Prom 74: 9.09.16 - Verdi: Requiem

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  • Eine Alpensinfonie
    Host
    • Nov 2010
    • 20570

    Prom 74: 9.09.16 - Verdi: Requiem

    19:30 Friday 9 Sep 2016 ON TV
    Royal Albert Hall

    Verdi: Requiem

    Tamara Wilson (soprano)
    Alisa Kolosova (mezzo-soprano)
    Michael Fabiano (tenor)
    Morris Robinson (bass)
    BBC Proms Youth Choir
    Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
    Marin Alsop (conductor)

    Verdi's shattering Requiem - which began life as a memorial to Rossini - was so forthright in its expression of grief, faith and judgement that many thought it too dramatic for performance in church.

    In the penultimate Prom of 2016, Marin Alsop leads the period instruments of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the fresh voices of the BBC Proms Youth Choir through all the passion, turbulence and reflection of Verdi's sacred masterpiece.

    Marin Alsop conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in Verdi's Requiem.
    Last edited by Eine Alpensinfonie; 11-09-16, 15:48.
  • Eine Alpensinfonie
    Host
    • Nov 2010
    • 20570

    #2
    The massive BBC Proms Youth Choir did a fine job in last year's DoG performance with Rattle and the VPO.

    Comment

    • oddoneout
      Full Member
      • Nov 2015
      • 9148

      #3
      As a matter of interest does/would anyone perform this in English these days? In the course of looking for something else I came across my mother's copy, in English. In view of the fact that the score is at least 65 years old(more if she bought it secondhand) that is perhaps not unusual, but inside I found an autograph of April Cantelo, dated 1976, so it was obviously performed in English at that concert.
      I played this several times in my youth(with chamber orchestra size forces - a good way to get to know it thoroughly!) and have sung it a couple of times later so will be looking forward to hearing this, not least because I thought the Youth Choir were stunning last year.

      Comment

      • Lancashire Lass
        Full Member
        • Feb 2012
        • 118

        #4
        Will be listening to this one to hear the fabulous Michael Fabiano. He was the surprise package of Onegin at the ROH earlier this year, played Lensky in his debut there, his big second act aria was a sensation. Shivers down the spine time, and all the better for being someone who was (to me at least) a complete unknown. He paid incredibly detailed attention to the phrasing and dynamics, which only highlighted the emotional impact and the beauty of his voice. You could have heard a pin drop -- I know opera audiences are well-behaved, but you could tell people were on the edge of their seats, and he got an absolutely huge ovation.

        Hopefully as this one is Verdi, his operatic gifts will be to the fore again.

        Comment

        • BBMmk2
          Late Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 20908

          #5
          Not expecting too much fro Marin Alsop, in this prom. Just doesn't mix it with me.
          Don’t cry for me
          I go where music was born

          J S Bach 1685-1750

          Comment

          • Lancashire Lass
            Full Member
            • Feb 2012
            • 118

            #6
            Rats!

            Heard Suzy Klein announce the revised cast list on In Tune -- hoped it was just a slip, but no:



            Can't imagine he's too pleased either -- penultimate night in Verdi is a great showcase for your debut. Still, when he's back he will be worth waiting for.

            Comment

            • BBMmk2
              Late Member
              • Nov 2010
              • 20908

              #7
              Originally posted by Lancashire Lass View Post
              Rats!

              Heard Suzy Klein announce the revised cast list on In Tune -- hoped it was just a slip, but no:



              Can't imagine he's too pleased either -- penultimate night in Verdi is a great showcase for your debut. Still, when he's back he will be worth waiting for.
              These things happen!
              Don’t cry for me
              I go where music was born

              J S Bach 1685-1750

              Comment

              • Lancashire Lass
                Full Member
                • Feb 2012
                • 118

                #8
                Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View Post
                These things happen!
                Thanks, yes, they do, sadly often to the wrong people. Just hope anyone who's got a ticket on the strength of Mr Fabiano will be blown away by his replacement.

