What was your last concert?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Monday Freebies; HCMF, 20/11/17

In spite of severe funding shortfalls (rumour has it that the Arts Council gives more money to the Aldeburgh Festival per day than it does to the entire Huddersfield Festival - and Donaueschingen receives more public funding per project!) not only are ticket prices for Huddersfield Festival events very reasonably priced, but every year several events are free. In this way, the widest possible audience is given access to a broad range of new ideas and developments in Music from Musicians from across Europe (and, occasionally, beyond).

Most prominently, every Monday for the past five or so years, all events are free. For twelve hours, from 11:00 am, performances (usually lasting around 40 minutes) are scattered around the University campus as well as further afield (last year I got soaked walking from St Paul's to St Thomas's in heavy rain during the evening rush hour). Enough time to sample what composers and performers have to offer, without "general audiences" having to "endure" something they dislike.

With fifteen events during the course of the day, it would be impossible (without avoiding eating and loo visits) to attend everything, and impractical to comment in detail and do justice to all ten events I went to. But the real highlight, for me, was a staggering performance by Swiss pianist Gilles Grimaitre of Moroccan composer Raphael Languillat's Flaggellation du Christ (d'apres Le Caravage). Written last year, this was a quarter-hour test of physical endurance for the performer, who has to bash out very loud cluster chords very rapidly (semiquavers at MM = c 72) throughout. The description sounds as if the work was a cheap, "gimmick" (and my immediate reaction was "Oh - Stockhausen Klavierstuck ix!") - but Languillat knew what he was doing; the chords and registers change (ir)regularly throughout the piece, the dynamics also range (from fff to about ffffff) - so that, over this ocean of piano noise rolls a fog of constantly changing overtones from which an indistinct "chorale" emerges - like Lontano on acid. The audience (St Paul's Hall was full, so about 400 people) was left reeling - especially those of us who had gone with the idea that, as very quiet pieces have been "trending" in recent years, we should sit on the front row in order to get all the nuances!! - but in a very enthusiastic way: all the comments I overheard on the way out were positive and astonished. My head was throbbing - and Grimaitre looked as if he'd just made it to the end of the marathon piece. (The piano was left quivering on the stage.) Phew!

Other highlights included hearing Michael Parson's piano pieces played by Philip Thomas (and a duet with the composer himself playing the other part) - I would have preferred to hear a couple more such pieces than the performance of Parson's most famous work, Walk - it was too cold outside to appreciate the silent choreography of this piece, performed with enthusiastic dedication by the Edges Ensemble. Kevin Fairbairn's performance of Richard Barrett's basalt for solo trombone was terrific, too - his decision to segue between the three pieces on his programme not a successful idea, I thought; Timothy McCormack's HEAVY MATTER sounded a little underpowered in such immediate proximity, and Sehyung Kim's Sijo_241015 came across as a performance of a list of extended Trombone performing techniques more than a single "composition" - interesting as it was to hear the results of Fairbairn dismantling his instrument, and attaching various different mouthpieces (including clarinet and oboe).

But that sums up the whole day - even the weaker works all had something to offer, and the better pieces were astonishing and rewarding. And, of course, each member of the audience will have completely different ideas about which works were "better" and "weaker".

[bluestateprommer]

Caught this program with the Philadelphia Orchestra over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The second half was new to me as a concert-goer, as I'd never heard Dvorak op. 98a or Barber's Symphony No. 1 live before. The crowd-pleasing material was all in the first half, with Jon Kimura Parker doing a nice job with Gershwin's Concerto in F. One classy touch after the concert was that JKP strolled back on stage to get some pictures taken with woodwind players of the orchestra. Also at the curtain call, James Gaffigan held up the score of Barber 1.

After the main orchestra concert, a few hundred folks stayed for the ~30 minute organ postlude recital by Peter Richard Conte, with concise comments by PRC before each selection. The best work on the postlude was the Gershwin prelude, as one might guess, but it was cute to hear organ works by a very young Dvorak (age 18) and Barber (age 15).

BTW, David Patrick Stearns reviewed the main concert here. You might want to spare a thought for DPS, because he is leaving the Philadelphia Inquirer next month after 17 years with the paper. DPS blogs about it here.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

HCMF 2017: Explore Ensemble; Phipps Hall, Thurs 23rd November.

