Tales from the Stave - Bruch

[ardcarp]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00094kz

This was really interesting today, especially (for me anyway) the minor textual amendments that had been made...for the better... since the original score left Bruch's hand. Great to have Joshua Bell on hand to play little snippets. Yes, I know Bruch wrote another violin concerto, bur I'm quite happy to call No.1 in G minor THE Bruch Violin Concerto.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I nearly switched it off after enduring Clemmie's opening autobiographical comments, which rather gave the impression that the work was only important because she had played it once (if you didn't already know she was a violinist*, she kindly reminded you a couple more times during the programme) - and the silly comments about why Bruch wasn't "the fourth 'B'" (dead easy - he wasn't good enough**).

But, once she stopped gazing in the mirror, it became a very good documentary - not just from the history of the manuscript (and how the Bruch family was cheated out of payment for it from thd American collectors) but also from the revisions and reworkings that the composer had taped over his original ideas: practically none for the Adagio, which appears to have come to him complete. Well worth hearing.

(* - and a very good one, too; just not as important as she seems to believe.

** - his Third Violin Concerto, Third Symphony, and the Double Concerto for Clarinet & Viola are worth hearing, and the Scottish Fantasy can be fun, too - but palid in comparison with the g minor Concerto.)

[Stanfordian]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00094kz

This was really interesting today, especially (for me anyway) the minor textual amendments that had been made...for the better... since the original score left Bruch's hand. Great to have Joshua Bell on hand to play little snippets. Yes, I know Bruch wrote another violin concerto, bur I'm quite happy to call No.1 in G minor THE Bruch Violin Concerto.

I enjoyed the programme 'Tales from the Stave - Bruch'. Bruch wrote three violin concertos and 6 other scores for the combination and I enjoy them all with the first concerto being in my book an enduring masterwork that I never tire off. Although I do like CBH's voice it's difficult to imagine engaging a 'star' presenter such as her and not expect them to talk about themselves even a little bit. Perhaps it might have been better to have a lesser known presenter.

[ardcarp]

I nearly switched it off after enduring Clemmie's opening autobiographical comments, which rather gave the impression that the work was only important because she had played it once (if you didn't already know she was a violinist*, she kindly reminded you a couple more times during the programme) - and the silly comments about why Bruch wasn't "the fourth 'B'" (dead easy - he wasn't good enough**).

But, once she stopped gazing in the mirror, it became a very good documentary - not just from the history of the manuscript (and how the Bruch family was cheated out of payment for it from thd American collectors) but also from the revisions and reworkings that the composer had taped over his original ideas: practically none for the Adagio, which appears to have come to him complete. Well worth hearing.

(* - and a very good one, too; just not as important as she seems to believe.

** - his Third Violin Concerto, Third Symphony, and the Double Concerto for Clarinet & Viola are worth hearing, and the Scottish Fantasy can be fun, too - but palid in comparison with the g minor Concerto.)

Agreed, the programme sometimes has its yukky side. I actually missed the very beginning...phew. Too often it gets over sentimental about gazing at/touching a holy relic; but it is Radio 4, and has to appeal to a general listenership.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I've enjoyed listening to various "Tales from the Stave" (Dream of Gerontius, Elijah, Child of our Time and numerous others) and regret that Frances Fifield is not continuing to present them. I wonder if she has voluntarily given up presenting the programme, or whether the programme has been drawn into the cult of identifying programmes with a decreasing number of BBC "Personalities"? The programme, in the past and now, appears to be an in-house BBC production (no other entity is mentioned on the programme page on the R4 website (desktop version).

At least the format hasn't been downgraded - still a presenter plus a performer and a knowledgeable academic/authority on the work or composer.

[Barbirollians]

Yes I wondered why Frances Fyfield who had presented all the previous series has been replaced ? It is a shame.

[Master Jacques]

It's possible she has retired: Frances Fyfield is 70, and may be concentrating on her novels.

I too (happily) missed the very beginning, but thought this was an excellent programme, with much to tell us.

I'd want to add In Memoriam (violin and orchestra) to ferneyhoughgeliebte's list of Bruch beyond the famous concerto. It's one of those pieces which always makes me glow with Elgarian emotion and pleasure. His major opera Lorleley also surprised me very pleasantly, when I reviewed it last year - part of the German romantic "alternative school" to Herr Wagner, and full of life.

[pastoralguy]

There's a story of Bruch showing the manuscript of the g minor Concerto to Brahms. 'The is simply beautiful', commented Dr. Brahms as he leafed through the pages. 'I've never seen anything quite like it. Simply marvellous. Where on earth did you find such quality manuscript paper?!'

[Bryn]

There's a story of Bruch showing the manuscript of the g minor Concerto to Brahms. 'The is simply beautiful', commented Dr. Brahms as he leafed through the pages. 'I've never seen anything quite like it. Simply marvellous. Where on earth did you find such quality manuscript paper?!'

If that's not in Slonimsky's Lexicon of Musical Invective,it should be:

[Barbirollians]

There's a story of Bruch showing the manuscript of the g minor Concerto to Brahms. 'The is simply beautiful', commented Dr. Brahms as he leafed through the pages. 'I've never seen anything quite like it. Simply marvellous. Where on earth did you find such quality manuscript paper?!'

Was that before or after Hans Von Bulow said Bruch wrote a concerto for the violin and Brahms wrote one against the violin ?