Prom 32: Sunday 7th August at 7.00 p.m. (Brahms, Mahler)

[jayne lee wilson]

Well, Waldmarchen was played complete tonight of course, and very beautifully, so...

The trebles are the voice of the bone-flute, and it's precisely their un-operatic nature that, for me, makes them so effective: distant, innocent yet knowing, otherworldly, but always dark - a nemesis. Quite an original use of them too, as fairy-tale ghosts; Chichester Psalms or War Requiem evoke a more conventional sense of innocence with boys' voices, though still bold and very moving of course.

Sorry, I found Tetzlaff's contribution to the Brahms a big disappointment. The phrasing seemed boringly unidiomatic, and the degree of vibrato quite a variance with what the concerto's dedicatee would have deemed appropriate. As ever, I enjoyed the Mahler, but my doubts about the trebles was reinforced. They just can't hold their own in the context of the other forces employed, to my ears. I reckon the composer was quite right to drop them from the revised version, though I wish he had retained Waldmarchen, even if modified.

[Roslynmuse]

Strongly agree with both of the above (Alison and janye lee wilson) - I found it all extremely impressive. Ed Gardner did a wonderful job (again) and it was a programme that ended up working very well, at least on the radio. Was I imagining it, or was that the amazing Anna Larsson appearing for the second time in three days, and not the advertised mezzo?

It was indeed Anna Larsson.

[gurnemanz]

At the last minute my wife and I decided to set off from Wilts and joined holiday returners on a crowded M4, such that we got a bit worried that we might miss the start but got there just in time to sidle straight into the arena prom area for a fiver each. It was well worth the effort. I enjoyed Tetzlaff and the Mahler was quite an experience in the hall with lovely sonorities and big spatial effects from the choir spread wide and the gallery band wafting down at us from afar. I remember getting to know the work about 30 years ago when I recorded it off the radio but I had not heard it for a while so it came to me fresh. It is quite a work for a 17 year old and did not outstay its welcome.

We recently saw the impressive Christopher Purves as Mephisto in the Terry Gilliam Faust at ENO. I now want to hear Stuart Skelton in a big role.

[Tevot]

Well I stand corrected re my earlier post. What persuasive and compelling advocacy of the Mahler by Ed Gardner and the BBCSO. I'll certainly be listening again this week

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[Serial_Apologist]

Glad you all agree with my messages 9 & 10. It's always lovely talking to you classical buffs about the actual musak, so that autodidacts such as I can actually learn something.

[RobertLeDiable]

Ed Gardner deserves the highest praise for making the BBC Symphony sound the best of the house bands after all.

He may have done, but generally speaking you would have to say that the BBC Phil is the best, with the BBC Scottish second.

[amateur51]

He may have done, but generally speaking you would have to say that the BBC Phil is the best, with the BBC Scottish second.

And BBC NOW?

[RobertLeDiable]

And BBC NOW?

Capable of good performances, but sometimes complacent and lacklustre, a bit like the BBC SO . Having a second rate principal conductor may not have helped. Sondergaard should be an improvement.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

My experiences of the BBCPO and BBCSSO in the flesh have not generally borne out their frequent talking-up on these and other boards. BBCPO in particular tend to seem glossy but fairly heartless.

[RobertLeDiable]

My experiences of the BBCPO and BBCSSO in the flesh have not generally borne out their frequent talking-up on these and other boards. BBCPO in particular tend to seem glossy but fairly heartless.

Glossy and heartless? Sorry but your experience may not be typical. And frequent talking up? Maybe because most people actually prefer them?

I think most people who have heard these orchestras regularly would disagree. The BBC Phil has the best strings, I don't think there's any doubt about that, and the BBC SSO has the best woodwind and (probably) brass. Both usually play with more commitment than the BBC SO. And it has the least excuse for its uncommitted playing, given its higher salaries and vast pool of excellent players to draw from.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Oh dear, it's that old "uncommitted" jibe again. I'd have thought recent BBCSO performances would have put that one to bed.

[Petrushka]

Strongly agree with both of the above (Alison and janye lee wilson) - I found it all extremely impressive. Ed Gardner did a wonderful job (again) and it was a programme that ended up working very well, at least on the radio. Was I imagining it, or was that the amazing Anna Larsson appearing for the second time in three days, and not the advertised mezzo?

Another one from my seat in M Stalls. Agree completely with all of the above, and yes, wonderful to have Anna Larsson there again. Surely my plea on the old message boards for Ed Gardner to be next BBCSO chief has to happen! No reason why the CBSO appointment should get in the way.

[Chris Newman]

My experiences with the BBCSO this season are that they are in tremendous form and give the Philharmonia a good run for their money as Britain's best.

I cannot see Ed Gardner leaving ENO just now to take over at their helm. Semyon Bychkov enjoys his freedom according to several interviews. My betting is on another youngster: Lionel Bringuier if he does not accept too many more positions.

[Bryn]

Well, Waldmarchen was played complete tonight of course, and very beautifully, so...

The trebles are the voice of the bone-flute, and it's precisely their un-operatic nature that, for me, makes them so effective: distant, innocent yet knowing, otherworldly, but always dark - a nemesis. Quite an original use of them too, as fairy-tale ghosts; Chichester Psalms or War Requiem evoke a more conventional sense of innocence with boys' voices, though still bold and very moving of course.

I eagerly tuned in to the premier of the original version of Das Klagende Lied when Nagano conducted it. There was quite a tussle at the time over who should get the honour of directing its first performance. I was somewhat disappointed with the results (with particular regard to the boy soloists) at the time, and hoped the CD issue, recorded around the same time, would offer them a more enticing balance. To my great regret, I feel it did not, and I feel the same about this year's Prom performance. It's clear enough what the composer was aiming at. I just feel he did not achieve his aims in this instance, and that he much improved Parts 2 and 3 by removing the boys' contributions from them. With all its clashes of style and orchestration, I find the prefacing of the revised versions of Parts 2 and 3 by what Mahler left us of Part 1 rather more effective than returning to his original versions of Parts 2 and 3 as Part 1's complement. Heresy, maybe, but think it works better.