Mahler 10 /Tippett LSO / Rattle Radio 3 in Concert 23.04.18

[Ein Heldenleben]

There was some outstanding orchestral playing in this delayed relay last night . Well worth a listen on iplayer even for those who find Rattle's Mahler a tad over-honed . I hadn't heard the Tippett before and amongst the endless commentary on the quantity of percussion failed to pick up on the composer and thought it was a new commission . I then spent the performance thinking this is really rather good and how brave to write in this old fashioned style . Hmmm...
As forumites have said after other major orchestral concerts if this had been a prom there would now be plenty of comments . In some ways it was "better " than a prom - not least the silence at the end - held for six or seven seconds or so. But oh for the Prom days of lossless relays....

[DracoM]

Well, yes, fine playing until the very last upward fiddle swoop, which was ....erm.......well.........erm....

[Ein Heldenleben]

...not together and a bit sub Mantovanni .

But they did so well up to then ..those pianissimos ....even in compressed FM.

[BBMmk2]

I've been looking forwarfd to this concert for a while now. I'll be catching up via YouTube

[Richard Barrett]

how brave to write in this old fashioned style

You mean like 90% of all living composers?

Something Tippett and Mahler have in common which makes this an interesting programme is that both of them, as their music evolved, didn't just move on to new territory but expanded their territory to be more and more inclusive (Messiaen is another) so that in each of these pieces there are elements which were new to the composer's works but also others that had been there for decades.

"Over-honed" - yes, I think this is a problem, it can be risky and exciting but ultimately Rattle's approach can draw attention to details at the expense of the whole. On the other hand sometimes that's just what I want. I try, not always successfully, to imagine finding something enlightening and valuable in every possible way of interpreting Mahler (every one that involves playing the right notes in the right order, that is!).

[DracoM]

...not together and a bit sub Mantovanni .

But they did so well up to then ..those pianissimos ....even in compressed FM.

Indeed.

[BBMmk2]

I really enjoyed this concert. Everything that was played was very well executed. Dynamics and interpretation was very well done. To see the granddaughter of Gustav Mahler in the interval(Marina?), was very touching I thought. also it was very good to hear what Sir Simon said about the 10th as well.