Live in Concert 31/5/14 Kozhukhin / Philharmonia - Termikanov (Tchaikovsky, Dvorak)

[Nick Armstrong]

Did anyone listen to last night's live concert?

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1 in B flat minor
Dvorák: Symphony No.9 in E minor, From the New World

Denis Kozhukhin, piano
The Philharmonia
Yuri Temirkanov, conductor

I was there, and enjoyed it very much. The revelation was the playing of Denis Kozhukhin, whose touch and expressivity with no loss of impetus was rivetting to hear. OK, hearing the Tchaikovsky PC live for the first time ever did nothing to remove my firm conviction that Nikolai Rubinstein was wholly correct in his initial opinion of the piece. I think it's a pretty wretched, trite mess with some mind-numbingly banal passages... but some pretty moments which the pianist did magnetically well. And a stunning encore before the interval - anyone know what it is? "Bach" I thought, "Bach" announced Trelawney (when I listened back to the broadcast) - but what? It's at 39 mns 30 secs here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b045720k

And the Dvorak - again, never heard live - was wonderful I thought, lots of impetus, not allowed to wallow - and some lovely playing of details... (But speaking to someone who heard it on the radio, they found it 'perfunctory'). I'd be interested in members' views, if any...

[teamsaint]

Thanks for the heads up Cals. Hops you enjoyed your evening.

I just sat down for a listen to the tchaik with a well earned cuppa, and the ******** iplayer isnt working.

Edit: ipayer still down.

Cals goes to concert recorded live. Iplayer collapses completely. Unconnected , to be sure.

[Nick Armstrong]

Thanks for the heads up Cals. Hops you enjoyed your evening.

I just sat down for a listen to the tchaik with a well earned cuppa, and the ******** iplayer isnt working.

Edit: ipayer still down.

Cals goes to concert recorded live. Iplayer collapses completely. Unconnected , to be sure.

You will never hear my speech!!

It was working for the concert for 24 hours at least after...

Oh well. No one else clearly interested in a concert that I admit I'd probably have passed by otherwise, had I not been there.

I was glad to have seen Termikanov live, baton-less dapper little chap with a rather weary, expressionless face when he turned round, but a very expressive body albeit with very economical, unintrusive movements. A class act Also, nostalgic - I think the first pre-recorded 'musi-cassette' I ever bought was him doing DSCH 6 & 9 with the (I think) Leningrad PO*.... so he's one of those that's been going throughout my musical 'career'...




*half right - he and they were doing 6 only; it was this recording



of which improbably there was a cassette version.

[Lento]

Only heard the Tchaik but enjoyed that performance thoroughly. The piano was very clearly broadcast, even to the extent that the opening sounded rather like piano chords plus orchestral background accompaniment. I thought the fast section of the slow movement was riveting. Whatever the weaknesses of the concerto may be, I personally love the drama and rhythmic impetus/interest, not to mention the fine melodies; the more balletic moments bring a smile, too. One very satisfied customer!

[amateur51]

Lordy, had I been a paying member of the audience I'd have been tempted to blow my referee's whistle at Petroc Trelawney (aka The Head Boy) and show him a red card, shouting "Off, pompous and deeply unnecessary boy!"

I've only listened to the Tchiakovsky so far and quite enjoyed it - it wasn't a 'sit up & take notice' performance such as I've heard from Simon Trpceski and Barry Douglas over the years on BBC concerts.

I've enjoyed what I've heard on CD from Denis Kozhukhin in Rachmaninov and Prokofiev.

Lordy Petroc's giving of himself again - boron!

The encore is a Bach-Siloti arrangement that I heard Gilels 'live' in that hall many times, once after an 'orribly unco-ordinated performance of the Tchaikovsky conducted by Paavo Berglund - Denis Kozhukhin did a good job but not quite up to this ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu06WnXlPCY&list=RDYu06WnXlPCY

[Nick Armstrong]

Great knowledge ams and great clip, thanks!!!

In the hall we only got Squire Trelawney addressing his underlings at the start - the rest was done from his box somewhere. The intro came across quite well live

[Pianorak]

Lordy, had I been a paying member of the audience I'd have been tempted to blow my referee's whistle at Petroc Trelawney (aka The Head Boy) and show him a red card, shouting "Off, pompous and deeply unnecessary boy!"

Be thankful it wasn't The Head Girl Katie Derham. But thanks for the Gilels YouTube!