2012 - The Song is Over...

[french frank]

I thought it was actually 'HIPP' or more correctly 'H.I.P.P' meaning 'Historically informed performance practice'.

I was about to say that - in which case 'HIPP performances' would be all right ...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I thought it was actually 'HIPP' or more correctly 'H.I.P.P' meaning 'Historically informed performance practice'.

Quite so! I'll just wait for Helio to finish with the revolver.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I was about to say that - in which case 'HIPP performances' would be all right ...

"Historically Informed Performance Practice performance" ... hmmm. S'pose so.

[PhilipT]

"Historically Informed Performance Practice performance" ... hmmm. S'pose so.

I once had a colleague (in the world of computer software) who sat on an international standards committee called the Structured Query Language Language Committee ...

[IRF]

The reason for the "" is that some (far too many IMV) people who self-as for ambient noise in concert halls

I've got a great idea for a piece,

in three movements
and lasting just over four and a half minutes

A couple of years ago I went along to a performance of just such a piece. Alas, my enjoyment of it was greatly spoiled by the ambient noise coming from the audience.

[IRF]

I know, folk audiences are the worst...endless yabber, or deep reverential silence. They cannot get it right !

No, rock audiences are the worst! They just can't sit still, usually heading off to the bar every few minutes for a refill. And as for chattering... they don't talk, they shout in order to make themselve heard over the amplified music.

I have been to rock gigs where the singer has made an appeal from the stage for silence, and others where a noisy crowd at the back has been ejected! (That's not counting the one in Hull where a fight broke out and they were dragged out... )

[pilamenon]

The Cage centenary concert was the definite highlight for me.

The Beethoven/Boulez series was also very rewarding.

[Hornspieler]

A good time to consider the 2012 season as I have found it, so I must make it clear that what I write is my own reactions based on my limited interests in the fare offered for promenaders and listeners:

My definition of a Henry Wood Promenade concert conforms to certain criteria:

a) It should take place in The Royal Albert Hall.
b) It should involve an orchestra, with soloists, and/or choir as required.
c) Operas and musicals require scenery, costumes and movement and should be on stage in theatres – not concert halls. The orchestra should be out sight in the pit.
d) Working on this admittedly narrow viewpoint eliminates Proms 2,3,7,8,11,17,20,24,30,36,38,40,44,47, 60,62,66,68,70 and 72 from my consideration.

I chose to ignore the First Night and the Last Night as a matter of total disinterest.

I recorded most of the other proms on my detachable hard drive, so that I could readdress my first reactions, and I did watch all of the televised proms.

The Beethoven Cycle
I enjoyed symphonies 2, 4 and (to my surprise) 9! The rest were very run of the mill and Barenboim, a fine musician, did not impress as a conductor or interpreter.*

Mendelssohn
Well, I like Mendelssohn’s music, but the Leipzig orchestra’s offering was, to me, a bit of like a three course meal consisting of Poached Egg on Toast for starters, Fried Egg and Chips main course, and a Cheese Omelette for the sweet course. I would like to have heard this fine orchestra in a more varied programme.

The Broadway Sound
John Wilson and his orchestra were a disappointment after last year’s “Hooray for Hollywood”

Vienna Philharmonic/Haitinck
Two fantastic concerts by my all-time favourite orchestra.

Berlin Philharmonic/Rattle
Sorry, but to me they sounded tired and disinterested . Just playing the notes is not good enough from an orchestra of international reputation.

Sao Paulo Orchestra/Marin Allsop
Who decided to invite this orchestra?
The only worse performance that I’ve ever heard of Dvorak’s New World symphony is the one that I was playing in at the age of 15.

St Louis Symphony Orchestra/Dudamel
Not much better. One of our own regional orchestras should have been awarded this concert.

I thought that the mix of “classical” and contemporary music was overdone. It was as if the BBC decided “…if you want to enjoy this, you have to listen to this one first.” That goes both ways – for traditionalists like me, or aficionados of “new music” (for want of a better description!)

•In general, I thought there were too many youth orchestras this year. The problem is that string instruments of quality are out of reach of the young players or their parents. No Strads, Guarieries, Amatis or Gaglianos – so the sound quality is bound to suffer and almost doubling the number of players is not the answer – it is simply going to imperil the ensemble. Particularly noticeable to me even in the Beethoven cycle.

To end on a glad note, before running for shelter:

I would nominate the Vaughan Williams symphonies, 4,5 and 6 , as the outstanding concert of this year’s proms and the Bernstein Mass as “The Prom of the 21st century"..

Good day to you all,

Hornspieler

[gurnemanz]

c) Operas and musicals require scenery, costumes and movement and should be on stage in theatres – not concert halls. The orchestra should be out sight in the pit.

I agree, of course, in principle, but circumstances may dictate a need for flexibility. I became a Parsifal adherent when as a young man (ein reiner Tor, I suppose) I borrowed a Knappertsbusch LP set from the library and illicitly copied it to reel-to-reel tap for future use. Staged Parsifal performances are hard to come by and you have to make the most of what you can get. I saw two live concert performances in the 1970s - Boulez over two nights at the Proms and Herbert Kegel/René Kollo in Leipzig. It was another 25 years at least before I was able to see it live.
We greatly enjoyed the Trojans at the Proms and I think someone on this board actually commented that they got more out of the concert performance than the ROH show. I was very happy to be able to have the French original text available in the programme as well as an English translation.

[antongould]

Seems you have no reason to run for shelter sir - but I have just managed to find time to listen to the second Ratlle / Berlin Phil. Prom and if that is an orchestra just going through the motions then I'd certainly like to hear them playing to please! Both the ecstatic reception on the night and the thread on the Prom hereabouts would suggest I don't possess the only set of cloth ears in the UK.

[Ferretfancy]

David,

Can you tell me what the final total for the Musical Charities was ? I had to miss the Arena for the last ten days in order to get a new knee, it's up and working nicely, so hears to next season!

Bws

Ferret

[salymap]

David,

Can you tell me what the final total for the Musical Charities was ? I had to miss the Arena for the last ten days in order to get a new knee, it's up and working nicely, so hears to next season!

Bws

Ferret

Glad the knee is working well Ferret. I'd like to know the Charities total too, and how it is to be split this year. bws

[PhilipT]

You might want to follow https://twitter.com/PrommersCharity. The PMC treasurer is currently on a well-earned holiday in Italy, and I think we'll have to wait until he gets back for exact figures. But I can tell you that the collection on the Last Night was over £4,200, on a par with the highest ever recorded for a single concert, and the final total over £86,300, with some adjustments (e.g. foreign exchange) to come.

[salymap]

Thanks for link Philip T

[David Underdown]

Philip's beaten me to it, but I'll point out that http://www.facebook.com/promenaders.musical.charities also carries the updates. The final total and how it's been distributed probably won't be announced until after the trustees' meeting at the start of November.

As to other matters raised on this thread, I suspect the high proportion of youth orchestras etc is in part due to theOlymic thread and "inspiring a generation", likewise the visit of Sao Paulo as Brazil are the next host nation