Prom 62: Thursday, 1st September at 7.30 p.m. (Israel PO/Mehta)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and its conductor-for-life Zubin Mehta bring a colourful programme to the Proms. They begin with an early score by Webern and are then joined by Gil Shaham for Bruch's ever-popular 1st Violin Concerto. They end their concert in Spain, seen through both native and Russian eyes.

The Israel Philharmonic is 75 years old this year and Bombay-born Zubin Mehta has been the orchestra's Music Director for the last 40 of those years. Their Prom programme reflects his wide musical interests, from the music of 20th-century Vienna (where he was educated) to colourful music that he has always conducted so well.

The concert's second half certainly falls into this category, with pieces by Albeniz describing scenes from his native Spain. They were originally written for piano and have now been given glittering orchestral colours. The sparkle continues with Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Spanish Caprice', based on Spanish folksong and with the orchestra evoking the sounds of guitars and rustic revelry.

Webern: Passacaglia, Op. 1
Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor
Albeniz: Iberia - Fête-Dieu à Séville; El Puerto; Triana
Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol

Gil Shaham (violin)
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Zubin Mehta (conductor)

[PhilipT]

For those who may have missed the recent announcement from the RAH:

Doors will open earlier than usual for this Prom, at 6:00pm, to allow time for bag searches. The Proms Plus event will not be any earlier, so Prommers who attend that event will risk losing their places in the queue. Flags "or other associated items" will be prohibited.

[french frank]

This thread will be reopened for a discussion of the concert. No discussion of the non-musical aspects of the concert will be allowed on the Proms messageboard.

[french frank]

This thread is now reopened - but please remember it is for the discussion of the music and performance.

[Serial_Apologist]

Thanks FF - I hadn't realised there had been "problems"

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm particularly fond of the Bruch 1st Violin Concerto as it is has a theme prophetic of the "summit" motif of a particular tone poem

[Ventilhorn]

I'm particularly fond of the Bruch 1st Violin Concerto as it is has a theme prophetic of the "summit" motif of a particular tone poem

... and I would put Gil Shaham at the very top of today's violinists when it comes to the classical repertoire.

VH

[amateur51]

... and I would put Gil Shaham at the very top of today's violinists when it comes to the classical repertoire.

VH

Not bad in Stravinsky either

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxgHH2eeFQ

Didn't he do a pretty nifty Berg violin concerto last Proms season too?

[Nick Armstrong]

Not bad in Stravinsky either

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxgHH2eeFQ

Didn't he do a pretty nifty Berg violin concerto last Proms season too?

Really engaging player.

Terrific in the Barber'n'Korngold http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barber-Korng.../dp/B000001GLX (didn't need to get it down from the shelf again... up it popped in COTW as I cycled home (I remembered that it's another performance is too sugary - Shaham/Previn is spot on in both )

[Anna]

It may seem an odd reason, but I'm looking foward to the Prom because I picked up a copy of Albeniz's Iberia the other week in a charity shop having never (knowingly) heard it before and I really love it. Also looking forward to the Webern.

[Stunsworth]

Well, that should keep the thread going for a while

[Petrushka]

I know what you mean, Petrushka. But there was and must always be the hope that traditional musical goodwill (the sort advocated by Daniel Barenboim and his wonderfully intentioned West Eastern Divan Orchestra) would succeed. I feel sorrow for Zubin Mehta and the IPO musicians as I did for the USSRSSO, Rostropovich and Oistrakh in 1968. I detested what the Eastern Bloc did on on the 20th of August of that year. I went to the USSRSSO concerts in sadness but to hear the music: then shouted my protest up the road at the embassy by Kensington Palace and went to the extra "Prom" where Barenboim and du Pre repeated the Dvorak Cello Concerto (Sunday Proms were rare in those days). I believe that the arts should be there to build bridges and there must always be hope that they will. I believe that Israel has become the creator of its own woes but it will not be moved to fairness by yobbish behaviour.

Agree with this 100%. What I question is the booking of the IPO in the first place when anyone with half a brain could have predicted the likely outcome. Indeed, when I first glanced through the Proms Guide back in April I said this would happen and instantly crossed it off my list. So, so predictable.

[french frank]

The edited version of this concert is now in the iPlayer.

[tony yyy]

The whole of the Bruch seems to be available via the iPlayer but it seems to be limited to 56Kbps at the moment, unless I'm doing something wrong.

[Chris Newman]

I was out earlier this evening then very strange, I clicked on iPlayer for the first part of the Philadelphia concert with Dutoit and have been given Mehta's Webern Passacaglia complete with Beethoven's Ode to Joy.