Prom 19 - 31.07.14: RLPO, Dam-Jensen / V. Petrenko

[mercia]

Don't know about leaving the stage. I'm surprised that the audience didn't leave the RAH.

a comment on the performance, the piece, or both ?

[Hornspieler]

a comment on the performance, the piece, or both ?

Both.

HS

[Radio64]

Didn't catch it 'live' but look forwarding to hearing again or if I'm really lucky seeing it on the telly on Sunday.. I'd really like to see our la' Vasily and his 'Pool orchestra in action!

Likewise the BBC Gesaenger tackling the Motette.

[Master Jacques]

As far as the Elgar goes, my impression in the hall was of a performance which was exciting at many moments, but compromised by helter-skelter speeds (and lack of rhythmic stability) in some places, and self-consciously extreme dynamics at others. Every climax was huge, every "p" was "ppp", and there was not much sense of architecture, especially in the first movement. Still intensely moved by the slow movement, though. The young conductor needs to realise, though, that you don't play Elgar as if it was Rachmaninov.

The Strauss half was something of a dud, in the hall - very tame audience response, and understandably so.

On a different matter, the atmosphere was not helped by the too-ing and fro-ing of the camera booms, cue lights winking on and off and TV personnel scuttling around giving instructions to one another. It seems that the philosophy has changed: instead of being unobtrusive as possible the technicians are encouraged to be "part of the experience". It is no wonder the audience therefore (understandably) feels that anything goes, in so far as their own phone camera work is concerned. I've rarely been to a concert where there were quite so many anti-musical distractions. But that, my friends, is the way of the world....

[teamsaint]

As far as the Elgar goes, my impression in the hall was of a performance which was exciting at many moments, but compromised by helter-skelter speeds (and lack of rhythmic stability) in some places, and self-consciously extreme dynamics at others. Every climax was huge, every "p" was "ppp", and there was not much sense of architecture, especially in the first movement. Still intensely moved by the slow movement, though. The young conductor needs to realise, though, that you don't play Elgar as if it was Rachmaninov.

The Strauss half was something of a dud, in the hall - very tame audience response, and understandably so.

On a different matter, the atmosphere was not helped by the too-ing and fro-ing of the camera booms, cue lights winking on and off and TV personnel scuttling around giving instructions to one another. It seems that the philosophy has changed: instead of being unobtrusive as possible the technicians are encouraged to be "part of the experience". It is no wonder the audience therefore (understandably) feels that anything goes, in so far as their own phone camera work is concerned. I've rarely been to a concert where there were quite so many anti-musical distractions. But that, my friends, is the way of the world....

Interesting. I was in row 2 of the arena on monday, and although the concert was being filmed, the camera crew , cameras and technicians were pretty unobtrusive, all things considered.
Perhaps they were more noticeable from further back? or are there different levels of filming, ie more cameras etc for different concerts?

Like you I don't think we need them becoming a part of the event any more than is necessary .

[Hornspieler]

As far as the Elgar goes, my impression in the hall was of a performance which was exciting at many moments, but compromised by helter-skelter speeds (and lack of rhythmic stability) in some places, and self-consciously extreme dynamics at others. Every climax was huge, every "p" was "ppp", and there was not much sense of architecture, especially in the first movement. Still intensely moved by the slow movement, though. The young conductor needs to realise, though, that you don't play Elgar as if it was Rachmaninov.

The Strauss half was something of a dud, in the hall - very tame audience response, and understandably so.

On a different matter, the atmosphere was not helped by the too-ing and fro-ing of the camera booms, cue lights winking on and off and TV personnel scuttling around giving instructions to one another. It seems that the philosophy has changed: instead of being unobtrusive as possible the technicians are encouraged to be "part of the experience". It is no wonder the audience therefore (understandably) feels that anything goes, in so far as their own phone camera work is concerned. I've rarely been to a concert where there were quite so many anti-musical distractions. But that, my friends, is the way of the world....

An excellent post IMV.

As regards the camera work, I would like to see the screen filled by the whole orchestra on the stage - as one would see from the gallery.* An occasional close up to a soloist (oboe, trumpet cellist or whatever) from the same patron's viewpoint and periodic shots of the conductor as seen from behind the orchestra.

BUT Let's do away with the obsessive shots of the young bare shouldered dolly birds at the back of the string sections.

Apart from anything else, it is insulting to the more mature ladies, whose contributions to the music are far more worthy of display.

