Prom 52: Organ prom (23.08.15)

[subcontrabass]

23rd August: "French organist Thierry Escaich puts the Royal Albert Hall organ through its paces with a programme of works by Bach, Brahms, Mendelssohn – and some of his own compositions."

Detailed listing gives 24 minutes of Bach and nothing else.

[mangerton]

23rd August: "French organist Thierry Escaich puts the Royal Albert Hall organ through its paces with a programme of works by Bach, Brahms, Mendelssohn – and some of his own compositions."

Detailed listing gives 24 minutes of Bach and nothing else.

Lucky it got a mention at all, I suppose. I see that poor organ is still being "put through its paces".

Why don't they just play it?

[ardcarp]

"put through its paces".

and from me too. Is a Steinway or a Strad put through its paces????

If we must use horsey metaphors, 'held on a tight rein' might be appropriate for musical blurb splurgers.

[Lento]

If we must use horsey metaphors

I always bridle at them.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I always bridle at them.

You just said that to stirrup things.

[ardcarp]

It's a bit over the top.

[Keraulophone]

Neigh. You're putting the horse before Descartes.

[BBMmk2]

Why on earth do people always say "put the organ through it's paces"? It is a marvellous varied instrument, which has had a long and glorious history, with some very masterful organ builders.

[Keraulophone]

I guess it's because some people regard the organ as a relatively inexpressive and inately unmusical grand machine which can be 'driven' like a Harley-Davidson to make similar noises.

Reminds me of the Hoffnung cartoon of a startled organist seeing a police car making a rapid approach in his rear view mirror. In putting his new Hill, Norman & Beard 'through its paces', the voluntary must have been going too fast, too loud and on far too long.

[Cornet IV]

Lucky it got a mention at all, I suppose. I see that poor organ is still being "put through its paces".

Why don't they just play it?

Well, it could be for much the same reason that so many instruments to be found in civic premises go largely unplayed. They seldom receive sufficient exercise, some of them are not very nice and many are of mediocre quality having been specified by well-meaning but musically ignorant worthies of the Town Council. In my experience most are neglected in some measure. The Halbert 'All instrument may well suffer similarly.

I have played it only once, aeons ago in company with Harry Goss-Custard. This was years before Noel Mander took it on and I liked the instrument hardly at all - certainly not sufficiently to want to play it again.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Prom 52: Thierry Escaich (23.08.15)

19:30
Royal Albert Hall

Bach and beyond - a fascinating musical journey with Thierry Escaich, live at the BBC Proms. Escaich juxtaposes the organ music of JS Bach with responses to it by Mendelssohn and Brahms, as well as demonstrating his own improvisatory skills on the organ of the Royal Albert Hall, London.


Bach: Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582
Brahms: Prelude and Fugue in G minor, WoO 10
Brahms: Chorale Prelude 'Herzliebster Jesu'
Bach: Chorale Prelude 'In dir ist Freude', BWV 615

8.20 pm Interval

Bach: Chorale Prelude 'Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir', BWV 686
Mendelssohn: Organ Sonata in A major, Op.65 No.3
Brahms: Chorale Prelude 'Herzlich tut mich verlangen', Op.122 No.1
Bach: Chorale 'Christ ist erstanden', BWV 746 (attrib.)

Thierry Escaich (organ)

Thierry Escaich is the renowned organist of the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris (where he is a successor to Maurice Duruflé), and an ambassador of the great French School of improvisation.

[Anastasius]

Prom 52 - Thierry Escaich

Am I missing something here? A few pieces of Bach organ music.

Total concert time 24 minutes.

£38 seat price + booking fee.

And I thought opera tickets were expensive !!

[subcontrabass]

Am I missing something here? A few pieces of Bach organ music.

Total concert time 24 minutes.

£38 seat price + booking fee.

And I thought opera tickets were expensive !!

The Proms website says "and works by Brahms, Mendelssohn and Thierry Escaich, plus improvisations on themes of Bach".

[MrGongGong]

And I thought opera tickets were expensive !!

Where did you get that idea from?

You can go to the ROH for £10

[Anastasius]

The Proms website says "and works by Brahms, Mendelssohn and Thierry Escaich, plus improvisations on themes of Bach".

Ah that makes sense then, thanks. I was looking at the information given by the Print option on the website.