Prom 32: Eric Whitacre/RPO (9.08.15)

[pureimagination]

I'm wondering why I have the honour of a mention here. Possibly you are referring to my comments about the BBC Singers, a professional group, positively oozing with fine singers, but who, in my opinion, lack cohesion in their overall sound (unlike the amateur BBC SO Chorus who sound better blended).

Sorry but are you referring to this prom in particular about the BBC Singers or about all the concerts they've performed at. There didn't seem to be any lack of cohesion at this prom in my opinion.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Just been listening to some of this prom, well when I wasn't nearly having an accident through laughing so much. Who's Whiteacre's agent? Anyone that can successfully promote a guy who can't conduct, and can't compose must be a marketing genius. Equus 'Carmina Burana on steroids'? More like a poor clapped out old nag being taken to the knackers yard for its final injection. I never knew that the River Cam was actually a stagnant muddy puddle either! For once I fully agree with the Telegraph's critic.

[Mary Chambers]

. I never knew that the River Cam was actually a stagnant muddy puddle either! For once I fully agree with the Telegraph's critic.

And I fully agree with you! I too laughed when he came on. For some reason I immediately thought of André Rieu. Liberace entered my head as well. I watched it on television, out of sheer curiosity after reading John Allison's review.

I believe the hall was packed, which I suppose is good for funds. A very large number of people really enjoy mediocrity. I feel rather mean for feeling so scornful, but not apologetic.

I should add that I'm not including Martin James Bartlett in my scorn.

[EdgeleyRob]

Well,I've taken a brave pill.
I agree with Suffy and Mary.
Dire.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Sorry but are you referring to this prom in particular about the BBC Singers or about all the concerts they've performed at. There didn't seem to be any lack of cohesion at this prom in my opinion.

There was a better blend of sound than is often the case. However, the intrusive wobblers have yet to be tamed.

[light_calibre_baritone]

Just been listening to some of this prom, well when I wasn't nearly having an accident through laughing so much. Who's Whiteacre's agent? Anyone that can successfully promote a guy who can't conduct, and can't compose must be a marketing genius. Equus 'Carmina Burana on steroids'? More like a poor clapped out old nag being taken to the knackers yard for its final injection. I never knew that the River Cam was actually a stagnant muddy puddle either! For once I fully agree with the Telegraph's critic.

You and the Telegraph critic should go hang out...... When was the last time YOU conducted a Prom? Or had a work performed there?

[Pabmusic]

Just been listening to some of this prom, well when I wasn't nearly having an accident through laughing so much. Who's Whiteacre's agent? Anyone that can successfully promote a guy who can't conduct, and can't compose must be a marketing genius. Equus 'Carmina Burana on steroids'? More like a poor clapped out old nag being taken to the knackers yard for its final injection. I never knew that the River Cam was actually a stagnant muddy puddle either! For once I fully agree with the Telegraph's critic.

I'm with you, SC.

...When was the last time YOU conducted a Prom? Or had a work performed there?

I know nothing of SC's background, but it's taking a risk to post something like this on this forum.

[teamsaint]

Great idea from post 36 .A forum with no opinions.
Should be a blast.

Incidentally ther ARE great agents who get their clients deals well in excess of their probable ability, and by no means just in music.

[Serial_Apologist]

Great idea from post 36 .A forum with no opinions.
Should be a blast.

Incidentally ther ARE great agents who get their clients deals well in excess of their probable ability, and by no means just in music.

Liz somebodyorother comes most immediately to mind...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm with you, SC.



I know nothing of SC's background, but it's taking a risk to post something like this on this forum.

SC's Piano Sonata is rather good.

[french frank]

SC's Piano Sonata is rather good.

And Pab's Proms work has been on Radio 3 separately from the Prom.

[bluestateprommer]

An extremely mixed bag of a Prom, more on the negative side for me overall (and as an American, I don't feel any need to defend Whitacre, especially as he's smiling all the way to the bank, regardless of what any of us think). His choice of the Jonathan Newman work didn't bode well, given its sub-fusc material. Didn't care for his own The River Cam or Cloudburst at all (although LE did what he could with the former), and Equus didn't do so much for me either. But I actually kind of liked Deep Field, so 1 out of 4.

For some reason I immediately thought of André Rieu.

As somewhat of a sidebar, Jessica Duchen had these musings on André Rieu and what classical music could learn from him, not in terms of music itself, but presentation:

http://jessicamusic.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-can-orchestras-learn-from-andre.html

"Could attendances be increased and orchestras’ incomes be lifted by taking a leaf or two out of Rieu’s modus operandi?

This doesn’t mean copying his style, but noting the way he achieves his aims from behind the scenes. “Rieu’s concerts are filmed with multiple cameras,” Claire Mera-Nelson points out, “and most of them are on the audience. They then analyse the reactions in minute detail. If something doesn’t play well with the audience, they never repeat it.” Rieu’s success is all about setting out to understand his audience and making sure he gives them a good time....

