'Harold in Italy'

[AjAjAjH]

I discovered this work about 15 years ago but only had the chance to hear it live for the 1st time last night. Halle/Elder soloist Lawrence Power.
Catch the broadcast.

Magnificent performance as was the performance of the Britten 'Sea Interludes'.

I was sat too near the choir and behind the soloist in Delius 'Sea Drift' to be able to comment properly except that the choir were on tremendous form.

Been reliving the Berlioz all day.

[french frank]

Available until 10.17pm, Tuesday 29 March. Thanks for mentioning it, AjAjAjH!

[Uncle Monty]

Yes, a really good concert -- you were lucky to be there. I recorded it digitally on BTVision, and I haven't heard it all yet, but what I have heard is excellent. I screeched into the drive, dived into the house and just about made it to the right remotes before 4 C Interludes started!

[Stanfordian]

I thought it was excellent concert. The Hallé seem to give that bit extra for Sir Mark than most other conductors.

In Harold in Italy I see the viola as representing the incurable romantic dreamer the Childe-Harold on his wanderings through Italy. Just had Hector Berlioz had done earlier wandering the Abruzzi mountains after winning the Prix de Rome.

What to do during Childe-Harold’s long rests has been a recurring problem for any solo violist. At last years Musikfest Berlin at the Philharmonie the viola soloist Tabea Zimmermann decided to sit on a stool when she (depicting the Childe-Harold) wasn’t playing during the longer rests. Power’s more theatrical effect didn’t work for me. Towards the conclusion of the score during the longest period when the viola was silent Power walked off the stage. At the appropriate time he reappeared and continued to play his ghostly passage from a high position at the rear of the stage, at the side of the organ loft. As this is a infrequently played score I would guess that virtually all of the audience were left wondering what was happening. I did wonder if Power had broken a string or if he was ill. For me the audience concentration had been disturbed and the spell broken.