Future concerts you're excited to have tickets for.....

[Nick Armstrong]

Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande (semi-staged) Philharmonia & Esa-Pekka Salonen, plenty of seats left

Were you there? Sounds like a large slice of alright! http://www.theguardian.com/music/201...review-salonen

Perhaps "excited" to have tickets is a bit strong, but I'm dragging some friends to the Barbican this Friday...

Your friends can hardly have failed to find your enthusiasm infectious... !



Heard the Rott... fascinating... Some imprecision in the performance, but perhaps it was for effect? Much of it came across as a very early sketch for Mahler 1 - and the pre-echoes of Mahler 7 were especially thought-provoking!

Looking forward to a report from the Hall.

[HighlandDougie]

The Rott Symphony is clearly a work dear to Marc Minkowski - much hugging of the score afterwards. He approached it with the same vigour and enthusiasm he brings to Rameau and Offenbach, to name but two. The orchestra responds well to him (cf. that earlier Ravel Mother Goose). So, a happy combination of conductor and players in a work which, despite its debts to, inter alia, Smetana, Brahms, Wagner and, above all, Bruckner, sounds at the end of the day like, well, Hans Rott. The slightly ragged-seeming quality of the playing stems from the scoring of the music imv, which is probably a reflection of Rott's comparative youth and relative inexperience as a composer. And, not unlike a good many far more experienced and mature composers of whom I can think, he didn't know when to stop so the final movement is just a bit too long. But I don't suppose I'll get the chance to hear it live again for a long time, if ever, and in such an impassioned and committed performance. The orchestra seemed to have enjoyed playing it as well - Minkowski had taken great care with their layout which helped the overall balance of sound a good deal in the Hall. My friends loved it.

The Schubert was very much "big band" - surprising for Minkowski in a way in that I would have expected him to have had a lesser string section. It sounded a bit thick (that Barbican acoustic), unlike the Mahler, which sounded glorious in the hall. But that's Mahler's genius as an orchestrator - making a large orchestra sound like a chamber ensemble. Very well sung, too. She has a fine voice and had a real feeling for the words. In short, well done the BBC for allowing Marc M to indulge his love for the Rott and to combine it with two other 'youthful ' works.

[Nick Armstrong]

...And, not unlike a good many far more experienced and mature composers of whom I can think, he didn't know when to stop so the final movement is just a bit too long.

Yes, I heard all the last section and that was very much the impression - but again, foreshadowing some of the "oh what the heck, let's have a bit more" endings that poor young Hans's mate Gustav pulled off more successfully in his 5th and above all, 7th...

[amateur51]

The Rott Symphony is clearly a work dear to Marc Minkowski - much hugging of the score afterwards. He approached it with the same vigour and enthusiasm he brings to Rameau and Offenbach, to name but two. The orchestra responds well to him (cf. that earlier Ravel Mother Goose). So, a happy combination of conductor and players in a work which, despite its debts to, inter alia, Smetana, Brahms, Wagner and, above all, Bruckner, sounds at the end of the day like, well, Hans Rott. The slightly ragged-seeming quality of the playing stems from the scoring of the music imv, which is probably a reflection of Rott's comparative youth and relative inexperience as a composer. And, not unlike a good many far more experienced and mature composers of whom I can think, he didn't know when to stop so the final movement is just a bit too long. But I don't suppose I'll get the chance to hear it live again for a long time, if ever, and in such an impassioned and committed performance. The orchestra seemed to have enjoyed playing it as well - Minkowski had taken great care with their layout which helped the overall balance of sound a good deal in the Hall. My friends loved it.

The Schubert was very much "big band" - surprising for Minkowski in a way in that I would have expected him to have had a lesser string section. It sounded a bit thick (that Barbican acoustic), unlike the Mahler, which sounded glorious in the hall. But that's Mahler's genius as an orchestrator - making a large orchestra sound like a chamber ensemble. Very well sung, too. She has a fine voice and had a real feeling for the words. In short, well done the BBC for allowing Marc M to indulge his love for the Rott and to combine it with two other 'youthful ' works.

A great review HD, many thanks. I turned the radio on just as the Rott was starting and my impression was very much as yours - I'm glad to have heard a 'live' performance but it isn't a 'great' work. Undoubtedly interesting for the Mahler echos as you & Caliban say.

