Thanks for an excellent and very entertaining review of a really fine evening of music Beefy. Can't say I have that much to add to your very pertinent comments.
The Haydn I thought was enjoyable enough, but inevitably one finds oneself thinking about what a HIPP would have sounded like in the same venue. It's a fine work, and just thought that the performance just needed enjoying on its own terms. Cobb was impressive during the more virtuosic passages, although he did full justice to the slow movement. The balance was certainly problematic in the first movement.
The Shostakovich was indeed superb. We agreed that the woodwinds were absolutely outstanding, and the principle oboe deserves special mention.Noseda was very generous in his acknowledgement of his players, and let them take most of the plaudits. I've not seen him conduct before, and enjoyed his no nonsense approach to his work .
Picking up on Beefy's point about Rattle, I'm sure he'll do a fine job with an already excellent orchestra. My advice to SR would be not necessarily to abandon the Barbican, or worry about the acoustic too much, but to get the management to make a few cheap but useful improvements to the centre. I have a short list, if he needs some help.
The Haydn I thought was enjoyable enough, but inevitably one finds oneself thinking about what a HIPP would have sounded like in the same venue. It's a fine work, and just thought that the performance just needed enjoying on its own terms. Cobb was impressive during the more virtuosic passages, although he did full justice to the slow movement. The balance was certainly problematic in the first movement.
The Shostakovich was indeed superb. We agreed that the woodwinds were absolutely outstanding, and the principle oboe deserves special mention.Noseda was very generous in his acknowledgement of his players, and let them take most of the plaudits. I've not seen him conduct before, and enjoyed his no nonsense approach to his work .
Picking up on Beefy's point about Rattle, I'm sure he'll do a fine job with an already excellent orchestra. My advice to SR would be not necessarily to abandon the Barbican, or worry about the acoustic too much, but to get the management to make a few cheap but useful improvements to the centre. I have a short list, if he needs some help.
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