible than the rest of the program, but I appreciate that Ms. Fleming is an advocate of a young composer exploring new musical idioms. She has performed the familiar arias many of us love thousands of times, and adding newer songs to her repertoire allows her to continue to grow as an artist. She wisely placed the Mehldau pieces at the beginning of the program, so that the Schoenberg song sounded almost traditional and romantic. I loved the Strauss songs and am also very glad to have heard the pieces by Korngold and Duparc, whose songs I had not heard.

I agree that the house lighting should have been a bit brighter so that we could have read the texts more easily. I also wish that Hill patrons would bring cough drops. The coughing at this concert seemed unusually widespread and frequent. Maybe it's just more noticeable during a vocal recital than during a symphonic program.

I didn't mind the speeches or the presentation, and I would not have liked it at the beginning of the concert. I think it was important to honor Ms. Fleming publicly, in front of the entire audience. She obviously loved performing in Ann Arbor and I felt that the award was a great way to show her how much she means to music lovers in Michigan. I can understand that the focus on Ford's contributions seemed a bit crass, but the reality of Michigan's economy and the dependence upon Ford's generosity probably required the effusive gratitude that we heard.

Ms. Fleming has a fantastic stage presence and her rapport with the audience was warm and natural. Her voice is gorgeous and she sings with great expression and control. I didn't notice any problems with her diction, but perhaps trained musicians are better able to detect that sort of thing.

Hartmut Höll was brilliant and I was glad that there were several songs which allowed him to showcase his talent. Together, they were a dynamic team and elevated the program far above the usual singer/piano recital.

This memorable concert was one of many excellent programs being presented by UMS this year, in one of the best seasons they've offered in a very long time. Congratulations and deepest gratitude to UMS for providing such an outstanding season!