One of the most joyous aspects of recent Festivals has been to see the number of keen young Musicians enjoying performing demanding repertoire with heart-warming enthusiasm. Explore Ensemble featured last year at the Monday Freebies, giving the finest performance (by far!) Live or on record of Grisey's Talea that I've ever heard. So fantastic was their performance, and so responsive the Huddersfield audience, that they were immediately invited back to give an entire concert: they didn't disappoint. They are essentially a "Pierrot" Ensemble - with separate Viola player - but with the addition of an electronics performer.

Their concert began with the World Premiere of Patricia Alessandrini(b1970)'s Tracer la lune d'un doigt ("trace the moon with a finger") commissioned by the Ensemble as part of their commitment to supporting the work of living composers. This was a cool, understated work, based on material from the slow movements of the Bach violin Concertos. This material is very much hidden and fragmented within a work which explores a restricted vocabulary of instrumental techniques, these subjected to electronic amplification and distortion - an elusive but (I found) absorbing work. After experiencing several performances, I've decided that Enno Poppe(b1969)'s Music isn't for me - and even the committed performance from Explore couldn't get me to a point of thinking that his Geloschte Lieder ("erased songs") had said all that it had to say within the first five minutes or so, and that the remaining quarter-hour was largely redundant. I found Steven Daverson(b1985)'s Elusive Tangibility II: Firelife much more effective - like the Alessandrini, dynamics were strictly compressed and controlled, the reduced sounds inviting the listener to concentrate on each moment. It held my attention, and was beautifully timed. The concert concluded with La Sabbia del Tempo ("the sand of time"), an early work - as they all are, alas - by the late Fausto Romitelli (1963 - 2004). Based on findings from his research work at IRCAM, this was a superb piece; the first time that I have been completely convinced and satisfied by one of this composer's works.

All four works were performed with panache and genuine enjoyment by the young players, and it was again a delight to see them relishing the challenges and opportunities each piece gave them. Complete corporate Music-making throughout - any of the players could have followed a successful career as a soloist, but they have chosen to work together: eye-contact and "conducting" shared between them, and huge grins of enjoyment before and after each piece: it felt as if we were overhearing top-quality Music-making from a group of astonishingly talented friends.

[EdgeleyRob]

Stumbled upon this beautiful room



The Chopin Gallery in Krakow just in time to hear a pianist named Anna (unpronounceable surname which I didn't catch and wouldn't have remembered anyway ) play an hour's worth of Chopin for a tenner.
Free glass of wine,bags of wrong notes but a wonderful antidote to a harrowing day at Auschwitz Birkenau.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

HCMF 2017: Hauser & Oliveros; Huddersfield Town Hall, Sat 25th November

Quite a special event this - but, sadly, no mics visible to suggest that a future broadcast/CD release is in the offing. Distractfold is another of the young ensembles that have impressed HCMF audiences in the past; based in Manchester, everything involving them that I've heard either on record, in broadcasts, or Live has been exceptionally fine, exciting, and inspirational, and this concert added to their rostrum of successes. They were working in collaboration with ICE, (the International Contemporary Ensemble) one of the best New Music collectives currently working in the United States, 'cellist (& vocalist) Anne Bourne, and Swiss composer/percussionist Fritz Hauer (b1953).

One of the two major events in this year's Festival celebrating the Music of Pauline Oliveros; poignant in that shortly before her death just a year ago, plans had been made that she should have attended the concerts in person. The concert began with her All Fours for the Drum Bum, a hushed, good-natured scherzo for solo percussion, played by Hauer himself. Then Hauer's own 20-minute piece, RUNDUM followed - and, my God! this was a devastatingly beautiful work! Long-sustained drones from the performers surrounding the audience, with long, lyrical melodies - during which some of the players moved around the audience aisles, and 'cellist Anne Bourne carried her instrument as she played and sang (simulataneously) achingly sorrowful fragments of folk-like melody. The whole audience was deeply moved and impressed.

There was then an (unannounced in the programme) Interval during which ice cream was served. In Huddersfield. At the end of November.

The second part of the concert was devoted to Oliveros' 75-minute Primordial/Lift from 1998. I had initial doubts about this work, following a discussion - described by one audience member (NOT me, but I agreed) as "flakey" - about the origins of the work, given by Oliveros' partner, IONE (who, it has to be remembered, was commemorating the first anniversary of her partner's death) in which dubious (and inaccurate) scientific claims were made for the basis of the work. Forgotten as soon as the work began - this was an engaging, gripping, and wonderful work; full of character - grinding microtonal dissonances, euphonious drones, instruments calling to each other from opposite ends of the Hall, propulsive rhythms (often ticking from amplified solo violin, col legno pianissimo). Simultaneously heart-breaking and exhilarating - it was a uniquely powerful, time-suspended event, magnificently performed by these heroic performers.

