Young Musician 2018 Grand Final

[gurnemanz]

It was a staggering performance, and NO it was not just getting the notes right (as someone suggested). It's a deep, dark work and for me Lauren brought out all those qualites and more. Bravo.

My reaction also. I was bowled over, such that I could not quite believe what I was seeing and hearing. I wish the winner all the best with her GCSEs.

[kernelbogey]

I am sorry to say that I found the telvision presentation nauseatingly naff.

I.e:

The continuous gurning by both presenters; why on earth has this become standard presenter behaviour for music programmes?
Very leading questions to Alison Balsam and colleague (name not to hand or memory)
Invasive, insensitive and frankly dumb questioning of contestants when they've just come off stage
Redundant self-congratulatory commentary, such as praising how hard hard it must all be for the jury etc etc
Overly 'creative' camera work, often confusingly and distractingly playing with light reflections

I agree with the 'circus' comment above. Surely the most informative and educative presentation of such a programme is simply to show the perfomers in action as clearly and plainly as possible?

I hope someone at the BBC will read this and other comments here on the presentation.

Edit: BTW, by nauseating, I do mean that I felt nauseated!

[LMcD]

I.e:

The continuous gurning by both presenters; why on earth has this become standard presenter behaviour for music programmes?
Very leading questions to Alison Balsam and colleague (name not to hand or memory)
Invasive, insensitive and frankly dumb questioning of contestants when they've just come off stage
Redundant self-congratulatory commentary, such as praising how hard hard it must all be for the jury etc etc
Overly 'creative' camera work, often confusingly and distractingly playing with light reflections

I agree with the 'circus' comment above. Surely the most informative and educative presentation of such a programme is simply to show the perfomers in action as clearly and plainly as possible?

I hope someone at the BBC will read this and other comments here on the presentation.

Edit: BTW, by nauseating, I do mean that I felt nauseated!

Agreed on all points! With hindsight, I should have recorded the whole thing and fast-forwarded through the guff. It's none of my business (i.e. I don't care) that Clemency Burton-Hill was 'in bits' and in tears throughout the Elgar (which was the 3rd or 4th movement according to whether you were listening to Radio 3 or watching BBC4).

As the broadcast apparently wasn't live, ending as it did several minutes later on Radio 3, does anybody happen to know when the final actually took place?

[ardcarp]

Well, all that I was going to say about presentation has been cogently put by you guys above...except (and here I tread carefully) for something Mrs Ardcarp said, "Why are they all gushing women?" Imagine it were the other way round, i.e. all presenters blokes, gushing or otherwise? What might have been said about that?

Ducks for cover.

[MrGongGong]

Why do people who don't like TV watch it?
I'm not a great enthusiast for TV myself but don't really think it's somehow "worse" than it ever was.

If people don't like the way TV is just listen to the music.
None of the people I know who have been in this (and a few who have won) seem to ever complain about it at all.
There are "issues" with the idea of competitions of this type but it's great to see those who have been successful speaking out for music education.

[jonfan]

What a heart warming series this has been over the last few weeks on radio and tv resulting in a very worthy winner. To see all these young people dedicate time and talants to their art, and with such generosity to each other, is cause for great celebration. As Menuhin said, all are winners. TV presentation hasn’t been quite as cringe-worthy as past years but close. Josie d’Arby is miscast IMO. Why not one Radio 3’s excellent team, Sarah (both), Sean, Petroc, Suzy, Kate, Georgia,etc.? Good to see HB, he must be immensely proud the scheme is still going strong. Mind you he can ask cringe-making questions; to a pianist who had just played some Liszt ‘Why don’t you play Mozart, there are fewer notes?’

[french frank]

Why do people who don't like TV watch it?

Triumph of hope over experience.

I'm not a great enthusiast for TV myself but don't really think it's somehow "worse" than it ever was.

You don't remember far enough back

Interesting to hear that there was far more emoting from the presenters than the winner. I think there's a psychological intent: if the presenter acts as if excited, thrilled, amazed, blown away, bowled over &c. it will be infectious and rub off on the audience.

