Originally posted by jayne lee wilson
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Prom 21 - 30.07.17: Beethoven – Symphony No. 9, ‘Choral’
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Originally posted by Bryn View PostI'd have to put a great deal of effort into finding something in the 9th objectionable, and I have no intention of wasting my time with such a vain project. That said, I have had my hackles risen over the odd stretched out Adagio molto e cantabile.
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Originally posted by Bryn View PostI'd have to put a great deal of effort into finding something in the 9th objectionable, and I have no intention of wasting my time with such a vain project. That said, I have had my hackles risen over the odd stretched out Adagio molto e cantabile.
I love and admire the Beethoven 9th unreservedly - as one the greatest, most all-embracing, most inspired, most innovative symphonies of all time... if anyone "finds fault" with any part of it, they might ask themselves why it had such a profound and lasting influence on so many of the greatest composers - Wagner, Bruckner and Mahler among them. Bruckner's wonderful symphonies would have sounded very different if Beethoven's 9th had not existed, or if he had not known it; similarly with Brahms' 1st, and his subsequent development away from it...
The choice of the Ode to Joy as the EU anthem; members of UKIP turning their backs on it in the European Parliament; Igor Levit causing trouble, division and debate by playing it as his encore to a recent Prom..... all seem joyfully true to the timelessness - the eternal contemporaneity of its rebellious, joyful, shout-out-loud, uncontrollable spirit.
I think "lovely lovely Ludwig Van" as Alex DeLarge called him in A Clockwork Orange, would have enjoyed it all hugely....Last edited by jayne lee wilson; 28-07-17, 02:45.
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From a spot check of the Proms Archive, if I'm not mistaken, this upcoming Beethoven 9 Prom may be the first LvB 9 Prom led by a maestra. Besides the latest 'choral novelty' from Sir James MacMillan in the first half, the fact that Xian Zhang will be the first woman conductor for an LvB 9 Prom already puts this Prom in the history books.
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Originally posted by jayne lee wilson View Post
I love and admire the Beethoven 9th unreservedly - as one the greatest, most all-embracing, most inspired, most innovative symphonies of all time... if anyone "finds fault" with any part of it, they might ask themselves why it had such a profound and lasting influence on so many of the greatest composers - Wagner, Bruckner and Mahler among them. Bruckner's wonderful symphonies would have sounded very different if Beethoven's 9th had not existed, or if he had not known it; similarly with Brahms' 1st, and his subsequent development away from it...
The choice of the Ode to Joy as the EU anthem; members of UKIP turning their backs on it in the European Parliament; Igor Levit causing trouble, division and debate by playing it as his encore to a recent Prom..... all seem joyfully true to the timelessness - the eternal contemporaneity of its rebellious, joyful, shout-out-loud, uncontrollable spirit.
I think "lovely lovely Ludwig Van" as Alex DeLarge called him in A Clockwork Orange, would have enjoyed it all hugely...."The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard Haitink
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I will never forget a prom of this, going way back, when I was a youngster, Erich Leinsdorf was conducting and I think Hans Sotin was one of the singers. I didn't appreciate the who the artists were back then, but oh, to go back in time and see this would be great!Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750
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Originally posted by Alison View PostSymphony of Psalms in first half?
Yes mediocre by BH standards thought not as dire as the Davis. I think the BBC orchestra were a crusty bunch especially towards the end of a season.
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Originally posted by Petrushka View PostMy feelings also, though better expressed than I could hope to do. Quite why people have a problem with this symphony (or at least its finale) is beyond me.
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I have vivid memories of a wonderful Ninth with Rattle and the CBSO. Birtwistle's Triumph of Time in the first half. I remember Willard White sticking his arm up in the air for his 'O, Freunde!' It was probably meant to be a vigorous declamatory gesture but it all looked a little 'hello, sailor' to me.
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Originally posted by Darkbloom View PostI have vivid memories of a wonderful Ninth with Rattle and the CBSO. Birtwistle's Triumph of Time in the first half. I remember Willard White sticking his arm up in the air for his 'O, Freunde!' It was probably meant to be a vigorous declamatory gesture but it all looked a little 'hello, sailor' to me."The sound is the handwriting of the conductor" - Bernard Haitink
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Originally posted by Petrushka View PostI've been to all of the 9ths you so far mention! My favourite has to be either the 1987 Abbado or the 1996 Solti, both touched with greatness.
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Originally posted by Darkbloom View PostI envy you. The problem experiencing the Ninth in the arena ( more so than when seated) is that you instinctively 'know' whether the performance is going to work within the first few bars. When it's a dud you get a sinking feeling, knowing that this is going to be a long evening.
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Originally posted by jayne lee wilson View PostIn case it wasn't clear.... it's not the wonderful scherzo of the 9th that I find objectionable in a taxi, but the distinct possibility of the musical thrill of it being worn out by so many repetitions....!
I love and admire the Beethoven 9th unreservedly - as one the greatest, most all-embracing, most inspired, most innovative symphonies of all time... if anyone "finds fault" with any part of it, they might ask themselves why it had such a profound and lasting influence on so many of the greatest composers - Wagner, Bruckner and Mahler among them. Bruckner's wonderful symphonies would have sounded very different if Beethoven's 9th had not existed, or if he had not known it; similarly with Brahms' 1st, and his subsequent development away from it...
The choice of the Ode to Joy as the EU anthem; members of UKIP turning their backs on it in the European Parliament; Igor Levit causing trouble, division and debate by playing it as his encore to a recent Prom..... all seem joyfully true to the timelessness - the eternal contemporaneity of its rebellious, joyful, shout-out-loud, uncontrollable spirit.
I think "lovely lovely Ludwig Van" as Alex DeLarge called him in A Clockwork Orange, would have enjoyed it all hugely....
*They were two works on first hearing in my teens c1961/2 which made me go wow!
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Originally posted by Tony View PostHmmmm... I'm not too sure about that.. from my own experience, when I was playing on the Norrington / LCP recording, I certainly had a 'sinking feeling' in the first 8 bars or so, as the strings sounded so 'scrawny and unblended'. But, soon after that it did actually get better and better, and , IMHO, is probably one of a handful of really memorable and worthwhile recordings of this sublime work.
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