Prom 67: 4.09.16 - Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra/Gustavo Dudamel

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

15:45 Sunday 4 Sep 2016
Royal Albert Hall

Paul Desenne: Hipnosis mariposa (UK premiere)
Heitor Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No 2
Maurice Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe Suite No 2
Maurice Ravel: La Valse

Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel conductor

The incomparable Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra makes a return following its second appearance at the Proms back in 2011.
As part of our celebration this year of South American music and musicians, we hear the performance of Venezuelan composer Paul Desenne's Hipnosis mariposa and Heitor Villa-Lobos's orchestral tribute to J. S. Bach.
This most thrusting of orchestras ends with Ravel's dizzying parody of a fin de siècle waltz, La Valse. A Proms hot ticket if ever there was one.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07rkww0

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Incomparable?

Or does it mean "fantastic, amazing and fabulous".

But seriously, when this stop being a youth orchestra?

[french frank]

But seriously, when this stop being a youth orchestra?

2011, apparently - according to Wikipedia, when the players became too old to qualify as a youth orchestra. The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra is now Venezuela's youth orchestra.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

2011, apparently - according to Wikipedia, when the players became too old to qualify as a youth orchestra. The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra is now Venezuela's youth orchestra.

[VodkaDilc]

Was I the only person to have gone to this? (Obviously not; the hall was packed).

Does anyone have a comment? The orchestra produced some lovely sounds, especially in the Ravel items. It's obviously not a youth orchestra any more. This being my first experience of them in a live concert, I was somewhat disappointed at the lack of the youthful spontaneity I had seen and heard previously - and also by the single encore. The audience wanted more, but it was clear that no more was going to be provided. (The Radio 3 commentary box was deserted and the lights were off soon after the encore ended.) I suppose this was a contractual matter - there was another Prom to come (did the cleaners have to get to work perhaps?) and I noticed the players getting into their coaches still dressed in their concert gear, so perhaps they had another engagement too. I'm sure many in the audience shared my disappointment though - we could have had a couple of their familiar encores.

[Nick Armstrong]

I didn't go (the programme seemed short measure on paper when I was considering the season) but I did listen to the second half whilst on a Sunday afternoon bicycle constitutional... I happened to be not far from the Albert Hall as it ended, and I was curious to see if the single encore broadcast was all there'd been, or whether everyone was still in the hall listening to more - so I steered that way. My question was answered when I paused to let a large black Mercedes pull out and down towards the College - and from the back seat was looking out G Dudamel Esq, still in his 'work clothes' ... and the audience wasn't yet coming out of the hall. (There wasn't a particularly elated look among them when they did).

As to the Ravel performances I heard, they sounded pretty fine to me on the move. I'll download them and have a proper listen on the big speakers.

Does anyone have a comment? The orchestra produced some lovely sounds, especially in the Ravel items. It's obviously not a youth orchestra any more. This being my first experience of them in a live concert, I was somewhat disappointed at the lack of the youthful spontaneity I had seen and heard previously - and also by the single encore. The audience wanted more, but it was clear that no more was going to be provided. (The Radio 3 commentary box was deserted and the lights were off soon after the encore ended.) I suppose this was a contractual matter - there was another Prom to come (did the cleaners have to get to work perhaps?) and I noticed the players getting into their coaches still dressed in their concert gear, so perhaps they had another engagement too. I'm sure many in the audience shared my disappointment though - we could have had a couple of their familiar encores.

[mercia]

it seems to me the Radio 3 presenters know in advance both whether there will be encores and what those encores will consist of. Radio 3 came away from both the BPO proms while applause was in full force, which indicated to me R3 knew there would be no encores.

[VodkaDilc]

I didn't go (the programme seemed short measure on paper when I was considering the season) but I did listen to the second half whilst on a Sunday afternoon bicycle constitutional... I happened to be not far from the Albert Hall as it ended, and I was curious to see if the single encore broadcast was all there'd been, or whether everyone was still in the hall listening to more - so I steered that way. My question was answered when I paused to let a large black Mercedes pull out and down towards the College - and from the back seat was looking out G Dudamel Esq, still in his 'work clothes' ... and the audience wasn't yet coming out of the hall.

I saw that car parked. It had a distinctive number plate (something, something 1) and I tried to work out the possible owner. Not being parked near the usual stage door, I assumed it belonged to a posh audience member, but Caliban has answered the question. There was certainly a lack of exuberance from Dudemal; I wonder if something about the concert was not to his liking. It was by no means the triumphant return to the venue of a hugely successful concert some years ago.


Another viewpoint:

http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/prom-67-simon-bolivar-symphony-orchestra-dudamel

[zola]

They must feel a little like a rock band where the audience sits patiently through all the new material so that they can go ape when the old hits are wheeled out. The SBO can't keep on with their rumbas and mambos as encores for ever. Incidentally, are they ever conducted by anyone other than Dudamel ? Surely they must be given his commitments in LA ?

[kernelbogey]

it seems to me the Radio 3 presenters know in advance both whether there will be encores and what those encores will consist of. Radio 3 came away from both the BPO proms while applause was in full force, which indicated to me R3 knew there would be no encores.

I've noticed this over the years and always felt a tinge of embarassment at the faux surprise of 'it looks as though we might get an encore...'; then an announcement afterwards of exactly what it was (however obscure!). And of course the known absence of one as mercia notes.

It also seems to me - am I mistaken? - that (say) twenty years ago encores were a rarity at the Proms even from soloists. They almost seem the norm now.

[VodkaDilc]

It also seems to me - am I mistaken? - that (say) twenty years ago encores were a rarity at the Proms even from soloists. They almost seem the norm now.

I must confess that the sight of Barenboim, microphone in hand, emerging after the final 'bleeding chunks' of Wagner a couple of weeks ago had me rushing for the exit. Even more disjointed Wagner, plus the threat of DB's political thoughts, were a bit too much for me. (Much as I understand that 'bleeding chunks' are very much in Wood's tradition.)

[zola]

I think the current convention is that soloists get an encore allocated and visiting orchestras do ( unless it is a piece such as Mahler 7th which is not really conducive to an encore ) Whereas the bog standard BBC orchestras do not get an encore ?

[Lat-Literal]

Advice please.

Is this prom being shown on television and if so when?

[zola]

Advice please.

Is this prom being shown on television and if so when?

It is not being shown. TV coverage of the proms this season is over ( well, there is Verdi's Requiem and the Last Night if either of those float your boat but I aim to give them a wide steer )

[VodkaDilc]

Advice please.

Is this prom being shown on television and if so when?

There were definitely no television cameras at this Prom. Considering the stir this orchestra made in the past, I find the low profile given to the concert very surprising.