Liverpool Philharmonic play Sibelius, Arutyunyan and Mahler 1st symphony

[Hornspieler]

Rather liked the Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto, will look out for a recording. Not a challenging listen but a very enjoyable one.

I've had to have the volume level very high in order to bring the sound into focus but fine when done. Had to turn down very sharply once SJ came on with the interval talk.

On to the Mahler 1...

I was a little surprised that Petrenko did not make more of the Karelia Suite. It seemed little more than a tidy reproduction of the score to me.

Yes the trumpet concerto was fun and displayed a dazzling technique after a slightly strained opening.

Some very approximate horn playing in the Mahler throughout. Where did they get their extras from, I wonder?

BTW You may be interested to know why the scoring is for seven horns.

Apparently the original scoring was for six, but when the composer arrived before the first rehearsal, he said to the manager "I hope you remembered to engage six horns" to which the reply was "Oh yes. Actually we've engaged seven".

Mahler departed and returned later with a number of pages. "I've written a part for the seventh horn" he said.

I bet the 1st horn was not too pleased to lose his 'bumper up'

That part covers the entire 3½ octave range from pedal B flat to high F (top C for the horn). doubling up whatever parts Mahler deemed neccesary.

I know - because I had to play that very part under the great Bruno Walter with the BBC symphony orchestra in 1955. What a baptism of fire!

HS

[Petrushka]

I had to play that very part under the great Bruno Walter with the BBC symphony orchestra in 1955. What a baptism of fire

I know you've mentioned this before, HS, and I am once again in awe. Was Bruno Walter happy with your rendition? Any other memories of him?

(Another thread perhaps...)

[jayne lee wilson]

Lovely anecdote about "The 7th Horn" HS... which isn't a bad title for a film or short story...

Pleased with the balance on HD tonight, smooth, even velvety at lower levels but brighter and better defined as the wide dynamics increased. Quite a good reflection of being in the hall, if a little "safer" than the live experience. Petrenko likes to rake your ears with Mahler climaxes.

Lovely string playing throughout the Mahler 1 (perhaps the best thing about it), and if I was more impressed by at least some of the brass solos, doubtless that is due to my critical appraisal being less demanding than those who have played the piece themselves!
Tuttis were very powerful but still controlled and open; I did wonder whether the winds could have been wilder, less anonymous, more suggestive of the birds they often evoke - more "wie ein naturlaut".
I found no extremity or eccentricity of tempi or phrase in this performance, just a very good, direct delivery of the score which could have benefited from a more Viennese or even Slavonic accent. A bit more charm or schmaltz in the trio or the Huntsman's funeral, a more vivid approach to the tone-painting of the narrative. I was reminded a little of Christoph von Dohnanyi's Cleveland Mahler recordings, which could be similarly characterised as "symphonic" rather than "evocative".

On past experience of several Mahler 1sts (Schwarz, Blomstedt, Petrenko) in the hall itself, given a good seat it may well have been more physically exciting to be there, but perhaps tonight, no more involving.

I would largely agree with HS about Karelia, except to say that the orchestra sounded lovely in it, especially the strings, and I thought Petrenko was attempting a darker, more serious reflection in the 2nd movement than is usually heard. But I was proud of our band!

As for the Arutyunyan... it sounded barely more than a bit of froth to me. Tine Thing Helseth settled to a fine display after that nervous start, but like so many Trumpet Concertos espoused by star performers, it seemed merely a vehicle. Is it really too much to ask that they put their astounding skills at the service of Maxwell Davies (2 good ones) or Birtwistle's Endless Parade...? Turnage's Wreckage, Gruber's Aerial...etc..?

Bored, I found myself wondering what Tine - a sharp dresser - was wearing tonight, and was a little disappointed when the presenter failed to describe it...

[Stanfordian]

I was a little surprised that Petrenko did not make more of the Karelia Suite. It seemed little more than a tidy reproduction of the score to me.

Yes the trumpet concerto was fun and displayed a dazzling technique after a slightly strained opening.

