Prom 73 - 11.09.14: Mahler 3, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra & Choirs, Gilbert

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Thursday 11 September
7.00 p.m. – c. 8.50 p.m.
Royal Albert Hall

Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D minor

Gerhild Romberger (mezzo-soprano)
Leipzig Opera and Gewandhaus Choir (womens voices)
Leipzig Gewandhaus Childrens Choir
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
Alan Gilbert (conductor)

'The world will never have heard the likes of my symphony!' A bold claim by any composer, but one more than justified by Mahler's Third Symphony.
This epic, unorthodox work unfolds over six movements, painting a musical portrait 'of nature's very essence. Pagan gods and Christian saints, flower meadows and silent forests, instruments and voices all come together in a work that moves beyond the confines of programme music.
American conductor Alan Gilbert returns to conduct this masterpiece in the first of two Proms with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Now this symphony really does need a full concert for itself.

[Petrushka]

Now this symphony really does need a full concert for itself.

It does, usually, but I know of two occasions when Claudio Abbado coupled it with something else and so has Rattle both with the CBSO and BPO.

I was so looking forward to hearing Chailly in this and the following night's Beethoven 9 that his indisposition is a real disappointment and I contemplated selling off my tickets. I've neither heard nor seen Alan Gilbert but anecdotal evidence and reviews do not leave me expecting too much.

[Nick Armstrong]

Came in halfway through the third movement.

Sounds very good.... tempi giusti and character - plus a lovely lovely post-horn solo ....

What a great piece.

[teamsaint]

Came in halfway through the third movement.

Sounds very good.... tempi giusti and character - plus a lovely lovely post-horn solo ....

What a great piece.

oh yes.....I was really hoping to be there tonight......but..you know....work.......


On the car radio it sounded a bit up front, in your face,at times, and maybe some slightly odd balance?

Any thoughts on the singing, Cals?

not my favourite performance of the fourth movement.

Still wish I could have been there, though......

[Nick Armstrong]

On the car radio it sounded a bit up front, in your face,at times, and maybe some slightly odd balance?

Any thoughts on the singing, Cals?

not my favourite performance of the fourth movement.

Still wish I could have been there, though......

It didn't sound too 'in your face' on the internet/Airport Express combo - just right, I thought, inc one incredible hushed passage by the strings in the last movement that you wouldn't have heard in the car, I dare say!

Gerhild sounded better with the children's choir than on her own, I thought.

All in all very good, although work made me miss the first two movements entirely

[teamsaint]

It didn't sound too 'in your face' on the internet/Airport Express combo - just right, I thought, inc one incredible hushed passage by the strings in the last movement that you wouldn't have heard in the car, I dare say!

Gerhild sounded better with the children's choir than on her own, I thought.

All in all very good, although work made me miss the first two movements entirely

Well that is the great thing about Mahler 3...., get in 45 mins late, and there is still time to get the kettle on and enjoy a good listen.

Good old Gustav thought of everything.

Well, except car radio listeners.......

[Alison]

I did it the other way round. First movement seemed a bit prosaic and earthbound and matters improved greatly in (ii) and (iii) before I then had to go out! How was the finale?

[Lento]

I did it the other way round. First movement seemed a bit prosaic and earthbound and matters improved greatly in (ii) and (iii) before I then had to go out! How was the finale?

Wonderful, I thought. Some regard the 1st mvt as being a bit problematic anyway, so maybe it needs a lot of "lifting" to get it to work. Found myself thinking of Brahms at times, curiously.

[Nick Armstrong]

Wonderful, I thought. ....Found myself thinking of Brahms at times, curiously.

Well the contours of the chorale in Brahms 1 Mvt 4 (string entry after a couple of seconds here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpuw...ature=youtu.be) and the opening massed horn opening to Mahler 3 are extremely similar.... And then imagine the Brahms string theme slowed right down and change a couple of notes, and you're in the last movement of Mahler 3... almost.

I thought it was beautifully played, too.

[Nick Armstrong]

[/B]

Well that is the great thing about Mahler 3...., get in 45 mins late, and there is still time to get the kettle on and enjoy a good listen.

Good old Gustav thought of everything.

Well, except car radio listeners.......

Well the authors of the 'Bluffers' Guide to Music' would beg to disagree:

"It is possible to switch on the car radio in the depths of Surrey to what appears to be a Mahler symphony well in its stride and to arrive in London - and find a parking place - with it still going on in a forgetfully energetic way...."

[teamsaint]

Well the authors of the 'Bluffers' Guide to Music' would beg to disagree:

"It is possible to switch on the car radio in the depths of Surrey to what appears to be a Mahler symphony well in its stride and to arrive in London - and find a parking place - with it still going on in a forgetfully energetic way...."

Bluffers indeed.
Surrey? Depths?

I don't really think so.

[Cockney Sparrow]

The lottery of live performance paid out this evening - a memorable occasion with great playing in all Dept's, rock solid soloist, needn't have fretted that Chailly had cancelled. Felt it was a fine performance (no score) from Gilbert who moved the Leipzig forces to give their all. The applause lasted a long time!

[Simon B]

I did it the other way round. First movement seemed a bit prosaic and earthbound and matters improved greatly in (ii) and (iii) before I then had to go out! How was the finale?

Last night of the Proms for me; initially I contemplated returning my ticket when Chailly withdrew but decided that was a bit daft really - better to take what comes.

Glad I did - agree mvt 1 was a bit less than thrilling initially. Too pretty for me, not wild and craggy enough. I thought it suddenly improved a lot from about halfway through, a few minutes prior to the recap. More involvement, if not exactly teeth.

The performance got better and better from there on.

Some would likely have found the last movement too slow, pulled about a bit too much, wringing too much out perhaps. Not me - it had emotional impact which is what counts IMV. Beautiful playing all round.

If you get around to listening to the end on iPlayer etc, I very much doubt you'll be disappointed with the timps in the closing bars. As emphatic as you could ever hear (4 timps for each D and A) without a hint of harshness. As an irrelevant aside, one of the Leipzig timpanists is from somewhere near Bournemouth and IIRC studied at one time with Paul Turner. Small world...

[Petrushka]

It's hat consumption time for me. I'm glad I didn't return my ticket otherwise I'd have missed this magnificent performance. As others have said it got better as it progressed and the great climax in the finale was simply overwhelming as it should be. Fabulous playing from all involved and as already mentioned, Gilbert conducted without a score. A great evening fully deserving the tremendous ovation it received.