What was your last concert?

[amateur51]

Two concerts at the weekend, both of which I recorded:

Saturday's was the Cage Song Books at Toynbee Studios

http://www.remotegoat.co.uk/event_view.php?uid=160782

Very different from the performance by many of the same players at Cafe Oto, earlier in the year. This was closer to a normal concert situation, though there were shades of the Scratch Orchestra's Pilgrimage form Scattered Points on the Surface of the Body to the Brain, the Inner Ear, the Heart and the Stomach at the QEH in 1970 as performers moved out into the audience. I don't think anyone made a video record of the performance, which is a pity. It had a strong visual component integrated with the superb aural aspect.

On Sunday it was an truly barnstorming performance by Jonathan Powell of Messiaen's Vingt regards sur l'enfant-Jésus on the Steinway baby at the Schott recital room in Great Marlborough Street. It was quite incredible what Jonathan drew from that instrument. The piano stool was its usual squeaky self (must remember to take a bar of soap and the appropriate size of Allen key to try and sort it next time), and Jonathan was a vocal as ever, but neither distracted much from his outstanding performance of the work. Look out Steven Osborne! How I wish I had been able to get to Oxford last Friday when Jonathan performed the work at the Jacqueline Du Pre Music Building, on a rather superior instrument.

My health took a slight wobble on Sunday so I managed to miss Jonathan Powell's concert,so many thanks for the report Bryn

Re vocalisation during this piece, I remember hearing Pierre-Laurent Aimard's performance at the Barbican years ago when I became convinced that in some of the slower sections he was singing "I-love-my-wife"

[french frank]

As evidenced by last evening's concert, I understand that Ms Mullova chooses her outfit for a rather more wide-ranging and eclectic audience than just me but thankyou for the Cardusian reference

And, lo!



I would say that the audience was younger than on Saturday, and very good to see children able to concentrate (and not fidget!) for close on 30 minutes at a stretch.

[amateur51]

And, lo!



I would say that the audience was younger than on Saturday, and very good to see children able to concentrate (and not fidget!) for close on 30 minutes at a stretch.

I agree, french frank - children's ability and willingness to concentrate when they are engaged is often dismissed or at least under-estimated, as I'm sure MrGongGong would attest

Nice number, btw!

[bluestateprommer]

Rather late to the party, as usual, with this report, since it's been over a week since this particular Chicago Symphony concert that I had the good fortune to attend, Beethoven's Missa solemnis, with "Uncle Bernie" on the podium (having missed the week before, for some unaccounted reason):

http://cso.org/uploadedFiles/1_Tickets_and_Events/Program_Notes/ProgramNotes_Beethoven_Missa_Solemnis.pdf

Very, very fine performance, with perhaps one or two near-threatening scramble moments, but no matter. Haitink generally kept a pretty steady hand on the rudder, as you might expect. He certainly did not go for cheap thrills in the "Gloria", which is the one movement that seems to call for them. As with past appearances, a stool was on the podium for Haitink to sit down between movements, but that was the only time he sat. Likewise, as with his Mahler 9 that I saw last year, he eliminated the risers for the woodwinds and the brass, at least that I could tell from my seat (of which more anon). However, he did have the Chicago Symphony Chorus placed on risers at the back of the stage, and not the choir seat stalls above and behind the orchestra. This actually proved a smart and pragmatic move in terms of finances, because those choir seats could then be sold, of course, rather than being taken off sale.

Fine, fine quartet of soloists, Erin Wall (looking very visibly pregnant, which she certainly didn't at Santa Fe Opera in Arabella this past summer), Bernarda Fink (her CSO debut performances), Anthony Dean Griffey, and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. My seat was unfortunately not the most optimal, house right pretty far up close, but I managed to scootch back a few rows to an empty seat as the lights dimmed. Thus I got more of the cello and bass sound, not to mention a close up view of the organist, and my view of Mmes. Wall & Fink was obstructed a bit. However, I caught a beeline view of the concertmaster, Robert Chen, who did a splendid job in his great solo in the "Sanctus". At the end, Haitink didn't bring Chen up for a solo bow, but after the "Sanctus", I thought that I just caught a glance of Haitink nodding in approval to Chen.

One bit for those who can't stand the "happy clappers", i.e. those who applaud too early, is that this happened at the end of the work, where just after Haitink ended the performance, with a tiny bit of theater where he placed his hands on the score on his music stand, one foolish audience member began to clap, and it appeared that one or two others were about to follow suit. However, this person must have figured out that he (I presume it's a he) screwed up, because the clapping ceased pretty quickly. I was wondering if Haitink was about to look into the audience to give the perpetrator the glare of doom, but he restrained himself nicely. There was a few seconds of then true silence, and then the applause properly began.

