Prom 6: An American in Paris & Turangalîla - 18.07.18

[bluestateprommer]

Well, that was certainly different, regarding An American in Paris. Penny Gore mentioned that this performance used a new critical edition of the score, by Mark Clague (hence now the first performance of this edition at The Proms, duly noted in the Proms Calendar). Here are some links on it, for those interested:

https://www.eamdc.com/news/critical-edition-of-george-gershwins-an-american-in-paris-debuts-with-the-cincinnati-and-atlanta-symphony-orchestras/

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/02/theater/have-we-been-playing-gershwin-wrong-for-70-years.html

The two links above make the most hay out of the different pitches for the taxi horns in the new edition. However, besides that, there are quite a few differences between this Proms performance and the renditions that we all (I think) are used to hearing. Some short passages are gone in the new edition, and indeed some percussion passages, where the 1st link noted:

"The percussion parts have been repaired, thinned to Gershwin’s original conception, and a lost ratchet part has been recovered."

One odd-sounding moment was when the solo trumpet takes on the big blues solo, which sounds "wrong" and off-tune at the very start, except that the same "wrong and off-tune start" repeats again, and sounds exactly the same. In other words, the new score actually reads that way? I honestly don't know (hence the "?"), as I have not seen this new edition, nor had I heard any recording of the new edition before.

[BBMmk2]

Thanks Pulcie.

Rather untidy Gershwin. But so far the Messiaen doing ok. I didn’t know that Bernstein premiered the Messiaen.

[bluestateprommer]

Rather untidy Gershwin. But so far the Messiaen doing ok. I didn’t know that Bernstein premiered the Messiaen.

The Messiaen was definitely well above OK, even granted that I'm not a fan of the work myself. Not difficult to guess where most of the rehearsal time went, even beyond the superficial running time differences between the works. But full marks to the BBC SO, and SO, for pulling it off well. Considering that the First Night was just 5 days ago, pretty hefty workload for the BBC SO for the first week of The Proms.

In the interval feature, Nigel Simeone had a lot of fun with reading from Bernstein's letters, and clearly dominated the proceedings between him and Wayne Marshall, but I suspect that WM didn't mind. It was also interesting to learn that Bernstein never conducted Turangalila ever again after the premiere.

[jayne lee wilson]

Oh my word.. oh my gosh... that Turangalîla-Symphony was just stunning wasn't it?

What can you do after a performance like that - one of power, precision and passion, amour in every sense - but offer it acclaim? At the great final climax where the universe seems to swirl around a great, enveloping calm, I felt it would be apt to wave my arms, above my head, from side to side, in a Glastonbury-style homage to what I had witnessed.

Outstanding sound-balancing on HDs; both colourful and sharply-defined, lovely delicacy and transparency at one extreme, shattering - but cleanly-controlled - power at the other. 3D sound staging, with the piano just forward of the orchestra, the Ondes beautifully blended but dramatically prominent when apt. An orchestral sound of glittering, mutifaceted, transfixing clarity.

This is the kind of occasion I switch the Proms on for. A true occasion, a real event.
Very reassuring for me to hear that the 320kbps stream can produce very good, sonically and musically enjoyable results, at least with works where the vast acoustic seems to complement their range and timbres...

(And it didn't hurt to have the best presenter in the Radio 3 House, her easy expertise as deft as ever)...
More later I hope....

[edashtav]

Well, that was certainly different, regarding An American in Paris. Penny Gore mentioned that this performance used a new critical edition of the score, by Mark Clague (hence now the first performance of this edition at The Proms, duly noted in the Proms Calendar). Here are some links on it, for those interested:

https://www.eamdc.com/news/critical-edition-of-george-gershwins-an-american-in-paris-debuts-with-the-cincinnati-and-atlanta-symphony-orchestras/

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/02/theater/have-we-been-playing-gershwin-wrong-for-70-years.html

The two links above make the most hay out of the different pitches for the taxi horns in the new edition. However, besides that, there are quite a few differences between this Proms performance and the renditions that we all (I think) are used to hearing. Some short passages are gone in the new edition, and indeed some percussion passages, where the 1st link noted:



One odd-sounding moment was when the solo trumpet takes on the big blues solo, which sounds "wrong" and off-tune at the very start, except that the same "wrong and off-tune start" repeats again, and sounds exactly the same. In other words, the new score actually reads that way? I honestly don't know (hence the "?"), as I have not seen this new edition, nor had I heard any recording of the new edition before.

Thank you, bsp, for your helpful analysis of the new edition of Gershwin’s ‘American in Paris’. I found it disconcerting but time will tell whether it’s a winner.

Well, this was a concert of three 20th century musical masters: Gershwin, Messaien, and Leonard Bernstein, all in vulgar mood. Gershwin was a great American tunesmith but his orchestral pieces ramble on the wild side. Bernstein was a great interpreter, brilliant in the cut and thrust of rhythmic music but so saccharine-sweet in sentimental or romantic music.
Olivier Messiaen was an exotic, French, Catholic bird whose music is so heterogeneous that it is Impossible to pigeon-hole. Turangalîla is not his masterpiece but it’s accessible and popular. Like Stravinsky, Mexsaien’s more probing scores are heard far too infrequently, whilst a handful of colourful pieces are done to death.

