Prom 45: Eastman / G. Mahler / Sibelius, BBC SO, Barton / Stasevska

[bluestateprommer]

Saturday 24 August 2024
19:30
Royal Albert Hall

Julius Eastman: Symphony No. 2 (‘The Faithful Friend: The Lover Friend’s Love for the Beloved’) (UK premiere)
Gustav Mahler: Rückert-Lieder

Interval

Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, op. 82

Jamie Barton, mezzo-soprano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Dalia Stasevska, conductor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e5qxp6

https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/proms/bbc-proms-24/prom-45/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00224g8

[edashtav]

Julius Eastman: Symphony No. 2 (‘The Faithful Friend: The Lover Friend’s Love for the Beloved’) (UK premiere)
I knew of Julius Eastman's unsettled life and his tragically early death after years poisoned by drug addiction. This was my first chance to hear one of his works.
works.
I didn't find it easy to comprehend on one hearing despite its known topic and an idiom that seemed in no way 'far out'. The piece revolved around a period of utter despair evoked by an unreleased battery of timpani. I felt, or was I pre-programmed by reading, that the music developed by organic digestion of what had gone before.

Enough of superficial speculation. I must listen again.. meanwhile I salute warmly everyone at the BBC who made this first British performance possible.

Gustav Mahler: 5 Rückert-Lied
One of my favourite Mahler song cycles with possibly some connections in terms of its words with the mood of Eastman's second symphony. I thoroughly enjoyed this performance even those my mind was scrambled by hearing Eastman's disturbing work. Did I detect that Jamie used the envelope of vibrato to glide almost imperceptibly from landing on a bum note to something 'in tune'?

Not a first half for casual listeners but required listening for those who are driven to find out more about the nature of music.

[Ein Heldenleben]

So after Alice Coote’s unforgettable Kindertotenlieder we have to add Jamie Barton’s radiant Rückert Lieder to this year’s Proms Mahler Hall of Fame . The accuracy of her pitching is just extraordinary , the beauty across the whole range - and that wonderfully controlled vibrato. With Elder’s Mahler 5 and the NYO Mahler 1 it’s been a good season for lovers of his music and there’s Rattle’s performance of the Sixth still to come. I suspect that will be one of the great nights in the RAH.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Julius Eastman: Symphony No. 2 (‘The Faithful Friend: The Lover Friend’s Love for the Beloved’) (UK premiere)
I knew of Julius Eastman's unsettled life and his tragically early death after years poisoned by drug addiction. This was my first chance to hear one of his works.
works.
I didn't find it easy to comprehend on one hearing despite its known topic and an idiom that seemed in no way 'far out'. The piece revolved around a period of utter despair evoked by an unreleased battery of timpani. I felt, or was I pre-programmed by reading, that the music developed by organic digestion of what had gone before.

Enough of superficial speculation. I must listen again.. meanwhile I salute warmly everyone at the BBC who made this first British performance possible.

Gustav Mahler: 5 Rückert-Lied
One of my favourite Mahler song cycles with possibly some connections in terms of its words with the mood of Eastman's second symphony. I thoroughly enjoyed this performance even those my mind was scrambled by hearing Eastman's disturbing work. Did I detect that Jamie used the envelope of vibrato to glide almost imperceptibly from landing on a bum note to something 'in tune'?

Not a first half for casual listeners but required listening for those who are driven to find out more about the nature of music.

As an armchair expert in swooping Sopranos after a lifetime at Covent Garden I would say emphatically no. She can really pitch a note.

[Pulcinella]

Sadly, no comparison for this JB with the other JB pairing, that of Baker and Barbiriolli, for us.
:ssdface:

[bluestateprommer]

Very strong first half to this Prom, in its very restrained way, particularly the Julius Eastman work, with its large forces used very sparingly. Some background reading from the NYT circa 2018 about the Eastman work:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/arts/music/julius-eastman-second-symphony.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/arts/music/review-mannes-orchestra-julius-eastman.html

I might have the rather dubious privilege of being the only Forumite ever to have heard this work live before, as I was at Alice Tully Hall in NYC at the November 2018 performance of the Eastman. The array of timpani on the Alice Tully Hall stage was quite the sight. Dalia S. and the BBC SO did the work proud, in its UK premiere. Terrific work from Jamie Barton with Mahler's Rückert-Lieder, IMVHO, just now. Excellent interval discussion now between Daniel Grimley and Ian Skelly.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Sadly, no comparison for this JB with the other JB pairing, that of Baker and Barbiriolli, for us.
:ssdface:

Not sure you can fairly compare a live performance with a recorded one particularly an absolute classic like that. That was then , this is now . Even Baker doesn’t match Ferrier in Um Mitternacht. What a shame KF never did the whole cycle on disc. Aren’t we lucky to have all of them?

[edashtav]

As an armchair expert in swooping Sopranos after a lifetime at Covent Garden I would say emphatically no. She can really pitch a note.

Thanks for that assurance!

[Ein Heldenleben]

Thanks for that assurance!

Re Sibelius 5 is the bassoon supposed to be that loud ?

[Pulcinella]

Not sure you can fairly compare a live performance with a recorded one particularly an absolute classic like that. That was then , this is now . Even Baker doesn’t match Ferrier in Um Mitternacht. What a shame KF never did the whole cycle on disc. Aren’t we lucky to have all of them?

Indeed we are.
But I've heard Baker live (concert in Nottingham) in the Lieder eines....., and she didn't need the luxury of repeated takes in a studio to impress; she was phenomenal.

I also think though (as others frequently comment) that personal reactions to voices are many and various: Barton's simply does not particularly appeal (to me). It didn't when she won at Cardiff, either.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Indeed we are.
But I've heard Baker live (concert in Nottingham) in the Lieder eines....., and she didn't need the luxury of repeated takes in a studio to impress; she was phenomenal.

I also think though (as others frequently comment) that personal reactions to voices are many and various: Barton's simply does not particularly appeal (to me). It didn't when she won at Cardiff, either.

Yes she was a once in a generation talent.

[Ein Heldenleben]

That Sib 5 was tremendous . Stasevska has this way of getting new orchestral textures and sounds out of Sibelius that’s very compelling. Using portamenti in the strings for example in the last movement, I wonder if she has the luxury of extra rehearsal time, The work done on the string sound indicates a lot of prep . As for the brass and those magnificent trumpets ..wonderful.

[edashtav]

Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, op. 82
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Dalia Stasevska, conductor

I first encountered Sibelius's 5th at an outdoor concert, sat on the grass at the Kenwood House Bowl in North Hampstead during the summer of 1961. It was magical experience with added birds swooping low over the lake between audience and Orchestra. I didn't know that swans connected Jean to his fifth symphony.

Tonight's fine concert brought back so many memories and added new insights into Sibelius's work.
The power of music.

[edashtav]

Re Sibelius 5 is the bassoon supposed to be that loud ?

I don't think so but ... he got a mention.
Deserved or undeserved?


Menu The Poet

The Donkey G.K.C.


When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

[LMcD]

That Sib 5 was tremendous . Stasevska has this way of getting new orchestral textures and sounds out of Sibelius that’s very compelling. Using portamenti in the strings for example in the last movement, I wonder if she has the luxury of extra rehearsal time, The work done on the string sound indicates a lot of prep . As for the brass and those magnificent trumpets ..wonderful.

Encouraged by your comments, I've just listened to this on Sounds - a remarkable performance (in a good way).