Prom 6: An American in Paris & Turangalîla - 18.07.18

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30
Royal Albert Hall

George Gershwin: An American in Paris
Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony

Angela Hewitt piano
Cynthia Millar ondes Martenot
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo conductor

Gershwin's An American in Paris - a giddy, gloriously tuneful musical evocation of 1920s Paris - takes a stroll through the bustling City of Light, swept along by the jazz rhythms that were its throbbing pulse. The rhythmic impulse continues through Messiaen's hypnotic orchestral love song, the Turangalîla Symphony. Premiered by Leonard Bernstein in 1949, this Tristan and Isolde-inspired work is a celebration of sensual pleasure and boundless ecstasy.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Interesting pairing.

[teamsaint]

Interesting looking pre prom event at 5.45.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e9hn5v

[BBMmk2]

Looking forward to the Messiaen. The Gershwin, hmmm...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Interesting pairing.

The last time I heard Turangalila in concert, it followed Bizet's Symphony in C. (Lovely work - but ... )

[Pulcinella]

Will Angela Hewitt be playing one of her favoured Fazioli pianos, I wonder, and if so will we notice any difference in sound quality from that of one of the RAH regulars? Does anyone here have her recording of the piece?

[BBMmk2]

Will Angela Hewitt be playing one of her favoured Fazioli pianos, I wonder, and if so will we notice any difference in sound quality from that of one of the RAH regulars? Does anyone here have her recording of the piece?

Pulcie, whatis the difference in the sound?

[rauschwerk]

Looking forward to the Messiaen. The Gershwin, hmmm...

Perhaps a part for the Ondes Martenot should be added to the Gershwin. The blues theme might go quite well on that instrument, might it not?

[Stanfordian]

19:30
Royal Albert Hall

George Gershwin: An American in Paris
Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony

Angela Hewitt piano
Cynthia Millar ondes Martenot
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo conductor

Gershwin's An American in Paris - a giddy, gloriously tuneful musical evocation of 1920s Paris - takes a stroll through the bustling City of Light, swept along by the jazz rhythms that were its throbbing pulse. The rhythmic impulse continues through Messiaen's hypnotic orchestral love song, the Turangalîla Symphony. Premiered by Leonard Bernstein in 1949, this Tristan and Isolde-inspired work is a celebration of sensual pleasure and boundless ecstasy.

Apart from both being by French composers I see like in common; at first glance that is. But these days it doesn't seem to matter. In truth I prefer 'An American in Paris' as I have heard 'Turangalîla' 3 times in recent years, with one performance with a virtually inaudible ondes Martenot.

[richardfinegold]

Apart from both being by French composers I see like in common; at first glance that is. But these days it doesn't seem to matter. In truth I prefer 'An American in Paris' as I have heard 'Turangalîla' 3 times in recent years, with one performance with a virtually inaudible ondes Martenot.

Not sure they were both French....For me the common seems to be the Bernstein factor. I didn't realize that he had premiered the Messiaen, and the Gershwin was right in his wheelhouse

[Stanfordian]

Not sure they were both French....For me the common seems to be the Bernstein factor. I didn't realize that he had premiered the Messiaen, and the Gershwin was right in his wheelhouse

Well spotted! I wondered who would be the first!

[Bryn]

Well spotted! I wondered who would be the first!

Surely the link is blatant. They both fall into Boulez's's category of 'bordello music'.

[Stanfordian]

Surely the link is blatant. They both fall into Boulez's's category of 'bordello music'.

I like it!

[Pulcinella]

Pulcie, whatis the difference in the sound?

I think that the Fazioli produces a cleaner, brighter sound.
This is a quote from her taken from the Fazioli website:

The action is incredibly responsive to every variation in touch, and everything I imagine in my head I can produce with my fingers. It gives me complete freedom to play as I wish. The sound is also very coloured. With the Fazioli you can get great power but also wonderful delicacy which, nevertheless, does not lose its brilliance. The high frequencies and reverberations are always there. This is a great feeling! It has wonderful clarity, especially in the lower register.

[Constantbee]

I think that the Fazioli produces a cleaner, brighter sound.
This is a quote from her taken from the Fazioli website:

The action is incredibly responsive to every variation in touch, and everything I imagine in my head I can produce with my fingers. It gives me complete freedom to play as I wish. The sound is also very coloured. With the Fazioli you can get great power but also wonderful delicacy which, nevertheless, does not lose its brilliance. The high frequencies and reverberations are always there. This is a great feeling! It has wonderful clarity, especially in the lower register.

Well, you do wonder how much of what she says is genuine and how much is product endorsement, these days, don't you At that level it's probably a very personal choice, though, and if she likes them who can argue with that. BBCYM 2014 Piano Winner Martin James Bartlett was filmed on a short tour of the Fazioli factory just north of Venice. He gets to meet Sig. Fazioli himself and to play Faziola piano 0780001!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHXzK11cnXE

(Starts at 3'12")