BBC PO Strauss season

[Simon B]

I readily agree that the artificial balance presented by recordings is usually misleadingly at odds with what can be achieved in concert. However, it is consistently noticeable that while the Bridgewater Hall acoustic has many virtues, singers are less audible in much of the house than in most major venues, all things being equal. Katarina Dalayman as Brünnhilde in the Hallé's Götterdämmerung is about the only soprano I can recall having no trouble riding over sumptuous writing for a large orchestra (which still swamped some of the other singers on that occasion).

Perhaps the unsympathetic balance sounds ok at the front of the stage as I'm sure the excellent BBCPO, wind and brass in particular, could have played down quite a lot more without sacrificing refulgence had the bloke with the stick been in "sshhhhh" mode. It'd be interesting to hear what a conductor with an exceptional ear for balance/clarity/layering like Vladimir Jurowski would do with Strauss orchestral songs in this hall. He and the LPO are the only combination I've heard pull off the trick of accompanying these without ever swamping the soloist (other than at moments where it is musically appropriate) whilst retaining sumptuousness.

As an aside, the Four Last Snogs wasn't an (accidental) typo. Years ago, on a set of parts borrowed from a major orchestra's library, the heading on the timp part in front of me had been artfully modified to this and it's stuck with me ever since as rather appropriate in some ways... There are often interesting or amusing things written on parts that have done the rounds. There's a Mahler 5 set with an exchange on how to play the coda that goes:
"Hand for hand"
"I know. I've been doing this for 30 years."
"Bully for you."
"*%&^*".
The most poignant one was on, I think, La Boheme, which at the bottom of the last page had "Before we play this yet again, get another job. Or retire." Enough said...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Katarina Dalayman as Brünnhilde in the Hallé's Götterdämmerung is about the only soprano I can recall having no trouble riding over sumptuous writing for a large orchestra (which still swamped some of the other singers on that ...

In opera houses the situation is different. Götterdämmerung would have the orchestra in a pit (all the more so at Bayreuth), but in a concert hall there's no such assistance to quell the overwhelming natural dominace of the hugh orchestral forces. However, at the Vienna State Opera, where the pit is hardly a pit at all, the balance resembles that of a concert hall.

[Black Swan]

[QUOTE=Simon B;370991]I readily agree that the artificial balance presented by recordings is usually misleadingly at odds with what can be achieved in concert. However, it is consistently noticeable that while the Bridgewater Hall acoustic has many virtues, singers are less audible in much of the house than in most major venues, all things being equal. Katarina Dalayman as Brünnhilde in the Hallé's Götterdämmerung is about the only soprano I can recall having no trouble riding over sumptuous writing for a large orchestra (which still swamped some of the other singers on that occasion).

It is interesting you bring this up. I was thinking the same that Delayman was able to project, however, the Tenor singing Siegfried was less successful on the first night the the final night.

I have been having a Strauss afternoon.

Violin Concerto
Oboe Concert
Duet-Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon

And now listen to a BPO New Years Concert.
Abbado Conducting
Don Juan

Burleske for Piano and Orchestra - Argerich

Till Eulenspiegels Merry Pranks

Der Rosenkavalier

Finale
Kathleen Battle
Rene Fleming
Frederica von Stade
Andreas Schmidt

I believe this was the first New Year Concert Abbado conducted after succeeding Karajan in Berlin.

[Stanfordian]

So, do you "blame"/"accuse" the composer or the conductor or the designer of the hall or the concert's programmer or the soloist?

Do you mean specifically in this piece, or more generally? Don't soloists and instrumental groups emerge into, and drop out of, audibility through the course of many works?

Hiya Honoured Guest, I am refering to last night's Strauss concert with that large orchestra.

[kuligin]

I was in the hall too.

I agree the acoustic in the hall does not help singers. I always sit in the stalls if there is a vocalist and even then Sarah Connolly a few years ago was very distant as Berlioz' Cleopatra as heard from the back.

Last night I was right at the front and Iskolski was fine though the conductor did not seem to be as good as Mark Elder in balancing orchestra and soloist but Elder has of course a much greater experience of the halls difficulties.

