Live in Concert 1.04.14: BBC NOW/Sondergard

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

BBC NOW - Schubert, Sibelius, Beethoven

Live from BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Principal Conductor Thomas Sondergard performs Schubert's Unfinished and Sibelius's 7th symphonies. Ingrid Fliter is the soloist in Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto.

Schubert: Symphony no. 8 in B minor D.759 (Unfinished)
Sibelius: Symphony no. 7
Beethoven: Piano Concerto no. 4 in G major op. 58
Ingrid Fliter (piano)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Thomas Sondergard (conductor)

Two short symhonies make up the first half of Live in Concert. Schubert's 8th was cut short after two movements simply because the composer lost interest in the project. Although he sketched a scherzo, he never returned to the work in later years. But its incomplete structure belies the intense drama and sublime lyricism of the two remaining movements. Sibelius achieved brevity in his Seventh Symphony by distilling the essence of contrasting symphonic movements into a single, organic unity.

The Argentinian soloist Ingrid Fliter is the soloist in Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto. A past Radio 3 New Generation Artist, she has established her reputation as an interpreter of both Chopin and Beethoven. The sublime lyricism of this concerto suits her wonderfully, and the fact that Beethoven opens with the soloist - rather than an orchestral exposition - thrusts her into the spotlight right from the first bar.

[Honoured Guest]

This concert is live on Tuesday 1st April (not Friday 11th).

[Ein Heldenleben]

Ingrid Fliter was superb tonight

[BBMmk2]

a rather good mid-week evening concert. nothing too challenging, as such!! :)

[Hornspieler]

a rather good mid-week evening concert. nothing too challenging, as such!! :)

Agreed - but:

Listening right through, I came to certain conclusions:

First, I think that Nicola Heywood Thomas is a fine concert presenter and others in the various regions would do well to learn from her economical but informative style.

Secondly, the audience applause for the conductor's entry suggested that the Hoddinot Hall was nowhere near full to capacity and this must have been a disappointment for the orchestra.

Maestro Sondergard drew some fine playing from the Schubert, but the wide dynamic range of the transmission (my meters recorded less than Neg 30db in the opening of the Schubert and banged against the top of the scale in the loud passages) indicated that BBC Wales have a problem with the balance in this venue.

As far as the programming was concerned, I think it was a mistake to set the two composers in direct competition in the first half.
I would much have preferred to hear the Sibelius (the orchestra's new showpiece) on its own in the first half and the Beethoven's Concert to open the second half and conclude with the "familiar to all" Schubert Unfinished symphony.

Excellent playing by all and special praise for the young Soloist in the Beethoven. (I love that Clara Schumann cadenza in the first movement - happy memories of playing in that concerto with Dame Myra Hess came to mind.)

So I enjoyed listening to this concert, skipped the interval, which I thought was ill-conceived in this context, and recommend any who missed out on the night to tune in to their iPlayers.

HS