Prom 40 - 16.08.14: LSO, Tilling / Haitink

[Nick Armstrong]

Many thanks for that report, H

[ardcarp]

As it is, tonight's late concert was scheduled to finish at 11.30, late enough for some people to have difficulty getting home.

Ah ha ha ha. The last train to get me home leaves Waterloo at 7.30pm. Makes Prom-going an expensive business when London hotel prices are tacked on.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

In fact I was posting from the arena bar over a pint of Spitfire at half time .

Sorry.

[Alison]

Others have found the right adjectives: Mesmerising, magical and intimate.

Wonderful concert.

[Nick Armstrong]

In fact I was posting from the arena bar over a pint of Spitfire at half time

Sorry.

Aaawwwww.... two tone poems in harmony...

[Bella Kemp]

Yes, it was very good, but perhaps a little too polished and perfect: Mahler neatly ordered and made as unthreatening as Haydn by a nice elderly Dutchman.

[french frank]

by a nice elderly Dutchman.

Bit of a hero here, Bella - watch out! (And welcome, by the way )

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

(And welcome, by the way )

Indeed. But Haydn isn't (or shouldn't just be) "unthreatening".

[Alison]

Yes, it was very good, but perhaps a little too polished and perfect: Mahler neatly ordered and made as unthreatening as Haydn by a nice elderly Dutchman.

To me there was no sense of perfection for its own sake and indeed the contribution of the soprano was scarcely perfect in any case. Definitely not an autopilot performance, I take your point about an elderly Dutchman being at the helm.

[johnb]

Well, there was no mistaking last night's Mahler for a Gergiev performance, that's for sure (and perhaps that is no bad thing ).

Fiery performances of Mahler are ten a penny these days but what we heard last night was something much rarer and much more difficult to bring off - the distillation of a lifetime's knowledge, commitment and wisdom. To me, the Knaben Wunderhorn song often seems tacked on at the end whereas in last night's performance the whole work seemed to have an all encompassing arc, culminating in that final movement. (Not that I know much about anything!)

[Bella Kemp]

Thanks for the welcome french frank. It was a beautiful performance and much enjoyed in this household, but as my husband said, 'It was Schubert's Fifth again but with different notes.' You put your appreciation well johnb and so did we love the music - because that's the magic of live performance - always giving the new and unexpected - but we won't be adding Haitink's Mahler to our cd shelves.

[Ferretfancy]

Well, there was no mistaking last night's Mahler for a Gergiev performance, that's for sure (and perhaps that is no bad thing ).

Fiery performances of Mahler are ten a penny these days but what we heard last night was something much rarer and much more difficult to bring off - the distillation of a lifetime's knowledge, commitment and wisdom. To me, the Knaben Wunderhorn song often seems tacked on at the end whereas in last night's performance the whole work seemed to have an all encompassing arc, culminating in that final movement. (Not that I know much about anything!)

johnb

Not knowing much about anything is one thing, but your acute perceptiveness is another. We are so lucky to be able to see a great musician who can still give us so much.

[Alison]

johnb

Not knowing much about anything is one thing, but your acute perceptiveness is another. We are so lucky to be able to see a great musician who can still give us so much.

I like it when you enjoy some Mahler Mr Ferret.

[Nick Armstrong]

a nice elderly Dutchman.

Bit of a hero here, Bella - watch out! (And welcome, by the way )

Well BH got a slight duffing up last weekend on the CD filing thread (starting here: http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...621#post420621 ), and defence too.

And yes Bella K welcome - and don't be afraid of some healthy opinion-based hero-knocking!

[cloughie]

To me there was no sense of perfection for its own sake and indeed the contribution of the soprano was scarcely perfect in any case. Definitely not an autopilot performance, I take your point about an elderly Dutchman being at the helm.

'....I take your point about an elderly Dutchman being at the helm' - yes as you seethe over your keyboard - that's no way to talk about Great Uncle Bernie... were you being kind to a newcomer because you were feeling happy about the foxes competent start to their Prem campaign!