What was your last concert?

[gurnemanz]

Great evening at the Barbican yesterday. Gianandrea Noseda and the LSO were joined by Alice Sara Ott for the Liszt 2nd PC which has never an absolute favourite work of mine and I think it is the first time I have heard it live. It was a stylishly concocted and generous hors d'oeuvre before the substantial 90 min main course of Mahler's Sixth. (Some concert planners don't give you anything else with this symphony). The graceful, barefooted pianist even gave us a Schumann encore. Noseda and his players gave us a superbly detailed and rivetingly compelling performance, driving us unrelentingly with attaca into the second movement scherzo. One of our more memorable Mahler experiences.

[rauschwerk]

At the Barbican last night: BBCSO/Oramo with Anne-Sofie von Otter. First we had the original version of Sibelius's The Oceanides. An elusive piece, new to me (I hardly know the revised version either). Following that, Zemlinsky's Maeterlinck songs, beautifully sung by Miss von Otter. Not a terribly varied set in respect of tempo, but haunting music nonetheless. After the interval, Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin.

These three fairly undemonstrative pieces were aperitifs to what was, to my mind, the main course - Nielsen's 4th symphony. Oramo, conducting from memory, showed complete mastery of this great score and the orchestra responded magnificently. In the closing pages they played like men and women possessed.

The Barbican acoustics caused few problems, except that the singer's voice didn't seem to carry. I have noticed this before with female soloists.

[Ferretfancy]

An interesting concert at the Barbican last night with Gergiev and the LSO. It began with Balakirev's Tamara, a symphonic poem with a number of nice ideas, but very over extended. Roman Sivovic was the soloist in Glazunov's Violin Concerto. playing with a warm confident tone. His encore was a violin transcription of Liszt's Mephisto Waltz ! It was superbly played, but I'm afraid that Liszt was the loser.

After the interval came a stunning performance of Rachmaninov's First Symphony. Wow! This made an overwhelming impact, and the unanimity in those savage interjections was wondrous to hear. I know that old flutterfingers can divide opinion, but this was great conducting with a superb orchestra.

[kuligin]

Last night the Halle/ Elder in Brahms Tragic, Beethoven Symphony 4 and Haydn's Nelson Mass

My enjoyment was tempered in the Haydn by the size and volume of the chorus, really too large and unwealdy for this work, not much below mf

The Brahms and Beethoven were very good, lean and fastish and with great drive, in fact showing the benefit of HIP practice in the modern orchestra. Shame about the chorus. The bass solist a Korean Jihoon Kim whom I have heard at Coivent Garden was remarkably good

[Conchis]

Superb concert of Tchaikovsky's Little Russian and Shostakovich 10 in Nottingham on Friday - RLPO/Petrenko.

To my shame, it was my first experience of the orchestra and the conductor (despite my being a proper Scouser). I'm told by those in the know that this is a golden age for the RLPO and that Petrenko is working wonders with them: and that he is supposedly the 'greatest interpreter' of Shostakovich 10 in the world.

Big claims but I was far from being disappointed. A brilliant night!

[Nick Armstrong]

Superb concert of Tchaikovsky's Little Russian and Shostakovich 10 in Nottingham on Friday - RLPO/Petrenko.

To my shame, it was my first experience of the orchestra and the conductor (despite my being a proper Scouser). I'm told by those in the know that this is a golden age for the RLPO and that Petrenko is working wonders with them: and that he is supposedly the 'greatest interpreter' of Shostakovich 10 in the world.

Big claims but I was far from being disappointed. A brilliant night!

Nottingham born & bred (left when I was 18) but I'm ashamed to say I've never set foot in the Concert Hall. Against the backdrop of wranglings elsewhere about concert halls and decent acoustics, where does this one sit in the 'acoustic quality' scale in your opinion?

[richardfinegold]

Great concert, richard!

My last concert went in the other direction, the second half was the best part, and its last few moments beyond words - the choral singing of that sublime final "Il est bon, l'enfant, il est sage" section of Ravel's "L'enfant et les Sortilèges" was completely perfect, rounding off an exhilarating semi-staged performance. Great singing, stunning playing throughout from the Philharmonia, and deft costumes/production using video projection and a modicum of dry ice... Unforgettable.

The orchestra posted this photo from the rehearsal, which gives a flavour:




Before the interval, Barbara Hannigan (stunning as the Princesse in "L'enfant") sang Dutilleux's Correspondances, a discovery for me (the last song especially haunting), and then Mitsuko Uchida joined the orchestra for...

... Ravel's G major concerto. Errrm. Well judging it on the highest of levels, in line with one's expectations, it was a disappointment, overall. Of course, there were many felicities - her quiet way with the opening of the slow movement was lovely, the 'musical saw' trills of the first movement were wonderful, the oboe and cor anglais solos were great... but... but... They didn't sound entirely 'in' the piece, the outer movements didn't fit together with the jewelled precision one hope for. The first movement featured some fluffed ends of runs, and a botch-job by the bassoon at one point. It felt as if everyone needed to have rehearsed and played it together more, rather than meeting that morning (which was how it sounded). It all conspired to leave me cold.

But then after the interval: WOW!


.

