Vladimir Jurowski conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra (broadcast 2.10.17)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Grandeur out of darkness: Vladimir Jurowski conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Mozart and Bruckner.

7:30 PM, ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20, K466
Bruckner Symphony No. 5 (1878 version)

Richard Goode, piano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Vladimir Jurowski, conductor

'They want me to write differently. Certainly I could, but I must not', said Anton Bruckner. 'How then would I stand there before Almighty God, if I followed the others and not Him?' Bruckner's majestic Fifth Symphony will make a magnificent complement to the controlled darkness of Mozart's great D minor Piano Concerto, performed by Richard Goode.

[BBMmk2]

It's just as well he differently. His legacy would have been so different. ##looking forward to this, well the second half!

[Darkbloom]

Penny Gore just said that Bruckner 5 is sometimes known as 'The Tragic'. Really? I've never heard it called that before. I can't think of a less apt description.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Penny Gore just said that Bruckner 5 is sometimes known as 'The Tragic'. Really? I've never heard it called that before. I can't think of a less apt description.

I agree - the first time I encountered the nickname was with the Rozhdestvensky recordings. The other nicknames given there (besides the more familiar "Wagner" and "Romantic" for Nos 3 & 4) were #6, "The Philosophical", #7, "The Lyric", and #8, "The Apocolyptic". Glibly puerile.

[Petrushka]

Penny Gore just said that Bruckner 5 is sometimes known as 'The Tragic'. Really? I've never heard it called that before. I can't think of a less apt description.

I've never heard it called that before either. Ridiculous!

[Petrushka]

I've never heard it called that before either. Ridiculous!

Lovely performance of the Mozart, though.

[P. G. Tipps]

I'd have thought The Triumphant is a more apt title considering the magnificent conclusion. The composer himself is said to have referred to it as his 'Fantastic' symphony and I've seen/heard it termed the somewhat curious 'Church of Faith' ... I assume that is a direct translation from the German as that doesn't make much sense in English?

I was present at the concert. The slow movement enjoyed a nice slick pace, though I nearly nodded off during the Scherzo but then again I've never been a huge fan of a typical Bruckner scherzo anyway.

However the Finale was something else. This had me spellbound from start to finish, the coda being arguably the most impressive I've yet encountered in live concert and, believe me, I've attended quite a few in past decades ... it was almost overwhelming. The standing ovation at the end for Jurowski and the orchestra was richly deserved.

I wonder if it'll sound quite as impressive on the radio tonight ...

[Bumfluff]

Listening now, and the Bruckner sounds like it has been re-orchestrated by Berio or something? is the 1878 version meant to be this discordant? if so, I like it!

[Ein Heldenleben]

I'd have thought The Triumphant is a more apt title considering the magnificent conclusion. The composer himself is said to have referred to it as his 'Fantastic' symphony and I've seen/heard it termed the somewhat curious 'Church of Faith' ... I assume that is a direct translation from the German as that doesn't make much sense in English?

I was present at the concert. The slow movement enjoyed a nice slick pace, though I nearly nodded off during the Scherzo but then again I've never been a huge fan of a typical Bruckner scherzo anyway.

However the Finale was something else. This had me spellbound from start to finish, the coda being arguably the most impressive I've yet encountered in live concert and, believe me, I've attended quite a few in past decades ... it was almost overwhelming. The standing ovation at the end for Jurowski and the orchestra was richly deserved.

I wonder if it'll sound quite as impressive on the radio tonight ...

I think it sounded magnificent tonight . In fact I am going to re listen tomorrow without the distraction of this harrowing thriller on BBC One. Richard Goode was also superb in the Mozart D Minor - I love his robust way with the keyboard . Mozart PC / Bruckner is a bit of a cliche but the Mozart sounded almost as dramatic as the Bruckner.

[Darkbloom]

The finale was certainly something. The woodwinds sounded more prominent than I have heard them before - not sure if that was down to Jurowski's balancing or this particular version. I didn't think the rest was quite up there but it was VJ's first outing with it so that's not surprising, and the RFH can be a rather dry venue to hear that first movement.

I wasn't fully concentrating on the Mozart, but the first movement sounded a bit bumpy, and at one point I think he missed an entry. I'll have to go back and check.

[gedsmk]

The Mozart brought back happy memories of "Amadeus" film.
Loved the Bruckner. Were the French horns as recessed in the final pages in the hall as they sounded over the radio? I rather think not. Jurowski built that grand edifice brilliantly. The LPO double bass section grounded the entire work extremely well, I thought.

[BBMmk2]

I am glad that in haven't missed anything, here. The title tragic, I wouldn't think of it as!

[P. G. Tipps]

The Mozart brought back happy memories of "Amadeus" film.
Loved the Bruckner. Were the French horns as recessed in the final pages in the hall as they sounded over the radio? I rather think not. Jurowski built that grand edifice brilliantly. The LPO double bass section grounded the entire work extremely well, I thought.

Yes the horns were suppressed a bit near the end but certainly not those excited-sounding 'shrieking' flutes? This was raw, uncompromising Bruckner, and that always works for me. There is a tendency in some performances to smooth certain passages out but not here. Trust a Russian conductor to deliver!

I thought the whole orchestra was superb, and you are absolutely right about the double-bass section. One of the least convincing accounts I've ever heard of this magnificent work was by the Berlin Phil under Claudio Abbado at the Proms many years ago.

As this was Jurowski's first attempt in public it just goes to show that 'reputation' is not everything ...

[gedsmk]

I thought the whole orchestra was superb, and you are absolutely right about the double-bass section. One of the least convincing accounts I've ever heard of this magnificent work was by the Berlin Phil under Claudio Abbado at the Proms many years ago.

As this was Jurowski's first attempt in public it just goes to show that 'reputation' is not everything ...

Six years ago Abbado used ten DBs in the Lucerne Orchestra's performance of the Bruckner at the RFH. I was there and still cherish the memory.

[BBMmk2]

Six years ago Abbado used ten DBs in the Lucerne Orchestra's performance of the Bruckner at the RFH. I was there and still cherish the memory.

I bet the3 sound was tremendous, especially from the DB's!