Prom 26: 4.08.16 - BBC Symphony Orchestra and Oliver Knussen

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Thursday 4 Aug 2016
Royal Albert Hall

Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major
Reinbert de Leeuw: Der nächtliche Wanderer (UK premiere)

Peter Serkin, piano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Oliver Knussen, conductor

When Brahms came to write his Second Piano Concerto more than two decades after his First, out went the confident swagger of a man in his prime and in came a feeling of intimacy and expectation.

Oliver Knussen balances the Brahms with the far-flung world of Der nächtliche Wanderer ('The Night Wanderer') by Dutch composer and conductor Reinbert de Leeuw. Inspired by Friedrich Hölderlin's short poem of the same name, this deftly-coloured symphonic poem has been described as 'a bath of beauty' and 'a high-density monument in music'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07m5gx0

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For Der nächtliche Wanderer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxjecPnc3T8

[pastoralguy]

Very powerful playing in the Brahms!

A few wrong notes but I'm prepared to forgive pianists anything in this work!

[Stanfordian]

Very powerful playing in the Brahms!

A few wrong notes but I'm prepared to forgive pianists anything in this work!

A fine performance. This clapping between movements is annoying. Serkin played through it at one point.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, that was some Brahms B flat wasn't it? Rich, powerful, beautifully phrased orchestral playing (gorgeous never-to-be-repeated 2nd subject) , and a wildly, wilfully Romantic assumption of the solo role by Peter Serkin. Oddly emphatic of single notes, phrases and part-phrases, molto rubato scarcely begins to describe his almost constant varying of tempo and dynamics even within the phrase. This did sound a little awkward and unflowing sometimes (I winced once or twice during the 1st movement), but by the finale both Knussen, the BBCSO (Romantically heroic themselves in keeping up with, and responding to, all of this Lisztian pianistic poetics) and Serkin were giving us extremes of rhythmic emphasis and dynamic punches. Extraordinary stuff!

Very vivid presentation on HDs - I wasn't sure if the piano was balanced a bit close or whether Serkin was often just playing very loud indeed...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A fine performance. This clapping between movements is annoying.

This was explained in the Daily Telegraph a few days ago. Listeners are so used to hearing only extracts on Radio 3 mornings and Classic FM, that they believe the work is over as soon as there is silence. I used to think it was moronic audience members who were to blame. I now understand that they've been nurtured by "the team".

[jayne lee wilson]

Instant review of Der Nachtliche Wanderer, anyone? .. Offstage chamber orchestra, bells, "lion's roar", pre-recorded dog (wouldn't a live one be cheaper? Better value for the taxpayer!). A lot going on... Fascinating, compelling piece, worth a second listen (or a third, or...), it actually took around 45', not the stated 54'. Not too difficult to follow its broad trajectory or basic ideas...

I think it's a pity though, especially given the brevity of the Holderlin poem, that the Vincent Price-style recitation (also prerecorded - it really did remind me of Michael Jackson's Thriller) wasn't in English - if spoken-text-within-orchestrals is to work, it can focus attention or sense of meaning of what has been, or is being, heard.... so isn't it best given in the main language of the country?

(One-line summary of the piece: I am from dog and will go back to dog.... ). Sorry, that's very flippant. Too relaxed after a great concert.

Anyway. Back to the iPlayer later. Hope I've found a Holderlin translation by then...

[EdgeleyRob]

Yes, that was some Brahms B flat wasn't it? Rich, powerful, beautifully phrased orchestral playing (gorgeous never-to-be-repeated 2nd subject) , and a wildly, wilfully Romantic assumption of the solo role by Peter Serkin. Oddly emphatic of single notes, phrases and part-phrases, molto rubato scarcely begins to describe his almost constant varying of tempo and dynamics even within the phrase. This did sound a little awkward and unflowing sometimes (I winced once or twice during the 1st movement), but by the finale both Knussen, the BBCSO (Romantically heroic themselves in keeping up, with and responding to, all of this Lisztian pianistic poetics) and Serkin were giving us extremes of rhythmic emphasis and dynamic punches. Extraordinary stuff!

Very vivid presentation on HDs - I wasn't sure if the piano was balanced a bit close or whether Serkin was often just playing very loud indeed...

Wonderful post as always Jayne.
It was very loud and those Lisztian pianistic poetics were Alkanian to my ears.
Didn't much care for that Wanderer thingy,was there a musical saw in this as well in the piece the other night ?

[jayne lee wilson]

Wonderful post as always Jayne.
It was very loud and those Lisztian pianistic poetics were Alkanian to my ears.
Didn't much care for that Wanderer thingy,was there a musical saw in this as well in the piece the other night ?

That saw-like sound was from the "lion's roar" or membranophone, or quica.... more of a lion's moan, tonight... (which, since it supposedly mimics the lioness's call seems not inapt...)

[subcontrabass]

A fine performance. This clapping between movements is annoying. Serkin played through it at one point.

On this occasion I disagree about the applause after every movement. Given the length of the movements and the quality of the performance I thought that, for once, it sounded right.

[parkepr]

This was explained in the Daily Telegraph a few days ago. Listeners are so used to hearing only extracts on Radio 3 mornings and Classic FM, that they believe the work is over as soon as there is silence. I used to think it was moronic audience members who were to blame. I now understand that they've been nurtured by "the team".

Apparently not... I've just listened to Brahms 4 with the New Philharmonia and Stokowski (c 1974 @ RAH) and there is definitely clapping (and a "Bravo!") after the first movement...So maybe not such a new thing (although i don't recall it when i first started concert going in the early to mid 1990's)

[Bryn]

Apparently not... I've just listened to Brahms 4 with the New Philharmonia and Stokowski (c 1974 @ RAH) and there is definitely clapping (and a "Bravo!") after the first movement...So maybe not such a new thing (although i don't recall it when i first started concert going in the early to mid 1990's)

Oh it goes way back beyond that. Indeed, it's not appluading between movemnts which is the modern trend.

[Sir Velo]

This was explained in the Daily Telegraph a few days ago. Listeners are so used to hearing only extracts on Radio 3 mornings and Classic FM, that they believe the work is over as soon as there is silence. I used to think it was moronic audience members who were to blame. I now understand that they've been nurtured by "the team".

I think you're misunderstanding basic human psychology here, as well as underestimating even perfect newbies' appreciation of the niceties of classical music. Even the most inexperienced of concertgoers knows that a symphony (or concerto) comprises 3/4 movements (give or take) and that you wait until the end to show your appreciation.

Anyone unsure of what the etiquette is waits to see what their peers will do, and this is common practice whether at the theatre, restaurant, bus stop, rock gig or classical concert. No, the real reason is there is a dedicated band of happy clappers who want to re-introduce applause between movements to concerts as a return to authentic practices and encouraging audience spontaneity.

[Bryn]

For my part, I think the real problem is a bunch of self-apponted 'owners' of concert 'etiquette' riding aroujnd on thier high horses.

[zola]

Congratulations forum. Somewhat belatedly, the annual proms clapping between movements debate is now well and truly launched to take its place alongside the annual Norrington vibrato debate.

Since it has now begun and regardless of whether one is pro or anti the practice, does anyone have any thoughts on why this seems to be a distinctly proms phenomenon that hardly ever happens at say the Festival Hall or Barbican or points north between September and June ?