BTW, the CSO is scheduling a radio broadcast of the Missa solemnis towards the end of November, after the US Thanksgiving weekend:

http://cso.org/uploadedFiles/CSORadio_4Q2012_programlistings.pdf

Also, the pre-concert talk was by William C. White, whom I'd never heard of, but who gave a very enthusiastic lecture. He has a related blog post on the Missa solemnis here:

http://www.willcwhite.com/2012/10/chicago-symphony-extras-missa-solemnis/

So not a bad weekend for music, especially as it also included Elektra at Lyric Opera, in a production by Sir David McVicar, with Sir Andrew Davis on the podium, so the Brits were well represented at the opera :) .

[Richard Tarleton]

Viktoria Mullova

[For amateur's benefit: the number was a slim-fitting black-and-white zebra pattern gown, with flat Jesus sandals.]

The flat sandals a good idea - as I commented after the divine Ms Mullova's ( ) visit to the Brangwyn Hall, she cut a fine figure on stage, taller than the combined height of Francis-Xavier Roth and his podium.

Her 2007-8 recordings of the Bach sonatas and partitas are my default choice....

[Richard Tarleton]

To Cardiff last night to hear the Prague Symphony Orchestra under Heiko Mathias Forster (me neither) play Don Giovanni overture, Beethoven 4 Piano concerto with Igor Tchetuev (a pupil of Krainev) and Dvorak 8. The chance to hear a Czech orchestra playing Dvorak was the incentive to make the trip to Cardiff and very good they were too.

I'm not sure that the overture with its concert ending makes a worthwhile opener - just too short.... A businesslike performance of the Beethoven, and a moment's amusement as the 1st bassoon who must have got lost backstage walked (noisily) onto the platform after the soloist had sat down - to a good-natured round of applause, to which he bowed ironically. The conductor did not look pleased.

Anyway, terrific Dvorak 8 with some fine playing in all departments, great ovations for soloists and sections.

And we're getting the Czech Phil under Belohklavek next year, playing Dvorak and Smetana.....

[Alie]

I was going to visit Maxim Rysanov's concert in Auckland, New Zealand on the November 8, but unluckily I didn't manage to. No I should wait till December 21, when he'll come to Berlin with the concert. After I heard his new cd called "Pavane", which I've found at eclassical.com I can't think of anything except for hear him playing on my own...

[french frank]

Last night: City of Bristol Choir and the Exultate Singers, with the Bristol Ensemble:

Howells, Hymnus Paradisi
Walton, Belshazzar's Feast

I'd never heard the Howells before and didn't really get into it, but the Walton went down well (Jonathan Lemalu the soloist).

Good to see the Colston Hall full (as far as I could see). My niece was singing and she said Fanfare for the Common Chap and The Lark Ascending were included in the hope they'd attract people who were a bit dubious about the choral works.

Young Callum Smart (now about 15, I think) played the Lark solo with Bristol's pro orchestra, the Bristol Ensemble, augmented, I imagine. I thought they played very well in the Walton.

[Roslynmuse]

Last night: City of Bristol Choir and the Exultate Singers, with the Bristol Ensemble:

Howells, Hymnus Paradisi
Walton, Belshazzar's Feast

I'd never heard the Howells before and didn't really get into it, but the Walton went down well (Jonathan Lemalu the soloist).

Good to see the Colston Hall full (as far as I could see). My niece was singing and she said Fanfare for the Common Chap and The Lark Ascending were included in the hope they'd attract people who were a bit dubious about the choral works.

Young Callum Smart (now about 15, I think) played the Lark solo with Bristol's pro orchestra, the Bristol Ensemble, augmented, I imagine. I thought they played very well in the Walton.

Who was conducting? And who was the sop in the Howells?

Sounds like a tough sing for the choir!

[David-G]

Just got back from a marvellous recital in the International Wimbledon Music Festival - Mark Padmore accompanied by Simon Lepper. The first half was Beethoven - "Mailied", "Neue Liebe", "Adelaide" and the wonderful "An die ferne Geliebte". After the interval he sung Schubert's "Schwanengesang". Padmore was in marvellous voice, very expressive, rivetting.

On Monday at the same venue I heard a highly entertaining programme with the violinist Alina Ibragimova, and her father Rinat Ibragimov who is principal double-bass with the LSO, together with pianist Grace Mo, Pablo Benedi (violin) and Bartholomew LaFollette (cello). The father-daughter team played two Rossini Sonatas a quattro, together with what was probably the highlight of the evening, Bottesini's "Gran Duo" for violin and double bass (with piano). It is rather an extraordinary piece, amazingly virtuosic in places, and they played it with great panache. There is an astonishing section towards the end when the double-bass plays extraordinarily high, off the bottom of the finger board, which brings it a long way up towards the violin register, but with an unearthly timbre which reminded me of the glass harmonica. I found their performance on Youtube, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm8W8jMtQyA.

