What was your last concert?

[Petrushka]

Oh, give us a clue, Pet! Any good?

I'm not in the JLW class in reviewing but having said that I'd hazard that the Nielsen was by far the most authoritative performance here though the rest of the programme was still most enjoyable. Don't really like anything after the Pathetique but short of leaving at the interval I couldn't do much about it.

The Tchaikovsky seemed a slight slower than is the norm and I really didn't care for the final statement of the March theme in the third movement being slowed down and turned into a goose-stepping parody. No applause after it either as Oramo swept straight on into the finale.

After the interval Augustin Hadelich gave a pleasing account of Mozart's 4th Violin Concerto. I wish I knew what the encore was! The soloist did announce it but I failed to catch it.

I've not heard the Nielsen 1 in concert before and not heard it at all for years but this was a terrific account, played with tremendous gusto by the BBC SO. It wouldn't surprise me if Oramo's Nielsen turns out to be as much of a revelation as Belohavlek's Martinu.

[Alison]

Thanks Pet. I hope the broadcast retains the original programme order just to test out that particular sequence of works. There aren't many symphonies which seem less appropriate for a first half than the Pathetique!

How were the timps in the post Chimes era ?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Many thanks, Pet.

[Beef Oven!]

The 2014-15 international concert series at the Anvil in Basingstoke kicked off last night, with Local favourites the Bournemouth SO.


Kirill Karabits CONDUCTOR /Andreas Ottensamer Clarinet


Mozart
Clarinet Concerto

Bruckner
Symphony No.7


THis was the third might of a run of three , so I thought it might be interesting to see how enthusiasm levels were running in the band.

Not hard to get an audience on your side with the Mozart of course. This was a pretty relaxed rendering. Karabits was in laid back mood for this, allowing plenty of space for the soloist to show his skill, which he did pretty spectacularly. I was about 5 feet from him, close enough to hear the noise of the pads on the clarinet at times !. A thoroughly charming performance from Ottensamer, whose demeanour certainly helped win friends in the band and audience alike. His entry notes in some of the quieter passages were absolutely exquisite. The slow movement was taken just about as slowly as it is possible to sensibly do, but it worked fine. A nice exuberant encore, no idea what it was !!

The Bruckner of course is a whole different ball game. This was a first Bruckner 7 for me, so not too much to compare with. Karabits was far more energetic and involved for this, really driving the orchestra at times, and was especially vigorous at the start of new sections. Overall, the performance was what one might expect, and karabits seemed happy with everybody's efforts. I would have to say though, that a stern critic might have found issues with some of the playing. there were certainly ragged moments, understandably perhaps, particularly in the brass. From my seat I couldn't see the exact forces in use, but I am pretty certain that there must have been extra players drafted in there, and this may have led to the odd moment of untidiness. There was also from time to time, a slight lack of balance, with some rather too gentle brass on the odd occasion. This could have been down to my seat position though.

The band seemed pretty pleased at the end...or was that relief at the end of their 3 night stint?!
Good response from a rather patchily filled hall, who overall seemed happy enough.

I love gigs like that - sounds like a really good night out

I have no tickets until November - we could all take a leaf out of your gig-going book. ts leading the way on keeping music live.

Keep it up, mate!

[Petrushka]

How were the timps in the post Chimes era ?

Chris Hind was on timps (though still listed in the programme book as co-principal) and was fine, more emphatic than I remember from previous concerts. Has John Chimes retired or moved elsewhere?

People complain about the Barbican acoustic but Saturday night's concert sounded very good indeed from my seat in the front row of the Circle. Attendance wasn't bad. Not a full hall by any means and perhaps that helped the sound.

[Simon B]

Has John Chimes retired or moved elsewhere?

He retired from the BBCSO in September but is, I believe, still with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.

Lots of change behind the kettles at the moment. Peter Hill recently retired from the CBSO after 25 years (BSO before that), John Chimes has just gone (after nearly 40 years) , Andy Smith is 65 this year (after ?42 years in the Philharmonia)...

Tempus fugit and all that.

