Proms at Bristol Beacon 4: Bournemouth SO, Glennie / Karabits

[bluestateprommer]

Sunday 25 August 2024
17:00
Bristol Beacon
Trenchard Street
Bristol, BS1 5AR

Théodore Akimenko: Angel (Poème-Nocturne)
Jennifer Higdon: Percussion Concerto (first performance at The Proms)
[Encore: Vincent Ho: Nostalgia (first performance at The Proms)]

Interval

Niloufar Nourbakhsh: Knell (UK premiere)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 in E minor, op. 64

Dame Evelyn Glennie, percussion
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Kirill Karabits, conductor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/eqfcd4

https://bristolbeacon.org/whats-on/bbc-proms-2024-evelyn-glennie-plays-jennifer-higdon/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00224v7

[edashtav]

Théodore Akimenko: Angel (Poème-Nocturne)

A piece by Stravinsky's first composition tutor. The work is a romantic symphonic dream of an ideal world first played at the Proms in 1926. The idiom is lush with a strong melodic base. The Angel seems to banish evil fairly quickly after a slight skirmish which, structurally is a shame IMHO. Pleasant but unmemorable.

Jennifer Higdon: Percussion Concerto

Higdon's Percussion Concerto is more than crash, bang and tinkle.. There is sense of dialogues between the panoply of percussion and the instruments of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kirill Karabits. The opening builds from uncertain beginnings but quickly becomes propulsive and recognisably American. The mood is jolly and undeniably accessible. Music bringing good cheer and expecting to be cheered. A busy urban scene with a tiny fluting pastoral ending.
The slow movement is a delight of transforming textures and colours , anchored by sinuous melodies from sections of the orchestra. It's a starlit relaxed dream scene until rhythmic figures wake us to reveal a grand, wide Prairie expanse that is beautifully scored and dynamic. This must be a crowd pleasing finale. The dynamism is contrasted with passages of quiet percussive dexterity. The soloist is showing off - I'm a multiversal virtuoso!
Brass salute! (Aaron Copland's Ghost winks his approval.) The music stops in its prime : CUE WILD CHEERING! (No need to ask, "Did you like that?")
The BSO, its retiring Chief Conductor, Kirill Karabits and distinguished Scottish Percussionist- Evelyn Glennie did not miss a trick.

Effective Encore: Vincent Ho (Chinese Canadian) 'Nostalgia for percussion'.

2nd Half
Niloufar Nourbakhsh: 'Knell"

The (female(composer hails from Iran but noe lives in the USA.
Her work glances back to Akimenko' Angel and is an elegy for peace. At its centre is a hymnlike episode set against a scene of war and devastation. This Iranian inspiration dissolves into a more Amrican rhythmic ticking and ... after a tam tan roll... KK starts the hymnlike melody which prefaces his 5th Symphony.

I noted the clear distinction between the sober introduction and the joyous, rhythmic theme which defines the symphony's first subject. The second waltz subject had a great lilt to which reminded me of Shani's fine performance of Ravel's La Valse, two nights before. A legible first movement.
The introduction to the slow movement in the strings was nicely shaped and the horn solo was projected well in an unsentimental manner. one split note marred the subsequent dialogue with the first oboe.
Thistledown lightness of touch characterised the Intermezzo like third movement- such welcome relief from storms and passions. NiVe work from the woodwind department led by the first bassoon.
Back to real life being sorted in Tchaikovsky's final triumphant final. After the introduction, the pace quickened almost to frenetic. Trumpets flared in a tattoo whilst strings sawed a mighty log. The lull in the wind was well shaped and allowed a well built final, prolonged march of triumph.

Well done BSO and its beloved Kirill. Much better than the last time I heard the work live at the RAH Proms by a distinguished American Orchestra in a sub-par performance.


.

[french frank]

Théodore Akimenko: Angel (Poème-Nocturne)A piece by Stravinsky's first composition tutor. The work is a romantic symphonic dream of an ideal world first played at the Proms in 1926.

Also Fedir Yakymenko, d. 1945. Distinguished by NOT having a Wikipedia article devoted to him.

https://bsolive.com/news/stravinskys-first-composition-teacher-the-little-known-music-of-theodore-akimenko/

[Ein Heldenleben]

Tremendous performance of Tchaik 5 this - the BSO really putting heart and soul into it.

[edashtav]

Also Fedir Yakymenko, d. 1945. Distinguished by NOT having a Wikipedia article devoted to him.

https://bsolive.com/news/stravinskys-first-composition-teacher-the-little-known-music-of-theodore-akimenko/

Many thanks, ff!

[LMcD]

Tremendous performance of Tchaik 5 this - the BSO really putting heart and soul into it.

It certainly was and they certainly did (AND there was no disruptive applause at the end of the 1st movement. )
I've never really understood why Bournemouth has a fine symphony orchestra whereas most of the Midlands and the North-East have none.

[Ein Heldenleben]

It certainly was and they certainly did (AND there was no disruptive applause at the end of the 1st movement. )
I've never really understood why Bournemouth has a fine symphony orchestra whereas most of the Midlands and the North-East have none.

There was a somewhat pre-emptory Bravo at the end but I think they deserved it !

On the wider question Is it because Bournemouth is a very well heeled town full of older people who appreciate classic music ?

or

it’s near enough to London to allow for quite a bit of freelancing or reverse commuting?

[LMcD]

There was a somewhat pre-emptory Bravo at the end but I think they deserved it !

On the wider question Is it because Bournemouth is a very well heeled town full of older people who appreciate classic music ?

or

it’s near enough to London to allow for quite a bit of freelancing or reverse commuting?

I didn't realize that the population of Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (which is now the name of the local authority) is over 400,000.

[kernelbogey]

Tremendous performance of Tchaik 5 this - the BSO really putting heart and soul into it.

I didn't hear it all, but in III and IV I thought the shaping of the lines, particularly woodwind, outstanding. I'll listen again. It can be a real old warhorse, but this was a filly (albeit morose).

[Ein Heldenleben]

I didn't hear it all, but in III and IV I thought the shaping of the lines, particularly woodwind, outstanding. I'll listen again. It can be a real old warhorse, but this was a filly (albeit morose).

Yes the woodwind were really on it weren’t they ?

[edashtav]

[QUOTE=Ein Heldenleben;n1316184]

There was a somewhat pre-emptory Bravo at the end but I think they deserved it !

On the wider question Is it because Bournemouth is a very well heeled town full of older people who appreciate classic music ?

or

it’s near enough to London to allow for quite a bit of freelancing or reverse

[edashtav]

The first, fully salaried Municipal Orchestra in Britain. (Sir) Dan Godfrey was its Conductor and Municipal Godfather for forty years. Many Presbyterians retired to Bournemouth.Their religion had scruples re fun on Sundays. Orchestral music was improving even when lighter than French soufflés.

[Serial_Apologist]

The first, fully salaried Municipal Orchestra in Britain. (Sir) Dan Godfrey was its Conductor and Municipal Godfather for forty years. Many Presbyterians retired to Bournemouth.Their religion had scruples re fun on Sundays. Orchestral music was improving even when lighter than French soufflés.

Improving, as in transitively.

[edashtav]

Improving, as in transitively.

Oh dear, but yes practice made the BMO perfect.

[jonfan]

Another superlative symphony performance. There’s an embarrassment of riches at the proms this year.