Prom 71 - 9.09.14: 'Americana', BBC CO, Time for Three / Lockhart

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Tuesday, 9 September
7.30 p.m. – c. 9.40 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Copland:
(a) Appalachian Spring - suite
(b) Quiet City
(c) Rodeo - Four Dance Episodes

Dave Brubeck: Blue Rondo à la Turk (arr. Chris Brubeck; UK premiere)
Chris Brubeck: Travels in Time for Three (UK premiere)

Time for Three (Proms debut ensemble)
* Zachary De Pue, violin
* Nicolas Kendall, violin
* Ranaan Meyer, double bass

BBC Concert Orchestra
Keith Lockhart, conductor

The BBC Concert Orchestra and their Principal Conductor Keith Lockhart present a concert of American music which combines folk song evocative of the Appalachian mountains filtered and distilled through the pen of Aaron Copland, alongside Chris Brubeck's jazz infused triple concerto, written for virtuoso string trio Time for Three.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The germ of a good idea, but perhaps still lacking programming imagination.

[Barbirollians]

A night off the Proms for my ears .

[pureimagination]

I will be interested to hear Chris Brubeck's arrangement of Blue Rondo à la Turk (love Dave Brubeck's version and Al Jarreau's) but I'm not familiar with Chris's work.
Attended a prom a few years ago (film music and Henry V with Rory Kinnear's excellent narration) but I felt that Keith Lockhart who was conducting didn't get the best out of the works performed that night.

[bluestateprommer]

Would appear as though Rodeo and Appalachian Spring got switched in the running order for this Prom. I've updated the Forum calendar accordingly.

[Alison]

I'm rather enjoying it, somewhat against my expectations!

[ardcarp]

Me too. The Copland first half (albeit chestnuts) was really effectively played IMO, with some lovely quiet playing and capturing of mood.

[jayne lee wilson]

The BBCCO were really good weren't they? Lovely Appalachian Spring, and excellent sound too...

[Lento]

Only half listened to conductor's spiel about A Spring. Season spring/water spring? I'm confused!

[ardcarp]

The conductor talking live from the stage is a bit like the Wimbledon finalist talking into a mike on court. i.e. the Beeb wants it all to be matey. Agreed we are likely to get more from a conductor than "I just went out there to wave my stick...just took it bar by bar really". Apart from the fact that it must be annoying to some(including me) it must be very unnerving for the conductor who is trying to compose him/herself for the piece to come.

Lockhart did make some sense as it happens i.e. originally Copland wrote 'A Ballet for Martha [Graham]' and was amused when the title became Appalachian Spring.

John Wilson's interval chat OTOH (lunchtime, Monday) was less informed, I felt, and the start of Facade got off to a nervous start...maybe as a result?