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

[Roger Judd]

re. the organ outburst - if you're going to drop one, make it a big one - and they don't come much bigger than the RAH beast!

I was reminded of a Klemperer concert in the RFH with Scharzkopf and Fischer Dieskau in Brahms' Requiem when Ralph Downes made a similarly extremely unattractive and loud outburst at an inappropriate moment - Ms Edwards is in good company, but of course, it shouldn't happen ...

[mlb7171]

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.

At which point the R3 announcer, mid-way into his intro for ASZ, said something like 'applause there for members of the LPO returning to the stage'!

[LaurieWatt]

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.

In general, I agree about airbrushing history but not if one is inflicting repeat performances on an unsuspecting public!

I was so hoping for a really great Prom, but the two works which went very well for me were the Bantock, which was exquisitely played and the ASZ which, apart from the horrible bloomer, I thought an absolutely superb performance. I enjoyed the Prokofiev (which I love) but it really could have done with another rehearsal and I do not agree with our colleagues that the Sibelius was a great performance. It was certainly played well but there was too much air in it. It needs to be much tighter and perhaps a bit manic at the same time, and it wasn't, for all the felicitous beauties of the performance.

[Alison]

How easy is it to edit out something like that, I wonder ?

Must confess that I didn't care too much for the Sibelius either. A really top notch ASZ left me on a high by the end of a typically rewarding VJ Prom. I wonder how cross the conductor was with the bloomer.

[Alison]

No post concert check in from Mr Petrushka ?

[Petrushka]

No post concert check in from Mr Petrushka ?

Worry not, Alison! I've been in London all weekend on a pre-planned treat for my sister and niece and returned back home just an hour ago. No time to even check in on my mobile phone and I find it so fiddly to attempt messages with it despite one or two error-strewn attempts in the recent past.

A terrific Prom and well up to the standard expected of an LPO/Jurowski concert. Such a pity about the organ blooper, it sounded utterly ghastly from my seat, but I'm afraid, as others have already pointed out, she perpetrated the same error, not once but twice and at this level it really isn't acceptable. I wonder if Ms Edwards received the Jurowski version of the Alex Ferguson 'hairdryer' treatment? ASZ was thus completely sabotaged but all that apart this was still a great concert. The Sibelius is one of his works in which I've never really found much to enjoy but hearing it live in concert for the first time, I was much more impressed.

[Alison]

Ah yes, you mentioned the big treat before. Delighted you enjoyed it. I always thought ASZ one of Klaus Tennstedt's more disappointing recordings. In any event, this readily surpassed it.

[Sir Velo]

Interesting to see how critics' opinions diverge. The Grauniad's reviewer took an almost polar opposite view to the Classical Source, finding much to admire in the Prokofiev but criticising the rest of the concert. However, the best and most considered review has come,unsurprisingly, from Ed Seckerson. Furthermore, he has quipped the bon mot of the day with his "cosmic fart"!

[LaurieWatt]

How easy is it to edit out something like that, I wonder ?

Must confess that I didn't care too much for the Sibelius either. A really top notch ASZ left me on a high by the end of a typically rewarding VJ Prom. I wonder how cross the conductor was with the bloomer.

He, obviously was not happy with it but said that accidents happen and was very kind to her. He was crosser about a wrong clarinet entry which I must say I had missed!

[mercia]

He, obviously was not happy with it but said that accidents happen and was very kind to her. He was crosser about a wrong clarinet entry which I must say I had missed!

interesting to get this "insider's" view - was anything said about the missing four bars in the Prokofiev ? ............ which I'm beginning to think I was the only person to have noticed ..........

[LaurieWatt]

interesting to get this "insider's" view - was anything said about the missing four bars in the Prokofiev ? ............ which I'm beginning to think I was the only person to have noticed ..........

No! I heard not a word about it from anyone and I don't know the concerto well enough to have spotted it myself! I will try and find out...

[mercia]

I will try and find out...

well don't go to any trouble, I'm sure you're a busy man
I think it was a straightforward memory lapse - the soloist, in her interview with CC, said the concerto is particularly difficult to memorise

[marvin]

Worry not, Alison! I've been in London all weekend on a pre-planned treat for my sister and niece and returned back home just an hour ago. No time to even check in on my mobile phone and I find it so fiddly to attempt messages with it despite one or two error-strewn attempts in the recent past.

A terrific Prom and well up to the standard expected of an LPO/Jurowski concert. Such a pity about the organ blooper, it sounded utterly ghastly from my seat, but I'm afraid, as others have already pointed out, she perpetrated the same error, not once but twice and at this level it really isn't acceptable. I wonder if Ms Edwards received the Jurowski version of the Alex Ferguson 'hairdryer' treatment? ASZ was thus completely sabotaged but all that apart this was still a great concert. The Sibelius is one of his works in which I've never really found much to enjoy but hearing it live in concert for the first time, I was much more impressed.

As I pointed out in bold, it's all down the women driver's argument again isn't it. Perhaps she had her mind elsewhere.
The Prokofiev 3rd PC, one of most favourite concertos, sounded so wrong right from the very entry of the soloist and frankly it was so underwhelming that my conscienciouness couldn't be sustained and so fell asleep with the thoughts of Argerich in my mind showing us how it should be done.

[LaurieWatt]

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well don't go to any trouble, I'm sure you're a busy man
I think it was a straightforward memory lapse - the soloist, in her interview with CC, said the concerto is particularly difficult to memorise

Hello, Mercia. All I can tell you is that yes she had a memory lapse at the end of the second movement but rather than mess around, as you appear to be the only one who noticed, they went straight into the last movement. Not a great performance, although there was some lovely playing from various departments in the orchestra. A work like that really does need more than token rehearsal! Also, I am gutted that they did not remove the 'cosmic fart' from ASZ for the repeat broadcast. I will have to do so by putting it onto CDR without it!

[Petrushka]

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Hello, Mercia. All I can tell you is that yes she had a memory lapse at the end of the second movement but rather than mess around, as you appear to be the only one who noticed, they went straight into the last movement. Not a great performance, although there was some lovely playing from various departments in the orchestra. A work like that really does need more than token rehearsal! Also, I am gutted that they did not remove the 'cosmic fart' from ASZ for the repeat broadcast. I will have to do so by putting it onto CDR without it!

Perhaps it proved impossible to remove it or they decided to use Sir Velo's argument (see upthread) about airbrushing history. I'll be keeping my recording nonetheless though how often it will get an outing is difficult to say. A memorable concert for wrong reasons!