Prom 61: Chineke! Orchestra, Akugbo / Parnther, Friday 1 September 2023

[bluestateprommer]

Friday 1 September 2023
19:30
Royal Albert Hall

Valerie Coleman: Seven O'Clock Shout (first performance at The Proms)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Four Noveletten (first performance at The Proms)
F. J. Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E flat major

interval

Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson: Sinfonietta No. 1 - 3rd movement, Rondo (first performance at The Proms)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, op. 60

Aaron Azunda Akugbo, trumpet (Proms debut artist)
Chineke! Orchestra
Anthony Parnther, conductor (Proms debut artist)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e2x6gw

https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/proms/bbc-proms-2023/prom-61-chineke-performs-beethovens-fourth-symphony/

[edashtav]

Valerie Coleman: Seven O'Clock Shout (first performance at The Proms)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Four Noveletten (first performance at The Proms)

Valerie Coleman’s piece is a chip off the Lockdown block. Cheerful, chirpy and very American it owes a debt to Copland in pastoral mood.

The Four Noveletten are by Elgar (Serenade) out of Schumann with nods in the directions of Grieg and Dvorak. They are sophisticated and craftily wrought miniatures. Charming, a welcome discovery and well played.by Chineke ! under Anthony Parnther.

The Haydn Trumpet Concerto was an excuse to showcase the orchestra’s fine, first trumpet, Aaron Azunda Akugbo. He exhibited a bright, clear, unforced tone, & excellent rhythm. His legato playing was stylish with lovely phrasing. Full of promise…

[Bryn]

Not too impressed with the presentation on television, tonight. Samuel Coleridge Taylor was introduced as having been totally neglected following his death. Can I really be the only one here whose father was a devoted enthusiast for Hiawatha's Wedding Feast? As I recall, the Sargent recording was the very first LP he bought.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Valerie Coleman: Seven O'Clock Shout (first performance at The Proms)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Four Noveletten (first performance at The Proms)

Valerie Coleman’s piece is a chip off the Lockdown block. Cheerful, chirpy and very American it owes a debt to Copland in pastoral mood.

The Four Noveletten are by Elgar (Serenade) out of Schumann with nods in the directions of Grieg and Dvorak. They are sophisticated and craftily wrought miniatures. Charming, a welcome discovery and well played.by Chineke ! under Anthony Parnther.

The Haydn Trumpet Concerto was an excuse to showcase the orchestra’s fine, first trumpet, Aaron Azunda Akugbo. He exhibited a bright, clear, unforced tone, & excellent rhythm. His legato playing was stylish with lovely phrasing. Full of promise…

Yes he has a lovely tone but he had some difficult moments in that final movement to be honest.

[edashtav]

Yes he has a lovely tone but he had some difficult moments in that final movement to be honest.

True, an errant thumb posted my thoughts prematurely before the finale which was a tad too fast. He redeemed himself in his Florence Price encore.

[french frank]

Not too impressed with the presentation on television, tonight. Samuel Coleridge Taylor was introduced as having been totally neglected following his death. Can I really be the only one here whose father was a devoted enthusiast for Hiawatha's Wedding Feast? As I recall, the Sargent recording was the very first LP he bought.

My mother's party piece was the Petite Suite de Concert for piano.

[Ein Heldenleben]

True, an errant thumb posted my thoughts prematurely before the finale which was a tad too fast. He redeemed himself in his Florence Price encore.

I think it was maybe a tired lip which , I understand , is not unknown in this concerto. Those skips at the end must be a nightmare.

[silvestrione]

Not too impressed with the presentation on television, tonight. Samuel Coleridge Taylor was introduced as having been totally neglected following his death. Can I really be the only one here whose father was a devoted enthusiast for Hiawatha's Wedding Feast? As I recall, the Sargent recording was the very first LP he bought.

My Mum went to see it (conducted by Sargent) somewhere, in her youth, and talked about it several times...
I bought the LP in Oxfam on the strength of that, but...still not played it. I enjoyed tonight's piece.

[smittims]

You're quite right. 'totally neglected' and 'forgotten' are typical of media inaccuracies and exaggerations designed to attract attention. For instance, I've read more than once that the role of the women at Bletchley Park has been 'totally forgotten' etc. when in fact there has been a succession of plays and documentaries on the subject over many years. In amateur music-making circles Coleridge-Taylor has long retained popularity.

[Maclintick]

You're quite right. 'totally neglected' and 'forgotten' are typical of media inaccuracies and exaggerations designed to attract attention. For instance, I've read more than once that the role of the women at Bletchley Park has been 'totally forgotten' etc. when in fact there has been a succession of plays and documentaries on the subject over many years. In amateur music-making circles Coleridge-Taylor has long retained popularity.

Quite so. Hiawatha was given fully-staged at the RAH more than once, as was Mendelssohn's Elijah, flaming chariot hauled heavenward & all ( no H&S in them days !) . This is of the 1900 performance of the Coleridge-Taylor.

[silvestrione]

Quite so. Hiawatha was given fully-staged at the RAH more than once, as was Mendelssohn's Elijah, flaming chariot hauled heavenward & all ( no H&S in them days !) . This is of the 1900 performance of the Coleridge-Taylor.

Wow! Yes, my Mum talked a lot about the performance she attended as a spectacle...

[edashtav]

I think it was maybe a tired lip which , I understand , is not unknown in this concerto. Those skips at the end must be a nightmare.

Sound analysis.

[edashtav]

Not too impressed with the presentation on television, tonight. Samuel Coleridge Taylor was introduced as having been totally neglected following his death. Can I really be the only one here whose father was a devoted enthusiast for Hiawatha's Wedding Feast? As I recall, the Sargent recording was the very first LP he bought.

I bought that LP for my father one Christmas - received with much pleasure and the cause of many tales of colourful performances in the 1920s.

[edashtav]

I think it was maybe a tired lip which , I understand , is not unknown in this concerto. Those skips at the end must be a nightmare.

Regular treatment with Alison's Balsam may help.

[oddoneout]

There was a bit of chat with the soloist before the concerto and he was talking about the instrument he plays. I was out of the room and only caught a few words, and wonder if it might have explained why the sound was not quite what I was expecting?