Beethoven Unleashed: The 1808 Concert

[kernelbogey]

Beethoven Unleashed: The 1808 Concert
Radio 3 in Concert
Sunday 19 January 2020, 1600

On the 22nd of December 1808, Beethoven held a monumental concert in Vienna that lasted four hours and included the public premieres of both his 5th and 6th symphonies. The concert has been described as the most remarkable of Beethoven's career, and now, as part of Radio 3's year-long Beethoven Unleashed season for the 250th anniversary of his birth, this concert is being recreated by the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales and the Welsh National Opera Orchestra. In the first part, Carlo Rizzi and the orchestra of WNO and BBC NCW are joined by soprano Alwyn Mellor and pianist Steven Osborne, and after an extended interval Jaime Martín and BBC NOW take to the stage and are joined by pianist Llŷr Williams.

Presented by Hannah French, live from St David's Hall, Cardiff.

PART 1
Beethoven: Symphony No 6 in F major, Op 68 (Pastoral)
Beethoven: Ah! perfido, Op 65
Beethoven: Gloria (Mass in C major, Op 86)
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58
Alwyn Mellor (soprano)
Harriet Eyley (soprano)
Angharad Lyddon (mezzo-soprano)
Alexander Sprague (tenor)
Steffan Lloyd Owen (bass)
Steven Osborne (piano)
Welsh National Opera Orchestra
BBC National Chorus of Wales
Carlo Rizzi (conductor)

6.00pm INTERVAL - THE LISTENING SERVICE
Getting to Grips with Beethoven
Beethoven: deaf for most of his life, unbearable egotist, flagrant opportunist and musical anarchist whose music reaches the heights of ecstasy. Where do you start with this bundle of contradictions, probably the most admired composer in Western music, whose works have unfailingly filled concert halls for over 200 years? Tom Service goes in search of what makes Beethoven Beethoven and suggests a few key pieces to help unlock the man and his music.
David Papp (producer)

6.30pm INTERVAL - Live from St David's Hall
Hannah French introduces a piano duel in the style of Beethoven between pianists David Rees-Williams and Zoe Rahman, a talk on the relationship between Beethoven and wine by expert Ron Merlino, and insight into the original 1808 concert with Vienna expert David Wyn Jones.

7.30pm THE 1808 CONCERT
PART 2
Beethoven: Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67
Beethoven: Sanctus (Mass in C major, Op 86)
Beethoven: Piano Fantasia in G minor, Op 77
Beethoven: Choral Fantasy, Op 80
Harriet Eyley (soprano)
Jenniefer Walker (soprano)
Angharad Lyddon (mezzo-soprano)
Alexander Sprague (tenor)
Peter Harris (tenor)
Steffan Lloyd Owen (bass)
Llŷr Williams (piano)
BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales
Jaime Martín (conductor)

[richardfinegold]

Apparently the heat in the Concert Hall approximated JLW current misery...

[Serial_Apologist]

Was the BBC there?

[jayne lee wilson]

Apparently the heat in the Concert Hall approximated JLW current misery...

At least they didn't have fan heaters.... I have to switch them off to do any serious listening.... best late night, well wrapped after a hot shower......ah well..... only another 8 days to go....then the engineers all over the place for two days at least...

[bluestateprommer]

From looking at the seating chart for St. David's Hall, it's perhaps gratifying for the marketing department and the finance folks that only 7 seats remain for sale, as of this post. Of course, a completely sold-out hall would be even better.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

From looking at the seating chart for St. David's Hall, it's perhaps gratifying for the marketing department and the finance folks that only 7 seats remain for sale, as of this post. Of course, a completely sold-out hall would be even better.

Anyone not managing to get a ticket might wish to know that the Concert is also being "reconstructed" in the RFH in exactly eight weeks' time, with the Philharmonia conducted by Salonen:

http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/series/70/the_salonen_series?gclid=Cj0KEQjw3rfOBRDJruDR8Ljm7e0BEiQAam-GsAtiTGp8ziYyI971VhOPypwra3qccOUoc953v-k8DnAaAtsh8P8HAQ

[kernelbogey]

The Pastoral was played attractively with clear threads, beautiful solos and many details brought out it a way that was new to me. The audience liked it. I wonder at the decision - surely an idea considered? - not to have a more HIPP approach. As far as I could tell, this was conventional modern big concert orchestra style.

I'm not enjoying Ah Perfido! - Alwyn Mellor sounds very stretched.

[teamsaint]

Apparently the heat in the Concert Hall approximated JLW current misery...

We were at St Davids to see Swan Lake on New Years Eve, and it was uncomfortably hot in the hall.

Really enjoyed it anyway.

[DracoM]

And why wasn't Nicola H-T doing it instead of that OTT numpty?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

As the 6th was premiered before the 5th, is anyone going to start a thread about renumbering the symphonies.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

As the 6th was premiered before the 5th, is anyone going to start a thread about renumbering the symphonies.

Well, the Fifth is the Fourth, of course, so 1, 2, 3, 5a, 4, 5b, 6, 7, 8, & 9 - with the 6th before the 5th.

So, "perhaps not".

[pastoralguy]

As the 6th was premiered before the 5th, is anyone going to start a thread about renumbering the symphonies.

[Nick Armstrong]

that OTT numpty

Was it too cold or too OTT?

I’m confused...

[kernelbogey]

...that OTT numpty?

Something to do with her distinguished academic record?

[Bryn]

Anyone hear know of any plans for either HIPP concert performances or studio recordings of this concert programme? It'a the sort of thing Nimbus might have taken on in their prime.