Live in concert 5/5/14 Dylan Thomas Day - BBCNOW 7:30pm

[mercia]

Live from BBC Hoddinott Hall in Cardiff Bay.

Presented by Nicola Heywood Thomas

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales celebrates Dylan Thomas Day on Radio 3 with a concert of music from Wales and America, conducted by Tecwyn Evans.

Daniel Jones: Dance Fantasy
Hoddinott: Clarinet Concerto
Mervyn Burtch: 4 Portraits of Dylan [world premiere]

8.20
Interval: Ian McMillan delves into the world of the Kardomah Boys, Dylan Thomas's circle of bohemian friends who gathered in Swansea's Kardomah Cafe in the 1930s.

8.40
Stravinsky: In memoriam Dylan Thomas
Copland: Appalachian Spring - ballet

Robin Tritschler (tenor)
Robert Plane (clarinet)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Tecwyn Evans (conductor)

A concert of Welsh and American music celebrating Dylan Thomas at 100. In the 1930s, Daniel Jones was one of the Kardomah Cafe set, one of the aspiring artists who met there with Dylan Thomas. The bright and lively Dance Fantasy has become one of his best known works. Alun Hoddinott's clarinet concerto dates from 1949, and became the piece which first won him international attention. Soloist Robert Plane is Principal Clarinet of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Mervyn Burtch is one of Wales's most distinguished composers. This year he celebrates his 85th birthday with a commission from the Welsh Music information centre, Ty Cerdd, an orchestral suite of portraits describing Dylan Thomas.Stravinsky had intended to collaborate on a film with the Welsh poet, who he met in 1952, but Thomas died shortly after, and all that remains is this poignant song cycle. Aaron Copland took inspiration from his native countryside in America in the 1940s, mirorring the way the landscapes of Wales took root in the poetry of Dylan Thomas

[Rosie55]

Very much enjoyed this concert on iplayer (what a gift that is!) I'm getting there with technology.
Saw this review on Seen and Heard International and notice that this reviewer's dislike for Hoddinott is aired in every review of the composer.
I don't much appreciate critics using reviews as a platform to hammer home prejudices ...again and again. We get the message!

http://seenandheard-international.com/2014/05/musical-tributes-to-dylan-thomas-from-stravinsky-and-burtch/

http://seenandheard-international.com/2014/01/hoddinott-hall-celebrates-its-fifth-anniversary-with-a-mixed-programme-2/?doing_wp_cron=1399684542.6308119297027587890625

These just read as a touch amateur!

[LeMartinPecheur]

Very much enjoyed this concert on iplayer (what a gift that is!) I'm getting there with technology.
Saw this review on Seen and Heard International and notice that this reviewer's dislike for Hoddinott is aired in every review of the composer.
I don't much appreciate critics using reviews as a platform to hammer home prejudices ...again and again. We get the message!

http://seenandheard-international.com/2014/05/musical-tributes-to-dylan-thomas-from-stravinsky-and-burtch/

http://seenandheard-international.com/2014/01/hoddinott-hall-celebrates-its-fifth-anniversary-with-a-mixed-programme-2/?doing_wp_cron=1399684542.6308119297027587890625

These just read as a touch amateur!

rosie: what's a critic supposed to do when tackling music which clearly doesn't do a lot for him - lie? Having no brief for or against Hoddinott I read both pieces with interest and do feel I've learnt something useful.

Whether or not I agree will have to wait for better contact with the music (at present my Hoddinott 'library' appears to be one Nimbus CD of brass/organ music rather predictably shared with William Mathias).

Surely critics have to be honest and consistent, not least so we know where they're coming from and can read round, even discount, their set views? I know years ago I made something of a point of buying almost any Schubert recording one particular Gramophone critic disliked!

[teamsaint]

Amateur reviewers...the lifeblood of this forum !!

[amateur51]

rosie: what's a critic supposed to do when tackling music which clearly doesn't do a lot for him - lie?

Well s/he could always have a word with the reviews editor & ask for the disc of Hoddinott's music to be reviewed by someone more sympathetic.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Well s/he could always have a word with the reviews editor & ask for the disc of Hoddinott's music to be reviewed by someone more sympathetic.

ams, clearly this should be the case for a CD review. But concert reviews - surely this is going to happen unavoidably, particularly in concerts as here of 5 or 6 shortish works??