The TV director at the Tonhalle Prom seemed obsessed with the young fiddler on the 3rd desk of first violins. There were at least three times as many shots of her as there were of the Leader of the Orchestra.

HS

* No zooming in and out. If the picture recedes, so should the sound. That is a basic tenet of television and movie production.

[Ferretfancy]

Well so was I.

That rather predictable and dreary first movement had me nodding off a couple of times. The second movement sounded as though the orchestra were trying to plough through thick mud. Never mind, I thought. That light hearted scherzo can't go wrong.

It did. Sounded as if they were all running for their lives. But it was a case of "Out of the frying pan into the fire!"

Maestro Petrenko says that he is looking forward to conducting Gerontius in the near future.

Be warned. You read it here first.

I have always had a great affection for the RLPO. My long-time friend and companion, the late Ifor James, gained his spurs there. Sir Charles Groves, after his unhappy association with the Welsh National Opera Company, regained his confidence (and won his Knighthood) there.

A disappointing evening for me. One would have to say that, judging by the tentative applause, the Albert Hall faithfull felt the same way.

HS

Hornspieler,

I thought it was only me! The applause began respectfully until a few people way behind me raised a few cheers. I thought that Petrenko really didn't understand the Elgar idiom at all. Without rhythmic vigour Elgar's characteristic rocking dum dee dum dum dum patterns simply become tedious. I've also noted before with Petrenko that he doesn't have much regard for phrase endings, letting them trail away, which ruins contrast. Frankly, if there had'nt been lots of bodies in the way I would have made for the door at the end of the first movement.

I'll say one thing though, I've got to know the trombone parts rather well, since they were too loud throughout. In fairness, I was out on a limb last night, most of my friends enjoyed it well enough, without being carried away.

[Lancashire Lass]

Any views on 4LS? I'd love to know what it sounded like in the hall. I love her voice, gorgeous refined Strauss singing, but (listening at home) I felt I just couldn't hear enough of her over the orchestra.

Me too, and I was there! We were on the back row of the circle, at about five o'clock facing the stage, so she was facing towards us. Apart from Song Three, she was swamped by the orchestra apart from a short range in her register when she did come over. It was really frustrating, because she clearly has a fabulous, warm voice.

But I'm not enough of a cognoscenta to know if it's asking too much to be able to hear everything if you're sitting so far away. Clearly there are going to be parts of a singer's range which are weaker than others. On the other hand, we went to the Joseph Calleja Prom last year, sitting in a similar spot, and I don't remember not being able to hear him. Perhaps the tenor voice carries better.

Or is it that the human voice is weaker than an instrument? There was one part of Isabelle Faust's encore last week (some Bach Sarabande) when she literally glanced the strings with her bow so delicately that only the tiniest sound escaped. And you could hear that right at the back.

[Mary Chambers]

I haven't heard this concert yet, but normally if the soloist can't be heard it's the conductor's fault. It's his job to keep the orchestra at the right level.

[jean]

Maestro Petrenko says that he is looking forward to conducting Gerontius in the near future.

Be warned. You read it here first.

Not quite first - he has been doing Elgar with the Phil ever since he arrived.

[EdgeleyRob]

I must have been listening to a different Elgar 2,or I am easily pleased.
The music is still in my head now as I try to work.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I haven't heard this concert yet, but normally if the soloist can't be heard it's the conductor's fault. It's his job to keep the orchestra at the right level.

We have become so used to artificially balanced recordings of singers that sound as though the microphones have been rammed down their throats, that we forget the fragile balance of the live experience in the concert hall. On Radio 3 I was amazed that in the Motette this habitual artificial balance was not being imposed upon us. It was truly atmospheric. For once, I didn't even mind the BBC Singers.

[Lento]

Don't know about leaving the stage. I'm surprised that the audience didn't leave the RAH.

Whether it was the performance or Strauss' choral writing, some of the faster passages became harmonically unintelligible to my ears, and I thought there were some frankly unpleasant combined sonorities at times. I do hope that others got more out of the Motette than I did!

Quite enjoyed the Elgar 2, though agree with the earlier post about rhythmic repetitiveness, which seems to afflict parts of this symphony more than No 1.

[jean]

I haven't heard the coincert yet but looking over the reviews (such as this one) I wondered why no-one here had mentioned Ian Tracey.

[EdgeleyRob]

I haven't heard the coincert yet but looking over the reviews (such as this one) I wondered why no-one here had mentioned Ian Tracey.

That's the Elgar 2 I heard.