Classical Concert chat...
- Thread starter windhoek
- Start date
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
At the Edinburgh Festival this year, Lang Lang cancelled his concert at short notice, and Pierre-Laurent Aimard stepped in as replacement. That's a Win!
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I didn't know! As soon as I saw Lang Lang in the Festival programme, I couldnt book. On the other hand....Yuja Wang's Beethoven 4th with the SFSO was a delight.
PsB
Citizen of Nowhere™
I have a box of Celibidache's interpretations that are among the slowest on record but I rather like those for some reason, so my problem is not the length of the symphony. Celibidache somehow manages to create an atmosphere and lets some tension build. Not sure what was missing on Sunday.
Barrymagrec
pfm Member
herb
brain's right hemisphere
Last night I saw Peter Whelan play CPE Bach's Bassoon Concerto at the Queens Hall. It was most impressive, a great reception from the QH crowd. For some reason I kept thinking of Lindsay Cooper.
As preparation for this SCO + John Butt 'Bach family' concert I played an old version of this Altbachisches Archiv box.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00V3PEZFW/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
I had forgotten how much I enjoyed music from the ancestors of JS.
As preparation for this SCO + John Butt 'Bach family' concert I played an old version of this Altbachisches Archiv box.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00V3PEZFW/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
I had forgotten how much I enjoyed music from the ancestors of JS.
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
k90tour
pfm Member
I liked the rest of the programme less. Bruckner's 4th seemed to go on for ever. I thought several times of Rossini's quip about Wagner ("fine moments, but awful quarters of an hour", or something like that). Bruckner could've done with an editor, preferably one of the ruthless sort.[/QUOTE]
Exactly what we were saying afterwards. I mean, that Scherzo. You get what you think are three sections. But no, those three sections are just the first of three even larger sections. Seriously didn't know how to cut it down.
I saw the concert yesterday with the same performers. Magnificent. Even the half hour third movement of the 9th.
Exactly what we were saying afterwards. I mean, that Scherzo. You get what you think are three sections. But no, those three sections are just the first of three even larger sections. Seriously didn't know how to cut it down.
I saw the concert yesterday with the same performers. Magnificent. Even the half hour third movement of the 9th.
herb
brain's right hemisphere
Fantastic music last night in the Queen's Hall. SCO under Antonio Mendez played an inspired Haydn Symphony 99 and vigorous Beethoven 7.
Laura Giordano sang some tunes from Mozart operas, this was frankly unbelievable. What a pure, controlled and dynamic voice. I'll not forget that performance.
http://www.lauragiordano.com
A great night out, for £17! Everyone was buzzing.....
Laura Giordano sang some tunes from Mozart operas, this was frankly unbelievable. What a pure, controlled and dynamic voice. I'll not forget that performance.
http://www.lauragiordano.com
A great night out, for £17! Everyone was buzzing.....
alanbeeb
pfm Member
Just got back from Usher Hall where RSNO & chief Peter Oundijian gave us Debussy's La Mer and Vaughan-Williams Sea Symphony.
La Mer was superb and really pointed out how much better the RSNO are than say 15-20 years ago. Lots of gorgeous textures and very accurate playing.
RVW Sea Symphony was more problematic - but still a thoroughly enjoyable performance. The brass had a few wobbles with the fanfares in 1st movement and there were some slightly off-colour wind entries.
The soprano Katherine Broderick did a great job, cannot find fault with her performance at all. but the baritone Benedict Nelson had issues - he missed his cue in the 2nd movement and lost his place at "A vast similitude..." and from there he seemed to lose heart and his voice lacked power and tone. He did just fine in the 1st movement. A shame really. But I loved hearing this big sentimental Whitman-fest live. Quite a few goosebump moments.
La Mer was superb and really pointed out how much better the RSNO are than say 15-20 years ago. Lots of gorgeous textures and very accurate playing.
RVW Sea Symphony was more problematic - but still a thoroughly enjoyable performance. The brass had a few wobbles with the fanfares in 1st movement and there were some slightly off-colour wind entries.
