Prom 44: West–Eastern Divan Orchestra/Barenboim (18.05.15)/Tchaikovsky

[Flay]

And on their website it states that at Salzburg on 13-8-15 they are performing: Schönberg Chamber Symphony No. 1 in E for 15 solo instruments, Op. 9

[Roehre]

And on their website it states that at Salzburg on 13-8-15 they are performing: Schönberg Chamber Symphony No. 1 in E for 15 solo instruments, Op. 9

Q.E.D. :smug:

Really a pity

[Flay]

Really a pity

it's like when the Vienna Phil arrived in huge forces to perform Alpensinfonie and also performed Haydn's London. It seemed such a waste.

More time in the bar for the brass no doubt.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

it's like when the Vienna Phil arrived in huge forces to perform Alpensinfonie and also performed Haydn's London. It seemed such a waste.

More time in the bar for the brass no doubt.

The off-stage brass on that occasion was "London Brass", not extra VPO-ites.


The real VPO waste occurred at their most recent Proms appearance (2013?) when they played in only one half of the concert, the filler being an organ recital.

[Bryn]

The Kammersymphonie opus 9b (orchestrated and premiered in 1935, i.e. 4 years before the 2nd Chamber symphony eventually was completed) has got an orchestration of
Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, cor anglais, Eb-clarinet, A-clarinet, Bass-clarinet Bb, 2 bassoons, contra bassoon, 4 horn in F, 2 Trumpets, 3 trombones and strings.
Not quite a chamber symphony anymore in my humble point of view, I'm sure .
It would make sense that the concert includes this version in stead of the original 15 instruments, but I don't know whether that's the case.

Eiliahu Inbal recorded the work at least twice [Philips and Denon], both with RSO Frankfurt, one of which Youtubed here, the Denon available through the river people.

Plus, of course, there is the the Berliner Philharmoniker/Rattle 'live' recording on:

[Serial_Apologist]

Really a pity

Yes - assuming this is not a mistake in the listings: not having heard the fuller scoring I would have liked to discover if Schoenberg managed to retain the extraordinary lucidity apparent in good performances of Op 9, enabling its incredibly detailed integrated whole to be heard in its entirety.

[Darkbloom]

The off-stage brass on that occasion was "London Brass", not extra VPO-ites.


The real VPO waste occurred at their most recent Proms appearance (2013?) when they played in only one half of the concert, the filler being an organ recital.

Yes, but that 'half' was Bruckner 8, which is normally performed without anything else, so I think you could have viewed that mini organ recital as a bonus.

[Roehre]

Yes - assuming this is not a mistake in the listings: not having heard the fuller scoring I would have liked to discover if Schoenberg managed to retain the extraordinary lucidity apparent in good performances of Op 9, enabling its incredibly detailed integrated whole to be heard in its entirety.

I am afraid it might disappoint you.
Thought opus 9B shouldn't be underestimated, the lucidity of the original is lost in this score.
I liked what I heard -live, in the 1980s-, it is Schönberg à la Variations op.31 or Brahms-op.25-instrumentation, but I prefer the 15 instruments.

[Zucchini]

And on their website it states that at Salzburg on 13-8-15 they are performing: Schönberg Chamber Symphony No. 1 in E for 15 solo instruments, Op. 9

It was a dead cert that Barenboim would choose the version that showcases 15 of his most talented players.

I see that Martha Argerish is playing for the Barenboim and the WEDO in Salzberg and Lucerne. Bet she turns up...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It was a dead cert that Barenboim would choose the version that showcases 15 of his most talented players.

Why?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Yes, but that 'half' was Bruckner 8, which is normally performed without anything else, so I think you could have viewed that mini organ recital as a bonus.

Yes, but having come that far, it would have been good to have had the VPO playing something else instead.

[Darkbloom]

Yes, but having come that far, it would have been good to have had the VPO playing something else instead.

I take your point, but the VPO give a lot when they are playing Bruckner. I have seen them up close and they clearly identify a lot with this music - which is one of the reasons I find it hard to hear when played by anyone else - and the Eighth is daunting for both musicians and audience. In this case, I don't think a Haydn symphony -thrown in as a makeweight and played on autopilot - would be much of a bonus.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes, but having come that far, it would have been good to have had the VPO playing something else instead.

May clapping follow the Movements of all your symphonies!


Especially those by Tchaikovsky!!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I often wonder how much time these pianist-turn-conductors have to practise. Presumably it's OK when they recycle their old repertoire.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

May clapping follow the Movements of all your symphonies!


Especially those by Tchaikovsky!!

No, Ferney. I wasn't suggesting something else instead of the Bruckner. I meant instead of the organ pieces.