Leeds Piano Competition 2018

[ardcarp]

No problem with sync on what I've seen/heard in the last couple of days. Calibs, my PC-to-stereo system was set up by someone much cleverer than I...but it is by wire. Agree about Wang's Bach...on a par Hewitt or Schiff IMHO. Best to ignore the facial expression tho'

[zola]

I agree that things in the currently free (why?) issues seem much better.

I don't know about historically but currently and for most of this year, Medici live streams are free and the vast majority remain free on replay for a month or so. Archives, vintage footage and documentaries are in the paid for subscription category. I watched coverage from the Verbier Festival in the summer.

Concerts often tend to revolve around a gang of usual suspects ( great for fans of Gergiev, Trifonov and Matsuev ) but it is worth keeping an eye on.

[ardcarp]

Listening to and enjoying Leeds Finals (part 1) on Radio 3 now. My effusiveness about Medici TV above I now withdraw. They allowed you to watch about 20 seconds of it then covered the screen with windows about paying for Premium. Well **** that! Maybe they'll have it all on replay by next week.

I can't imagine how judges can compare those playing Mozart and Beethoven Concertos with Prokoviev. Yes, yes, it's all down to musicianship, but even so...... Then they have to 'remember' tonight's performances as they assess tomorrow's. How difficult.

[zola]

[QUOTE=ardcarp;697708]Listening to and enjoying Leeds Finals (part 1) on Radio 3 now. My effusiveness about Medici TV above I now withdraw. They allowed you to watch about 20 seconds of it then covered the screen with windows about paying for Premium. Well **** that! Maybe they'll have it all on replay by next week./QUOTE]

I don't want anyone to think I am carrying some kind of torch for Medici. But I'm watching for free with no trouble at all

https://leedspiano2018.medici.tv/

You do have to register for a free account though and sign in ( like here if you want to post and not just lurk ! )

[ardcarp]

Well thanks zola. I must say it's about the most cluttered, confusing homepage on earth. I think I've signed up for an 'account'. We shall have to see tomorrow. Did you find Medici TV's coverage good?

[LMcD]

Exceptionally useful, thank you.

Unless I've missed something, this competition is now nowhere to be found on BBC television?

I've started listening to the R3 afternoon programmes from this week with Andrew McG and Lucy Parham - very good indeed (I very much enjoyed Xinyuan Wang's Bach and Rachmaninov despite the commentators thinking his playing a bit too 'serious'...)

.

For some reason, unfortunately, the Medici site won't let me beam the sound to the hifi via the Airport Express, whether from mobile devices or from the laptop. Anyone know why, and have a fix? Ardcarp, you seem to have managed it - but is your connection to the speakers by wire?

There's a 90-minute highlights programme at 7.00 p.m. on BBC 4 on Sunday 23rd September, hosted by Petroc Trelawny.

[zola]

Well thanks zola. I must say it's about the most cluttered, confusing homepage on earth. I think I've signed up for an 'account'. We shall have to see tomorrow. Did you find Medici TV's coverage good?

Medici coverage of the actual performances was fine, on a par with standard BBC proms coverage as far as camera work etc. Quite possibly, the same technicians working freelance ? The package surrounding it was a little routine, less space to stretch out with interesting interviews than there had been in the earlier rounds. Noriko Ogawa as expert guest did not offer any great insights. But there were no twee backstage interviews or gushing hype !

Since it is being presented by Petroc Trelawney, I suspect the 90 minute highlights programme mentioned on BBC4 next week could well be sourced from Medici coverage.

[ardcarp]

Replying to the last two posts...in a way....I find it absolutely HORRENDOUS that live BBC4 has not covered at least the Finals of the Leeds. Glancing at Friday's evening schedule for BBC4 we had:



7.30 Top of the Pops
8.00 Queen of Soul
9.00 Classic Albums
10,00-1155 2X Amy Winehouse-related programmes
11.55 Top of the Pops 1986

Presumably they push this out in order to claim Friday night as their music night (a) cheaply and (b) grabbing audience figures.

[cloughie]

Replying to the last two posts...in a way....I find it absolutely HORRENDOUS that live BBC4 has not covered at least the Finals of the Leeds. Glancing at Friday's evening schedule for BBC4 we had:



7.30 Top of the Pops
8.00 Queen of Soul
9.00 Classic Albums
10,00-1155 2X Amy Winehouse-related programmes
11.55 Top of the Pops 1986

Presumably they push this out in order to claim Friday night as their music night (a) cheaply and (b) grabbing audience figures.

I guess that ‘classical’ has had its quota for a while now - money has run out after the Proms!

[teamsaint]

It is worth looking at the remits for the various station, for arts and music coverage.
Giveen the interest in music of all kinds, and the budget available, they are rather pitiful.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/services/television/service_licences.html

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/tv/2016/bbcone_apr16.pdf

BBC1. 40 hours PER YEAR, including repeats.

BBC 2 3 hours per week including repeats.

BBC4 3 hours a week of new programmes.

At a guess, i would suggest that Glasto and the Proms take up a good chunk of this requirement.

[BBMmk2]

I guess that ‘classical’ has had its quota for a while now - money has run out after the Proms!

I saw that. Once the Proms are over, that’s it, imo. I’d be very surprised.

The coverage on Medici tv, has been very good I hear.

[ardcarp]

It is worth looking at the remits for the various station, for arts and music coverage.
Given the interest in music of all kinds, and the budget available, they are rather pitiful.

OK, I'm an elitist snob, but 'art-music' (loosely, 'classical' music) ought be given its own quota.

[Dave2002]

Medici coverage of the actual performances was fine, on a par with standard BBC proms coverage as far as camera work etc. Quite possibly, the same technicians working freelance ?

Is it not now the case that "even" the BBC outsources camera work and sound work? In that case Medici might simply buy straight in to the same outsource teams.

The vans I saw outside the RAH recently did not look like the "old" BBC outside studio vans - I should have noted the names on the side.

[Constantbee]

Talking to a professional about the Leeds yesterday who was critical of all the major international piano competitions nowadays, not just the Leeds, saying how narrow the chosen programmes are. You can pretty well predict what you'll hear and there are just some concertos that, for no good reason, seldom if ever get played: Tchaikovsky 2 and Rachmaninov 4, for example. I'm just glad it's there because it's one of the very few international cultural events hosted in the north of England and it puts Leeds on the map.

[ardcarp]

Yes, indeed.

I wonder if my sentiments in a post upthread have anything to do with it?

"I can't imagine how judges can compare those playing Mozart and Beethoven Concertos with Prokoviev. Yes, yes, it's all down to musicianship, but even so...... Then they have to 'remember' tonight's performances as they assess tomorrow's. How difficult. "


In other words the candidates 'play safe' so that their musicianship is judged rather than technique...possibly?

However, Leeds opened up to chamber music ensemble work this year. Is that a first? I gather the candidates were given a rather small list of chamber works to choose from; but I suppose that's understandable as the other artists have to be able to play them without too much 'homework'.