Prom 41 - 13.08.13: Borodin, Glazunov, Gubaidulina & Mussorgsky

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

7.30pm – c. 9.50pm
Royal Albert Hall

Borodin
Symphony No. 2 in B minor (28 mins)
Glazunov
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B major (20 mins)
INTERVAL
Sofia Gubaidulina
The Rider on the White Horse (13 mins)
UK Premiere
Mussorgsky
Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Maurice Ravel) (32 mins)

Daniil Trifonov piano, Proms debut artist
London Symphony Orchestra
Valery Gergiev conductor

Valery Gergiev conducts the LSO in a feast of Russian music, in which the UK premiere of Sofia Gubaidulina's The Rider on the White Horse is juxtaposed with Ravel's celebrated orchestration of Mussorgsky's great Pictures at an Exhibition. Daniil Trifonov, who hit the headlines when he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011, makes his Proms debut with Glazunov's rarely heard Piano Concerto No 2, premiered in the first concert in Petrograd (St Petersburg) after the 1917 Revolution.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For some reason, I have a blind spot with Mussorgsky's Pictures.

[BBMmk2]

The Borodin and Glazounov are blind spots for me as well!! Only the Mussorgtsky holds my interest here and with these forces, should be a belter!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For some reason, I have a blind spot with Mussorgsky's Pictures.

A masterpiece of the Piano repertoire, sadly mostly known through various terrible orcastrations: it's like only knowing Chopin through Les Sylphides. From the evidence, Ravel shared this view - producing an orchestration that was so naff that he can only have believed that it would make everyone turn to the original.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A masterpiece of the Piano repertoire, sadly mostly known through various terrible orcastrations: it's like only knowing Chopin through Les Sylphides. From the evidence, Ravel shared this view - producing an orchestration that was so naff that he can only have believed that it would make everyone turn to the original.

I know the piano version is the most HIPP, but it is orchestral in concept, whereas Chopin's music can really only be for the piano.
Would Mussorgsky's original be heard at all in the absence of the orchestrations?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Would Mussorgsky's original be heard at all in the absence of the orchestrations?

Yes. If the work were truly "orchestral in concept", why have there been so many attempts to orchestrate it? They all fail, because Pictures is as much a Piano work as Schumann's Carnaval (or Chopin's Sonatas, or Debussy's Preludes).

[LaurieWatt]

A masterpiece of the Piano repertoire, sadly mostly known through various terrible orcastrations: it's like only knowing Chopin through Les Sylphides. From the evidence, Ravel shared this view - producing an orchestration that was so naff that he can only have believed that it would make everyone turn to the original.

I love the Ravel orchestration and couldn't disagree more about it being naff! Each to his own though and if you want naff then I have to confess a private passion for the Henry Wood orchestration. Wonderfully over the top; huge in every sense. Go to LPO under Nicholas Braithwaite on Lyrita to experience in all its gory glory, fabulously played and recorded, but poor Mussorgsky!

[teamsaint]

The Borodin and Glazounov are blind spots for me as well!! Only the Mussorgtsky holds my interest here and with these forces, should be a belter!

Can't believe you don't go for Borodin #2, BBM.

it Rocks !! Loads of fun, surely?!

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Borodin 2 with the RPO under Ashkenazy was my first London concert - I remember making my way to London on my own for the first time and trying to navigate my way around. Borodin 2 has always been a firm favourite - who cannot fall for that gorgeous horn solo in the third movement?

Gergiev is superb in this sort of repertoire. His Pictures with the Kirov in the Barbican some years back was superb. I also look forward to hearing Daniil Trifonov in concert, having greatly enjoyed his Tchaik 1 on disc.

[BBMmk2]

Sorry guys! Even after this performance of Borodin 2, it didn't click with me at all.

[teamsaint]

Sorry guys! Even after this performance of Borodin 2, it didn't click with me at all.

Well you tried,at least.

[Petrushka]

Difficult to imagine how the Borodin 2 doesn't 'click', BBM. I have a real soft spot for it. Not the greatest or most profound symphonies ever composed but there's lots to enjoy and I duly did so this evening.

[Nick Armstrong]

Can't believe you don't go for Borodin #2, BBM.

it Rocks !! Loads of fun, surely?!

I'm afraid I'm with Bbm on this. Gave it another try this evening, it's just... gaudy somehow, and the seams are really visible. A dodgy suit of a symphony, in fact... (with a couple of lovely bits of cloth in a couple of places, admittedly)

The Glazunov's a load of old hoo-ey, isn't it! Again, a couple of nice bits - and stunningly played by Master Trifonov by the sound of it.

Here's to the next 100 years!

[rodney_h_d]

.....The Glazunov's a load of old hoo-ey, isn't it! Again, a couple of nice bits - and stunningly played by Master Trifonov by the sound of it.

Here's to the next 100 years!

I'm not sure I've ever heard it before, but I thought that Trifonov's "stunning" playing - as you put it - made it rather enjoyable!

[Nick Armstrong]

I'm not sure I've ever heard it before, but I thought that Trifonov's "stunning" playing - as you put it - made it rather enjoyable!

Nor had I and so did I ! (I don't mind a load of old hoo-ey once in a while, if well delivered!)