Prom 22: Sunday 31st July at 7.00 p.m. (Rachmaninov)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Presented by Penny Gore

The third Proms Choral Sunday explores the unique sound world of Rachmaninov. Three contrasting short works are framed by his cantata, Spring, which he composed in 1902 just after his famous Second Piano Concerto, and the evocative choral symphony, The Bells, composed a decade later.

The Russian text of Spring tells of a man who harbours murderous thoughts towards his unfaithful wife during the winter, but is released from his anger and frustration by the return of spring. For The Bells, Rachmaninov turned to a Russian translation of poems by Edgar Allan Poe, and the work's four movements mirror the human life span from birth to death through the 'Silver Sleigh Bells', 'Mellow Wedding Bells', 'Loud Alarum Bells' and 'Mournful Iron Bells'.

Rachmaninov: Spring
Rachmaninov: Aleko - Women's and Men's Dances
Rachmaninov: Three Russian Songs
Rachmaninov: Vocalise
Rachmaninov: The Bells

Svetla Vassileva (soprano)
Misha Didyk (tenor)
Alexei Tanovitski (bass)

Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre
BBC Philharmonic
Gianandrea Noseda (conductor)

[maestro267]

Thirty-Firth?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thirty-Firth?

Oops. I've corrected it now.

Rachmaninov. What more is there to say? I ca still remember hearing the 2nd Piano Concerto for the first time at a concert in Sheffield City Hall and the excitement I felt about it for several months afterwards. I also remember my uncle quoting that now notorious entry from ther old Grove's Dictionary. (I should add that he didn't agree with it either.)

I shall be glued to my radio this evening.

[Chris Newman]

I attended this concert by the powerful Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre, the excellent BBC Philharmonic and inspiring Gianandrea Noseda with another of our boarders and have to say we were 99% extremely impressed. It seems that by some flook all the concerts I have attended this season so far have been absolutely excellent. Several of the works tonight were new for me except The Bells and Vocalise. Rachmaninov's Spring was tremendously thrilling. I expected the subject to be mawkish (husband plans to stab unfaithful wife but the beauty of spring makes him seek forgiveness) but the way Rachmaninov treats it was magnificent. Magnificent describes too the bass Alexei Tanovitski who sang with them. Here was one of the finest Russian basses I have ever witnessed. The two Women's and Men's Orchestral Dances from Aleko were to my ears rather derivative not unlike Anitra's Dance and The Arabian Dance from Grieg's Peer Gynt only the orchestration was a hundred times more imaginative and colourful than Grieg could ever imagine. By the time they reached the Three Russian Songs the chorus had begun to deliver the decibels we expected from them. After the interval came a work I treasure in my recording with Elizabeth Soderstrom and Vladimir Ashkenazy: Vocalise. The soprano was Svetla Vassileva who began beautifully with no wobble while she sang softly. However, as soon as she reached mezzoforte a disturbing wobble took over and the climax was a scream worthy of Callas in her old age. Fortunately the soprano part in The Bells does not require volume and she just about pulled it off. The chorus and orchestra were the finest I have heard in this very original vocal symphony. Even the famous Proms performance in the seventies under Previn seemed tame compared with the emotional heights Noseda demanded and got from his forces. The tenor, Misha Didyk, was clear, rich and powerful with no shouting and it remained to the bass Alexei Tanovitski and the chorus to finish it. Tanovitski really has everything, a voice from heaven and he has the stage presence and looks of Cary Grant. I just want to hear him sing Boris Godunov.

[Chris Newman]

After enjoying last night's concert I want to fill a massive hole in my recorded repertoire: the Rachmaninov Symphonies and The Bells. I already have both the Previn LSO and Boult LPO Symphony No 2 which I would not be without but have none of the rest. I see that they are all available with Vladimir Ashkenazy and the RCO at reasonable price from the River People? Before plunging in do members have any reservations?

[Roehre]

I would say: go for the Ashkenazy/RCO (the same combination did The Bells and the Russian songs op.41 too, btw)

[Chris Newman]

Thanks Roehre.

I have ordered the set for £7.99 plus a mixed bag Rachmaninov set for £0.01 with Alicia de Larrocha, Previn, Boult, Solti and Katchen. (Make it strong Russian Stout?)

bws Chris.

[pmartel]

You might want to look for a Melodyia cd of 'The Bells' done by Kiril Kndrashin.

I got my first taste of 'The Bells' on the lp of this back in the '70's and was my reference for years.

Kondrashin was an amazing condutor

[makropulos]

After enjoying last night's concert I want to fill a massive hole in my recorded repertoire: the Rachmaninov Symphonies and The Bells. I already have both the Previn LSO and Boult LPO Symphony No 2 which I would not be without but have none of the rest. I see that they are all available with Vladimir Ashkenazy and the RCO at reasonable price from the River People? Before plunging in do members have any reservations?

Chris - I'd go for Kondrashin over Ashkenazy in The Bells every time, notwithstanding the slightly raucous Soviet stereo. It's a fabulous performance. For the First Symphony I like Svetlanov's 1960s performance very much (it's usually around cheaply from the usual suspects). You're nicely sorted with No. 2, which leaves No. 3 - Newton has just reissued the rather amazing Stokowski recording made at the end of his life which I adore. I don't find any of Ashkenazy's performances a match for any of these (or the ones you already have of No. 2), though I suppose he's preferable to Pletnev.

[makropulos]

Oh - and not forgetting Rach himself conducting No. 3 - very easy to get at the moment on a Naxos disc.

[Tevot]

For me the performance sprang to life in the second half. What an absolutely thrilling performance of The Bells. The penultimate movement was gripping / frightening almost in its intensity. And that gorgeous orchestral coda at the work's close with that moving flute solo.

[Chris Newman]

Thankyou for the suggestions of recordings, guys and gals.

I agree with most of Erica Jeal's review apart from her unqualified praise of the soprano:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/aug/01/prom-22-noseda-review

The wobble is even more apparent on the radio.

I do not think Geoffrey Norris was at the same performance as we were:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/proms/8675880/BBC-Proms-2011-Prom-22-BBC-PhilharmonicNoseda-Albert-Hall-review.html

And from some Blogs:

http://www.musicomh.com/classical/proms/2011-22_0711.htm

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I was at the same performance as Geoffrey and to a lesser extent Erica.

The BBC Phil was predictably fine, but where I was hoping to have my socks blown off by the Mariinsky chorus, unfortunately it didn't happen. If they're going into the studio with this, it will help if they can sing on the note rather than microtonally flat - maybe that was the kind of Russian-ness that Noseda wants - but at least there it won't matter so much if their heads are buried in the score. Some consonants will help too. The communication element was left to the soloists, and we got it from them in spades, with Tanovitsky the star and Didyk close behind.