What was your last concert?

[antongould]

What a performance! I've never heard the LPO sound quite like that, a unique blended, burnished string and brass tone, at all levels of dynamic. Enthralling from start to finish, and - especially memorable - the slow movement done with a sort of incandescence which was thrilling.

And extraordinary to see the slight, frail figure appear from the artists' door, left shoulder dropped way lower than the right (presumably from decades of coaxing the first violins with the left, baton held high in the right) - seemed touch-and-go if he would actually make it to the podium; but there wasn't even a stool there 'in case' - and as you say, a miniature score on the stand remained closed throughout).

Glad that a good sprinkling of Forumites was there (though sorry that P.G. couldn't make it).

A bonus was that Stan came into Skylon afterwards for his supper; he was waiting in the entrance to be seated just as I was coming back in from the bathroom, so I was able to put an arm round him (he's about half my size) with a heartfelt thank you, receiving thanks back plus a twinkle in the eye.

Astonishing to think the guy turned 21 the year of D-Day...

Wonderful Rumpole and as you say quite astonishing - one presumes the selfie is in the post .......

[Beef Oven!]

What a performance! I've never heard the LPO sound quite like that, a unique blended, burnished string and brass tone, at all levels of dynamic. Enthralling from start to finish, and - especially memorable - the slow movement done with a sort of incandescence which was thrilling.

And extraordinary to see the slight, frail figure appear from the artists' door, left shoulder dropped way lower than the right (presumably from decades of coaxing the first violins with the left, baton held high in the right) - seemed touch-and-go if he would actually make it to the podium; but there wasn't even a stool there 'in case' - and as you say, a miniature score on the stand remained closed throughout).

Glad that a good sprinkling of Forumites was there (though sorry that P.G. couldn't make it).

A bonus was that Stan came into Skylon afterwards for his supper; he was waiting in the entrance to be seated just as I was coming back in from the bathroom, so I was able to put an arm round him (he's about half my size) with a heartfelt thank you, receiving thanks back plus a twinkle in the eye.

Astonishing to think the guy turned 21 the year of D-Day...

Wow!

[Beef Oven!]

It was wonderful............. and there was even some jazz in the closing pages of the final movement. Those who know the piece will know what I mean.

Sounds interesting. Come on, say a bit more for those of us who don't know the piece.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Other people collect Musicians' autographs - Cali's collecting hugs!

Brilliant reviews of a concert I wish I could have attended - many thanks.

[Nick Armstrong]

Other people collect Musicians' autographs - Cali's collecting hugs!

It was Stan that collected half a one from me last night!

[Alison]

Sounds like a transformed LPO from the one under Thierry Fischer.

[Nick Armstrong]

Sounds like a transformed LPO from the one under Thierry Fischer.

That was exactly my impression in the hall!

[HighlandDougie]

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 2
Haydn: Symphony No 94 "Surprise"
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 1

Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo/Murray Perahia (Pianist/Conductor)

MP's well-used to the soloist/conductor role with the ECO et al. but I thought that it was quite brave of him to take it on with a full-sized orchestra - and in Beethoven. I seem to remember others in this forum passing comment about whether it was wise to expect one person to fulfil both roles well and, on the evidence of the 2nd PC, I would have said, "no". The pianistic slips tended to come when there was something which needed attention in the orchestra - and which, frankly, sounded as if they were going through the motions. The Haydn was, well, Haydn played by a big band. Repeats observed but the rather dull acoustic of the Rainier 111 Auditorium and the even more lacklustre playing rather made me wish that he hadn't bothered. Alex Ferguson must have been in the vicinity for a half-time hair-drying pep talk as everything came magically to life in the 1st PC. MP's playing sparkled, the orchestra seemed thoroughly engaged and responsive - it was as fine a performance as I've heard in a long time of what is, to my ears at least, such an astonishingly bold work.

Shostakovich (with Steven Osborne - yay!) to set the fur coats astir next Sunday.

[P. G. Tipps]

... and there was even some jazz in the closing pages of the final movement (of Bruckner 5).Those who know the piece will know what I mean

I thought I knew the piece backwards but had never thought of it that way, tbh ... but now you've mentioned it ...

Certainly the final bars of the first movement of the 6th might appear to foretell Glenn Miller.

Bruckner boring? Poppycock!

. Plus as with Abbado that wonderful ascending phrase for the flutes just before the end.

