Wed 7 March; Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Karabits from Poole

[Guest]

A reminder for you HS! I should enjoy this & a chance for orchestra members to shine:

Stravinsky: Octet
Strauss: Wind Serenade
Stravinsky: Concerto for Piano & Winds
Beethoven: Fifth Symphony

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01cvq1y

(This is Karabits' 3rd broadcast since 24 Feb - the first was with BBCSO)

[Hornspieler]

A reminder for you HS! I should enjoy this & a chance for orchestra members to shine:

Stravinsky: Octet
Strauss: Wind Serenade
Stravinsky: Concerto for Piano & Winds
Beethoven: Fifth Symphony

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01cvq1y

(This is Karabits' 3rd broadcast since 24 Feb - the first was with BBCSO)

Thanks for that reminder Osborn.

Yes, I'm really looking forward to hearing this one - especially the Strauss Wind Serenade.
Listen out for some extremely high horn parts in the Stravinsky.

I might give the Beethoven a miss. It is my second-most unfavourite of the nine. I'm sure I don't need to specify the first-most

HS

[cloughie]

Thanks for that reminder Osborn.

Yes, I'm really looking forward to hearing this one - especially the Strauss Wind Serenade.
Listen out for some extremely high horn parts in the Stravinsky.

I might give the Beethoven a miss. It is my second-most unfavourite of the nine. I'm sure I don't need to specify the first-most

HS

Does it have voices?

[french frank]

Since we're still looking ahead at the moment, rather than discussing the performance - I've been having a long discussion about the live concerts with someone. He said, contrary to what others have said, that he prefers a made-up programme rather than a complete concert because the concerts/recitals tend to have overplayed works to pull in the paying audiences. Which is a point of view. Actually, though, as HS points out, on radio you can choose to skip a piece you're less keen on.

But apart from the Beethoven 5 this one is quite interesting. Frank Braley the pianist, who isn't heard that often in the UK, I think? He plays quite often with the Capuçon brothers as a trio - or did at one time.

[LeMartinPecheur]

He said...that he prefers a made-up programme rather than a complete concert because the concerts/recitals tend to have overplayed works to pull in the paying audiences. Which is a point of view.

ff, no it's not a point of view, it's clearly rank heresy!

We demand that this friendship ceases forthwith

[Petrushka]

Sorry, FF, completely disagree with your 'someone'. A concert isn't necessarily a collection of loose pieces but frequently, and imaginatively, can best be experienced as a whole. Works often relate to each other and an imaginative prigramme can reflect this. Assume that the LvB 5 is considered an 'overplayed work' but when did you actually last encounter it in the concert hall? In 40 years of concert-going I've only ever been to one performance back in 1976!

As readers of the 'What are you listening to now?' thread will know I do my own 'made up' programmes. If R3 went down this route I doubt if I would ever listen again.

[french frank]

Calm down, dears - I agree with you. But to the extent that it was his point of view, it is 'a point of view'. He disagrees with me about most others things concerning R3 too (so he tells me)!

But, ces moutons: the problem with a work like Beethoven 5 is that once it has passed into one's own personal category of 'hackneyed, over familiar', it tends to stay there even though one hasn't heard it for several years. But I like the look of the first half anyway.

ff, no it's not a point of view, it's clearly rank heresy!

We demand that this friendship ceases forthwith

See first paragraph: our discussions are mainly disagreements .

[cloughie]

Calm down, dears - I agree with you. But to the extent that it was his point of view, it is 'a point of view'. He disagrees with me about most others things concerning R3 too (so he tells me)!

But, ces moutons: the problem with a work like Beethoven 5 is that once it has passed into one's own personal category of 'hackneyed, over familiar', it tends to stay there even though one hasn't heard it for several years. But I like the look of the first half anyway.

See first paragraph: our discussions are mainly disagreements .

I love a good performance of Beethoven 5 played in full, what I dislike, and this is where it becomes hackneyed is when the 1st movement is played on Breakfast or CFM!

[Chris Newman]

Funny, now you mention it, Petrushka. I have been to hundreds of Proms and goodness knows how many concerts and the only LvB 5 I have heard live was with Colin Davis and the BBCSO at a Prom on Friday 23rd of August 1968. It was a long programme and in those days young Colin could get angry when things did not go well. He had given a georgeous account of Nuits d'Ete with Anna Reynolds, Bartok's 2nd Piano Concerto with Stephen Bishop and the premiere of Nomos by Harry Birtwistle. LvB did not get much rehearsal and Colin lost a baton amongst the horns and then broke two others on the table. The last two movements were given sans baton.

The BBCSO had hard work in those days. On the Monday Colin had an all-Walton concert including Johannesburg Overture, Facade Suite, Violin Concerto with Ida Haendel and Belshazzar. There were two days of the USSRSSO and all the politics that went with their visit (1968) then on Saturday Colin and his band had a concert of Stravinsky, Kurt Weill Der sieben Todsünden , Bach (Double Violin Concerto ), Britten (Lots of songs), Mendelssohn and the New World Symphony. That was when I learnt that Colin Davis was a dab hand with Czech music.

[salymap]

Anyway, hackneyed or not, an attractive concert in half an hour or so. Bournemouth SO/Karabits and Stravinsky, Strauss and da da da dum {Beethoven 5th. From the Lighthouse, Poole

[kernelbogey]

[...]concerts/recitals tend to have overplayed works to pull in the paying audiences.[...]

Interestingly, after reading the OP yesterday, as I'm only an hour or so from Poole, I checked to see if there were seats available - there were loads. I'd forgotten that I have an appointment tonight, so I can't go. But last time I checked a BSO concernt, cond. Karabits, on the night before, it was a sell out (can't now remember that programme).

I infer that the good burgers of Bournemouth and Poole still consider Stravinsky and R. Strauss a bit daringly modern.

[Bryn]

Interestingly, after reading the OP yesterday, as I'm only an hour or so from Poole, I checked to see if there were seats available - there were loads. I'd forgotten that I have an appointment tonight, so I can't go. But last time I checked a BSO concernt, cond. Karabits, on the night before, it was a sell out (can't now remember that programme).

I infer that the good burgers of Bournemouth and Poole still consider Stravinsky and R. Strauss a bit daringly modern.

Or perhaps they think "Oh no, not another outing for Beethoven's Fifth!"

[Auferstehen2]

I might give the Beethoven a miss. It is my second-most unfavourite of the nine. I'm sure I don't need to specify the first-most

HS

Mario

[Bryn]

Thus far the orchestra sounds like it's merely 'going through the motions' to me. The pianist sounds rather more committed though, and the trumpets have picked up a bit of enthusiasm now, as well. Not much of an advert for the Bournemouth players in general, however, (to my ears at least).

[Auferstehen2]

Why aren't I surprised Bryn? See why I started The Mad Drummer thread under Platform 3? Oh well, let's do another Beethoven 5, that'll rope them in. The musicians must hate that work even more than some seasoned contributors here (all are innocent, since familiarity does breed contempt), and the poor chap who wrote this astonishing music all those years ago gets the blame for it.

I'm tired of hearing this work, and maybe, just maybe, Fürtwangler, or Toscanini, or de Sabata, or Cantelli, or Kleiber may re-awaken some semblance of desire for it, but otherwise, no.

No matter that I've not heard the work live now for maybe 20 years, my sense of justice makes me leap to Beethoven's defence.

Best wishes,

Mario