Live in Concert: BBC NOW, Beethoven 3rdPC, Bruckner 8

[Guest]

Anyone catch this last night? I was there, in Swansea's Brangwyn Hall, hadn't realised it was going out live till I saw the microphones and read it in the programme. The hall's acoustics are distinctive, proportions of the Musikverein variety, and make for particularly blazing brass amongst other things. I thought Thomas Søndergård had it well under his belt, possibly taking quite an expansive view, and all departments played magnificently with special credit to the 9 horns/4 Wagner tubas, trumpets and trombones, and the timpanist. I see TS was a timpanist once. The only other time I've heard this orchestra play this work was around 15 years ago, in this very hall, under Walter Weller. Bruckner was a rarity in Wales then but I've since heard fine 7s and 8s from BBC Now and Orch of WNO.

Beethoven 3rd piano concerto from Stephen Hough to start with, quite a large-scale performance - good to see him live for the first time.

I'd love to hear how it came across on the radio.

[Bryn]

The iPlayer currently offers a new, shorter version of Bruckner's 8th (the last 3 minutes of so are at the start of The Verb. Hopefully this situation will be resolved over the next couple of days.

[Hornspieler]

Anyone catch this last night? I was there, in Swansea's Brangwyn Hall, hadn't realised it was going out live till I saw the microphones and read it in the programme. The hall's acoustics are distinctive, proportions of the Musikverein variety, and make for particularly blazing brass amongst other things. I thought Thomas Søndergård had it well under his belt, possibly taking quite an expansive view, and all departments played magnificently with special credit to the 9 horns/4 Wagner tubas, trumpets and trombones, and the timpanist. I see TS was a timpanist once. The only other time I've heard this orchestra play this work was around 15 years ago, in this very hall, under Walter Weller. Bruckner was a rarity in Wales then but I've since heard fine 7s and 8s from BBC Now and Orch of WNO.

Beethoven 3rd piano concerto from Stephen Hough to start with, quite a large-scale performance - good to see him live for the first time.

I'd love to hear how it came across on the radio.

I used to think it was a bit of a shoebox to play in and those ghastly murals used to make me feel quite billious, but there was no denying the fervent enthusiasm of the Swanse audience.

I'll see if I can catch this performance on the iPlayer.
A favourite symphony of mine, but I wouldn't mind that scherzo being cut down to less than 15 minutes!

HS

[Richard Tarleton]

those ghastly murals used to make me feel quite billious

Originally destined for the House of Lords

Brangwyn is best known for the British Empire Panels (1925–1932), 16 large works that cover 3,000 sq ft (280 m2). These were originally intended for the Royal Gallery at the House of Lords at Westminster, but the House of Lords refused them because they were "too colourful and lively" for the location. They are now housed in the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea

Lots of fruity women and, er, fruit.

[Hornspieler]

Originally destined for the House of Lords



Lots of fruity women and, er, fruit.

You make it sound like a horn players Paradise

HS

[Bryn]

The iPlayer currently offers a new, shorter version of Bruckner's 8th (the last 3 minutes of so are at the start of The Verb. Hopefully this situation will be resolved over the next couple of days.

Now resolved.