John Wilson - a rising star?

[Hornspieler]

When I watched John Wilson conducting his "Hooray for Hollywood" on the proms, I was impressed by his ability to handle those sudden changes of tempo and mood, to control the huge orchestra of freelance players and to make all those arrangements, copying old archives by musical (aural) dictation in some cases.

Now he is starting to emerge as a conductor of far wider ranging abilities.

I enjoyed his broadcast with the BBC Scottish recently, thought that he handled the BBC Concert Orchestra quite well, but was absolutely gobsmacked by his Walton, York Bowen and Vaughan Williams concert last week.

This is no pale shadow of an Adrian Boult or Malcolm Sargent (no names, no pack drill) but a musician who can go a long way, if given the opportunity.

I think I enjoyed last week's concert (not forgetting Mr Power's fantastic viola playing) as much as any that I have heard this year

What do others think? Was I listening through rose-tinted headphones?

HS

[BBMmk2]

HS, is this still available on iplayer?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

HS, is this still available on iplayer?

Fortunately, yes; it was broadcast last Friday so there's still a couple of days left to hear it - which, thanks to HS's enthusiasm I am about to do.

[Hornspieler]

HS, is this still available on iplayer?

I think so. Might be the last day. Try it now

HS

[BBMmk2]

As it was broadcast last Friday, I be able to hear it tomorrow?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

As it was broadcast last Friday, I be able to hear it tomorrow?

Yes - and until 8:20 on Friday, Bbm.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01s369q/Radio_3_Live_in_Concert_Live_from_the_Barbican_in_London_Walton_York_Bowen/

[Andrew Slater]

What do others think? Was I listening through rose-tinted headphones?
HS

I don't think so: it was a fine performance. I witnessed him conducting the BBCPO in Salford earlier this year in more Vaughan Williams (the fifth symphony), and was impressed. There's a thread on it somewhere on this forum.

[EdgeleyRob]

When I watched John Wilson conducting his "Hooray for Hollywood" on the proms, I was impressed by his ability to handle those sudden changes of tempo and mood, to control the huge orchestra of freelance players and to make all those arrangements, copying old archives by musical (aural) dictation in some cases.

Now he is starting to emerge as a conductor of far wider ranging abilities.

I enjoyed his broadcast with the BBC Scottish recently, thought that he handled the BBC Concert Orchestra quite well, but was absolutely gobsmacked by his Walton, York Bowen and Vaughan Williams concert last week.

This is no pale shadow of an Adrian Boult or Malcolm Sargent (no names, no pack drill) but a musician who can go a long way, if given the opportunity.

I think I enjoyed last week's concert (not forgetting Mr Power's fantastic viola playing) as much as any that I have heard this year

What do others think? Was I listening through rose-tinted headphones?

HS

No I do't think so HS.
I posted this last week.
The RVW in particular was impressive,IMO.

Just finished and it was indeed a cracker.

The Walton and York Bowen were excellent to my ears,surely the Viola Concerto deserves to be programmed more often.
RVW's Five Tudor Portraits was the highlight,a truly inspired performance
I wonder what the audience at the first performance made of it back in 1936 ? (a concert which also included Britten's Our Hunting Fathers !!!).

More like this please

[hmvman]

RVW's Five Tudor Portraits was the highlight,a truly inspired performance
I wonder what the audience at the first performance made of it back in 1936 ?

I remember reading somewhere that during the first performance (in Norwich?) a titled lady in the audience got up during The Tunning of Elinor Rumming, pronounced it "disgusting" and walked out

[Pabmusic]

I've long been an admirer. The light music aside (but why?) he has made some very good cds of Elgar's wartime music (inc. The Sanguine Fan), three discs of John Ireland (including the piano concerto), shorter pieces by Parry, Vaughan Williams, Bax, Alwyn, Bowen (and many others) as well as half a dozen discs of Edward German (inc. the Norwich Symphony) and Eric Coates.

That's pretty good going for a young conductor. The fact that he's so adept at tackling stage and screen music can only be a plus.

Let's hear him in much more.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I remember reading somewhere that during the first performance (in Norwich?) a titled lady in the audience got up during The Tunning of Elinor Rumming, pronounced it "disgusting" and walked out

- whereupon RVW congratulated the choir on their excellent diction!

[EnemyoftheStoat]

It's good to see an up-and-coming conductor who doesn't think he has to give us yet more of the same "calling-card" repertoire that we (at least in London) can get any day of the week. I'm not a great fan of the screen and stage end of things, but JW is obviously very good at it, and if he can gain exposure for the less well known end of the "serious" repertoire, then good on him. And it would be great to see him in the Sibelius and Szymanowski to which he aspires (according to his agent's website).

[clive heath]

extract from my review of a concert last January..........

I have always felt that the slippery slidy harmonic interweaving of chords that distinguish Delius' compositional style is ill served by the performances I've heard (including an LP from Vernon Handley) feeling that a taut, rhythmically precise approach, would be preferable. Wonder of wonders, that is what John Wilson and the Philharmonia served up in this concert. The piece was " On hearing the first cuckoo in spring", as hackneyed a piece as you could ever find in a matinee programme. It was revealed (with the help of minimum vibrato and delicately sprung rhythms) as an elegant slow waltz perhaps accompanying ladies in crinolines and parasols on a country house lawn.

from "...........your last concert" #409. Someone to watch, for sure.