And in this corner...

Have you ever had a moment in life that was just pure yet unexpected ecstasy? A tingling chill traversing your body while a warmth begins to grow within you? And in that moment you feel that all is well with the world and that you love life and you love people and you love God. 

Maybe I'm crazy, but I had about...hmm...20 of those moments last night. 

I heard Gil Shaham play the Brahms violin concerto with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Never before have I ever seen such energy and passion on a classical stage. 

Shaham was a little elf in a tux one size too big that created an electricity throughout the hall that was beyond palpable - it was real. The ASO conducted by Roberto Abbado was in perfect form - well, almost perfect.

If anything was wrong about the ASO performance, it was that they didn't seem to match the energy of the performer and with Shaham, it's practically impossible, but they could've tried. The low strings sounded so rich and alive but they looked asleep.

This didn't matter when Shaham proceeded to own the stage with his precision, passion, and poise. Mr. Shaham was having a grand time last night - there were many times when he would stare at Mr. Abbado with an open-mouthed smile of utter delight. 

I found myself doing the same because Abbado created many tear-jerking moments with just a slight gesture of the wrist in this "orchestra v. violin" battle of a concerto. And as Bronislaw Huberman said, "The violin wins!" Abbado did put up a great fight, but Shaham definitely KO'ed this monstrous masterpiece. 

And all is well with the world.