Hallé Orchestra and Mark Elder from the Bridgewater Hall

[Guest]

After the "Elder States_man" had finished his usual pre-performance oration, I settled down to enjoy one of my favourite Russian composers.

Oh dear! Some rather dodgy brass playing in the Prinz Igor overture. Never mind; a much neglected symphony to follow.

But I thought this a lacklustre performance. To me, the orchestra lacked incisiveness. They seemed to be picking their way carefully through the notes. Tired perhaps? Overworked? This was not the Hallé that I have come to know and respect all these years.

I decided to skip the second half but no doubt this thread will expand to include the whole concert and the reaction of others to what was, for me, a big disappointment.

HS

[mercia]

I very much enjoyed the interval feature on the Buckinghamshire youngsters tackling the 1812 Overture. Joy and enthusiasm all round.
I only heard the Borodin items, also very enjoyable, I can't speak with any authority as to the playing.

[Frau Alpensinfonie]

Unlike Eine A, I'm not a Tchaikovsky fan, but I loved the Borodin symphony.

[Hornspieler]

I decided to skip the second half but no doubt this thread will expand to include the whole concert and the reaction of others to what was, for me, a big disappointment.

HS

I didn't miss much! What a load of Garbage! No wonder this Fantasy is never played. I've just been hearing it on "Listen Again"

I'll change those last two words to "Never Again"

HS

[salymap]

I didn't hear the concert, but I've always loved the Borodin B minor symphony. I have it in a 'Borodin box' played by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic orchestra, conducted by Rozhdestvensky. This contains all three symphonies and other goodies.

[amateur51]

Would it not be a courtesy to other board members to say what pieces of music the orchestra was playing and you are criticising?

[Hornspieler]

Would it not be a courtesy to other board members to say what pieces of music the orchestra was playing and you are criticising?

If anyone was not interested enough to listen to the live concert, they only have need to consult the BBC Schedule for that evening.

Yes, by all means let us all show courtesy to our fellow message boarders and not try to score cheap points unneccesarily.

HS

[amateur51]

If anyone was not interested enough to listen to the live concert, they only have need to consult the BBC Schedule for that evening.

Yes, by all means let us all show courtesy to our fellow message boarders and not try to score cheap points unneccesarily.

HS

So much for courtesy then

[kuligin]

Well I hope matters are not as bad as Hornspieler makes out, as I am going to a repeat on Sunday, but then I am particularly looking forward to the Tchaikovsky Concert Fantasia, a piece I have enjoyed since discovering it on the " other side" of Peter Katins Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 1,its the most Lisztian work of Tchaikovsky I know, a plus point to my mind! A rare work and IMHO worth hearing from time to time.

Recent broadcasts from the Bridgewater Hall have not reflected the sound at least as heard in the side of the stalls where I sit, a plethora of microphones in Mahler Das Lied von der Erde including two of them about three inches from the singers and the harp respectively, but that does not explain the poor playing Hornspieler refers to, but in the Mahler I thought the horns were on top form that night so may be all will be well on Sunday, certainly the orchestra have a tremendous work load, but despite that I find standards are almost inevitably very high

[3rd Viennese School]

This is probably an utter silly question from me. I've always wondered this.

1812 is very popular but doesnt seem to get played that often. Especially on Performance on 3. I'm assuming they don't wheel a cannon on and they play the drums instead?

P.S. 1812 was my first ever Classical Record that I bought. Now one is exploring Stockhausen.

Shows how far one has come in the years. Even my music's different! (slightly)

3VS

[BBMmk2]

Too popular for R3?

[Ariosto]

Come on HS, give 'em what they are asking for!!

But (even though I did not listen to the concert) I would have expected that sort of result. Yes, the orcheastra probably is overworked, but much as I love conductors, personally speaking, that one never fails to dissapoint me. Maybe I went to the wrong sort of conducting school on the No 6 bus, but I fail to hear any music making and playing excellence when he gets on the box.

But I'm sure you will all tell me that its me and not 'im.

So I would imagine that Hornspieler was probably right about the concert - at least the playing - but as I wasn't there or on the other end of a loudspeaker, I should maybe belt up!!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I like the Tchaikovsky Concert Fantasia - especially the second part with its simultaneous 2-speed section. When Stephen Hough did his Tchaikovsky Proms cycle, this work came in for a hammering on the BBC boards, but there were some of us who faced the groundswell of opinion.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But I'm sure you will all tell me that its me and not 'im.

Its you and not him.

[Pianorak]

. . . What a load of Garbage! No wonder this Fantasy is never played. . .

I wish I could disagree. Must admit it was my first encounter with it.