Prom 57: COE/Haitink (28.08.15)

[Alison]

Baffling decision Jayne ... Until I remember how often I have blanked the Proms this season for 'lesser' activities eg football, racing, pottering

[Roehre]

Baffling decision Jayne ... Until I remember how often I have blanked the Proms this season for 'lesser' activities eg football, racing, pottering

Don't think so. War horses remain war horses, even when performed by likely excellent teams like Haitink/COE.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Don't think so. War horses remain war horses, even when performed by likely excellent teams like Haitink/COE.

But we're in the middle of a War; for the very survival of minority cultural activities! Whad'ya want - a seaside donkey!? ()

[Roehre]

But we're in the middle of a War; for the very survival of minority cultural activities! Whad'ya want - a seaside donkey!? ()

War horses are an essential part: you have got to know them as otherwise it wouldn't be a war horse to you, would it .
I recall vividly eagerly awaiting another for me unknown Beethoven (Bruckner - Mahler - Mendelssohn - Schumann - Brahms-) symphony/concerto being broadcast as I just wanted to listen to them - and all were fresh to me then (1971/'75 roughly).

War horses fulfill a back bone function. Now for me personally they are very well explored and on the verge (or across that line) of being too [over-]familiar. Indeed, a kind of sea side donkey, nice to see, not that much attractive anymore .
New pastures green are more attractive . But the for me old pastures are still pastures green for a new generation of classical music enthousiasts. And thus essential in getting them into this fantastic world of music

[Nick Armstrong]

War horses are an essential part: you have got to know them as otherwise it wouldn't be a war horse to you, would it .
I recall vividly eagerly awaiting another for me unknown Beethoven (Bruckner - Mahler - Mendelssohn - Schumann - Brahms-) symphony/concerto being broadcast as I just wanted to listen to them - and all were fresh to me then (1971/'75 roughly).

War horses fulfill a back bone function. Now for me personally they are very well explored and on the verge (or across that line) of being too [over-]familiar. Indeed, a kind of sea side donkey, nice to see, not that much attractive anymore .
New pastures green are more attractive . But the for me old pastures are still pastures green for a new generation of classical music enthousiasts. And thus essential in getting them into this fantastic world of music

I know what you mean - but one of the great attractions of this area of music we call 'classical' (in its widest/incorrect sense) is the eternal hope ("Ewig........ ewig.......") that by the art and wisdom of the sorcerer on the box with the magic stick, and all his scraping, blowing and bashing apprentices, the war horse is suddenly transformed into the most exhilarating thoroughbred in the greenest of new pastures... Familiarity is transcended.

It sometimes happens, and it gives me a bigger buzz when it does, than the majority of new discoveries.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

And, anyway - when was the last time anyone heard D591 in a Live concert?

[Zucchini]

I don't wish to be too mean about this but in recent Mozart partnerships with the LSO I've found Haitink's accompaniments for Maria Pires to be bland - as if not listening and participating as he should. Probably most of his rehearsal time goes on the second part of the programme.

I'm going to Pires/Leipzig Gewandhaus/Chailly at Symphony Hall in October. He is absolutely brilliant with her.

[Darkbloom]

I don't wish to be too mean about this but in recent Mozart partnerships with the LSO I've found Haitink's accompaniments for Maria Pires to be bland - as if not listening and participating as he should. Probably most of his rehearsal time goes on the second part of the programme.

I'm going to Pires/Leipzig Gewandhaus/Chailly at Symphony Hall in October. He is absolutely brilliant with her.

I think pianists must get used to that, that's probably why a lot of them decide to direct from the keyboard in the end, so that no stick waver is going to get in their way. Although, it's probably true for the majority of concerts in general that the first half gets routine treatment in performance, while more attention is given to the second - as that's the half that everyone will walk away remembering. On the rare occasions when poor old Haydn gets an airing he usually gets stuck away in the first half with a very perfunctory go-round.

As this is the Haitink thread, I recall an interview where he was talking about recordings. He's a crafty old fox really, and he said that you had to get the beginning absolutely right because that's the part that reviewers actually concentrate on. He seemed to imply that they had already made up their minds about the merits of a performance after the first couple of minutes. Perhaps he feels the same way about live performances too.

[Keraulophone]

...they had already made up their minds about the merits of a performance after the first couple of minutes.

...giving at least semi-credence to Sir Thomas's opinion that "There are two golden rules for an orchestra: start together and finish together. The public doesn't give a damn what goes on in between."

[EdgeleyRob]

Schubert 9 is a warhorse I don't mind hearing again and again.
Did all the violinists turn up ?
Strings sounded a bit thin listening on the wireless.
Not sure if this was to to do with balancing and such.
Finale lacked umph.

[DracoM]

Crikey, what a cracker of a performance!
Those players will know they've been in a game tonight. Relentless drive and wonderful ensemble.

[Nick Armstrong]

Schubert 9 is a warhorse I don't mind hearing again and again.
Did all the violinists turn up ?
Strings sounded a bit thin listening on the wireless.
Not sure if this was to to do with balancing and such.
Finale lacked umph.

Crikey, what a cracker of a performance!
Those players will know they've been in a game tonight. Relentless drive and wonderful ensemble.

Hmmm.... only caught the middle two movements. The words highlighted above pick up thoughts I had while listening. Not really how I like it to go.

Look forward to hearing what P.E.Trushka Esq. has to say about it in the hall.

Who heard the Mozart? Must try and catch up this weekend!

[Alison]

The chamber orchestra worked superbly in the first two works.

More of a big band girl myself, I craved greater weight in the Symphony. Those expecting a sluggish performance from Haitink will have been surprised.

A second listen this morning and I'm suddenly much more into it, a thrilling ride as DracoM suggests.

[Barbirollians]

I must listen to it later but never felt any sense of loss of weight in Abbado's set with the COE

[wenotsoira]

I THOUGHT THIS A GREAT CONCERT BUT I ONLY HEARD THE FIRST HALF. (Caps lock stuck).

Wonderful Mozart playing and soloist and orchestra gave us a rare chance to hear real chamber music. So much better than the earlier chamber orchestras and ensembles - probably the result of a great soloist and outstanding conductor. (Chamber Orchestra of Europe).

I hope to hear the whole concert again when it's on TV, although the sound will be less good - so maybe I will have to try and plug the TV into my hi-fi system.