BBC4 "Symphony" with Simon Russell Beale

[Angle]

Well, that's another bit of Readers' Digest style television that's ended.

[Barbirollians]

Another garbled ill-thought out programme - why so much Ives for crying out loud ? and no real discussion of Mahler at all - meanwhile not a sniff of poor Mendelssohn and Schumann , a few seconds of Elgar ... a programme all over the place - it needed at least double the number of episodes to make any sense .

[Panjandrum]

Another garbled ill-thought out programme - why so much Ives for crying out loud ? and no real discussion of Mahler at all .

Really? Sounds like it might be worth giving another go.

[Suffolkcoastal]

With the exception of the 4th Symphony, which only really had an impact on the musical scene post 1950's, Ives's symphonies really have little importance even in the history of the American symphony so it would seem rather odd to concentrate so much on him if this was the case. I'm certainly glad I have kept clear of the programmes!

[Norfolk Born]

Worth noting that next Friday SRB is devoting a whole programme to one composer - Victoria.

[Nick Armstrong]

Worth noting that next Friday SRB is devoting a whole programme to one composer - Victoria.

Well worth noting, many thanks indeed, Norfy. Have converted a couple of people to Victoria recently, I must draw it to their attention.

[MrGongGong]

I wasn't going to bother
but the Ives definitely will make me have a listen

hope its not a load of luvvie nonsense again , though Ives is hardly thesp material

[Panjandrum]

Worth noting that next Friday SRB is devoting a whole programme to one composer - Victoria.

What, Victoria the well known symphonist?

[MrGongGong]

Not that one
I used to be fond of this one !

http://www.victoriapub.net/

very popular with the Cathedral Choir I have been led to believe !

[Norfolk Born]

The programme, not part of the Symphony series, and not a repeat, is entitled 'God's Composer' and is broadcast on BBC 4 at 20.00 on 2nd December with a repeat at 0230 on 3rd December. The Sixteen will be singing in the church of San Antonio de las Alemanes in Madrid.

[MrGongGong]

and afterwards at the Vic for a few pints of Batemans XXXB ?

Sounds good though

[Norfolk Born]

There's a preview on page 120 of the issue covering 26 Nov - 2 Dec 2011.

[mercia]

I liked seeing the inside of Ainola. "here is the fireplace where the eighth symphony was destroyed ....... oh it's still warm"

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

well it was better than much of what is on the box .. not saying that much is it? .... having watched all four parts i gathered some gossip but no greater or finer understanding of the symphony at all .... just like a murdoch Sunday supplement innit

[makropulos]

Having now watched the whole series, I'm nowhere near as negative about it as most people posting here. It struck me as good telly, covered some of the ground quite well, and didn't just include the usual suspects in terms of repertoire choice. Making something that's compressed into four hour-long programmes is a no-win really - on the one hand it's slated for concentrating too much on the mainstream, and then there are complaints about including Ives 2 (which I thought was actually a nice idea). In four hours, the thing could never be more than a taster of what's out there and while I was sorry not to have Mendelssohn or Schumann, it did whet the appetite for Berlioz's R&J and the Liszt Faust Symphony. Nothing wrong with that as far as I can see - nor including some of Vaughan Williams' Pastoral Symphony and the slow movement of Elgar 2. Maybe the last programme had too much Shostakovich, but then again some people can never get too much of him. There were some nice bits done in composers' homes or places they visited. I certainly didn't know about the house where Haydn wrote Symphony No. 98, and it was good to see the houses of Dvorak, Sibelius and such like.

Back to my first point. In the space of four hours I find myself feeling much more positive towards the series than most people here. I was glad that it recognised that symphonies were composed by British and American composers (among others), and it left the way open for any interested viewer and listener to explore further, which is surely all a series lasting a few hours can hope to do.

And finally, I thought SRB and Mark Elder were excellent presenters - enthusiastic and intelligent, even playing piano duets together, which was a charming touch.