Prom 5 - 21.07.14: Tonhalle Orchestra, J. Fischer / Zinman

[jayne lee wilson]

Wow! A really brilliant Till! Lovely Dvorak Concerto too - with that characteristic rhythmic discipline and warm, blended orchestral character we've heard from the Tonhalle/Zinman partnership on their CDs of Schumann and Beethoven. Soloist - as one, etc...

A good sound balance on HDs - shame then, that there was some level-boosting through Dvorak (ii) - (iii) where the climaxes became a little fierce, then tamed again later on in the finale. No need for that in a piece like this.

[Barbirollians]

Impressive to make Hindemith sound so interesting and exciting . Should love to hear Fischer live with a conductor that can make sparks Andris Nelsons for example .

Shut up SMP please !

[arthroceph]

Listening ... pfff ... after the Hindemith encore, can anybody remember the Dvorak?

[Barbirollians]

Any Proms controller worth their salt would be begging her to come back and play the Hindemith concerto after that !

[Lento]

Questions like 'how good is it to be performing the concerto with this band again?' can only elicit one response.

Yes, but wouldn't it be interesting if they didn't?

[Barbirollians]

Well maybe but she is hardly going to say - Decca insisted but they are so boring as accompanists

[bluestateprommer]

Good concert so far, though admittedly not particularly mind-blowingly so in the main works, IMHO. However, the Hindemith solo movement encore was quite impressive, almost as if to say to the Prommers and the RAH "you want an encore? Here you go", in terms of how extended it was. In fact, Julia Fischer just scored a Proms first performance, as no Paul Hindemith solo violin sonata (or movement thereof) has ever been done at The Proms.

I quite agree with Barbirollians that she should take on the Paul Hindemith Violin Concerto. In fact, the last time I heard her live, as she was about to take a seat in the hall for the 2nd half of the concert, I had a chance to chat with her, and asked her what she'd like to play next as a guest soloist. She tossed the question back, asking "what would you like to hear?". I punted back "well, what do you want to do?". She then simply said: "I asked you first.". So I gave up, and first suggested the Walton concerto, which she demurred on, claiming unfamiliarity. But then I suggested the Hindemith concerto, and her face lit up immediately. So maybe down the line....

Who is to be Successor to David Z ?

The next Tonhalle chief conductor is Lionel Bringuier.

BTW, here's an article from the NYT on Zinman stepping down, with some intriguingly opaque stuff towards the end:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/19/arts/music/david-zinman-ends-his-tenure-with-tonhalle-in-zurich.html

[Barbirollians]

I do not like this speed in the Pastoral . It is like being dragged through a gallery of great paintings without having a chance to look at them properly .

By the way I do not care two hoots if it is close to the metronome mark.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

By the way I do not care two hoots if it is close to the metronome mark.

[Hornspieler]

A splendid concert

I predict that you will not hear a better programme in this Prom Season.

Woodwind and horns in an exciting Til Eulenspiegel.

Flaulein Fischer in sparkling form.

Exciting Pastoral Symphony - no falling asleep here.

I have felt for some time now that this must be one of the finest orchestras in Europe.

I remeber with affection the visit of the young David Zinman when he came to conduct the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra during his first visit to Europe.

He has achieved much since then and will be hard to replace.



HS

[EdgeleyRob]

Yes I enjoyed that.

Don't recall hearing the Dvorak very often,but it is rather nice.
Splendid performance of the 3rd best Pastoral Symphony.

[jayne lee wilson]

I liked the slight expressive understatement in the 1st movement of the Pastoral, which then blossomed nicely into a horn-led climax at the recap, and the notably un-cantabile, un-Romantic short note values in the coda. But the Scene by the Brook was more caressingly phrased, the water-colours flowing as they should. Personally I like swift tempi in this symphony. It adds a minimalist-style fascination to all those 1st movement repeats, excitement to the dance and keeps the Storm in proportion - a Constable rather than a Turner. (Reminded me of Scherchen's Stereo recording, though he allows for greater intensity at the climax of the finale).

All the same, this sonic and musical character of interpretation probably suits a smaller space better - as their (interpretatively and sonorously) broadly-similar recording in the Tonhalle shows.

In his essay on the 6th in this month's Gramophone, Ivan Fischer describes how he sprinkles the wind players through the strings, adding: "This approach gets criticised sometimes, for instance when we had a tree placed on the platform of the Royal Festival Hall and arranged the players around it. I did this to help underline the point that this is not an ordinary symphony."

Well... it would, wouldn't it?
All sorts of possibilities in the RAH...

[grandchant]

For me that was one of the best performances of the 'pastoral'; stirred the emotions but the beasties of the countryside were never far away, and the classical structure was clear as well. The first half was also very good, but neither of those pieces could compete.

[teamsaint]

Re Jayne's #42 ,some people think " Different Trains " would work well in the RFH........

[EdgeleyRob]

I liked the slight expressive understatement in the 1st movement of the Pastoral, which then blossomed nicely into a horn-led climax at the recap, and the notably un-cantabile, un-Romantic short note values in the coda. But the Scene by the Brook was more caressingly phrased, the water-colours flowing as they should. Personally I like swift tempi in this symphony. It adds a minimalist-style fascination to all those 1st movement repeats, excitement to the dance and keeps the Storm in proportion - a Constable rather than a Turner. (Reminded me of Scherchen's Stereo recording, though he allows for greater intensity at the climax of the finale).

All the same, the sonic and musical character of interpretation probably suits a smaller space better - as their (interpretatively and sonorously) broadly-similar recording in the Tonhalle shows.

In his essay on the 6th in this month's Gramophone, Ivan Fischer describes how he sprinkles the wind players through the strings, adding: "This approach gets criticised sometimes, for instance when we had a tree placed on the platform of the Royal Festival Hall and arranged the players around it. I did this to help underline the point that this is not an ordinary symphony."

Well... it would, wouldn't it?
All sorts of possibilities in the RAH...

Not cowpat music then ?
Brilliant post as ever Jayne.