Prom 29 (4.8.12): National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Saturday 4 August at 7.30 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Varèse: Tuning Up (5 mins)
Nico MuhlyL Gait (20 mins) - BBC Commission London Premiere
Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony (77 mins)
Anna Meredith: HandsFree (12 mins)

Cynthia Millar ondes martenot
Joanna MacGregor piano
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
Vasily Petrenko conductor

One of the highlights of this year's celebration of youth at the BBC Proms is this evening's appearance by the talented National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain as they scale the heights in Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony, an ecstatic song of love.

The huge orchestral forces and soaring solos for the ondes martenot in Messiaen's Tristan-inspired symphony will surely fill the Royal Albert Hall with glorious sounds. Messiaen's twentieth century classic is framed by a BBC commission from one of America's rising talents and Anna Meredith's acclaimed tour de force of clapping, stamping, singing and body percussion, first performed earlier this year by NYO members and commissioned for the PRS for Music Foundation's New Music 20x12 programme as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

[kernelbogey]

This evening's Prom.

I have a tape somewhere of a NYOGB performance of Turangalila some years back that I listened to many times - an absolutely gripping, passionate performance. (I love a bit of Ondes Martinot of an evening.)

[BBMmk2]

This is certainly going to be a challenge for this young orchestra. Biut, whatever music they perform, they rise to the challenge!

[Petrushka]

This evening's Prom.

I have a tape somewhere of a NYOGB performance of Turangalila some years back that I listened to many times - an absolutely gripping, passionate performance. (I love a bit of Ondes Martinot of an evening.)

Possibly with Sir Andrew Davis? I was present at that one and it was superb.

An odd decision to have something after Turangalila - everyone will be in a state of exhaustion by then after what is a very long and taxing programme.

[cloughie]

I love a bit of Ondes Martinot of an evening.

Certainly knocks spots off a burst on the banjo!

[amateur51]

This evening's Prom.

I have a tape somewhere of a NYOGB performance of Turangalila some years back that I listened to many times - an absolutely gripping, passionate performance. (I love a bit of Ondes Martinot of an evening.)

Is this the one kernel?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=170VZGFoTKg

[kernelbogey]

Thanks, Ams - I think it was Andrew Davis conducting (though I'm shocked to find it was eleven years ago...). I now remember that my tape includes the immortal voice of Peter Barker, talking about the 'statue theme' (on brass) and so on. The Youtube clip comes off the tele, with the voice, unless I'm mistaken, of Stephanie Hughes. Where is she now? In fact is Peter Barker still with us...?

[Petrushka]

Thanks, Ams - I think it was Andrew Davis conducting (though I'm shocked to find it was eleven years ago...). I now remember that my tape includes the immortal voice of Peter Barker, talking about the 'statue theme' (on brass) and so on. The Youtube clip comes off the tele, with the voice, unless I'm mistaken, of Stephanie Hughes. Where is she now? In fact is Peter Barker still with us...?

Surely Peter Barker had left R3 by the year 2001?

Edit: A quick glance at the Prom Archive reveals that your tape must have been July 30 1993, Kernel. NYOGB/Mark Wigglesworth. I was present at that one as well. http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/archive/s.../july-30/10829

Proms trivia collectors might recall that that was the night a deluge of rain water came down through the RAH roof scattering those below in the stalls during a thunderstorm. I was on the other side of the hall.

[Simon B]

Tonight's Prom was the first of the 5 I've attended so far this season where the orchestra and its sound seemed adequately big. Whether that says more about the venue or my perceptions is unresolved! The BBCSSO almost got there last night - bar the need for -much- greater impact from the timps. Always the case for the BBCSSO, which I've consequently never really got on with. Anyway, I digress.

Judged by the standards of a professional band, Turangalila would have been "Nearly, but no cigar". For a youth orchestra - no mean achievement. Petrenko's interpretation is a promising work-in-progress, the longeurs of the piece weren't dealt with wholly successfuly. Having said that, concessions to practicality in the shape of tempi that gave the talented NYO players a fighting chance with the highly technically demanding score may have been a factor. Still, a good night.

[antongould]

Thoroughly enjoyed the Turangalila - indeed no mean achievement for a very good youth orchestra.

