Prom 60: Weill/Adès/Rachmaninov, Berlin RSO, Gerstein/V. Jurowski, Thurs 31 Aug 2023

[bluestateprommer]

Thursday 31 August 2023
19:30
Royal Albert Hall

Weill: Kleine Dreigroschenmusik (Little Threepenny Music)
Thomas Adès: Piano Concerto (first performance at The Proms)

interval

Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 3 in A minor, op. 44

Kirill Gerstein, piano
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (Proms debut ensemble)
Vladimir Jurowski, conductor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e4h5q9

https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/proms/bbc-proms-2023/prom-60-berlin-radio-symphony-orchestra/

[edashtav]

As always, Vladimir brings a programme full of interest and relevance. He’s my favourite conductor, particularly in c.20/21 repertoire.

[Serial_Apologist]

It will be interesting to discover far Ades follows the conventions, given the effort he invariably puts on technique. I am probably the solitary one here in preferring Rachmaninov 3 to the two earlier symphonies, the first of which I find too indebted to Tchaikovsky, the second too langorous.

[edashtav]

It will be interesting to discover far Ades follows the conventions, given the effort he invariably puts on technique. I am probably the solitary one here in preferring Rachmaninov 3 to the two earlier symphonies, the first of which I find too indebted to Tchaikovsky, the second too langorous.

I’ll back your choice of #3, S.A. because pit’s the most symphonic, cogent and lacks redundancy. However, it is the most difficult to play well: it needs a conductor with real expertise when dealing with blend, balance and inner voices.
I have faith that VJ will emerge wuth great credit.

[Joseph K]

Well, I enjoyed Ades's piano concerto in certain respects - its rhythms and orchestration for example, but some of its harmony I could have thrown together... (the slow second movement especially). However, while I enjoy(-ed) Ades's early work, to the extent of owning CDs of some of it, I was disappointed listening to his subsequent work, so my expectation wasn't high for this piano concerto, so I was pleased that it exceeded my admittedly low expectations.

[HighlandDougie]

It will be interesting to discover far Ades follows the conventions, given the effort he invariably puts on technique. I am probably the solitary one here in preferring Rachmaninov 3 to the two earlier symphonies, the first of which I find too indebted to Tchaikovsky, the second too langorous.

Not a bit of it. I love the 3rd - I always think of it as Rachmaninov’s love letter to his homeland which he knows that he’ll never again see. Fine performance

[edashtav]

Well, I enjoyed Ades's piano concerto in certain respects - its rhythms and orchestration for example, but some of its harmony I could have thrown together... (the slow second movement especially). However, while I enjoy(-ed) Ades's early work, to the extent of owning CDs of some of it, I was disappointed listening to his subsequent work, so my expectation wasn't high for this piano concerto, so I was pleased that it exceeded my admittedly low expectations.

i fully agree with your feelings about the Adès, JK. : the slow movement ( which I mentally dedicated to The Glums) was limited in tonal range and rhythmic figures became clotted as if Schumann and Bliss were in collaboration. The first movement was replete with bravura and showed its many influences. i subtitled it Reminiscences of Gershwin, Ravel, Liszt and Uncle (e)T.C. There are worrying signs that like Bliss and Walton Adès has gone to bright kid on the block to comfortable epigone. The performance was splendid!

I was disappointed with the Weill which was played in the best of all bourgeois taste. Wind and brass lacked the rasp of revolution.

HighlandDougie who, like S.A. ‘knows his onions’ has written, “Not a bit of it. I love the 3rd - I always think of it as Rachmaninov’s love letter to his homeland which he knows that he’ll never again see. Fine performance.” Yes , it was another wonderful interpretation, conducted and played with love, insight and clarity. At times, I found it electrifyingly brilliant.

i hope I shall never forget Karabits in #2 or Jurowski in #3. Their interpretations in these Proms are both in my Top 5 of the season although Leila Josefowicz in the Berg violin concerto is almost certain to top my poll!

[Alison]

Jurowski’s take on #2 would be very interesting. I don’t recall him conducting it.

[edashtav]

Jurowski’s take on #2 would be very interesting. I don’t recall him conducting it.

Yes, it would, Alison, but I fear that he may not respect it. Like you I cannot remember him programming it during his LPO years.

[edashtav]

Curiously, Alison, I have found that VL was in the London audience when his younger brother,Dmitri, brought his Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra to Aylesbury #2 in 2014. Erica Jeal in the Guardian reported,
"That was just a taster for the main Rachmaninov event – the colossus that is the Symphony No 2, approached by Jurowski with a certain lightness of touch and all the better for it. It was because he began the third movement so gently and at so flowing a pace that he was able to make such an impact with the sense of stillness after its climax."

[gedsmk]

Lucky to be in the hall for this one, choir section. Jurowski is such a brilliant craftsman! impeccable stick technique, finely tuning rubato, dynamic levels, energy throughout the Rachmaninov. Yet another splendid orchestral performance in an outstanding season, and beautifully relayed on Sounds.

[Barbirollians]

I liked the Ades it was fun. I didn't find the Weill at all bourgeois - I thought Jurowski's approach allowed the music to speak for itself.

The Rachmaninov 3 was outstanding - one was reminded of the composer's recording .

[bluestateprommer]

I liked the Ades it was fun. I didn't find the Weill at all bourgeois - I thought Jurowski's approach allowed the music to speak for itself.

The Rachmaninov 3 was outstanding - one was reminded of the composer's recording .

If memory serves, VJ likes to give historic recordings a listen, as part of his research into selected works, so I wonder if he listened to Rachmaninov's own Philadelphia Orchestra recording of the Third Symphony, as I haven't listened to that historic recording in a very long while. I noticed some pullings-about of some phrases, along with the omission of the 1st-movement exposition repeat. Just speaking for myself, the latter is an unfortunate precedent that Rachmaninov set with his recording, as it's a wonderful repeat and I personally despair of ever hearing a live performance of his Third Symphony with the 1st-movement repeat (have heard 3 live performances w/o it). All this aside, I'm with S_A, ed, and HD in rating this symphony very highly indeed.

This is yet another very belated comment on this Prom, but worth the thread bump because this is another one of the 19 Proms (curious mix, the 19 chosen ones) selected for re-broadcast, with this Prom set for New Year's Day:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001tsb2

[smittims]

Thanks for the reminder. These Xmas repeats are useful for catching a Prom one missed at the time.

Ive often regretted Rachmaninov's sanctioning cuts in his works; the second symphony was even published in cut form , and the third concerto was recorded many times with cuts until, I think Ashkenazy's 1962 Decca recording with Fistoulari.

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks for the reminder. These Xmas repeats are useful for catching a Prom one missed at the time.

Ive often regretted Rachmaninov's sanctioning cuts in his works; the second symphony was even published in cut form , and the third concerto was recorded many times with cuts until, I think Ashkenazy's 1962 Decca recording with Fistoulari.

Maybe that was down to demands from the funders of the recording to fit it onto so many 87 rpm sides?