BBC Young Musician 2022

[DracoM]

Percussionist for me.
Started with TV, but R3 sound balance better - IMO.

[oddoneout]

Percussionist for me.
Started with TV, but R3 sound balance better - IMO.

The jury agreed with you. What I liked abut his slot was that the percussion section of the orchestra had such a big part to play, an opportunity for them to have their moment in the spotlight as well.

[Pulcinella]

Violist by quite a long way here at Casa Pulcinella.
Knocked our socks off, and (possibly because of being able to see as well as hear/listen) we spotted delicacies and aspects of the piece we hadn't done previously.
That was a performance that could have gone straight into the recording studio.
He'll go far, regardless of not winning. And he's only 17.
Definitely one to watch.

Percussionist was our number 2 choice; how (and where) on earth do you practice such a piece?

[Beresford]

Now trying to catch up with these on iPlayer. One query I have is about dynamics. Have the dynamics been flattened beyond recognition in most of the performances? I find it very hard to make any sort of sensible judgement based on the sound I hear. It may be that some of the performers were in fact shading the dynamics in their performances really well, but something in the audio chain has completely taken out any significant dynamic variation.

Or is it just my hearing ... and imagination?

I also found the dynamic range excessively limited, using the 320k internet link from the akami server. Apart from that the sound quality - timbre and balance - was very good, in particular the piano and viola. I suspect tv requirements reduced the dynamic range somewhere between Manchester and the R3 main feed.

But the musicality of all the finalists was outstanding. I was very moved by the Chopin playing of Ethan Lock, it was very much his own interpretation, and you could hear how hard the orchestra was listening.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Violist by quite a long way here at Casa Pulcinella.
Knocked our socks off, and (possibly because of being able to see as well as hear/listen) we spotted delicacies and aspects of the piece we hadn't done previously.
That was a performance that could have gone straight into the recording studio.
He'll go far, regardless of not winning. And he's only 17.
Definitely one to watch.

Percussionist was our number 2 choice; how (and where) on earth do you practice such a piece?

I’m with you - exceptional playing

[gradus]

I thought it was between the violist, trumpet player and pianist - I'm not a great fan of percussion playing except where the score calls for it, in any case.

[Beresford]

Are there any video clips available from the 2022 finals?

[cloughie]

I thought it was between the violist, trumpet player and pianist - I'm not a great fan of percussion playing except where the score calls for it, in any case.

Yes, but it is good to see recognition of the kitchen section whose members are talented multi-instrumentalists!

[Lordgeous]

Violist for me - and choice of a decent piece of music. Yes, percussionist had lots of energy but I always feel sorry for them not having any 'real' music to play (nothing by Mozart, Beethoven, Sibelius - even Stravinsky or Britten) only pieces by percussion specialists! I know I'll probably get shot down for this - maybe with a rim shot?!

[ardcarp]

I seem to be the only one who, from among the brilliant finalists, plumped for the flautist. Her stage presence was ‘contained’ but her musicality and command of the instrument was exceptional IMHO.

[Cockney Sparrow]

I seem to be the only one who, from among the brilliant finalists, plumped for the flautist. Her stage presence was ‘contained’ but her musicality and command of the instrument was exceptional IMHO.

We were very appreciative of the flautist for the reasons you state.

I (we) aren't familiar with the Walton concerto, but it didn't hold our interest (I should give it another chance). Having no great insight into playing the viola, I wondered whether it limited appreciation of the competitors skill and expressive capability - except that I suppose we are expected to trust in the superior powers of the judges to have that insight.

The percussionist displayed great skill but inevitably, as long as it is well done, its quite a spectacle, so does that assist the competitor to succeed in winning?

All in all, it seems to me to be very difficult to choose one competitor above others in such different instruments, where there is such a strong field of players in the final.

[Pulcinella]

We were very appreciative of the flautist for the reasons you state.

I (we) aren't familiar with the Walton concerto, but it didn't hold our interest (I should give it another chance). Having no great insight into playing the viola, I wondered whether it limited appreciation of the competitors skill and expressive capability - except that I suppose we are expected to trust in the superior powers of the judges to have that insight.

The percussionist displayed great skill but inevitably, as long as it is well done, its quite a spectacle, so does that assist the competitor to succeed in winning?

All in all, it seems to me to be very difficult to choose one competitor above others in such different instruments, where there is such a strong field of players in the final.

I hope that you do indeed give the Walton a second chance, but if you weren't persuaded by the Young Musician performance I doubt you'll be converted by any other: he showed his musicianship in spades.
And that for us is the (hard) distinction to make when comparing apples and pears in this competition: we're looking for a musician, not (just!) a player or performer.
And therein are some of the problems for us here at Casa Pulcinella: despite the undoubted skill and ability involved in playing a flute or trumpet, or a battery of percussion, it's always going to be the piano and string instruments that appeal more, because interpretation and technique seem then to be more to the fore.
Unfair, perhaps, but then all competitions are, and all of the finalists will go far, and deserve the highest praise.

PS: I see there was a BaL on the Walton in 2007, won by the new (at that time) recording of the original version by Lawrence Power, with the BBCSSO under Ilan Volkov. As it's on Hyperion you may well not be able to stream it.
The other versions on my shelves are
Primrose/Philharmonia/Walton
Menuhin/New Philharmonia/Walton
Tomter/English Northern Philharmonia/Daniel
Neubauer/Bournemouth SO/Litton
Bashmet/LSO/Previn

I hope you can find one to listen to somehow.

Happy listening!

[kernelbogey]

And that for us is the (hard) distinction to make when comparing apples and pears in this competition: we're looking for a musician, not (just!) a player or performer.
And therein are some of the problems for us here at Casa Pulcinella: despite the undoubted skill and ability involved in playing a flute or trumpet, or a battery of percussion, it's always going to be the piano and string instruments that appeal more, because interpretation and technique seem then to be more to the fore.

Having missed quite a lot of the programmes I tried to watch the two-hour finals programme on iPlayer last night, but had to give up after the trumpeter - partly because it all became too much.

Writing purely personally, since I'm not a trained musician, more a musical appreciator, I wonder if Pulcers' remark about the piano and strings and interpretation holds true for others? I'm often struck in broadcast concerts by very beautiful solo work from members in an orchestral performance: flautists and oboeists in particular frequently 'catch my ear' for outstanding musicianship.

[Sir Velo]

I hope that you do indeed give the Walton a second chance, but if you weren't persuaded by the Young Musician performance I doubt you'll be converted by any other: he showed his musicianship in spades.

Totally agree on the merits of the Walton. To your list I would add Kennedy/Previn as undoubtedly worth a listen.

[ardcarp]

I think many views expressed above, including mine, boil down to the fact that music competitions are impossible to judge at this level. The judges have to pick a winner however. It’s their job. In C