Sitting so near the front and to the side was a mixed blessing in the Symphonic Poems. The violins were not divided so the balance seemed awry but that could be the seats. Enjoyed both performances but feel there is more in both than that was obtained by Mena. However I much prefer him to Noseda who too frequently was too extreme in tempo.

Isseleris played very well but it was a shame that he was placed as if it was a concerto, and the poor viola who has a great deal to do was sat in his normal position so making eye contact between the two impossible. Instead Isserlis was forever looking at the leader of the violins as if he was duetting with him. Wonderful piece in my opinion but even though I ,am a big fan of Strauss , 3 pieces on Saturday and 3 on Thursday is a bit too much of a good thing.

Can anything be done to stop this idea that monoculture of one composer is a good idea. Opera North who only stage 6 operas a year though it a good idea to devote half their productions to Britten and not even divide them up throughout the year

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Can anything be done to stop this idea that monoculture of one composer is a good idea. Opera North who only stage 6 operas a year though it a good idea to devote half their productions to Britten and not even divide them up throughout the year

Well, they were very well done - they've never done this before, and the "in-division" did mean that the works were all performed around the centenary date. (I take your overall point, though - but can three productions really be called a "monoculture"?)

[kuligin]

FHL

Last Summer we had Albert Herring as the last production of the year.

We then had 3 Britten operas as the only offering of the Autumn. Grimes was the the third revival in about 6 years, so for 6 months only Britten.

This Spring we have Macbeth and Girl of the Golden West as the only staged operas and in the Summer the only staged opera is La Boheme

Perhaps " monoculture " exaggerates a little but it if we must have 3 operas by one composer in a year with only 6 operas produced , perhaps they could have been spread out.

As for the Strauss, I am looking forward to the Alpine as it is a bit of a rarety and it is a work I have always enjoyed on CD and I know it sounds very different live, but I would have prefered Strauss to have been partnered with something else in each concert , a bit of creative programme planning rather than " lets just do Britten or Strauss or Bach or whatever". Just of the top of my head, why not play a single piece by some of his German/ Austrian contemporaries we do not hear very often like Pfitzner, Schrerker or Zemlinsky or even dare I say it the 2nd Viennese School?

[Flay]

A brilliant performance of EA tonight!

It was visually stunning too!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A brilliant performance of EA tonight!

It was visually stunning too!

Just arrived home. The sheer impact of two orchestras combined was amazing. What a performance!

[Stanfordian]

I was at the Bridgewater Hall last night for the simply stunning performance of Richard Strauss's An Alpine Symphony played by the combined forces of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the Halle conducted by Juanjo Mena. I also enjoyed the four orchestral songs: Notturno, Op. 44/1, Hymnus, Op.33/3, Pilhers Morgenlied, Op.33/4, sung by Roderick Williams and Nachtliche Gang, Op 44/2 sung by William Dazeley; works I can't recall having heard before. It was also good to have the chance of hearing the rarely encountered Festival Prelude, Op.61.

[Flay]

Just arrived home.

At 1 a.m. Such dedication!

I was home at 11.45. It took me some time to find my way out of Manchester. The satnav took me in circles!

But I didn't care as it was such a wonderful concert.

[Nick Armstrong]

It took me some time to find my way out of Manchester. The satnav took me in circles!

Rather appropriate though somehow.... a sort of 21st C version of Durch Dickicht und Gestrüpp auf Irrwegen (Through Thickets and Undergrowth on the Wrong Path)

[Flay]

Rather appropriate though somehow.... a sort of 21st C version of Durch Dickicht und Gestrüpp auf Irrwegen (Through Thickets and Undergrowth on the Wrong Path)

Yes, I had a few Gefahrvolle Augenblicke when I took my eyes off the road!

[Nick Armstrong]

Yes, I had a few Gefahrvolle Augenblicke when I took my eyes off the road!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

…and the incredible experience of 2 orchestras playing the Festival Prelude together;
the finest live performance of the Alpine Symphony I've ever heard, or am likely to hear,
and the gorgeous violin playing of leader Lynne Fletcher,
and the no-compromise offstage band with Strauss's full specification (HIPP Strauss )
and the subtlety of balance in the cowbell sequence
and the serenity of the strings in the epilogue
4 sets of crash cymbals at the Summit (instead of only one)
and the legendary good manners of the Manchester audience

and much much more...