The Great C major Tonight 15th February.

[Roehre]

Good old Bernard: hoping to see him on Thursday evening

Saw him in Zürich a month ago (Tonhalle: Brahms PC 1, Beethoven 7)

[Hornspieler]

Thanks HS.
Very effective indeed. I recall Haitink doing something similar, trying it out during a rehearsal and then doing so during the actual performances. Haitink is quite often seen balancing an orchestral sound by reducing or doubling lines. I recall Schubert 9, Mahler 1 (the double bass solo in the 3rd mvt), string passages in Mahler 6 8vo, doubling the horn in Strauss' Moon light music from Capriccio e.g.

Do you recall something similar happening elsewhere too, HS?

When I was at the Royal Academy of Music, we always played from the Henry Wood Library, of which the RAM is custodian. On many of the copies from which we played (Coriolan and Beethoven's 5th come to mind) there were additions to the horn parts, doubling the bassoons.

Silvestri also made alterations where he felt neccesary (or justified) and a good example is the opening bars of Tchaikovsky's "Manfred" symphony where he wrote a special part for the 4th horn, doubling up the bassoons and lower strings (repeating that also in the finale)

We tried that out first in Rochester (or was is Gillingham or was it Chatham?) and then we took it across the water to the Concertgebouw where it was well received by an enthusiastic audience.

That leads me to another Silvestri anecdote where, this time, he came off second best:

We were rehearsing a work by Tchaikovsky for the first time. It might have been the "Polish" symphony or one of the lesser known overtures.

In three of the printed horn parts at one place there was a crescendo and diminuendo over a four bar period. but nothing marked in mine.
I decided to investigate:

"Mr Silvestri. Do you want me to play crescendo and diminuendo in bars x to y?

Silvestri shook his head. "No."
"Oh," I thought The copy is right.

But the Maestro had not finished - "Tchaikovsky wants it."

Titters from the orchestra. Silvestri 1 Hornspieler 0 - but my chance came a few days later.

Beethoven's Leonora Nº 3. The big ride-out at the end. Horn plays the first section and then subsides to playing single notes as the tune continues in the woodwind. Silvestri had pencilled in the rest of the tune for me to play. I ignored the pencilled amendment.

The Maestro stopped and looked at me. "You have sumsing written to play there?"

I pretended to squint closely at the music. ] "Yes, there is something written in pencil"

"Good. You play, please"

"You want me to play that?"

"Of course"

"Beethoven didn't want me to play that."

Hoots of laughter, finally joined in by the Maestro.

You win some, you lose some.

HS

[amateur51]

Great stories, HS. Always fascinating to hear a musician's insights!

Agreed Throppers! - many thanks HS

[salymap]

Good morning HS, lovely stories as usual

[amateur51]

Good old Bernard: hoping to see him on Thursday evening

There was an interesting interview with Bernard Haitink by Tom Service on Music Matters yesterday

[amateur51]

When I was at the Royal Academy of Music, we always played from the Henry Wood Library, of which the RAM is custodian. Many of the copies from which we played (Coriolan and Beethoven's 5th come to mind) there were additions to the horn parts, doubling the bassoons.

Silvestri also made alterations where he felt neccesary (or justified) and a good example is the opening bars of Tchaikovsky's "Manfred" symphony where he wrote a special part for the 4th horn, doubling up the bassoons and lower strings (repeating that also in the finale)

We tried that out first in Rochester (or was is Gillingham or was it Chatham?) and then we took it across the water to the Concertgebouw where it was well received by an enthusiastic audience.

That leads me to another Silvestri anecdote where, this time, he came off second best:

We were rehearsing a work by Tchaikovsky for the first time. It might have been the "Polish" symphony or one of the lesser known overtures.

In three of the printed horn parts at one place there was a crescendo and diminuendo over a four bar period. but nothing marked in mine.
I decided to investigate:

"Mr Silvestri. Do you want me to play crescendo and diminuendo in bars x to y?

Silvestri shook his head. "Oh," I thought The copy is right.

But the Maestro had not finished - "Tchaikovsky wants it."

Titters from the orchestra. Silvestri 1 Hornspieler 0 - but my chance came a few days later.

Beethoven's Leonora Nº 3. The big ride-out at the end. Horn plays the first section and then subsides to playing single notes as the tune continues in the woodwind. Silvestri had pencilled in the rest of the tune for me to play. I ignored the pencilled amendment.

The Maestro stopped and looked at me. "You have sumsing written to play there?"

I pretended to squint closely at the music.

Me: "Yes, there is something written in pencil"

Him: "Good. You play, please"

Me: "You want me to play that?"

Him: "Of course"

Me: "Beethoven didn't want me to play that."

Hoots of laughter, finally joined in by the Maestro.

You win some, you lose some.

HS

Lovely story, nicely told HS. Bravo!

[Roehre]

Lovely story, nicely told HS. Bravo!

Brilliant HS, many thanks

[Hornspieler]

Well I've finally got round to listening to the Great C major. (About the only one, apparently).

For me, the entire performancve was spoiled by what I can only call aggressive brass playing, by the trombone section in particular.

There was nothing of the lightness and tenderness that I associate with Franz Schubert.

The very opening by the two horns was challenging rather than informative and there was a feeling of urgency throughout the first and second movements.

The third movement started joyfully, but the middle section again sounded brutish and inflexible.

I cannot listen to that finale without my right arm aching in sympathy for those poor fiddle players and I was glad for their sakes as well as my own that the conclusion was finally reached.

Sorry to be so negative, but I thought that Mr Volkov made this symphony sound more like Berlioz than Schubert.

HS

[Pikaia]

There is another performance on Classic FM's evening concert on Wednesday.

http://www.classicfm.com/radio/shows/full-works-concert/full-works-concert-wednesday-20-february-2013-grea/

[Hornspieler]

There is another performance on Classic FM's evening concert on Wednesday.

http://www.classicfm.com/radio/shows...ary-2013-grea/

So?

HS

[Thropplenoggin]

So?

HS

The Ivan Fischer performance on disc (Channel Classics) is a scorcher...well worth a listen. Perhaps this upcoming performance might be more to your tastes, HS.