I felt that the Gershwin felt uncertain and under-rehearsed whilst Turangalîla was, at times, rushed and shaky in the rhythmic, faster movements but flowered convincingly in the slower, romantic ones. More than once, I mused whether Sakari Oratorio was as “across” the Messaien as, say, a former BBC SO Chief Conductor, Sir Andrew Davis would have been.

But... I was young once and my ears were once thrilled by both of these scores. A fresh audience is growing up. And they need to hear these scores in the flesh. They will make up their minds whether these two works remain in repertoire or are relegated to occasional outings.

I will say only once more: Both Gershwin and Messaien wrote more profound and searching works that you must hear.

[BBMmk2]

Yes, as usual I felt rather underwhelmed this evening. Whether it was because I had some very sad news today, that might have something to do with it.

[teamsaint]

Yes, as usual I felt rather underwhelmed this evening. Whether it was because I had some very sad news today, that might have something to do with it.

Sorry to hear this BBM.

The Messiaen was , though, far from underwhelming from where I was in the arena. It would never be hard to find odd things to mention negatively in this work, but allowing for the odd rough edge, this was a superb performance , with many stunning moments of playing, and conducted with relish and great musical style.
I’ll post more when I have a proper keyboard , and have gathered my thoughts a bit.

But just for now, the RAH Proved a fine venue for this , allowing the work to be heard as it should, and 5000 people to enjoy it.

[Alain Maréchal]

The two links above make the most hay out of the different pitches for the taxi horns in the new edition.

Perhaps this would be of assistance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML5pNfUfT0g

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Perhaps this would be of assistance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML5pNfUfT0g

(I think he followed me down the M1 a couple of years ago!)

[Bryn]

Oh my word.. oh my gosh... that Turangalîla-Symphony was just stunning wasn't it?

What can you do after a performance like that - one of power, precision and passion, amour in every sense - but offer it acclaim? At the great final climax where the universe seems to swirl around a great, enveloping calm, I felt it would be apt to wave my arms, above my head, from side to side, in a Glastonbury-style homage to what I had witnessed.

Outstanding sound-balancing on HDs; both colourful and sharply-defined, lovely delicacy and transparency at one extreme, shattering - but cleanly-controlled - power at the other. 3D sound staging, with the piano just forward of the orchestra, the Ondes beautifully blended but dramatically prominent when apt. An orchestral sound of glittering, mutifaceted, transfixing clarity.

This is the kind of occasion I switch the Proms on for. A true occasion, a real event.
Very reassuring for me to hear that the 320kbps stream can produce very good, sonically and musically enjoyable results, at least with works where the vast acoustic seems to complement their range and timbres...

(And it didn't hurt to have the best presenter in the Radio 3 House, her easy expertise as deft as ever)...
More later I hope....

I just wish Angela Hewitt had given the audience a little more time to settle down after the dreamy wander round the garden. Fingers crossed they make it available in binaural. I will give that option of the Daphnis et Chloe offering a listen when I head over to Windsor by bus this afternoon. I have the m4a sitting on a micro SDHC card in my little Dodocool player. About time the Bose noise cancellers got some use.

[Sir Velo]

(And it didn't hurt to have the best presenter in the Radio 3 House, her easy expertise as deft as ever)...

Since when did Martin Handley undergo a gender change?

[PhilipT]

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?

The answer to your first question was 'yes'. I am not sure I noticed any difference, but my experience was coloured by facing directly into a loudspeaker that provided the amplification for the celesta.

For what it's worth, I found the first movement rather cold and uninvolving, but things warmed up after that. I thought they could have gone a bit louder at the end, but perhaps I'm going deaf in my old age.

[teamsaint]

The answer to your first question was 'yes'. I am not sure I noticed any difference, but my experience was coloured by facing directly into a loudspeaker that provided the amplification for the celesta.

For what it's worth, I found the first movement rather cold and uninvolving, but things warmed up after that. I thought they could have gone a bit louder at the end, but perhaps I'm going deaf in my old age.

I agree about the end, although it was great as it was. And Bryn is also correct ( of course !) about the restart after the garden.
I did wonder if she was trying to cut short another volley of inter movement coughing, spluttering etc.

Audience grumble, the Gershwin was close to ruined by people around me ( back left looking at stage) chatting, moving around , drinking, looking for friends , checking phone etc, and other folks consequently turning round to look a them.

I moved for the Messiaen to far right, about a dozen rows back, great view of AH, and a quiet and appreciative audience.
There was a moment at the end of the fifth movement where it was hard not to break into applause.It would have felt right at that moment.

[jayne lee wilson]

Since when did Martin Handley undergo a gender change?

...Penny Gore on the live relay, voice as ever a thing of beauty in itself....