CBSO Centenary

[jonfan]

Thanks for that guide. SSR was on BBC News last night promoting the concert and reminding us how appalling the Birmingham Council has treated the orchestra.

[Barbirollians]

Thanks for that guide. SSR was on BBC News last night promoting the concert and reminding us how appalling the Birmingham Council has treated the orchestra.

I am sure they have but so has the Govt treated Birmingham Council - massively starved of funds. Looking forward to the concert.

[jonfan]

I am sure they have but so has the Govt treated Birmingham Council - massively starved of funds. Looking forward to the concert.

Of course you are right; the buck stops with HMGov.

[LMcD]

Of course you are right; the buck stops with HMGov.

I'd rather gained the impression of late that the buck no longer has a final destination, but is continuously passed and re-passed from one person or organization to another, its direction of travel occasionally changing from clockwise to anticlockwise and then back again.

[LMcD]

While not every item on the programme was to my particular taste, I thought this was a fitting tribute to the orchestra's 100 years of music-making. The choice of the 1919 'Firebird' suite made for a suitably spectacular conclusion. The footage of the Malverns made the customary Elgarian lump in my throat a little larger. Announcer/host Adrian Lester hit just the right note (yes, I know ..... ).

[Stephen Maddock]

The concert is now available on Facebook and here:

https://youtu.be/emZua--3eIs

It remains free until 30 September.

[bluestateprommer]

While not every item on the programme was to my particular taste, I thought this was a fitting tribute to the orchestra's 100 years of music-making. The choice of the 1919 'Firebird' suite made for a suitably spectacular conclusion. The footage of the Malverns made the customary Elgarian lump in my throat a little larger. Announcer/host Adrian Lester hit just the right note (yes, I know ..... ).

Agreed that this was a very good production, well assembled to salute the CBSO and remind folks of its place in the community (not to mention to start the long-term fundraising campaign) In terms of sonic and musical grounds, clearly the converted warehouse space does not flatter the orchestra at all acoustically, but one takes what one can get. A nice touch to see video tributes from Sakari Oramo and Andris Nelsons, as well as MG-T (perhaps she's had her baby by now, and hopefully all there are safe and well).

[Bryn]

I thought that regular visitors here might be interested to see the first of the two seasons planned to celebrate the Centenary of the CBSO, just announced today:

https://cbso.co.uk/whats-on/season/1920

We have tried to do justice to the history of the Orchestra, and of music in Birmingham, while also asking some questions about the future of classical music, of audiences and of orchestras over the next 100 years.

Stephen Maddock
Chief Executive, CBSO

Many thanks for that. While not wanting to appear to be looking a gift-horse in the mouth, I do feel a little sorry that a somewhat greater proportion of the data rate devoted to the video quality could not have been sacrificed to benefit the audio, as with the Swedish Radio production of Don Giovanni which devoted 256kbps to the audio, as against the relatively meagre 128kbps offered by the CBSO Centenary YouTube offering. Surely it's the sound of the orcheatra which should be the focus?

[oddoneout]

I'd rather gained the impression of late that the buck no longer has a final destination, but is continuously passed and re-passed from one person or organization to another, its direction of travel occasionally changing from clockwise to anticlockwise and then back again.

This is a long article which I've only just skimmed the beginning of, but includes useful points about funding

https://seenandheard-international.com/2020/07/well-be-back-the-city-of-birmingham-symphony-orchestra-weathering-the-covid-19-storm/

Some time ago I read that the CBSO has put in a lot of(successful) work to make itself less dependent on public funding, but was effectively slapped in the face for its efforts(by a beleaguered Council?) by having unrealistic demands made of income generation and no recognition of what had been achieved and was already in place.
The reference to EU funding helps to explain some of the differences between what is happening 'over there' and the UK(I now have some idea how a family member has been able to do a 14 concert/10 day internal tour ...), but is a stark reminder that the virus isn't the only threat to our cultural life.

Is it worth merging this with the other CBSO thread?

[LMcD]

This is a long article which I've only just skimmed the beginning of, but includes useful points about funding

https://seenandheard-international.com/2020/07/well-be-back-the-city-of-birmingham-symphony-orchestra-weathering-the-covid-19-storm/

Some time ago I read that the CBSO has put in a lot of(successful) work to make itself less dependent on public funding, but was effectively slapped in the face for its efforts(by a beleaguered Council?) by having unrealistic demands made of income generation and no recognition of what had been achieved and was already in place.
The reference to EU funding helps to explain some of the differences between what is happening 'over there' and the UK(I now have some idea how a family member has been able to do a 14 concert/10 day internal tour ...), but is a stark reminder that the virus isn't the only threat to our cultural life.

Is it worth merging this with the other CBSO thread?

I didn't realize there was one, but yes, it would seem to make sense.

[LMcD]

bluestateprommer has suggested that this thread could be merged with the more recent one dedicated specifically to the centenary concert - seems to make sense!

[oddoneout]

bluestateprommer has suggested that this thread could be merged with the more recent one dedicated specifically to the centenary concert - seems to make sense!

It was me suggested it, and I notice that there is a 3rd as well from 5 September, posted by Steven Maddocks

[LMcD]

It was me suggested it, and I notice that there is a 3rd as well from 5 September, posted by Steven Maddocks

I've just contacted EA by PM, pointing this out. Sorry I misattributed your suggestion - but my mistake is possibly one good reason for combining the 3!

[french frank]

All threads merged.

[french frank]

The concert is now available on Facebook and here:

https://youtu.be/emZua--3eIs

It remains free until 30 September.

Bumping this one.