Janacek, Ravel, Stravinsky

[Hornspieler]

Splendid concert! Nothing more to say really. The Rite was as good as I've ever heard it.
In the Piano concerto, the 1st horn just got away with that buttock-clenching solo; the trumpet, trombone and cor anglais were superb and the soloist gave a stunning display of technical brilliance.

If you missed it tonight, the iPlayer awaits you.

HS

PS I even enjoyed the interval music while I watched the football play-off on Sky Sports.
Better than those mindless sports commentators and most appropriate on the night.

[Petrushka]

Greatly enjoyed this! We've been starved of good orchestral concerts in the evening in recent weeks and this was a cracker. Superb timps and bass drum in the Rite.

My only quibble was interference (I was listening on Freeview) in the Janacek and a series of clicks at the beginning of the Rite. Anyone else have a problem?

[LeMartinPecheur]

My only quibble was interference (I was listening on Freeview) in the Janacek and a series of clicks at the beginning of the Rite. Anyone else have a problem?

Yes, sounded like a badly scratched CD

[Petrushka]

Yes, sounded like a badly scratched CD

What with that and the rain banging on the window at the same time it's a wonder I heard the Rite at all!

[Simon B]

I was at this (and the CBSO/Nelsons matinee in Brum earlier including a fabulous Strauss "Aus Italien" which was also mic'd up, but presumably for a CD rather than R3.)

Broadly, I agree that the BBCPO concert was a good programme, well done. It was a bit like the BBC Northern deputies orchestra (including every one of the 15-odd trumpets!) though. A lot of the brass section have retired (including the principal horn of 40 years) or left recently or in the last year or two and I thought it showed once or twice in a slight lack of the assertive group unanimity I remember from 10 years ago. Probably just imagining it as a side effect of nostalgia.

A good evening regardless.

[Stanfordian]

Splendid concert! Nothing more to say really. The Rite was as good as I've ever heard it.
In the Piano concerto, the 1st horn just got away with that buttock-clenching solo; the trumpet, trombone and cor anglais were superb and the soloist gave a stunning display of technical brilliance.

If you missed it tonight, the iPlayer awaits you.

HS

PS I even enjoyed the interval music while I watched the football play-off on Sky Sports.
Better than those mindless sports commentators and most appropriate on the night.

Hiya Hornspieler,

I've just got back from the Bridgewater hall. It was splendid concert as I have come to expect from the BBC Phil. I don't think the acoustic characteristics of the Hall does the horns any favours.

[Black Swan]

I was at this (and the CBSO/Nelsons matinee in Brum earlier including a fabulous Strauss "Aus Italien" which was also mic'd up, but presumably for a CD rather than R3.)

Broadly, I agree that the BBCPO concert was a good programme, well done. It was a bit like the BBC Northern deputies orchestra (including every one of the 15-odd trumpets!) though. A lot of the brass section have retired (including the principal horn of 40 years) or left recently or in the last year or two and I thought it showed once or twice in a slight lack of the assertive group unanimity I remember from 10 years ago. Probably just imagining it as a side effect of nostalgia.

A good evening regardless.

I too just got home from the concert it was excellent. The lad playing the horn solo's was very good and he looked very young . I thought the woodwinds were a bit weak at times however the Bass Flutist and the E-flat Clarinet were stars. The concert was fantastic and was what I have come to expect from the BBCPhil. After hearing this performance another attendee remarked to me is that it is easy to see how there was concern 100 years ago over the Rite.

But another great concert.

[Stanfordian]

I too just got home from the concert it was excellent. The lad playing the horn solo's was very good and he looked very young . I thought the woodwinds were a bit weak at times however the Bass Flutist and the E-flat Clarinet were stars. The concert was fantastic and was what I have come to expect from the BBCPhil. After hearing this performance another attendee remarked to me is that it is easy to see how there was concern 100 years ago over the Rite.

But another great concert.

Hiya Black Swan, Isn't it strange how we hear things differently. In my view the BBC Phil woodwind is world class and I thought they were on splendid form.

[Andrew Slater]

There seem to have been a large number of Forum members at this concert. Just for the record, I was also there.

It's good to see that the audience numbers have generally returned to a respectable figure after the worrying drop caused by the (now abandoned) 7pm starts: I would say about 80% yesterday (excluding the gallery, which is normally closed for BBCPO concerts). Such a fine performance should help increase audiences for future concerts - they might even have to open up the gallery soon.

In common with Black Swan, I thought that at times the woodwind sounded weak (as in quiet), but it was probably a function of where I was sitting, and the competition from 8 horns and a large amount of percussion. The bass drum was placed face-up, presumably to make the playing of it easier, but it probably contributed to its prominence.