                Comment

                • David-G
                  Full Member
                  • Mar 2012
                  • 1216

                  #9
                  Michael Fabiano played the title role in "Poliuto" at Glyndebourne last year. He was very fine. I was looking forward to hearing him again.

                  Comment

                  • ardcarp
                    Late member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 11102

                    #10
                    Simon Halsey has done a fine job in preparing the Youth Choir...and they were right on MA's baton. I longed to hear more warmth from the lower strings of the OAE...though I guess that is not what they are about. Loved the valved trombones though. Made that chromatic run toward the end of the Sanctus seem almost easy. (Normal trombone players will know what I mean.)

                    Comment

                    • Petrushka
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 12240

                      #11
                      Stars of the show here were the BBC Youth Choir - absolutely magnificent. Disappointed with the bass drum/s which lacked both visual and aural impact. Can someone explain the third bass drum to the right of the stage? So far as I was aware we never saw it played. When?

                      Soloists fine but did the camera have go down Morris Robinson's throat and focus on his sweat-soaked neck? Not a pretty sight.

                      Really excellent sound on TV via Freeview. What a vast improvement we've seen this season from the sonic point of view.
                      "The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard Haitink

                      Comment

                      • Simon B
                        Full Member
                        • Dec 2010
                        • 779

                        #12
                        I wasn't intending to go to this (as I'm booked in for the LSO/Noseda in, er, 9 days - which orchestrally I think will be much more to my taste) but it just sort of happened!

                        Pluses and minuses with the period instruments. Yes, valve trombones should be obligatory in this - for the sound, never mind increased playability. The LPO have done the piece a few times with Jurowski, and wide bore valve trombones and cimbasso. Now *that's* a sound.

                        Antique bass drums - definitely a minus. E-, see the headmaster. I had to try not to laugh at the first iteration of the Dies Irae! Comically pathetic and bathetic simultaneously, the instrument not the playing. Absolutely hopeless in a place the size of the RAH. It was enough to put the fear of Go... rdon, the Ilford based gnat into you! The third one was used for a couple of notes - the first "Ost" entry of the bass. Probably to give the extra timpanist something to do apart from his few rolls later on. It also sounded like someone punching a cushion.

                        That aside, agreed, the Proms Youth Chorus were again impressive. Accurate, together, coherent sound, complete commitment.

                        Soloists pretty on it too to my untutored ears.
                        Last edited by Simon B; 09-09-16, 21:01.

                        Comment

                        • MrGongGong
                          Full Member
                          • Nov 2010
                          • 18357

                          #13
                          Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
                          (Normal trombone players will know what I mean.)
                          I've turned this phase over and over
                          but it still makes no sense at all
                          "Normal" and Trombone ?

                          Nope

                          Comment

                          • LeMartinPecheur
                            Full Member
                            • Apr 2007
                            • 4717

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Simon B View Post
                            Antique bass drums - definitely a minus. E-, see the headmaster. I had to try not to laugh at the first iteration of the Dies Irae! Comically pathetic and bathetic simultaneously, the instrument not the playing. Absolutely hopeless in a place the size of the RAH. It was enough to put the fear of Go... rdon, the Ilford based gnat into you! The third one was used for a couple of notes - the first "Ost" entry of the bass. Probably to give the extra timpanist something to do apart from his few rolls later on. It also sounded like someone punching a cushion.
                            Via TV sound I didn't find the bass drums anywhere near as disappointing as my first exposure to the work live, c.1972 in Merton Chapel Oxford IIRC. After hearing the Decca Solti LPs I was convinced that this Oxford performance was using an empty wooden packing crate!
                            I keep hitting the Escape key, but I'm still here!

                            Comment

                            • David-G
                              Full Member
                              • Mar 2012
                              • 1216

                              #15
                              I was standing near the front of the Arena. Don't understand the comments about the drums. The whole thing was magnificent.

                              Comment

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