Prom 69 - 4.09.17: Anne-Sophie Mutter plays Dvořák’s Violin Concerto

[Pianorak]

The Pittsburgh SO under Maazel have also produced an excellent set of Sibelius symphonies. The recording has great depth, clarity and an excellent stereo image.
I'm probably the only one who had difficulty actually hearing La Mutter in Dvorak's violin concerto.

[Maclintick]

Lorna McGhee was principal Flute with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Look like she's made a good move!

Are you sure she held that post in the RCO ?

[Darkbloom]

Are you sure she held that post in the RCO ?

I was wondering that too. I thought Emily Beynon was principal flute, but I guess people move about. Maybe the RSO rather than RCO?

[pastoralguy]

Are you sure she held that post in the RCO ?

Sorry! My mistake! I'm confusing her with Emily Beynon. A flute playing friend knows them both and I've got them muddled.

[Maclintick]

Sorry! My mistake! I'm confusing her with Emily Beynon. A flute playing friend knows them both and I've got them muddled.

No apology needed PG. They're both musical exports we should be extremely proud of !

[Prommer]

I've long said that Manfred Honeck is the right conductor for the VPO New Year's Concerts and they should sign him up without delay - assuming they will welcome back one of their own. You could have been forgiven for thinking that you were hearing the Vienna Philharmonic in the two Strauss encores, and, yes, Honeck floated Die Libelle just like Carlos Kleiber did.

Sicher... Honeck carries the tradition.

[Dave2002]

... and e.g. the Seattle Symphony are a stunning ensemble - heard them a year ago on their home pitch.

They may well be, but there don't seem to be many concerts on their home pitch for quite a few more months. Having said that orchestras do move around quite a bit. We went to New York years ago, and wanted to go to a concert. The only one we could find was at Carnegie Hall, so we ended up with a Russian Orchestra - probably St Petersburg PO - under Temirkanov playing Tchaikovsky! It was a very good concert, but I had rather hoped we'd hear the NY orchestra - though I've heard the NYPO a few times in the UK - at the Proms for example. I've only heard a few American orchestras on their home ground.

[Darkbloom]

They may well be, but there don't seem to be many concerts on their home pitch for quite a few more months. Having said that orchestras do move around quite a bit. We went to New York years ago, and wanted to go to a concert. The only one we could find was at Carnegie Hall, so we ended up with a Russian Orchestra - probably St Petersburg PO - under Temirkanov playing Tchaikovsky! It was a very good concert, but I had rather hoped we'd hear the NY orchestra - though I've heard the NYPO a few times in the UK - at the Proms for example. I've only heard a few American orchestras on their home ground.

I think you got a good deal there! The last time the NYPO was here they were slated. They are one of those bands that always seem to get middling to poor reviews in this country, in the way that some conductors do as well - Maazel, Levine and Sinopoli come to mind.

[jayne lee wilson]

Er, "slated"......?

http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/ma-new-york-philharmonic-gilbert-barbican

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/apr/02/new-york-philharmonic-alan-gilbert-review-barbican-bartok-mahler

[bluestateprommer]

....presumably the BBC knows in advance if an encore is likely since they always seem to know the piece played in the encore even when there is no announcement by the artist / artists involved. One assumes such info is passed at rehearsal?

Such info is probably given to the BBC at the least on the day of the event, to the presenter in question, at a guess. For jazz or other non-classical concerts at a venue where I sometimes volunteer, the sound engineer always has the set list, and the "spontaneous" encores are always specially marked on that list. No reason to think the same planning doesn't apply for classical concerts, including The Proms.

BTW, some might find this photo-diary entry from the PSO blog of amusement:

http://blogs.pittsburghsymphony.org/2017/09/the-proms/

Regarding the most recent labor dispute and financial concerns of the PSO, this article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by Elizabeth Bloom is a reasonable summing up:

http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/music/2017/01/12/PSO-emerges-from-strike-with-challenges-ahead/stories/201701120111

On the whole "Big Five" question, while the topic is too complex to discuss in great depth here, there is past justification from earlier history for the designation. NY was obviously the oldest, with Boston next, where in both cases, I think that a lot of old money helped to establish both groups, with time to build up ensemble and foundations, fiscal and otherwise, for the orchestras. The same could also be said probably of Chicago, although I'll defer to RF's local knowledge. With Philadelphia and Cleveland, in each case, one very charismatic music director (respectively, Stokowski and Szell) put each of those ensembles firmly on the national map, subsequent to the first 3 of the "Big Five". In subsequent years, the quality of music conservatory graduates has no doubt led to an increased quality of many orchestras in this country, and thus to a suitable expansion of quality orchestras beyond the "Big Five".

Regarding the "3rd encore that wasn't" situation: I would go a bit further than Alison and say all credit due to Petroc for keeping the line open, as it were, from the RAH for the possibility (however remote in retrospect) of a 3rd encore. I know that he gets his share of criticism here, and he did, in the heat of the moment, accidentally say that the PSO would return to "Philadelphia" rather than Pittsburgh, but that's a forgivable and totally accidental, unintended slip. (Correct state, just the big city on the other side of it.) If his presentation manner slips into the over-enthusiastic sometimes, it's more a "positive fault" than a negative fault. FWIW, I've seen him chat with patrons outside Cadogan Hall after PCM's, when they'l talk with him about his show that morning, and he's always friendly and kind-spirited with them. To use the language of business, Petroc "engages with his customer base", and very well.

Just as a closer, even though I said a variation on this on the 1st page of this thread: Chris Newman would have been so happy to attend this Prom, and I don't doubt that he would have traveled one more time to the RAH to hear the PSO again.

[Darkbloom]

Er, "slated"......?

http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/ma-new-york-philharmonic-gilbert-barbican

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...-bartok-mahler

OK. I was thinking of their last Proms concerts with Maazel.

[Barbirollians]

Alan Gilbert did get slated when he conducted Beethoven 9 as I recall but cannot remember with which orchestra .

[Alison]

Alan Gilbert did get slated when he conducted Beethoven 9 as I recall but cannot remember with which orchestra .

Leipzigers, I think, when he stood in for Chailly.

[Darkbloom]

Leipzigers, I think, when he stood in for Chailly.

Yes, I was there for that one and it was a real disappointment. As soon as I heard the first bars I knew it was going to be a long evening. Gilbert has always seemed like a steady-as-she-goes type rather than anyone to get worked up about.

[Barbirollians]

Quite a few sneering reviews online about Mutter again today. I struggle to see what the press have against her nowadays . They seem to be listening to a different violinist to me and it seems to IGI of this parish who gave her recording of the Dvorak a rave review in IRR a few years back .