What was your last concert?

[zola]

Tonight - 1 May 2016, Reading Hexagon, RPO Thomas Dausgaard

Sibelius: Finlandia, Op. 26
Schumann: Piano Concerto Op. 54
Khatia Buniatishvili gave an outstanding performance, virtuosic and musical with some nice individual touches; excellent support from RPO and Dausgaard.
Didn't stay for Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

I'm going to see the same performers at the RFH tomorrow evening which is also being broadcast live on R3. Same programme apart from the Sibelius which is listed as symphony no 7 rather than Finlandia ( unless there is a late programme change ? )

[Pianorak]

I'm going to see the same performers at the RFH tomorrow evening

I was wondering if the Reading concert was a (red) dress rehearsal for the RFH tomorrow. Enjoy - red dress and all!

[EdgeleyRob]

Dvorak

Gary Hoffman,Halle,Elder,Bridgewater Hall,yesterday

A Slavonic Dance from Op 72,don't know which one - OK,a bit run of the mill

Cello Concerto - Wonderfully played,the quieter passages especially were exquisite,the duet with the flute in the slow movement and with the solo violin just before the end were just perfect

8th Symphony - good if not particularly a performance that would live long in the memory,the brass,especially horns,were excellent

Nice concert

[Simon B]

Mahler: Resurrection Symphony, BBC Philharmonic/CBSO chorus/Johnston/Tokar/Sinaisky, Bridgewater Hall 14/5/16

A purposeful performance from the off, infused with a sense of urgency yet with what generally seemed plenty of inflection and repose for the more reflective sections. Really committed, impressively cohesive and at times roof-raising playing - a particularly good night for all 10 horns to my ears. The closing pages, while again not unduly drawn out, were the polar opposite of the BRSO/Jansons Proms damp squib of a few years ago. Helped by the heft of the excellent CBSO chorus and Bridgewater organ at full belt and all the extras brought onstage at the end to bolster the brass to 11, 10, 5 the fittings and fixtures duly shook as ought to be mandatory.

The best Mahler 2 (measured against the "if it doesn't seem that 'everything is ok after all' for a few moments at the end, regardless of the grim reality of, er, reality, it hasn't worked" test) I've heard in about 10 years. A fitting end to what, on my sampling, I thought the most satisfactory BBCPO season for many years now - both in terms of the spirit of the orchestra being reminiscent of its late 1990s self and generally healthier attendances which still seem to be recovering from the remarkably destructive effect of Roger Wright's 7pm starts.

For a more coherent review see https://bachtrack.com/review-mahler-...monic-may-2016. The relay is being transmitted on 18/5 @ 19:30 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07b2ht1).

[Nick Armstrong]

Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (plus other pieces in the first half), Philharmonia/Salonen, RFH 15/5/16

The most electrifying Rite of Spring I've ever heard live - taut and driven, with Salonen bringing out lines and combinations from the horns and woodwind especially, which I'd never heard before. Great playing by all, inc. the two timpanists (using really tight, hard sticks I think - real impact). In the general frenzy, one could almost forgive that a wagner tuba arrived a beat late with her fff note right at the end of Part 1, so that it hooted in the silence like a ferry in the night (I felt for the player). You can hear it equally clearly on the broadcast the following night.

In general, a searing & visceral performance which I'm glad I decided at the last moment to attend. I may have been lucky with the place in the hall, which caught the rasping horns and all the woodwind combinations (one alto flute / bass clarinet duet springs to mind) perfectly. I know at least one other Forumite was there, and seated in a different place didn't find the impact so great.

However there was general agreement that the first half was a bit of a damp squib - a fanfare planned for Agon, the Symphonies of Wind Instruments, and Agon itself, all played without a break and the latter accompanied by some modern dancers behind the orchestra. The playing seemed limp, the dancers a distraction.

Fortunately the second half was well-worth the price of admission.

[Beef Oven!]

Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (plus other pieces in the first half), Philharmonia/Salonen, RFH 15/5/16

The most electrifying Rite of Spring I've ever heard live - taut and driven, with Salonen bringing out lines and combinations from the horns and woodwind especially, which I'd never heard before. Great playing by all, inc. the two timpanists (using really tight, hard sticks I think - real impact). In the general frenzy, one could almost forgive that a wagner tuba arrived a beat late with her fff note right at the end of Part 1, so that it hooted in the silence like a ferry in the night (I felt for the player). You can hear it equally clearly on the broadcast the following night.

