Prom 3 - 16.07.17: Bernard Haitink conducts Mozart and Schumann

[CallMePaul]

Plain old Robert pales in comparison, Alpie!

If you really want to be complete, he is Robert Alexander Schumann!

[bluestateprommer]

Remarkable how Haitink managed to get the audience to not applaud between movements. That's what gets me now. I'm coming to accept that applause between movements is an irreversible tradition at the Proms now, but it should be consistent. Either applaud every time there is silence between movements, or don't.

IMHO, it's not quite as simple as that, at a guess. The audience differs at every Prom, besides the diehards who attend multiple Proms in a season (and thus know the etiquette). Some factors to consider might include:

1. The fact that was an afternoon matinee Prom: if the weather in London was good this afternoon, then that means a sacrifice of a nice day outdoors to be inside the RAH for a concert. In other words, there's self-selection, again weighted towards the diehards, or towards those who know the prospect of a quality afternoon indoors with a concert led by Haitink.
2. Haitink obviously carries with him a certain level of gravitas in his presence, which can transfer subliminally to the audience, even to relative newcomers.
3. By comparison with The First Night, for example, there you have the Youth Choir, and perhaps with that, the kids' friends and parents, who, like the kids with whom Petroc chatted during the interval, may not all be "into classical". So the first-time or few-time % of attendees would be expected to be higher, and thus not trained not to applaud between movements. With more concert-going (hopefully) with those folks, that may change.

But back to the matter at hand. Schumann 2 was good, if again not at the exalted level of Mozart 38 for me. Parts of it did have a crisp spring, but towards the end, perhaps BH was running out of steam a bit, as it did quite feel like heavy/heavier weather as the proceedings neared their close. However, really wonderful encore of the 'Scherzo' from A Midsummer Night's Dream (archived for the record in the Calendar).

[cloughie]

How old are you Cloughie?

According to this evening's Archers the same age as Lynda Snell who was 20 in 1967!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Mehta and Previn?

Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about those two. Previn was around in my teens. I bought his Sea Symphony recording when it first came out - still the best(?)

[jayne lee wilson]

PROM 3. SCHUMANN SYMPHONY NO.2 COE/HAITINK.
RADIO 3 CONCERT SOUND. Fine webcast, no balance anomalies. Just a little dry perhaps, microphones closer in for the smaller band?

A fine Schumann 2.
The COE can scarcely fail to make a beautiful sound: warm, pure-toned and with sparing vibrato today, but, rhythmically, I did find it a bit safe and steady at times, during the finale especially.
Couldn’t they have given us a little more dash, cut and thrust, or expressively, individualistically, underlined a phrase or two?
But then I’m obsessive over Pace Rhythm & Timing, and somewhat spoiled (or simply changed, changed utterly) by the recent dynamic & mercurial excitements of the Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Ticciati & Dausgaard cycles (not to mention Harnoncourt with an earlier incarnation of the COE) and it isn’t Haitink’s way to be knowingly overemphatic in any musical parameter (perish the fastidiously-rejected thought…). He builds across the symphonic architecture for the longer reach, and it would be out of character for him to allow a detail any exaggerated expressive effect.

All the same, I feel there is more to be found in these works now: I missed that so-essentially Schumannesque mood-swinging, almost manic volatility - of shifting textures, pace and dynamic, and the psychological landscape-in-sound that can create. The recent series of Concertos and Trios from Faust/Melnikov/Queyras with Freiburg Baroque and Héras-Casado are another brilliant example.

Still, the finale’s coda achieved a splendidly sustained-yet-controlled blaze (vividly relayed via Concert Sound with fine presence & dynamic range), so, finally (and after so much lovely playing), I left the listening room with a smile…

[cloughie]

PROM 3. SCHUMANN SYMPHONY NO.2 COE/HAITINK.
RADIO 3 CONCERT SOUND. Fine webcast, no balance anomalies. Just a little dry perhaps, microphones closer in for the smaller band?

A fine Schumann 2.
The COE can scarcely fail to make a beautiful sound: warm, pure-toned and with sparing vibrato today, but, rhythmically, I did find it a bit safe and steady at times, during the finale especially.
Couldn’t they have given us a little more dash, cut and thrust, or expressively, individualistically, underlined a phrase or two?
But then I’m obsessive over Pace Rhythm & Timing, and somewhat spoiled (or simply changed, changed utterly) by the recent dynamic & mercurial excitements of the Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Ticciati & Dausgaard cycles (not to mention Harnoncourt with an earlier incarnation of the COE) and it isn’t Haitink’s way to be knowingly overemphatic in any musical parameter (perish the fastidiously-rejected thought…). He builds across the symphonic architecture for the longer reach, and it would be out of character for him to allow a detail any exaggerated expressive effect.

All the same, I feel there is more to be found in these works now: I missed that so-essentially Schumannesque mood-swinging, almost manic volatility - of shifting textures, pace and dynamic, and the psychological landscape-in-sound that can create. The recent series of Concertos and Trios from Faust/Melnikov/Queyras with Freiburg Baroque and Héras-Casado are another brilliant example.

