Prom 4: Sunday 17th July 2011 at 7.00 p.m. (Brian 'The Gothic')

[BBMmk2]

If they do have the additional bands, I bet they wont be brass bands as such!! Unlike Black Dyke or Grimethorpe!

[PatrickBrompton]

If they do have the additional bands, I bet they wont be brass bands as such!! Unlike Black Dyke or Grimethorpe!

Yes. With a work so restrained as the ‘Gothic’ it’s important to avoid exaggeration. Reference to http://www.havergalbrian.org/sym1.htm suggests that the four additional ‘brass bands’ are in fact fairly modest ensembles of half-a-dozen players or so apiece.

I notice, incidentally, that the score requires a ‘birdscare’.

[Bryn]

The brass complement may be modest, but the timps are most immodest in their impact. I wonder of RW and co. will be enterprising enough to make sure it is recorded in surround sound with a view to the future?

[David Underdown]

The Havergal Brian Society is trying to get a recording organised for commercial release I understand

[amateur51]

The Havergal Brian Society is trying to get a recording organised for commercial release I understand

All power to their persuading elbow.

Do you know if it is to be sound only or vision too?

[3rd Viennese School]

Ref: First messgae

I know what he means! You get experience in decipering messages trying to work out emails here at the NHS!

This was in the Guiness book of Records along with Mahler Symphony no.3. But I wouldn't count Brian as the worlds longest proper symphony because it goes into a Cantata and Tediums and everything else choral long after the first 3 instrumental mvts.

And BBC4 used to have live concerts especially the Proms and now its not as much. I was going to jump in years ago and get digital television but I didnt bother in the end!

(I have to do it soon, of course!)

Having Brian 1 on the first televised night of the Proms would make a change. I would only watch the first 3 mvts, of course!

3Vs

[french frank]

All power to their persuading elbow.

Do you know if it is to be sound only or vision too?

In reply to RW's blog, people were griping that so far there is no sign that it will be televised. No response of any kind yet ...

[amateur51]

In reply to RW's blog, people were griping that so far there is no sign that it will be televised. No response of any kind yet ...

I understand that there may be all sorts of problems re rights, etc but I do think it would be an amazing coup for BBC to televise it.

And the Dudamel/SBYO Mahler 2 while they're at it too, pretty please

[Mandryka]

I'm wondering how early it will be advisable to start queueing for this one?

We're not talking a 'name' orchestra/conductor/soloists, so I'm wondering how popular this one will be? It's the talk of regular Prommers, who'll probably be out in force, but I wonder if it'll be anything like a VPO/Rattle demand?

I queued from mid-day for the Domingo Walkure in 2005 (on that occasion, I think everyone who wanted to see it - just about - got in), but I've been surprised before at the unexpected popularity of certain events (and the stunning unpopularity of others - I can remember John Eliot Gardiner drawing hardly anyone for Schumann's Scenes From Goethe's Faust).

[BBMmk2]

I think that with having just this music would be enough to bring people out to hear this one!

[BetweenTheStaves]

I have the Czech recording of this work and had listened to it once before. Given the chance to hear it live thought to re-acquaint myself with the work while on a long drive. After the third movement I'd had enough. On the return journey, I thought 'maybe I wasn't in the mood, try it again'. So I listened and yes, there was the odd moment but by midway through CD2 I had had enough. Loud? Yes. Subtle? No. Reminded me of what it must be like to have a metal waste-paper basket over one's head while someone else is whacking it. I'll stick to Mahler.

[BBMmk2]

Tell you what! This is one opf those works that you do need to hear live. I was at the Radio 3 production of it, at the RAH, with Ole Schmidt conducting. You could feel the building shake when everyone was at their heights!

[Bryn]

Bbm, anyone who misses the subtleties of Brian's The Gothic, even in the pieced together Lenard jigsaw recording, is probably not up to being aware of them in a live performance either.

[EdgeleyRob]

Reminded me of what it must be like to have a metal waste-paper basket over one's head while someone else is whacking it.

Surely not !

[Serial_Apologist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8akmP65jv2o