The soprano Katherine Broderick did a great job, cannot find fault with her performance at all. but the baritone Benedict Nelson had issues - he missed his cue in the 2nd movement and lost his place at "A vast similitude..." and from there he seemed to lose heart and his voice lacked power and tone. He did just fine in the 1st movement. A shame really. But I loved hearing this big sentimental Whitman-fest live. Quite a few goosebump moments.
herb
brain's right hemisphere
I enjoyed the evening. To me La Mer was a bit 'choppy' and I suggested perhaps that Stephane Deneve could have a go conducting it at some stage, making it a bit more French/flowing.
Loved the Vaughan Williams despite Nelson's difficulties. The Chorus was excellent as always.
The Usher Hall seemed to be less than half full, did you get the usual feedback request email from them? You get the opportunity to write a review.
Loved the Vaughan Williams despite Nelson's difficulties. The Chorus was excellent as always.
The Usher Hall seemed to be less than half full, did you get the usual feedback request email from them? You get the opportunity to write a review.
alanbeeb
pfm Member
Available here...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007KWD74W/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
The set has had very positive reviews.
I thought it was a bit more full than that, maybe 2/3? we were sat in mid stalls row K so couldn't see behind.
Yes I've got that feedback email, I replied to the same for BBC SSO a few years ago and won free tickets to all their concerts for a year! Unfortunately then couldn't use them as they changed their start time to 4pm on Sunday
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
herb
brain's right hemisphere
Thanks Alan, CD ordered. I liked Deneve and he always made faces at me, my usual seat was at the front then. I see that he is back as a guest.
The Grand Circle had lots of empty seats and there seemed to be very few up top - but difficult to see. I am a big fan of those Sunday concerts, they suit me fine with another walk around Edinburgh too. I'm not overly keen on the BBC SSO. but other visiting performers have been enjoyable and audience numbers have been very good.
The Grand Circle had lots of empty seats and there seemed to be very few up top - but difficult to see. I am a big fan of those Sunday concerts, they suit me fine with another walk around Edinburgh too. I'm not overly keen on the BBC SSO. but other visiting performers have been enjoyable and audience numbers have been very good.
alanbeeb
pfm Member
I was at the Usher Hall again on Thursday - Scottish Chamber Orchestra & Emmanuel Krivine (late replacement for Robin Ticciati who has a back problem). Krivine has a great reputation in classical-romantic music so didn't feel short-changed.
However, he replaced the Jorg Widmann premiere with Mendelssohn's Hebrides... which was nice but all very safe and actually a bit dull. I'd been looking forward to the Widmann as he's a composer I'd like to explore.
Then we had Alina Ibragimova in Schumann's Violin concerto. I have never actually heard this work before, its rarely performed or recorded. I have to say I am no rush to hear it again! I'm sure the performance was great but it just seemed to be a mish-mash of nicey-nicey safe faux emoting.
Thankfully faith in the power of music to elevate and inspire was restored after the interval by Brahms 4th.... which is what I really wanted to hear, as its probably my no.1 piece of music of all time. Krivine totally nailed the tempos IMO, and the relationships between sections in each of the movement. The horns had a few rough entries but overall it was a great performance of cumulative power and I could barely breathe at the end.
As usual however, the audience couldn't restrain themselves for just half a second to let the music finish resonating before erupting into applause
However, he replaced the Jorg Widmann premiere with Mendelssohn's Hebrides... which was nice but all very safe and actually a bit dull. I'd been looking forward to the Widmann as he's a composer I'd like to explore.
Then we had Alina Ibragimova in Schumann's Violin concerto. I have never actually heard this work before, its rarely performed or recorded. I have to say I am no rush to hear it again! I'm sure the performance was great but it just seemed to be a mish-mash of nicey-nicey safe faux emoting.
Thankfully faith in the power of music to elevate and inspire was restored after the interval by Brahms 4th.... which is what I really wanted to hear, as its probably my no.1 piece of music of all time. Krivine totally nailed the tempos IMO, and the relationships between sections in each of the movement. The horns had a few rough entries but overall it was a great performance of cumulative power and I could barely breathe at the end.
