Bruggen conducts the OAE

[pilamenon]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016pcrn

Not his own orchestra, but what a treat to have the HIPPster par excellence!

[Bryn]

My copy of the CD with him directing 'his' orchestra in Schubert's 9th and Overtures by Schubert and Beethoven arrived in the post today.

[Bryn]

Don't forget the early start, (7 pm).

[Tony Halstead]

marvellous 'natural' (valveless) horn playing from Roger Montgomery.

I didn't like Brüggen's 'way' ( -ward) / style re his approach to Tempo in the Haydn symphony, though.

[Bryn]

I find myself concurring with Weber in his assessment of his early 2nd Symphony. Ah, good old Schubert 5, permanently associated for me with Cage's Variation IV as performed and recorded at the Feigen/Palmer Gallery in Los Angeles, August 1965.

[Ventilhorn]

Ah, good old Schubert 5, permanently associated for me with Cage's Variation IV as performed and recorded at the Feigen/Palmer Gallery in Los Angeles, August 1965.

Yes. I'm sure that Schubert would have been over the moon with delight and pride!

VH

[salymap]

Yes. I'm sure that Schubert would have been over the moon with delight and pride!

VH

To me the Schubert 5th symphony is always associated with Beecham's magical performances of it and I think Schubert could well have been pleased with them.

The natural horn Weber work didn't mix well with my tinnitus so I won't comment, apart from 'interesting'.

[Nick Armstrong]

I enjoyed some of this concert. But the performance on the natural horn... well, would Waldhorn or Venty like to comment. I found that the soloist succeeded brilliantly... in demonstrating how hard it is to play the piece on that instrument. If musical appreciation is supposed to equal appreciation of how tough the original instrumentalists found such pieces to start with on the kit they had available, then it was a triumph. Personally, though, I'm happy to accept that intellectually and would prefer to hear the music heard on later machines where the music, not the difficulty, is to the fore...

[salymap]

I enjoyed some of this concert. But the performance on the natural horn... well, would Waldhorn or Venty like to comment. I found that the soloist succeeded brilliantly... in demonstrating how hard it is to play the piece on that instrument. If musical appreciation is supposed to equal appreciation of how tough the original instrumentalists found such pieces to start with on the kit they had available, then it was a triumph. Personally, though, I'm happy to accept that intellectually and would prefer to hear the music heard on later machines where the music, not the difficulty, is to the fore...

Caliban, I didn't like to be so forthright but I agree wholeheartedly.

[Ventilhorn]

I enjoyed some of this concert. But the performance on the natural horn... well, would Waldhorn or Venty like to comment. I found that the soloist succeeded brilliantly... in demonstrating how hard it is to play the piece on that instrument. If musical appreciation is supposed to equal appreciation of how tough the original instrumentalists found such pieces to start with on the kit they had available, then it was a triumph. Personally, though, I'm happy to accept that intellectually and would prefer to hear the music heard on later machines where the music, not the difficulty, is to the fore...

Well Caliban, I never attempted to play that piece on my valve horn - I simply did not have that sort of technique and remember, this was a live performance!

No retakes allowed and I thought the soloist did a wonderful job and a few split notes and missed notes must be accepted - simply as an illustration of how privileged today's horn players are, to have the assistance of their instruments in tackling this extreme writing.

I have a recording of this work played on the hand horn by Anthony Halstead, who is another specialist in hand horn playing.

With the Hanover Band as I recall and one of the players told me that Mr Halstead only did one short retake at the very end, to hit that last high note (out of the instrument's normal range) cleanly.

Perhaps our own Waldhorn has a view?

I have to agree about the Weber Symphony. Not worthy of inclusion in what was otherwise a superb concert.

VH

[Nick Armstrong]

Well Caliban, I never attempted to play that piece on my valve horn - I simply did not have that sort of technique and remember, this was a live performance!

No retakes allowed and I thought the soloist did a wonderful job and a few split notes and missed notes must be accepted - simply as an illustration of how privileged today's horn players are, to have the assistance of their instruments in tackling this extreme writing.

I have a recording of this work played on the hand horn by Anthony Halstead, who is another specialist in hand horn playing.

With the Hanover Band as I recall and one of the players told me that Mr Halstead only did one short retake at the very end, to hit that last high note (out of the instrument's normal range) cleanly.

Perhaps our own Waldhorn has a view?

Yes, points taken Ventihorn. It was still quite tough to listen to.

[Chris Newman]

I thought it was great fun. I felt the sense of danger Roger Montgomery knowingly put himself in to prove it could be done was akin to crossing Niagara on a tight-rope. Hats off to him!!

[vinteuil]

I thought it was great fun. I felt the sense of danger Roger Montgomery knowingly put himself in to prove it could be done was akin to crossing Niagara on a tight-rope. Hats off to him!!

... yes, I agree: this was thrilling - the excitement and the feeling of vertigo comes from that sense of danger. You need to 'feel' that it's difficult - like solo Bach violin works, or piano pieces 'for the left hand alone', which sound different if played - 'more easily' - using both hands.

This was in any case surely a showpiece rather than a deeply worked-out musical masterwork...

[Nick Armstrong]

... yes, I agree: this was thrilling - the excitement and the feeling of vertigo comes from that sense of danger. You need to 'feel' that it's difficult - like solo Bach violin works, or piano pieces 'for the left hand alone', which sound different if played - 'more easily' - using both hands.

This was in any case surely a showpiece rather than a deeply worked-out musical masterwork...

Good points too. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for a high wire act.

Where is Waldhorn when you need him??

[Ventilhorn]

Good points too. Where is Waldhorn when you need him??

Probably got his hand stuck up the bell of his horn again! Tell him that HIPP means "Hand in perfect position."

VH