Prom 15: Prokofiev, Qigang Chen & Rachmaninov (29.07.15)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

18:30
Royal Albert Hall

BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Xian Zhang live at the BBC Proms, in music by Prokofiev, a work by China's Qigang Chen and Rachmaninov's much-loved Second Symphony

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 in D major, 'Classical'
Qigang Chen: Iris dévoilée
Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 in E minor

Meng Meng (soprano)
Anu Komsi (soprano)
Piia Komsi (soprano)
Jia Li (pipa)
Jing Chang (zheng)
Nan Wang (erhu)

BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Xian Zhang (conductor)

Following last night's Prokofiev piano concerto cycle, tonight's Prom opens with the Russian's bright and joyous 'Classical' Symphony, which surprised critics of the young firebrand composer with its formal elegance. It's paired with Rachmaninov's Second Symphony - beloved for its intimate, lyrical slow movement. Rachmaninov might be the original composer of the 'big tune', but it's an instinct China's Qigang Chen - a pupil of Messiaen - shares. East and West come together for his evocative Iris dévoilée, pairing traditional Chinese instruments with Western harmonies.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Another nicely balanced programme. I look forward to "east vs. west", whatever that may mean.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Rachmaninov might be the original composer of the 'big tune'

Might he???!!!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Might he???!!!

It's a bit embarrassing when I'm quoted as being responsible for the BBC website's crass statements. I suppose I should put them in italics, or something.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Just to remind everybody - there's a Prom on tonight at 6.30 p.m. Possibly many of us have overlooked it in view of the later Cobblers Prom.

Qigang Chen's Iris dévoilée sounds interesting. Being an early start, I intend to record it, and then listen to it at around 10.15 p.m.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's a bit embarrassing when I'm quoted as being responsible for the BBC website's crass statements. I suppose I should put them in italics, or something.

Oh no - I knew you weren't, I was questioning the crass statement, not attributing - I should have isolated the quotation so that your name wasn't associated with it.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Oh no - I knew you weren't, I was questioning the crass statement, not attributing - I should have isolated the quotation so that your name wasn't associated with it.

I realise that.

But the nature of [QUOTE]s is that it attributes the poster's quotation to the poster by default.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Suitably adjusted.

Interesting-looking programme.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Interesting-looking programme.

Indeed it is. I hope it will not be overlooked in view of its over-publicised sibling.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Suitably adjusted.

Thank you.

[Bryn]

This really is too much. We have been reminded elsewhere on this forum that these are now the BBC Proms. That's British Broadcasting Corporation. yet what do we get here? An East Ukrainian, a Chinese and a Russian composer. Thank goodness this Prom will be followed by a proper British one.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This really is too much. We have been reminded elsewhere on this forum that these are now the BBC Proms. That's British Broadcasting Corporation. yet what do we get here? An East Ukrainian, a Chinese and a Russian composer. Thank goodness this Prom will be followed by a proper British one.

(Is Ibiza British?)

[Bryn]

(Is Ibiza British?)

Certainly treated by some as an overseas British territory. However, as I understand it, the composers of this Dance Music genre are pretty much British anyway.

[bluestateprommer]

Just heard Prokofiev 1 (Symphony, not Piano Concerto); Xian Zhang's pacing put me in mind of the mid-1960's Malcolm Sargent recording with the LSO, i.e. relatively spacious and not at all hard-driven, though the BBC NOW's sound is a bit gritter than the smoothness of the LSO's sound in that recording. A fair bit of indulgence and nudging of pace in the Scherzo, but all in good fun. Audience applause between 1 & 2, and 2 & 3, but I'm wondering if many in the audience are perhaps Chinese newcomers to the Proms. Anyone there can report of this wild speculation later.

Part 2: the Qigang Chen piece was definitely a curiosity. Predominantly slow or moderato in pacing and mood, although the jarring sound of Meng Meng's Peking opera-style vocals was a shock to hear, in the context of a Western orchestra. No doubt the contrast between her vocals and the Komsi sisters' Western classical style was deliberate. Beyond the vocalise writing for the singers, not understanding Chinese is an obvious hindrance to whatever message that Meng Meng had to convey with her word-painting. Some of the vocalise moments put me in mind of the slow movement of Nielsen's Symphony No. 3 (with its own vocalise setting), though sounding nothing like that, of course. Harmonically, overall, nothing outrageously dissonant or overly chromatic, rather like the trumpet work Joie eternelle from the last Proms season. I'm not sure that I'm in a hurry to hear the consistent sameness of the work as a second shot, but full marks to the BBC NOW, XZ, the Komsis, Jia Li, Jing Chang, and Nan Wang for their work.

[edashtav]

Just heard Prokofiev 1 (Symphony, not Piano Concerto); Xian Zhang's pacing put me in mind of the mid-1960's Malcolm Sargent recording with the LSO, i.e. relatively spacious and not at all hard-driven, though the BBC NOW's sound is a bit gritter than the smoothness of the LSO's sound in that recording. A fair bit of indulgence and nudging of pace in the Scherzo, but all in good fun. Audience applause between 1 & 2, and 2 & 3, but I'm wondering if many in the audience are perhaps Chinese newcomers to the Proms. Anyone there can report of this wild speculation later.

Part 2: the Qigang Chen piece was definitely a curiosity. Predominantly slow or moderato in pacing and mood, although the jarring sound of Meng Meng's Peking opera-style vocals was a shock to hear, in the context of a Western orchestra. No doubt the contrast between her vocals and the Komsi sisters' Western classical style was deliberate. Beyond the vocalise writing for the singers, not understanding Chinese is an obvious hindrance to whatever message that Meng Meng had to convey with her word-painting. Some of the vocalise moments put me in mind of the slow movement of Nielsen's Symphony No. 3 (with its own vocalise setting), though sounding nothing like that, of course. Harmonically, overall, nothing outrageously dissonant or overly chromatic, rather like the trumpet work Joie eternelle from the last Proms season. I'm not sure that I'm in a hurry to hear the consistent sameness of the work as a second shot, but full marks to the BBC NOW, XZ, the Komsis, Jia Li, Jing Chang, and Nan Wang for their work.

A useful summary from bsp and I love the parallel he draws with the vocalise in Nielsen's 3rd Symphony - spot on,bsp! Chen's piece contains some lovely music - and some of the contributions of the "western" singers were magically sung. It's very much a piece explaining Chinese music to Westerners and vice versa. I fear that it has little long term value. But beauty , however redundant, is to be valued and I enjoyed several passages and nothing jarred.

I share bsp's reservations about Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, very 20th century in style, far removed from what Kyrill Karabits or Vladimir Jurowski can conjure in the 21st century.

Pleasant rather than earth shattering.