Prom 50: Kaprálová / Dvořák / Janáček, Czech PO / Prague Phil. Choir, Fujita / Hrůša

[bluestateprommer]

Wednesday 28 August 2024
18:30
Royal Albert Hall

Vítězslava Kaprálová: Military Sinfonietta (first performance at The Proms)
Dvořák: Piano Concerto in G minor, op. 33

Interval

Janáček: Glagolitic Mass

Mao Fujita, piano (Proms debut artist)
Corinne Winters, soprano (Proms debut artist)
Bella Adamova, mezzo-soprano (Proms debut artist)
David Butt Philip, tenor
Pavel Švingr, bass (Proms debut artist)
Christian Schmitt, organ (Proms debut artist)

Czech Philharmonic
Prague Philharmonic Choir (Proms debut ensemble)
Jakub Hrůša, conductor

https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/edgbc8

https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/proms/bbc-proms-24/prom-50/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022465

[Petrushka]

How is it likely to stand regarding use of the organ in the Janacek? Presumably, the Czech Philharmonic will be tuning differently to the RAH organ, thus ruling it out?

This isn't a negligible issue as the organ has a significant part to play in the work so some feeble electronic piece of kit just won't do. I remember the knockout effect of the RAH organ at previous Prom outings of the Glagolitic so hoping not to be disappointed.

[gedsmk]

And the RAH Steinway! Proved to be disastrous several years ago, I think with a Russian orchestra. The main organ is open and ready to go. Does the Czech orchestra tune to 442 or 445, I wonder?

[Ein Heldenleben]

How is it likely to stand regarding use of the organ in the Janacek? Presumably, the Czech Philharmonic will be tuning differently to the RAH organ, thus ruling it out?

This isn't a negligible issue as the organ has a significant part to play in the work so some feeble electronic piece of kit just won't do. I remember the knockout effect of the RAH organ at previous Prom outings of the Glagolitic so hoping not to be disappointed.

I don’t think so because after the post querying their tuning last night I checked it against my piano and it’s A = 440 or thereabouts.The real problem at the RAH is the piano drifting away from the orchestra in the heat.

[Simon B]

Thankfully it'll definitely be the real organ in use. Tuning must be A440 or close enough.

Anything else woulld be a "might as well not bother" really...

[Ein Heldenleben]

Thankfully it'll definitely be the real organ in use. Tuning must be A440 or close enough.

Anything else woulld be a "might as well not bother" really...

Just checked again against the Blüthner and it’s as close to 440 as makes no difference particularly given the rather perfunctory way they tuned …

[Ein Heldenleben]

Terrific perf of the Dvorak PC there. Some lovely lines in the slow movement. The piano very forward in the balance which suits pianophiles like me but maybe not everyone. I find the first movement a bit angsty and too full of diminished sevenths (like Liszt’s ) but this performance almost convinced me especially the very well played final movement - so difficult to make all those disparate elements sound coherent. It’s often thought to be one of the most difficult 19th cent concerti because the writing is so unpianistic - Fujita made light of all that.

and it all sounded in tune ..

[edashtav]

Vítězslava Kaprálová: Military Sinfonietta opened an all Bohemian Concert. It was an apprentice piece but it made such a positive impact that the work was selected to open the 1938 ISCM Festival in London. The female composer conducted the BBC orchestra; she had studied conducting under the great Vaclav Talich.

HAVERGAL BRIAN wrote "The Military Sinfonietta, [...] proved an amazing piece of orchestral writing: it was also of logical and well balanced design.”

As a long time fan of Staffordshire's leading composer, you will not be surprised that I agree with his verdict on the 14 minute piece in one movement.

By the way, does anyone know whether the young Vítězslava was the first woman to conduct the BBC orchestra? Thank you, Tom at your Service for confirming that she was!

Jakub Hrůša was the conductor & the Japanese pianist, Mao Fujita, was at the keyboard in Dvořák's Piano Concerto.

DVORAK’S Piano Concerto is not entitled to appear among the better examples of the genre but it does make a genuine impact when played with total commitment as we heard in this evening's Prom.

Dvorak was not a brillant pianist and, therefore, was technically ill-equipped to write a concerto showcasing the pianist (perhaps he wrote a concert or Concertante with the piano one among equals) which once drew the condemnation that it could better be played by somebody with two right hands!

Tonight we heard the orginal 40 minute version rather than the pianist-friendly, compact revision The soloist displayed a remarkable blend of virtuosity, finesse, tight rhythmic control and belief necessary to overcome a concerto, written as much against the piano as for it. Mao delighted in the score’s Czech romanticism, warts and all. This was the first occasion in sixty five years of listening to the work that my attention didn't wander. Thank goodness that the accursed Vilém Kurz's revision has been replaced through scholarship in Brno, and sensitive pianists such as S. Richter and A. Schiff and , of course, tonight's self effacing Mao Fujita. I salute you all and Antonin Dvorak who could be as wayward and awkward as the self taught Havergal Brian.
Encore: none tho' there was much demand . LONG CONCERTO

[edashtav]

Terrific perf of the Dvorak PC there. Some lovely lines in the slow movement. The piano very forward in the balance which suits pianophiles like me but maybe not everyone. I find the first movement a bit angsty and too full of diminished sevenths (like Liszt’s ) but this performance almost convinced me especially the very well played final movement - so difficult to make all those disparate elements sound coherent. It’s often thought to be one of the most difficult 19th cent concerti because the writing is so unpianistic - Fujita made light of all that.

and it all sounded in tune ..

[edashtav]

Tonight,for me, was about different versions of the same work: Dvorak's unpianistic concerto in the first half and Janacek's evolving thoughts about his Glagolitic Mass. That ork was introduced by a fascinating Interval discussion between Tom Service and 'our' Guru, Nigel Simeone. SPLENDID!

[Wychwood]

Tonight,for me, was about different versions of the same work: Dvorak's unpianistic concerto in the first half and Janacek's evolving thoughts about his Glagolitic Mass. That ork was introduced by a fascinating Interval discussion between Tom Service and 'our' Guru, Nigel Simeone. SPLENDID!

But for me it would have been better if Mr Simeone had been invited to do a scripted, uninterrupted introduction to the Glagolitic mass as the interval feature, taking advantage of his knowledge and expertise in this repertoire. We have been here before, but I find the over-exuberant (IMV) Proms presentation by TS hard to cope with. Could someone at R3 persuade him that less is more?

[Ein Heldenleben]

The Glagolitic Mass is the musical equivalent of Gaudi’s Nativity Facade on the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - original , exuberant and overwhelming . There was nothing like it before and there will be nothing like it ever again.

What is all means theologically I have no idea but artistically it’s completely satisfying.

The final instrumental section the Intrada - is just about my favourite bit of music - just wonderful.

Great performance.

[boesendorfer]

I was at the Boulez performance, which was underwhelming; tonight's was overwhelming.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I was at the Boulez performance, which was underwhelming; tonight's was overwhelming.

That choir …their commitment , David Butt Philip, the trumpets …where do you start ?

[edashtav]

The Glagolitic Mass is the musical equivalent of Gaudi’s Nativity Facade on the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - original , exuberant and overwhelming . There was nothing like it before and there will be nothing like it ever again.

What is all means theologically I have no idea but artistically it’s completely satisfying.

The final instrumental section the Intrada - is just about my favourite bit of music - just wonderful.

Great performance.

Great Crit. E.H.
To think that Janacek was born before Edward Elgar!