Prom 54: 'Beethoven for Three', Ax / Kavakos / Ma

[LMcD]

[QUOTE=bluestateprommer;n1316822]Very fine (if perhaps short, but this leaves room for an encore after LvB's 'Archduke' Trio later, presumably)

The Brahms lasted 32 minutes and the Beethoven 43 - so that's nearly 80 minutes in total if you include the encore.

[Alain Maréchal]

I started to watch this concert, but I had to switch off.
Why is the lighting based on the work of Albert Speer, and am I the only one wondering if there is a smouldering fire on the stage?

[LMcD]

I started to watch this concert, but I had to switch off.
Why is the lighting based on the work of Albert Speer, and am I the only one wondering if there is a smouldering fire on the stage?

The lighting - which has featured in other Proms this year - was certainly distracting. I wonder whether it's provided partly for the benefit of the artistes in the belief that it's preferable to having spotlights shining directly onto them.

[Norrette]

I have a daft technical question, watching my recording of this from BBC4. I noticed Kavakos used a tablet with his score, I wondered how he turned the page, or is there some whiz bang software, which listens and turns automatically?

[oliver sudden]

I have a daft technical question, watching my recording of this from BBC4. I noticed Kavakos used a tablet with his score, I wondered how he turned the page, or is there some whiz bang software, which listens and turns automatically?

There are two main ways to do it: either just poking the screen, or using a foot switch, usually connected by Bluetooth. There are also other kinds of switches—I believe there are bite switches for organists, for example.

It’s often a tiny bit scary with the foot switch. There’s often a little bit of latency, which means a fraction of a second in which your heart is in your mouth, metaphorically speaking.

[Retune]

When I arrived in the hall the vapour was already filling the stage, and I genuinely wondered if a protester had set something off. Were they re-using a smoke machine left over from the Disco Prom? When the searchlights came on I almost expected the Bat Signal to be projected on to the roof - perhaps the Caped Crusader could solve the mystery of the missing Beethoven symphony score? The Pastoral was still in the programme, incidentally, with the Brahms covered by an insert, so the BBC must have found out about this substitution very late. I can't imagine this is anything to do with copyright - Sony have uploaded the studio recording to YouTube, and you can find it in Yo-Yo Ma's channel. They are playing again in Vienna this week and have made the same substitution.

I don't know the Brahms and, despite the obvious quality of the performance, I wasn't immediately taken with it. Probably something I'd need repeated listens to appreciate. The Archduke I thought was excellent, and so were the generous encores. I would love to have heard them do the whole of the Schubert. I'm very glad I went, though I might not even have booked this one without the 'bait and switch'. The sound balance was pretty good from my seat in Choir East.

[Quarky]

Just wondering about smoking fires, Schindler's List, Emmanuel Ax and politics - excuse my guesswork.

[oddoneout]

Breakfast this morning gave us a movement from LvB 5th, from a recording by this trio. Very much enjoyed it, although such transcriptions are not usually something I'm particularly keen on. A taster of what paying customers didn't get on Saturday.

[Norrette]

There are two main ways to do it: either just poking the screen, or using a foot switch, usually connected by Bluetooth. There are also other kinds of switches—I believe there are bite switches for organists, for example.

It’s often a tiny bit scary with the foot switch. There’s often a little bit of latency, which means a fraction of a second in which your heart is in your mouth, metaphorically speaking.

Thank you, I guess it would be the foot switch as his hands were full of violin.

[Padraig]

I don't know the Brahms and, despite the obvious quality of the performance, I wasn't immediately taken with it. Probably something I'd need repeated listens to appreciate. The Archduke I thought was excellent, and so were the generous encores. I would love to have heard them do the whole of the Schubert. I'm very glad I went. . .

I happened on the televised performance (after the interval), and was struck by that quality instantly. It took we a while to recognise any of the Trio - the cellist I had not seen for many years and Emanuel Ax I knew only by name. The violinist was completely new to me. But how they played together! I was familiar with the Beethoven and Schubert Trios, so I was able to watch them play as I listened, so much better than radio or record. There was more I wanted to say about this performance but I have not got the words. I was reminded of a poem about the art of poetry - or the arts in general?- by Emily Dickinson, as I watched these musicians perform. When I find it again I intend to post it on the Poetry thread., I remember feeling something similar in it as I watched.

[alywin]

I started to watch this concert, but I had to switch off.
Why is the lighting based on the work of Albert Speer, and am I the only one wondering if there is a smouldering fire on the stage?

It WAS horrid, wasn't it? So OTT.

[LMcD]

I was able to watch them play as I listened, so much better than radio or record.

I always take the opportunity to discover how the sounds that I can hear are actually produced, and enjoy observing the interactions between the artistes.

[mikealdren]

It WAS horrid, wasn't it? So OTT.

and it was quite unpleasant in the hall.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Ive looked at the availability of the televised Prom Concerts on the iPlayer. This Prom can only be accessed for the next 12 days, should you wish to see it.

(All the other televised 2024 Proms will be available for at least 10 months).