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

[Mary Chambers]

They can sing anything (just ask Mary.)

I doubt if they'd have been much worse. Probably couldn't have raised the soloists, but then neither could the BBC Singers

It does sound very difficult, I must confess - and probably not worth the effort.

[jean]

Didn't care for the soloists at all - thought the Singers did rather well, especially when singing softly.

Didn't enjoy the piece as a whole

[zola]

I hate to be negative but the Deutsche Motette is quite possibly the worst thing I have ever heard. Certainly in this performance. Screeching soprano of the very worst kind. And given the choice available, I wonder what the criteria was for thinking this a suitable programme for one of the TV transmissions. This initial half hour would put any novice off classical music for decades if not for life.

[Mary Chambers]

I hate to be negative but the Deutsche Motette is quite possibly the worst thing I have ever heard. Certainly in this performance. Screeching soprano of the very worst kind. And given the choice available, I wonder what the criteria was for thinking this a suitable programme for one of the TV transmissions. This initial half hour would put any novice off classical music for decades if not for life.

I think many classical music novices would have thoroughly enjoyed the very noisy Festival Prelude. Not the Deutsche Motette, I agree.

[Alison]

I stand by my first comment 'beautifully articulated' in relation to the symphony.

Maybe lacking just the last degree or two of warmth for my taste I was still moved and thrilled in about equal measure.

A really splendid finale, so finely etched and structured leading to an exquisitely unsentimental coda.

Very very good: no need to claim greatness!

[Nachtigall]

"That strain again! It had a dying fall…" That "dying fall", lingeringly, poignantly repeated, is the story of the closing bars of Elgar 2. They were beautifully played by the RLPO and VP was clearly deeply moved – as who could not be? A splendid performance, as Alison says.

[EdgeleyRob]

"That strain again! It had a dying fall…" That "dying fall", lingeringly, poignantly repeated, is the story of the closing bars of Elgar 2. They were beautifully played by the RLPO and VP was clearly deeply moved – as who could not be? A splendid performance, as Alison says.

and so was I.
Good on you Nachtigall and Alison.

[Petrushka]

Me too.

You come away from a fine performance of the Elgar 2 knowing it to be one of the truly great symphonies of the 20th century, contemporary with Mahler 9 and Sibelius 4 and fully worthy to be in their company. The 'lamps are going out all over Europe' coda was as moving as I've ever heard it and never more appropriately so than on this anniversary.

The Strauss first half made Elgar look the better composer by far.

[EdgeleyRob]

Me too.

You come away from a fine performance of the Elgar 2 knowing it to be one of the truly great symphonies of the 20th century, contemporary with Mahler 9 and Sibelius 4 and fully worthy to be in their company. The 'lamps are going out all over Europe' coda was as moving as I've ever heard it and never more appropriately so than on this anniversary.

The Strauss first half made Elgar look the better composer by far.

I've been saying this for years !!!

[Petrushka]

I've been saying this for years !!!

It hadn't previously crossed my mind all that much but it was certainly true tonight.

[Nick Armstrong]

I think many classical music novices would have thoroughly enjoyed the very noisy Festival Prelude.

This old lag was glad he didn't fast-forward all the way through the first half - great to have a close up of the heckelphone!!!

However, the piece is a load of old tosh - give me 'Festmusik der Stadt Wien' any day (had it on in the car yesterday, as it happens )

[LeMartinPecheur]

Oh dear, coat and rear of sofa at the ready, I have to confess that on watching the TV relay tonight (after also listening to the live radio broadcast), and with full benefit of so many other boarders' insights in the meantime, I still enjoyed all the works in this concert

My wife also, but in mitigation this was her first hearing and without benefit of MB criticisms!

[Richard Tarleton]

It hadn't previously crossed my mind all that much but it was certainly true tonight.

C'mon guys - two indifferent bits of Strauss doesn't justify that Elgar wrote rubbish too......

As for 4LS, ID-J sounded more prominent tonight - had they re-engineered the balance?

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh dear, coat and rear of sofa at the ready, I have to confess that on watching the TV relay tonight (after also listening to the live radio broadcast), and with full benefit of so many other boarders' insights in the meantime, I still enjoyed all the works in this concert

My wife also, but in mitigation this was her first hearing and without benefit of MB criticisms!

I stuck with the Prelude, tosh can be enjoyable!

I found the Motette and the soprano in the songs unbearable though...

Closing the computer now for the Elgar

[Alison]

C'mon guys - two indifferent bits of Strauss doesn't justify that Elgar wrote rubbish too......

Well put!