Prom 64 - 30.08.13: Bantock, Prokofiev, Sibelius & R. Strauss

[Nick Armstrong]

No. He's surely too professional than to draw attention to it.

Sounded to me like the organist using the pedalboard as a lever to adjust his position on the bench, preliminary to a long tacet, without pressing the general cancel to push all the stops in. Easily done, but shouldn't happen at this level. Hope is wasn't anyone I know!

Big thumbs up to the organist from VJ as in "thanks for that, mate "

[Vile Consort]

Bizarre!

[Alison]

Superb performance overall. Formidable intelligence.

[Simon B]

Let's get it out of the way... It looked to me like the organist hit some keys accidentally while she was adjusting stops. Startling, unfortunate but shtuff happens. Anyone who's played an instrument with this potential for conspicuous cockup will know what an ff "spare" feels like. It's bad enough when playing for expenses in the Upton Dupton Sinfonia, let alone this.

Superb ASZ in my view. "Intelligence" indeed, but not at the cost of effect and splendour.

The sight-reading timpanist was very impressive in the second half, going for it like that under those circumstances is the essence of professionalism. Mind you, he's a professor of timps at the RAM and ENO principal so not unexpected.

Some dropping of my own to ineffectually compete with Laurie - you know youth is becoming a distant memory when you can remember the lady playing bass drum in ASZ as a girl of about 12 taking her percussion very seriously in competitions back home. Heartening to see all that talent and dedication paying off.

[LaurieWatt]

Oh 'ee don't 'arf drop 'em...



Hope it's 'alright on the night' !

Oops; not my intention at all. You all, or those of you, which is most, have looked at my profile and know my connection with the LPO. These are routine, if wonderfully routine, things for me and I am just telling as it is! But apologies if anyone thinks I am getting above myself trying to give an inside glimpse on things!

The organist was completely gutted; the lighting in her space was completely different from the rehearsal this morning and she couldn't read her notes to herself. Or shouldn't I be sharing these things with you because I'm "dropping 'em"? Should I tell about my discussion trying to get them to edit this aural turd out of the recording for the replay next week? Perhaps not. Goodnight folks. I thought it was a terrific concert and I love VJ's way with Strauss, but then, some might say, I would, wouldn't I?

[Nick Armstrong]

No no! Do ignore my teasing... The inside stories which surface in various places on the Forum are one of its pleasures! So did something "drop" onto the keys in the ill-lit organ loft, then? Ouch. But in any event, there was a terrific sweep to the performance. Glad it delivered in the hall.

Just listened to the Prokofiev as I was travelling when it was on, and it sounded very much the real thing. Haven't heard the Bantock yet.

[edashtav]

No no! Do ignore my teasing... The inside stories which surface in various places on the Forum are one of its pleasures! So did something "drop" onto the keys in the ill-lit organ loft, then? Ouch. But in any event, there was a terrific sweep to the performance. Glad it delivered in the hall.

Just listened to the Prokofiev as I was travelling when it was on, and it sounded very much the real thing. Haven't heard the Bantock yet.

I tuned in solely for the Bantock, a little of the Prokofiev and the Sibelius so I missed the "happening".

The Bantock was very good - slightly better "etched" by Jurowski than Tod Handley's CD. I'm afraid that I don't rate it that highly amongst Bantock's output - it meanders and shows its roots too obviously. But.. the orchestration came over brightly from the RAH.

A marvellous performance of the Sibelius tone poem, I felt - intense, vibrant, urgent - I have never heard it come so alive. I must admit to bias: the combination of the LPO and Jurowski almost always delights me.

[Sir Velo]

Should I tell about my discussion trying to get them to edit this aural turd out of the recording for the replay next week?

Frankly, I would oppose such airbrushing of history. These things happen in live performance. One feels for the poor organist, but let's not try to pretend this didn't happen. That would be an abuse of position.

[LaurieWatt]

No no! Do ignore my teasing... The inside stories which surface in various places on the Forum are one of its pleasures! So did something "drop" onto the keys in the ill-lit organ loft, then? Ouch. But in any event, there was a terrific sweep to the performance. Glad it delivered in the hall.

Just listened to the Prokofiev as I was travelling when it was on, and it sounded very much the real thing. Haven't heard the Bantock yet.

Forgiven!
No, the organ splurge was a huge careless misjudgment and she simply pulled the wrong thing out or pushed the wrong thing in - whatever organists do to get their registrations. The poor girl had the whole of the Sibelius (she was sitting there) to make her notes clearer to herself because of the lighting! Other than that I loved the concert and thought the Strauss was really fine, but I do share Colin Anderson's view in classicalsource.com that the organ tended to be a bit too loud in the quieter passages.

[mercia]

I'm just listening again to the Prokofiev. Given the comments about the organ "mistake" in the Strauss I feel a bit rotten mentioning it, but I think we lost four whole bars at the end of the second movement of the Prokofiev, do you agree ? A memory lapse, or a different version of the work that I don't know about ?

[Sir Velo]

I do share Colin Anderson's view in classicalsource.com that the organ tended to be a bit too loud in the quieter passages.

I'm afraid I can't take a reviewer seriously who believes that Prokofiev's 3rd PC is the weakest (sic) of the five. Crazy comment!

[Ferretfancy]

During the gap between the Sibelius and the Strauss the same brief outburst from the organ occurred, prompting a short burst of ironic applause from the Arena. It seemed to be exactly the same chord which made us all jump during the performance.I felt very sorry for Catherine Edwards, it must have been very embarrassing for her in the organ loft in full view of the audience.

The concert was a bit of a curate's egg for me. Frankly, I found the Witch of Atlas pretty droopy stuff, and the performance of the Prokofiev rather approximate, to put it gently. After the interval Pohjola's Daughter was superb, and the 'augmented' Also Sprach was fine. How important those belly wobbling pedal notes are !

[mercia]

the timpanist was sightreading ? ;yikes; RESPECT

[PJPJ]

the timpanist was sightreading ? ;yikes; RESPECT

I doubt he'd not played it before - however, playing without rehearsal takes guts and a lot of experience.

[Simon B]

I doubt he'd not played it before - however, playing without rehearsal takes guts and a lot of experience.

Very likely true, particularly in the case of ASZ. As his main job has been in the opera pit for many years, it may have been quite a while, though it's very likely every orchestral player knows how it goes.

The piano concerto on little or no rehearsal is probably... fun.

No wonder VJ gave him two solo curtain calls at the end of the concert!