Prom 67 - 1.09.13: Arvo Pärt, Britten, Berlioz & Saint-Saëns

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

7.30pm – c. 9.50pm
Royal Albert Hall

Arvo Pärt
Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten (6 mins)
Britten
Violin Concerto (36 mins)
INTERVAL
Berlioz
Overture 'Le corsaire' (10 mins)
Saint-Saëns
Symphony No. 3 in C minor, 'Organ' (36 mins)

Janine Jansen violin
Thierry Escaich organ
Orchestre de Paris
Paavo Järvi conductor

The Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten was written by Arvo Pärt in response to his sense of loss for a composer he had never met but whose music he describes as possessing the "unusual purity" he himself sought as a composer. Britten's own Violin Concerto was written during the composer's war-time years in New York, "I feel so deeply about this piece...one experiences the incredible strength of it" says tonight's soloist Janine Jansen. In the second half of the concert Paavo Järvi leads his Orchestre de Paris in two French works: firstly the Mediterranean swagger of Berlioz's overture 'Le corsaire' and then the weight of full orchestra and organ in Saint-Saëns 'Third Symphony' which concludes a concert that journeys from Estonian introspection to Gallic extrovert display.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Quite an interesting programme, but perhaps an odd positioning of the overture?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Any thoughts?

[ucanseetheend]

I haven't heard the RAH organ since the restoration a few years ago, It certainly sounds pretty powerful, how many pipes?
P.S Did we miss a second encore on the radio?
A quick quiz question what piece of orchestral music does Edward E use the organ but it's often left out in recordings and performances?(answers from memory only)

[Nick Armstrong]

A quick quiz question what piece of orchestral music does Edward E use the organ but it's often left out in recordings and performances?(don't google it)

There's one in the Handley recording of Elgar 2 - slow movement only? I only had that performance for years and years and hence always miss it when it's not there...

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

A quick quiz question what piece of orchestral music does Edward E use the organ but it's often left out in recordings and performances?(answers from memory only)

Could it be the Enigma Variations? The only time the organ is required is the finale, which his publisher, Jaeger, asked him to rewrite.

Ironically, I have a recording of the Enigma Vars transcribed for organ. It works rather well.

[PJPJ]

There's one in the Handley recording of Elgar 2 - slow movement only? I only had that performance for years and years and hence always miss it when it's not there...

and another in Elegy, Op 58, organ beautifully appearing in Boughton's Nimbus recording, and another in Cockaigne. Elgar used the organ in his electric 1920s recording, but it seems absent in the later 1932 BBC SO one.

[ucanseetheend]

Ahh all good attempts but not the piece I'm thinking about . Clue: It's organ or another instrument that Elgar specified could be used.

[mercia]

Sospiri ?

[ucanseetheend]

Sospiri ?

Yes of course Mixed Chorus Harp Organ(or harmonium) and strings. I heard it once in Hereford Cathedral with Organ. Beautiful piece but when performed, and most commercial recordings, it's only with strings and rarely with chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzJ__a1e184

[mercia]

do you mean chorus ?
I think Sursum corda has organ ad.lib. too

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Elgar was remarkably flexible with Sospiri. He didn't even insist on the harp, offering the piano as an alternative.

[Petrushka]

Any views on the concert? I recorded it for future listening as I've been away all weekend so would appreciate views. I was present at the first UK performance of the Cantus on Aug 31 1979 (BBCSO/Rozhdestvensky) but can't recall if the composer was present in the hall. Anyone know?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I was present at the first UK performance of the Cantus on Aug 31 1979 (BBCSO/Rozhdestvensky) but can't recall if the composer was present in the hall. Anyone know?

This one, Pet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ1r8CaRCCE

... unfortunately, the video ends before the applause and (if he was there) the appearance of the composer. I sort-of "remember" that he was - but then, I thought it was earlier than 1979.

[Petrushka]

This one, Pet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ1r8CaRCCE

... unfortunately, the video ends before the applause and (if he was there) the appearance of the composer. I sort-of "remember" that he was - but then, I thought it was earlier than 1979.

Thanks for that clip! It's the first time I've seen it since that night.