Some very approximate horn playing in the Mahler throughout. Where did they get their extras from, I wonder?

BTW You may be interested to know why the scoring is for seven horns.

Apparently the original scoring was for six, but when the composer arrived before the first rehearsal, he said to the manager "I hope you remembered to engage six horns" to which the reply was "Oh yes. Actually we've engaged seven".

Mahler departed and returned later with a number of pages. "I've written a part for the seventh horn" he said.

I bet the 1st horn was not too pleased to lose his 'bumper up'

That part covers the entire 3½ octave range from pedal B flat to high F (top C for the horn). doubling up whatever parts Mahler deemed neccesary.

I know - because I had to play that very part under the great Bruno Walter with the BBC symphony orchestra in 1955. What a baptism of fire!

HS

Hiya Hornspieler,

Thanks for that most interesting review of the Liverpool concert. You did however lose me with the comments: "Some very approximate horn playing in the Mahler throughout" and also "Where did they get their extras from, I wonder?"

[Tony Halstead]

In this context an 'extra' is a horn player or indeed any instrumentalist who is not a regular member of an orchestra, so, engaged only for a specific work. Since a 'normal' complement of horns in a symphony orchestra is 5, there were probably three 'extra' horns in the perfomance, playing the 6th, 7th and 'bumper' ( assistant principal) parts.
I didn't hear the performance, so can't comment on the allegedly 'approximate throughout' horn playing.

[Hornspieler]

I know you've mentioned this before, HS, and I am once again in awe. Was Bruno Walter happy with your rendition? Any other memories of him?

(Another thread perhaps...)

I would say that the orchestra were very happy with Bruno Walter - a conductor who had an almost mental command of the the players. Nothing special about his stick technique, little to say during rehearsal, you just found yourself playing better than you thought you were capable of. (Bad grammar, but I can't put it better)

By far the greatest conductor that I ever played for. Closely followed by Jascha Horenstein, who certainly was never short of harsh words but achieved great results.

Back to the subject, I think.

If anyone is interested in starting a thread of anecdotal stories about conductors, I might have more to contribute - and I'm sure that many other former professionals will have their own stories to amuse us during this current pre-Christmas musical drought.

HS

[amateur51]

I would say that the orchestra were very happy with Bruno Walter - a conductor who had an almost mental command of the the players. Nothing special about his stick technique, little to say during rehearsal, you just found yourself playing better than you thought you were capable of. (Bad grammar, but I can't put it better)

By far the greatest conductor that I ever played for. Closely followed by Jascha Horenstein, who certainly was never short of harsh words but achieved great results.

Back to the subject, I think.

If anyone is interested in starting a thread of anecdotal stories about conductors, I might have more to contribute - and I'm sure that many other former professionals will have their own stories to amuse us during this current pre-Christmas musical drought.

HS

More stories please, HS, straight from your embouchure as it were

[salymap]

How can you refuse HS ??

[jayne lee wilson]

I would say that the orchestra were very happy with Bruno Walter - a conductor who had an almost mental command of the the players. Nothing special about his stick technique, little to say during rehearsal, you just found yourself playing better than you thought you were capable of. (Bad grammar, but I can't put it better)

By far the greatest conductor that I ever played for. Closely followed by Jascha Horenstein, who certainly was never short of harsh words but achieved great results.

Back to the subject, I think.

If anyone is interested in starting a thread of anecdotal stories about conductors, I might have more to contribute - and I'm sure that many other former professionals will have their own stories to amuse us during this current pre-Christmas musical drought.

HS

Musical Drought?! Have you seen next week's R3 schedule? An embarras de choix et de richesses! (And re. my earlier comments, no vehicle concertos).

[cloughie]

No doubt someone will tell me that it's perfectly balanced and structured and I know nothing - probably all true - but although I love Mahler 1 I do think the finale rambles a bit and it sounds like he's going to finish and then he goes on and finallly when he does end it it is very sudden, as though he'd decided he'd had enough.