Prom 74: 9.09.16 - Verdi: Requiem

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

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.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07sxvjv

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

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

[oddoneout]

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.

[Lancashire Lass]

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.

[BBMmk2]

Not expecting too much fro Marin Alsop, in this prom. Just doesn't mix it with me.

[Lancashire Lass]

Rats!

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

http://slippedisc.com/2016/09/just-in-bbc-proms-lose-big-tenor/

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.

[BBMmk2]

Rats!

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

http://slippedisc.com/2016/09/just-in-bbc-proms-lose-big-tenor/

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!

[Lancashire Lass]

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.

[David-G]

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

[ardcarp]

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.)

[Petrushka]

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.

[Simon B]

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.

[MrGongGong]

(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

[LeMartinPecheur]

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!

[David-G]

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