BBC Young Musician 2016

[Dave2002]

Whatever one thinks of the presentation, it looks as though some amazing young musicians will be on TV over the next week or so.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/prof...dJ/competitors - BBC Four

Tonight's programme has started off fairly well and the playing so far is outstanding.

[oddoneout]

Just waiting for the results of the piano finals. I see that the finalists' programmes were transmitted during the evening concert intervals on R3 this week. Regardless of what the judges say my favourite was Jaquie Campbell.

[ardcarp]

As you imply, Dave, we could do without the gushing duo presenters...and with less tosh we could have had more complete performances. Could they not have included the Ligeti for instance...and the 1st mov't of Mozart's C minor Sonata was surely truncated?

BUT, as you say stunning performances. The winner was a brave choice IMO in the face of a couple of other very assured and experienced performers...but he certainly seemed to have 'something special', and they are looking for Young Musician of the Year.

[Mary Chambers]

Just waiting for the results of the piano finals. I see that the finalists' programmes were transmitted during the evening concert intervals on R3 this week. Regardless of what the judges say my favourite was Jaquie Campbell.

Mine, too. Something special there.

Just editing to add that I wrote (typed) 'something special' before I read ardcarp's post.

[Dave2002]

...and the 1st mov't of Mozart's C minor Sonata was surely truncated?

Indeed, though it wasn't completely obvious what had been cut out on first listening. As I recall from the TV, only two of them included classical composers (Mozart, Beethoven) and two of them included very modern works - played with great bravura. I thought all of them had claims - based on the TV programme, and I particularly liked the youngest performer - but I would expect some of these to emerge in the future anyway. I certainly hope so, if they want to keep on with a musical career. Perhaps one does get a slightly different feel for the event from the R3 broadcast(s) or the online performances.

Actually the presentation didn't seem as inane this year as in some previous years.

[Nick Armstrong]

Just caught up - blimey, some astonishing musicians there!

I agree - Jackie Campbell's playing was the real thing, and to see that slight wisp of a lad producing those sounds was moving in itself - likewise, the last player, the mind-boggling 13 year old. The other performance that really did it for me was the Schumann Warum? from the rather over-earnest but also staggeringly talented Julian Trevelyan.

The presentation wasn't too bad, I agree with that too. I did fast-forward through the (almost) 10 minutes it took before there was any playing

(I'd forgotten the horror of Eric Whitacre's conducting of the Gershwin for last time's champion, at the Prom. Poor young chap, for that to be his Proms début... )

[ardcarp]

I'd forgotten the horror of Eric Whitacre's conducting of the Gershwin

...indeed. The way he did a single sweep of the baton and expected the orchestra to play pom pom pom (upbeats) POM (downbeat) with any unanimity beggars belief. A less world-class orchestra would certainly have fallen apart at that point!

[oddoneout]

Although I am not a pianist I can appreciate the talent of these finalists, and admire the skill with which they tackled their programmes. The difference for me with Jackie Campbell was that I was immediately drawn into his playing emotionally and almost didn't see the performer for the pleasure of the sounds being produced - the piano ceased to be a percussion instrument. Bearing in mind I don't like Scriabin and if the Ligeti came on the radio I would probably switch it off within a few notes, the fact that I have now listened to both pieces twice on iplayer and will probably do so again I find quite some feat.

[Pianorak]

. . . I don't like Scriabin . . .

I think Mikhail Pletnev's performance of the Scriabin Preludes op. 11 might turn you into a Scriabin fan.

Have just had another listen and am still undecided between Yuanfan Yang, Julian Trevelyan and Jackie Campbell. Superb musicians all of them.

[gradus]

Well I suppose child prodigies are by defintion astonishing but to produce such playing at 13 after after only six years of learning the piano ................
I found distinguishing between them almost impossible but oddly in view of the reactions here and from the panel, I didn't particularly like the over-intense Warum which felt like Schumann arr.someone or other - just how it struck me.

[mikealdren]

Disappointed that the Beeb didn't have an independent critical view of the performers (as they have in the past), telling us how good they all are is really stating the obvious. It would be interesting to have a critique that also discussed how they might improve/do better.

[ardcarp]

Disappointed that the Beeb didn't have an independent critical view of the performers (as they have in the past), telling us how good they all are is really stating the obvious. It would be interesting to have a critique that also discussed how they might improve/do better.

I suppose one has to be careful, when dealing with youngsters, that 'a critique' doesn't become a criticism. One of the judges said, towards the end, that the girl finalist was playing the Chopin 'to please herself' rather than the audience (or words to that effect). That was a little harsh, I thought, even if he only meant, I suspect, laying on the rubato a bit heavily.

Given the very high standard of all the finalists, I think the judges must have made their very difficult decision on the extra-good things which appealed to them personally rather than doing a 'driving test' checklist of errors!


I agree absolutely with:

and am still undecided between Yuanfan Yang, Julian Trevelyan and Jackie Campbell. Superb musicians all of them.

So hard for those who didn't make it...but that's competitions for you.

[Dave2002]

I suppose one has to be careful, when dealing with youngsters, that 'a critique' doesn't become a criticism. One of the judges said, towards the end, that the girl finalist was playing the Chopin 'to please herself' rather than the audience (or words to that effect). That was a little harsh, I thought, even if he only meant, I suspect, laying on the rubato a bit heavily.

I felt the same too. I personally can't see anything wrong with a player "pleasing him or herself". I think one competition winner, Peter Donohoe once said that after playing to win the Moscow competition, that he would then be able to play as he liked, rather than simply for judges or audiences etc. If performers can't play as they would like to play, then surely it would be less enjoyable for them, though if audiences like their playing as well that's a definite bonus, particularly for a concert or recording career.

[oddoneout]

I think Mikhail Pletnev's performance of the Scriabin Preludes op. 11 might turn you into a Scriabin fan.

Thanks for the pointer, I'll have a listen in due course.

[Barbirollians]

I agree it was an exceptional keyboard final - Yuanfan Yang seemed a much maturer artist as one might expect than in 2012 and the 13 year old played with astonishing musicality if not individuality - I was not so keen on Tomaka or Julisn both albeit exceptionally talented did seem to be pkaying for themselves .

Jackie Campbell was indeed a worthy winner - for a gauche and self deprecating 15 year old his playing was immediately touching . A very good winner and to be honest I should have preferred at least 3 of tonight 's finalists to Martin Bartlett.