What was your last concert?

[teamsaint]

Thanks for the excellent review ER. Sounds like there was plenty to enjoy, all in all.

Perhaps it was Ironic mock snoring !
One great thing about these reviews is that they can inspire others to hear things.....and I need to see more Mozart PCs live !!

Glad you had a good evening.

[Beef Oven!]

Last night at the Bridgewater Hall.

Manchester Camerata.

Strauss,orchestral songs :

Das Bächlein, Op.88 No.1
Meinem Kinde, Op.37 No.3
Mein Auge, Op.37 No.4

Mozart: Piano Concerto No.25 in C, K.503

Beethoven: Symphony No.3 in E flat "Eroica"

Ruby Hughes (soprano),Paul Lewis (piano)Gábor Takács-Nagy (conductor).

A very pleasant way to spend a Saturday evening.Not much good at this review malarkey.

Strauss,lovely music,not normally stuff I would listen to.
Ruby Hughes seemed to struggle a little,not sure whether with the words or trying to make herself heard above the orchestra.
The Mozart was the best thing of the night,is this concerto a bit Beethovenian ? sounds very grand when heard live.
Paul Lewis is clearly at home in this repertoire,super piano playing and some fantastic woodwind sound too.
The Eroica was very good too,especially the scherzo,again superb woodwind and only one fluffed note by the horns.

Gábor Takács-Nagy (founder member of the Takács Quartet don't you know)is a joy to watch,almost breaking into a dance in the Scherzo and standing to attention during the military sounding bit in the finale of the Beethoven (thought he was going to salute at one point).

Couple of strange moments.
Someone snoring during the Mozart slow movement,I kid you not.
Acouple of half hearted attempts at happy clapping,after the slow movement of the Mozart (maybe trying to wake up the sleeper)and after the first movement of the Eroica,this one provoked a glare to the audience from the conductor.

A great,if not especially unforgettable,concert.

Great review ER

When you first posted about this, I had a feeling it would be a great night out

[Ferretfancy]

I'm afraid that for me last night's BBC SO concert at the Barbican was a disappointment. Maxim Vengerov, Antonio Meneses and Igor Levit were the solists in the Beethoven Triple Concerto with Andrew Litton conducting. From my seat at the rear of the Balcony, Vengerov's tone was curiously etiolated, and I never felt that he and his companions succeeded in dealing with what can seem a rather short winded piece. In fact, things got off to a a rather shaky start with the orchestral strings, and I would say that Litton's conducting was workmanlike rather than inspired.

After the interval came Scheherezade, and I must say that if I was the sultan at this performance I would have sent for the executioner straight away and not waited until dawn! Vengerov conducted and played the violin solos. He had a rather rickety looking stand on which he parked his violin, sometimes conducting with his bow, sometimes with a baton. This did not improve co-ordination with the orchestra, and his playing was not exactly seductive. The first movement had the sea almost becalmed in the harbour while the slow movement was curiously lacking in romantic flow. I found myself wanting to hear Beecham , Ansermet's or Kondrashin's recordings again.

Things picked up a bit at the end, and the wind section was very good, but where was the spectacular blaze before the coda? This should be a thrilling moment, but not here.

The Barbican was packed with Vengerov enthusiasts, and they went wild at the end, but I felt sorry to feel that he is now past his best. Perhaps the broadcast gave a better experience, especially in the Beethoven, but all in all it was a depressing evening.

[edashtav]

Haydn, Finzi, Turnage and Ravel in Bournemouth

Chilingirian String Quartet and Amy Dickson
Bournemouth Chamber Music Society Concert
at Kimmerdge Hall, Bournemouth University, Sunday March 2nd 2014.


Haydn's masterful late quartet in D op77/5 opened the programme and it found the players in a relaxed, confident mood. The work is one of the first quartets to acknowledge the right of all the players to share in the limelight and I was impressed by the quality of all of the players both in ensemble and solo passages. The interpretation was fine, neither earth shatteringly original nor, sadly, genuflecting in obeisance before the Gods of HIPP, but thoroughly musical.

