Prom 16 - 29.07.14: Borusan Istanbul PO, Hope / Goetzel

[mercia]

"a man under pressure"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-28523987

[pilamenon]

"a man under pressure"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-28523987

I'm filled with foreboding about hearing the work after reading that puff. How is G Prokofiev's work viewed in contemporary classical circles? It makes him sound like he doesn't quite know where he belongs, as well as suggesting that the 1914 idea has been imposed on him.

[seabright]

#1 says the Respighi piece is its Proms Premiere but isn't it also its UK Premiere, or has it already been played here before and if so by whom?

[jean]

Does no-one have an opinion about the Prokofiev concerto?

I was listening on earphones as I walked home, thought the beginning sounded interesting - then the traffic noise began to interfere too much and I switched top Radio 4 to find they were discussing the piece on Front Row.

(And they knew the discussion coincided with the performance, because they said so!)

[Ferretfancy]

An excellent concert as heard in the hall. Although the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic is not a full time orchestra, they give several performances a year drawing on first rate musicians from across Turkey. There was a very interesting discussion in the RCM before the concert, to be broadcast in the interval, which gave interesting insights into the role of classical western music in Turkish culture, and also warning of ominous changes to be introduced by the Erdogan government.

Balakirev's Islamey at the beginning was possibly a bit of a tactical error. Lyapunov's orchestration of this wonderful piano piece is rather clumsily managed. Next came a really first class performance of Holst's Beni Mora with superbly accurate wind playing. I have several recordings of this, but until now I have not caught up with a live performance.

I remember Daniel Hope as a child prodigy living in my street, with a violin almost as big as him! He has worked closely with Gabriel Prokofiev on the concerto, which is named '1914' and carries a powerful emotional charge. The orchestra is large with a large battery of percussion, offstage drums at one juncture echoing distant artillery. The piece moves from a self confident irony to a resigned ending, and is very impressive, it isn't pictorial with regard to its subject, but tragic in character. Daniel hope played superbly.

After the interval came a sprightly Seraglio Overture, and Beecham's orchestration of the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, with the violins standing with the two oboes in their midst.

I've heard Belkis Queen of Sheba on CD, it's an edited down suite from a ninety minute ballet choreographed by Massine, which was not a success. Frankly, neither is the suite, but it was melodramatic and noisy enough to end the evening.

Next time this very good orchestra appears, it would be nice if they could move away from western orientalism, although it did serve to showcase their excellent playing. They got an enthusiastic reception from a patchily filled hall, and obviously loved playing their first Prom.

Incidentally, the day to day planning does seem a little odd, this was the fourth violin concerto I have heard in just a week.

[amateur51]

An excellent concert as heard in the hall. Although the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic is not a full time orchestra, they give several performances a year drawing on first rate musicians from across Turkey. There was a very interesting discussion in the RCM before the concert, to be broadcast in the interval, which gave interesting insights into the role of classical western music in Turkish culture, and also warning of ominous changes to be introduced by the Erdogan government.

Balakirev's Islamey at the beginning was possibly a bit of a tactical error. Lyapunov's orchestration of this wonderful piano piece is rather clumsily managed. Next came a really first class performance of Holst's Beni Mora with superbly accurate wind playing. I have several recordings of this, but until now I have not caught up with a live performance.

I remember Daniel Hope as a child prodigy living in my street, with a violin almost as big as him! He has worked closely with Gabriel Prokofiev on the concerto, which is named '1914' and carries a powerful emotional charge. The orchestra is large with a large battery of percussion, offstage drums at one juncture echoing distant artillery. The piece moves from a self confident irony to a resigned ending, and is very impressive, it isn't pictorial with regard to its subject, but tragic in character. Daniel hope played superbly.

After the interval came a sprightly Seraglio Overture, and Beecham's orchestration of the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, with the violins standing with the two oboes in their midst.

I've heard Belkis Queen of Sheba on CD, it's an edited down suite from a ninety minute ballet choreographed by Massine, which was not a success. Frankly, neither is the suite, but it was melodramatic and noisy enough to end the evening.