[edashtav]

All Gas but no Gaiters

no mean achievement for a very good youth orchestra.

I've yet to hear the Messaien but I tuned in for the Varèse ( just a bit of fun?) and Gait by Muhly. The latter disappointed me although the NYO's playing was confident and incisive.
The piece had a lyrical impulse but the textures tended to clot. Despite much rhythmic activity and energy from the kitchen department, frequently the music seemed to stall, to be going nowhere. So, I listened to its bass line and found patterns, much repetition but little sense of direction. I could detect the influence of John Adams and Michael Torke but those two composers don't overload their textures and they impose a sense of travel from A to B. The Muhly may work as accompaniment to a film or, with its rhythmic pulse, could underpin a ballet but as absolute music it failed to sustain my interest. I did detect a firm hand on the rudder and my admiration for Petrenko has been reinforced.

[Bryn]

I've yet to hear the Messaien but I tuned in for the Varèse ( just a bit of fun?) and Gait by Muhly. The latter disappointed me although the NYO's playing was confident and incisive.
The piece had a lyrical impulse but the textures tended to clot. Despite much rhythmic activity and energy from the kitchen department, frequently the music seemed to stall, to be going nowhere. So, I listened to its bass line and found patterns, much repetition but little sense of direction. I could detect the influence of John Adams and Michael Torke but those two composers don't overload their textures and they impose a sense of travel from A to B. The Muhly may work as accompaniment to a film or, with its rhythmic pulse, could underpin a [ballet] but as absolute music it failed to sustain my interest. I did detect a firm hand on the rudder and my admiration for Petrenko has been reinforced.

I think you hit the nail on the head re. the Muhly. I 'switched over' to the glories of the Niquet Prom on BBC2 at 8 o'clock so the Turangalîla-Symphonie will have to wait for its appearance on the iPlayer's 'Listen Again' facility.

[PhilipT]

I really enjoyed this Prom, and I hadn't expected to. I tend to stay away from NYO concerts, because of the audience they attract, but I didn't want to miss a 'Turangalila'. The NYO groupies were strangely absent from the Arena this time, and there were lots of empty seats. Were they put off by the programme, or by the dire warnings of travel disruption by the Olympics?

'Tuning Up' was a simple piece of fun that would not have been out of place at the Last Night. 'Gait' was by far the weakest piece, and could have done with being half the length. 'Turangalila' was fine, IMHO, although the applause between movements did not help, and I thought that Cynthia Millar could have given it a bit more welly in the finale. 'HandsFree' was great fun, slightly spoiled by premature applause. It's a very visual piece - if it doesn't make sense when you hear it then I recommend tuning in to the TV broadcast.

[Vile Consort]

Tuned in to Turangalila but was disappointed and tuned out again. There was something very odd about the balance - it sounded as if the piano was in a small carpeted room elsewhere in the building with the lid closed and the microphone inside. The applause after every movement was very wearing. But worst of all, I felt that it was just slightly beyond the orchestra; in parts it sounded ever so slightly ragged, and I felt they were trying very hard to play all the right notes in the right places and, as a result, didn't quite manage to bring it off.

[Petrushka]

Tuned in to Turangalila but was disappointed and tuned out again. There was something very odd about the balance - it sounded as if the piano was in a small carpeted room elsewhere in the building with the lid closed and the microphone inside. The applause after every movement was very wearing. But worst of all, I felt that it was just slightly beyond the orchestra; in parts it sounded ever so slightly ragged, and I felt they were trying very hard to play all the right notes in the right places and, as a result, didn't quite manage to bring it off.

I was hesitant in posting this but I do think that the BBC need to look again at the repertoire for these NYOGB Proms. I'd agree that the Turanagalila, fine as it was, seemed beyond the reach of these young players. That said, this was a very long and taxing programme and it is no reflection on the players if one says it was too much. The whole thing must have been quite exhausting for them and little thought given for the extreme demands on ones so young.

The NYO have played Turangalila often enough at the Proms now so time to give it a rest or let someone else have a go. There is still plenty in the repertoire - even the core repertoire - that can be both taxing and engaging for players and audience alike and I'd prefer to see a rethink next season.