BBC Philharmonic - Verdi, Bruch, Beethoven, Tonight at 7.30

[Hornspieler]

BBC Philharmonic - Verdi, Bruch, Beethoven
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Friday 08 November 2013
Live from The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

The BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, performs Verdi's Overture to 'Nabucco', Bruch's Violin Concerto with Renaud Capuçon and Beethoven's Symphony No 3, 'Eroica'.

The BBC Philharmonic are always at their best with Noseda on the rostrum.

"Horses for Courses"

Conductors for orchestras. Andrew Manze drew some immaculate playing from the BBC Scottish last night and I would expect no less from tonight's live performance by the BBC Philharmonic under their favourite conductor.

So it's a bit of a pot boiler of a programme, but do listen in and hear how these works can come up fresh under a good conductor.

HS

[salymap]

Oh dear, HS, I'm getting very behind with three concerts to catch up with. The Bruch from this certainly, the Sibelius VC from Wednesday and the RVW no 7 from Thursday.

I hope IPlayer is behaving.

[amcluesent]

I only caught the Beethoven which sounded pretty hum-drum to my ears.

[Hornspieler]

I only caught the Beethoven which sounded pretty hum-drum to my ears.

Yes, I have to agree.

I was very disappointed in the Eroica. Taking that first time bar in the exposition grates harshly with me. I don't care if LvB did put it there. HvK, who for me set the bench mark with his Berlin players for this symphony did not and nor have most of the great conductors over the years. The orchestra's democratic view of when to play the first note of the work gave subtle warning that the conductor was not in full control.

The Eroica first movement should always feel to be moving on - building towards that wonderful climactic coda with its interweaving melodies and its feeling of urgency with those cellos and basses moving the listener forward towards those final three bars. Nothing happened for me and I felt that Noseda missed the opportunity to make this a heroic performance.

Nothing wrong with the Max Bruch, though. A neat and tidy performance with a telling orchestral accompaniment. Some nice horn playing in the slow movement, matching the soloist's phrasing. (But I have both Campoli and Ida Haendel on CDs so I was not overwhelmed)

Highlight of the night for me was the Verdi. The overture to Nabucco puts "La Forza del Destino" in the shade IMO.
Almost an Italianate version of Franz von Suppe or Arthur Sullivan with its changes of mood and notice of tunes to come.

I expected a lot more from this concert but for me, Manze's programme* of the previous night with the rival BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra put this one in the shade.

HS

* BTW Didn't anyone listen to RVW's 7th except Alison and myself?

[DracoM]

Agree about RVW. Pretty decent performance. Wondered if the end was just a bit perfunctory, but...........

Chez BBC Phil Nabucco yes, Bruch pretty good and as said some very nice brass and woodwind playing behind the fiddler. Restrained soloist who clearly decided less is more. Il a raison.

[Barbirollians]

The Bruch 1 was the highlight by its restrained presentation but the Eroica was dreary - which is hard to do and I switched off after the funeral march.

[EdgeleyRob]

* BTW Didn't anyone listen to RVW's 7th except Alison and myself?

I listened first thing this morning on I player HS.
It was ok but it didn't really grip or terrify as I think it should in places.
Can't put my finger on why,the playing was fine but the organ sounded very feeble and maybe had some thing to do with it.
It didn't have that 'English Eroica' feel about it for me.

[Hornspieler]

I listened first thing this morning on I player HS.
It was ok but it didn't really grip or terrify as I think it should in places.
Can't put my finger on why,the playing was fine but the organ sounded very feeble and maybe had some thing to do with it.
It didn't have that 'English Eroica' feel about it for me.

Thanks, EdgeleyRob.

Yours is the last of only 4 replies on this thread.

I give up!

HS

[amateur51]

Thanks, EdgeleyRob.

Yours is the last of only 4 replies on this thread.

I give up!

HS

Oh dear

[Bryn]

Oh dear

Just think how some poor conductor feels when a member of the horn section fails to respond to his/her direction.

I think I might give up in this rather mediocre rendition of 200 Motels I am listening to, and give that Eroica a go. Then maybe the Antartica. Something to pass the time, I suppose.

[amateur51]

Just think how some poor conductor feels when a member of the horn section fails to respond to his/her direction.

And some people complain about Squeezer Franck's music being 'cyclical'