Jac van Steen and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra play Wagner and Rachmaninov

[Hornspieler]

Wednesday 2nd October at 7.30pm

Jac van Steen conducts the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Wagner extracts and in Rachmaninov's Third Concerto, with pianist Valentina Lisitsa.

Live from the Lighthouse, Poole

Presented by Martin Handley

Wagner: Die Meistersinger Overture
Wagner: Das Rheingold: Entrance of the Gods
Wagner: Tannhauser: Grand March
Wagner: Tristan and Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod

8.15: Interval

8.35
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3

Valentina Lisitsa, piano
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Jac van Steen, conductor

Marking 200 years since his birth, the concert begins with four of Wagner's most celebrated operatic moments, including the Mastersingers Overture, the March from Tannhäuser, the Entrance of the Gods from Das Rheingold, and the delicate yearning of Tristan and Isolde's doomed love affair. The astonishingly difficult pianistic gymnastics of Rachmaninov's Third Concerto are second nature to the virtuoso pianist Valentina Lisitsa.

This looks really interesting. Is there a more emotional, heart rending work by Wagner than his Prelude and Liebestod?

The Rachmaninov third piano concerto is my favourite and I would be interested to compare it with my recording of Peter Katin playing the same work with the Bournemouth orchestra.

HS

[amateur51]

Wednesday 2nd October at 7.30pm

Jac van Steen conducts the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Wagner extracts and in Rachmaninov's Third Concerto, with pianist Valentina Lisitsa.

Live from the Lighthouse, Poole

Presented by Martin Handley

Wagner: Die Meistersinger Overture
Wagner: Das Rheingold: Entrance of the Gods
Wagner: Tannhauser: Grand March
Wagner: Tristan and Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod

8.15: Interval

8.35
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.3

Valentina Lisitsa, piano
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Jac van Steen, conductor

Marking 200 years since his birth, the concert begins with four of Wagner's most celebrated operatic moments, including the Mastersingers Overture, the March from Tannhäuser, the Entrance of the Gods from Das Rheingold, and the delicate yearning of Tristan and Isolde's doomed love affair. The astonishingly difficult pianistic gymnastics of Rachmaninov's Third Concerto are second nature to the virtuoso pianist Valentina Lisitsa.

This looks really interesting. Is there a more emotional, heart rending work by Wagner than his Prelude and Liebestod?

The Rachmaninov third piano concerto is my favourite and I would be interested to compare it with my recording of Peter Katin playing the same work with the Bournemouth orchestra.

HS

It'll be interesting to hear Ms Lisitsa 'live' - she's a great self-promoter (nothing wrong with that in principle if there's something worthwhile to promote) and Rachmaninov piano concerto no. 3 would seem to be the perfect vehicle for such an approach

[salymap]

Yes, looking forward to the Rach 3 PC particularly. May record it on the hard drive for tomorrow,

[Hornspieler]

It starts in 10 minutes. Do the washing up later

HS

[Tony Halstead]

It starts in 10 minutes. Do the washing up later

HS

For those of us / you who maybe (1%) listen out for, or even 'notice' the lovely horn solos in Rachmaninov's 3rd concerto, it may be interesting and indeed informative for you to know that the BSO 'in their wisdom' sacked their principal horn at least 5 years ago, and so far have not found a 'better player' to replace him.
Over the last 5 or even maybe 6 years there has been an enormous number of horn players - both from London and from 'the provinces' who have played with the BSO as 'guest principal' or such.
The fact that the management of the BSO has somehow 'held' this important Principal Horn position 'open' for at least 5 years is a sorry indication of the fact that
1) various experienced horn players are simply not willing to re-locate to Bournemouth.
2) The BSO management is not willing to 'take a risk' with a young player 'fresh out of College'.
Good luck to them!

[Hornspieler]

For those of us / you who maybe (1%) listen out for, or even 'notice' the lovely horn solos in Rachmaninov's 3rd concerto, it may be interesting and indeed informative for you to know that the BSO 'in their wisdom' sacked their principal horn at least 5 years ago, and so far have not found a 'better player' to replace him.
Over the last 5 or even maybe 6 years there has been an enormous number of horn players - both from London and from 'the provinces' who have played with the BSO as 'guest principal' or such.
The fact that the management of the BSO has somehow 'held' this important Principal Horn position 'open' for at least 5 years is a sorry indication of the fact that
1) various experienced horn players are simply not willing to re-locate to Bournemouth.
2) The BSO management is not willing to 'take a risk' with a young player 'fresh out of College'.
Good luck to them!

I'm just listening to Tristan, Tony, and fancy offering my services. How about you?

I did not know that it was as long ago as five years since Dick Vaughan Thomas received "the most unkindest cut of all" . I remember my surprise when I saw his house, only a couple of streets from mine, was up for sale and I assumed that he had reached retirement age and returned to his native Wales.

Anyway, tonight's horn playing is fine so far.

Must sign off. I'm just approaching the "lump in the throat" Liebestod.

HS

[Hornspieler]

A strange order of programme?

I'm just listening to Tristan, Tony, and fancy offering my services. How about you?

.... tonight's horn playing is fine so far.

Must sign off. I'm just approaching the "lump in the throat" Liebestod.

HS

I can understand why the Rachmaninov 3rd concerto was placed in the second part of the concert - it justified Stephen Johnson's excellent analysis of the work and its comparison with the first and second concertos.

However, I found the programme order (and indeed, the selection of Wagner extracts) rather wanting.

