BBCSO/ANDREW DAVIS/LIVE R3/FRIDAY 19:30hrs 12/04/13 - TIPPETT symphony no.4

[jayne lee wilson]

Uneventful week wasn't it?

Well here's something to get worked up about - a LIVE ORCHESTRAL RELAY on R3, featuring some NEW AND RARELY HEARD music. Shock and awe!

JONATHAN LLOYD: OLD RACKET (1ST PERFORMANCE)
BRAHMS: PIANO CONCERTO NO.1 in Dminor (Stephen Hough)
***
TIPPETT: SYMPHONY NO.4

Perhaps it's a pity there's such a substantial, potentially exhausting, concerto in part 1 - might a Mendelssohn or Bartok one have been more apt?
But the craggy depths of Brahms' D Minor ("it is like an Eleison" said Clara Schumann of the adagio) may chime with the birth-to-death narrative of the Tippett 4th Symphony. Do at least try to catch the latter in this rare live account.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Never mind the concert "balance". Brahms' D minor is one of my absolute favourites amonst great piano concertos.
And the Jonathan Lloyd too. That will surely be interesting.

[Alison]

Yes, plenty of interest tonight. You never quite know what you're going to get with Houghy (phenomenal pianism or fistfuls of wrong notes) while Sir Andrew has always been a leading Tippett interpreter.

These BBCSO live Friday relays have surely been high points of the schedule this season. The orchestra seems to be playing so much better these days while the programming has been consistently fresh and even unfashionable.

[Bryn]

Yes, plenty of interest tonight. You never quite know what you're going to get with Houghy (phenomenal pianism or fistfuls of wrong notes) ...

I got put off the Brahms 1st Piano Concerto for quite some time by what I thought was a truly dire performance by none other than Brendel (it was a Prom, back in the '70 I think). I still tend to avoid the work in favour of the 2nd Piano Concerto. I might risk a listen to tonight's performance, however.

[Thropplenoggin]

I got put off the Brahms 1st Piano Concerto for quite some time by what I thought was a truly dire performance by none other than Brendel (it was a Prom, back in the '70 I think). I still tend to avoid the work in favour of the 2nd Piano Concerto. I might risk a listen to tonight's performance, however.

I suspect Leon Fleisher's account with Szell/Cleveland Orchestra might convince you of its worth.

[Bryn]

I suspect Leon Fleisher's account with Szell/Cleveland Orchestra might convince you of its worth.

A recording which I am currently awaiting delivery of, having ordered it a couple of days ago. I don't so much need convincing of its worth as to clear the painful memory of that Brendel 'off-night'. I tend to relive the horrors of that evening whenever I hear the work.

[Sir Velo]

Perhaps it's a pity there's such a substantial, potentially exhausting, concerto in part 1 - might a Mendelssohn or Bartok one have been more apt?

We would have had very short measure for a concert in that case - maybe 60-65 mins! AFAIK, Brahms did not sanction any cuts to the concerto so not sure whether you are saying that this concerto should never be programmed, or that it should only be performed as part 2?

[Alison]

Brendel never convinced me in the Brahms concerti, sounding awkward and a shade insipid. Albert Hall not his best acoustic either. I know some rate his performances with Abbado as those of a lifetime.

[Bryn]

Brendel never convinced me in the Brahms concerti, sounding awkward and a shade insipid. Albert Hall not his best acoustic either. I know some rate his performances with Abbado as those of a lifetime.

I do just happen to have the 1989 Hough/BBCSO/Davis recording to hand. Perhaps I might give it a spin in advance of tonight's performance.

[Alison]

I was considering a cheap download of the same!
After a bruising and busy week the musical appetite seems bigger than normal : bring it on !

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Brendel never convinced me in the Brahms concerti, sounding awkward and a shade insipid. Albert Hall not his best acoustic either. I know some rate his performances with Abbado as those of a lifetime.

Count me amongst the "some" .

"Brendel in Brahms Concerti 'Awkward and a shade insipid'"? That's like calling Justin Bieber a "great R&B performer"!

[amateur51]

Brendel never convinced me in the Brahms concerti, sounding awkward and a shade insipid. Albert Hall not his best acoustic either. I know some rate his performances with Abbado as those of a lifetime.

I recall a Brendel performance of Brahms piano concerto no 1 with Tennstedt at the Proms that blew my socks off There was a performance of Beethoven symphony no 5 to follow too

Laurie Watt are you reading this?

[Barbirollians]

I am not sure JLW that pianists would agree that the D Minor is not exhausting !

I will skip as I am allergic to Andrew Davis's conducting.

[Bryn]

I recall a Brendel performance of Brahms piano concerto no 1 with Tennstedt at the Proms that blew my socks off There was a performance of Beethoven symphony no 5 to follow too

Laurie Watt are you reading this?

The one I attended was, I think, the 1968 one with Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt at the helm.

[Alison]

I recall a Brendel performance of Brahms piano concerto no 1 with Tennstedt at the Proms that blew my socks off There was a performance of Beethoven symphony no 5 to follow too

Laurie Watt are you reading this?

The Beethoven 5 is on Bbc legends. I rate Brendel very highly indeed in other parts of the repertoire and his Brahms have long been a blind spot. Perhaps I just wanted him to have a 'bigger' technique.