Live in Concert 14.03.14 BBC NOW - Stravinsky, Vine, Beethoven

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Live from the Grand Theatre, Swansea
7.30 p.m.

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Jurjen Hempel, perform Stravinsky's Concerto in D, Carl Vine's Flute Concerto (with Emily Beynon) and Beethoven's Eroica Symphony.

Stravinsky: Concerto in D
Carl Vine: Flute Concerto - Pipe Dreams
Beethoven: Symphony No 3, Eroica

Emily Beynon, flute
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Jurjen Hempel, conductor

Beethoven's Eroica Symphony changed the face of music. Its elemental power and heroic grandeur took early audiences by storm, and continues to do so to this day. Australian composer Carl Vine's Pipe Dreams , played by Welsh-born Emily Beynon, evokes a meditative, wistful world of gentle contemplation, whilst Stravinsky's Concerto is full of light and grace.

[edashtav]

The Stravinsky lack a true lilt to its rhythms, so it sounded stilted and halting. I was in a monority: the live audience's applause was warmly appreciative

Emily Beynon could make the assembly instructions for a piece of flat-pack furniture sound musical and so it was with her "gloss" on the Vine, she "nailed it". Underneath her marvellous varnish, the structure, the pipes and iron-work sounded threadbare. Another backwards-looking composer. I thoroughly enjoyed Emily's pellucid Mozart.

Having heard the BBC NOW play the Eroica at the Proms a year or two ago, I gave the second half a miss.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

With such a stream of derision, I recall the music criticism of Arthur Jacobs, who could dismiss several concerts in a single paragraph. However, you did at least listen to this one, and have reminded me to do the same.

[edashtav]

Yes, I'm sorry I lacked the positivity of say Jayne who sees the good in most performances and can articulate her reasons with fluency and style. I do like my contemporary music to be "new" and to have some weight and gravitas. I've heard three or four of Vine's products over the last decade - starting with an orchestral piece brought to the Proms by the Australian Youth Orchestra - it followed a rather heavy-handed performance of the Brahms D minor concerto by Helene Grimaud. Each time, I've been worried by the insubstantiality of Vine's music and by its forgettable redundancy.

I'm worried when an artiste of the stature of Emily Beynon chooses the conservative, and frankly frivolous, Vine. There's nothing in his art that Jean Francaix could not have written - but with greater economy and sharper wit. I'd hate Emily to become a camp follower of the presently dumbed-down James Galway.

But, I need to thank you, Alpie for I've noted that you've gone beyond the call of duty by posting "starting seeds" for R.3 Evening Concerts - they make responses so facile, encouragng people like me to say a few words when they've heard only one or two works in the programme. Please carry on your good work and I shall try to find works that give me pleasure.