Prom 64: Berlioz - Les Troyens, ORR / Monteverdi Choir, Sousa, Sun. 3 Sept. 2023

[Bryn]

"Poor Hector isn't very popular in our house because of his lack of consideration for harpists - they have to sit around for ages doing nothing in the Symphonie fantastique, with their instruments gradually slipping out of tune, and then make a grand entry in unison... (there are only two parts but each is to be played by at least two instruments)."

How about the original version of Mahler's Das Klagende Lied, with its six harps (which he eventually cut down to two).

[edashtav]

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that, it must have been seriously traumatic. No more jokes about trumpeters' teeth from me.

I still haven't had a chance to listen to the broadcast though, and I still have to listen to Endgame too. In fact I also have a DVD of JEG conducting Les Troyens but I never got round to watching that either, it arrived on the scene too late, some time after I had spent a couple of years obsessing about Berlioz. Poor Hector isn't very popular in our house because of his lack of consideration for harpists - they have to sit around for ages doing nothing in the Symphonie fantastique, with their instruments gradually slipping out of tune, and then make a grand entry in unison... (there are only two parts but each is to be played by at least two instruments). Berlioz found an innovative use for the instrument after performing a work by Meyerbeer, as he says in his Memoirs: "I was in such a state after this scene that the concert had to be stopped for some time. They brought me some punch and a change of clothes. Then they formed a kind of little room on the platform itself, by putting together a dozen harps in their linen cases, and, by slightly stopping, I was able to undress and even change my shirt, in the very face of the public, without being seen." As you were.

So that’s where Granville Bantock got the idea of including 12 harps in his Celtic Symphony!
Getting undressed without causing ructions in the Dress Circle.

[RichardB]

That should have read "slightly stooping" by the way. For those who don't know: Berlioz's Memoirs form one of the most remarkable autobiographies I've ever come across. Another memorable passage goes like this:

Two years ago, when there was still some hope of my wife’s recovery, and therefore expenses were greatly increased, I dreamt one night of a symphony. On waking I could still recall nearly all the first movement, an allegro in A minor. As I moved towards my writing-table to put it down, I suddenly thought: “If I do this I shall be drawn on to compose the rest, and, since my ideas always expand, it will end by being enormously long; it will take me three or four months; I shall write no articles, and my income will fail. When the symphony is written I shall, weakly, have it copied and so incur a debt of a thousand or twelve hundred francs. Then I shall be impelled to give a concert that it may be heard; the receipts will hardly equal half the expenditure, and I shall lose money. I have not got it. My poor invalid will be without necessary comforts, and my son’s expenses on board ship will not be met.” With a shudder of horror I threw aside my pen, saying: “To-morrow I shall have forgotten the symphony.” But no! Next night that obstinate motif returned more clearly than before—I could even see it written out. I started up in feverish agitation, humming it over and—again my decision held me back, and I put the temptation aside. I fell asleep and next morning my symphony was gone for ever.

Then there was the time in his twenties when he set off from Rome to Paris to commit a double murder of his ex-lover and her new fiancé, having purchased a housemaid's outfit to disguise himself for the act, but stopped at Nice along the way and liked it so much he decided instead to have a holiday there.

[RichardB]

How about the original version of Mahler's Das Klagende Lied, with its six harps (which he eventually cut down to two).

Yes but they play already in bar 5 of "Waldmärchen", so there's no sitting around doing nothing and watching the instrument go out of tune!

[edashtav]

Incredible - what a shift . What a pleasure to be in contact with you . I have to say that this has been one of the best Proms seasons I can remember and it has been marked by some superb presentation and wonderfully atmospheric sound balancing. Good luck with the trains.

Seconded: I can recall over 60 Prom seasons and this ranks in my top five with consistently fine performances captured in fine sound by the BBC’s engineers.

Full marks to everyone who has worked from dawn to way past dusk.

[smittims]

I must admit that every year I look at what's on and think, 'oh dear, not much to interest me', and then I find more and more. It's been like that this year. When a concert is slated or disparaged I often forget that hundreds of musicians have worked hard to produce the performance, whether or not I liked it.

[LHC]

I suspected you and possibly Simon B might be there. I would love to have been. It was exceptionally strongly cast vocally and I will definitely be listening again when I have five hours to spare. I started listening while watching the T20 cricket but soon got fed up with the usual cliched tale of unfolding tragedy , suicidal decision making and implausible theatrics and switched the cricket off.

I must admit I did check the score in the first interval and decided I was very glad to be in the Albert Hall rather than at home watching the cricket.

[ARBurton]

Now you are aware that you were wrong, perhaps you might offer an apology? Since Martin has himself unveiled his identity, I can certainly confirm it.

[I think the internet might very well cause the human species to eliminate itself before the planet becomes unliveable - just an idle thought while returning from gym this morning ]

Well I`m certainly happy to apologise if I caused offence - quite genuinely.. However, I do think it`s not unreasonable to think that presenters won`t talk over the music they`re introducing. For that view I`m certainly not going to apologise. However, not only did this incidence NOT affect a re-broadcast this morning on Australian Radio, but it was absolutely nothing to compare with Romanian Radio whose presenter, introducing a broadcast of Walkure from this year`s Bayreuth Festival, not only talked over the start but also started before the end of Act 3...

[Bryn]

Well I`m certainly happy to apologise if I caused offence - quite genuinely.. However, I do think it`s not unreasonable to think that presenters won`t talk over the music they`re introducing. For that view I`m certainly not going to apologise. However, not only did this incidence NOT affect a re-broadcast this morning on Australian Radio, but it was absolutely nothing to compare with Romanian Radio whose presenter, introducing a broadcast of Walkure from this year`s Bayreuth Festival, not only talked over the start but also started before the end of Act 3...

Perhaps someone at Radio 3 could try getting the 'clean' start to Act II from ABC for, what one hopes, will be a Christmas repeat.