Prom 63: Messiaen/Mozart/Bruckner (2.09.15)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30
Royal Albert Hall

Peter Oundjian conducts the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Bruckner's 7th Symphony, and Igor Levit joins them for Mozart's Piano concerto No.27 in B flat, live from the Proms.

Messiaen: Hymne
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K595
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E major

Igor Levit (piano)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Peter Oundjian (conductor)

Former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist Igor Levit made his Proms debut at a Cadogan Hall chamber music recital in 2012. Now he makes his Proms concerto debut in Mozart's poignantly delicate No. 27, completing this year's series of late great Mozart piano concertos. Delicacy gives way to orchestral weight and heft in Bruckner's popular Seventh Symphony, its beautiful Adagio a tribute to Wagner, and a finale that, according to composer Robert Simpson, 'blends solemnity and humour in festive grandeur'.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

is the Messiaen an early work?

[subcontrabass]

is the Messiaen an early work?

Originally composed 1932. Score lost in World War 2. Reconstructed 1946.

[bluestateprommer]

Generally solid opening to this Prom, with what I didn't realize was a Proms 1st performance (calendar now corrected) of the Messiaen Hymne. Definitely shades of Turangalila to come. While I'm not a big fan of Oundjian, the Messiaen is definitely a case of making sure that everyone starts together, and finishes together. Mozart going on now (with iPlayer blips on my side). For anyone who hasn't seen the recent Guardian article on Igor Levit:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/sep/01/igor-levit-the-leaner-meaner-piano-machine

The Mozart just finished; Levit added some touches of his own to the piano part as he "walked off into the sunset", in a manner of speaking. For the most part, again, a solid, well-mannered performance all around. Martin Handley just joked that IL mentioned the 'Hammerklavier' sonata as an encore, but it's about to be DSCH. Cheeky, a bit mannered in pacing at times, but all in good fun, really keeping the volume down and making everyone focus.

[jayne lee wilson]

What absolutely lovely Mozart - style, tact, conductor-orchestra-soloist sensitivity and response... Messiaen brilliantly and beautifully projected too. Pure musical pleasure in part one - bigger challenge ahead...

[Nick Armstrong]

Going to have to catch up with this one.

I wonder if anyone knows of any other top-flight string quartet leaders who have graduated to conducting the likes of Bruckner? Whatever one thinks, PO has had an exceptional career!

[bluestateprommer]

Going to have to catch up with this one. I wonder if anyone knows of any other top-flight string quartet leaders who have graduated to conducting the likes of Bruckner? Whatever one thinks, PO has had an exceptional career!

Can't think of any other quartet-ites who have made such a transition off hand. Granted, PO was forced to give up his quartet life from repetitive stress injuries from that life, most unfortunate circumstances. But back to this Prom: PO paced Bruckner 7 quite well, pretty straight up, no fuss or muss (and I say this as one concert-goer and listener where Bruckner is one of my admitted blind spots).

[Alison]

Yes, very much a no fuss rendition of a symphony often given to one of the 'great' orchestras.

Sensible tempi and a pleasing forward momentum. If the last degree of poise was sometimes absent the thorough preparation and lack of ego were ample compensation.

[DracoM]

Brass hefty, Brucknerian, and enjoyed themselves. Strings, a bit thin for my money. Agree about tempi. It was just a bit....well, limp. Sorry.

[DracoM]

Yep, agree about the Mozart - nicely done.

[cloughie]

Going to have to catch up with this one.

I wonder if anyone knows of any other top-flight string quartet leaders who have graduated to conducting the likes of Bruckner? Whatever one thinks, PO has had an exceptional career!

Walter Weller!
And I would have liked more weight in the K595.

[Nick Armstrong]

Walter Weller!

Oh well done cloughie!! I think he was the one at the back of my mind!!!

[cloughie]

Oh well done cloughie!! I think he was the one at the back of my mind!!!

Not sure if he did any Bruckner but his Rachmaninov was pretty good!

[Alison]

His Bruckner in the concert hall was very impressive as I recall.

[Bryn]

Not sure if he did any Bruckner but his Rachmaninov was pretty good!