Live in Concert 22.03.14: BBC CO - Vierne, Edwards, Vaughan Williams, Tallis, Hannon

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

7.30.p.m.

Organist Tom Bell joins the BBC Concert Orchestra, conductor Rebecca Miller and singers from the Southbank Centre's Voicelab in the world premiere of Neil Hannon's 'To our Fathers in Distress, along with other organ and string orchestra pieces, including Vaughan Williams's Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis, preceded by the original.

[mercia]

well it's this evening so I thought I ought to find out who Neil Hannon is is there more than one Neil Hannon ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Hannon

I don't quite see how the Vierne fits into the generally peaceful first half

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03yq7ph

[edashtav]

What a hotchpotch of a programme. Likewise, the performances vared from the professional to the downright amateurish. I'd better not comment on Neil Hannon's well-meaning and personal "oratorio"; actually words fail me.

On a positive note: what marvels RVW wove out of trifles. Hats off to a genius.

[ardcarp]

Was I on the right channel? I tuned in and heard some one crooning Dear Lord and Father, Bing-Crosby-White- Christmas-style, to the accompaniment of some ghastly electronic contrivance. I ripped open the RT, but could find no mention of it, so wondered if I were in a parallel universe.

Luckily, I switched back on again for the VW/Tallis Fantasia and was rewarded by my 15-year-old grand-daughter saying, "I just love this piece, granddad". There is hope for mankind.

[Honoured Guest]

What a hotchpotch of a programme.

Montage.

[mrbouffant]

I'd better not comment on Neil Hannon's well-meaning and personal "oratorio"; actually words fail me.

On a positive note...

I guess it depends what were you expecting... Hannon is an extremely talented songwriter and performer (check out some of his Divine Comedy or Duckworth Lewis Method albums to get a flavour of his oeuvre), so was never going to produce anything with a firmly 'classical' or 'avant garde' language. In fact I was reminded a little of Jon Lord's 'classical' compositions which, depending on your point of view, are either marvellous or formulaic. The use of the organ was interesting - I would like to see a score - I may find out from Tom Bell (via an acquaintance) what he thought about it all...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Montage

Plant

[ardcarp]

Ooh.....

[EdgeleyRob]

What a hotchpotch of a programme. Likewise, the performances vared from the professional to the downright amateurish. I'd better not comment on Neil Hannon's well-meaning and personal "oratorio"; actually words fail me.

On a positive note: what marvels RVW wove out of trifles. Hats off to a genius.

Indeed !

[EdgeleyRob]

Was I on the right channel? I tuned in and heard some one crooning Dear Lord and Father, Bing-Crosby-White- Christmas-style, to the accompaniment of some ghastly electronic contrivance. I ripped open the RT, but could find no mention of it, so wondered if I were in a parallel universe.

Luckily, I switched back on again for the VW/Tallis Fantasia and was rewarded by my 15-year-old grand-daughter saying, "I just love this piece, granddad". There is hope for mankind.

Brilliant !