Ravel/Stravinsky/Tchaikovsky - EIF - broadcast 7.30 p.m. 16.09.15

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In the second of four broadcasts from the 2015 Edinburgh International Festival, the pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard performs Ravel's Piano Concerto in G.
The concert begins with Ravel's Mother Goose Suite and the story-telling theme continues after the interval with Stravinsky's ballet Petrushka, whose piano figures evoke the rogue puppet of the title in one of the twentieth century's most charismatic orchestral scores.
Russian music of the 19th century provides a dramatic conclusion to the concert: Tchaikovsky's Dante-inspired symphonic poem, Francesca da Rimini.

Presented by Donald Macleod
Recorded at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Ravel: Mother Goose Suite
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G
Stravinsky: Petrushka (1947)
Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini

Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano)
The Philharmonia Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I note that on the BBC Radio 3 website, they show this as "Episode 2 of 4", i.e. the second of four recorded concerts from the EIF.

This makes more sense than labelling Parts 1 & 2 of a live concert as Episodes 1 & 2. After a few years of that, it still seems a little crazy

[VodkaDilc]

Highly recommended. Aimard was a last-minute substitute for Lang Lang who was forbidden to fly due to an ear infection. The Ravel was superb, as was the Stravinsky.

What a lovely venue the Usher Hall is - this was my first visit. (My second was for the recovered Lang Lang's solo recital the following evening - at which, one could say, his playing of Bach was quite remarkable. A cleverer person would add a little picture here to denote irony.)

[Flosshilde]

The Usher Hall is a splendid venue - as long as you avoid the seats at the rear of the Balcony - no legroom, even if you're only five foot tall, & very hard, upright wooden seats. Murder for a concert performance of Gotterdammerung, or even 4'33"

[pastoralguy]

The Usher Hall is a splendid venue - as long as you avoid the seats at the rear of the Balcony - no legroom, even if you're only five foot tall, & very hard, upright wooden seats. Murder for a concert performance of Gotterdammerung, or even 4'33"

And vertigo! Yes, these are the preserve of the truly hard up. For many years, I sat in the balcony at the side opposite the first violin section. I must have been to at least a thousand concerts there in my 38 years of concert going. So glad you like it. The recent extension has made it a more conducive venue for those of us who like to get there early.

[jayne lee wilson]

Listened in to the Petrushka tonight - excellent sound on the HDs webcast.