Prom 44 - 19.08.14: Melbourne SO, Mørk / A. Davis

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Tuesday, 19 August
6.30 p.m. – c. 9.00 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Richard Strauss: Don Juan
Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, Op 85

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique

Truls Mørk. cello
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Proms debut ensemble)
Sir Andrew Davis, conductor

This season's showcase of global orchestras continues with the Proms debut of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, under its new Chief Conductor, Sir Andrew Davis. Together they explore the musical extremes of passion, despair, love and death. Perhaps the most powerful artistic expression of unrequited love, Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique is a dark, vivid fantasy inspired by the woman who would eventually become his wife.
Strauss too had just married when he composed the soaring love theme of Don Juan. Elgar's last major work, the Cello Concerto, traces more questioning shades of emotion. There's a beautiful melancholy and tentative yearning to this work, coloured by the First World War: an elegy by any other name.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

At 6.30 to make way for a different kind of Prom.

[pastoralguy]

Convincing performance of 'Don Juan' IMHO. Sound level seems to have dropped for the concerto though.

[pastoralguy]

Mrs. PG and I have bought tickets for their EIF appearance on the strength of what we're hearing now. Erin Wall sings the four last songs and Truls plays the Schumann concerto.

[pastoralguy]

Super concert! I do hope I'm not the only 'listener in' here...

[Alison]

I am sure Barbs is not missing out on hearing his beloved Sir Andrew ....

[Ockeghem's Razor]

I thoroughly enjoyed the concert (and Carmen Callil's reaction to being called 'Germaine' by Rana Mitter during the interval discussion!)

[Petrushka]

Listening as a deferred relay some two hours behind and just got to the interval and am finding it an excellent concert, somewhat to my surprise. A thrillingly paced Don Juan with first class horns, so important in this work and a good string sound. Time was when Solti said that the Chicago Symphony didn't usually tour Strauss (before including Don Juan in a 1981 Prom) as it was so tiring for the players. Nowadays any decent orchestra seems to be able to manage. How times change!

Predictably fine Elgar Cello Concerto from Mork and Davis, one of our finest Elgarians.

On now to the Berlioz...

[pastoralguy]

On now to the Berlioz...

You won't be disappointed!

[Zucchini]

Mrs. PG and I have bought tickets for their EIF appearance...Erin Wall sings the four last songs...

I heard her sing these at Symphony Hall a few months ago. She was fantastic - and knew there was no need to press the voice in those glorious acoustics

[pastoralguy]

I heard her sing these at Symphony Hall a few months ago. She was fantastic - and knew there was no need to press the voice in those glorious acoustics

[EdgeleyRob]

Marvelous concert.
Yet another great Elgar performance at these Proms.
In fact,have the best moments so far this season been when British music has been involved.
Or is it just me.

[Dave2002]

Live in the RAH I've revised my opinion of Andrew Davis - a superb performance of the Berlioz symphony, and the orchestra were excellent too. I don't know how he gets the results - but it clearly worked tonight. A lot of two handed symmetrical conducting, but who cares with results like that. Very different conducting style from Petrenko. The Elgar was somewhat subdued and reflective, and the Strauss was suitably opulent.

Not at all sure what the cello encore was - perhaps someone else can enlighten us/me. I did think we might have had Waltzing Matilda as well at the end, perhaps even with AD singing along, but the Grainger piece was an appropriate finish - though after a performance as good as the Berlioz encores seemed superfluous.

That orchestra will be welcome back any time. I hope the musicians enjoyed it.

[Bryn]

... Not at all sure what the cello encore was - perhaps someone else can enlighten us/me. ...

The opening movement, of Britten's 2nd Cello Suite, Declamato: Largo.

[Simon Biazeck]

I thoroughly enjoyed the concert (and Carmen Callil's reaction to being called 'Germaine' by Rana Mitter during the interval discussion!)

Carmen Callil sounds terrifying but I loved her no nonsense responses and retorts.

So proud to hear my fellow Melbournians this evening! Fabuluous, world class playing from the MSO! There's clearly a great rapport between players and conductor here.

Handel in the Strand was a perfect encore - brash larrikin joy!