Prom 44: Wednesday 17th August at 7.30 p.m. (Russian Music)

[BBMmk2]

Mesmerising performance I would say, Petrushka!

[Alison]

That was some performance of the Shostakovich VC1 with a typically good timpani contribution (Andrew Smith?)

Yes, it sounded very much like Smithy !

[Chris Newman]

If I had turned on without knowing it was a Prom I would have thought it was David Oistrakh playing the Shostakovich VC1. WOW!!

[Alison]

Still think conservative old me prefers the 1911 version of petrushka.

Maybe it depends which version you were weaned on.

[LeMartinPecheur]

That was some performance of the Shostakovich VC1 with a typically good timpani contribution (Andrew Smith?)

I listened to tonight's Shoster vln conc #1 and was also there for the performance last year by Julia Fischer. It's probably not very fair to compare a live pwerformance with an off-air one but my impression is that tonight's was more earthy, passionate whereas Fischer's was more technically perfect, stilll incredibly exciting but perhaps less clearly into the Russian subtext. Anyone else have views??

(I guess a lot depends on whether you think the Russian - Testimony - subtext is really there and important. I do, and have been confirmed in this belief lately by reading "Shostakovich Reconsidered", a strong, closely argued, endorsement of Volkov's veracity and Fay, Taruskin et al's very poor scholarship in their 'refutations'.)

[Chris Newman]

Now that is what I call Tchaikovsky playing!! Radio Three's engineers tried their best to level out the volume but failed to hide the standard of playing from our best orchestra. I wish I had been there but this weekend is too expensive to stretch it further.

[Petrushka]

Now that is what I call Tchaikovsky playing!! Radio Three's engineers tried their best to level out the volume but failed to hide the standard of playing from our best orchestra. I wish I had been there but this weekend is too expensive to stretch it further.

The sound on my hi-fi via Freeview was outstanding, the best I've heard so far this season. I wish I'd gone to this but I am also at the two Haitink Proms and funds wouldn't allow. Pity as it was a very fine evening indeed, comfortably seeing off Gergiev's Maryiinsky band on Monday.

[Roehre]

I guess a lot depends on whether you think the Russian - Testimony - subtext is really there and important. I do, and have been confirmed in this belief lately by reading "Shostakovich Reconsidered", a strong, closely argued, endorsement of Volkov's veracity and Fay, Taruskin et al's very poor scholarship in their 'refutations'.

That makes two of us, LMP.

[Petrushka]

Still think conservative old me prefers the 1911 version of petrushka.

Maybe it depends which version you were weaned on.

I, too, have a definite preference for the 1911 version. The one I was weaned on was LPO/Haitink. I do, though, prefer to have all the drum-rolls between the sections as we had this evening.

[Simon B]

I repeat what I said after last night's RPO Prom which I was also at. The hype around visiting orchestras is so often, well, hyperbolic. Meanwhile the top homegrown ensembles more reliably deliver concerts like this. The Philharmonia were even more impressive than the RPO, which is I suppose what you'd expect, but nevertheless a compliment. The violin concerto was the most riveting performance of anything I've heard in a long while. "Intense" is understatement.

Every item in a long programme was played with virtuosity and commitment. Fabulous brass and percussion in particular (yes, Andrew Smith was on his timpani throne - literally and in effect).

And -that's- how to play Tchaikovsky, not what we got on Monday.

For the second year running the Salonen/Philharmonia Prom was cheap at the price and worth getting home at 3AM for IMO.

[alywin]

The violin concerto was the most riveting performance of anything I've heard in a long while. "Intense" is understatement.

Every item in a long programme was played with virtuosity and commitment.

Was it? I suspected as much. I'd hoped to be there, but got delayed, and had to listen to it at home, unfortunately interspersed with the downstairs neighbour's TV, mobile phone conversations and even singing (not in tune - you probably guessed :( ). Very disappointed not to hear it properly.

[Ferretfancy]

A stunning evening, possibly the best Prom I've been to so far. A superb performance of this very intense concerto, riveting to watch and hear from the Arena, followed after the interval by a terrific Petrushka and Francesca. My worst fears about the ending of the Stravinsky were quite unfounded, as they did not play that horrible tacked on ending.
I shall have to check iPlayer to discover what Ms Batiashvili's encore was. It sounded a bit like something by Kreisler, but maybe it was one of Shostakovich's pastiches.

It's interesting to hear comments about the broadcast sound, perhaps its worth mentioning that orchestras can sound very different in the hall, depending on how many bodies there are in the auditorium, or the positioning of orchestra sections on the stage. From the same position each night, I've noticed very considerable differences, and of course the Philharmonia tonight produced much more weight than the Mariinsky. Obviously this will be reflected on air in the work of the engineers.

[Nick Armstrong]

Yes, a terrific concert - very glad to have been there. Highlights definitely the concerto (that slow movement!!) and a wonderfully impactful and precise Petrushka - I thought I knew it well, but I heard so much inside the texture I'd never been aware of before. And what a great solo trumpet! (it's personal, but I could have done without the Tchaikovsky - the orchestra made some wonderful noises though).

Very very impressive stuff from all concerned!

[jayne lee wilson]

Listening as usual on HDs webcast, this was indeed superb sounding - transparent, brilliant, weighty, VERY wide dynamic range, one of the best this season. Petrushka and Age of Gold musically and sonically stunning!

I agree with Ferretfancy, orchestral sound varies considerably at the proms, and I've often been disappointed with even the greatest of visiting bands. Is it simply that their sound, developed in their particular hall, doesn't "translate" well to the RAH with its peculiar demands? Do the BBC orchestras and conductors know how to "play out" into this acoustic better?
Those of you who attend often - does the hall sound more literally "brilliant" with fewer people in it? Again, years ago I heard an engineer in a R3 programme comment that the RAH goes very dry with a packed house (e.g. the last night) and he had to add some artificial reverb...
When unusual rep. is done (presumably often with a smaller audience) it does seem to sound brighter and more spacious here at home, and I've often felt that whether listening on FM, various digital platforms and the AAC 320kbps stream.

Salonen certainly knew how to play it! Some years ago I recall reading a report of him going back halfway into the arena at rehearsal, to judge & balance the sound of his orchestra the better.

A stunning evening, possibly the best Prom I've been to so far. A superb performance of this very intense concerto, riveting to watch and hear from the Arena, followed after the interval by a terrific Petrushka and Francesca. My worst fears about the ending of the Stravinsky were quite unfounded, as they did not play that horrible tacked on ending.
I shall have to check iPlayer to discover what Ms Batiashvili's encore was. It sounded a bit like something by Kreisler, but maybe it was one of Shostakovich's pastiches.

It's interesting to hear comments about the broadcast sound, perhaps its worth mentioning that orchestras can sound very different in the hall, depending on how many bodies there are in the auditorium, or the positioning of orchestra sections on the stage. From the same position each night, I've noticed very considerable differences, and of course the Philharmonia tonight produced much more weight than the Mariinsky. Obviously this will be reflected on air in the work of the engineers.

[Nick Armstrong]

Salonen certainly knew! Some years ago I recall reading a report of him going back halfway into the arena at rehearsal, to judge & balance the sound of his orchestra the better.

Good point - I was going to say that sometimes at the RAH one makes allowances for an orchestra lacking weight or 'edge' or sounding muddy - "oh it's that acoustic"... Well, no it isn't - the Phil and Salonen showed you can achieve everything you need in that place: as you say, you just need to know how - and Salonen plainly does!