Prom 42: Monday 15th August at 7.30 p.m.(Swan Lake)

[BetweenTheStaves]

On the subject of ballet we drove down to ROH on Friday for the Mariinsky Bayadere. Not my choice but that of LOML who has always wanted to see this. If I never have to see another classical ballet or listen to anything else by Minkus ever again then I will die a very happy man.

Oh apologies to anyone who was there also on Friday. That very loud and involuntary guffaw that you heard when that very naff dead tiger was carried onto the stage came from me. Sorry.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Listening to the concert on Freeview, the sound seems to have compressed dynamics. This is not BBC sound at its best.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Ah, they are running Acts I & II together. Never a satisfactory arrangement as it means playing two versions of the swan theme in succession, but there was little esle they could have done, other than to have omitted one of them (which sometimes happens in performance).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I have three "complete" recordings of Swan Lake and a Kalmus full score, but some of the Act IV music being played has no relationship with any of them. I must be in a parallel universe or else I am dreaming. The 1895 version was a travesty that included extra bits of Tchaikovsky and other composers, as well as significant cuts. I think that was the version on the Decca Ace of Clubs recording, recorded in the 1950s.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I have three "complete" recordings of Swan Lake and a Kalmus full score, but some of the Act IV music being played has no relationship with any of them. I must be in a parallel universe or else I am dreaming.

No, Gergiev is using the Drigo edition of the score, unfortunately. He used it on his Decca recording too.

[johnb]

I noticed that Sara Mohr-Pietsch crashed into the start of the second half.

I'm sure that doing the announcing is much more difficult than it seems but when will they learn that less is often more.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well it was interesting to hear it for a change, but so much of Tchaikovsky's music was cut. I've suddenly gone all HIPP.

[amac4165]

well it made for a nice accompaniment to the ironing and the jam making

Couldn't help thinking - I wish they were doing a Shostakovich Symphony ! - I still remember no4 from a few years back


amac

[johnb]

well it made for a nice accompaniment to the ironing and the jam making

Couldn't help thinking - I wish they were doing a Shostakovich Symphony ! - I still remember no4 from a few years back


amac

I was there for the 2002 Mahler 4 (Gergiev/Kirov as it was then called).

Incidentally I took a friend who was totally new to classical music. It was her first classical concert and probably the first time she had listened to a major classical work. She was totally electrified by the experience. We drove back to Bristol and watched the video recording all over again (it had been broadcast live on BBC2).

[BudgieJane]

The program notes seem to be very apologetic about its being the Drigo version. I would much rather have the composer's original version.

It was rather interesting following the (original version) score tonight.

[Ferretfancy]

For my first time ever, I left a Prom at the interval. It seems to me there are two ways of doing Swan Lake, whatever the performing version used. One is to see the work as a symphonic drama, the other is to play it at dance tempi and rhythm. Tonight's performance was neither one thing or the other. Gergiev tended to bash his way through the vigorous sections with little or no regard for dynamic shading, while allowing the orchestra more leeway in the gentle sections. The famous Act I solo violin was almost comical in its lack of panache, nearly grinding to a halt.

When the LSO played Sleeping Beauty for him at the Proms in 2008, Gergiev famously arrived at the hall from Moscow with only an hour to spare. However I've no doubt that he could rely on others following his markings at rehearsals before he appeared on the scene. Unfortunately the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra were in the pit at Covent Garden with a different conductor last night, with the result that at the RAH they seemed unprepared.

A very disappointing evening, but luckily as a season ticket holder I need not grieve too much !

[jayne lee wilson]

Johnb, listening on HDs 320 AAC (oh I wish they'd stuck with XHQ, or just HQ, like the japanese CDs), I can report subjectively a fine balance and a wide dynamic range, with the character of the orchestra, warm and full, as well as its power and tightness of ensemble very apparent. Yes, Ferretfancy, Gergiev does often seem to "dispatch" quicker music without much characterisation (and not only in Tchaikovsky, I remember that DSCH 4 and thought it too "literal") but I enjoyed the evening nonetheless, surprised to find myself keen to return after the interval (at least partly because of the sonic character of the orchestra itself). At home I felt this was a truly idiomatic "Tchaikovsky" sound.

Hope I get a few more responses to these posts, or I'll go into Paranoid Android mode and switch myself off. I know there's a lot of old friends around here but... old friends? Don't talk to me about old friends...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The program (sic) notes seem to be very apologetic about its being the Drigo version. I would much rather have the composer's original version.

It was rather interesting following the (original version) score tonight.

I bet that was a challenge, JS with so much first-rate material cut and all those additions (allegedly approved by the composer, probably as a compromise to get the work performed again).

[Ventilhorn]

The famous Act I solo violin was almost comical in its lack of panache, nearly grinding to a halt.

When we played for the Bolshoi Ballet at Covent Garden, far too little rehearsal time was allocated for the numerous works that were to be performed; in spite of the fact that we had a four hour rehearsal every morning and ended up having earned thirty seven hours of
overtime in a fortnight . The language barrier did not help and some of the early performances had their dodgy moments.

On the first night that we played the full version of Swan Lake, the Lithuanian conductor, Algar Zuriaitis , (we called him Neuritis!) sent for the Leader and all the Principals; in the interval between the second and third acts. A young violinist from the back desks, who had learnt to speak Russian in the Royal Navy, was sent with us to act as interpreter.

Mostly, it was to comment on points of interpretation and style. Then he addressed himself to the Leader.

There followed a stream of vituperation that must have lasted all of four minutes. He turned to the young fiddler. “Translate!”

The young man, who had only been in the orchestra for a matter of weeks and was still on trial, was placed in an impossible situation. He hesitated for a few moments and then said “... er ... well, he says you're not quite giving him what he wants.”

Later, a group of us sought out the youngster and asked exactly what had been said. (The Leader of the orchestra at that time had a circle of friends which was insufficient to make a complete circle.)

“Well,” he grinned. “He didn't actually mention the Siberian salt mines ...”

Good morning all!

VH

[Ferretfancy]

Ventilhorn

Nice one! Off in a rush this morning, but I've got a couple of questions for you later!
Ferret