I just saw a lovely Netflix documentary that has been nominated for an Oscar. Just 35 minutes long, it’s brilliant. It’s the story of the first woman to play in the New York Philharmonic, a double bass player named Orin O’Brien, who was the favorite of conductor Leonard Bernstein, who called her a miracle. He said whenever I look at her, she’s looking back at me radiating confidence. She apparently knows every bar of every piece of music we play, which seems impossible.
The document focuses both on her early years and her retirement after playing for 55 years. Don’t miss watching it. Netflix pulls movies out at random. It’s full of great pieces for the double bass, starting with the majestic opening of Mahler Symphony No. 2. It will make you fall in love with the double bass. What a story! Great musical selections as well. The true story of American pioneer who’s humility should serve as a lesson to us all in this modern era of bombastic hype.
The document focuses both on her early years and her retirement after playing for 55 years. Don’t miss watching it. Netflix pulls movies out at random. It’s full of great pieces for the double bass, starting with the majestic opening of Mahler Symphony No. 2. It will make you fall in love with the double bass. What a story! Great musical selections as well. The true story of American pioneer who’s humility should serve as a lesson to us all in this modern era of bombastic hype.
