Prom 32: 8.08.16 - Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts Schoenberg, Dutilleux and Mahler

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Monday 8 Aug 2016
Royal Albert Hall

Arnold Schoenberg; A Survivor from Warsaw
Henri Dutilleux: The Shadows of Time
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No 1 in D major

Simon Russell Beale narrator
Philharmonia Voices (men's voices)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor

Mahler's First Symphony isn't just the opening chapter of the composer's spiritual autobiography, it's also an awakening in itself. From hushed strings and woodwind cuckoos, it breaks into a forthright stride towards, eventually, a blazing affirmation of camaraderie and confidence.
Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the symphony here with his own Philharmonia Orchestra, following meditations on loss from Arnold Schoenberg and centenary composer Henri Dutilleux, whose The Shadows of Time was inspired by the diaries of Anne Frank and written to mark 50 years since the end of the Second World War.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07mwbfq

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ci5E-BCxSQ

for The Shadows of Time

[Pulcinella]

The Philharmonia is EPS's own orchestra?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The Philharmonia is EPS's own orchestra?

Cutting and pasting is never a good idea where the R3 website is concerned.

[Petrushka]

Can any other 8 minutes of music leave one so stunned as Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw does?

[bluestateprommer]

David Wilson-Johnson (subbing for Simon Russell Beale; Forum calendar entry is updated) just declaimed Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw, going for the 'melodrama' side of things in his delivery, but given the theme of the work, eminently understandable. Likewise, E-PS pretty much went full throttle especially when the chorus enters.

Cutting and pasting is never a good idea where the R3 website is concerned.

That's why I don't in the Forum Calendar .

Part 2: Strong performance of the Dutilleux just now from E-PS and the Philharmonia, again going for the "in your face" approach to Dutilleux, which I actually kind of prefer to the standard constant shimmer approach. But that may reflect more anger in the music, perhaps. The boy trebles Lucas Pinto, Matthew Gillam, and Joshua Albuquerque (now fully credited and listed in the Forum calendar as well) had a few mildly shaky moments, but in their shoes, I would too. Overall, they did just fine.

[jayne lee wilson]

Fabulous orchestral playing in the Dutilleux, effortless balance and fluidity, a virtuosic polish from ensemble or solo-instrumental. Wonder if they've toured it?
I wish they were giving us more Dutilleux in Part 2 or at least something more off-the-beaten....
(You like muscularity in Dutilleux, bsp? You have the Morlot/Seattle sets? They have the power, but all the beauty & delicacy along with...)
Ages since I heard the Philharmonia or bought a new recording of theirs, but they sound in excellent shape tonight.

Typical Manic Monday so, missed the Schoenberg. Don't think I have either head or heart for Mahler 1 tonight, pity given the orchestral standard....

[EdgeleyRob]

Can any other 8 minutes of music leave one so stunned as Schoenberg's A Survivor from Warsaw does?

Although only 5 or so minutes,the 'Warsaw Dogs' movement of Weinberg's 8th Symphony leaves me even more stunned.

If anyone can locate a decent translation of the text to this symphony I'd be grateful.
The best I've managed is to copy the Polish text from the Naxos liner notes into an online Polish to English translator,not ideal but the results still make me shiver

[Alison]

An often thrilling Mahler 1 if a shade generalised in feel and over milked at the end.

Has the Orchestra appointed a principal timpanist?

[bluestateprommer]

Don't think I have either head or heart for Mahler 1 tonight, pity given the orchestral standard....

This Mahler 1 continued the overall 'muscular' streak of the Philharmonia's playing tonight (or perhaps I had the earbuds volume up higher than usual). A few brass blips aside, the Philharmonia were on pretty good form. E-PS did stretch out the pace here and there, but for the most part, the interpretation seemed pretty 'traditional'. Nice of Martin Handley to mention as many Philharmonia musicians as possible, including co-principal French horn Katy Woolley, who's in her early 20s (and if the page on her is to be believed, very early 20s). Also, no "happy clappers" between movements . Weekend Proms audiences could learn a thing or two about concert etiquette from this Monday night crowd.

