Prom 68 - 7.09.14: Cleveland Orchestra, Smith / Welser-Möst

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I thought it was a very good performance, with good tempos and clarity and lovely playing especially from the woodwind, the sort of performance that a conductor like Sawallisch might have given, not highly expressive or with extremes of contrast, but none the worse for that.

I'll go along with this.

[Lento]

Plenty of subtlety though I have to say at the symphony's conclusion I wasn't exactly bowled over.

Ivan Hewett agrees.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/proms/11081433/BBC-Prom-68Cleveland-Orchestra-review-fastidious-and-understated.html

[amac4165]

I'll go along with this.

Indeed after the AFO the symphony did not cause any unexpected surprises ! Not going tonight but may listen to #2 on radio - pity they are not doing the variations on the St Anthony Chorale

They are certainly a class act - best playing from an American Orchestra since Boston and Levine IMHO

[jayne lee wilson]

PROM 68. CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA/WELSER-MOST.
BRAHMS SYMPHONY NO. 1; JORG WIDMANN - FLUTE EN SUITE.

With drive and directness, Welser-Most swept into this Brahms 1st shooting from the hip: a swift and crisp attack, a no-nonsense clarity of line and texture, the winds and strings distinct yet perfectly matched in their pitch and tonal blend. There wasn't a bar where FWM's tempi didn't feel giusto, for him and for us; all seeming related to one basic pulse, and only achieved by having an overarching concept of the whole. I loved the poise of the andante, with a cutting edge and tonal fullness where required; then, the tautly phrased and very con brio character of the finale's allegro. A performance which retained its beautiful balance to the end, with no extravagance or exaggeration in the final triumph.

An excellent Brahms First - yes, wilder, more rugged, farther-flung visions of the work are possible, even familiar; but with a realisation as polished as this, I could imagine the stern shade of George Szell still haunting Severance, casting a raised eyebrow over the rehearsals.

I was very drawn in by Widmann's Flute en Suite.
In 8 short movements, each based on the barely-perceptible ghost of a baroque dance (Gigue, Minuet etc), it felt like a dark and inward meditation on the Flute's identity through time - with ear-engaging, twisting counterpoints between solo and ensemble flutes, exotic splashes of orchestral colour, and - what sounded like some subtle electronic transformations too. The main climax erupted with sudden Messiaen-ic force from a chorale... but we suddenly jump-cut to an almost Schnittkean parody on Bach's Badinerie from the 2nd Suite (embellished with a little teehee by way of Rossini's William Tell) for a finale. I wasn't sure if I liked this effect - it seemed to undercut the deeper mood of the work in a rather throwaway, 20th-century cliche of pseudo-modernity. I wish Widmann had found an alternative ending, even if that was his intent.

HDs Ratings OVERALL: SOUND 9/10 (solo violin in the Brahms slightly too spotlit; timps a little boomy); PERFORMANCES 10/10.

[pastoralguy]

We heard Franz Welser-Most and his wonderful Clevelanders at the Edinburgh Festival a couple of years ago playing Brahms second symphony. It was, as last night demonstrated, a glorious performance of this glowing score. Those fortunate to be listening in the hall or on the steam radio are in for a real treat.

[Stanfordian]

What a splendid work! I thought the performance (UK Premiere) of Jörg Widmann's ‘Teufel Amor’ played by the Cleveland Orchestra under Franz Welser-Most was quite superb. I hope to be hearing a number of Widmann's works in Berlin next week at the Musikfest. On tonight's evidence I can't wait.

[Barbirollians]

I turned off after the AFO - tepid and not very festive to my ears albeit gloriously played technically.

[Roehre]

What a splendid work! I thought the performance (UK Premiere) of Jörg Widmann's ‘Teufel Amor’ played by the Cleveland Orchestra under Franz Welser-Most was quite superb. I hope to be hearing a number of Widmann's works in Berlin next week at the Musikfest. On tonight's evidence I can't wait.

I am afraid that Widmann i-with all his experience as both a composer and a clarinet-player- still is composer in search of an own style. Having listened quite extensively the last 5 years or so to his works the one element (if you like: finger print) which returns is quoting others, either directly or stylistically. Technically the works are sound (no pun intended), but contents are lacking IMO, not only in his orchestral works, but certainly also in his chamber ones.

I am very interested in your experiences and observations re Widmann coming week, Standordian.

[Hornspieler]

Yes - I wasn't as impressed as Pastoralguy and CornetIV. A good performance, splendid playing, but a little underpowered in places - at least as it came over on the telly. Like Pet, I prefer a little less subtlety from the Timps.

Untidy, would be my assessment of the 1st symphony.

But listening this morning to the 2nd symphony, I was impressed by the performance - particularly of the violins and woodwind.

So pleased that FWM did not take the first repeat - it seems so pointless to me to repeat that magical opening and the first-time bars are a bit of a mess anyway. Move on, I say.

My impression of the TV part was that the 3rd horn is a better player than the principal. This was confirmed for me by the rather unimaginative rendering of that lovely emotional horn solo at the end of the Brahms 2nd symphony's first movement.

I particularly admired the principal oboe, especially in the 1st symphony.

On iplayer, the orchestra was decibels quieter than the announcer.

So much for High Definition

HS

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm watching the TV version on iPlayer, with the mute button pressed as KD and TS try to impress.

TS is trying to rival Nigel K in his unsightliness, and both have those silly microphones growing out of their faces. I suppose they are being "cool".

The music-making is first rate, however.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Sorry for posting this on the wrong thread yesterday.

[Nick Armstrong]

the mute button pressed as KD and TS try to impress.

TS is trying to rival Nigel K in his unsightliness

The sight and the sound of Service are now proscribed at Caliban Towers and rewards are available for all who mute and/or fast forward and/or (this is the preferred option) partial delete recordings to ensure that his mannered burblings and wet-look shag-pile hairdo are excluded.

[Hornspieler]

The sight and the sound of Service are now proscribed at Caliban Towers and rewards are available for all who mute and/or fast forward and/or (this is the preferred option) partial delete recordings to ensure that his mannered burblings and wet-look shag-pile hairdo are excluded.

Hear, hear!

But I fear that Normal Service is unlikely to appear in the foreseeable future.

HS

[amateur51]

Hear, hear!

But I fear that Normal Service is unlikely to appear in the foreseeable future.

HS

Any relative of Normal St John Service?

[Lento]

At least T Service is enthusiastic, and I have found some of his comments, on various programmes, of interest. It is all too easy for me to stop concentrating, however, when his delivery is so fast and prone to faltering.