Prom 12 (23.7.12): Beethoven Cycle – Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Monday 23 July at 7.30 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F major 'Pastoral' (40 mins)
Pierre Boulez: Mémoriale ('… explosante-fixe …' Originel) (8 mins)
Pierre Boulez: Messagesquisse (8 mins)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor (30 mins)

Hassan Moataz El Molla cello, Proms debut artist
West–Eastern Divan Orchestra
Daniel Barenboim conductor

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Wow! Boulez x 2.

The idea is interesting, but...

[Petrushka]

Wow! Boulez x 2.

The idea is interesting, but...

Why 'but'? This will be my first Prom of the season in the RAH and I am greatly looking forward to the juxtaposition of these two giants of music. Just a pity that Boulez will not now be in attendance.

[Hornspieler]

Monday 23 July at 7.30 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F major 'Pastoral' (40 mins)
Pierre Boulez: Mémoriale ('… explosante-fixe …' Originel) (8 mins)
Pierre Boulez: Messagesquisse (8 mins)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor (30 mins)

Hassan Moataz El Molla cello, Proms debut artist
West–Eastern Divan Orchestra
Daniel Barenboim conductor

Symphony Nº 5:
Almost certainly the most recognised. Probably because of its dit dit dit dah opening. ("V" in Morse code) and transmitted by the BBC throughout WW2 to all the occupied countries in Europe.

But the most popular? The most played? Not in my experience. I can only recall two performances with Charles Groves and one under Hugo Rignold.

I await the opening with bated breath! How many times have we heard those three opening quavers emerge as four or more?

Symphony Nº6 (Pastoral):
A complete departure from the style of the previous five symphonies. Was this the inspiration for Rossini's William Tell overture?

I love it. The joy of the first movement, the serenity of the second, the jollity of the third, the terror of the storm and the peace and tranquility of the sunset in the last.

I can't wait to hear it!

HS

[Dave2002]

How long are the queues to get in for these concerts? Do people get turned away? It's sunny today, so one might spend an hour or more at the back of the queue and still not get in. I'm tempted, to a point, though it might be easier to listen on R3 or watch on BBC Four. I assume tickets for seats have all gone.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Symphony Nº6 (Pastoral):
A complete departure from the style of the previous five symphonies. Was this the inspiration for Rossini's William Tell overture?

I would still rank the thunderstorm as the finest musical example of all, despite using a smallish orchestra with nothing added to the normal classical orchestra apart from two trombones. Only 2 timps, and no thunder machine, wind machine or organ. Am I decrying a thunderstorm that does include these extras? Not at all. It's just that Beethoven does it better.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

using a smallish orchestra with nothing added to the normal classical orchestra apart from two trombones.

Don't forget the Piccolo, Alpie (? which sounds like a 1930s Music Hall song!). Sheer genius of orchestration: a 1780s-like orchestra (no Trumpets or Timps) that suddenly becomes the orchestra Beethoven used in the Fifth Symphony, just for these three explosive minutes.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Don't forget the Piccolo, Alpie (? which sounds like a 1930s Music Hall song!). Sheer genius of orchestration: a 1780s-like orchestra (no Trumpets or Timps) that suddenly becomes the orchestra Beethoven used in the Fifth Symphony, just for these three explosive minutes.

At this point, I need the (deceased) emoticon. How could I have missed that, sitting here with the score in front of me?

[BBMmk2]

I dion't think that combining Boulez and LvB was a good idea?

[Bryn]

I dion't think that combining Boulez and LvB was a good idea?

Well, I don't think the Boulez recording of Beethoven's 5th Symphony was that special, except for his inclusion of the repeat in the third movement, but the BBC Legends issue of him conducting the 5th Piano Concerto with Curzon at the keyboard is very fine, and you get the Mozart K 537 thrown in.

[heliocentric]

The miniature Boulez pieces in this programme stand every chance of being swamped by the symphonies on either side. If I were Barenboim (perhaps with more rehearsal time) I'd have replaced them with Figures, doubles, prismes which somehow seems to me the closest Boulez comes to Beethoven's orchestral music.

[pastoralguy]

Symphony Nº 5:


But the most popular? The most played? Not in my experience. I can only recall two performances with Charles Groves and one under Hugo Rignold.

I knew a violinist in the BBCSSO who had NEVER played Beethoven's Fifth in over 30 years with the Orchestra!! Of course they did play it but it always landed at a time when she was either off or was not on the rotation for a cut down band when it was played.

Most odd.

[Bert Coules]

It's a strange and depressing fact, and I accept that it's my loss and probably my fault too, but I'm completely allergic to Barenboim's Beethoven. That "Force of nature" performance (to quote the announcer) has just left me completely cold, uninvolved and unmoved. The whole thing just felt dead and empty. Such a pity.

Bert

[amcluesent]

IHMO, didn't warrant the wild reception at the end of the 5th! And the programming was too eclectic

[Alison]

Lots of emphasis and pointing and shading yet my heart refused to be stirred by the fifth. Hated the piccolo.