Prom 63: 1.09.16 - Bach: Mass in B minor

[Tetrachord]

John Eliot Gardiner's Dona Nobis Pacem from this work is white hot and INCANDESCENT but, sadly, Christie's is tame. Overall a very disappointing performance. Completely disagree with what the commentator is saying. Everything she claims Christie didn't want to do is precisely what he DID do!!

Oh dear....

[oddoneout]

Blown away by Tim Mead. The rest of it pretty good too!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

This is b****y phenominal.

Amin to that

(Still don't like those pseudo-HIPP toothpaste-squeezing crescendos on every note longer than a semiquaver though.)

"HIPP toothpaste"? (Would that be Haydn's Horn Signal Symphony?)

[BBMmk2]

I'll be catching up with this one tomorrow night. A busy day today!

[oddoneout]

Hmmm. Are we in for a Marmite response to this Prom?
I've grown up with this music, and I've never turned a broadcast off(never had the chance to hear it 'in the flesh') since for me the music transcends what performers do to it, but some performances have definitely been less satisfactory than others. For me this did not fall into that category and I have had a most enjoyable evening's listening.

[jayne lee wilson]

A lovely B minor Mass tonight... Christie lent a firm and gentle pulse, a smoothly lyrical flow to the melodic lines; the chorus a warm blend of individual voices, warp and weft clear in the finely finished fabric. Orchestral tone and solos mirrored the song: faithful yet expressive, neither too spare nor too opulent; a team of gifted players serving a greater musical glory.

Music In the Castle of Heaven?

"Perfection is achieved, it seems, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.."
(Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry, quoted by John Eliot Gardiner in Music in the Castle of Heaven, excerpted in the notes to JEG's recent second recording).

Perhaps I listened less critically tonight; the music acted as a personal Heilige Dankgesang Eines Genesenen an die Musik, not for the first time this season; but I'd never have made it to the end, if it hadn't been played like this.

[Bryn]

Oh dear. Tonight's Prom, is now up on the iPlayer Listen Again facility, but only at LD Sound, i.e. 128kbps HE-AAC. Hopefully the error will be noticed soon and a 320kbps version posted in place of it.

[Wow, that was quick. HD Sound version has now replaced the 128kbps version.]

[[And they've already topped and tailed it to just the Prom and its Bach follow-ons.]]

[EdgeleyRob]

A lovely B minor Mass tonight... Christie lent a firm and gentle pulse, a smoothly lyrical flow to the melodic lines; the chorus a warm blend of individual voices, warp and weft clear in the finely finished fabric. Orchestral tone and solos mirrored the song: faithful yet expressive, neither too spare nor too opulent; a team of gifted players serving a greater musical glory.

Music In the Castle of Heaven?

"Perfection is achieved, it seems, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.."
(Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry, quoted by John Eliot Gardiner in Music in the Castle of Heaven, excerpted in the notes to JEG's recent second recording).

Perhaps I listened less critically tonight; the music acted as a personal Heilige Dankgesang Eines Genesenen an die Musik, not for the first time this season; but I'd never have made it to the end, if it hadn't been played like this.

Not Genesenen here,still suffering heart failure,most certainly always will.
Shed loads of meds and stuff like the B Minor Mass and the outlook is good.
No idea if this was a top drawer performance but certainly a personal hymn of thanksgiving to Entrestol and such,I'm in bits.

[Prommer]

Blown away by Tim Mead. The rest of it pretty good too!

Yes, especially in the Agnus Dei, he floated some lovely, pure tone, which made the coughers and shufflers shut up and hold their breath!

On the downside, it was 'Agnes Dei' at least once and the French 'qui'...

[Prommer]

A lovely B minor Mass tonight... Christie lent a firm and gentle pulse, a smoothly lyrical flow to the melodic lines; the chorus a warm blend of individual voices, warp and weft clear in the finely finished fabric. Orchestral tone and solos mirrored the song: faithful yet expressive, neither too spare nor too opulent; a team of gifted players serving a greater musical glory

I think I basically agree with this assessment but did it have the punch and rhythmic elan of JEG?

Two different but valid ways with the music, perhaps.

I like Christie and most of his works (even down to the rather smart bright red chaussettes he was sporting tonight) but even so I thought it a bit odd to see him quoted in the programme as saying: "...I think I now have something to say about the piece. And essentially it has to do with me..."

Blimey.

[Bryn]

... thanksgiving to Entrestol and such,I'm in bits.

Just a quick Christmassy correction, Noel. It's Entresto.

[Prommer]

I'm very jealous!! But as I write this I'm listening via computer - albeit at unsatisfactorily reduced volume - and I'm not generally happy with Christie's reading; tempi at times too fast, a rather 'cold' reading and sometimes mannerisms reminiscent more of Rameau than Bach. Flawless playing, of course, but there's something of passion missing here. We're not at the end yet and he may pull a rabbit out of the hat, but so far I'm not enamored. It's like he's over-earnest, or something... Those wide-open ornamentations are just irritating!! And sometimes this reading is somewhat leaden and lacking drama. And this IS a dramatic work.

Disappointing as I'm a HUGE fan of Les Arts and "B Minor Mass" is a desert-island work!!

Thanks to advice from somebody here I've been able to increase the volume but it hasn't changed my opinion of this performance.

The Sanctus was too fast in my not-so-humble opinion...

[Prommer]

John Eliot Gardiner's Dona Nobis Pacem from this work is white hot and INCANDESCENT but, sadly, Christie's is tame. Overall a very disappointing performance. Completely disagree with what the commentator is saying. Everything she claims Christie didn't want to do is precisely what he DID do!!

Oh dear....

I was in the Hall and need to listen to the broadcast - and the commentary.

It grew on me, but in the Hall it initially underwhelmed in volume terms too, but that is the RAH for you, and this was not the 'Uddersfield Choral Society...

[Prommer]

Hmmm. Are we in for a Marmite response to this Prom?
I've grown up with this music, and I've never turned a broadcast off(never had the chance to hear it 'in the flesh') since for me the music transcends what performers do to it, but some performances have definitely been less satisfactory than others. For me this did not fall into that category and I have had a most enjoyable evening's listening.

Think marmite, but then, I felt conflicted as could see the merits and the demerits of this tonight.

The work is indestructible.

I have only heard the work live once before: King's College Chapel (1994?), CUMS Orchestra under (?) Cleobury but the standout was James Bowman... The Qui Sedes and Agnus Dei were exemplary singing. Almost showing off good.

[EdgeleyRob]

Just a quick Christmassy correction, Noel. It's Entresto.

Thanks,told you I was in bits,whatever the name it's a wonder drug according to my cardiologist.
This JSB is always a wonder,yes indestructible.