What was your last concert?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • HighlandDougie
    Full Member
    • Nov 2010
    • 3080

    La Roque d'Anthéron Piano Festival

    Two recitals in one evening: Charles Richard-Hamelin in Mozart, Chopin and Schumann; then Arcadi Volodos in Schubert. Great weather: not too hot but a beautiful Provençal evening for al fresco music-making. Richard-Hamelin (2nd prize in the Chopin competition) was very impressive: fine Chopin but really good Schumann (First Sonata) which he played with aplomb but great feeling. Volodos was, simply, sublime: last two piano sonatas, magisterially played. He has a wonderful way of letting the music breathe - he knows the importance of allowing notes to die away - as well as sing. I doubt if I will ever again hear such fine performances. Predominantly French audience did that deeply annoying French audience thing of rhythmically clapping and foot-stamping so that they got their, "bis". I sometimes think that they care about wringing as many encores out of the performer more than the actual performances. Encores after late Schubert seem a bit otiose to me but they got four of them. All characteristically thoughtful. The steak frites between recitals was pretty good, too.

    Comment

    • cloughie
      Full Member
      • Dec 2011
      • 22114

      Originally posted by HighlandDougie View Post
      La Roque d'Anthéron Piano Festival

      Two recitals in one evening: Charles Richard-Hamelin in Mozart, Chopin and Schumann; then Arcadi Volodos in Schubert. Great weather: not too hot but a beautiful Provençal evening for al fresco music-making. Richard-Hamelin (2nd prize in the Chopin competition) was very impressive: fine Chopin but really good Schumann (First Sonata) which he played with aplomb but great feeling. Volodos was, simply, sublime: last two piano sonatas, magisterially played. He has a wonderful way of letting the music breathe - he knows the importance of allowing notes to die away - as well as sing. I doubt if I will ever again hear such fine performances. Predominantly French audience did that deeply annoying French audience thing of rhythmically clapping and foot-stamping so that they got their, "bis". I sometimes think that they care about wringing as many encores out of the performer more than the actual performances. Encores after late Schubert seem a bit otiose to me but they got four of them. All characteristically thoughtful. The steak frites between recitals was pretty good, too.
      No Ravel, Debussy or Satie for the terroir then, HD?

      Comment

      • HighlandDougie
        Full Member
        • Nov 2010
        • 3080

        Originally posted by cloughie View Post
        No Ravel, Debussy or Satie for the terroir then, HD?
        In fairness, C R-H included Ravel in his encores. AV would be more likely to have gone for Mompou, whom he played magically on the last occasion I heard him there maybe four or five years ago. One depressing sign of the times was airport-style security checks - and great blocks of concrete to prevent anyone from driving along the two avenues which lead into the parkland. Glad to see, though, that the French weakness for waiting until the soloist appears then rushing as furtively as possible to fight over empty and more expensive seats is alive and well. Not many empty seats for AV, though.

        Comment

        • Bryn
          Banned
          • Mar 2007
          • 24688

          Earlier this evening, Mark Knoop playing Schubert and Feldman at Rosslyn Hill Chapel. Fine performances, well programmed.

          Comment

          • pastoralguy
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 7737

            The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra last nite as part of the Edinburgh Festival. The same programme as at tomorrow's Prom except we heard Brahms' First Symphony instead of Tchaikovsky 5. Very fine playing indeed. The first horn is exceptional.

            Comment

            • cloughie
              Full Member
              • Dec 2011
              • 22114

              Camborne Town Band in the garden of our local pub - varied repertoire and a very polished ensemble. The beer was good too!

              Comment

              • Pulcinella
                Host
                • Feb 2014
                • 10886

                Originally posted by cloughie View Post
                Camborne Town Band in the garden of our local pub - varied repertoire and a very polished ensemble. The beer was good too!
                And probably not £13.40 a pint!

                Comment

                • cloughie
                  Full Member
                  • Dec 2011
                  • 22114

                  Originally posted by Pulcinella View Post
                  And probably not £13.40 a pint!
                  £3.00 and a good selection for their Bank Holiday weekend Beer Festival!

                  Comment

                  • pastoralguy
                    Full Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 7737

                    I'd forgotten that Mrs. PG and I went to hear The Academy of Saint Martins in the Field under their music director, Joshua Bell on Thursday.

                    Mendelssohn 'Midsummer Night's Dream', Bruch's 'Scottish Fantasy' and Beethoven's 'Pastoral Symphony'. Extremely fine playing from all concerned although I did feel that Bell does a wee bit too much 'directing'. Ok, I suppose he has to give cues occasionally but the expression of musical ecstasy that he emotes is something we could do without. Mind you, he did play the Bruch well. Most of the directing duties during the Bruch fell to the leader who seemed to be able to hold the band together without the need to pull copious faces to show his involvement.

