Young Musician 2018 Grand Final

[LHC]

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'.

It may be inconvenient, but if the saxophonist was the best woodwind player, and also one of the best three in the semi-final, then it is right that he should have been in the final, regardless of which instruments were featured two years ago. It would be much more unfair for them to pick lesser players simply on the basis that there was a saxophone last time, and they need different instruments this time.

It reminds me a bit of the argument in the Cardiff Singer competition a few years ago when a counter tenor featured in the final. It was rumoured afterwards that he didn't win because some members of the jury didn't want the competition to be won by an 'unconventional' voice type, even though he was the most impressive performer on the night.

[Barbirollians]

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 …

I assume the Radio 3 broadcast is on iplayer - listen to it and see what you think .

[Barbirollians]

Did anyone else notice Lauren Zhang say that she chose the Prokofiev 2 as it was " within the time limit "? So it seems the finalists have to choose a concerto that is not too long.

I remember many moons back just before Margaret Thatcher appeared on the TV to tell us to rejoice at that news that Anna Markland on BBC1 played the Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No3 in 1982 - it seems unlikely that a finalist would be allowed to play that now.

[kernelbogey]

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

I can answer only for myself, as a non-musician, and about this particular programme. I want to see the performers playing, as well as hear them. Lauren Zhang's technique was a wonder to behold, in the semi final (Scarlatti) as well as in the Prokofiev concerto.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

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?

It's the way the BBC's mentality has evolved.
"How do you feel?" is a question asked by BBC reporters worldwide, whether it's asked when ramming a microphone down the throat of someone who has lost his/her entire family and home in a war zone, or someone who has just won/lost a sports completion. It's crass, insensitive and completely unnecessary. It also suggests incompetence.

[DracoM]

..........and failure in some cases to do thoughtful, adequate pre-interview research i.e. they don't know what else to ask.

[Nick Armstrong]

I thought that the cellist and saxophonist were both good . My hair stood on end when I saw that the 16 year old pianist Lauren Zhang had chosen Prokofiev 2 . So far more than so good - she is sensational not just technically brilliant but completely inside the music and its lyric heart .

Yes I agree. I thought her approach was ideally suited to Prokofiev, or at least how I hear that music. Phenomenal.

The fast-forward button was red-hot here, avoiding all the dismal guff of the presentation - but we did watch the rehearsal segments with Mark Wigglesworth: and his deeply impressed reaction to Lauren Zhang when she'd finished playing was the equivalent of writing on the wall, I thought: it was pretty clear which one he rated, even before we'd heard her performance.

Good though the other two were, the winner's seemed to be a far greater achievement, in terms of the playing and the substance of the piece chosen.

[ardcarp]

The fast-forward button was red-hot here

Here too.

As far as increasing the audience figures for the programme, surely the thing to do would be to put it on BBC2? Or even BBC1? It needn't take up too much of their precious 'prime time' if the Grand Final were presented in a simple concert format..with just a brief but dignified presentation to the winner/s at the end. Looking at the audience in Symphony Hall, they seemed lass than chuffed at having to sit still while the presenter, with back turned on them, did all the preliminary faff. Was any Forumista actually there?

[oddoneout]

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..

There are at least 2 answers to that question but I'll confine myself to the topic in hand. I watched because I wanted to see the performers(orchestra/conductor as well as soloists). I knew the presentation was almost certainly going to annoy, and the sound is rubbish now on my set since the digital switch, but headphones helped and at least the TV has a remote for the unwanted intrusions.
TV in general is worse now as far as I'm concerned, largely due to what seems like widespread ADHD among producers and presenters; everything has to be whizzbang soundbites, 'clever' camera work, endless repetition/recap in case viewers have forgotten what happened 2 minutes previously, coupled with inane/ignorant questions and commentary.

[oddoneout]

Here too.

As far as increasing the audience figures for the programme, surely the thing to do would be to put it on BBC2? Or even BBC1? It needn't take up too much of their precious 'prime time' if the Grand Final were presented in a simple concert format..with just a brief but dignified presentation to the winner/s at the end. Looking at the audience in Symphony Hall, they seemed lass than chuffed at having to sit still while the presenter, with back turned on them, did all the preliminary faff. Was any Forumista actually there?

Back in the day the fact that there were only 4 channels to choose from would have helped to swell the viewing figures I suspect, but even so to bury the Final on BBC4 won't do anything to bring the event to a wider audience and in my view is more than a little insulting to the competitors given the extensive primetime coverage given to other competitive so-called 'talent' type shows.
In view of the Beeb's apparent reluctance(inability?) to make a decent fist of this, I can't help wondering why they continue with it. Then again as I've said before I do wonder if there's a longer term aim of just letting it die by not doing it as well as it deserves and so losing viewers.

[Bergonzi]

I'm pleased that the right person won. It must have been a difficult decision as the cellist was very fine. I think he well outshone the cellist in the Elgar excerpt.

Incidentally - talking of naff things to say - HB once said to me and an oboist (we were doing a duet in the Elgar film back in about 1962) "every note a pearl." That's the sort of thing unmusical people say ...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Back in the day the fact that there were only 4 channels to choose from would have helped to swell the viewing figures I suspect, but even so to bury the Final on BBC4 won't do anything to bring the event to a wider audience and in my view is more than a little insulting to the competitors given the extensive primetime coverage given to other competitive so-called 'talent' type shows.

I can't see what the problem is here. Every television that can receive BBC1 & 2 can also receive BBC4, and it's no more difficult to access.

[vinteuil]

- HB once said to me and an oboist ...

... who HB?

Can't be Hector Berlioz, perhaps Harrison Birtwistle?

I dunno...


.

[ardcarp]

I can't see what the problem is here. Every television that can receive BBC1 & 2 can also receive BBC4, and it's no more difficult to access.

Yes, but maybe BBC4 is seen by some as a sort of 'intellectual channel' (ha ha ha) whereas Young Musician might become something of a National Event if it were put on one of the cheesier channels.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

There are going to be new rules at the Rome Olympics. In order to win a gold medal, competitors in the 100m breaststroke, the javelin, the 200m track and the single sculls, will be required to compete against one another. A team of judges from all four disciplines will decide upon the winner.