Still, the finale’s coda achieved a splendidly sustained-yet-controlled blaze (vividly relayed via Concert Sound with fine presence & dynamic range), so, finally (and after so much lovely playing), I left the listening room with a smile…

That ending is so important - I was completely captivated by it with the VPO Solti LP in 1970. I like all the Schumann symphonies and the almost symphony Overture, Scherzo and Finale - but then and now Solti made No 2 my favourite, with the contast in tempo between the 2nd and 3rd movements. My iplayer list is growing with the Haitink concert as Mozart 38 is another must hear!

[Ein Heldenleben]

This excellent concert also had the benefit of a really interesting interval feature on the COE which I commend to anyone interested in the history of this first rate band.

[teamsaint]

just back from the concert, and a highly enjoyable affair it was.
We were at the back of the arena, and the sound struggled a fair bit in both of the Mozart works,undoubtedly down to the acoustic. However, the symphony was beautifully controlled, and brought out some lovely elements that I might have missed previously.And in the concerto Faust was superb as always. AS BSP noted , the control of vibrato was very noticeable. She can do no wrong for me, and always provides moments of pure magic.

As for the Schumann, well Jayne's comments pretty much reflect how it came over in the hall. BH absolutely played the long game in this, and the final blazing brass was confirmation that keeping something back was definitely part of the plan. The slow movement was played for lyrical beauty rather than in your face drama, ( and either can work) but the BH way does ask a lot more of the Violins, who responded with exquisite touch. And he woodwind solos were sublime, spine tinglingly beautiful.
It is such a brilliant work, that it can repay a wide variety of thoughtful approaches, and Haitink certainly put his own mark on it. The acoustic worked much better in this than in the Mozart, although still some muddy moments.

First time for me seeing BH, and boy does he exude his lifetime of experience and depth of knowledge. A great experience to see him, one I am very glad I have had.

And the playing in the encore was stunning. I'm pretty sure it was a subliminal ad for some upcoming Mendelssohn concert...if it was, it'll work.

[Goon525]

Funny to read of someone whose first exposure to BH live was today. Mine was 1973.

[Barbirollians]

I enjoyed it but to be honest as much as I admire Isabelle Faust as a violinist that approach to Mozart struggles in the RAH . Thought the Prague was terrific how lovely to hear Mozart symphonies back at the Proms - I enjoyed the Schumann but as a fan of high fat Schumann like Bernstein and old Dresden Schumann of Sawallisch it was bit restrained for my taste .

[cloughie]

just back from the concert, and a highly enjoyable affair it was.
We were at the back of the arena, and the sound struggled a fair bit in both of the Mozart works,undoubtedly down to the acoustic. However, the symphony was beautifully controlled, and brought out some lovely elements that I might have missed previously.And in the concerto Faust was superb as always. AS BSP noted , the control of vibrato was very noticeable. She can do no wrong for me, and always provides moments of pure magic.

As for the Schumann, well Jayne's comments pretty much reflect how it came over in the hall. BH absolutely played the long game in this, and the final blazing brass was confirmation that keeping something back was definitely part of the plan. The slow movement was played for lyrical beauty rather than in your face drama, ( and either can work) but the BH way does ask a lot more of the Violins, who responded with exquisite touch. And he woodwind solos were sublime, spine tinglingly beautiful.
It is such a brilliant work, that it can repay a wide variety of thoughtful approaches, and Haitink certainly put his own mark on it. The acoustic worked much better in this than in the Mozart, although still some muddy moments.

First time for me seeing BH, and boy does he exude his lifetime of experience and depth of knowledge. A great experience to see him, one I am very glad I have had.

And the playing in the encore was stunning. I'm pretty sure it was a subliminal ad for some upcoming Mendelssohn concert...if it was, it'll work.

What was the encore ts?

[teamsaint]

What was the encore ts?

The Scherzo from A Midsummer Nights Dream.

[greenilex]

Feeling triumphant this morning as both grandchildren were persuaded in the end to accompany their parents and myself to the great hall. Granddaughter (11) and I also enjoyed the pre-Prom talk by a very effective music teacher who handled her disparate audience with great aplomb. We were too late to catch her name...

Tend to agree with comments above that I'd hoped for more genuine Viennese angst from the Schumann ( but I really barely know it..must study further).

We were divided between Rausing Circle and Prom gallery and in the Circle I had the illusion of being able to hear every note. The warmth for BH was wonderful, Mendelssohn scherzo could have been chosen with my birthday in mind and I was thrilled to see Isabelle Faust play with the first violins instead of waiting for her solo entrance.

[Petrushka]

I was outside the stage door as Haitink emerged after the concert. Close up he really does look very old and frail and he did seem very tired. It's nothing less than a miracle that we have been able to share in his glorious Indian Summer with some superb performances like these heard at this concert.

The Mozart Prague, wonderful though it was, did struggle to be heard in the vast spaces of the Royal Albert Hall as did the Violin Concerto. The Schumann came across much better, a typical Haitink slow burner that came to a terrific conclusion.

[Alison]

Many autograph hunters about Pet?