What was your last concert?

[mikealdren]

This lunchtime at the Wigmore Hall it was originally billed as Fatma Said, then Veronique Gens; we finally heard Carolyn Sampson and she was superb. The BBC is still doing something right to attract such stars.

[bluestateprommer]

Last weekend was a case of throwing carbon footprint to the wind in terms of travel, for a day trip to Minneapolis to hear the Minnesota Orchestra perform two Sibelius works that I will very likely never hear again in my life, namely the Symphony No. 6 and the original version of the Violin Concerto, along with a work that I have heard several times before, Sibelius 1 in the 2nd half of the concert:

https://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/tickets/calendar/2122/symphonies-no-1-6/

The first half was the better half in terms of polish and performance. For 'starters', given that Sibelius 6 is a tremendously substantial 'starter', hearing it live in three dimensions finally made clear, for one, the idea of "pastoral with dark contrasts" particularly in the finale, much more clearly than any studio recording or radio/internet relay that I've ever heard, from my not-quite-top-tier balcony seat.

The original version of the Violin Concerto definitely made for fascinating listening, given how well-established the standard version is, particularly when doing quick off-the-cuff mental comparisons between the two as the music went along. Elina Vähälä did a fine job, all the more so in that she performed the solo part from memory (think about that for a moment). I wondered at times if she would accidentally slip into the standard version (which she is performing this coming weekend - think also about that for a moment as well), but that never happened (whew). Parts of the first movement did sound a bit dutiful rather than inspired, especially in the (very long) 1st-movement cadenza, which might have been as much the music itself as her interpretation. However, she earned a spontaneous and generously prolonged ovation at the end of the first movement, where several audience members stood up as well. While normally not at all a fan of applause before the end, this is the one case where audience applause before the end of the work was well-warranted. For getting through the first movement of a concerto that almost no one plays (for understandable reasons, given the control that the Sibelius family rightly exercises over the work) as well as she did, she earned it. While the 2nd and 3rd movements certainly had their differences as well from the standard version, to state the obvious, the time-duration differences were nowhere near as extreme as with the 1st movement. EV also received generous applause from the audience after the conclusion (just one or two claps between the 2nd and 3rd movements, but fortunately that was all), and she insisted that Osmo Vänskä share the applause with her during the curtain calls, i.e. she did not take a solo bow completely on her own.

It does make one wonder what might have happened to the concerto had the first performance in 1904 gone much better, with a soloist who was actually up to the job. But in all honesty, the revised version is far, far superior to the original in any case. One suspects that even had the 1904 premiere not been something of a train wreck, Sibelius may well have revised the concerto anyway. We'll never know, of course. According to the detailed program notes, there have apparently been only 3 previous live performances of the original version, which, if this is correct, makes these Minnesota Orchestra performances only the 4th and 5th live performances. For that reason alone, it was a rare and special privilege to attend this performance.

The weakest link of the evening, comparatively, was Symphony No. 1 in the second half. This was mainly because OV jammed the accelerator to the floor after the great opening clarinet solo (which Gabriel Campos Zamora, the orchestra's principal clarinet, did not rush at all, to his credit), so much so that the trumpets dropped some notes in their first flourish. Likewise, OV drove the scherzo at breakneck speed for much of it, although fewer obvious clams there. At the risk of sounding snidely cynical, I partly wondered if OV was concerned about the concert going into overtime if he'd taken the whole work at a more "standard" pace, especially given the generous first-half running time of just about 70 minutes. To be fair, OV paced the slow movement well and didn't push things, nor did he force the pace in the finale generally. Not a world-bester of a reading, but given that the first half of the concert was of main interest and the justification for the trip, it was more than good enough.

Some COVID-19 related concert protocol observations about the stage business:
* Orchestra strings, harp, and percussion players were all masked.
* Osmo V. kept his mask on all throughout the concert (to his great credit).
* Elina V. did de-mask after she walked on stage. However, given that everyone else around her was masked (including the front-row audience), and she wasn't moving around anywhere near anyone who would have been unmasked, this was understandable, especially given the memory challenge and sheer mental stress of playing the original version of the Violin Concerto without the music in front of her.
* Osmo V. did fist-bumps with the first-desk string players (including Erin Keefe, the concertmaster and also his wife). By contrast, Elina V. did endearingly awkward elbow-bumps with both Keefe and the associate concertmaster (Susie Park, I believe, but I couldn't see her face clearly, except that clearly the associate concertmaster for the evening was a she and not a he).