Thence to two arrangements: oboe quintets with Amy Dickson's mellow soprano saxophone replacing the oboe lead. I tend to look askance at arrangements, especially in chamber music where the composer's instrumentation often delineates the nature and character of the music. To use an example, Sir Arthur Bliss wrote quintets with clarinet and oboe in the lead. I cannot imagine his clarinet quintet played as an oboe quintet or vice versa. Gerald Finzi's Interlude is all that remains of a projected three movement work. As a wise man said to me after the performance, "I always think of Finzi and the clarinet." So true, thus finding a saxophonist in the lead seemed rather natural. The programme note talked of the piece's "baroque" character, and, again the baroque period's delight in line over colour and texture meant that Amy's sensitive and beautifully phrased playing quickly won her audience over. As a very musical friend said to me, "Amy' s got everything going for her: looks, personality and great musical ability." Amen to that and she's a cricket-obsessed Aussie to boot.


After the interval, Amy returned to talk of her own arrangement of Mark Anthony Turnage's Cantilena for oboe and strings. She pointed to the composer's predilection for the saxophone- hasn’t he written 4 concerti for the instrument? and noted that you can't have too much of a good thing! Yes, Amy, when I think of Turnage up pops an image of a sax, and of course when I dwell on Mark, the name A... springs to mind, too. Cantilena is an extended, single movement containing plenty of long sustained phrases that Amy shaped with elegance and finesse. I had feared that the saxophone would be too blatant and would overwhelm the string quartet. That worry was soon quashed when Amy produced a pianissimo to die for: one that was feather light, yet full of warm tone. Turnage's scoring in this piece tended to be be spare, and unity was helped by the leader occasionally beating time with his bow.

Ravel's early string quartet, by Debussy out of Fauré, completed the programme. Once again the Chilingirian quartet played the piece con amore, giving us a performance that had been very thoroughly prepared, yet sounded fresh and alert. One pizzicato passage became an earworm and could be heard whistled by many in the audience as they happily strode across the foyer oblivious to the last storm of winter outside. Meanwhile, the Chilingirians chilled out and chatted before getting ready to fly to Tallinn in Estonia and a reprise of the Ravel.

I recommend the Chilingirian to music clubs and societies, not only for their fine playing and sturdy interpretations but also for their conviviality, bonhomie and friendliness. They went out of their way to talk to, and make contact with, their audience. This particular programme with its novelty element worked well and Amy Dickson’s saxophone added aural variety without dumbing down musical content.

[MrGongGong]

Britten Sinfonia at Norwich Theatre Royal
last night

http://www.brittensinfonia.com/concerts/events/view/patricia-kopatchinskaja

I only had time for the first half
BUT
Awesome playing and the
Tigran Mansurian :Concerto for violin and string orchestra No. 2 "Four Serious Songs"

Is well worth exploring
some wonderful moments and a fantastic gig

[Beef Oven!]

Britten Sinfonia at Norwich Theatre Royal
last night

http://www.brittensinfonia.com/concerts/events/view/patricia-kopatchinskaja

I only had time for the first half
BUT
Awesome playing and the
Tigran Mansurian :Concerto for violin and string orchestra No. 2 "Four Serious Songs"

Is well worth exploring
some wonderful moments and a fantastic gig

Shame you missed the second half and Felix's vc

[MrGongGong]

Shame you missed the second half and Felix's vc

I'm not a great enthusiast for that piece and have heard it enough times
but did hear some of the Janáček in the rehearsal which was rather good

[Beef Oven!]

I'm not a great enthusiast for that piece and have heard it enough times
but did hear some of the Janáček in the rehearsal which was rather good

Janacek is always good.

I'm relieved that missing M's vc was not a major disappointment

[teamsaint]

I had a nice trip out to Basingstoke last night to see The Vienna Tonkunstler Orchestra, under Andrés Orozco-Estrada
The programme was Kodaly’s Dances of Galanta, Rachmaninov PC #1 with Barry Douglas, and Dvorak 8.

The hall was respectably filled for an intriguing look at this rather runder exposed (round here at least) band.

A fine and slightly earthy Dances got us under way in sprightly style, underpinned by some fine playing from the cellos, who really seemed to be to the fore. Andres O- E is an interesting character. As FF noted from the Bristol show, he is a bundle of energy. He must be as fit as a butcher’s dog, as he is at it full tilt, and only seemed to break into a sweat at the end of the Dvorak. I have to say I like his style which is highly energetic, without being showy, or seeming too intrusive.