There are some wonderful things in the Wimbledon Festival. It continues through next week and I can recommend it to anyone within striking distance of south-west London. The Kopelman Quartet play on Saturday, and next Thursday Christine Brewer sings Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder, Strauss's Four Last Songs, and a set of American songs.

[David-G]

Last night in our local church hall :

Before booking I sort of misread the programme which I thought was to be just The Art of Fugue. But the first half was some Bach pieces, arr. W. Kempff, followed by Beethoven's Sonata in A, Op 101.

The second half was therefore, disappointingly, only a curtailed Art of Fugue - Contrapuncti I-X.

The bonus was that the pianist - Ms Hewitt - took us through each of the fugues first, demonstrating what had been done to the original theme each time. Attentive silence for, I would guess, 20-25 minutes.

She said that the AoF wasn't often performed in concert and I rather got the impression that she felt 70 minutes of it would have been too much for us in one go.

I'm delighted to say that the church hall was pretty well packed (unless there were empty seats under the gallery which I couldn't see). And Ms Hewitt got the usual hammering on the floor along with the applause to indicate approbation. Next April she will be back to continue with a few more contrapuncti (contrapunctibus?).

Just seen this post of yours, FF. I saw Angela Hewitt playing the same programme in the Festival Hall, and enjoyed it very much. Did you get the Gluck encore (also a Kempff arrangement)? I thought it was stunning.

[amateur51]

Just got back from a marvellous recital in the International Wimbledon Music Festival - Mark Padmore accompanied by Simon Lepper. The first half was Beethoven - "Mailied", "Neue Liebe", "Adelaide" and the wonderful "An die ferne Geliebte". After the interval he sung Schubert's "Schwanengesang". Padmore was in marvellous voice, very expressive, rivetting.

On Monday at the same venue I heard a highly entertaining programme with the violinist Alina Ibragimova, and her father Rinat Ibragimov who is principal double-bass with the LSO, together with pianist Grace Mo, Pablo Benedi (violin) and Bartholomew LaFollette (cello). The father-daughter team played two Rossini Sonatas a quattro, together with what was probably the highlight of the evening, Bottesini's "Gran Duo" for violin and double bass (with piano). It is rather an extraordinary piece, amazingly virtuosic in places, and they played it with great panache. There is an astonishing section towards the end when the double-bass plays extraordinarily high, off the bottom of the finger board, which brings it a long way up towards the violin register, but with an unearthly timbre which reminded me of the glass harmonica. I found their performance on Youtube, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm8W8jMtQyA.

There are some wonderful things in the Wimbledon Festival. It continues through next week and I can recommend it to anyone within striking distance of south-west London. The Kopelman Quartet play on Saturday, and next Thursday Christine Brewer sings Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder, Strauss's Four Last Songs, and a set of American songs.

Many thanks for this review and for the youtube link - quite stunning

[AjAjAjH]

Winter Daydreams

Last night I attended the Halle concert conducted by Yan pascal Tortelier.

Rossini: 'Italian Girl in Algiers' Overture.
Mozart: Piano Concerto No.27 with Martin Roscoe.
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.1 'Winter Daydreams'.

The highlight of this lovely concert was the Symphony. Tortelier, without a score, conducted a memorable performance in his own inimitable style.

Mention has already been made on a number of times this year of the brilliant form the Halle horns are in at the moment - Brahms Piano Concerto No.2, Bruckner Symphony No.4 to name two recent occasions. Last night at the climax of the 2nd movement the hairs on my neck were raised as the horns made their entrance with the main theme.

In years of concert going, I have seldom seen this symphony scheduled and on the very few occasions it has i have been unable to attend. So last night was a first. Which leads me to ask why are Tchaikovsky's symphonies 1,2,& 3 so seldom scheduled and, come to that, the early symphonies of Dvorak and others?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Tchaikovsky First Symphony is a real joy: very possibly my favourite of the seven. The only time I've heard it in concert, (the Philharmonia, José Serebrier) the Hall was only just over half full! I have suspected since then that that's the reason it's so rarely programmed - the umpteenth concert of, say, the Fifth just gets more people and is easier to do on limited rehearsal time?

[teamsaint]

The Tchaikovsky First Symphony is a real joy: very possibly my favourite of the seven. The only time I've heard it in concert, (the Philharmonia, José Serebrier) the Hall was only just over half full! I have suspected since then that that's the reason it's so rarely programmed - the umpteenth concert of, say, the Fifth just gets more people and is easier to do on limited rehearsal time?

The First is just a lovely work. hoping to see Salisbury SO play it next Satuday , along with the Walton Viola Concerto, and Bridge's the Sea.

Edit: funny place for this thread! Also, what a great title the symphony has.Perhaps my favourite title.