This year's Festival was a series of highlights - I cannot remember any season that had such an array of first-rate works and performances. Even so, this concert stood out as a particularly high pinnacle. Tragic that it wasn't captured for broadcast/recording.

[EdgeleyRob]

Salford freebie today

Albert Roussel
The Spider's Feast - Symphonic fragments

Claude Vivier
Lonely Child (Katrien Baerts,soprano)

Arthur Honegger
Pacific 231

Gustav Holst
Egdon Heath

Paul Dukas
The Sorcerer's Apprentice

BBC Philharmonic conducted by Manoj Kamps

Enjoyable afternoon mostly,didn't particularly like the Claude Vivier piece,never heard of the composer before

[teamsaint]

Bournemouth SO, Anvil Basingstoke.

Mozart Piano Concerto no. 23
Bruckner Symphony no. 8

Robert Levin piano
Kirill Karabits

The Anvil ( uptown Basingstoke) seemed like a welcoming prospect on a freezing winter day , and some Mozart and Bruckner 8 looked likely to warm a person up, so I joined the Friday night crowds to see what the BSO and KK made of this programme. I say crowds, it was a disappointingly modest turnout really, maybe 60% full .
Levin played the Mozart with obvious relish and understanding . Just showy enough for my taste, and importantly with lots of interaction with Karabits and members of the orchestra. As ever, you do wonder how different it might have sounded on a period instrument, but Levin has a lovely touch, and flair when needed. The start of the slow movement was as beautiful as you could wish for, and the final movement signed off the performance off with real panache. Karabits ( or at least as far as I could see from the blind side of the piano in my” stalker’s seat” ) was very hands off in this, just nudges and flicks in addition to his usual tidy style, like a batsman in a one day game accumulating in 1’s and 2’s. I enjoyed Levin’s performance and demeanour immensely, and I’d say the orchestra enjoyed it too. A swift encore of the Intermezzo from Schumann's Faschingsschwank aus Wien op. 26, and away he went, with a two- handed overhead acknowledgement , the way boxers used to do.

Being so close to the first violins, ( Row A) just adds to the understanding of what a big ask works like Bruckner 8 are for an orchestra. A clear and really atmospheric start, set the tone for a powerful first movement. The Scherzo was purposeful and taken quite briskly, and handled firmly, I thought, allowing for additional contrast in the Trio. The Final movement I though was taken at modest pace, and the march elements absolutely bounced off the stage. Perhaps this was the most striking movement in terms of this performance, but a fine rendition overall which was very greatly appreciated by those present. Karabits , apart from moving into the orchestra to pick out certain performers, took the prolonged applause almost static, and seemingly happy to bask in the adulation. Can’t blame him, it was a long and successful night’s work. He’s a conductor I rate highly, who does a terrific job for his orchestra.
And to round it off, we were treated to a brass arrangement (by BSO’s Kevin Morgan) of Locus Iste. Fabulous.

[Nick Armstrong]

Bournemouth SO, Anvil Basingstoke.

Mozart Piano Concerto no. 23
Bruckner Symphony no. 8

Robert Levin piano
Kirill Karabits

Spotted your earlier reference to this concert, teams - would have come along had I been in the right country, great programme. Very good to read your review, sounds an excellent night out. And the brass encore a good warm-up for this morning's BAL!

[Alison]

Top notch review Saints and I feel like seeking out the Symphony tonight!

Must confess I probably hadn't fully appreciated KK's credentials until that very striking performance of LvB1 at the Proms.

[Bryn]

Might have made the journey myself, had it not been for the end of season (and preparation for TUPE) meal at the Brilliant, Southall. Very highly recommended Punjabi style cooking with a Kenyan twist.

[Richard Barrett]

Swiss composer/percussionist Fritz Hauer (b1953).

But it really is Hauser, right? - as in your heading. Thanks for the HCMF reports, I've only just come across them, most interesting.

