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

[Richard Tarleton]

hmmmm... how do you know that she's 'fine'?

She had to play to Barenboim before being allowed to sit in with the WEDO - I think it was in connection with a TV interview.

[slarty]

I agree with the negative comments from someone in the hall on the night. The soloists were pretty dire in the Beethoven triple and the chamber symphony needed more time and space and the solos were just not very good.

I don't know about "dire". Both string soloists played with excellent intonation and phrasing and their feeling for each other in the passages where the "to and fro" between fiddle and cello is very difficult, was really good. DB looked tired and his playing suffered a little, but the overall was a very good performance.
Maybe the lack of any proper rehearsal before the concert had an effect on this, the instruments not turning up until after 6PM.
Having now heard and seen this concert twice - live on radio 3 and yesterday evening on BBC4 TV, I can only say that I really have to wonder what the TV sound engineers are doing to manipulate the sound. It was very top heavy - no bass whatsoever. In some of the tutti passages in the Tchaikovsky all eight double basses are giving their all and there was hardly any sound from them. This was not the case on the radio broadcast.
There is not much point in playing these telecast if the BBC insist on "dumbing down" the sound.
Excellent concert. I shall listen tomorrow morning to the Salzburg festival concert WEDO gave a few days before this Prom with the Triple concerto and the same string soloists.

[slarty]

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...

I don't know where you got this information, because it did not happen.
I am listening to the broadcast and it is Barenboim playing.
A much better performance than at the Proms, and much better engineered, better balanced and Barenboim on form. A much more interesting second half - Schoenberg's Pelleas & Melisande.
Shame that the Proms was the only major venue that they played where only one concert was offered, Lucerne and Salzburg, both of which received two.

[wenotsoira]

I don't know about "dire". Both string soloists played with excellent intonation and phrasing and their feeling for each other in the passages where the "to and fro" between fiddle and cello is very difficult, was really good. DB looked tired and his playing suffered a little, but the overall was a very good performance.
Maybe the lack of any proper rehearsal before the concert had an effect on this, the instruments not turning up until after 6PM.
Having now heard and seen this concert twice - live on radio 3 and yesterday evening on BBC4 TV, I can only say that I really have to wonder what the TV sound engineers are doing to manipulate the sound. It was very top heavy - no bass whatsoever. In some of the tutti passages in the Tchaikovsky all eight double basses are giving their all and there was hardly any sound from them. This was not the case on the radio broadcast.
There is not much point in playing these telecast if the BBC insist on "dumbing down" the sound.
Excellent concert. I shall listen tomorrow morning to the Salzburg festival concert WEDO gave a few days before this Prom with the Triple concerto and the same string soloists.

If you thought the violinist's intonation and his sound were excellent then I'm speechless.

[Zucchini]

Re: Argerich

I don't know where you got this information, because it did not happen.

At that time of writing she was shown in Barenboim's WEDO schedule on his website. She did perform with them in Buenos Aires and maybe the compiler just copied that programme through to Lucerne & Salzberg.Don't know, sorry!

[slarty]

If you thought the violinist's intonation and his sound were excellent then I'm speechless.

Nowhere in my post did I state that the violinist's sound was excellent. I said that his intonation was excellent and being a retired professional violinist, with hearing still in top order, I can claim to know a good deal about string intonation.
However, having this morning heard the same concerto from four days earlier at the Salzburg Festival, with the same soloists, I can state that the BBC's microphone setup was probably not ideal for the coverage of the soloists, probably due to having cover Radio and TV with the same setup. The violinist's habit of weaving from side to side seemed to affect the sound greatly. I heard the BBC broadcast and watched the TV recording. So having now heard the concerto three times,
I will repeat the statement that their intonation was excellent.

[wenotsoira]

I said that his intonation was excellent and being a retired professional violinist, with hearing still in top order, I can claim to know a good deal about string intonation.
.

I'm afraid I can equally claim a similar thing.

Which prison, or prisons, were you incarcerated in? (i.e. orchestra)

[slarty]

various, none of which gave time off for good behaviour.

[greenilex]

I appreciated the husky violinist with his passionate approach to the music. Agree however with criticism of the TV sound quality.

[Alison]

Folk see Barenboim's name on the tin and suspend critical judgement I fear.

[ahinton]

If you thought the violinist's intonation and his sound were excellent then I'm speechless.

Blimey! Can't wait to you you perform the Schönberg concerto sometime!

[wenotsoira]

Blimey! Can't wait to you you perform the Schönberg concerto sometime!

At least I'm not a failed 'composer.'

[Bryn]

At least I'm not a failed 'composer.'

You certainly failed to compose that sentence properly.

[teamsaint]

You certainly failed to compose that sentence properly.

and after post #52, I assumed that he knew all about sentences.

[Barbirollians]

Cracking concert . That is what I call a Prom.