Prom 15 - 28.07.14: BBC SO, Fliter / Pons

[Hornspieler]

Watching on TV last night, I could find no fault at all with Senor Pons' conducting,(and that first part of Daphnis needs a lot of holding together)

Magnificent chorus humming. I loved Chloe's leadership and solo passages and the woodwind in general were superb.

Nobody has remarked upon Martin's splendid horn playing in the first part of Daphnis and Chloe.
I have yet to meet a horn player who was looking forward to playing those extreme solo passages, which go from the lowest depths to the highest note on the instrument*

Overall, a most enjoyable concert and one that I shall keep safely recorded on my TivO box.

HS

*Someone must have told Ravel that a written Top C (concert F) was the highest note to write for the instrument but, like Britten, he did not understand that you cannot safely just pick it out from nowhere with safety.

[Nick Armstrong]

Regardless, the poised, steely and analytical former presenter of C4 News and programmes on Islam was worlds away from the frantic, gabbling "Blue Peter Presenter on amphetamines" figure who co-presented the televised Prom last night.

I hastened through the 'presenter' bits on fast forward, having watched a few nanoseconds at the start. Was it the effect of the accelerated images or did poor Samira have a look of horror on her face at what was going on next to her? I had visions of her slipping out during the first half to give her agent a "get me out of here" phone call...

[amateur51]

Samira Ahmed is a formidably intelligent journalist, but the fact that she presents programmes on R3 doesn't necessarily count as "Music credentials". She has previously cited her "listening interests" as



I don't wish to suggest that interest in 6Music or R2 don't qualify as "Music Credentials", but would someone whose listening interests were "Mostly R3" be considered to have the right credentials to present a programme on 6 Music?

Regardless, the poised, steely and analytical former presenter of C4 News and programmes on Islam was worlds away from the frantic, gabbling "Blue Peter Presenter on amphetamines" figure who co-presented the televised Prom last night.

I like Samira Ahmed, not least for the reason that she left C4 News - her bosses wanted her to get a tidier hairstyle & she walked instead.Imagine telling Jon Snow to get a DA

[teamsaint]

I like Samira Ahmed, not least for the reason that she left C4 News - her bosses wanted her to get a tidier hairstyle & she walked instead.Imagine telling Jon Snow to get a DA

Lets hope she doesnt get to interview Senor Pons, though......

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I like Samira Ahmed, not least for the reason that she left C4 News - her bosses wanted her to get a tidier hairstyle & she walked instead.

Good for her! (I didn't know this, but I think it's [1] Further evidence of her intergrity and dignity, and [2] further evidence of what a crass broadcasting Company C4 has become.)

[Serial_Apologist]

Good for her! (I didn't know this, but I think it's [1] Further evidence of her intergrity and dignity, and [2] further evidence of what a crass broadcasting Company C4 has become.)

Samira had a regular column in The Big Issue. Maybe we should start a fan club for her!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samira_Ahmed

[kernelbogey]

[...]Regardless, the poised, steely and analytical former presenter of C4 News and programmes on Islam was worlds away from the frantic, gabbling "Blue Peter Presenter on amphetamines" figure who co-presented the televised Prom last night.

The script - which I imagine neither of them had written - seemed to be out of the same populist ragbag of ideas behind 'Breakfast'.

I notice someone decided that they wouldn't televise the Gaia Theory piece....

[aeolium]

What struck me on hearing and seeing it anew was Fliter's wonderful attack, and rhythmic emphasis especially in the rondo - quite dance-like. I've heard a performance of the Schumann Piano Quintet she gave - and repeated twice - on TTN which had the same kind of vitality, and an almost masculine bravura. I was also struck by her rather masculine hands. I think she's terrific and very much someone to watch. I hope for future recordings of concerti.

I agree, kb. I thought it was an exceptional performance (memory lapse notwithstanding) and she is a wonderful talent. Like you, I look forward to hearing her in other Mozart concerti.

[french frank]

I notice someone decided that they wouldn't televise the Gaia Theory piece....

I understand they will be doing as last year: new pieces to be stitched together in a single (?) programme and played separately.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Nobody has remarked upon Martin's splendid horn playing in the first part of Daphnis and Chloe. .

I think you mean Nick - both very fine players, although Martin is up there with the best IMHO.

[Mary Chambers]

I thought Ingrid Fliter played Mozart exactly as Mozart should be played. Wonderful. (The hair-ruffling, as seen on television, didn't strike me as particularly objectionable.)

Now listening again to Daphnis and Chloe, a piece I love - as long as I'm not singing in it. I've only done that once as far as I remember, but found it very unrewarding. Better to remember Margot Fonteyn as Chloe in Ashton's version - sheer bliss. 1964 - I was very young at the time, you understand.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Playing with my new toy - a Humax box with bells, whistles and iPlayer - I selected Friday night's TV broadcast of this Prom and was more than happy with the performances.
Not so the presentation which which had two presenters agreeing with one another, the only differences being the apparent excess of caffeine in one and the other appearing out of his musical

The Mozart concerto was beautifully played, though the piano dominated the sound balance, which may have been more to do with microphone balance than any deficiency in the performance.

Daphnis and Chloe is such a stunning work. It confirms my belief that Ravel was the finest orchestrator of all time.

[Serial_Apologist]

Daphnis and Chloe is such a stunning work. It confirms my belief that Ravel was the finest orchestrator of all time.

Nah - Charles Koechlin was by a mile.

Of course, it all comes down to taste in the end - including Ravel's; I discovered recently he told someone that given the chance, he would have re-orchestrated Debussy's "La Mer"!!! Apparently that led to two previous friends falling out more-or-less permanently.

[Nick Armstrong]

I thought Ingrid Fliter played Mozart exactly as Mozart should be played. Wonderful. (The hair-ruffling, as seen on television, didn't strike me as particularly objectionable.)

I agree Mary. The playing was the best I've heard in Mozart from a "new" perfomer since hearing Christian-Ihle Hadland. Characterful but somehow not mannered, beautiful without being narcissistic...* I did think the slow movement tempo was a tad somnolent, perhaps not her fault, and maybe why it went briefly off track, like driving too slowly.

And yes, the brief "ruffle" was a very natural part of Pons's generous "don't worry" response when she clearly (judging by her body language) apologised to him for the slip when going for the embrace afterwards. I thought his little shake of the head and shrug were rather sweet, and put a smile back on her face (which had been lacking in the last movement, in contrast to the first).

I do think Mr Pons must have a slow heart rate though - like the Mozart second movement the opening of Daphnis I found sluggish and lacking in pulse. All through, he never found the tempo giusto, for me. But splendours aplenty otherwise.

Happy to wait to hear this live in March by the LPO under Vladimir J though - that should be something





* in contrast, the other week I caught on the radio the most ham-fisted, amateurish, unidiomatic rendition of a Mozart sonata since.... since.... well, since I last tried to play one!

Turned out to be...

...


...


Lang Lang

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Of course, it all comes down to taste in the end - including Ravel's; I discovered recently he told someone that given the chance, he would have re-orchestrated Debussy's "La Mer"!!! Apparently that led to two previous friends falling out more-or-less permanently.

I would have been interested to hear the result. Could you fill any more details?

Isn't this the cue for someone to have a dig at Ravel's superlative Mussorgsky orchestration?