.....the audience’s experience does not begin with the first note of music. It starts as soon as they arrive at the hall – and it’s then that you need a sense of occasion, a welcoming ambience, ease and efficiency of finding refreshments, cloakrooms and loos, comfortable seating both inside the hall and in the foyers, and much more besides....

“The atmosphere, the welcome, the whole package is what we’re offering as ‘entertainment’,” Mark Pemberton points out. “You have to focus on the audience. We so often focus on the art – yet we are so dependent on the people who go to hear us play! What are we doing for them? It’s time for marketing departments to look at the qualitative aspects of their experience.”

This issue is not going to go away. Today musicians have such intense competition for people’s leisure time that unless they understand what works – and do a bit more of it – punters may vote with their feet. Those wanting a head start must find new ways to know their audience, and know them well."

While I'm far from a Whitacre fan, like it or not, he's successful, by whatever musical means. His work may not last the test of time, but to artists in real time now, critical success after you're dead doesn't mean much, when you're not around to enjoy it. Although, as a closer on Whitacre, here's an evaluation from John Eliot Gardiner from the March 2013 BBC Music Magazine, with JEG talking to Tom Service:

"'I can't stand bland, anodyne music-making. I heard a concert at the Proms this year [2012] of contemporary choral music' - see if you can work out what it was from what Gardiner says, but if you're thinking blond-haired West Coast choir composers, you could just be on the right track... - 'which I just found the polar opposite of everything I struggle for in performance. It was all perfectly euphonious, perfectly honed, blended, and tuned. And it meant absolutely squiddeldy-dee. It was like trying to catch soap in the bath. There was no substance to it. It was like stroking a cat - or really, a dead cat."

This quote makes it all the more ironic that both EW and JEG were featured at The Proms on the same day.

I believe the hall was packed, which I suppose is good for funds. A very large number of people really enjoy mediocrity. I feel rather mean for feeling so scornful, but not apologetic.

I should add that I'm not including Martin James Bartlett in my scorn.

My general long-distance understanding (perhaps misunderstanding) is that the RPO tends to be the Cinderella of the major London orchestras. So maybe it has to take what it can get for box office, and if that means The Proms pairing them with Eric Whitacre, so be it. Granted, the RPO has a gig at The Proms each year, and in fact, 2 Proms this summer, the more serious one with Dutoit, and the populist one with Whitacre.

MJB's interpretation of Rhapsody in Blue struck me as rather spacious and indulgent, not quite to my taste. In fairness, Rhapsody in Blue is a work that one should not listen to too often, because then you start to analyze it, and realize how ramshackle it is, with just two tunes repeated continuously. True, it's popular and a classic for very understandable reasons that are more on the emotional and sentimental side (not that they're anything terribly wrong with that).

[Barbirollians]

An extremely mixed bag of a Prom, more on the negative side for me overall (and as an American, I don't feel any need to defend Whitacre, especially as he's smiling all the way to the bank, regardless of what any of us think). His choice of the Jonathan Newman work didn't bode well, given its sub-fusc material. Didn't care for his own The River Cam or Cloudburst at all (although LE did what he could with the former), and Equus didn't do so much for me either. But I actually kind of liked Deep Field, so 1 out of 4.



As somewhat of a sidebar, Jessica Duchen had these musings on André Rieu and what classical music could learn from him, not in terms of music itself, but presentation:

http://jessicamusic.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-can-orchestras-learn-from-andre.html

While I'm far from a Whitacre fan, like it or not, he's successful, by whatever musical means. His work may not last the test of time, but to artists in real time now, critical success after you're dead doesn't mean much, when you're not around to enjoy it. Although, as a closer on Whitacre, here's an evaluation from John Eliot Gardiner from the March 2013 BBC Music Magazine, with JEG talking to Tom Service:



This quote makes it all the more ironic that both EW and JEG were featured at The Proms on the same day.



My general long-distance understanding (perhaps misunderstanding) is that the RPO tends to be the Cinderella of the major London orchestras. So maybe it has to take what it can get for box office, and if that means The Proms pairing them with Eric Whitacre, so be it. Granted, the RPO has a gig at The Proms each year, and in fact, 2 Proms this summer, the more serious one with Dutoit, and the populist one with Whitacre.

MJB's interpretation of Rhapsody in Blue struck me as rather spacious and indulgent, not quite to my taste. In fairness, Rhapsody in Blue is a work that one should not listen to too often, because then you start to analyze it, and realize how ramshackle it is, with just two tunes repeated continuously. True, it's popular and a classic for very understandable reasons that are more on the emotional and sentimental side (not that they're anything terribly wrong with that).

I felt rather sorry for MJB - but Rhapsody in Blue is also very much dependent on a conductor and this was drearily conducted and he might have done better with a Litton or someone of that calibre . Then again MJB did not impress me greatly in Young Musician either . He is no Benjamin Grosvenor on this showing.