Prom 53 - 22.08.13: Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Prokofiev

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

7.00pm – c. 9.55pm
Royal Albert Hall

Tchaikovsky
Fantasy-Overture 'Romeo and Juliet' (21 mins)
Wagner
Wesendonck-Lieder (21 mins)
INTERVAL
Prokofiev
Symphony No. 5 in B flat major (40 mins)

Anna Caterina Antonacci soprano
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor

Tonight's Prom features the Rotterdam Philharmonic and opens with a tale of doomed love in Tchaikovsky's Fantasy-Overture 'Romeo and Juliet', conducted by the orchestra's charismatic Canadian Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. They are then joined by Italian soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci for Wagner's 'Wesendonck Lieder', a song-cycle written by the composer while he was infatuated with Mathilde Wesendonck, the author of the poems, and the wife of Wagner's patron. The second half of the concert is devoted to Prokofiev's bright and energetic Fifth Symphony in B flat major.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I've yet to hear this orchestra. In fact, I've heard very few Dutch orchestra's other than the Concertgebouw. I once had a Fidelity LP of Beethoven's 9th with the Amsterdam Philharmonic (which "Which?" magazine claimed was a pseudonym, their review of cheap label LPs).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

James Conlon made some excellent Liszt recordings with them on Erato in the '80s - as a Lisztosceptic, they made me realize what others have been going on about in this Music. There was also a splendid Debussy disc, the most familiar item on which was Jeux (others were Khama and King Lear.

And I "remember" Edo de Waart recording the Scriabin orchestral works with them in a Phillips boxed set from the late '70s. That the performances didn't set the world ablaze (as Muti was to do within a decade) wasn't the orchestra's fault.

[Hornspieler]

James Conlon made some excellent Liszt recordings with them on Erato in the '80s - as a Lisztosceptic, they made me realize what others have been going on about in this Music. There was also a splendid Debussy disc, the most familiar item on which was Jeux (others were Khama and King Lear.

And I "remember" Edo de Waart recording the Scriabin orchestral works with them in a Phillips boxed set from the late '70s. That the performances didn't set the world ablaze (as Muti was to do within a decade) wasn't the orchestra's fault.

Edo de Waart was formerly an oboist in the Concertgebouw orchestra. I have never heard the Rotterdam orchestra, but I have played in their magnificent de Doelen concert hall* (Rite of Spring with George Hurst and the BSO) and Edo de Waart did conduct a couple of concerts with us in Bournemouth.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotterd...onic_Orchestra


HS

[Nick Armstrong]

James Conlon made some excellent Liszt recordings with them on Erato in the '80s - as a Lisztosceptic, they made me realize what others have been going on about in this Music.

Whilst not going quite as far as the final phrase there, ferney, I'd agree and say that there was a revelation for me in the shape of the orchestrated version of 'Legend' St Francis de Paule Walking on the Water - still my favourite Liszt piece, and available here for a princely 89 pennies:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...=dm_mu_dp_trk5

[Simon B]

This will be the first of three Proms (along with the Warsaw Phil and Parsifal) forming the swansong cluster of the season before it fizzles out for me, and I now recall that I have heard the Rotterdam orchestra before. This was at the Proms in 2000 when Gergiev was still their chief conductor. The main entertainment was, er, Prokofiev's 5th symphony. Again!

It does seem to get a lot of performances at the Proms. Though, looking in the archive I'm surprised to see it's only 8 times since 2000 - it seems like every year! I recall it being all a bit polite and well-mannered the last time the Rotterdam orchestra did it - hoping for more of a roller-coaster ride this time. Nézet-Séguin can be notably extreme to watch even by conductorly standards, but the LPO did a pretty lively Prok 5 with him not so long back (though in the interests of balance, Ferret of these pages wasn't so keen IIRC) so here's hoping for some dynamism...

[teamsaint]

somebody tell me this is going to be great....got some queuing to get through, hopefully !!

no doubt there will be things to enjoy.

Plus it gets me up the Q for the world routes Prom.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

somebody tell me this is going to be great

It's going to be great, ts.

[teamsaint]

It's going to be great, ts.

That's good enough for me.

Comfy shoes at the ready...

[mercia]

if you weren't already aware, this prom is on BBC4 this evening, with a half-hour delayed start ( I think it will finish a lot earlier than the first post suggests )

[moeranbiogman]

Does anyone know where the BBC 4 'also in HD' programme can be located? BBC 303 Red Button doesn't seem to mention it?

[cloughie]

Did anyone dislike Anna Caterina Antonacci's voice? I thought it was dreadful.

[Bryn]

Does anyone know where the BBC 4 'also in HD' programme can be located? BBC 303 Red Button doesn't seem to mention it?

I think it's a question of priorities. Sport and 'low' culture takes priority over the Proms.

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?8692-TV-Proms&p=323973#post323973

[DublinJimbo]

Did anyone dislike Anna Caterina Antonacci's voice? I thought it was dreadful.

I agree totally. I switched over on TV to get away from her.

Having channel surfed back again I was surprised to see the Prom still in progress, since the Info button summary made no mention of the Prokofiev.

[cloughie]

I agree totally. I switched over on TV to get away from her.

Having channel surfed back again I was surprised to see the Prom still in progress, since the Info button summary made no mention of the Prokofiev.

I'm now enjoying the Prokofiev.