Prom 66 (1.9.12): Cameron Carpenter plays Bach (1)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Saturday 1 September at 4.00 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

J. S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in F major, BWV 540 (8 mins)
J. S. Bach: Partita No. 3 in E major for solo violin, BWV 1006 – excerpt (arr. C. Carpenter) (8 mins)
J. S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A major, BWV 536 (6 mins)
J. S. Bach: Chorale Prelude 'Nun freut euch, lieben Christen', BWV 734 (arr. Busoni/C. Carpenter) (3 mins)
Cameron Carpenter: Improvisation on B–A–C–H (c12 mins)
J. S. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E flat major, BWV 552, 'St Anne' (arr. Schoenberg/C. Carpenter) (14 mins)

Cameron Carpenter organ

The young American organ virtuoso Cameron Carpenter brings his extraordinary manual and pedal dexterity to bear on the mighty Royal Albert Hall organ in the first two concerts exploring the works of the greatest composer for the instrument, J S Bach, and his own extraordinary improvisations.

Famous for his prodigious abilities and performance flair, Cameron Carpenter in these concerts plays Bach both in its original form and as viewed through the prism of other composers - including himself: the concert includes his reworking of part of a Bach solo violin partita. Alongside it are a chorale prelude arranged for piano by Busoni, and Henry Wood's and Busoni's arrangements of the famous D minor Toccata and Fugue re-imagined by Camerom Carpenter.

[mercia]

listening

does CC think Bach is such a boring composer that he needs the wurlitzer treatment to be interesting ?

[VodkaDilc]

listening

does CC think Bach is such a boring composer that he needs the wurlitzer treatment to be interesting ?

I'm normally a bit of a purist, but I think we should remember how much Bach liked to arrange the music of others, as well as his own.

There's a lot of snobbery about CC (just as there was about the other, recently departed, CC); but he brings the crowds to the organ. Can't be bad surely!

[amateur51]

I'm normally a bit of a purist, but I think we should remember how much Bach liked to arrange the music of others, as well as his own.

There's a lot of snobbery about CC (just as there was about the other, recently departed, CC); but he brings the crowds to the organ. Can't be bad surely!

Exactly my view on both CCs, vodka.

He's a showman, as Lang Lang used to be before Mr Barenboim got his hands on him (I think).

[Anna]

Listening and enjoying this! No-one has ever played Noel Coward like that!

[Vile Consort]

I'm normally a bit of a purist, but I think we should remember how much Bach liked to arrange the music of others, as well as his own.

There's a lot of snobbery about CC (just as there was about the other, recently departed, CC); but he brings the crowds to the organ. Can't be bad surely!

I am not quite sure what you mean by that remark about snobbery. Surely one can dislike the way the man plays without snobbery? A snob being "one whose ideas and conduct are prompted by vulgar admiration for wealth, social position [or] intellectual superiority" (OED).

[ardcarp]

There's a lot of snobbery about CC

Yep. And I'm joining the snobs. No-one expects HIPP on the RAH beast, BUT there are limits. I had to stop listening soon after the Toccata in F started, but couldn't resist peeking in every so often just to confirm how unbelievably tasteless it all was. He had so much stuff coupled up at times, it sounded is if the Old Girl was in her dying throes. I suppose he puts bums on seats, but then wouldn't a strip-tease act?

Sorry to go on about this, but why does he play (or should I say 'play') Bach???? Why not just do the blood-and-guts repertory which is what the RAH Willis and probably CC (if only he'd admit it) is best at? And how does he go down in Berlin of all places?

[mercia]

he brings the crowds to the organ

yes, I said exactly that on the Curley thread

just wondering what next - oh this Palestrina is a bit dull, let's give it the Big Band treatment, that should liven things up

[amateur51]

... And how does he go down in Berlin of all places?

Pretty well, I'd imagine ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TO-H8x029c

[Contre Bombarde]

Yep. And I'm joining the snobs. No-one expects HIPP on the RAH beast, BUT there are limits. I had to stop listening soon after the Toccata in F started, but couldn't resist peeking in every so often just to confirm how unbelievably tasteless it all was. He had so much stuff coupled up at times, it sounded is if the Old Girl was in her dying throes. I suppose he puts bums on seats, but then wouldn't a strip-tease act?