[Simon B]

Has the Orchestra appointed a principal timpanist?

Not yet, I don't think. It has mostly been the excellent Paul Philbert (recently appointed @ Opera North having returned from the "turbulent" Malaysian Philharmonic) and Antoine Siguré of the Flanders Philharmonic doing the honours recently.

The Philharmonia, CBSO, BBCSO and BBCCO all have vacant chairs behind the kettles at the moment in what amounts to a remarkable glut of employment opportunities that might not be repeated for another 40 years. At least one of these sets of shoes is of course essentially impossible to fill and the orchestra will never sound the same again

[Petrushka]

This Mahler 1 continued the overall 'muscular' streak of the Philharmonia's playing tonight (or perhaps I had the earbuds volume up higher than usual). A few brass blips aside, the Philharmonia were on pretty good form. E-PS did stretch out the pace here and there, but for the most part, the interpretation seemed pretty 'traditional'. Nice of Martin Handley to mention as many Philharmonia musicians as possible, including co-principal French horn Katy Woolley, who's in her early 20s (and if the page on her is to be believed, very early 20s). Also, no "happy clappers" between movements . Weekend Proms audiences could learn a thing or two about concert etiquette from this Monday night crowd.

Except for the pretty destructive coughing in the quiet bits. I felt that Salonen pulled the tempi around far too much and some of the sudden gear changes caught me unawares though I think the orchestra responded well enough. I think one or two players were caught out by a sudden change of gear at one point in the finale (forget where, sorry) but overall, an excellent Prom.

[VodkaDilc]

Except for the pretty destructive coughing in the quiet bits. I felt that Salonen pulled the tempi around far too much and some of the sudden gear changes caught me unawares though I think the orchestra responded well enough. I think one or two players were caught out by a sudden change of gear at one point in the finale (forget where, sorry) but overall, an excellent Prom.

I didn't notice the changes of gear mentioned by Petrushka; in fact, I thought they made Mahler 1 sound like a great symphony. There was some wonderful solo playing, as well as some tremendous tuttis. I'm glad that the announcer caught the ovations for the solo players and the individual sections (I'm taking bluestateprommer's word for this). Salonen is always very good at singling out the "stars" at the end of a performance; so often the announcers are completely floored and are able to mention no-one by name.
Thankfully Martin Handley is one of the old school, who knew their players.

As someone has said, the audience was very attentive. A lady in front of me had a coughing fit, but, after a loud beginning, she made a valiant attempt to suffer in silence.

[Beef Oven!]

teamsaint tempted me away from my usual arena position, into the circle. Although I experienced vertigo, it wasn’t bad and it made a change to sit down.

An excellent SFW. What can you say about this amazing work (spot-on Petrushka!)?

This was the first time I’d ever heard the Dutilleux. I adore Timbres, Espace, Movement, the symphonies and Metaboles, but I did not enjoy this work so much. Lovely music after the singing (which I liked) but it felt a bit obvious and was a tad too long. Maybe it will grow on me.

I enjoyed the Mahler 1 better than any other performance I’ve been to. What did it for me was the direct delivery without the neurosis that often accompanies performances of this symphony. It felt more closely related to 6, 7 & 10, which although emotional works, have a directness of communication that I often find missing in #1. I was comfortable with the tempi and the dramatic ending (it was a concert after all, not a studio recording).

The Philharmonia were on tip-top form and I would actually single out the percussionists for special mention.

A really enjoyable Prom.

Edit: I forgot to say, the amount of coughing and spluttering was bloody ridiculous. I’m a very tolerant concert-goer and I can deal with more distractions than most people, but it really got to me tonight. It’s not even winter, for chrissakes!

Edit 2: I forgot to say, clapping between movements (which I’m all for, when appropriate) is, for most of us, instinctive. One just knows when to and when not to. We didn’t clap between movements tonight.


This was taken with the Hubble!!

[Beef Oven!]