Prom 27: 5.08.16 - Helen Grime, Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:00 Friday 5 Aug 2016 ON TV
Royal Albert Hall

Helen Grime: Two Eardley Pictures (Catterline in Winter) (BBC commission: world premiere)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major
Igor Stravinsky: Petrushka (1947 version)


Pekka Kuusisto (violin)
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Dausgaard (conductor)

Tonight's Prom marks the first instalment of all three of Stravinsky's landmark ballets for the Ballet Russes company, all performed this weekend by Scottish orchestras. In the vivid folk tale of a puppet springing to life, Stravinsky had the starting point for his stylistic breakthrough, Petrushka, a ballet that would depict Russia with 'quick tempos, smells of Russian food, sweat and glistening leather boots'.

The first part of a BBC commission from Scottish composer Helen Grime - a two-part work whose complementary second 'Picture' can be heard in Prom 30 - prefaces this concert's arrival in Russia via all the despair, passion and determination of Tchaikovsky's heart-rending Violin Concerto.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07m5h9w

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This one's being televised on the same day, possibly just the Tchaikovsky?

[Nick Armstrong]

Will someone please silence Service

[Bryn]

Re. the BBC FOUR version, looks like the camera director is not the best of score readers.

Ah, perhaps s/he is beginning to get the hang of it now.

[marvin]

I don't know how I'd describe this interpretation but it sounds odd to me to be honest.

[Bryn]

I don't know how I'd describe this interpretation but it sounds odd to me to be honest.

Fresh?

[mercia]

entertaining soloist - he ought to do stand-up comedy

Service in drivel-mode

[Demetrius]

I don't know how I'd describe this interpretation but it sounds odd to me to be honest.

The Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto as arranged by Pekka Kuusisto for Violin and Orchestra? I liked it, though. Certainly won't become my go to interpretation, but as performances of the violin concerto aren't exactly sparse, something slightly different isn't too bad once in a while.

[seabright]

He's certainly having trouble with that bow of his, what with the number of hairs coming off :)

[Bryn]

Enjoying this almost as much as the Kopatchinskaja recording of the work.

[Bryn]

The BBCSSO management have certainly yet again come up trumps with the appointment of Dausgaard.

[Vile Consort]

Some recompense, perhaps, for also employing Tom Service to provide an endless stream of drivel.

[Nick Armstrong]

Will someone please silence Service

Some recompense, perhaps, for also employing Tom Service to provide an endless stream of drivel.

He has become without doubt the least tolerable voice on radio, shouting over the applause this time; and the other day (I was trapped, as the owner of the car I was in was listening to) blethering on to the soloist before the Strauss Oboe Concerto during the Aurora Orch. prom.

[EdgeleyRob]

Was there a cat in the hall ?
Sure I heard it miaow after the first movement of the Chickovsky.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

He has become without doubt the least tolerable voice on radio, shouting over the applause this time; and the other day (I was trapped, as the owner of the car I was in was listening to) blethering on to the soloist before the Strauss Oboe Concerto during the Aurora Orch. prom.

He's quite knowledgeable, which is more than can be said for others, but his presentational skills are a nightmare. His recent Listening Service Series was a real opportunity to do something positive on Radio 3. In the end, it was constant blathering.