I agree absolutely. I heard only from his rendering (render: to tear apart) or Evolution of T & F in D Minor and just on my in-ear DAB while walking home across Tower Bridge after an afternoon in my gym and swimming pool. It sounded as if a young student were playing around on a strange instrument and finding out which stop made what sound. Puerile and tasteless. His encore on "These You Have Loved From Old London Town" was the sort of thing I would expect as an improvisation from a Grade V, VI or VII student. OK, but with room to improve given time and maturity. How much more satisfying a more mainstream programme would have been if played by one of our own UK organists. There must be a dozen within walking distance of the RAH more than capable of putting together and performing a stunning mixed programme.

The real issues though to me are 1) How little use this magnificent instrument sees. After the work on it by Manders, at huge and well publicised, cost surely one should expect that it is played and heard far more often. 2) The BBC denies the existence of the organ for 51 weeks of the year and then imposes this sort of concert on the public as its token organ recital. How would Prommers feel if the piano were used only once in the whole series of Proms and then it were played by, say, Jamie Cullum performing his take on Chopin Études? (This is take nothing away from Jamie Cullum who is an outstanding musician in his field, but you get my point...) Why does the BBC have such a disdain for the organ and organists? Occasional airings of those toccatas, usually played too quickly, is about all that is ever heard. By contrast, piano music is aired hourly, day by day. A little balance would be appreciated.

[VodkaDilc]

I am not quite sure what you mean by that remark about snobbery. Surely one can dislike the way the man plays without snobbery? A snob being "one whose ideas and conduct are prompted by vulgar admiration for wealth, social position [or] intellectual superiority" (OED).

Perhaps I should have written 'misplaced purism', rather than 'snobbery'.


CC's version of the D minor Toccata and Fugue has long been a favourite in my CD collection. It's on the CD, 'Revolutionary' and has a DVD with it which includes the Bach - not for the purists, but great fun to SEE what he's doing.

[VodkaDilc]

I had not seen Contre Bombarde's message No 10 when I wrote my last point. The D minor T and F is hugely entertaining in CC's hands (and feet!).

As for the organ being under-used, its contribution to the Bernstein Mass and The Apostles was exceptional. I also recall Dr Arthur Pritchard playing it for hours on end during my Degree Presentation in the Dark Ages (with a wonderful array of entertaining ciphers). I wonder if it's still used on such occasions - or do they have a medley of recorded pop songs?

[Nick Armstrong]

just wondering what next - oh this Palestrina is a bit dull, let's give it the Big Band treatment, that should liven things up

[amateur51]

I agree absolutely. I heard only from his rendering (render: to tear apart) or Evolution of T & F in D Minor and just on my in-ear DAB while walking home across Tower Bridge after an afternoon in my gym and swimming pool. It sounded as if a young student were playing around on a strange instrument and finding out which stop made what sound. Puerile and tasteless. His encore on "These You Have Loved From Old London Town" was the sort of thing I would expect as an improvisation from a Grade V, VI or VII student. OK, but with room to improve given time and maturity. How much more satisfying a more mainstream programme would have been if played by one of our own UK organists. There must be a dozen within walking distance of the RAH more than capable of putting together and performing a stunning mixed programme.

The real issues though to me are 1) How little use this magnificent instrument sees. After the work on it by Manders, at huge and well publicised, cost surely one should expect that it is played and heard far more often. 2) The BBC denies the existence of the organ for 51 weeks of the year and then imposes this sort of concert on the public as its token organ recital. How would Prommers feel if the piano were used only once in the whole series of Proms and then it were played by, say, Jamie Cullum performing his take on Chopin Études? (This is take nothing away from Jamie Cullum who is an outstanding musician in his field, but you get my point...) Why does the BBC have such a disdain for the organ and organists? Occasional airings of those toccatas, usually played too quickly, is about all that is ever heard. By contrast, piano music is aired hourly, day by day. A little balance would be appreciated.

The use to which the RAH organ is put is scarcely a stick with which to beat the BBC, surely.

Your point about organs and organists is well made - why don't you write to the Controller?

[Nick Armstrong]

just wondering what next - oh this Palestrina is a bit dull, let's give it the Big Band treatment, that should liven things up

"Papae Marcelli Choo Choo", perhaps...

"Nigra sum, Brown and Blue"...