Strauss, Haydn and Beethoven

**David-G** · 09-09-13, 21:49

HS, there are some comments on this in the "Edinburgh International Festival" thread. Should the threads be merged?

**edashtav** · 09-09-13, 22:13

In the Worst Taste

Originally posted by Hornspieler View Post

I was looking forward to this one.

The Strauss was played sensitively but there were inaccuracies among the players and I did find the "ravishing" Ms Lorenza Borrani rather shrill in places.

Haydn's concertantante I enjoyed - particularly the bassoon soloist and also some very tidy horn playing in the accompaniment.

Now the Eroica:

What's happened? Some of the most sour intonation, particularly in the double basses, that I have ever heard. The timps are also out out tune in the second movement (Sharp, sharp, sharp!)
We've just reached the Scherzo. The lower strings are still worrying me. Let's see how the three horns get on.

Yes, very good. But I really can't hear the lower strings in the scherzo - there does seem to be a balance problem tonight and I can't imagine why in the Usher Hall of all places..

Two different pitches competing with each other in the opening of the finale.

Is this really the world's finest chamber orchestra? Not in my view on tonight's showing.

A sudden change of tempo. Is the conductor trying to get it over quickly?

A big disappointment.

Better luck tomorrow.

HS

I'm pretty well with you, hs, but not with Philamenon who wrote:
Tonight, Radio 3 broadcast the best performance of Beethoven's 3rd Symphony I have ever heard - by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin. The colour and character of the playing, woodwind and brass in particular, were a total joy throughout.

I agree with you over the timps issue, hs, and with many of your other strictures. There was plenty of energetic, even electric playing, but to what outcome?

I thought that Yannick's approach was jejune, childish and over-emphatic. He conducted every bar as if it were Beethoven's last will and testament: everything was over-egged, there was no overall direction, shape or form.

Mere cheap sensationalism. A rabble-rousing performance in the worst of all possible taste.
Gravely disappointing.

**Alison** · 09-09-13, 22:18

Thanks for staying on beyond the Proms, Tavers.

**Hornspieler** · 10-09-13, 07:08

Originally posted by David-G View Post

HS, there are some comments on this in the "Edinburgh International Festival" thread. Should the threads be merged?

That is a matter for the hosts to decide.

Personally, I would not wish to associate this performance with the rest of the Edinburgh International Festival.
Let's see what the COE will do with their second performance (tonight)

If you were to gather the world's greatest footballers, such as Ronaldo, Messi, Beckham, Bale, Walcott, Sturrage, van Persie into an All Star Soccer side, would they be able to beat any of Europe's top League teams?
It is the same problem - and one that I also have with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester. Fine players in their own areas but a mixmatch as an ensemble.

HS

**teamsaint** · 10-09-13, 07:13

Originally posted by Hornspieler View Post

That is a matter for the hosts to decide.

Personally, I would not wish to associate this performance with the rest of the Edinburgh International Festival.
Let's see what the COE will do with their second performance (tonight)

If you were to gather the world's greatest footballers, such as Ronaldo, Messi, Beckham, Bale, Walcott, Sturrage, van Persie into an All Star Soccer side, would they be able to beat any of Europe's top League teams?
It is the same problem - and one that I also have with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester. Fine players in their own areas but a mixmatch as an ensemble.

HS

Nice try, HS. What is the "Odd one out" prize?

and as long as you had a basically sound mix of a goalkeeper, 4 defenders, a few midfielders and a couple of strikers and a bit of training time, the best players would make the best team, as a rule. That isn't the same as saying athat at any particular moment the best team will have the best players, though.

Edit: I have seen Sturridge play live. Really good player, lightening fast, but.........

**verismissimo** · 10-09-13, 07:23

I wonder: Is the COE what it was?

**Ruhevoll** · 10-09-13, 07:28

Yannick Nezet-Seguin is conducting Mahler's 9th in London in 2014. It's a symphony I'd like to see live but a conductor I didn't know, so I did some investigating. He seems to have a pretty ropey reputation, reviews-wise. If his Eroica was as bad as people here say, I don't think he's quite ready to tackle Mahler's tricky 9th!

**Hornspieler** · 10-09-13, 08:46

Originally posted by verismissimo View Post

I wonder: Is the COE what it was?

No orchestra can ever be what is was. Changes of personnel, changes of subsidy levels and sponsorship, changes of musical direction and intent.

Some orchestras are markedly better - the BBCNOW, BBCPhilharmonic, BBCSSO and the Scottish Chamber orchestra are remarkably improved.

The BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and London Symphony orchestra have, IMV, gone downhill over the past few months.

The regional orchestras, by and large, seem about the same:
Liverpool, rather better.
Hallé, holding on.
Birmingham, much improved.
Bournemouth, also improved.
Ulster orchestra, still in there but struggling.
I can't speak for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, because we never seem to get the chance to hear them.

Has anyone other views, particularly on the major European orchestras, who visit these shores from time to time?

Let's hear them (the views, that is)

HS

**Beef Oven!** · 10-09-13, 15:12

Originally posted by Ruhevoll View Post

Yannick Nezet-Seguin is conducting Mahler's 9th in London in 2014. It's a symphony I'd like to see live but a conductor I didn't know, so I did some investigating. He seems to have a pretty ropey reputation, reviews-wise. If his Eroica was as bad as people here say, I don't think he's quite ready to tackle Mahler's tricky 9th!

I was at this amazing gig last year. He's an amazing musician.

Yannick was good enough to stay behind and talk to us and answer all our questions. A real gentleman.

The first openly gay conductor too if I'm not wrong.

London's Royal Festival Hall Consecrated by Nézet-Séguin's Magnificent Bruckner

http://www.bachtrack.com/review-lpo-nezet-seguin-bruckner-ninth-symphony-te-deum

Ken Ward reviews the LPO and Yannick Nézet-Séguin playing Bruckner's Ninth Symphony and Te Deum at Royal Festival Hall.

**vinteuil** · 10-09-13, 15:18

Originally posted by Beef Oven! View Post

The first openly gay conductor too if I'm not wrong.

... well, I think Lully among others got there first -

Jean-Baptiste Lully - Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Lully

**Beef Oven!** · 10-09-13, 15:26

Originally posted by vinteuil View Post

... well, I think Lully among others got there first -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Lully

Take your word for it.

**edashtav** · 10-09-13, 15:32

John wasn't a conductor but he was Gay.

One of his works, it was said, made "Rich gay and Gay rich".

**amateur51** · 10-09-13, 15:45

Originally posted by Beef Oven! View Post

I was at this amazing gig last year. He's an amazing musician.

Yannick was good enough to stay behind and talk to us and answer all our questions. A real gentleman.

The first openly gay conductor too if I'm not wrong.

http://www.bachtrack.com/review-lpo-...mphony-te-deum

I think that Dmitri Mitropoulos, Sir John Pritchard, Thomas Schippers and Michael Tilson Thomas got there a few decades before

And perhaps Britten & Tippett are special cases, not being full-time conductors

**Beef Oven!** · 10-09-13, 15:46

Originally posted by amateur51 View Post

I think that Dmitri Mitropoulos, Sir John Pritchard, Thomas Schippers and Michael Tilson Thomas got there a few decades before

Openly?

Strauss, Haydn and Beethoven

Strauss, Haydn and Beethoven

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