                    A great concert though in a 'Sold Out' Usher Hall.

                    Comment

                    • ChrisBennell
                      Full Member
                      • Sep 2014
                      • 171

                      Music at St Peters, Wallingford - Primrose Piano Quartet with Leon Bosch - Double Bass

                      Escaping from Proms Last Night, we attended this local music venue, which is a small (ex) church now devoted to events like this. This was a most impressive group in Brahms Piano Quartet Op 60, Bottesini Grand Duo for Violin Double Bass and Piano, and Schubert Trout Quintet. A fabulous evening with fantastic performers and an almost full hall - although the old pews are a bit trying. The Bottesini (which I didn't know) was a Paganini-like piece demanding great virtuosity from violin and double-bass.

                      Returning to the car afterwards I just caught a snatch of Auld Lang Syne - which was more than enough. Reckon I got the better deal last night!

                      Comment

                      • EdgeleyRob
                        Guest
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 12180

                        Salford freebie yesterday

                        Bit of a mish mash programme,all well played,they did the Webern Op 10 twice.
                        Good to hear a snippet of Ethel Smyth live.
                        Recorded for broadcast in the new year I believe.

                        Joshua Weilerstein conducts the BBC Philharmonic
                        MediaCityUK, Salford
                        Joshua Weilerstein conducts a programme of short works

                        Johann Sebastian Bach
                        Ricercar from The Musical Offering (orch. Webern)
                        Ludwig van Beethoven
                        Overture 'Leonore' No. 3
                        Claude Debussy
                        Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
                        Dame Ethel Smyth
                        The Wreckers: Act 2: Prelude "On the Cliffs of Cornwall"

                        INTERVAL

                        Anton Webern
                        Five Pieces, Op 10
                        Charles Ives
                        Variations on 'America' (version for orchestra)
                        John Luther Adams
                        The Light That Fills the World

                        Comment

                        • MrGongGong
                          Full Member
                          • Nov 2010
                          • 18357

                          This was good



                          and an extraordinary venue

                          Comment

                          • gurnemanz
                            Full Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 7380

                            We really loved Christiane Karg with Gerold Huber at Wigmore last night. A thoughtfully constructed programme which started with der Leiermann and included several Schumann items extracted from cycles which one doesn't often hear in isolation, also a group of Pfitzner songs - rarely and, unjustly in my view, encountered in recitals. I have recently become interested in his output and picked up the complete box for a reasonable price from jpc.

                            Comment

                            • Ferretfancy
                              Full Member
                              • Nov 2010
                              • 3487

                              Anguish and embarrassment for me at last night's performance of The Damnation of Faust with the LSO and Sir Simon Rattle.

                              For the last couple of weeks I've endured a horrible throat infection, but I was determined not to miss the Barbican last night, having booked a nice Circle seat some time ago. I armed myself with bottled water, tissues, paracetamol etc. and set out.

                              The large forces involved were really too great for the Barbican, which was of course packed. I kept discomfort under control with sips of water, and this worked until nearly the interval, but after another swig I suddenly had an uncontrollable paroxysm of coughing which was made worse by the water streaming down my face and my efforts to breathe. The interval came, I apologised profusely to my neighbours, who were very nice, and left for home.

                              The Damnation of Faust got off to a slightly shaky start, I thought. No doubt many of you were able to hear it on Radio 3. If there were audible distractions, well, blame the coughers!

                              Comment

                              • pastoralguy
                                Full Member
                                • Nov 2010
                                • 7737

                                Originally posted by Ferretfancy View Post
                                Anguish and embarrassment for me at last night's performance of The Damnation of Faust with the LSO and Sir Simon Rattle.

                                For the last couple of weeks I've endured a horrible throat infection, but I was determined not to miss the Barbican last night, having booked a nice Circle seat some time ago. I armed myself with bottled water, tissues, paracetamol etc. and set out.

                                The large forces involved were really too great for the Barbican, which was of course packed. I kept discomfort under control with sips of water, and this worked until nearly the interval, but after another swig I suddenly had an uncontrollable paroxysm of coughing which was made worse by the water streaming down my face and my efforts to breathe. The interval came, I apologised profusely to my neighbours, who were very nice, and left for home.

                                The Damnation of Faust got off to a slightly shaky start, I thought. No doubt many of you were able to hear it on Radio 3. If there were audible distractions, well, blame the coughers!

                                Oh dear Ff, that's a horrible experience. There's nothing worse.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X