In general, a searing & visceral performance which I'm glad I decided at the last moment to attend. I may have been lucky with the place in the hall, which caught the rasping horns and all the woodwind combinations (one alto flute / bass clarinet duet springs to mind) perfectly. I know at least one other Forumite was there, and seated in a different place didn't find the impact so great.

However there was general agreement that the first half was a bit of a damp squib - a fanfare planned for Agon, the Symphonies of Wind Instruments, and Agon itself, all played without a break and the latter accompanied by some modern dancers behind the orchestra. The playing seemed limp, the dancers a distraction.

Fortunately the second half was well-worth the price of admission.

Sounds like a great concert. I'd earmarked it for a return/turn up on the night job, then promptly forgot about it!

In the right hands, the Rite is as awesome as the day of its premier

I never tire of it.

[Nick Armstrong]

Sounds like a great concert. I'd earmarked it for a return/turn up on the night job, then promptly forgot about it!

In the right hands, the Rite is as awesome as the day of its premier

I never tire of it.

Yes - a piece I only really listen to live (Sunday reminded me why). I picked up my seat in row AA stalls (halfway back) at about 5pm on the day, there were plenty going Wish I'd known you were interested, I'd have applied a virtual elbow earlier in the day...

[Pulcinella]

I was the 'other Forumite' at the Sunday RFH concert, with my partner.
First time in ages in the hall; certainly the first since refurbishment.
Seats under the balcony (row MM) may indeed have affected the sound, as we were not as taken with the performance(s) as Caliban was.
Bad idea to run the pieces in the first half together, too, we thought.
I like my Stravinsky (especially Symphonies and Agon) spikier; the Symphonies in particular seemed bottom brass heavy from where we sat, and only slightly less so in the broadcast last night.
Not sure that Agon worked at all: big orchestra needed, but generally very few instruments playing at any particular time, and it appeared to lack coherence spatially as well as sonically. Felt this in the broadcast too. Perhaps we are spoilt by studio recordings.
Always fun to watch a Rite being played (I have probably seen it danced more than I've been to purely orchestral performances), but this one did seem a bit oddly paced at times (compared with what I'm used to, anyway).
And yes, one felt for the foghorn!
Overall, though, glad to have gone, but glad too that it was not the only reason for being in London at the weekend (tied in with visit to godson and wife).

[Nick Armstrong]

Thought I'd leave it for you to blow your cover, Mr P !

[Pulcinella]

Thought I'd leave it for you to blow your cover, Mr P !

Shades not necessary, as I'd already announced intention in the 'Future concerts you're excited to have tickets for' thread!

[Nick Armstrong]

Shades not necessary, as I'd already announced intention in the 'Future concerts you're excited to have tickets for' thread!

I'd forgotten that!

[Pulcinella]

Thanks for links to reviews in your other posting about this concert (Performance thread).
The reviewers clearly had different sets of ears to mine (or better seats in which their ears sat!).
Certainly not enough of the detail of Agon came through where we were.

[teamsaint]

thanks for those excellent Stravinsky reviews chaps.

Pulcers, I tend to find that the sound suffers quite a bit under the balcony too, so that probably did affect your experience for the worse.

And the press reviews? well the Grauniad was Tim Ashley of course, so, er, um....I don't tend to give his pieces much creedence, TBH.

anyway, the Rite sounded good, must try to catch up some time.

[Beef Oven!]

Yes - a piece I only really listen to live (Sunday reminded me why).

I listen to it at home, but coincidentally it's a work that I've seen performed many times, and always try to get to when it's programmed.

I picked up my seat in row AA stalls (halfway back) at about 5pm on the day, there were plenty going Wish I'd known you were interested, I'd have applied a virtual elbow earlier in the day...

I wished I'd remembered, then I could have reminded you to remind me about it

[gurnemanz]

Lunchtime concert today in Holburne Museum, Bath, from soprano Jane Hunt accompanied by Clive Pollard to go with the museum's current Impressionism: Capturing Life exhibition. Contemporary song settings Ravel, Debussy, Satie and de Falla + one each from Bridge, Ireland and Delius.