Prom 9: 22.07.16 - Le Cercle de l’Harmonie

[edashtav]

"Boris The Deceiver", an Opera in 5 Acts by Jayne Lee Wilson and Ed Ashtav. The advance publicity suggests that it "contains the whole of life from birth through betrayal to resurrection". Mahler resorted to massive hits on a wooden block to represent the blows of fate but this work hinges on thumpy thwacks on timpani. The opera had a breech birth as the ample buttocks of its eponymous anti-hero arrived first. Constant problems between the opera's ill-matched collaborators: it's suggested that both wanted to be its wordsmith and neither fancied composing the music, has resulted in a fascinating piece that may not receive many performances outside of Brexit Britain because of its surfeit of vitriolic abuse levelled at foreign leaders and their plenipotentiaries.

[Bryn]

... I wonder how shades - sunglasses - would affect the timbral & phrasal tone-production.

Shades of Boulez's shingles bout.

[rauschwerk]

I lasted as long as the end of the exposition in Mozart 39. The tempo seemed to me too much like Allegro con brio or even Allegro molto rather than the marked Allegro, and I found that the timpani sound quickly palled. And yes, there was no imagination in the playing to my mind.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I lasted as long as the end of the exposition in Mozart 39. The tempo seemed to me too much like Allegro con brio or even Allegro molto rather than the marked Allegro, and I found that the timpani sound quickly palled. And yes, there was no imagination in the playing to my mind.

The tempo was indeed quicker that I'm used to, but it didn't seem excessive. But I agree about the timpani - it sounded very intrusive, rather like 18th century muskets.

[jayne lee wilson]

Shades of Boulez's shingles bout.

Comment is Free.... ...but sometimes quite impossible.......

[jayne lee wilson]

The tempo was indeed quicker that I'm used to, but it didn't seem excessive. But I agree about the timpani - it sounded very intrusive, rather like 18th century muskets.

Muskets? Now that would be an improvement. Are they rehearsing the Eroica? Memo to Jérémie Rhorer immédiatement...

[jayne lee wilson]

"Boris The Deceiver", an Opera in 5 Acts by Jayne Lee Wilson and Ed Ashtav. The advance publicity suggests that it "contains the whole of life from birth through betrayal to resurrection". Mahler resorted to massive hits on a wooden block to represent the blows of fate but this work hinges on thumpy thwacks on timpani. The opera had a breech birth as the ample buttocks of its eponymous anti-hero arrived first. Constant problems between the opera's ill-matched collaborators: it's suggested that both wanted to be its wordsmith and neither fancied composing the music, has resulted in a fascinating piece that may not receive many performances outside of Brexit Britain because of its surfeit of vitriolic abuse levelled at foreign leaders and their plenipotentiaries.

Cloudgoogling via the Darknet reveals that Boris the Deceiver, a Mime-Opera in 1 Act, will receive its world premiere in Beijing on REDACTED.
The role of Boris Johnson will be played by an animatronic teddybear supplied by Steiff.
All other roles: Computer-Animated Giant Pandas.
Music: N/A.
Words: N/A.
Dance-Animateur: Grigory Rodchenko.

The European Premiere is tbc. The British Premiere is Banned by Indeterminate Court Order.

[edashtav]

Boris the deceiver: R.I.P.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The tempo was indeed quicker that I'm used to, but it didn't seem excessive. But I agree about the timpani - it sounded very intrusive, rather like 18th century muskets.

Forewarned by the various comments about the Timps, I was prepared to be assaulted - but didn't really find them intrusive - just rather close mic-ed. ("Close-miced" looks very wrong!*) Unlike Rauschy, I stayed the whole course, and found the performance engaging and fizzing with good spirits. It's one of my very favourite works, and I greatly enjoyed this reading of it.

The rest of the concert was equally fine, I thought - and I love the way the Italian was imbued with a real sense of drama and propulsion: like Krivine's recording, the minor key finale was set up by the climax of the First Movement Development. Good stuff!



* = so does "close-micked"!!

[gurnemanz]

Forewarned by the various comments about the Timps, I was prepared to be assaulted - but didn't really find them intrusive - just rather close mic-ed. ("Close-miced" looks very wrong!*) Unlike Rauschy, I stayed the whole course, and found the performance engaging and fizzing with good spirits. It's one of my very favourite works, and I greatly enjoyed this reading of it.

The rest of the concert was equally fine, I thought - and I love the way the Italian was imbued with a real sense of drama and propulsion: like Krivine's recording, the minor key finale was set up by the climax of the First Movement Development. Good stuff!



* = so does "close-micked"!!

It must have been the mikes. We were in the hall and the drums were not nearly as prominent as they are on the recording, which I have now listened to (and enjoyed)

[edashtav]

Muskets? Now that would be an improvement. Are they rehearsing the Eroica? Memo to Jérémie Rhorer immédiatement...

Muskets? I thought your earlier comment implied, Jayne, that Le Cercle would get your Hippy hips swinging if they busk'et.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

("Close-miced" looks very wrong!

I thought it was "close miked".

Rather liked "picnicking".
Definitely not like "syncing".

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Muskets? Now that would be an improvement. Are they rehearsing the Eroica? Memo to Jérémie Rhorer immédiatement...

Beethoven did use muskets in Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria, Op. 91

[edashtav]

Beethoven did use muskets in Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria, Op. 91

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I thought it was "close miked".

- That would make more sense!