Prom 4 - 14.07.13: Les Siècles – The Rite of Spring

[mangerton]

Hope so; will let you know on returning from the Hall

They're bringing so many instruments for the various 'siècles' involved, hope they use them to the full.

Thank you. I shall listen. Please let me know if there is a serpent amongst their plethora of instrumentation, although Gerard Hoffnung did say its use had been discontinued for "security reasons".

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thank you. I shall listen. Please let me know if there is a serpent amongst their plethora of instrumentation, although Gerard Hoffnung did say its use had been discontinued for "security reasons".

Health & Safety gone mad!

[Nick Armstrong]

Please let me know if there is a serpent amongst their plethora of instrumentation, although Gerard Hoffnung did say its use had been discontinued for "security reasons"

We're quite near the band so it should be possible to see what they've lugged over. Might go and hob-nob in the interval or afterwards - they'll probably all be outside cooling down / smoking Gauloises

Is that a spare contrabass ophicleide or are you just glad to be in London...?

Health & Safety gone mad!

[ardcarp]

Is that a spare contrabass ophicleide or are you just glad to be in London...?

Seriously though, can anyone expound upon the different bassoon fingering systems, i.e. French versus German? And assuming they're French ones tonight, does that make it easier or harder to play that famous opening phrase in The Rite? Maybe we'll find out anyway. Lucky duck being there Calibs. Hope you can stand the heat. It's like a furnace here, and we live by the sea!

[ardcarp]

PS To make it really HIPP maybe you ought to throw some rotten vegetables/start a riot?

[Nick Armstrong]

PS To make it really HIPP maybe you ought to throw some rotten vegetables/start a riot?

Noted. There's usually a 100-year old tomato or two in the nether regions of the fridge! Very authentic!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

PS To make it really HIPP maybe you ought to throw some rotten vegetables/start a riot?

[mangerton]

I've just heard SMP say this is a "live prom". What other kind is there?

[gurnemanz]

I've just heard SMP say this is a "live prom". What other kind is there?

That struck me as odd and a statement of the the bleeding obvious. Also getting a bit irritated by her version the conductor's name - François-Xavier Wrote.

[Flosshilde]

I'm just a wee bit sceptical about an orchestra that professes to be expert/competent in so many - & such different - period performance practices. Can it really be so easy to swap from baroque violin to mid-19th century to early 20th?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm just a wee bit sceptical about an orchestra that professes to be expert/competent in so many - & such different - period performance practices. Can it really be so easy to swap from baroque violin to mid-19th century to early 20th?

Advances in HIPP tuition in conservatoires mean that it is becoming much easier for younger performers to be able to adapt quickly to the different mind (and hand) sets needed for the different styles. Not that much different, technically, from a Violinist changing to Viola - or the Jazz people who swap from Flute to Sax etc? I suspect this might become a more frequent occurence in concerts.

[Bryn]

Advances in HIPP tuition in conservatoires mean that it is becoming much easier for younger performers to be able to adapt quickly to the different mind (and hand) sets needed for the different styles. Not that much different, technically, from a Violinist changing to Viola - or the Jazz people who swap from Flute to Sax etc? I suspect this might become a more frequent occurence in concerts.

Not that new a phenomenon, really. One name sums it up for me, Barry Guy.

[jayne lee wilson]

Rather impersonal delivery of the Lully and Rameau selection, I thought. The HDs webstream sound was spacious, clear and present, revealing some nice instrumental colours... pretty, but oh so polite! I was wishing they'd sauce it up a little. Not much dynamic subtlety or variety either, climaxes aside. And that staff thumping on the platform seemed a bit of an intrusive miscalculation against the smallish orchestral forces. In the Rameau, nothing very horse-frightening about the Air pour les Sauvages...

More power & fuller sonority in the Delibes pieces, but still a lack of much lilt or charm...
Massenet - with a grandstand finish, the orchestra FINALLY sound like they're enjoying themselves. More individuality in solos too. And not before time...
I guess this sort of programme might be fun in the hall, but a sequence of short movements, especially given the rather po-faced delivery earlier, can try one's patience at home. "So, to your pleasures", etc...

[amateur51]

That struck me as odd and a statement of the the bleeding obvious. Also getting a bit irritated by her version the conductor's name - François-Xavier Wrote.

I agree

[ardcarp]

Well, I just got my basson francais question partly answered by M.Roth himself. It's harder! But the guy just made a pretty good fist of the opening...how nerve- (w)racking after that build-up.