With omicron putting a damper on outside activities anyway, it looks as though I'll give this Friday's internet stream of the Minnesota Orchestra a listen, if for no other reason than to hear what EV does with the final version of the Violin Concerto, which I'm sure will actually be very good. As well, the program also has Sibelius 3, which is now the only Sibelius symphony that I haven't heard live. Maybe one day.

[Edgy 2]

Free recital at Manchester Uni today

Martin Roscoe

Beethoven: Sonata in C minor Op 13 Pathetique

Brahms: Intermezzo Op 117 No 2

Liszt: Sonetto del Petrarca 104

Liszt: Legend No 2 St Francis Walking On The Waves

Beethoven: Bagatelle Op 126 No 5

[muzzer]

The LSO and Barbara Hannigan this evening. https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on...rbara-hannigan

Great value wildcard ticket £10 front row of the circle.

A most enjoyable evening but I’ve had enough of the mask mandate.

[teamsaint]

OAE at the Anvil Basingstoke last night.
Schumann VC and Symphony #2, Antonello Manacorda conducting.

Isobel Faust was her usual superb and stylish self in the concerto. She is a proper star performer, I am a big fan. Really great to hear her playing again.

The orchestra made a fine job of this wonderful symphony. The second movement was outstanding, with the orchestra squeezing every drop of character and fun out of the music. They really were given scope to express themselves, and took full advantage.

Sadly a very poor attendance, probably no more than 30% of capacity, which elicited a well received interval appeal from the OAE CEO for people to “ bring a friend “ next time. ( “ This is what recovery looks like”.)Sadly, the Anvil seems to have been particularly badly affected because of its demographic which is certainly at the elderly end of the spectrum.
Excellent stuff, we had a very enjoyable evening.

[gurnemanz]

We may have crossed paths unbeknownst in the interval - tasty ice cream. Next time I'll wear a Palace scarf! A great evening. The first time we had seen Hebrides Ov live. I heard a lot more detail. Especially appropriate after our holiday in Mull last September with boat trip to Fingal's Cave

Couldn't resist another chance to hear the Violin Concerto. I enjoyed Jessica Duchen's fascinating book on the strange background to the work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Varia.../dp/1783529822
We saw the barefooted Patricia Kopatchinskaja give a fine rendition under Marin Alsop on the South Bank. I especially remember the very poignant slow movement. Also OAE in a similar programme: coupled with Brahms St Anthony and Schumann's Rhenish.

As you say, a stalwart intervention from the CEO. Mostly oldies in the disappointingly sparse audience.
We've been to the theatre a couple of times recently and both times the cast applauded the audience at curtain call.

[teamsaint]

We may have crossed paths unbeknownst in the interval - tasty ice cream. Next time I'll wear a Palace scarf! A great evening. The first time we had seen Hebrides Ov live. I heard a lot more detail. Especially appropriate after our holiday in Mull last September with boat trip to Fingal's Cave

Couldn't resist another chance to hear the Violin Concerto. I enjoyed Jessica Duchen's fascinating book on the strange background to the work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Varia.../dp/1783529822
We saw the barefooted Patricia Kopatchinskaja give a fine rendition under Marin Alsop on the South Bank. I especially remember the very poignant slow movement. Also OAE in a similar programme: coupled with Brahms St Anthony and Schumann's Rhenish.

As you say, a stalwart intervention from the CEO. Mostly oldies in the disappointingly sparse audience.
We've been to the theatre a couple of times recently and both times the cast applauded the audience at curtain call.

Ye, completely agree about the Hebrides. Lots of detail previously unheard by me.
I sat in the front row cheap seats not close to anybodyelse with my sister, so you may just have noticed us there.
I saw Pat Kop playing the Schumann at the Anvil a few years ago. Very much her own interpretation.

Shame you didn’t have the Palace scarf on, or me my Saints one, (!) would have been nice to say hello.

[HighlandDougie]

Pat Kop (she again) but not in the Schumann VC, rather that by Stravinsky. Last night at the RFH with Ivan Fischer and the Budapest FO. Great rapport between the barefoot soloist and the animated conductor. Fischer had gone to great trouble with the layout of the orchestra - brass to the right at the front. This care was also evident in the Jeu de Cartes and in Pétrouchka, where the divided violins worked most effectively. Wonderful orchestral playing throughout; PK encore of two of Bartók’s 44 duos where the Deputy Leader was roped in as lead violin; incisive and wonderfully clear conducting from IF. A triumphant evening all round.

