Prom 63 - 4.09.14: BBC SO, McAllister / Alsop

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thursday, 4 September
7.30 p.m. – c. 9.45 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

John Adams:
(a) Short Ride in a Fast Machine
(b) Saxophone Concerto (UK premiere)

Mahler: Symphony No. 1 in D

Timothy McAllister, alto saxophone (Proms debut artist)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor

Marin Alsop makes a welcome return following her triumph at last year's Last Night, to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Mahler's First Symphony. Originally designated a 'symphonic poem', the work retains all the programmatic colour this suggests. A young hero travels through life, marvelling at nature and growing to maturity, but encountering the sorrows and conflicts of Fate at every turn.

Mahler's long-limbed lyricism meets its match in the muscular drive of John Adams's Saxophone Concerto, written for virtuoso soloist Timothy McAllister, and his iconic orchestral miniature Short Ride in a Fast Machine, which pulses with anarchic life.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Interesting.

[Hornspieler]

Interesting.

[Bryn]

So what traumatic event is going to prevent Short Ride in a Fast Machine being performed this time?

[Nobody wake the midshipman. Let the sleeping sea dog lie.]

[bluestateprommer]

So what traumatic event is going to prevent Short Ride in a Fast Machine being performed this time?

Fortunately, no trauma in this case. One small near-crack in the brass aside, a good curtain-raiser, as SRiaFM generally is. In the new John Adams Saxophone Concerto, interestingly, my thoughts turned to, of all works, Alwyn's 1st Symphony, not because JA's new concerto resembles Alwyn (it doesn't at all), but in the sense that it's a perfectly tonal and audience-friendly work, without any big tunes that stay in the memory (at least mine). It's rather discursive, where you wonder where exactly the movements will end. I thought the contrast between the more energetic sections and more reflective sections in the first movement worked best. The finale sounded a bit much like busywork to me. But Timothy McAllister did a terrific job as soloist, and the BBC SO and Marin Alsop gave excellent support. Hearing the interval feature now, about the saxophone, with TM and Stephen Cottrell in a nice discussion with Andrew McGregor.

[BBMmk2]

On first hearing, I didn't think it was a classic JA score?

[Lento]

you wonder where exactly the movements will end. ...The finale sounded a bit much like busywork to me.

In my case it was more a problem of wondering when the last mvt would end. Plenty of complex activity, precious little communication imv.

[pastoralguy]

I didn't realise this was live on BBC 4!

Looks like Laura Samuel from the BBCSSO is leading.

[Petrushka]

I didn't realise this was live on BBC 4!

Looks like Laura Samuel from the BBCSSO is leading.

Damn! Listening to the radio broadcast on the DVD recorder as a deferred relay and too late now (some half an hour behind) to join the Mahler on TV. One for the I-player.

That'll teach me to forgo the Radio Times during the Proms season.

[Alison]

I didn't realise this was live on BBC 4!

Looks like Laura Samuel from the BBCSSO is leading.

Laura moves so beautifully with the music.

[pastoralguy]

Fantastic!!!

Very committed playing from the BBCSO.

[kernelbogey]

I really like Ian Skelly's presenting. Is this a new development for him this season?

[pastoralguy]

It was Tom Service on the telly.

I wish Andrew McGregor could get one of these tv gigs!

[Alison]

I really like Ian Skelly's presenting. Is this a new development for him this season?

We need Skelly on the telly!

[Flay]

Fantastic!!!

Very committed playing from the BBCSO.

Yes it was brilliant. Quite a momentum!

I really like Ian Skelly's presenting. Is this a new development for him this season?

I didn't like Tom popping up at the end enthusiastically urging us to listen to the applause. That's what I was trying to do - and trying to see each section stand and take a bow. That's part of the fun. But he was in the way