Upon seeing this picture a few months ago, I was certain that this guy was going to be as exciting as a hole to the head. I mean, if Pauly D and Robert Pattinson could produce a child, I'm certain that Thomas would be the disastrous result.
A disaster was not what I got, though.
I got to meet him on Monday. He, my professor, a studio buddy of mine and I all went out for pizza and beer (naturally). I'll spare you the inappropriate details of dirty French jokes about Katie Holmes and other American celebrities... But I will say that Thomas was a very polite and interesting person. He likes talking about things besides tuba, likes to drink beer, and loves Latin music. I can't be mad at that.
On Tuesday, Monsieur Leleu performed at The U of A. Before I start on my worthless criticisms, I would like to say that Leleu plays and sounds incredible. The ease at which he plays softly and musically is enough to make me want to quit the tuba forever. The virtuosity exhibited over the course of the hour he performed was also impressive. My foremost issue, however, was with the program. Aside from a Latin piece he wrote himself and a piece composed in tribute to another famous French tuba player, everything else was written for other instruments. The recital was full of songs from Carmen and from Samson and Delilah. And of course there were show pieces like Czardas (he can double tongue like no body's business)... It was as if he programmed the recital for an audience who didn't want to hear anything other than the classical music that plays during holidays, commercials, or movies. Mind you, Leleu's tour consists of several colleges with renowned talent and musical excellence including The New England Conservatory and Eastman School of Music.
On top of the fluffy programming was a very awkward moment in the recital. After playing two movements of an oboe concerto, two songs from Samson and Delilah, and three minute Elgar piece, there was a piano solo. It was an excerpt from Carmen. I thought it would function as a long introduction to the other Carmen song following it. But no. Besides the fact that it was from the same opera, it had nothing to do with what came next. There was applause, a shuffling around of sheet music, and then the next (unrelated) thing started.
I've never witnessed anything so bizarre in my life. At least not at a recital.
The second half had Piazzolla's Obilivion to open and it was followed by the tribute piece to a famous French tuba player named Marc. This piece was very jazzy and had some pop references in it, an improvised solo, multiphonics (playing the tuba while singing). Even though I'm no purist, I really wanted some standard tuba rep. Could I get a movement from the Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto or a Broughton Concerto? Something traditional and written for a tuba? Just one thing!?
Nope. I got songs. Songs for every other instrument and voice type under the Arkansas Sun. They were really pretty, well-played songs. But songs. I guess there was a concerto but it was for oboe. And frankly there was a touch of blasé stage presence mixed in there too. I am not sure if it was meant to display a cool, collected demeanor. If so, I didn't get that and I did not care for it at all.
In spite of my many gripes, I really liked Thomas on a personal and musical level. Honestly. While I would have loved a completely different program, his high-level abilities and the musicality with which he played was something I aspire to achieve. It was inspiring to meet someone who is young and more successful than I am. This was a great experience for me.
And there was beer.
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