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

[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).

On re-listening: beautiful sounds cocooning emptiness, an inconsequential piece, rather uncharacteristic for Holloway, IMO.

[Quarky]

Would not dream of arguing with your musical judgement, Roehre, but it seems Robin Holloway is damned if he does write music designed to be more popular, and damned if he doesn't, and concentrates instead on his musical logic, which would probably be less popular.

[3rd Viennese School]

Editor’s apology

I meant Duscapin Concerto not Dalbavie Concerto!

My apologies to all concerned. And nothing wrong with the Duscapin. It’s just that the Robin Holloway sounded more varied.
Tried to listen to the repeat of Robin Holloway yesterday on the train but the signal was terrible! Gave up in the end.

3VS

[Serial_Apologist]

As with a lot of Holloway's work I was left thinking - hmm, nice, but what does it have that is meaningful to say to our times?

[Colonel Danby]

Well, finally, I made it to my first prom of the season, and it was a very good one: Runnicles is a very good conductor, especially in Wagner (does anybody remember his prom a few years ago with the BBCSSO, where they played Robin Holloway's epic Milllenium Symphony (which went on for at least twice the advertised length), followed by the whole of Walküre?) but he is also a fine interpreter of Brahms, as was in evidence tonight.

And I enjoyed Holloway's fifth Concerto for Orchestra: I'm a bit of a fan of his music, having both 2nd and 3rd in that genre on NMC: Ollie Knussen's recording is truly wonderful, but the 5th is very good as well...