A slick changeover for the Rach, and down to the really serious business. I have to say I like this work a lot, and this performance was an absolute pleasure. The various elements of the first movement, (the main theme and the virtuosic passages ) were nicely combined. What an excellent movement this is. But Douglas seemed to be saving his energy for the finale, which ended in an absolute wall of sound, and deluge of notes. A magnificent display, which I enjoyed a great deal from Row two, about five yards from the under side of the piano. A tremendous ovation at the end, and a lovely and much appreciated contrasting encore of “October” from Tchaikovsky’s “ The Seasons”.

The Dvorak was I suppose the piece that most had come to hear. Probably my least favourite of the last four symphonies, but always well worth hearing. Nothing especially notable, in a really enjoyable run through. There was I thought a rather harsh edge to the brass sound, but I have a strong suspicion that this was down to the Anvil acoustic. The orchestra really let their hair down in the fourth movement, a movement surely just made for a Viennese orchestra. Lots of smiles between band members , which was lovely to see, and a fine rousing finish. We were treated to an encore of the Polka schnell Leichtes Blut, By J Strauss 11. Easy to recognise.

My over riding impression, aside from a tremendously enjoyable evening of music, is of an interesting experience in orchestra watching. They give a very strong sense of an orchestra on a mission. Everything seems to be done with an eye to detail and professionalism. They came onto the stage together in a purposeful manner. The piano changeover was slick and the band were immaculately turned out, with The shiniest shoes you could wish to see. There was a great deal of eye contact between sections, giving the impression of a real determination to be at the top of their game. Given the big tour they are undertaking, I wonder if they are seeking a somewhat higher profile.
Not an evening of life changing music perhaps, but a lot of fun on a cold early spring night. I wonder what Board Member Gordon made of it?

[Gordon]

Seconded!! I concur with TS' report of an excellent evening, shame the house was a bit light on numbers but I suppose it's not a very well known band.

I was further back up the stalls and the sound was excellent up there - rich winds, lovely Viennese horns and super animated basses. String tone impressive and rich round brass if slightly edgy beyond forte - but as TS says, I think that is the Anvil - in loud tuttis it did seem to load the space. Orchestra not huge - 12-12-9-7-6 strings, continental layout [violins together at left, then cellos then violas right] with basses spread at the back centre/half-left, 5 timps [old style with taps] to right of basses. Double woodwind centre [1 flute shared piccolo, 1 oboe shared cor anglais], 4 horns [half left], 2 trumpets [centre left], 3 trombones [centre right] + tuba in Dvorak.

I do wonder if the space is a little small for the full blast of Strauss' Alpine!! next week [Friday 14th]. Maazel and the Philharmonia are there so that should be a better sell - get along of you can.

Orchestra very alert as TS says!! Piano occasonally lost in loud tuttis. Douglas was impressive in the bravura of this piece but also adequately poetic where needed. Thanks TS for the encore piece, didn't know what it was. Orchestra impressed!!

[teamsaint]

I do wonder if the space is a little small for the full blast of Strauss' Alpine!! next week [Friday 14th]. Maazel had the Philharmonia are there so that should be a better sell - get along of you can.

Orchestra very alert as TS says!! Piano occasonally lost in loud tuttis. Douglas was impressive in the bravura of this piece but also adequately poetic where needed. Thanks TS for the encore piece, didn't know what it was. Orchestra impressed!!

And thanks to the Anvil website for supplying the details of the encores !!
Enjoy the Alpine, Gordon.We're seeing it at the RFH...somehow managed to miss the listing for the Anvil !!

Thanks for the technical stuff Gordon. Couldn't see the numbers from row 2, but a great view of the violas, and the enthusiastic damage to some of the bow hair !!

I must say, I love being up close, even if sound balance suffers a bit. Sometimes there are positives too, like being very close to the harp in Mahler 5 recently.

[EdgeleyRob]

Super reviews there guys

[Beef Oven!]

I had a nice trip out to Basingstoke last night to see The Vienna Tonkunstler Orchestra, under Andrés Orozco-Estrada
The programme was Kodaly’s Dances of Galanta, Rachmaninov PC #1 with Barry Douglas, and Dvorak 8.

The hall was respectably filled for an intriguing look at this rather runder exposed (round here at least) band.

