Prom 24: Tuesday 2nd August at 7.00 p.m. (Elgar, Grainger, Strauss)

[EdgeleyRob]

No

Roehre, maybe not the best ever but if I could only choose one this would be it.

[makropulos]

Roehre, maybe not the best ever but if I could only choose one this would be it.

I know what you mean - but there are a few others I wouldn't want to leave behind either !

[Ariosto]

What a fantastic performance of the Elgar concerto.Isn't it the best violin concerto ever ?

The Elgar violin concerto is one I've admired and even loved over many years - starting at about age 14 or 15 at school, probably because a close school friend and colleague played it a lot in those days.

But even so there are several concertos that I would hear in preference.

I have though now begun to tire of this work, partly because of the hack performances I hear, and also because I think the last movement is rather poor. It re-gurgitates too often bits of the first movement and it goes nowhere, in my opinion.

I now much prefer the Walton, a concerto that I have only come to know in the last year or so.

As to the recent performance, I think that the soloist was suffering from the heat (as seen on TV) and she seemed very uncomfortable. It all went rather badly I think, with severe intonation problems, a wobbly vibrato, poor sound at times, and insecure and lumpy phrasing. But it is a very difficult concerto and the RAH condituions make it very hard for string soloists, due to the awful accoustic and the extreme heat.

But I don't want to get into a war with people over this, I have my opinion and others have theirs. I would like to keep my final few posts on a friendly basis.

[Curalach]

I would like to keep my final few posts on a friendly basis.

Oh Ariosto/Cellini, I hope this doesn't mean you are departing again. I don't always agree with everything you say, or you with me, but the forum is so enlivened by your contributions that I will be sorry if you depart!
Iain

[Ariosto]

I think I need to get away for a while, as I can see things could get pretty bad with the sort of developing situation on here.

I voted against the idea of a Religion and Ethics board because I can see certain extremists on here might well hi-jack it, and there is nothing that can be done to stop them.

But you probably all see me as an extremist anyway, so maybe I shouldn't make such a comment! But certain people love to score a point, even if its only about one of my typos. That's how "strange" they are. And perhaps they need a life too.

[johnb]

I think I need to get away for a while, as I can see things could get pretty bad with the sort of developing situation on here.

I would be very sad to see you leave.

Sometimes you are provocative (sometimes I get the impression that you might even say things 'tongue in cheek') but you do know what you are talking about and I always read your contributions with interest - and quite often with a wry smile too.

[Nick Armstrong]

Seconded! [Sorry, johnb - thirded] Cellini/Ariosto - this is only a grown up playground, it's all virtual: your bracing (sometimes) and amusing (often) opinions and any disagreement with them is all part of the rough-and-tumble, surely... And frenchfrank is around in case anyone gets seriously out of order. I hope you can see it as water off a duck's back, and stick around

[Ariosto]

I did say in my very first post on re-joining that it would probably be a short stay and only cover the Prom season. (That was me being far too optimistic). So I have been honest, and I feel that I have bigger problems than most with internet forums. (Not only forums I hear someone add ...)

[Chris Newman]

Don't go, Ariosto. You know what it is like at the edge of the stage. Some people seem to want to stick a knife in the soloist yet you pointed out what was blatantly obvious and they ignore that she had an off night and seemed to be getting annoyed with herself. As you fairly said in Message 33:

As to the recent performance, I think that the soloist was suffering from the heat (as seen on TV) and she seemed very uncomfortable. It all went rather badly I think, with severe intonation problems, a wobbly vibrato, poor sound at times, and insecure and lumpy phrasing. But it is a very difficult concerto and the RAH condituions make it very hard for string soloists, due to the awful accoustic and the extreme heat.

I have heard far worse from Yehudi Menuhin. At one concert he would be brilliant and at another all over the place. And I remember Nathan Milstein making a pig's ear of the Sibelius Concerto and after the over-generous audience applause decided to play the last movement again as an encore "To try to get it right this time, folks!" My friend in the LPO was not amused when we had to catch the last train home.

[Barbirollians]

I think Ariosto is a bit harsh - it was better than I had heard her play for a while .Ida Haendel. Znaider or Zehetmair she wasn't.

It is notable when looking at her website that apart from her own recitals and this concert that save for a three concert mini tour with the RPO this autumn with the Bruch 1 and a concert with Netherlands Radio all her recent concerts have been with semi- pro or third rank orchestras .

[makropulos]

I think Ariosto is a bit harsh - it was better than I had heard her play for a while .Ida Haendel. Znaider or Zehetmair she wasn't.

It is notable when looking at her website that apart from her own recitals and this concert that save for a three concert mini tour with the RPO this autumn with the Bruch 1 and a concert with Netherlands Radio all her recent concerts have been with semi- pro or third rank orchestras .

Sorry you feel that way about the Ulster Orchestra and Jac van Steen with whom she's playing the Elgar, and the BBC NOW with whom she's playing Willem Jeths's Concerto (also with van Steen) - and she's playing some other unfamiliar repertoire too - not a lot of others are playing the Nicholas Maw Concerto.

[Barbirollians]

Her recent concerts over the last year or so have been with significantly lesser ensembles - there is an improvement in her bookings for this year but it is not a patch on her former career.

[Bryn]

When's she playing the Maw. That's not one to miss.

[cavatina]

They just don't blend.

You know, that was my thought exactly. I didn't say anything about it sooner because I was suspicious my judgment and expectations were off: I was worried I'd been prejudiced by listening to too many Youtube videos of female barbershop quartet ensembles, where the best performers often sound as if they were one voice split into four. By way of a reference, here are the 2010 world champions. If you don't have time for the whole thing, skip to the last note of "My Foolish Heart"...spectacular!

It may yet be, but it's interesting you noticed it too.