Prom 24: MacMillan/Mahler (3.08.15)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30
Royal Albert Hall

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Donald Runnicles live at the BBC Proms in music by James MacMillan and Mahler

James MacMillan: Symphony No. 4 (BBC commission) (world premiere)
Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles conductor

Mahler's mighty Symphony No. 5 is the climax of this second Prom from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and their chief conductor Donald Runnicles. The work's intense, contrasting moods - the bitter solemnity of the funeral march, the violence of the second movement and the tenderness of the famous Adagietto - make this one of the great orchestral showpieces. The evening opens with the world premiere of a dramatic and bell-haunted Fourth Symphony from Scottish composer James MacMillan, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and dedicated to this evening's conductor.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30
Royal Albert Hall

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Donald Runnicles live at the BBC Proms in music by James MacMillan and Mahler

James MacMillan: Symphony No. 4 (BBC commission) (world premiere)
Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles conductor

Mahler's mighty Symphony No. 5 is the climax of this second Prom from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and their chief conductor Donald Runnicles. The work's intense, contrasting moods - the bitter solemnity of the funeral march, the violence of the second movement and the tenderness of the famous Adagietto - make this one of the great orchestral showpieces. The evening opens with the world premiere of a dramatic and bell-haunted Fourth Symphony from Scottish composer James MacMillan, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and dedicated to this evening's conductor.

I suppose James MacMillan is the Benjamin Britten of his day, with so much fine music flowing from his pen that people start questioning (unjustifiably in my view) the inner depths of his composition.

Another premiere to look forward to.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I suppose Jame MacMillian is the Benjamin Britten of his day, with so much fine music flowing from his pen that people start questioning (unjustifiably in my view
the inner depths of his composition.

Nah - there just aren't any.

Thomas Ades a more qualified inheritor of the Britten mantle - composer, pianist, conductor, Festival organiser?

[edashtav]

+

I suppose Jame MacMillian is the Benjamin Britten of his day, with so much fine music flowing from his pen that people start questioning (unjustifiably in my view) the inner depths of his composition.

Another premiere to look forward to.

I'm afraid not, Alpie! Jimmy's flow is more like Darius Milhaud's: an unstoppable flood from a quick-eared wizard of faux novelties. Each piece comes freshly wrapped in tinsel but the Emperor's new clothes ... .Jimmy's greatest gift is that he purveys plastic bottles of blended Scotch already diluted with water; he helps those listeners too timid to touch a drop of the hard stuff. Give me a good Malt, any day.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well I never did like whisky.




But I do wish people would stop quoting my typos. . .

[edashtav]

Nah - there just aren't any.

Thomas Ades a more qualified inheritor of the Britten mantle - composer, pianist, conductor, Festival organiser?

Just noted your contribution, fhg.

... Jimmy MacMillan, an equally qualified inheritor of the Britten mantle - composer,pianist conductor, Cumnock Tryst Festival organiser...

[Roehre]

... Jimmy's flow is more like Darius Milhaud's: an unstoppable flood from a quick-eared wizard of faux novelties. Each piece comes freshly wrapped in tinsel but the Emperor's new clothes ... .Jimmy's greatest gift is that he purveys plastic bottles of blended Scotch already diluted with water; he helps those listeners too timid to touch a drop of the hard stuff. Give me a good Malt, any day.

I am afraid I have to concur

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

3-1 against so far .

[doversoul1]

+

... blended Scotch already diluted with water; he helps those listeners too timid to touch a drop of the hard stuff....

This may not be such a bad thing for someone who needs a bit of coaxing to try a new thing (I speak for myself), as long as it has the taste of the real thing even in small doses.

[VodkaDilc]

When I was a youngster, we always awaited Britten's latest work with curiosity and interest. MacMillan is possibly the only composer where I feel the same today.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

When I was a youngster, we always awaited Britten's latest work with curiosity and interest.

That was so true for many of us.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Jimmy MacMillan, an equally qualified inheritor of the Britten mantle - composer,pianist conductor, Cumnock Tryst Festival organiser...

Ah, I didn't know about the Cumnock Tryst Festival - nor very much about Cumnock! (But what are they so sad about?) Has JM also had the sort of career as a pianist that both Britten and Ades has/d? (Genuine question.)


And, yes - my preference is for the single malts, too!

[CallMePaul]

Thomas Ades a more qualified inheritor of the Britten mantle - composer, pianist, conductor, Festival organiser?

He also happens to be gay, as was Britten of course.

[edashtav]

Ah, I didn't know about the Cumnock Tryst Festival - nor very much about Cumnock! (But what are they so sad about?) Has JM also had the sort of career as a pianist that both Britten and Ades has/d? (Genuine question.) [ my emphasis]


And, yes - my preference is for the single malts, too!

Britten's piano career was almost accidental, was it not? I sensed that he was a reluctant pianist more there to support Peter Pears, than a proud pianist in his own right. With MacMillan , the evidence from his 3 piano concerti , suggests that he knows the piano intimately, as an executant. For sure, JM doesn't play his concerti in public - but neither did Britten play his two rather lumpen essays in the form. But... I have to cede that you may have levelled the score at 15 all, fgh, thanks to a net cord.

[VodkaDilc]

Thomas Ades a more qualified inheritor of the Britten mantle - composer, pianist, conductor, Festival organiser?

He also happens to be gay, as was Britten of course.

And a great many other 20th/21st century composers. Is this relevant?