Prom 68: Bach – Six Cello Suites (5.09.15)

[Flosshilde]

missed the opening bars of a couple by misjudging the time to unmute that pontificating nuisance

Well, that's a risk you have to take if you want to be so silly, so there's no point in complaining about it.

[Frances_iom]

Well, that's a risk you have to take if you want to be so silly, so there's no point in complaining about it.

I wasn't complaining about my missing a few bars - it was an additional support to the previous couple of postings that criticised Tom Service and his mode of 'presenting' the music - but like many M/B flareups (albeit very polite tho snarky after all this is for R3 listeners) it is based on misunderstanding my intentions in posting but if I gave you some enjoyment in venting than that's fine by me.

[Richard Tarleton]

Caught up at last. A prodigious undertaking all round. Yo-Yo Ma seemed to draw energy from the audience, he was working them towards the end. For me, a purely personal reaction, peak intensity was reached in 3. I couldn't quite put my finger on why I thought the prelude to 6 failed to catch fire, quite (always the suite I listen to first, presented with a new version) - 6 was my introduction to the Suites, on a February night in Plymouth in 1971, in the Starker version. I listened to Starker, and ter Linden (on 5 strings) immediately afterwards. Perhaps a question of rhythm, tempo, tension (and in the ter Linden) sheer exuberance and bounce. He was enjoying himself during the drone section of the Gavotte ll in 6. I hadn't been aware of the additional baggage 5 had acquired post-9.11. But not fair to compare, as all 6 on the trot in that venue an undertaking sui generis - and the most taxing suite last. Song of the Birds a logical choice, if an encore unavoidable.

I have listened to the bare minimum number of Proms this year, but the three Bach sessions, and entire on TV too, have been a real treat.