Prom 64: Nielsen/Andersson/Mahler (3.09.15)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

18:30
Royal Albert Hall

Nielsen: Aladdin (excerpts)
B Tommy Andersson: Pan (BBC Commission: world premiere)
Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G major

David Goode (organ)
Klara Ek (soprano)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Thomas Søndergård (Conductor)

Thomas Søndergård and the BBC NOW return for their fourth concert this season, opening with a suite from Nielsen's music for Oehlenschläger's play Aladdin. It's one of the composer's best-loved works, one that avoids musical clichés of the exotic Orient, conjuring scenes altogether more subtle and vivid. A major premiere by the orchestra's Composer-in-Association, B Tommy Andersson, puts organist David Goode in the spotlight and the concert concludes with the sunniest and most intimate of Mahler's symphonies - the concise Fourth, a work filled with birdsong and pastoral landscapes that features a child's-eye view of Heaven in its final movement.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

http://www.kmh.se/b-tommy-andersson-to-be-premiered-at-the-proms-receives-attention-in-british-press

[Barbirollians]

Not much interest in this Prom !

[Roehre]

Aladdin is not Nielsen's most important score, but I am especially looking forward to Tommy Anderson's new work.

[bluestateprommer]

Another brain lapse on BSP's part, where I forgot to iPlayer in late for this BBC NOW Prom, but just heard TS and the BBC NOW do a cracking job on the final movement from Nielsen's Aladdin Suite. Will have to catch up with the rest of this concert opener later. BTA new work about to start.

BTA's Pan just finished; lots of sound and fury, but in a good, clean fun way. (I suspect that compared to Birtwistle's Panic, most audiences would consider BTA's work a lot more entertaining.) Andrew McGregor mentioned the word "bespoke" several times, so presumably BTA won't rewrite the work for smaller instruments besides the RAH beast? (AM also rightly pointed out the Mahler connection with Mahler's original title for one of his movements in Symphony No. 3 of "Pan Awakes" [yes, I know this isn't the Mahler symphony on this evening, but whatever]).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Not much interest in this Prom !

Well Mahler 4 is a favourite of mine. I often wonder why Mahler felt the need to compose such long symphonies when this concise jewel is so perfect.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Well Mahler 4 is a favourite of mine. I often wonder why Mahler felt the need to compose such long symphonies when this concise jewel is so perfect.

Sometimes you can say what needs to be said in a sonnet. Other times, you need Hamlet.

[Serial_Apologist]

Andrew McGregor mentioned the word "bespoke" several times, so presumably BTA won't rewrite the work for smaller instruments besides the RAH beast?

I thought he meant there was a bicycle wheel tuned to B in the score.

[Serial_Apologist]

Sometimes you can say what needs to be said in a sonnet. Other times, you need Hamlet.

I used to enjoy one of those in my smoking days. They won't advertise them anymore; too much hair on their G-strings.

[Flosshilde]

Not much interest in this Prom !

I would have listened to the Mahler but goit my days muddled ('occupational' hazard of being retired) & thought it was tomorrow night's prom - switched on at 8.30 to hear the Shostakovich & discovered I'd missed all but the last few minutes of Mahler's 4th (& the really annoying thing is that my partner was out so I coulkd have listened to it undisturbed )

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

If you missed the Mahler, I do recommend it. A few scrappy moments in an otherwise sparkling performance.