A fine and slightly earthy Dances got us under way in sprightly style, underpinned by some fine playing from the cellos, who really seemed to be to the fore. Andres O- E is an interesting character. As FF noted from the Bristol show, he is a bundle of energy. He must be as fit as a butcher’s dog, as he is at it full tilt, and only seemed to break into a sweat at the end of the Dvorak. I have to say I like his style which is highly energetic, without being showy, or seeming too intrusive.

A slick changeover for the Rach, and down to the really serious business. I have to say I like this work a lot, and this performance was an absolute pleasure. The various elements of the first movement, (the main theme and the virtuosic passages ) were nicely combined. What an excellent movement this is. But Douglas seemed to be saving his energy for the finale, which ended in an absolute wall of sound, and deluge of notes. A magnificent display, which I enjoyed a great deal from Row two, about five yards from the under side of the piano. A tremendous ovation at the end, and a lovely and much appreciated contrasting encore of “October” from Tchaikovsky’s “ The Seasons”.

The Dvorak was I suppose the piece that most had come to hear. Probably my least favourite of the last four symphonies, but always well worth hearing. Nothing especially notable, in a really enjoyable run through. There was I thought a rather harsh edge to the brass sound, but I have a strong suspicion that this was down to the Anvil acoustic. The orchestra really let their hair down in the fourth movement, a movement surely just made for a Viennese orchestra. Lots of smiles between band members , which was lovely to see, and a fine rousing finish. We were treated to an encore of the Polka schnell Leichtes Blut, By J Strauss 11. Easy to recognise.

My over riding impression, aside from a tremendously enjoyable evening of music, is of an interesting experience in orchestra watching. They give a very strong sense of an orchestra on a mission. Everything seems to be done with an eye to detail and professionalism. They came onto the stage together in a purposeful manner. The piano changeover was slick and the band were immaculately turned out, with The shiniest shoes you could wish to see. There was a great deal of eye contact between sections, giving the impression of a real determination to be at the top of their game. Given the big tour they are undertaking, I wonder if they are seeking a somewhat higher profile.
Not an evening of life changing music perhaps, but a lot of fun on a cold early spring night. I wonder what Board Member Gordon made of it?

Great review ts

Sounds like you and Gordon had a good evening out!

[DublinJimbo]

Not long home from the opening performance in this year's New Music Dublin festival.

The Arditti Quartet took the platform in the John Field Room in the National Concert Hall.
The programme was Georg Friedrich Haas's String Quartet No. 1 (2012), Hans Abrahamsen's String Quartet No. 4 (2012) and Tétras (1983) by Iannis Xenakis.

What might be described as the 'coda' of the opening work was impressive, but I was less than convinced by the rest of it. Haas requires the 16 strings of the quartet instruments to be completely retuned according to a preset microtonal system (a CD is provided for tuning the strings, or they can be tuned by ear). It's not something I'd rush out to hear again, even allowing for the 'coda'.

The other two works followed an interval and were tremendous. The third movement of Abrahamsen's Quartet is especially memorable, while the work as a whole is hugely inventive and seemed to be great fun to play. The composer was present to acknowledge the enthusiastic response of the packed house. And then there was the Xenakis! All three works were new to me, but it's the Xenakis (rightly described in the programme notes as "one of the most spectacular works in the entire string quartet repertoire") which brought the house down. It's easy to understand why so many composers dedicated works to the Arditti Quartet or wrote to commission for them. The astonishing commitment and apparently effortless virtuosity of all the players was astonishing (the lead violin and viola players each suffered multiple hair breakages on their bows). Experiencing this performance brought home once again what a difference it makes to attend a live performance rather than listen to a recording. The unusual playing techniques — playing on the finger board and above the bridge, digging into the strings to produce growling effects, combining bowed and pizzicato passages within single phrases — the visual aspect of all of this is as much a part of the music as the actual notes. When the last note of the Xenakis sounded, the audience erupted, myself included.

Only twenty minutes after performing what I'd heard, the Arditti Quartet switched to another room in the NCH for a performance of another G.F Haas work (his String Quartet No. 3, In iij. Noct, which is given completely in the dark. I didn't stay for that.

[teamsaint]

Fantastic and inspiring review DJ.
If only promoters and managers had the confidence and ambition to put on such programmes more often outside of London , then perhaps new audiences could be built, and a virtuous circle of popularity and confidence begun.

Abrahamsen's SQ# 1 got a run out on the lunchtime concert recently, (also from an Irish concert), and is a very enjoyable work IMO.