Yes, Skrow really highlights that little passage to great effect.

[Nick Armstrong]

one presumes the selfie is in the post .......

Anton you and R3 Breakfast are soooo made for each other!

[antongould]

Anton you and R3 Breakfast are soooo made for each other!

Indeed we are .........

[bluestateprommer]

This past Monday, was fortunate enough to hear Leif Ove Andsnes in recital at Carnegie Hall:

http://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2015/11/16/0800/PM/Leif-Ove-Andsnes/

Quite splendid, all about the music and not about himself. Fortunately, the Carnegie online program noted the two Chopin encores, with the A flat Polonaise providing a real spiritual pick-me-up for the audience, in the wake of recent horrors and the general mood of unease, for those who stayed it out to the very end.

[Richard Tarleton]

Other people collect Musicians' autographs - Cali's collecting hugs!

This may have taken your six degrees of separation to a new level, Cali - if you weren't already you're now two from George Szell and Nadia Boulanger (who knew everybody), and therefore three from Richard Strauss, Carter, Copeland......

[teamsaint]

Paavo Järvi conductor
Samuel Coles flute
Haydn, Symphony No. 100, Military
Nielsen, Flute Concerto
Nielsen, Symphony No. 5

A first outing for my winter coat yesterday, and a first visit of the season to the warming hub of the Southbank. I thought this looked an interesting programme, and with a big hitter like Nielsen 5 it seemed like a good restorative after a busy days work in London.
The Southbank was uncharacteristically quiet last night, bars and seating areas all very empty, and sadly this was on the back of poor ticket sales. In fact customers walking up to buy on the night were offered really good front stalls tickets for £12, which is superb value. It can’t have helped the turnout much though, as the rear stalls and balcony were sparsely populated at best, and the front stalls had plenty of students who presumably had gone for the £12 option. The RFH really need to sort their ticketing for less popular events. Decent value upgrades to good seats must surely be part of the mix.
I missed the pre concert talk by Stephen Johnson, sadly, but then the SBC website is SO slow, lots of people probably miss lots of things they would like to see.
Anyway, music. The Haydn was great to my ears. The strings seemed to make a real attempt to keep their tone light, in all but the full throttle passages. They were led in this by Guest Principal Gregory Ahss, who led by example. He really threw himself into his role, mobile, enthusiastic, and working hard with Jarvi. Jarvi’s likeable style seems perfect for Haydn, and he looked fully committed to a fine performance. The Valveless trumpets did a good job, and got a nice cheer for their efforts.

The Nielsen Concerto was I imagine the least well known work on the programme. It’s a fascinating work, which somehow gives the impression of being a demonstration of how to compose a concerto with a chamber sized orchestra, whilst giving opportunities to shine to as many orchestra members as possible. Not sure I have really got my head round this work, but the ever shifting combinations of instruments and rhythmic patterns worked well, and Samuel Coles, reading from the music, gave a fine performance, and looked to be enjoying the experience.Nice work from the timps, guest Principal Antoine Sigure, which is so important in this work. Very enjoyable indeed, and I think it will have won a few people over to the work.

Nielsen 5 was undoubtedly the big draw of the night. Big orchestras are made for works like this, and the Phiharmonia ( what a well turned out bunch they are, not least principal second Violin Tamas Sandor, fresh from winning a shiny shoes competition) seemed somehow a touch more comfortable in the full- on opportunities of one of the heavyweights of the repertoire. I thought this was an excellent performance, carrying one off into Nielsen’s world with style and power. Superb moments all the way through, but the end of the Tempus Giusto was an exquisite highlight. The side drum interventions were all you want, and the timing of the offstage passage sounded perfect.
It wasn’t quite “blow your socks off” stuff, but it wasn’t far off, and Jarvi generously let the orchestra take most of the credits.

A fine evenings entertainment for my money, and one that would certainly help to convert people to Nielsen’s music, and from comments I overheard from one satisfied customer,at least one Nielsen novice will be back for more.

Edit: all the technical details from the excellent and ever reliable IGI here, I see :

https://bachtrack.com/review-nielsen-haydn-jarvi-coles-philharmonia-london-november-2015

( do these guys use a note pad?)

[Roehre]

Stockhausen:
aus den sieben Tagen

New America Ensemble
Musikbunker Aachen
(Rehmannstrasse)
Friday November 13th 20.00
A performance changed by the Paris attacks