Prom 15 (25.7.12): Smetana, Prokofiev & Dvorák

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Wednesday 25 July at 7.30 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 in E minor, 'From My Life' (orch. Szell) (28 mins)
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major (22 mins)
Dvorák: Symphony No. 7 in D minor (35 mins)

Vadim Gluzman violin
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Jirí Belohlávek conductor

Jiri Belohlavek conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Dvorak's passionate 7th symphony and Vadim Gluzman makes his debut at the Proms as the soloist in Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1

George Szell's orchestration of Smetana's autobiographical and poignant first string quartet, 'From My Life' makes its first appearance at the Proms tonight, as does tonight's tonight's artist, Vadim Gluzman. He joins the BBC Symphony Orchestra to perform Prokofiev's magical first Violin Concerto. And from the fairy-tale romance of the latter to the dark passion of Dvorak's Seventh Symphony - its premiere was directed here in London by the composer himself.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Now is some purist going to say the first work "isn't Smetana?
I love every work in this programme.

[Bryn]

Well it's Smetana, but not as he knew it. Also, if memory serves me, it's nothing like as messed about with as Harty's work based on that of Handel.

By the way, I do think of Schoenberg's orchestration of the Brahms Piano Quartet as as much Schoenberg as Brahms. A similar regard applies to Schoenberg's Cello Concerto after Monn.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It took me many years to recover from studying Dvorak's 7th as a set work at university in 1971. I didn't listen to it for many years after that, but eventually returned to it with fresh ears.

[salymap]

A lovely programme but will reserve judgement on the Smetana.

[Serial_Apologist]

By the way, I do think of Schoenberg's orchestration of the Brahms Piano Quartet as as much Schoenberg as Brahms. A similar regard applies to Schoenberg's Cello Concerto after Monn.

I couild well be wrong here, , bit afaik the Brahms is effectively note-for-note transcribed for orchestra, whereas I do know that the Cello Concerto after Monn is a major reconstruction of the 18th century original.

[PJPJ]

Found on unsungcomposers, Szell writing about the Smetana

"Two-and-a-half years ago the idea came to me to arrange an orchestration of this famous Smetana quartet. I delayed a long time, thinking of all the arguments against arranging the works of a great composer. In general, I am in entire sympathy with such arguments, but in this case I reached the opposite conclusion. Smetana himself had doubts as to the reception of this composition: he wrote that others would have to judge the style of the quartet and that he would not be surprised to find that they did not like it, since it was contrary to the usual familiar form of the string quartet. In fact, the numerous great arpeggios prove that four instruments were not enough for Smetana to express his musical thought. In the Polka of the second movement he gives the indication ‘like a trumpet’ (quasi tromba) whilst the many tremolos sustaining the full melodies also have an orchestral character. All these considerations made me decide to arrange this Czech masterpiece for orchestra. It deserves wider musical horizons in orchestral form than are possible, or have been possible up to the present, for the string quartet. I have not changed a note or made any alteration to the harmony which would disturb it. In choosing the symphonic form, familiar to Smetana in his compositions, I have simply underlined the musical thought of the original Smetana expression."

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

If one musician can add something to the creation of another, is that a bad thing?

[PJPJ]

No, I don't think it is. Excellent concert......

[amac4165]

No, I don't think it is. Excellent concert......

Back from the hall and not an Olympic lane transgressed ! Indeed it was - best Orchestral concert so far IMHO. Not sure the Smetana was at its best but the rest of the concert was very very good indeed.

amac

[cloughie]

Now is some purist going to say the first work "isn't Smetana?
I love every work in this programme.

I have no problem with this kind of arrangement - it is a whole work orchestrated, what I dislike is composers/arrangers second guessing what a composer might have written from a few scrappy sketches!

[Hornspieler]

Back from the hall and not an Olympic lane transgressed ! Indeed it was - best Orchestral concert so far IMHO. Not sure the Smetana was at its best but the rest of the concert was very very good indeed.

amac

Yes. A far cry from what we have been hearing for the past few days.

However, I agree with Salymap's forebodings about the Smetana. Very clever, but it doesn't work, does it?

An excellent violin soloist - did the sound mixer forget to fade up his solo mic at the very beginning of the Prokofiev?

Scintillating and exciting Dvorak 7. I have never been able to understand why it is Smetana and not Dvorak who is regarded by the Czechs as their national composer. (and I heard that statement standing outside the Smetana Hall in Prague from one of the locals).

HS

[salymap]

Yes. A far cry from what we have been hearing for the past few days.

However, I agree with Salymap's forebodings about the Smetana. Very clever, but it doesn't work, does it?

An excellent violin soloist - did the sound mixer forget to fade up his solo mic at the very beginning of the Prokofiev?

Scintillating and exciting Dvorak 7. I have never been able to understand why it is Smetana and not Dvorak who is regarded by the Czechs as their national composer. (and I heard that statement standing outside the Smetana Hall in Prague from one of the locals).

HS

So far I've only heard the Smetana. Very clever but for me it lost the 'bite' 'sharp edge' of the original quartet which I often listen to.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

However, I agree with Salymap's forebodings about the Smetana. Very clever, but it doesn't work, does it?

I thought it worked well. However, previous knowledge of the quartet is bound to influence one's perception. Supposing Szell's orchestration had come first and we had just heard a string quartet arrangement. We might be saying:
"That was very nice, but it lacks so much of the impact and depth of the original."

[salymap]

I thought it worked well. However, previous knowledge of the quartet is

bound to influence one's perception. Supposing Szell's orchestration had come first and we had just heard a string quartet arrangement. We might be saying:
"That was very nice, but it lacks so much of the impact and depth of the original."

Not for me EA as I now have bad tinnitus, like Smetana. I find chamber music and solo instruments generally are the only things I really enjoy listening to.