R3 in Concert one-stop shop

[JasonPalmer]

True, wonder who the target market of a Japanese prom is.

Is it an English prom with Japanese music or is it a prom in Japan.

[jayne lee wilson]

True, wonder who the target market of a Japanese prom is.

Is it an English prom with Japanese music or is it a prom in Japan.

Details....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ghj2

[edashtav]

I tuned in for the first British Performance of Ryan Wigglesworth’s song cycle ‘Till Dawning’ in its revised edition, scored for
soprano and orchestra. The World Premiere was sung by Sophie Bevan way back in 2018 and until recently she was slated to sing this evening but Elizabeth Watts stood in at the last minute.

The BBC blurb for this George Herbert cycle stated, “Can there be any day but this / Though many suns to shine endeavour?” Like Mahler’s symphony, Till Dawning tells a story of suffering, struggle and triumphant reawakening, and this new orchestral version only heightens its emotional intensity. Elizabeth Watts is the soprano soloist.”

Elizabeth Watts and the orchestra under the composer’s authoritative baton tackled the piece in the Barbican Hall, with aplomb, colour, and seemingly, great confidence and the reception by the audience lay between respectful and enthusiastic.

The work fitted the concert’s context: a prelude to Mahler’s 5th Symphony, ideally. The orchestra was used in a most Mahlerian manner and the piece’s engineering was flawless. But, come on Ryan, how much does it advance on what composers might have written one hundred years ago? I imagine a team effort by Zemlinsky, Mahler, and Schreker might have confected it all too well. I’ve been listening this week to a tape I made 40 or more years ago of a BBC broadcast of excerpts from Franz Schreker’s final opera ‘Irrelohe’ and Schreker’s brand of passionate expressionism, of Berg blended with a little of the lyricism of Puccini came into my mind.

A valuable performance of what I fear will be a footnote in musical history.

I look forward to a radicalised Ryan becoming part of the 21st century.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Listening to Mahler 5 now . Excellent performance but even on digital the compression that slams in when the timps are playing is truly grim. Absolutely first rate lead trumpet .

[edashtav]

Listening to Mahler 5 now . Excellent performance but even on digital the compression that slams in when the timps are playing is truly grim. Absolutely first rate lead trumpet .

Spot on!

[gedsmk]

Listening to Mahler 5 now . Excellent performance but even on digital the compression that slams in when the timps are playing is truly grim. Absolutely first rate lead trumpet .

Really great trumpet, and other soloists also, and an excellent well-thought-through performance. yes, what is the point of compression with all the tech they have these days. The 2022 proms were handled better I think.

[edashtav]

I was harsh when I criticised Ryan Wigglesworth as a composer but I do want to praise him for his excellent, detailed and revealing interpretation of Mahler’s 5th Symphony. The BBC SO responded with some wonderful playing.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I was harsh when I criticised Ryan Wigglesworth as a composer but I do want to praise him for his excellent, detailed and revealing interpretation of Mahler’s 5th Symphony. The BBC SO responded with some wonderful playing.

All in all I thought the concert a remarkable reflection of Mr W’s undoubted musical skills. If this had been a Prom there’d be dozens of comments by now. The Mahler 5 was really excellent but it appears sadly relatively unheard.

[edashtav]

All in all I thought the concert a remarkable reflection of Mr W’s undoubted musical skills. If this had been a Prom there’d be dozens of comments by now. The Mahler 5 was really excellent but it appears sadly relatively unheard.

I agree. It worries me that this Forum neglects many good broadcasts which are still to be heard amingst the chaff which typifies much of today’s Radio 3.

[Simon B]

Listening to Mahler 5 now... Absolutely first rate lead trumpet .

That'll be because it was (almost certainly) Phil Cobb... who at 21 was the player the LSO eventually found after some years of searching to occupy Maurice Murphy's former chair. They don't really come any better.

He moved to the BBCSO in ?2020. Incidentally so did the timpanist (Antoine Bedewi) also from the LSO around the same time. Appointments of that calibre certainly haven't harmed the BBCSO's quality.

It's a pity nobody much goes to their concerts other than during the Proms...

[Ein Heldenleben]

That'll be because it was (almost certainly) Phil Cobb... who at 21 was the player the LSO eventually found after some years of searching to occupy Maurice Murphy's former chair. They don't really come any better.

He moved to the BBCSO in ?2020. Incidentally so did the timpanist (Antoine Bedewi) also from the LSO around the same time. Appointments of that calibre certainly haven't harmed the BBCSO's quality.

It's a pity nobody much goes to their concerts other than during the Proms...

Yes it had the same sweet sound ( a sort of light vibrato) as he did when playing Sibelius 2 at the Proms last year so it must be him Just the way he articulated that A minor arpeggio at the beginning . He really thinks about what he’s playing

[jayne lee wilson]

I agree. It worries me that this Forum neglects many good broadcasts which are still to be heard amingst the chaff which typifies much of today’s Radio 3.

I used to review or at least comment upon Evening Concerts regularly (you and I shared many good exchanges) but although I still listen to some of them, I stopped commenting due to.... lack of others' interest here.
They were always my main focus on Radio 3. It would be nice to return to such sharing, but....

[Ein Heldenleben]

I used to review or at least comment upon Evening Concerts regularly (you and I shared many good exchanges) but although I still listen to some of them, I stopped commenting due to.... lack of others' interest here.
They were always my main focus on Radio 3. It would be nice to return to such sharing, but....

That seems to be my role and Edashtav’s now. They are literally a treasure trove. Tonight LPO / Gardner doing Elgar 1 , Tippett Piano Concerto with the peerless Steven Osborne and a Samuel Coleridge Taylor premiere ..I’ll just have to watch Man U with the sound turned down I guess.

[oddoneout]

I used to review or at least comment upon Evening Concerts regularly (you and I shared many good exchanges) but although I still listen to some of them, I stopped commenting due to.... lack of others' interest here.
They were always my main focus on Radio 3. It would be nice to return to such sharing, but....

Wish I could help but I lack the knowledge to comment properly and also, increasingly, I haven't found what's on offer to my taste which, when it comes to symphonies in particular, has become less "inclusive" in recent years I fear. I never was overly keen on the"big stuff" (Rach, Sibelius, Nielsen and such like) in the first place but would listen more often than not, but now not even that. Tonight's Elgar would have been a listen not so long ago but now I just don't feel inclined to do so.
Do you think part of the decrease in commenting might be due to the increase of listening at different times? A flurry of reaction all at the same time as the concert finishes isn't quite the same as coming in over a period of time as and when folks catch up. Or have we lost the people who are willing and able to comment?

[HighlandDougie]

That'll be because it was (almost certainly) Phil Cobb... who at 21 was the player the LSO eventually found after some years of searching to occupy Maurice Murphy's former chair. They don't really come any better.

He moved to the BBCSO in ?2020. Incidentally so did the timpanist (Antoine Bedewi) also from the LSO around the same time. Appointments of that calibre certainly haven't harmed the BBCSO's quality.

It's a pity nobody much goes to their concerts other than during the Proms...

Possibly because of my travel pattern between France and Scotland (which has involved overnight stays in London, usually on a Friday), I go to BBC SO concerts in the Barbican reasonably often. I’m a big fan of the orchestra which I often feel doesn't get the praise due for some fine playing.