[Black Swan]

Hiya Black Swan, Isn't it strange how we hear things differently. In my view the BBC Phil woodwind is world class and I thought they were on splendid form.

I think for me I, and it was maybe due to the acoustics of the hall, the Bassoons were a bit weak in The Rite. The opening solo is difficult, I have often wondered at the Premier what went through the Principle Bassoons mind when they saw the part. I am a reed player and think that often I am more critical of woodwinds than brass. But there is no doubt this was a fantastic concert and I enjoyed it very much. I am now going to have a listen to the new Rattle recording of the Rite to reflect on my comments.

[Simon B]

The bass drum was placed face-up, presumably to make the playing of it easier, but it probably contributed to its prominence.

Perc anorak alert for those wishing to pass on by...

Paul Patrick always plays the RoS (forcefully and to great effect) this way. It makes certain aspects easier, e.g. executing the fast articulate stuff at the end of part 1 while the batter head has a damping cloth held on it by gravity. But, it also makes it harder in other ways (damping the big strokes involves a quick and awkward dive down under the drum to get at the resonator head, as you may have noticed him doing repeatedly last night).

If you've ever seen the BBCPO play the Pines of Rome, they always have the GC transverse for that too, and there are no technical challenges there. It adds weight and prominence to the sound as per last night's RoS since a) the energy radiating from the resonator head is partly deflected by the stage straight out into the auditorium, b) the stage itself acts as a low frequency resonator and c) gravity assists with delivering a lot of energy into the batter head from the beater.

Anorak bit ends...

[teamsaint]

Well it sounds like the FOR3 Forum (North) had a great night out. Brilliant.

Do any of the BBC orchestras ever play Southwest of London?
Please excuse my ignorance on this.

[EdgeleyRob]

There seem to have been a large number of Forum members at this concert. Just for the record, I was also there.

It's good to see that the audience numbers have generally returned to a respectable figure after the worrying drop caused by the (now abandoned) 7pm starts: I would say about 80% yesterday (excluding the gallery, which is normally closed for BBCPO concerts). Such a fine performance should help increase audiences for future concerts - they might even have to open up the gallery soon.

In common with Black Swan, I thought that at times the woodwind sounded weak (as in quiet), but it was probably a function of where I was sitting, and the competition from 8 horns and a large amount of percussion. The bass drum was placed face-up, presumably to make the playing of it easier, but it probably contributed to its prominence.

I was there too.
Not capable of a review of the calibre of Jayne Lee Wilson though I'm afraid (if only).
Having never heard these works live before I was thrilled at the sight of the massed ranks of brass and percussion (Petrushka mentioned this elsewhere on here).
Louis Lortie was also great to watch as well as hear,the Ravel clearly means a lot to him.
Just a fantastic concert.
Not Mrs ER's cup of tea though (crash bang wallop ).

[Wensleydale Blue]

And, yet another grim up north forum member who was at the Bridgewater Hall last night. As a lady directly infront of me said to her partner at the end of the the 'Dance of the Earth' first part of the of The Rite - "Wow - this is special", and I've got to agree it most definitely was. And she wasn't alone, there really was an audiable gasp in my part of the audience at this point.

Three of my favourite pieces in one concert - I had to be there and booked my tickets in October.

Impressions, now I've calmed down a little:

Janacek - sounded bit creaky in parts - seemed underprepared and undercooked. Brass a bit wayward at times and quite harsh which I don't think can afford to be in the Sinfonietta

Ravel - Lortie great fun to watch - maybe a bit too mannered in parts - but brought out the mechanical/musical toy quality in parts of the piece and played much of the slow movemnt as if it were Couperin on a harpsichord. Orchestra offered able accompanyment and gorgeous harpmanship in the adagio.

Stravinsky - Well yes, 'Wow'. I've now got 33 versions of this (Mrs Blue bought me the Decca 100th Anniversary Boxed set for Christmas) and as Hornspieler noted I am not sure I've heard anything better. Sure, its the first time I've heard it live (if you discount a Ballet Rambert performance with for handed piano accompanyment in c. 1980) and the immediacy of a concert hall can obviously distort one's impression, but I am not sure my favourites on vinyl and disc - Levi, Chailly, Dorati, Gergiev and Bernstein surpassed it.

Brilliant timpani, brass and collective woodwind, and yes, especially the bass flute and the clarinets, along with really propulsive string playing. True the bassoon intro wobbled a bit and I sensed that the tempo seemed to go a bit adrift in the part 2 intro but I was truly awed by the fervour of the playing. Is Meastro Mena something special I wonder? I was quite impressed with his Mahler 5 last year too. Any regular BH goers care to comment?

[BBMmk2]

Sounds like a great evening! I always think I am in the wrong part of the country!