[MrGongGong]

You don't remember far enough back
.

HA

More like this ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsigOnPJTtA

(the great Brian Dennis complete with monastic haircut !)

[greenilex]

If it is psychology, it really doesn’t work - the more they gush, the less involved I feel.

[Ein Heldenleben]

There's certainly far more emoting - witness CBH's gushing over the Elgar performance from the last winner which , whatever its merits in terms of overall musicality, was marred by some dodgy intonation . As a string player she must have been aware of that. The contrast between the cool -as -cucumber demeanour of the young musicians and the over-the-top presenter reaction is excruciating . The most significant bit was when former producer Roy Tipping told us that at its height a quarter of the UK tuned in to the final . Maybe the figures would improve if the presentation was a little less in the tv talent show mode and more befitting the dignity of the occasion .

[french frank]

It didn't quite steal the headlines from the BAFTAs, but one should be grateful the BBC reports it at all (in spite of it being a BBC production):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44103947

I have followed it vicariously, by reading this thread - quite enough excitement for me. All in all, the thought of a 16-year-old tackling the Prokofiev in public is quite enough to fill me with admiration; and to acquit herself in such a way … not forgetting the other two winners, and the other winners who didn't make it to the final …

[DracoM]

There's certainly far more emoting - witness CBH's gushing over the Elgar performance from the last winner which , whatever its merits in terms of overall musicality, was marred by some dodgy intonation . As a string player she must have been aware of that. The contrast between the cool -as -cucumber demeanour of the young musicians and the over-the-top presenter reaction is excruciating . The most significant bit was when former producer Roy Tipping told us that at its height a quarter of the UK tuned in to the final . Maybe the figures would improve if the presentation was a little less in the tv talent show mode and more befitting the dignity of the occasion .

Absolutely - agree with every word. Particularly the final sentence.

eg 'presenter' asks in a former panel judge to discover what a panel member is looking for, but the very first two questions of that judge were about how the candidates must be FEELING, their EMOTIONS.
What has that to do with it?
The judges are looking for performance credentials, not 'how the players are feeling'. So that sets the segment off in IMO entirely the wrong direction. Similarly, poor Jess Gillam KEPT being asked how the playes must be feeling - FGS, Jess Gillam is an accomplshed player, so ask her what the pluses and minuses about the playing she has just heard are - otherwise, why do you need a Jess Gillam in at all. The radio production of the Finals kept veering off into these incidentals, In a competition like this, it's a given that the candidates are 'nervous' etc etc, so get on to the minutiae of the playing skills, particularly for a RADIO 3 audience.

Blimey. I went out for a walk to get away from this.

[BBMmk2]

I found the whole evening totally absorbing. When I heard that the pianist was going to perform the Prokovief, my mind went on overload! I was trying to see how a 16 year old pianist would pull off such a demanding work such as this! I needn't have worried. she pulled it with great aplomb! she also said that she could have given more. I see her point but I am pretty sure that nerves played a part. It would me playing in that hall, as I have done so. I didn't think the cellist gave off his best with the Tchaikovsky, he can play better than this. again nerves probably but still I found his performance very good indeed and thoroughly entertaining. You could see this quite clearly. The saxophonist I enjoyed very well. Will have to look up Paul Creston's music. I only have one work of his in my collection. Played a thoroughly convincing performance of the work. Even though I don't know but you could quite easily tell from the sheer musicianship of this very fine player!

[DracoM]

Yes, the Creston was impressively played. BUT maybe they would not pick another saxophonist so soon after Jess Gillam's success? Just a thought. And fully agree about the cellist, who sounded a bit thin in tone perhaps for Tchaikovsky 'Souvenirs'.

[BBMmk2]

Yes, the Creston was impressively played. BUT maybe they would not pick another saxophonist so soon after Jess Gillam's success? Just a thought. And fully agree about the cellist, who sounded a bit thin in tone perhaps for Tchaikovsky 'Souvenirs'.

I think not somehow, but I certainly did like that Creston!