Prom 4 - 20.07.14: Mahler 6 etc, World Orchestra for Peace, Gergiev

[french frank]

...and this?

2014 Unesco Peace Concert
We have just learned of the cancellation of the World Orchestra for Peace's tour which was scheduled to perform in the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence. We apologise for this programme change.
http://www.festival-aix.com/en/node/2067

The tour cancelled, rather than the concert? Did they sense possible trouble? The Proms now have form ...

[MrGongGong]

I suppose there are no Jews other than Israelis?

And that adherents of Islam or Christianity never bomb anyone?

You can't really be a "Christian" and bomb anyone
You can be a member of the church and go along with it's doctrines and all that stuff.
But if you follow what the beardyman did (which is supposed to be the idea I always thought ?) you can't be a Christian and kill people.

If you really where an "adherent" (and i've met many) you wouldn't be able to do many things that are done in our name (and the names of others).

whether, or how far, politics should be "allowed" to affect the performance of music is a huge question.

I don't think its that difficult really.
Thinking that culture has nothing to do with politics is a bit foolish IMV
Which is NOT to say that we shouldn't perform music by composers who's politics we maybe disagree with
but Gurgiev conducting a concert for "Peace" stinks and really we shouldn't be encouraging him.

What would "saint" Daniel do ?

[Petrushka]

The tour cancelled, rather than the concert? Did they sense possible trouble? The Proms now have form ...

There was little likelihood of trouble when this concert would have been booked. A lot had changed by the time Proms booking opened. The Aix Festival website gives no reason for the cancellation and we can read into that what we may. I'm booked in for Sunday's Prom and to be honest, am expecting trouble though had rather hoped it would all have died down by the time of the concert.

Have the BBC made any announcement in the light of the Aix cancellation?

[CallMePaul]

I was shocked to hear Petroc Trelawney, of all people, say while presenting tonight's Prom, that he was pleased to have seen Valery Gergiev rehearsing at the RAH. Petroc, of course, has had his own problems with an evil warlord turned dictator, namely Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe for trying to promote western classical music to deprived black Zimbabweans - highly subversive activity of course!

In view of Vladimir Putin's clear involvement in the horror in Ukraine yesterday, I would hope that UK Border Force will arrest Gergiev, put him in a detention centre and on the first plane back to Russia, his passport endorsed "undesirable alien". The LSO should sack him as its Musical Director without notice. I hope that both the Proms he directs will be unable to go ahead because the audience will not allow him to appear on stage. If I lived in London I would probably attempt a citizen's arrest and hand him over to immigration authorities - he is not welcome in this country (and I hope the Rotterdam Philharmonic also sacks him as its Musical Director) and I hope that audiences show their disapproval by returning tickets to the box office!

[vibratoforever]

Gergiev deserves at least the same reaction that was shown to Svetlanov and the USSR SO at the Proms in August 1968.

[Aotearoa]

Giergiev announced his support of Putin's actions in Ukraine earlier this year - keep politics out of music and we all say.
Our little town in No-where, New Zealand mourns the senseless murder of one of our residents whose body currently lies in a field in eastern Ukraine.

[pastoralguy]

Giergiev announced his support of Putin's actions in Ukraine earlier this year - keep politics out of music and we all say.
Our little town in No-where, New Zealand mourns the senseless murder of one of our residents whose body currently lies in a field in eastern Ukraine.

[pastoralguy]

Are there going to be protests tonight? Thoughts?

[MrGongGong]

Are there going to be protests tonight? Thoughts?

I would imagine so

[LeMartinPecheur]

All still quiet on the western London front apparently...

[Norrette]

He received reasonable applause by the sound of it. I'd be interested to know how many seats were empty. I changed my mind about booking the Leningrad, but if the general public aren't aware then he won't know of the dissent.

However, I wonder what Shostakovich's contemporaries said of him when he stayed under Stalin?

[Bryn]

He received reasonable applause by the sound of it. I'd be interested to know how many seats were empty. I changed my mind about booking the Leningrad, but if the general public aren't aware then he won't know of the dissent.

However, I wonder what Shostakovich's contemporaries said of him when he stayed under Stalin?

Shostakovich can hardly be said to have been a friend of Stalin. Here's what is said to be his 'portrait' of იოსებ ბესარიონის ძე ჯუღაშვილი. a.k.a. Joseph Stalin :

[Beef Oven!]

I would imagine so

Imagine, being the operative word.

[pastoralguy]

Sounds like the orchestra are protesting themselves. Let's try to stay together, chaps.

[maestro267]

Thankfully no disturbances so far. Hopefully it'll stay that way through the Mahler. There's a time and place for protest, and the concert hall is not it. Don't put it out on the musicians who have taken the time to rehearse and present this wonderful music to us.

I hate how people go so over the top about these things.