I would not have bothered with the Siegfried. Out of context it is rather meaningless.
The Grand March from Tannhauser sounded unconvincing, particularly when Jac van Steen slowed it down to a funeral march at one point.
Prelude and Liebestod is one of Wagner's greatest achievements, but a very sad way to end the first part of a concert.

So my order of performance would be to start with a "sit up and enjoy" concert opening:

Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III .
Tannhauser: Grand March (in martial tempo)
Tristan and Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod
Overture:Die Meistersinger.

Thus setting the mood. Then revealing the contrasts and finally ending Part One with a grand send-off.

Still, I thought the playing was fine throughout.

The soloist in the concerto was excellent, (but she really should not have given an encore at the end of the concert - it was an anticlimax after the splendours that had gone before).

HS

[teamsaint]

For those of us / you who maybe (1%) listen out for, or even 'notice' the lovely horn solos in Rachmaninov's 3rd concerto, it may be interesting and indeed informative for you to know that the BSO 'in their wisdom' sacked their principal horn at least 5 years ago, and so far have not found a 'better player' to replace him.
Over the last 5 or even maybe 6 years there has been an enormous number of horn players - both from London and from 'the provinces' who have played with the BSO as 'guest principal' or such.
The fact that the management of the BSO has somehow 'held' this important Principal Horn position 'open' for at least 5 years is a sorry indication of the fact that
1) various experienced horn players are simply not willing to re-locate to Bournemouth.
2) The BSO management is not willing to 'take a risk' with a young player 'fresh out of College'.
Good luck to them!

from the look of the photos on their new website, the BSO seems to be turning into an under 35's outfit !!

[Nick Armstrong]

I'd agree with HS's points about the first half, which I heard on the way home. Gave the Rachmaninov a decent listen at the end of the evening - I had reservations about it. The capricious soloist and the conductor/band didn't always sound to be ad idem - towards the end there were a couple of 'car crash' moments I thought - one especially awful one - which led everyone to seem to regroup and overcompensate by delivering an overblown final climax, as if they were trying to blot out the memory of the recent accident... Much to enjoy - of course - and like HS this is my favourite of the concertos, one of my favourites of all. But... hmm

[amateur51]

I'd agree with HS's points about the first half, which I heard on the way home. Gave the Rachmaninov a decent listen at the end of the evening - I had reservations about it. The capricious soloist and the conductor/band didn't always sound to be ad idem - towards the end there were a couple of 'car crash' moments I thought - one especially awful one - which led everyone to seem to regroup and overcompensate by delivering an overblown final climax, as if they were trying to blot out the memory of the recent accident... Much to enjoy - of course - and like HS this is my favourite of the concertos, one of my favourites of all. But... hmm

I agree Caliban - car crash! Time & again she set off at a furious attention-seeking gallop only for the right pedal to go down & the whole thing to become a mush of cascading notes - it would have been so much better to play within her scope but that's apparently not her style so Rachmaninov suffers in the end, sadly.

[salymap]

Cyril Smith has always been my favourite in the Rachmaninov works but will try to listen on iPlayer later if anything electrical is still working.

[Hornspieler]

I agree Caliban - car crash! Time & again she set off at a furious attention-seeking gallop only for the right pedal to go down & the whole thing to become a mush of cascading notes - it would have been so much better to play within her scope but that's apparently not her style so Rachmaninov suffers in the end, sadly.

I didn't hear the first part of the concerto because of a very important telephone call and then another call, relevant to the first, meant that I missed part of the finale.

But I did keep my recorder running so I will listen to it right through, paying special attention to the sections that I missed hearing live last night.

HS

[Alain Maréchal]

1) I wonder if Rachmaninov's concertos are in fact much more difficult to play than many young pianists realise, and in spite of their popularity, should only be attempted by more experienced players. Mention of the car-crash above reminds me that I recently heard a performance of the Paganini Variations during which the soloist twice had memory lapses. Orchestra and conductor soldiered on while he improvised.

2) It looks as though I will be spending this autumn on the south coast, and I note that the BSO will be performing in Portsmouth. Are they worth a two hour drive each way in the dark or a train journey to hear them? Be honest please.

[amateur51]

I didn't hear the first part of the concerto because of a very important telephone call ...

HS

Barack Obama phoned me tonight and said, 'John my government isn't working'... so I told him to shut it down and switch it back on again.

Sorry, couldn't resist

[Hornspieler]

1) I wonder if Rachmaninov's concertos are in fact much more difficult to play than many young pianists realise, and in spite of their popularity, should only be attempted by more experienced players. Mention of the car-crash above reminds me that I recently heard a performance of the Paganini Variations during which the soloist twice had memory lapses. Orchestra and conductor soldiered on while he improvised.

2) It looks as though I will be spending this autumn on the south coast, and I note that the BSO will be performing in Portsmouth. Are they worth a two hour drive each way in the dark or a train journey to hear them? Be honest please.

Portsmouth's Guildhall has a very fine acoustic for orchestral concerts. I can recall memorable concerts there with such as Jackie de Pre, Malcuzinsky, Gina Bachaer and conductors including Silvestri, Charles Groves, Bruno Maderna and Alceo Galliera ( "... you must roar like the lion here. You English! You eat too many lamb chops!")

When the concert hall was first built, our General Manager, Kenneth Matchett, was invited to take a look at the new venuel.
"Very nice," he commented "but how are you going to get that lovely new Steinway, sitting there backstage, on and off the platform?"

There were double doors at either side of the stage, but neither were wide enough to wheel a concert grand piano through. The builders had to return post haste!

I have an old photograph of Gina Bachauer rehearsing with Silvestri and the Bournemouth orchestra on that very stage. HS