Prom 29: 6.08.16 National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Saturday 6 Aug 2016
Royal Albert Hall

Iris ter Schiphorst: Gravitational Waves (BBC co-commission: London premiere)
Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra
Gustav Holst: The Planets (incl. Colin Matthews's: Pluto, the Renewer)

CBSO Youth Chorus
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
Edward Gardner, conductor

Film directors have reached for these works by Strauss and Holst in their attempts to explain the human condition against the infinite background of space.
The depiction of astrological characters in The Planets, from the cheeky game-play of Mercury to the shattering impact of Mars, could be made for the resonance of the Royal Albert Hall. The power of Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra is no less cinematic.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07mvrv5

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Likely to be a popular and successful concert, but I'm not so sure about Pluto being added to a work already absolutely complete.

Oh, hang on, I've just written another movement: Eris (UB313). Please can this be tagged on too?

[MrGongGong]

Likely to be a popular and successful concert, but I'm not so sure about Pluto being added to a work already absolutely complete.

Oh, hang on, I've just written another movement: Eris (UB313). Please can this be tagged on too?

Earth is a planet

[Bryn]

Earth is a planet

Whereas Pluto is classified as a "dwarf planet", making the dwarf composition bearng its name quite apposite. Also, if Pluto is to be included, along with EA's Eris, the whaqt about Ceres, Haumea and Makemake?

[seabright]

Why is the orchestra wearing masks? Some white and the others black. And as for all that swaying back and forth, well was it worth it, I ask? :)

[Petrushka]

Pluto just doesn't work after the sounds of Neptune have drifted away. I just wish that Pluto had never been composed as it ruins a work already completed by its composer.

Any live performance of Zarathustra has me feeling decidedly nervous for the poor trumpet player who has to hit that notoriously exposed top note.

[pastoralguy]

Any live performance of Zarathustra has me feeling decidedly nervous for the poor trumpet player who has to hit that notoriously exposed top note.

There's a story that Fritz Reiner used to make principals in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play difficult solos over and over until, eventually, they fluffed it. "See. You're not as good as you think you are", he would say. (Obviously, a real morale booster!) However, one day he made Adolphe Hersche play that solo over and over and over. Every single time, the legendary trumpet player was spot on. Reiner grew more and more angry until he threw his baton down and shouted at Hersche "How long until I make you break that solo?!"

Hersche replied "Dr Reiner, you got until one o'clock!"

[Petrushka]

There's a story that Fritzt Reiner used to make principals in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play difficult solos over and over until, eventually, they fluffed it. "See. You're not as good as you think you are", he would say. (Obviously, a real morale booster!) However, one day he made Adolphe Hersche play that solo over and over and over. Every single time, the legendary trumpet player was spot on. Reiner grew more and more angry until he threw his baton down and shouted at Hersche "How long until I make you break that solo?!"

Hersche replied "Dr Reiner, you got until one o'clock!"

Hope you don't mind me making the slight correction that Adolph 'Bud' Herseth was the trumpet player in question. I saw him several times as the Chicago SO's principal trumpet. There's a humorous story about his audition for the position as well (might be a variation on the above story) but I can't recall it now.

[mercia]

being streamed live - are there many concerts getting this treatment ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e8bhn3

[pastoralguy]

Hope you don't mind me making the slight correction that Adolph 'Bud' Herseth was the trumpet player in question. I saw him several times as the Chicago SO's principal trumpet. There's a humorous story about his audition for the position as well (might be a variation on the above story) but I can't recall it now.

Of course! Sorry, my memories not as great as it used to be.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Hope you don't mind me making the slight correction that Adolph 'Bud' Herseth was the trumpet player in question.

I vividly recall an R3 broadcast of a performance of the Shoster 1st piano conc in which Herseth completely stole the show. Probably mid or late 1970s?

[gradus]

I saw them at Snape two nights ago and they were sensationally good with the first piece going down a storm, choreographed moves, masks and all. Never heard a better Planets.

[BBMmk2]

The Planets was being recorded, I think, for Chandos, as Ed was conducting, and Ralph was there too! Available in January

[Sir Velo]

I saw them at Snape two nights ago and they were sensationally good

What else would you expect from the Chicago Symphony?

[Anastasius]

So few comments about these youngsters? I really enjoyed all three pieces, thought the orchestra were terrific and surprisingly for me, really enjoyed the Gravitational Waves. Would like to have been there.