Next time this very good orchestra appears, it would be nice if they could move away from western orientalism, although it did serve to showcase their excellent playing. They got an enthusiastic reception from a patchily filled hall, and obviously loved playing their first Prom.

Incidentally, the day to day planning does seem a little odd, this was the fourth violin concerto I have heard in just a week.

Many thanks for your on-the-spot report Ferret

[pilamenon]

I enjoyed this tremendously in the hall - they deserved a full house. A real good old-fashioned orchestral concert - the Balakirev was a great opener, didn't have any problems with the Lyapunov orchestration. Had no idea what the second piece was, having failed to consult the programme properly , and guessed it was by Respighi. Very surprised to discover it was by Holst. Then the new work, which was as much a concerto for orchestra as violin, and was very engaging through most of its duration. I couldn't have been more wrong in feeling a foreboding about this work - it did not outstay its welcome at all. Lovely to see Prokofiev's grandson taking very modest bows at the end.

The overall highlight was the Queen of Sheba a la Beecham, with a small group of soloists coming to the front to stand and play and the conductor retiring into the wings after leading them in - delightfully staged and beautifully done. Belkis is pretty OTT even by Respighi's standards, and by the end of the encore, had the feeling of having eaten a bit too much Turkish Delight. But overall, a most enjoyable evening and credit to the organisers for bringing this excellent young orchestra to the Proms.

[Roehre]

Gabriel Prokofiev: Violin Concerto ”1914” (2014)
An unusually (for my standards I mean) short opinion.
As I am in a mild mood today: that turntable concerto of his, premiered at the Proms three years ago, was completely cr*p.
This violin concerto isn’t THAT bad. IMVHO it’s only just cr*p.
Waste of time and resources IMO I'm afraid

[BBMmk2]

Well,that's saying something from you, Roehre, as I was of the same opinion, re the GP. The Jonathan Dove piece was much better, a couple of nights back! (Even MrsBBM liked that piece! Respighi's Belkis, I thought was played with great vigour and had a lot of atmosphere to it as well. First time I have heard this live as well.

[Roehre]

Does no-one have an opinion about the Prokofiev concerto?

A short one, see Msg 23

[teamsaint]

The Prokofiev sounded a bit " commemoration by numbers " to me, but not heard in the best of conditions.


Did the orchestra have a rather distinctive sound, or maybe it was my radio/ears/mood?

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

An excellent concert as heard in the hall.

I pretty much agree with your assessment! Cracking orchestra, less convinced about the Prokofiev (or that it was programmed in the right concert). My official review:

http://bachtrack.com/review-proms-borusan-goetzel-hope-july-2014

[Lento]

The violin concerto seemed to be more of a tone poem with violin obbligato, the musical structure and substance insufficient for the work's length.

[bluestateprommer]

The violin concerto seemed to be more of a tone poem with violin obbligato, the musical structure and substance insufficient for the work's length.

I had a similar feeling that GP's new violin concerto is really more of a suite for violin and orchestra, rather than a 'concerto' as such. Bits of it did drag out, but other parts were interesting to hear. This is the sort of 'new music' that might have more appeal to those who loathe Birtwistle or Maxwell Davies. Even if this new work wasn't completely my samovar of tea, I certainly give GP, or any new composer, credit for sticking his/her neck out. Daniel Hope, Sascha Goetzel and the orchestra certainly gave it their best.

Overall, I agree with the positive assessment of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic in this concert. Bags of style, loads of character, much more so than the China Philharmonic, even though the BIPO is only a part-time ensemble by comparison, which perhaps makes it all the more remarkable. It may also reflect that Sascha Goetzel is simply a better conductor than Long Yu. Given a choice of which ensemble of the two to bring back, no question; bring back the BIPO, hands down.

For anyone in the hall, besides the unfortunately less-than-full crowd, were Turkish flags much in evidence in the Arena, or elsewhere? Always a question when one has a visiting ensemble to The Proms.

[David Underdown]

No flags, but there did appear to be quite a few first time visitors.