[amateur51]

Were you there? Sounds like a large slice of alright! http://www.theguardian.com/music/201...review-salonen

Spookily I concur with every Tim Ashley says

The production elements were odd but effective (use of blindfolds, people walking up & downstairs). Sandrine piau was very much a last minute replacement and Salonen made sure that he cued her every entry with a glance to his right over his shoulder.His conducting was mesmerising and the Philharmonia was on top form. As Ashley says the men sang very well in their native French, Pelléas particularly having some magnificently nasal vowels

The child Yniold was very well sung too and David Wilson-Johnson as the Doctor came on briefly as the only non-native singer & acquitted himself well.

One quibble. The surtitle machine was an essential part of the evening's enjoyment but it is quite old and relatively small. It is also in red. A good proportion of the red-green colour-blind members of the audience may have been inconvenienced by this - something to remember when replacing it for a larger one (ahem!)

[P. G. Tipps]

A great review HD, many thanks. I turned the radio on just as the Rott was starting and my impression was very much as yours - I'm glad to have heard a 'live' performance but it isn't a 'great' work. Undoubtedly interesting for the Mahler echos as you & Caliban say.

Well whether it's a 'great' work or not (I love it!) I'd have thought that it was Mahler who echoed (plagiarised?) Rott and not the other way around, amateur51!

[amateur51]

Well whether it's a 'great' work or not (I love it!) I'd have thought that it was Mahler who echoed (plagiarised?) Rott and not the other way around, amateur51!

As I mentioned in my post, this was the first time I had heard a 'live' performance of Rott's symphony whereas I am familiar with Mahler's symphonies from both recordings and 'live' performances.

As I listened to a Mahler symphony I could not say 'ah echoes of Rott' could I?

Unlike you, I am not seeking to judge either Rott or Mahler.

[P. G. Tipps]

As I mentioned in my post, this was the first time I had heard a 'live' performance of Rott's symphony whereas I am familiar with Mahler's symphonies from both recordings and 'live' performances.

As I listened to a Mahler symphony I could not say 'ah echoes of Rott' could I?

Unlike you, I am not seeking to judge either Rott or Mahler.

Just setting the record straight, that's all ...

[amateur51]

Just setting the record straight, that's all ...

How appropriate!

[John Wright]

Two weeks to go ......

'Messiah' at Warwick Arts Centre

Soprano - Elin Manahan-Thomas, Countertenor - Michael Chance, Tenor - Nathan Vale, Bass - Andrew Davies
Armonico Consort, Conductor: Christopher Monks

Mrs W said yes, so I will be attending my first ever 'Messiah' and Mrs W her second-ever non-pop concert

Got two excellent seats right in the middle of the floor seating!

Very much looking forward to this, especially the soloists. Michael Chance - I have quite a few recordings, even an LP from 1983 !! Just realised he is now 59, how long can counter-tenors sing??

Elin Manahan-Thomas I have heard on R3

Nathan Vale and Andrew Davies I have not heard anywhere as far as I know.

Choir and orchestra http://www.armonico.org.uk/

http://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/whats-on/2014/armonico-consort-2/

[cloughie]

Not really future now

Show of Hands at St Ives Guildhall

[teamsaint]

Not really future now

Show of Hands at St Ives Guildhall

one of my favourite live bands. I could listen to Steve Knightly sing live all day.

Have a great time Cloughie.

[Beef Oven!]

one of my favourite live bands. I could listen to Steve Knightly sing live all day.

If you can listen to this all day, then you can listen to multi-versions of symphonies.

[teamsaint]

If you can listen to this all day, then you can listen to multi-versions of symphonies.

haven't you got some Bruckner to be listening to?

or better still, that Schoenberg/Bartok R3 concert from the other week.

If I need picking up on the fine points of linguistics, I'll pop round and see the pedants, thanks .

Have a nice day !!

(On topic , I have tickets for Rattle and the BPO Mahler 2 at the RFH, and they are selling for big money. Not sure what to do........)

[cloughie]

one of my favourite live bands. I could listen to Steve Knightly sing live all day.

Have a great time Cloughie.

A good evening ts. Three very talented musicians. Phil Beer's violin playing great as was his guitar work. Steve Knightly - as good as you say, although I wouldn't listen to him all day as that would not leave time for Miranda - great bass-playing, lovely tight harmonies and her solo unaccompanied vocal the highlight of the evening - I would have like to have heard more of her, maybe with some gentle instrumental accompaniment from the other two! Pleased they made the trip over the great divide to see us! Steve did a more than half decent Dylan job on 'Don't think twice it'a all right' - I remembered every word from 1965!