Speaking of the funding discrepancy between HCMF and other events, a friend of mine from Hamburg who runs a series of contemporary music events there (the composer Michael Maierhof, whose name you probably know, and if you don't if would be worth putting that right!) told me that his annual budget from the city was equivalent to the cost of one of the windows in the Elbphilharmonie... which kind of makes me never want to go there, despite its apparently wonderful acoustics.

[Zucchini]

I probably hadn't fully appreciated KK's credentials until that very striking performance of LvB1 at the Proms.

Anyone who encourages banging kettle drums until they can stand no more gets 5* from you!

[Beef Oven!]

Bournemouth SO, Anvil Basingstoke.

Mozart Piano Concerto no. 23
Bruckner Symphony no. 8

Robert Levin piano
Kirill Karabits

The Anvil ( uptown Basingstoke) seemed like a welcoming prospect on a freezing winter day , and some Mozart and Bruckner 8 looked likely to warm a person up, so I joined the Friday night crowds to see what the BSO and KK made of this programme. I say crowds, it was a disappointingly modest turnout really, maybe 60% full .
Levin played the Mozart with obvious relish and understanding . Just showy enough for my taste, and importantly with lots of interaction with Karabits and members of the orchestra. As ever, you do wonder how different it might have sounded on a period instrument, but Levin has a lovely touch, and flair when needed. The start of the slow movement was as beautiful as you could wish for, and the final movement signed off the performance off with real panache. Karabits ( or at least as far as I could see from the blind side of the piano in my” stalker’s seat” ) was very hands off in this, just nudges and flicks in addition to his usual tidy style, like a batsman in a one day game accumulating in 1’s and 2’s. I enjoyed Levin’s performance and demeanour immensely, and I’d say the orchestra enjoyed it too. A swift encore of the Intermezzo from Schumann's Faschingsschwank aus Wien op. 26, and away he went, with a two- handed overhead acknowledgement , the way boxers used to do.

Being so close to the first violins, ( Row A) just adds to the understanding of what a big ask works like Bruckner 8 are for an orchestra. A clear and really atmospheric start, set the tone for a powerful first movement. The Scherzo was purposeful and taken quite briskly, and handled firmly, I thought, allowing for additional contrast in the Trio. The Final movement I though was taken at modest pace, and the march elements absolutely bounced off the stage. Perhaps this was the most striking movement in terms of this performance, but a fine rendition overall which was very greatly appreciated by those present. Karabits , apart from moving into the orchestra to pick out certain performers, took the prolonged applause almost static, and seemingly happy to bask in the adulation. Can’t blame him, it was a long and successful night’s work. He’s a conductor I rate highly, who does a terrific job for his orchestra.
And to round it off, we were treated to a brass arrangement (by BSO’s Kevin Morgan) of Locus Iste. Fabulous.

Thanks for taking the trouble of writing a review of the concert - sounds like it was an excellent evening. Must say I'm slightly envious of you having attended B8 conducted by such an interesting musician.

[ahinton]

But it really is Hauser, right? - as in your heading. Thanks for the HCMF reports, I've only just come across them, most interesting.

Speaking of the funding discrepancy between HCMF and other events, a friend of mine from Hamburg who runs a series of contemporary music events there (the composer Michael Maierhof, whose name you probably know, and if you don't if would be worth putting that right!) told me that his annual budget from the city was equivalent to the cost of one of the windows in the Elbphilharmonie... which kind of makes me never want to go there, despite its apparently wonderful acoustics.

The Elbphilharmonie seems to have a most remarkable gift for selling out concerts well in advance, even if the programmes are not necessarily the most safe bet ones or the artists not the biggest names on earth. For example, I imagine that most people would regard organ music as something of a niche "market" (if one has to use that term in the specific context of selling tickets to events), but the prospect that Sorabji's Organ Symphony No. 2, of all things, would persuade more than the smallest handful of devotees to attend a performance thereof seems far from unreasonable, yet despite that facts that
a) Sorabji is not at all well known in Germany,
b) only an extract of some 15 minutes of this work has ever previously been performed in that country
c) Kevin Bowyer (the organist concerned) is not exactly a superstar in Germany and
d) the three movement piece plays for more than eight hours + intervals of some 30 and 45 minutes between movements (so the auidence gets to leave the hall at some point between 03.30 and 04.00 on the morning after it began),
the event has sold out some six months before it is scheduled to take place - and the hall holds some 2,100 people.

They have to have something that most other places don't, methinks, though don't ask me what that is!...