[teamsaint]

Pat Kop (she again) but not in the Schumann VC, rather that by Stravinsky. Last night at the RFH with Ivan Fischer and the Budapest FO. Great rapport between the barefoot soloist and the animated conductor. Fischer had gone to great trouble with the layout of the orchestra - brass to the right at the front. This care was also evident in the Jeu de Cartes and in Pétrouchka, where the divided violins worked most effectively. Wonderful orchestral playing throughout; PK encore of two of Bartók’s 44 duos where the Deputy Leader was roped in as lead violin; incisive and wonderfully clear conducting from IF. A triumphant evening all round.

Saw her playing this October 2013 at the RFH. Can’t believe it was that long ago.

[HighlandDougie]

Steven Osborne in an all-Debussy recital (apart from his encore) yesterday in the Perth Concert Hall, performed on the Steinway which he helped them choose. Based round the Études but with earlier works and ending with 'Pour le Piano'. A real delight. My OH was very sniffy about the encore - the opening theme (if it can be called that) from Keith Jarrett's Vienna Concert. But Steven O explained that one of the things that he loved about Keith Jarrett was what beautiful sounds he managed to coax from the occasionally recalcitrant instrument aka the piano. And the encore sounded, simply, rather lovely. A great way of spending a Sunday afternoon.

[CallMePaul]

Dorothea Roschmann and Joseph Middleton at the Leeds Lieder festival, 28 April at the Howard Assembly Room. The programme was Schumann's Mary Stuart settings op135, songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Mahler, Wolf's Mignon songs and Wagner's Wesendonk Lieder.

I have to admit to a preference for a lighter voice in the Schumann (I am used to Christine Schafer's recording of these with Graham Johnson), but the rest of the recital was very good. I particularly enjoyed the Wagner, usually sung by a mezzo but ideal for Roschmann's dramatic soprano voice. Has she considered singing Isolde? I have to admit to preferring the piano version to the orchestral version of these songs.

[gurnemanz]

Dorothea Roschmann and Joseph Middleton at the Leeds Lieder festival, 28 April at the Howard Assembly Room. The programme was Schumann's Mary Stuart settings op135, songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Mahler, Wolf's Mignon songs and Wagner's Wesendonk Lieder.

I have to admit to a preference for a lighter voice in the Schumann (I am used to Christine Schafer's recording of these with Graham Johnson), but the rest of the recital was very good. I particularly enjoyed the Wagner, usually sung by a mezzo but ideal for Roschmann's dramatic soprano voice. Has she considered singing Isolde? I have to admit to preferring the piano version to the orchestral version of these songs.

Reminds me of my last concert, also Schumann. His Dichterliebe and Beethoven An Die Ferne Geliebte in a lunchtime recital at the Wyvern Theatre Swindon on May 4 with baritone Paul Sheehan accompanied by Paul Turner. Some beautiful, committed singing and playing was greatly enjoyed by a somewhat sparse audience.

I have Dorothea Röschmann in Schumann's Myrthen on Hyperion, including a lovely Nussbaum.

[bluestateprommer]

Last Thursday night, heard a "Schubertiade" concert (with one exception, listed in the encores) at Carnegie Hall, at Weill Recital Hall, by Karim Sulayman and Yi-heng Yang:

https://www.carnegiehall.org/calendar/2022/05/19/karim-sulayman-tenor-yiheng-yang-fortepiano-0730pm

Very fine recital, with only a few very word flubs and and scrambled fortepiano notes. It ran w/o intermission and started 15 minutes late (so I didn't have to rush through my dinner beforehand after all), but worth the wait. One cute gesture was that Yang strolled on stage first in all instances, ahead of Sulayman, rather than the accompanist trailing the singer as standard recital protocol. This proved well justifiable, as both of them gestured toward the fortepiano at the initial curtain call. Singing in a small hall meant that Sulayman didn't have to force his voice, but having a fortepiano rather than a standard concert grand as the instrument also added to the 'authenticity' of scale and ensured completely that neither of them needed to force the scale to fill the space. Besides "Winterreise", I suddenly realized that I'd never heard an all-Schubert recital before, at least that I can remember, and certainly had not heard a vocal recital with a fortepiano before.

The audience was very enthusiastic (and masked pretty much fully, if memory serves), where KS joked to the effect that clearly many friends were present. There was to be no applause during the main part of the concert, but the audience broke that rule after "Erlkönig", understandably enough.

[Edgy 2]

The Eagles at Anfield last night

Absolutely sensational

[cloughie]

The Eagles at Anfield last night

Absolutely sensational

With the enforced and other changes over the 50 years, is their solera system preserving the sound?