What was the First Orchestral Concert that you Attended?

[MrGongGong]

I'm rather amazed, Mr GG, as I thought you were a clarinettist ( and of course a composer).

As a student I used to go and play 'extra' or 'deputy' horn witb the RLPO and one of my first 'pro gigs' involved 'bumping up' their then Principal horn player, Mike Ogonovsky.
Was he by any chance your teacher?

Indeed he was
A great chap indeed and was a stalwart of the RLPO for many years
Then I was taught by David Presland who was bonkers but wonderful

[jayne lee wilson]

Here's the crumpled, faded pink ticket which travels around with me in the wallet...it says

ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY WEEKEND SERIES
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST 1974
BALCONY A16 £1.00

It was Shostakovich Symphony No.8, conducted by Maxim Shostakovich. On a quiet, underpopulated bus into town at six thirty, I overheard a man talking about Pochard and Goldeneye. Next morning I was at the coast in a Force 8, watching Skuas & Shearwaters. Some weekend!

I was very taken with the 8th, borrowing Previn's LP and various Melodiyas from our impossibly well-stocked local LP library...

[Jonathan]

Sometime in February, 1982 aged 9 I went to the Royal Albert Hall for a Viennese evening with my parents. The programme included lots of Strauss. I sadly can't remember a thing about it. I do have the programme somewhere in the loft though.

[richardfinegold]

I was dragged to several concerts in the Detroit Symphonies summer home in my pre teen years by my Parents and all that I cared about was the bribe of ice cream after it was over.
I started caring about music when I was a teenager. The first concert that I remember attending was by a Youth Orchestra. One of my best friends was the Concertmaster. The Conductor was Paul Freeman, whom I remember most because he was Black (a real rarity in the 1970s on a Classical Music stage and not very common now either) and who subsequently made many recordings. The star soloist was my friends teacher, a Violinist named Mischa Mishakoff. He was the retired Concertmaster of the Detroit SO, and previously had the same post for the NBC SO under Toscanini, and there are some Toscanini/NBC SO recordings that feature him. I met him backstage after the Concert (I think he played the Beethoven Concerto) and of course had nothing useful to say, being a classical music newbie.

Good to see you, HS

[LeMartinPecheur]

The first time I heard an orchestra live was probably in amateur G&S performances in Rheindahlen Garrison, W Germany c1964 or Winchester 1966/7, aetat c.9 or 13.

First proper orchestral concert was 29/7/71, Winchester Cathedral: Bournemouth SO/ Berglund: Handel Water Music suite; Brahms: Violin Concerto (Gyorgy Pauk); Sibelius: Symphony No 5. The ticket cost me 40p apparently

I still vividly recall the latter work's closing chords bouncing very audibly around remote corners of choir, chapels, transepts etc. Not quite what JS was aiming for I expect, but mightily impressive...

[kernelbogey]

Aah... these youngsters' first concerts.... When I were a lad....

[Conchis]

Spring 1992, Theatr Clywd.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Gran Llewleyn

Mendelssohn, Calm Sea & Prosperous Voyage

Shostkovich, Cello Concerto 2 (Robert Cohen, soloist)

Beethoven, Symphony 7.

[Observation Postr]

Aah... these youngsters' first concerts.... When I were a lad....

Very clever, Hornspieler!

Now we can calculate the current age of some of our fellow message boarders.
(I jest, of course)

O.P

[Hornspieler]

Very clever, Hornspieler!

Now we can calculate the current age of some of our fellow message boarders.
(I jest, of course)

O.P

Not my intention, but if you've nothing better to do .......

HS

[Nick Armstrong]

As there were orchestras involved (especially in those days), it probably counts to say that I attended at least one St Matthew Passion and one B Minor Mass from within the ranks of the contraltos during the months immediately preceding my birth. It was no doubt a visceral experience though with a ... restricted view.

[Ferretfancy]

My first concert was probably in about 1948, when we went from school to the People's Palace in the Mile End Road to take part in a performance of the St Matthew Passion which featured a man called Eric Green ( I think) who was a noted Evangelist. I say to take part because the performance was in English, and the audience stood to join in the chorales.

A little later on, in 1949, I started going to the Proms in the summer holidays, up in the old RAH gallery with its hissing gas mantles. The echo up there wasn't so bad as in the Arena. I have lots of slightly blurred memories of performances, notably the Sibelius symphonies conducted by Basil Cameron, and a lovely performance of the London Symphony with RVW shuffling onto the platform to acknowledge the loving reception.

I can very clearly remember my first visit to the Royal Festival Hall in 1952. It was the LSO and Josef Krips, and included the Emperor Concerto played by Friedrich Wuhrer, and the Eighth Symphony. I thought it was a marvellous building, and still do.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

As there were orchestras involved (especially in those days), it probably counts to say that I attended at least one St Matthew Passion and one B Minor Mass from within the ranks of the contraltos during the months immediately preceding my birth. It was no doubt a visceral experience though with a ... restricted view.

Brilliant.

[Once Was 4]

The first time I heard an orchestra live was probably in amateur G&S performances in Rheindahlen Garrison, W Germany c1964 or Winchester 1966/7, aetat c.9 or 13.

First proper orchestral concert was 29/7/71, Winchester Cathedral: Bournemouth SO/ Berglund: Handel Water Music suite; Brahms: Violin Concerto (Gyorgy Pauk); Sibelius: Symphony No 5. The ticket cost me 40p apparently

I still vividly recall the latter work's closing chords bouncing very audibly around remote corners of choir, chapels, transepts etc. Not quite what JS was aiming for I expect, but mightily impressive...

Hmmmm!

Reminds me of one of my horn teachers who, although a northerner born and bred, was 2nd horn in the Bournemouth S.O. for a couple of years. He told me a story of how they were doing Sibelius 5 on a live BBC broadcast from the Winter Gardens and had played the first of those final chords. They watched Charles Groves intently to make sure that nobody came in 'spare' when the announcer's voice rang round the hall - "that was the Symphony no 5 by Sibelius played by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Groves".

Which reminds me: does anybody have the LP of Tchaikovsky's 'Little Russian' symphony when, in a GP, a voice can be heard clearly speaking in Russian something which can be translated roughly as "for goodness sake!"

[mangerton]

As there were orchestras involved (especially in those days), it probably counts to say that I attended at least one St Matthew Passion and one B Minor Mass from within the ranks of the contraltos during the months immediately preceding my birth. It was no doubt a visceral experience though with a ... restricted view.

I'm sure it was. A month or so before miss m put in an appearance, the then mrs m was singing as a choir member in a concert with the BBC SSO. "Highland Cathedral" was on the programme, and when the bagpipes started there was visible movement, which caused great amusement, and no doubt some consternation, amongst the soprano section.

[Nick Armstrong]

when the bagpipes started there was visible movement

... no doubt caused by a most understandable desire to get to the nearest exit as fast as possible!!