Prom 27: Thursday 4th August 2011 at 7.00 p.m. (Holloway, Strauss, Brahms)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Presented by Martin Handley

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra opens this Prom with a major world premiere by Robin Holloway and continue the Brahms focus of this Proms season. Renowned Strauss conductor Donald Runnicles is joined by international soprano Hillevi Martinpelto for the beautifully reflective Four Last Songs.

Robin Holloway's Fifth Concerto for Orchestra challenges him to write on a smaller scale than previously, and this BBC commission contains some of his most opaque counterpoint and most varied orchestral textures. He describes the piece as like Manhattan, "when Sprawl is impossible, you must build upwards instead". The premiere of Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs was given in the Royal Albert Hall in 1950, just after the composer's death. They were his last completed works, and are full of calmness and acceptance. Brahms then journeys away from contemplation to revel in triumph and joy by the end of his masterful Second Symphony.

Robin Holloway: Fifth Concerto for Orchestra (BBC Commission: world premiere)
R.Strauss: Four Last Songs
Brahms: Symphony No.2 in D major

Hillevi Martinpelto (soprano)
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles (conductor)

[Roehre]

. The premiere of Richard Strauss' Four Last Songs was given in the Royal Albert Hall in 1950, just after the composer's death. They were his last completed works, and are full of calmness and acceptance.

Not quite. Not even his last songs ever. Malven was composed following the 4 Last Songs, an Adagio for violin and piano concurrently with the 4LS, and though one might say that Des Esel's Schatten as mini-opera has been left unfinished, and AFAIK an Overture and an Intermezzo are complete .

[Roehre]

Robin Holloway: Fifth Concerto for Orchestra (BBC Commission: world premiere)
R.Strauss: Four Last Songs
Brahms: Symphony No.2 in D major

Hillevi Martinpelto (soprano)
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles (conductor)

Certainly looking forward to Holloway's 5th Concerto, with an estimated 25 minutes not his longest concerto for orchestra btw.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Not quite. Not even his last songs ever. Malven was composed following the 4 Last Songs, an Adagio for violin and piano concurrently with the 4LS, and though one might say that Des Esel's Schatten as mini-opera has been left unfinished, and AFAIK an Overture and an Intermezzo are complete .

You are, of course, absolutely correct, and the common misconception found its way to the BBC schedules which I quoted.

[Quarky]

Certainly looking forward to Holloway's 5th Concerto, with an estimated 25 minutes not his longest concerto for orchestra btw.

A very pleasant surprise, and certainly received a well-deserved ovation from the audience.

The way of the world I guess, but it seems that one of the few public platforms for contemporary compositions is to shoe-horn them in with the popular classics.

[Petrushka]

The way of the world I guess, but it seems that one of the few public platforms for contemporary compositions is to shoe-horn them in with the popular classics.

'Twas ever thus, Oddball. Sir Henry himself did so and I see no reason to argue. My own CD programmes frequently follow the pattern!

[Estelle]

The story behind the discovery of what Sir George Solti called Strauss's "fifth last song," "Malven" is quite interesting. Here is one account:

http://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/11/arts/philharmonic-a-rose-from-strauss.html

And here is a clip of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa first rehearsing the song with Solti, then performing it with Solti at the piano:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OydtLtA1y6c

The lyrics in both German and English are provided by the poster. (Click on "See more.")

[Tevot]

A good concert I thought - particularly the Brahms. Thankyou the BBCSSO and Donald Runnicles

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[salymap]

I'm ashamed to say I'd never heard of the soprano soloist but then I haven't been to a performance of opera for many years and can't listen to too much radio now. I see from Google the lady is in her 50s and wonder what posters thought of her performance? I love the Strauss Four Last Songs and have several CDs and a DVD of them. Because of tinnitus [not an excuse believe me] they sounded undernourished to me but,as I say, it's probably me.

[barber olly]

I'm ashamed to say I'd never heard of the soprano soloist but then I haven't been to a performance of opera for many years and can't listen to too much radio now. I see from Google the lady is in her 50s and wonder what posters thought of her performance? I love the Strauss Four Last Songs and have several CDs and a DVD of them. Because of tinnitus [not an excuse believe me] they sounded undernourished to me but,as I say, it's probably me.

A good, if not an outstandingly memorable, 4LS but very much preferable to some of the overblown vibrato-laden offerings we have had at the proms in recent seasons.

[3rd Viennese School]

I enjoyed the Robin Holloway. Read up on him at work before hand. Sounded more interesting than that Dulbavie ? Concerto for Orchestra a while back. Didn’t make out the boundary betwixt mvt 1 and 2- must have missed it. I will hear it again on Monday afternoon (I have the day off!) Very odd that he swapped all the mvts around, although it made sense in that order.

Turned off after that- Strauss 4 last songs AGAIN!!!!!!!! Even I’ve seen this loads of times live inbetwixt much better items.

And Brahms 2- well- you know what I think.

3VS

[makropulos]

Just got round to listening to this. The Holloway impressed me as piece - very beautiful in places. I didn't think much of Martinpelto's Strauss (not helped by the allegedly "renowned" Strauss conducting of Runnicles), and the performance of the Brahms confirmed my worst suspicions about this conductor who I find dour and literalistic. But great to have Holloway's piece.

[Roehre]

Re Holloway's 5th concerto: the jury is still out.
My FM reception the first 5 or so minutes was suffering from numerous dropouts, so I plan to listen again coming Monday.
What I heard however triggers some questions: IMO a well orchestrated piece, but what is it about?
IMO it lacks a relation between the orchestration and its contents - the latter IMO being bland, harmonically leading nowhere.
Is it bluff? Is it "much about nothing"? Is it meant this way, and if so: why then compose a piece like this plotless piece in the first place?
There is certainly quite a lot to enjoy, but at this moment my overall impression is that it is a piece of formless cotton wool wrapped in a colourful and effective orchestration.
Certainly enjoyable, but -based on one hearing- not a masterwork (What his 2nd concerto IMO is).

[EdgeleyRob]

I enjoyed this concert , loved the Brahms.
Holloway's work was for me in the 'interesting but I can live without' category.

[Chris Newman]

I too just got round to the first half of this concert. From this first hearing the Holloway was very listenable. He must have been delighted with the performance. Hillevi Martinpelto has a lovely voice, once warmed, so the last two Strauss songs came off best. She sings most easily at the top register just lacking that ultimate secret store of breath that the very best sopranos can muster in these phenomenally long phrases that Strauss demands. My live favourites, Heather Harper and Elizabeth Soderstrom, remain supreme (and I love their recordings) whilst Soile Isokoski is my absolute favourite recording. Now those singers could reach the ends of phrases with breath to spare and still hold their fabulous tone.