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

[Mary Chambers]

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.

I didn't realise he was in it, and I usually know these things. He's used to the RAH organ, and to a difficult acoustic.

[Lento]

I didn't realise he was in it, and I usually know these things. He's used to the RAH organ, and to a difficult acoustic.

Dare say the RAH is a doddle after Liverpool Anglican.

[jean]

...I usually know these things...

So if they brought Ian Tracey, why not his RLPO choir as well?

Something to do with a guaranteed slot for the BBC groups, or does the piece require different forces?

(When I went to see the Grandmother Giant asleep in St George's Hall last week, there he was, pootling about on the organ. I asked an attendant if he'd been there all day, and she said he had!)

[Ferretfancy]

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

I look forward to signs of improvement.

[Roslynmuse]

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!

That was my impression too: unintelligible was exactly the word that came to my mind. However, I was listening on less-than-hifi and that can affect perceptions. I might give it another go on something more powerful.

[Lento]

I might give it another go on something more powerful.

Good luck with that!

[mercia]

So if they brought Ian Tracey, why not his RLPO choir as well?

is the Motette in their repertoire ? I should think it takes some learning (and some basses who can reach bottom C )

[jean]

They can sing anything (just ask Mary.)

[Richard Tarleton]

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.

Thank you for posting this helpful review, jean. This is the view of the 4LS I was groping towards during the performance, even down to the slightly reticent violin solo in Beim Schlafengehen.

[Mary Chambers]

So if they brought Ian Tracey, why not his RLPO choir as well?

I wondered that. Could have been that other commitments meant no time to rehearse it? Or the expense of transporting the choir? I don't know.

[kernelbogey]

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[....]

Agreed: at the same (Monday) Prom I was just behind the rail, and there were two cameras moving about just inside it: I thought the two operators were as respectful as they could be of the nearby members of the audience. The camerawoman nearest us had a shooting script she was following: I'd say that her efforts to reach it and turn each page over was the most distracting bit of her work. Rather more intrusive was the boom camera, to the right of the orchestra, which does those swooping-down shots that are now so beloved of tv directors. I'll look in on the tv broadcast this evening to see how it comes over as a series of pictures.

I imagine that the suits consider these distractions the price we punters have to pay for them to achieve their corporate outreach .

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Dare say the RAH is a doddle after Liverpool Anglican.

Yes indeed! I first heard Elgar's Apostles at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, conducted by Sir Charles Groves. I also heard The Apostles for the second and third times - simultaneously. Truly dreadful sound.

[Mary Chambers]

Yes indeed! I first heard Elgar's Apostles at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, conducted by Sir Charles Groves. I also heard The Apostles for the second and third times - simultaneously. Truly dreadful sound.

It depends where you sit, and also on the conductor - but mostly where you sit. I think the echo is eleven seconds - or is that St Paul's?

[Lento]

Regarding the Motette, Hillary Finch in The Times seems to have enjoyed it as much as the rest of usalthough she generously puts much of the blame on the acoustic.

"The BBC Singers tried their best, but the piece really needs more contained acoustics to enable its textures to clarify, its colours to glow. And the shrill soprano of Suzanne Shakespeare spoilt a solo quartet given generous ballast by Brindley Sherratt’s bass".

(Paywall for full article)

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/music/proms/article4164656.ece

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It depends where you sit, and also on the conductor - but mostly where you sit. I think the echo is eleven seconds - or is that St Paul's?

Surely the only way the conductor could reduce the mush would be to play everything extremely slowly, and Groves was no sprinter.