Prom 50 - 24.08.14: Czech PO, Weilerstein / Bělohlávek

[Barbirollians]

I take it back - that was a cracking Beethoven 7 - full of dance .

[pilamenon]

A cracking good concert - it doesn't get much better than this. The cello concerto felt deep, poised and heartfelt, yet not at all overwrought. Sensitive accompaniment, and tremendous sense of occasion about the piece. A word about Ian Skelly - he knows just how to inform and enthuse without going over the top. He should be given the job of introducing concerts full-time.

[Richard Tarleton]

A A word about Ian Skelly

Yes indeed, sorry I didn't name-check him in #30, he did an excellent job.

[Nick Armstrong]

A cracking good concert - it doesn't get much better than this. The cello concerto felt deep, poised and heartfelt, yet not at all overwrought. Sensitive accompaniment, and tremendous sense of occasion about the piece. A word about Ian Skelly - he knows just how to inform and enthuse without going over the top. He should be given the job of introducing concerts full-time.

Totally agreed, plus an intoxicating Beethoven 7 (plus encores I want to hear... again). And Ian Skelly's perfect.

[Ferretfancy]

I suspect that Alisa Wellerstein's performance may have come over better at home than it did in the hall. It isn't a big sound, with what struck me as a rather "furry " top with a lot of bounce on the strings. I noticed that she had a very close microphone, but in the hall she was sometimes overwhelmed by the orchestra.

It's a wonderful orchestra with that characteristically rustic sounding woodwind that is so special. It was a very good performance of the symphony, not too slow in the second movement and for once the trio of the scherzo wasn't at a dirge like pace. I enjoyed the evening without feeling bowled over, but what a sound!

Belohlavek had the eight basses in an arc at the left rear of the platform, with the violins divided and the timps on the far right, was this apparent on the broadcast?

It was particularly fascinating to watch the absolutely synchronised bowing of the basses,military precision forming a straight line !

[Dave2002]

What was the third encore?

The first two were the first of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances and Smetana's Dance of the Comedians from the Bartered Bride.

[Nick Armstrong]

What was the third encore?

The first two were the first of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances and Smetana's Dance of the Comedians from the Bartered Bride.

It was No. 3 in A flat I think.

The third encore was Oskar Nedbal's "Valse Triste" (pupil of Dvorak, chief of the CPO till 1906)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toYqXGL-s0A

[pastoralguy]

I suspect that Alisa Wellerstein's performance may have come over better at home than it did in the hall. It isn't a big sound, with what struck me as a rather "furry " top with a lot of bounce on the strings. I noticed that she had a very close microphone, but in the hall she was sometimes overwhelmed by the orchestra.

It's a wonderful orchestra with that characteristically rustic sounding woodwind that is so special. It was a very good performance of the symphony, not too slow in the second movement and for once the trio of the scherzo wasn't at a dirge like pace. I enjoyed the evening without feeling bowled over, but what a sound!

Belohlavek had the eight basses in an arc at the left rear of the platform, with the violins divided and the timps on the far right, was this apparent on the broadcast?

It was particularly fascinating to watch the absolutely synchronised bowing of the basses,military precision forming a straight line !

Yes, the basses were arranged like that in the Usher Hall too. I'm re-listening on mini-disc just now and yes, now you mention it, there is a bass spread across the acoustic spectrum. To be honest, I don't think this was a particularly successful broadcast. I found the sound quite dim and lacking in immediacy. Then again, I'm so used to hearing this team play it with fabulous Decca sound that anything else is likely to be a poor substitute!

As an aside, this is the first time I've used my mini-disc player with my new hi-fi and I think it needs some tweaking. If the mini-disc player thinks there is no input it'll pause automatically which is what has happened since there appear to be a couple of bars missing!

[Blotto]

I'm re-listening on mini-disc just now

Can I ask about mini-discs? I've seen another reference to this recently.

I wonder is this a recording from the live feed because the live feed is of a higher standard than replaying later on iplayer?

Would any respectable recording device be adequate (I have Total Recorder) or does the mini-disc record in a special way?

Thanks.

[Lento]

I must listen again to the Dvorak. Hilary Finch described Jonathan Biss' performance of the Schumann the other night as "edgy, over-highly strung", and I wondered if there was an element of that creeping in here. There was, of course, much poetry, but there was a little too much pace in places for me.

[Flosshilde]

Interesting comment in the introduction to the Beethoven that at the first performance the second movement was encored immediately, before the performance continued. Makes a little aplause between movements seem extremely restrained

[Blotto]

Such things aren't wholly historical, either, hilde. Oliver Knussen did a similar thing last year with a piece by Helen Grimes.

[pastoralguy]

Can I ask about mini-discs? I've seen another reference to this recently.

I wonder is this a recording from the live feed because the live feed is of a higher standard than replaying later on iplayer?

Would any respectable recording device be adequate (I have Total Recorder) or does the mini-disc record in a special way?

Thanks.

Hi Blotto. MD is probably, by today's standards, is prehistoric. It works on an MP3 method of compression. The discs are about 5cm square and have a playing time between 74 and 80 minutes although certain machines have double or quadruple playing/recording time with a degree of reduction in Sound quality.

I've used the format for almost 20 years and have amassed a fair quantity of 'archive material' including CD Review going back to 2000 and EVERY SINGLE MINUTE of Radio3's pioneering Beethoven experience! However, I suspect there are better ways of storing this material but I was brought up to want something to hold in my sticky little hand.

The sound quality is very good and seems not to deteriorate. (I have magnetic tape that is unplayable from only 20 years ago). It's also easy to edit it and can be great fun once the basics have been mastered. I keep my MDs in shoe boxes under my bed!

I'm sure there will be a wicki article that is much better than anything I can tell you suffice to say that I think it's great system.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Such things aren't wholly historical, either, hilde. Oliver Knussen did a similar thing last year with a piece by Helen Grimes.

But didn't he repeat the entire (five minute) piece, rather than just a central movement - and that before the audience had heard the Finale?

(The first performances of Lutoslawski's Concerto for Oboe, Harp & Orchestra regularly involved a repeat performance of the Finale. I commented on how unusual this was for a new work to the composer who replied "Yes! Why not? It's a jolly piece!")

[Dave2002]

It was No. 3 in A flat I think.

The third encore was Oskar Nedbal's "Valse Triste" (pupil of Dvorak, chief of the CPO till 1906)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toYqXGL-s0A

Thanks for the correction.
It does appear to have been the no 3 in A flat dance - just checked again.
I checked after the concert, but got the numbering wrong!

Never heard of Nedbal before! http://open.spotify.com/track/5NpKrF0UyV2YkstVFmU3YA
Tale of Honza - a bit obscure - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hloupý_Honza