As usual however, the audience couldn't restrain themselves for just half a second to let the music finish resonating before erupting into applause
There is a separate thread for this. I had one ball and one baton dropped. How was it for you?
Why was that chap in a dinner jacket? Was he in a rush to get off? I seem to remember him filleting a piece of fish in J Sheekey.
Generally the reception for a risky/expensive project seems to be favourable.
k90tour
pfm Member
Just seen the Oxford Philharmonic at the Sheldonian playing Tannhauser overture, Tristan Prelude & Liebestod and after the interval, Renee Fleming sing Strauss Four Last Songs with Zueignung and Morgen! as encores.
I was sitting in the Upper Gallery and the sound up there is a mess. She was difficult to hear above the orchestra. I don't think it was just the acoustic, the orchestra could have been a little more careful. The scoring is pretty busy though. She was a complete star and she walked into the Sheldonian as if it were The Met. I thought the orchestra were a bit untidy. If it were the LSO, I'd be really shocked. I don't mind wrong notes (the poor horn soloist in the Strauss split a note but with RF at his left elbow I'm not complaining) but the orchestra didn't move as one in the shifting harmonies of the Tristan and the end of the Strauss. At one point in the Strauss, with the woodwind bringing the last song to a close, there was a shift after a bar line and I looked at the conductor and thought that if he didn't intervene then there would be a problem. He just left them to it and the first false start of one player brought the others in. An amateur conductor would have been so straight that the mistake wouldn't have happened. The same thing rather spoiled the mystery of the Tristan opening. The Cor Anglais player came on one chord a semi flat and resolved it carefully during the note.
I was sitting in the Upper Gallery and the sound up there is a mess. She was difficult to hear above the orchestra. I don't think it was just the acoustic, the orchestra could have been a little more careful. The scoring is pretty busy though. She was a complete star and she walked into the Sheldonian as if it were The Met. I thought the orchestra were a bit untidy. If it were the LSO, I'd be really shocked. I don't mind wrong notes (the poor horn soloist in the Strauss split a note but with RF at his left elbow I'm not complaining) but the orchestra didn't move as one in the shifting harmonies of the Tristan and the end of the Strauss. At one point in the Strauss, with the woodwind bringing the last song to a close, there was a shift after a bar line and I looked at the conductor and thought that if he didn't intervene then there would be a problem. He just left them to it and the first false start of one player brought the others in. An amateur conductor would have been so straight that the mistake wouldn't have happened. The same thing rather spoiled the mystery of the Tristan opening. The Cor Anglais player came on one chord a semi flat and resolved it carefully during the note.
Alex S
carbon based lifeform
Not a dropped ball or baton - I think it was the first night so they must have tried extra hard.
How about this for a programme, tonight, Igor Levit at Wigmore Hall
Johann Caspar Kerll: Passacaglia in D minor
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Musical Offering BWV1079 Ricercar a3
Ferruccio Busoni: Fantasia after JS Bach K253
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Art of Fugue BWV1080, Contrapunctus 1, Contrapunctus 4, Contrapunctus 11
Ferruccio Busoni: Fantasia contrappuntistica BV256
The Fantasia contrappuntistica ... my head's still spinning. Memerising.
Johann Caspar Kerll: Passacaglia in D minor
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Musical Offering BWV1079 Ricercar a3
Ferruccio Busoni: Fantasia after JS Bach K253
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Art of Fugue BWV1080, Contrapunctus 1, Contrapunctus 4, Contrapunctus 11
Ferruccio Busoni: Fantasia contrappuntistica BV256
The Fantasia contrappuntistica ... my head's still spinning. Memerising.
PsB
Citizen of Nowhere™
Went to see The Heath Quartet play 3 Bartók string quartets at Wigmore Hall a couple of days ago. Good, robust performances: the concert was recorded, so should be available on the Wigmore label soon. I particularly liked their 4th (this concert was 2, 4 and 6. I missed 1, 3, 5 a few days earlier).