Prom 28: NYOGB, Rangwanasha / Prieto, 5 August 2023

[Bryn]

From Bryn's link it seems you're right. (But read on!)

A singular work in any event.

Wiki has this of part of its article, though:

Although by its thematic material it belongs squarely in the European tradition, it was composed with the virtuosity of American symphony orchestras in mind, and was titled originally in English. Other hands later translated it variously into German as Symphonische Metamorphose von [über/nach/zu] Themen Carl Maria von Webers; two German editions mistakenly give the title in the plural, Sinfonische Metamorphosen nach Themen von Carl Maria von Weber, and Sinfonische Metamorphosen Carl Maria von Weber’scher Themen, though none of these German titles were sanctioned by Hindemith. They nevertheless have sometimes been back-translated into English as Metamorphoses on Themes by .... The work is also sometimes known in English as Symphonic Variations on (or of) Themes by Carl Maria von Weber but, despite the title's reference to "themes", the work incorporates material more broadly from whole works by Weber.

Interesting. I note that Decca has not been immune to the erroneous back-translation:

[Pulcinella]

Interesting. I note that Dacca has not been immune to the erroneous back-translation:
.....

What is it in Bengali, then?

[Bryn]

What is it in Bengali, then?

Duly corrected.

[smittims]

Thanks, I found that interesting. Translation can be an inexact science. I've read that neither Le Sacre de Printemps nor The Rite of Spring are precisetranslations of Vesna Svyaschennaya , for example. And Hindemith himself kept a scrapbook of misspellings of his surname he'd received on envelopes , some of them quite absurd.

[Barbirollians]

I really enjoyed this concert - much the wiittiest, sharpest account of the Hindemith I think I have ever heard , the Copland appears to get a rather sniffy response from critics but again I thought it was an outstanding performance all round - what a talented orchestra the NYO always is .

I dissent from the general view here. I enjoyed the Four Last Songs a great deal - yes rather slow and it was no surprise to hear in her interview with Tasmin Little that the Jessie Norman recording was the one that inspired Rangwanasha, She has a glorious voice and her Liu showed what great potential she has as an actor . I like to hear the Four Last Songs such indulgently from time to time even if not everyday.

[gedsmk]

The Hindemith was tremendous. And yet another superlative broadcast on BBC Sounds (not just the dynamic range, but the clarity and detail throughout). Loved it! Slow tempi in the Strauss usually risks having to snatch a breath before the last word of phrases, and this happened a few times here. Otherwise I loved it.

[kernelbogey]

On BBC4: Soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha joins the National Youth Orchestra for a night of joyously defiant music, conducted by the vibrant Carlos Miguel Prieto. Perhaps we shall see him vibrate....

[bluestateprommer]

Finally caught up with the NYOGB Prom (or perhaps it should simply read the "NYO", as Linton Stephens simply said "National Youth Orchestra" as presenter, since it is your band, after all, and perhaps only a non-Brit would use "NYOGB" as the abbreviation, but I digress, as usual). It was a good, solid concert. CMP seemed to plowed ahead at times in the pacing of the Hindemith, unless maybe it was the sheer drive of all the kids on stage that moved things along. Hindemith got two works 2 seasons ago, his two "greatest hits", and it would be nice to hear something different, like the Violin Concerto (never been done at The Proms, per the archive)

MCR was OK with the Richard Strauss, where maybe perhaps one needs to be older to grasp the end-of-life emotions suffused in the work. She did cut loose more in the Errolyn Wallen encore, where it was a nice surprise that the NYO musicians "did a Budapest Festival Orchestra", so to speak, to sing the backing choral parts.

I hadn't heard Copland 3 in a while, but it's taken this long for me to understand more clearly that this was Copland's attempt to write "the Great Patriotic Symphony", American-style, so to speak. The bombast is kind of baked in to the music, in the loud moments, but CMP didn't milk it, at least that I could tell.

The encore was an interesting 'surprise' (had I listened to the concert at the time, no quotes would have been present), certainly at the start, with the transcription into the "wrong" key, for those like me who are familiar with the recordings by the Benny Goodman band, especially the live 16 January 1938 Carnegie Hall performance. It was cute that this arrangement for the NYO included a transcribed portion of Jess Stacy's improvised piano solo from that Carnegie Hall performance, for the NYO's pianist in this performance. It was also cute that the bassoon and piccolo got their jazz solo moments, the first time that I can recall hearing those two wind instruments featured with "big band-like" solos in any sort of composition. Good clean fun, and clearly the kids and the audience were having a great time. (And points to the audience for no applause between the Strauss songs or between movements of the Copland, rightly saving their enthusiasm for after the close of each work. But applause during "Sing, Sing, Sing" after each solo, that's all good and just fine.)

[Pulcinella]

On Saturday I followed my new copy of the score of Copland 3 (and got lost a few times!) against the recent (original version) MTT recording, and was actually surprised how delicate much of the scoring is; there's very little that comes over as 'bombastic', and I wonder if that is a bit of a slur from those who don't really like the piece. As edashtav has said, he knew the benefits of economy when scoring.
I must listen to Copland's own version with the New Philharmonia next. He might not have been the greatest composer–conductor (rather like Stravinsky), but anyone who has listened to the Appalachian Spring rehearsal sequence will have heard that he very much knew what he wanted from his orchestral players.

[jonfan]

Finally caught up with the NYOGB Prom (or perhaps it should simply read the "NYO", as Linton Stephens simply said "National Youth Orchestra" as presenter, since it is your band, after all, and perhaps only a non-Brit would use "NYOGB" as the abbreviation, but I digress, as usual). It was a good, solid concert. CMP seemed to plowed ahead at times in the pacing of the Hindemith, unless maybe it was the sheer drive of all the kids on stage that moved things along. Hindemith got two works 2 seasons ago, his two "greatest hits", and it would be nice to hear something different, like the Violin Concerto (never been done at The Proms, per the archive)

MCR was OK with the Richard Strauss, where maybe perhaps one needs to be older to grasp the end-of-life emotions suffused in the work. She did cut loose more in the Errolyn Wallen encore, where it was a nice surprise that the NYO musicians "did a Budapest Festival Orchestra", so to speak, to sing the backing choral parts.

I hadn't heard Copland 3 in a while, but it's taken this long for me to understand more clearly that this was Copland's attempt to write "the Great Patriotic Symphony", American-style, so to speak. The bombast is kind of baked in to the music, in the loud moments, but CMP didn't milk it, at least that I could tell.

The encore was an interesting 'surprise' (had I listened to the concert at the time, no quotes would have been present), certainly at the start, with the transcription into the "wrong" key, for those like me who are familiar with the recordings by the Benny Goodman band, especially the live 16 January 1938 Carnegie Hall performance. It was cute that this arrangement for the NYO included a transcribed portion of Jess Stacy's improvised piano solo from that Carnegie Hall performance, for the NYO's pianist in this performance. It was also cute that the bassoon and piccolo got their jazz solo moments, the first time that I can recall hearing those two wind instruments featured with "big band-like" solos in any sort of composition. Good clean fun, and clearly the kids and the audience were having a great time. (And points to the audience for no applause between the Strauss songs or between movements of the Copland, rightly saving their enthusiasm for after the close of each work. But applause during "Sing, Sing, Sing" after each solo, that's all good and just fine.)

This was inspired programming for a youth orchestra with such contrasting pieces. The Hindemith had not occurred to me before but how suitable it was and what fun. . There's something very poignant hearing a group of young players so involved and immersed in the Four Last Songs, the work of a musician at the other end of life's span. Great encore and just to point out; two pianists played the improvisation.