RFH, 12 February 2015

Dutilleux: Correspondances
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G

Ravel: L'Enfant et les Sortilèges (semi-staged; sung in French with English surtitles)

Philharmonia Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor

Barbara Hannigan soprano Correspondances / La Princesse
Mitsuko Uchida piano
Chloé Briot soprano L'Enfant
Elodie Méchain alto La Mère/ La Tasse chinoise / La Libellule
Andrea Hill mezzo soprano La Bergère /Un Pâtre / l'Ecureuil/ La Chatte
Omo Bello soprano La Pastourelle / La Chauve-Souris / La Chouette
Sabine Devieilhe soprano Le Feu / Le Rossignol
Jean-Sébastien Bou baritone L'Horloge / Le Chat
François Piolino tenor La Théière / Le Petit Vieillard (aka l'Arithmétique) / La Rainette
Nicolas Courjal bass Le Fauteuil / L'Arbre
Philharmonia Voices Shepherds, Shepherdesses, Frogs, Animals, Trees, Settle (Le Blanc), Sofa (Le Canapé), Ottoman (Le Pouf), Wicker chair, Numbers (Les Chiffres)
Irina Brown director

It is easy to tell when Misuko is displeased. She has no "poker face"

[richardfinegold]

I posted under Performance about last nights CSO concert,featuring the Mozart Requiem. I just played my Hogwood/AAM recording and was surprised at it's brevity. On reading the notes I discover that Hogwood excised every note that was thought to have been composed by Sussmayr

[DublinJimbo]

A superb evening in the National Concert Hall last week, given by the NCH's 2015 Rising Star Alex Petcu-Colan (percussion) and friends. The composer list was heavy on names unknown to me (Xenakis, Tom Lane, Joseph Schwantner, Debussy, Komitas, Sam Perkin, Nebojša Jovan Živković, Nigel Westlake and Manfred Menke), while the platform was even more heavily burdened under the weight of a very large collection of percussion instruments.

Alex Petcu-Colan is a young (early 20's) Irish musician of Romanian origin who recently received a Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe scholarship, reached the semi-finals of the Tromp International Percussion Competition, and has since then formed an international percussion ensemble with past laureates and competitors. He has a really engaging stage personality and really lives the music he performs. His musicality is married to a phenomenal technique which kept the audience enthralled for the evening. Manfred Menke's Eine kleine Tischmusik stole the show in terms of audience reaction.

Alex is definitely a talent to watch out for, and I'm delighted that I decided to go along to this hugely enjoyable concert.

[Conchis]

Nottingham born & bred (left when I was 18) but I'm ashamed to say I've never set foot in the Concert Hall. Against the backdrop of wranglings elsewhere about concert halls and decent acoustics, where does this one sit in the 'acoustic quality' scale in your opinion?

I've always found it a somewhat forbidding building from the outside(as you know, it's wedged onto the side of the Theatre Royal) and the stairs are a bit narrow. The flooring of the hall itself has been unkindly referred to as reminiscent of a public lavatory. But, acoustically, I've always found it to be excellent, superior to Birmingham Symphony Hall in many ways.

[MrGongGong]

But, acoustically, I've always found it to be excellent, superior to Birmingham Symphony Hall in many ways.

I'm curious about what ways you mean?
(I've not been there so don't know)

[Conchis]

I'm curious about what ways you mean?
(I've not been there so don't know)

When attending Siegfried at SH a couple of years back, I was aware of slight reverberation to the sound (I was sitting in the left-side stalls, close to the stage). Never had these issues in Nottingham. Symphony Hall was considered the most acoustically perfect concert venue in the UK until the last couple of years, when some criticisms like mine were made.

[Nick Armstrong]

I've always found it a somewhat forbidding building from the outside(as you know, it's wedged onto the side of the Theatre Royal) and the stairs are a bit narrow. The flooring of the hall itself has been unkindly referred to as reminiscent of a public lavatory. But, acoustically, I've always found it to be excellent, superior to Birmingham Symphony Hall in many ways.

Thanks... I really should take a look at the forthcoming programme and sort out a visit.

[Petrushka]

I've always found it a somewhat forbidding building from the outside(as you know, it's wedged onto the side of the Theatre Royal) and the stairs are a bit narrow. The flooring of the hall itself has been unkindly referred to as reminiscent of a public lavatory. But, acoustically, I've always found it to be excellent, superior to Birmingham Symphony Hall in many ways.

I've been to the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham a couple of times and found the acoustic ok but uncomfortably loud. The foyer area is dreadful, hopelessly small and intolerably crowded, though I seem to recall some mention of a refurb which may have solved that problem by now?

[Conchis]

I've been to the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham a couple of times and found the acoustic ok but uncomfortably loud. The foyer area is dreadful, hopelessly small and intolerably crowded, though I seem to recall some mention of a refurb which may have solved that problem by now?

I don't know when you were last there but I've been to a few concerts since 2011 and I think the foyer/levels let it down. That said, the management of the building DO seem to be working to compensate for this by making the overall concert experience an 'added value' one. The pre-concert recital by a pianist is always appreciated, as is the regular pre-performance talk. The 'after hours' mini-concert I mentioned is the icing on the cake: you go away feeling you've had a really great night out.