Prom 4 (16.7.12): Respighi, Ravel and Adams

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Was always hopeless with maths. Here's the link to exactly 50 years ago. Just look, for example, at Proms 15, 33 and 35 -- but really, any one of the season would point up the comparison with today.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/archive/search/1960s/1962

Have just looked at the programme list again -- it's pointless to single out any one concert: all amazing

Wow, look at Prom 4 - I assume Götterdämmerung was after the interval?

[Hornspieler]

Monday 16 July at 7.30 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Respighi: Roman Festivals (22 mins)
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major (22 mins)
John Adams: City Noir (34 mins)

Imogen Cooper piano
Juilliard Orchestra
Orchestra of the Royal Academy of Music
John Adams conductor

I really enjoyed that programme (and I wasn't expecting to!) especially the fantastic playing of Imogen Cooper

I did feel that the Respighi was just slightly beyond their reach - this is an incredibly difficult piece for any orchestra; but the John Adams work was a delightful romp and the students obviously were enjoying every minute.

Good programming

HS

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, wicked finale to the Adams - Rite of Spring becomes the LA Express and Bartok's Mandarin hitches a ride! Finally they crash through the buffers - and end up on Sunset Boulevard scattering the cinemagoers.....

(Why DO those Prom Notes take so LONG to load...)

[antongould]

Listened to the Respighi on my walk and thoroughly enjoyed it - have the rest taped and I am now really looking to it!

[amac4165]

I really enjoyed that programme (and I wasn't expecting to!) especially the fantastic playing of Imogen Cooper

I did feel that the Respighi was just slightly beyond their reach - this is an incredibly difficult piece for any orchestra; but the John Adams work was a delightful romp and the students obviously were enjoying every minute.

Good programming

HS

The Respighi sounded pretty good in the hall -but I can't say I know that well - not even sure if have ever heard it live. I noticed one student in the 3rd or 4th row got in a pickle with the bowing at the end though appeared to run out of bow on the down stroke and had no option to start back up and so ended out of phase with everyone else.

amac

[spasuit]

The Adams piece was dreck, sub Bernard Herrmann doodling that often sounded like a parody of a late 40's Warner Brothers crime thriller. Why was the manuscript not thrown back in his face when he offered it?

[hmvman]

I was there too and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. The orchestra seemed to relish the technical challenges of the music and I was really taken with their precision. From where I was sitting the strings sounded silky smooth. The Respighi was thrilling from start to finish and I thought those young players made a fantastic sound in the final bars (hairs-on-back-of-neck-standing-up moment!) This is definitely my favourite of the three Roman pieces. I hadn't heard the Adams work before so was looking forward to it and it didn't disappoint.

[Barbirollians]

Missed this Prom- listening to the Kovacevich/Davis Emperor and got swept away by it !

[AmpH]

Missed this Prom- listening to the Kovacevich/Davis Emperor and got swept away by it !

I'm not surprised. I get swept away by it every time I listen to it - the finest of all Emperors IMV and part of an exceptional cycle.

[Roehre]

I enjoyed the Adams (through iPlayer), haven't listened to the other pieces.

However: City Noir raises for me serious questions:
-is Adams' recent music becoming increasingly superficial?
-are his brilliant composition technique as well as his brilliant orchestration becoming brilliant but empty gestures?

Listening closely to this score leaves me with a taste of sweet whipped cream: enjoyable, but don't take a second helping immediately, as that might make you sick.

Someone called this "dreck" (msg #21), which is a nice but rather cowardly way to avoid calling it straightforwardly sh*t. Though I disagree with this opinion, I certainly can appreciate where it comes from.

[Roehre]

I'm not surprised. I get swept away by it every time I listen to it - the finest of all Emperors IMV and part of an exceptional cycle.

Barbirollian & AmpH: If you like the Emperor this Kovacevich/Davis way, then IMO you should try the 1962 Casadesus/Rosbaud/Concertgebouw performance - the resemblances are IMO striking: very powerful but nevertheless poetic.

[spasuit]

I enjoyed the Adams (through iPlayer), haven't listened to the other pieces.

However: City Noir raises for me serious questions:
-is Adams' recent music becoming increasingly superficial?
-are his brilliant composition technique as well as his brilliant orchestration becoming brilliant but empty gestures?

Listening closely to this score leaves me with a taste of sweet whipped cream: enjoyable, but don't take a second helping immediately, as that might make you sick.

Someone called this "dreck" (msg #21), which is a nice but rather cowardly way to avoid calling it straightforwardly sh*t. Though I disagree with this opinion, I certainly can appreciate where it comes from.

Maybe merde? This is a Radio3 site after all <G>.

[NickWraight]

The evening taken as a whole was fabulosuly well played by the orchestra with enormous commitment. I liked the way theat Adams pointed up the 20th Century aspects of the Respighi, especially disonances which had not registered before, and really went for it with regard to the Hollywood aspects. The Ravel was disappointing: there seemed to be constant tension between the piano and orchestra/conductor and, sad to say, the soloist made a fair few fluffs and seemed not to have a good idea of the shape of, or know, the work particularly well shown up particularly in the aimless phrasing of the slow movement. 'City Noir' was very enjoyable and brilliantly played and conducted: Adams seems to be a much more confident and effective director now whcih bodes well for Nixon towards the end of the season.

[Bryn]

... The Ravel was disappointing: there seemed to be constant tension between the piano and orchestra/conductor and, sad to say, the soloist made a fair few fluffs and seemed not to have a good idea of the shape of, or know, the work particularly well shown up particularly in the aimless phrasing of the slow movement. ...

Seconded. I was listening in the car, on the way home following in after-work drink and a couple of games of pool. I found the Ravel very disappointingly played.

[Roehre]

Maybe merde? This is a Radio3 site after all <G>.