Proms 2024

[Roger Webb]

I remember the Boulez/ Chéreau Ring being shown one act at a time over several weeks on BBC2 back in the days when classical music got a fair crack of the whip on both BBC2 and Channel 4. Later it was broadcast as Wagner intended over 4 evenings. Playing it in instalments was a great help to me in getting to know and like Wagner's music.

Yes I saw the Boulez/Chéreau Ring on BBC2 in acts too back then - I now have the DVD set (and the Met/Levine one) and often do it over several nights.

We had the WNO Ring in Bristol in one week back then, which was fabulous.....I still have the 'private' tapes of the broadcast of this Ring from Covent Garden.

My pet hate is breaking up a song-cycle, say Butterworth's Shropshire Lad and introducing other music between each song, this 'idea' was doing the rounds a little while back.....yes I mean you Ludlow!

[french frank]

My pet hate is breaking up a song-cycle, say Butterworth's Shropshire Lad and introducing other music between each song, this 'idea' was doing the rounds a little while back.....yes I mean you Ludlow!

Quite a stretch from the announcements at the beginning asking for no applause between the songs!

[Roger Webb]

Quite a stretch from the announcements at the beginning asking for no applause between the songs!

Don't get me started on applause between songs......or particularly movements of a symphony......now I'm looking at you 'Prommers' (I was one once, arms firmly folded or hands in pockets between movements!).

[Quarky]

Heldenlleben wrote:

have you heard Andrew Litton playing Oscar Peterson on Yuja Wang Art Tatum ?
For some reason Oscar and Art just have that extra element of bounce and swing in the left hand and their right hand scales and cascades more spring , definition and all round jazz feel. Oscar’s scales (that aren’t straightforward scales) are just extraordinary. They are so even they sound like glissandi . His solo album Tracks just has you open mouthed at how he sustains the left hand pulse with all those notes.
There are some who think Art was the greatest of them all in classical or Jazz - yes greater than Liszt and Horowitz. The latter literally couldn’t believe how he could improvise it all.

With a little difficulty, I found Andrew Litton's tribute to Oscar Peterson. Agree totally with your comments. "Lulu's back in town" demonstrates the vital difference. The subtleties in rhythm possessed by a great Jazz artist, which is key to Jazz, can't be matched by the Classic virtuoso.

But Andrew Litton still a very worthwhile listen . May be we'll hear him on Radio 3 one day.

[LMcD]

Don't get me started on applause between songs......or particularly movements of a symphony......now I'm looking at you 'Prommers' (I was one once, arms firmly folded or hands in pockets between movements!).

[Roger Webb]

[QUOTE=Quarky


But Andrew Litton still a very worthwhile listen . May be we'll hear him on Radio 3 one day.[/QUOTE]

Well we heard from Litton the other night as conductor with the Bournemouth SO, not as pianist, this was left to Simon Trpceski in the Saint-Saëns 2nd PC. I thought it was quite untidy in last movement - not an easy movement for ensemble. After it had finished Trpceski played an encore, but before that gave a little speech, quite unbelievably saying 'thank you Maestro Litton....next time we must play something together'!
I don't think I've ever heard such a barbed comment from a soloist to the conductor.....or are they such good friends, Litton could take it as a joke?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Well we heard from Litton the other night as conductor with the Bournemouth SO, not as pianist, this was left to Simon Trpceski in the Saint-Saëns 2nd PC. I thought it was quite untidy in last movement - not an easy movement for ensemble. After it had finished Trpceski played an encore, but before that gave a little speech, quite unbelievably saying 'thank you Maestro Litton....next time we must play something together'!
I don't think I've ever heard such a barbed comment from a soloist to the conductor.....or are they such good friends, Litton could take it as a joke?

I heard the whole exchange on the Radio 3 relay. Simon was referring to “playing together “ as pianists, He is far too polite a person to mark a “barbed comment.”

[Roger Webb]

I heard the whole exchange on the Radio 3 relay. Simon was referring to “playing together “ as pianists, He is far too polite a person to mark a “barbed comment.”

I must have misheard - I'll have another listen....and to the S-S PC2, but I did think the last movt. was a bit ragged - maybe that's why I misinterpreted what he said, what did you think of the perf?

[Ein Heldenleben]

I must have misheard - I'll have another listen....and to the S-S PC2, but I did think the last movt. was a bit ragged - maybe that's why I misinterpreted what he said, what did you think of the perf?

I wonder if they took it at too fast a lick, Simon T had a bit of trouble getting his fingers round those hideously difficult runs in the last movement but I was only half listening.

[Roger Webb]

I wonder if they took it at too fast a lick, Simon T had a bit of trouble getting his fingers round those hideously difficult runs in the last movement but I was only half listening.

Yes I thought he struggled a bit, rather than any fault being attached to Litton - I've always held Simon T in high regard since his first CD came into my shop on the EMI Debut label....good little label that - gave a chance to up and coming young artists (Nelson Goerner's Chopin was another) and without the full-glam approach that seems the norm now by an increasingly desperate industry!

[Rcartes]

In the context of classical musicians playing jazz and vice versa, the example I often quote is the Simon Rattle Jazz Album: one of the most dismal attempts at crossover that I've ever heard. It really is terrible: like Victor Sylvester on tranquillisers. I do not recommend listening to it, but if you do, it's your own fault entirely.

[Sir Velo]

I heard the whole exchange on the Radio 3 relay. Simon was referring to “playing together “ as pianists, He is far too polite a person to mark a “barbed comment.”

Having an early night, you beat me to it but I was going to reply that Trpceski was almost certainly referring to duetting with Litton, who is a fine pianist in his own right.

[Sir Velo]

In the context of classical musicians playing jazz and vice versa, the example I often quote is the Simon Rattle Jazz Album: one of the most dismal attempts at crossover that I've ever heard. It really is terrible: like Victor Sylvester on tranquillisers. I do not recommend listening to it, but if you do, it's your own fault entirely.

Extremely fine performances of Prelude, Fugue & Riffs, Ebony Concerto, Rhapsody in Blue, La Creation du Monde notwithstanding?

[Roger Webb]

Extremely fine performances of Prelude, Fugue & Riffs, Ebony Concerto, Rhapsody in Blue, La Creation du Monde notwithstanding?

Yes Sir Velo, these are excellent performance of Jazz inflected 'classics', not to be confused with Jazz per se. Goodman's P, F and Rs is an absolute must though...and this by a master of 'real' Jazz....ditto Ebony Conc.. - both conducted by the respective composers.

[Roger Webb]

Quite a stretch from the announcements at the beginning asking for no applause between the songs!

Did anyone hear the interview with Ian Bostridge on Radio 4 this morning? Apparently he stopped halfway though a Britten song-cycle in Birmingham because people were filming on their mobile phones - he later found out the policy in Birmingham is to allow mobile phone use in the Hall, as it's not expected that 'young people' sit there without their phones on for the duration of the concert!

Can't see Jacko missing an opportunity to attract a younger audience to the Proms like that.