Prom 33: Pejačević/A. Mahler/Rachmaninov, BBC Philharmonic, 9 Aug 2023

[bluestateprommer]

Wednesday 9 August 2023
19:00
Royal Albert Hall

Weber: Oberon – Overture

Dora Pejačević:
(a) 'Zwei Schmetterlingslieder', Op. 52 (first performance at The Proms)
(b) 'Verwandlung', Op. 37b (first performance at The Proms)
(c) 'Liebeslied', Op. 39 (first performance at The Proms)

Alma Mahler-Werfel (orch. Colin and David Matthews):
(a) 'Dies stille Stadt' (first performance at The Proms)
(b) 'Licht in der Nacht' (first performance at The Proms)
(c) 'Bei dir ist es traut' (first performance at The Proms)

Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 1 in d, op. 13

Dame Sarah Connolly, mezzo-soprano
BBC Philharmonic
John Storgårds, conductor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ebpgfx

https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/proms/bbc-proms-2023/prom-33-rachmaninov-mahler-werfel-and-pejacevic/

[french frank]

Wednesday 9th August, 19.00: If the first-night audience was hostile to the 23-year-old Rachmaninov’s First Symphony, history has been far kinder, embracing its ability to reimagine Russian musical tradition.

John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic are joined by mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly for turn-of-the-century songs by Alma Mahler-Werfel and Croatia’s Dora Pejačević, and the curtain rises with the overture to Weber’s Grand Romantic and Fairy Opera, written for London’s Covent Garden.

[bluestateprommer]

Fine Prom just now from the BBC Philharmonic, Dame Sarah C. and John Storgards. One or two light tempo nudges in CMvW's Oberon overture (and my bad for omitting Weber in the Calendar header), but no matter, as the orchestra sounds in terrific form and JS paced the proceedings well. The Dora Pejačević:songs were and are charming, a more rewarding listen compared to her Overture from yesterday's Prom. In the brothers Matthews' orchestrations of Alma Mahler-Werfel's songs, I wondered at times if the instrumentation sounded just a little bit too much like her (first) husband's songs, but again, no harm done. Sarah Connolly sang smartly, although I heard a very pronounced wobble in her voice.

Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 1 also got a very fine performance from JS and the orchestra. The very beginning had the slightest hesitation in phrasing, but again, no matter, as things settled very quickly and got down to business. It took me a long while to realize, after first hearing the work on recording in my mal-spent youth many years back (Ormandy & Philadelphia, Ashkenazy & Concertgebouw) how monothematic the work is, with the theme itself derived from the 'Dies irae'.

Notable also: no applause between songs during the DP and AM-W 'sets' (though between the DP and AM-W 'sets', quite appropriately and justly), and no applause between movements of the Rachmaninov. This probably reflects the specific audience for this Prom, as this Prom is more of a connoisseur's program and not a more populist program like yesterday (at least in the main offering).

[edashtav]

Fine Prom just now from the BBC Philharmonic, Dame Sarah C. and John Storgards. […]

Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 1 also got a very fine performance from JS and the orchestra. The very beginning had the slightest hesitation in phrasing, but again, no matter, as things settled very quickly and got down to business. It took me a long while to realize, after first hearing the work on recording in my mal-spent youth many years back (Ormandy & Philadelphia, Ashkenazy & Concertgebouw) how monothematic the work is, with the theme itself derived from the 'Dies irae'.

Notable also: no applause between songs during the DP and AM-W 'sets' (though between the DP and AM-W 'sets', quite appropriately and justly), and no applause between movements of the Rachmaninov. This probably reflects the specific audience for this Prom, as this Prom is more of a connoisseur's program and not a more populist program like yesterday.

Great to see you back in action, again, bsp
commitments made me miss the first half. I heard the Rachmaninov Symphony and responded much as you have. The finale was particularly finely played.

[Maclintick]

Great to see you back in action, again, bsp
commitments made me miss the first half. I heard the Rachmaninov Symphony and responded much as you have. The finale was particularly finely played.

Agreed. BSP has nailed it. An excellent Prom. FWIW, I wore out that Philadelphia/Ormandy LP when it was the only recording of Rachmaninov’s First Symphony available here in the UK- artwork featuring a Fabergé egg IIRC, though the connection to Rachmaninov eludes me….

[smittims]

We could have a whole thread inexplicable cover-art, two of my favourites being the Ace of Diamonds reissue of Julius Katchen's Brahms 2nd concerto, a nice watercolour of, perhaps, a mediaeval Russian prince and princess, and the American Lps of Sir Adrian Boult's Beethoven symphonies, showing glamorous young ladies in what used to be called 'evening gowns'.

[Pulcinella]

We could have a whole thread inexplicable cover-art, two of my favourites being the Ace of Diamonds reissue of Julius Katchen's Brahms 2nd concerto, a nice watercolour of, perhaps, a mediaeval Russian prince and princess, and the American Lps of Sir Adrian Boult's Beethoven symphonies, showing glamorous young ladies in what used to be called 'evening gowns'.

There was a not dissimilar thread somewhere: maybe someone with a better memory (or ability to search) can resurrect it.

Ah: there's this, but there may well be others.

https://www.for3.org/forums/forum/classical-forum/record-review/22311-album-artwork

[smittims]

Thanks. There was also a coffee-table book some years ago of LP cover art, but , predictably perhaps, it showed only a few classical examples.

Re the Prom: it was no surprise to hear the BBC Philharmonic give a profoud and moving rendering of Rachmaninov's first symphony; I especially enjoyed the third movement , slow enough to be satisfyingly luxuraint, but with a skilfully-maintained pulse to keep the music alive. Well done , John.

I treasure memories of this orchestra doing this symphony some years ago under Gianandrea Noseda, who also gave a wonderful all-Rachmaninov Prom in 2011 , including 'The Bells'.

[Barbirollians]

Trying to catch up with missed Proms before they fall off Sounds. I also enjoyed this concert - the highlight for me was Dame Sarah Connolly in Alma Mahler's songs - not all that surprising I imagine that the Matthews orchestrated them in a way reminiscent of Gustav. I was not worried by any wobble in the voice ,

I am rather ambivalent about Rachmaninov 1 - it took the incendiary USSRSO/Svetlanov recording for me to warm to it . I agree this performance took off in the last two movements but the first two nearly had me reaching for the off switch .

[Alison]

Thanks Barbs, this was one of a fair few concerts I missed.