Joshua Bell and the ASMF

[Guest]

I've just heard the first half. Love those tricky horn parts in the Mozart symphony. A lot more difficult than they sound, believe me.

I've never favoured conductor/director/soloists. Too much to think about. Music demands absolute concentration IMV and I feel sure that Joshua Bell would have played that Max Bruch much better if it had been his only task for the day.

Maxim Vengerov just around the corner at the Wigmore Hall. The likes of Ida Haendel and Gil Shaham on disc.
Tonight's performance didn't come near, which is a pity because I have a great liking for Joshua Bell's playing, but compared with my favourite performer, Alfredo Campoli, this was little more than a play through, with the soloist's mind on the rest of the evening's tasks.

HS

PS I nearly forgot to mention Yehudi Menuhin with the Philharmonia conducted by Walter Susskind

[mercia]

well to my amateur ears the Bruch sounded marvellous, though I obviously don't have your expertise in these matters. I think the announcer said that Joshua Bell has said that he would ideally like to direct all his own concerto performances. Would an experienced group like ASMF need much conducting in a work like this? I thought the Beethoven was terrific too, highly rhythmic and "aggressive", for want of a better word.

[Hornspieler]

well to my amateur ears the Bruch sounded marvellous, though I obviously don't have your expertise in these matters. I think the announcer said that Joshua Bell has said that he would ideally like to direct all his own concerto performances. Would an experienced group like ASMF need much conducting in a work like this? I thought the Beethoven was terrific too, highly rhythmic and "aggressive", for want of a better word.

You make a very good point there, mercia. The ASMF, like any chamber orchestra does not really need a conductor to accompany a soloist - all that is required is a director during the rehearsal period; but I would still maintain that a soloist should not be distracted by the thought of what else he has to do after the interval.

Yes, I agree absolutely regarding the Beethoven symphony. Sparkling with excitement and vivacity and one must compliment Joshua Bell and the ASMF for achieving much more with this well known work than is often the case.

It was a good concert; made all the more attractive for me by the seemingly endless procession of song and chamber music recitals occupying this peak evening listening time over the past several days.

HS

[Flosshilde]

I would have thought that a really good soloist would be focussed on their performance, rather than distracted by what they were doing later, be it directing/conducting an orchestra or catching the next flight home.

I didn't hear the concerto, but agree with Mercia about the Beethoven - an exciting performance.

[mercia]

....... just thinking about this a little more, I suppose inevitably one would spend more time with one's back to the audience as a conductor/soloist, perhaps leading to loss of sound ...... ?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The ASMF, like any chamber orchestra does not really need a conductor to accompany a soloist - all that is required is a director during the rehearsal period;

Nathan Milstein used to say exactly the same thing, HS. He was often asked to conduct chamber orchestras (in the way Bell did; part soloist, part conductor) but always said that he would prefer to direct the rehearsals but then sit amongst the audience during the actual concert. As far as I know, his offer was never taken up: audiences wanted to watch him!

[Pegleg]

As a simple listener, I couldn't make mind up if Bell + ASMF was above average in this performance. It didn't quite seem to have the emotional impact for me. Perhaps I need educating.

But Nathan Milstein is another matter, what a fantastic artist.

[EdgeleyRob]

Well I'm no music critic, but this was an exciting concert to my ears (listening on i player).

[BBMmk2]

I will have to catch up on this on iplayer. (Yet another programme to catch up on!)

[MrGongGong]

Since seeing Joshua Bell play with Anoushka Shankar at Verbier a few years ago I was really struck by how painful everything he plays seems to be. It's like there is an agony in every note , whereas Anoushaka played Sitar with sublime ease and fluency. Not being someone who is enthusiastic about the whole tortured genius fiddle thing I find his playing far to painful to watch and listen to , at the Verbier gig I happened to be sitting next to the resident Alexander Technique teacher which led to an interesting conversation about whether he will be able to move without extreme pain in 20 years if he carried on with the same physical habits.