Prom 34 - 8.08.13: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.15pm – c. 11.30pm
Royal Albert Hall

Vivaldi
The Four Seasons (65 mins)

Nigel Kennedy violin
Palestine Strings
Members of the Orchestra of Life

Following his two Proms appearances in 2008 and his more recent one in 2011 to play solo Bach, Nigel Kennedy returns with Vivaldi's The Four Seasons - with the Palestine Strings from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music as well as members of his own Orchestra of Life. Revisiting a work he recorded to great acclaim nearly 25 years ago, Kennedy brings fresh insights to these visionary concertos, including the addition of his own improvised links between them.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Are they televising this one?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Are they televising this one?

What? The whole of "The Four Seasons"? On present form, that'll be a bit too demanding for what the spotties at BBC4 think their audiences can cope with. More like the odd movement with a voice-over - and (preferably) an minimalist Marimba pattern doodling away in the background.

[Tapiola]

What? The whole of "The Four Seasons"? On present form, that'll be a bit too demanding for what the spotties at BBC4 think their audiences can cope with. More like the odd movement with a voice-over - and (preferably) an minimalist Marimba pattern doodling away in the background.

and an interview with Jamie Oliver or some other celebrity "chef" on how to make the perfect pizza.

[Barbirollians]

Rather a lot of stamping and strange timbres in this account of the Four Seasons- still a darn sight more enjoyable than his execrable 1989 recording of the pieces.

His straight HIPP informed account with the BPO is much the best though .

[Bryn]

Anyone wondering what happened to the encore on the iPlayer 'Listen Again' facility; at the moment it can be found shortly after the start of last night's Late Junction offering. It is quite possible (likely?) that the iPlayer team will re-edit the appropriate files later.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i caught the last forty or so minutes and was entranced and cursing for missing the beginning ... it will be on BBC 4 on the twenty something of August though in what shape &c ....

it was just bloody brilliant!

[Bryn]

Listened to the first 40 minutes or so while driving to work this morning. A very fine HIPP* performance indeed. Kicking myself for not going to it.


* Hysterically Informal Performance Practice.

[pilamenon]

I've relished previous live Proms by NK, was really looking forward to this, and perhaps if I'd been there this time, but for me this Four Seasons mash-up just didn't work at all.

It seemed horribly disjointed, and I just wished that they'd performed the three strands separately or sequentially rather than all the chopping and changing. Nigel's foot-stamping doesn't come across well on the radio either, but in view of the praise above, I'll try to give it another listen in better audio. Being there, it might have been great fun of course.

[Stunsworth]

I listened to the concert in the car last night. I should add that I too have enjoyed Nigel Kennedy's proms in the past.

My reaction varied from 'please stop this awful racket' to 'I'm really enjoying this. As mentioned above, it may be best to listen on better equipment.

[Bryn]

The iPlayer file has now been updated to include the whole concert as broadcast.

[Mr Pee]

http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/prom-34-nigel-kennedy-palestine-strings-orchestra-life

[bluestateprommer]

I've relished previous live Proms by NK, was really looking forward to this, and perhaps if I'd been there this time, but for me this Four Seasons mash-up just didn't work at all.

It seemed horribly disjointed, and I just wished that they'd performed the three strands separately or sequentially rather than all the chopping and changing. Nigel's foot-stamping doesn't come across well on the radio either, but in view of the praise above, I'll try to give it another listen in better audio. Being there, it might have been great fun of course.

FWIW (not much, to be sure), I agree with pilamenon's overall assessment. I admit to being torn between (a) admiration for the musicianship of the Palestine Strings, the Orchestra of Life, NK and the jazz quartet, with (b) irritation at the sense of indulgence and all-over-the-placeness of this concert. The Four Seasons don't need percussion to make their effect, granted that percussion was not an issue in Vivaldi's time, so that the stamping and such on stage got in the way of Vivaldi's musical arguments. Likewise, as one case of NK's indulgence, while I like "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing", and I like The Four Seasons, I don't necessarily like "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" and The Four Seasons crammed together cheek by jowl for no apparent reason. The jazz quartet rendition of the Ellington standard was actually marvelous. It just didn't belong here. Besides that one selection, perhaps the single most satisfactory moment was the encore featuring NK and the young 15-yo violinist, perhaps because there was no "mash-up" there.

Still, as any scientist will tell you, 100% success in all experiments is impossible. For me, this Prom goes into the missed experiment category. I guess that you really had to be there.

[ucanseetheend]

Heard it all before from the same folk who believe the music should be played on the same "Instruments of the period" or "without vibrato" as it was when first played . Yawn,some folk cant adjust , their privilege if they choose of course.

[ucanseetheend]

Ready for the great NK Palestinian Strings concert tonight on BBC4, No doubt the Stalinists at the network have edited out Nige's comments on Palestine .Shameful. I wonder if it had been the Tel Aviv strings with a pro Israeli remark ,edited or not?