Through the Night

[Quarky]

We suddenly seem to be having a new presenter every week, as opposed to, previously, one for three weeks.

I Prefer it that way. Each presenter tends to have a different flavour in their selections. But having said that, John Shea seemed to be more adventurous last week.

[Bryn]

I Prefer it that way. Each presenter tends to have a different flavour in their selections. But having said that, John Shea seemed to be more adventurous last week.

What makes you think the BBC Radio 3 presenter chooses the content for Euroclassic Nocturno, of which TtN is a part?

[Quarky]

What makes you think the BBC Radio 3 presenter chooses the content for Euroclassic Nocturno, of which TtN is a part?

Well, that's interesting. I see there have been one or two threads on this subject in the past.

It was an impression I had, without any analysis. Catriona Young might have a wider selection, Jonathan Swain can be relied on for heavy Romantic, and John Shea somewhere in between.

I guess it's not impossible, since Euroclassic Nocturno is produced in London and Salford, that the playlists might be tweaked slightly in the knowledge of which presenter will be presenting a playlist? Particularly the opening concert?

[Bryn]

Well, that's interesting. I see there have been one or two threads on this subject in the past.

It was an impression I had, without any analysis. Catriona Young might have a wider selection, Jonathan Swain can be relied on for heavy Romantic, and John Shea somewhere in between.

I guess it's not impossible, since Euroclassic Nocturno is produced in London and Salford, that the playlists might be tweaked slightly in the knowledge of which presenter will be presenting a playlist? Particularly the opening concert?

Perhaps Forum member Swain could be enticed to comment re how the selections are made?

The assertion in the wiki item that the system had run well for many years is somewhat misleading. During the early years, it was fairly often the case that overruns of earlier programmes would result in loss of some of the opening works from TtN. A performance of Mahler's 8th, conducted by Colin Davis, lost most of its opening movement, for instance.

[DracoM]

But is there any greater clarity on WHO exactly chooses the music for R3's biggest progs.
Presenters are ALWAYS claiming 'my choice of...etc etc...' , but is it?

[LMcD]

Perhaps Forum member Swain could be enticed to comment re how the selections are made?

The assertion in the wiki item that the system had run well for many years is somewhat misleading. During the early years, it was fairly often the case that overruns of earlier programmes would result in loss of some of the opening works from TtN. A performance of Mahler's 8th, conducted by Colin Davis, lost most of its opening movement, for instance.

A pedant writes: Euroclassic Notturno, n'est ce pas?
I didn't know that playlists were available for up to a month in advance.
I believe I'm right in saying that performances featuring Canadian ensembles and artistes also feature from time to time.

[antongould]

But is there any greater clarity on WHO exactly chooses the music for R3's biggest progs.
Presenters are ALWAYS claiming 'my choice of...etc etc...' , but is it?

I think Skellers and Alkers do but as for the rest, well ........

But seriously folks, Skellers when discussing the selection of the playlist sometimes says I and sometimes we ..... at 10:30 it is LMcD of course ....

[cloughie]

What makes you think the BBC Radio 3 presenter chooses the content for Euroclassic Nocturno, of which TtN is a part?

Whatever next - people will think that the presenters stay up all night to listen!

[kernelbogey]

I chanced upon this very satisfying LvB 7:

01:40 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony no 7 in A major, Op 92
NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze (conductor)
Lots to enjoy, including a satisfying way with the first and second themes in the slow movement, and a cracking pace in IV. 'Apotheosis of the Dance', indeed.
(I imagine the Piano Concerto No 1 which precedes it will be worth a listen too.)

[kernelbogey]

HIPP inspired performance, original intstruments but sounded like a large orchestra:
21 September
12:31 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No 3 in E flat, op 55 'Eroica'
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall (conductor)

01:16 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No 5 in C minor, op 67
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall (conductor)

Any opinons?

[Bryn]

HIPP inspired performance, original intstruments but sounded like a large orchestra:
21 September
12:31 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No 3 in E flat, op 55 'Eroica'
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall (conductor)

01:16 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No 5 in C minor, op 67
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall (conductor)

Any opinons?

Listening to the 3rd now. I like the timps and the tempo of the first movement. The second perhaps a tad slow but at least it does not drag the tempo down too far below what Beethoven asked for. As to the orchestral complement, though greater than that at the premiere, Beethoven would surely not have turned his nose up at such a number of players should the venue and financial implications have permitted.

These perfromances may well have contributed to the recently issued 'live' set of Symphonies 1-5 (edited from a number of performacnes in different locations).

[cloughie]

Listening to the 3rd now. I like the timps and the tempo of the first movement. The second perhaps a tad slow but at least it does not drag the tempo down too far below what Beethoven asked for. As to the orchestral complement, though greater than that at the premiere, Beethoven would surely not have turned his nose up at such a number of players should the venue and financial implications have permitted.

These perfromances may well have contributed to the recently issued 'live' set of Symphonies 1-5 (edited from a number of performacnes in different locations).

Funeral march slow - I think not - too bright and breezy for my tastes. I always find hipp timps a bit rustic! I listen to all these performances, appreciate that they are different, but don’t necessarily fully embrace them when I still enjoy the great modern recordings of the past!

[Nick Armstrong]

HIPP inspired performance, original intstruments but sounded like a large orchestra:
21 September
12:31 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No 3 in E flat, op 55 'Eroica'
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall (conductor)

01:16 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No 5 in C minor, op 67
Le Concert des Nations, Jordi Savall (conductor)

Any opinons?

I am going through a bit of an “Eroica” phase at the moment. I recorded these performances and have listened a couple of times so far. There’s much I enjoyed. Like Bryn, I liked the timps and the performance of the first movement especially. The horns were (to use cloughie’s word) distinctly rustic!

A few nights earlier, there was another Eroica on TTN, which I also recorded and have listened to a few times:

TTN early hours of Friday 18 September 2020
12:31 AM
Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927)
Floris and Blancheflour, op. 3
Peter Mattei (baritone), Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Malin Broman (director)

12:40 AM
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Ging heut’ morgen über’s Feld
Peter Mattei (baritone), Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Malin Broman (director)

12:45 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, op. 55 ('Eroica')
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Malin Broman (director)

01:35 AM.....

I find this performance gripping and convincing - again, especially the first movement but also the slow movement. It slightly loses focus in the latter movements.

The orchestra (under a conductor I’d never heard of) seem to adopt HIPP practices, without out-and-out rusticity. Well worth a listen.... I’d be interested in others’ views.

[Nick Armstrong]

12:45 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, op. 55 ('Eroica')
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Malin Broman (director)

01:35 AM.....

I find this performance gripping and convincing - again, especially the first movement but also the slow movement. It slightly loses focus in the latter movements.

The orchestra (under a conductor I’d never heard of) seem to adopt HIPP practices, without out-and-out rusticity. Well worth a listen.... I’d be interested in others’ views.

Listened again to this today. I take back what I said about the scherzo - it’s very well done too. Only the last movement seems somehow less involving, in terms of the balance & textures.

The soundstage of the recording is so good for most of it, punchy yet transparent. I wonder if that’s due to the spaced-out layout and audience-free performance - for the first time, I listened to the announcement at the end: it was a “socially-distanced” performance.

Incidentally that also accounts for not having heard of the conductor .... because she isn’t, she’s the orchestra’s leader who directed the performance.

[muzzer]

I’m listening to “Bartok Radio” online, found via Sonos Radio, and they’ve just played what I know as the TTN ‘ident’ music. Is this in fact an EBU-wide ‘jingle’ of sorts? I feel trivia like this will save me from the abyss.