[Flosshilde]

The last concert I went to was the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Ticciati playing Mahler's 4th. I wondered how it would sound with a small orchestra. Generally quite good; when the strings were on their own, or with woodwind, you could hear lots of detail & it had a deliccy which seemed/to suit the work. However, when the brass and/or percussion joined in - especially at that great climax near the end of the 3rd movement - I thought the strings neeeded a bit more heft. I thought the performance as a whole was very good, with some lovely playing from the woodwind especially, and horns.
I've heard a performance of Mahler's 6th by the orchestra of the RSAMD (as it was called then) conducted by Ticciati and thought it was exceptional; perhaps his Mahler is something to look out for.

[Stanfordian]

The last concert I went to was the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Ticciati playing Mahler's 4th. I wondered how it would sound with a small orchestra. Generally quite good; when the strings were on their own, or with woodwind, you could hear lots of detail & it had a deliccy which seemed/to suit the work. However, when the brass and/or percussion joined in - especially at that great climax near the end of the 3rd movement - I thought the strings neeeded a bit more heft. I thought the performance as a whole was very good, with some lovely playing from the woodwind especially, and horns.
I've heard a performance of Mahler's 6th by the orchestra of the RSAMD (as it was called then) conducted by Ticciati and thought it was exceptional; perhaps his Mahler is something to look out for.

Hiya Flosshilde, I attended two performances last season conducted by that good old Londoner Ticciati and I thought he was exceptional.

[Flosshilde]

Yes, his latest recording with SCO - Schumann symphonies - hasbeen highly praised I think.

[Richard Tarleton]

John Lill on splendid form last night in Swansea's marvellous (visually and acoustically) Brangwyn Hall. It was a huge programme - Mozart Sonata K332, Schumann Fashingsschwank aus Wien, Prokoviev Toccata Op 11, and then after the interval Brahms Two Rhapsodies Op 79, and finally the Waldstein.

After much applause at the end (local custom is to drum your feet on the resonant wooden floor, so the audience rumbles its appreciation) John Lill said how much he'd enjoyed playing in near-on ideal conditions - on a fine piano [which had clearly been very well prepared], in a lovely hall, and to such an attentive audience -he thanked us. The concentration of the audience had indeed been palpable, scarcely a cough. He then played the final movement of Beethoven Op 49 no 2. A great evening.

[amateur51]

John Lill on splendid form last night in Swansea's marvellous (visually and acoustically) Brangwyn Hall. It was a huge programme - Mozart Sonata K332, Schumann Fashingsschwank aus Wien, Prokoviev Toccata Op 11, and then after the interval Brahms Two Rhapsodies Op 79, and finally the Waldstein.

After much applause at the end (local custom is to drum your feet on the resonant wooden floor, so the audience rumbles its appreciation) John Lill said how much he'd enjoyed playing in near-on ideal conditions - on a fine piano [which had clearly been very well prepared], in a lovely hall, and to such an attentive audience -he thanked us. The concentration of the audience had indeed been palpable, scarcely a cough. He then played the final movement of Beethoven Op 49 no 2. A great evening.

Quite an evening RT - am I right in remembering that Lill has a long-standing and successful concert relationship with BBC NOW?

[Richard Tarleton]

Quite an evening RT - am I right in remembering that Lill has a long-standing and successful concert relationship with BBC NOW?

Not sure....I'm ashamed to say that this was the first time I'd seen him in 40 years, largely owing to geography. Last time I saw him, he played, er, the Waldstein - and the Diabelli Variations.

[amateur51]

Not sure....I'm ashamed to say that this was the first time I'd seen him in 40 years, largely owing to geography. Last time I saw him, he played, er, the Waldstein - and the Diabelli Variations.

I think I remember noting this relationship over the years in live/recorded concerts broadcast by ... BBC Radio 3

[Bryn]

Not sure....I'm ashamed to say that this was the first time I'd seen him in 40 years, largely owing to geography. Last time I saw him, he played, er, the Waldstein - and the Diabelli Variations.

Strange that Lill appears never to have recorded the Diabelli Variations.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Black Dyke Brass Band in concert in Skipton Town Hall.

Whilst many people (usually working in television) imagine that Northerners go around followed by brass band Music, but this was my very first experience of this genre indoors. Had the quality of the Music matched that of the Music-making, this would have been a life-changing experience - but so many pieces that begin quietly and then get louder and louder ending on a fff cresc four-octave tonic triad got rather wearying. A highly enjoyable experience, but not one I feel I'll ever repeat.