Prom 32 - 9.08.17: Britten, Brian Elias, Purcell and Elgar

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:00 Wednesday 9 August 2017
Royal Albert Hall

Benjamin Britten: Ballad of Heroes
Brian Elias: Cello Concerto BBC commission: world première
Henry Purcell: Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes mei, arr. Elgar
Edward Elgar: Enigma Variations


BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales
Leonard Elschenbroich (cello)
Toby Spence (tenor)
Nicholas Perfect (bass)
Ryan Wigglesworth (conductor)

Ryan Wigglesworth joins the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales for a programme that spans four centuries, from Purcell's dramatic choral motet 'Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes mei', to the world premiere of Brian Elias's Cello Concerto, whose intricate, spiral structure creates a dream-like musical narrative.
The concert opens with Britten's most overtly political work - an impassioned musical stand against fascism that anticipates the composer's War Requiem; and reaches its culmination with Elgar's 'Enigma' Variations.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I'm particularly interested in the "arr. Elgar" part of the programme.

[zola]

I believe that Leonard Elsenbroich is replacing an indisposed Natalie Klein in the Elias cello concerto. Not easy for a world premiere.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I believe that Leonard Elsenbroich is replacing an indisposed Natalie Klein in the Elias cello concerto. Not easy for a world premiere.

Many thanks. Now updated.

[jayne lee wilson]

Brian Elias' Note.....

"Brian Elias Cello Concerto (2015)
This Concerto is in four main sections that are played without a break. As with most of my work, the music throughout is generated from the ideas presented in the first few bars, and these ideas and their variants appear freely in the different sections. Recurring material and references to earlier sections are used deliberately to create not only a sense of unity but also an impression of familiarity that aspires to induce a dream-like perception of the passing music, a kind of spiral.

This work is dedicated to Natalie Clein."

[bluestateprommer]

Strong musical start to this Prom, where Britten seems to have refracted DSCH through his own prism for Ballad of Heroes, but I've no idea how familiar BB was with DSCH's music in the 1930's. One tiny minimal horn flub, but otherwise the chorus and orchestra were on solid form. Toby Spence seems to have recovered his voice well over the past few years, but he seemed very closely miked.

PS on the new Brian Elias concerto: first, Leonard Elschenbroich did very, very well, especially as Petroc just said that LE had 2 weeks' notice to learn the new work. The concerto starts in emotionally dark territory, fitting after the serious sentiments of the Britten. The concerto did feel a bit run-on in places, and also seems to cut off in mid-air at the end. I haven't heard much of Brian Elias' music on record, but my general impression is that while he can write densely chromatic music, he is not an "atonal" composer.

[teamsaint]

I missed the start of the Elias concerto , but what I did hear on the drive home was certainly quite invigorating.

I Couldn't help hearing great dollops of Messiaen and Berg ( ?) especially in the earlier sections.

If I'm wrong about that,can we put it down to a 15 hour day and the London rush hour ?
Definitely one to go back to. I'd been listening to RBs CD of music for cello and electronics,earlier in my journey,which made for an interesting contrast.

[edashtav]

I missed the start of the Elias concerto , but what I did hear on the drive home was certainly quite invigorating.

I Couldn't help hearing great dollops of Messiaen and Berg ( ?) especially in the earlier sections.

If I'm wrong about that,can we put it down to a 15 hour day and the London rush hour ?
Definitely one to go back to. I'd been listening to RBs CD of music for cello and electronics,earlier in my journey,which made for an interesting contrast.

I think you've caught the essence of Elias well, ts. His music lies on the dark side of Berg and is tricked out with memories of Messiaen. I remember the Proms' premiere of his 5 Songs to poems by Irina Ratushinskaya from the early 1990's with some affection.

[edashtav]

Elgar,s 1929 orchestration of the Purcell Latin Motet was a tame affair that did nothing for the reputation of either composer. When Elgar's hand became evident, it was only thickening, and thus bastardising, Purcell's artful, air-filled textures. BEtter left on the shelf.

I thought the BBC NOW reserved its best playing at PROMS 2017 for Elgar's Enigma Variations under Ryan Wigglesworth. many of the tempi were on thecslow side but rarely did they become dull because the piece was played with affectionate rubato and a keen sense of Elgar's style. The delicate movements had a rare charm and the intimate variations were cherished without being smothered in Schmaltz, or sugary sentiment. The whole was carefully balanced with the brass flaring where necessary but elsewhere they were prepared to pipe down and play second fiddle. The pp textures at the start of Nimrod took my breath away. One of the performances of this year's season that I shall recall with pleasure over the next few years.I've marked Ryan Wigglesworth's card, too.

[LeMartinPecheur]

I've marked Ryan Wigglesworth's card, too.

I marked Ryan's card very heavily last week after absolutely electric performances of the Verdi Requiem (x 2), big chunks from Gotterdammerung(*)welded together by RW himself and thus a 1st performance, and Paul Bunyan (x 2 again) down here at the St Endellion Summer Festival, all in the space of a week!

(*)A bit of the Norns' scene, Dawn and S's Rhine Journey, Funeral March, and Immolation scene (Rachel Nicholls). The Funeral March was as good as I've ever heard, live or recorded - completely sensational

[CallMePaul]

As I was unable to hear this concert last night, I will try to catch the repeat tomorrow afternoon. The first half is of more interest to me than the second and I am particularly looking forward to hearing the Elias concerto. Judging from others' opinions, it could become a major addition to the contemporary cello repertoire. I hope that when Natalie Clein recovers from surgery, she will have opportunities to play the concerto and that other cellists will consider taking it up.

[Pulcinella]

Reminder: as mentioned by CMP, the repeat is this afternoon, rather sooner after the original broadcast than many other repeats.
I too was caught out by the early start (what's the point of buying the guide if I don't use it, I ask myself!) and only heard the end of the Elias, but that was enough to make me want to hear the whole thing.