Prom 9 - 24.07.14: LSO, Douglas / Khudoley / Matochkina / Vekua / Vorobiev / Gergiev

[VodkaDilc]

The Guardian seems to see things differently from Rolmill, jillfc and myself:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jul/25/prom-9-lso-gergiev-review-barry-douglas-royal-albert-hall

How could anyone not enjoy the Janacek? (Apart from the three young people who sat in front of me and played with their phones and each other throughout. They were in the front row of the stalls - perhaps jillfc was plagued by them too, as s/he was at the back of the arena.)

I was also aware of the sadness the LSO much have been feeling at performing without Rod Franks. He was named in the programme as Trumpet No 3.

[jillfc]

I'm afraid that I often find myself at odds with Martin Kettle; and having listened to the repeat this afternoon I see no reason to change my initial view.

On a broader point - DracoM's call for some reaction to Gergiev - I would simply say that a visit to Ukraine and Crimea in 1994 (not as a tourist - I was there on behalf of a reputable English university) gave me the chance to talk to a lot of very thoughtful people who feared, even then, that the position was unstable. I'm not going to take sides, but I do want to stress that things are much more complex than they may appear; that few of us are in a position to understand current tensions and interactions; and that it would be wrong to assume that the Proms audience would have a common view on these issues. Here endeth the lesson.

[Tevot]

Hello there,

I listened to the repeat broadcast this afternoon - and really enjoyed it. Loved the slow movement of the Brahms and the Janacek just "flew". A powerful and convincing performance imv of the Mass as a whole. I've found other performances of the Mass spotty and lacking cohesion. Hats off to Messrs Douglas, Gergiev, Trotter, the LSO and Chorus

Best Wishes,

Tevot

[Stan Drews]

Just been listening to the Janáček on iPlayer and would endorse the positive comments already made, and the tributes to Rod Franks. I grew to love this piece via the Decca Kempe/RPO recording and was at the RAH on 12/08/78 for the performance on the 50th anniversary of Janáček's death (Del Mar, BBCSO, Mitchinson & others - it kicked off with Taras Bulba!). However, I'm not convinced by the revisionists' practice of inserting the Intrada as a "curtain up" - sorry, Sir Charles.

My understanding of Orthodox procedure is that this movement represents the reappearance of the priests from behind the ikonostasis having performed the Sacrament - hence Intrada and, apparently paradoxically, placed at the end of the Mass. I'm aware that the revisions have been discussed at length elsewhere but, to my ears, this positioning is simply wrong musically. The fanfare-like Introduction proper then sounds like the beginning of another piece. Heard at the end following the organ solo it sounds properly conclusive.

I'm open to correction on liturgical practice and, all said, I do like the various other tweaks.

[amateur51]

I'm afraid that I often find myself at odds with Martin Kettle; and having listened to the repeat this afternoon I see no reason to change my initial view.

On a broader point - DracoM's call for some reaction to Gergiev - I would simply say that a visit to Ukraine and Crimea in 1994 (not as a tourist - I was there on behalf of a reputable English university) gave me the chance to talk to a lot of very thoughtful people who feared, even then, that the position was unstable. I'm not going to take sides, but I do want to stress that things are much more complex than they may appear; that few of us are in a position to understand current tensions and interactions; and that it would be wrong to assume that the Proms audience would have a common view on these issues. Here endeth the lesson.

Thanks for your thoughtful and informed view, jillfc - do you prefer to be offered or ?

[Lento]

I do want to stress that things are much more complex than they may appear; that few of us are in a position to understand current tensions and interactions....Here endeth the lesson.

A very enlightened lesson, if I may say so. One suspects your comments apply to so many of the conflicts we see in the news.