Prom 14: Sibelius, Schubert & Zimmermann – 24.07.18

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30
Royal Albert Hall

Richard Wagner: The Mastersingers of Nuremberg – overture
Franz Schubert: Die junge Nonne; Gretchen am Spinnrade; Lied der Mignon; Erlkönig
Bernd Alois Zimmermann: Symphony in One Movement
Franz Schubert: Fantasy in C major, D760, 'Wanderer' (orch. Liszt)
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No 7 in C major

Elizabeth Watts soprano
Louis Lortie piano
BBC Philharmonic
John Storgårds conductor

Sibelius's genre-bending Seventh unfolds in a continuous musical gesture of expansive, if characteristically enigmatic, nobility. Centenary composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Symphony in one movement is another assault on tradition that kicks against Wagner's rousing overture to The Mastersingers of Nuremberg. Four popular Schubert songs and his formidable 'Wanderer' Fantasy get a colourful orchestral upscaling.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Genre bending? Well, it wasn't the first one-movement symphony, but I concede the possibility that Sibelius 7 could be the finest.

[gurnemanz]

Right up my street, this one. One-off programme. We're planning to stand. Shouldn't be that full.

Two single movement symphonies, so no controversial applauding.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Does anyone know which version of the Zimmermann Symphony is to be performed. The "15 min" estimated duration suggests the shorter, revised version - so no organ solo?

[jayne lee wilson]

"Symphony in One Movement"? Well, don't get me started etc., but one recalls that was Schumann's description of his 4th Symphony... and if you include subdivided 3-4 Movements-in-One works, you have a rich 20thCentury tradition from Schoenberg to David Matthews, including Nielsen's 4th, and Robert Simpson's 5th, 7th and 9th...

Simpson's 7th or Matthews' 1st might have made for a better Part One than the disparate/hackneyed offerings we have here....

[cloughie]

Genre bending? Well, it wasn't the first one-movement symphony, but I concede the possibility that Sibelius 7 could be the finest.

Please will someone in the know, please explain what genre-bending means, and then why Sibelius 7 is Genre-bending?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Please will someone in the know, please explain what genre-bending means, and then why Sibelius 7 is Genre-bending?

I think it's just a fancy way of saying "most Symphonies are in four (-or-so) Movements with pauses in between; but some bend this convention by melding the various Movements into one continuous Movement; the four 'Movements' are all there - so the convention isn't 'broken' - but they merge into each other almost imperceptibly. We can describe this with a nice pun on 'gender-bending' if we're desperate."

[cloughie]

I think it's just a fancy way of saying "most Symphonies are in four (-or-so) Movements with pauses in between; but some bend this convention by melding the various Movements into one continuous Movement; the four 'Movements' are all there - so the convention isn't 'broken' - but they merge into each other almost imperceptibly. We can describe this with a nice pun on 'gender-bending' if we're desperate."

As I thought, ferney, totally meaningless, for me to be truly genre-bending would have to involve some kind of cross-over!

[Nick Armstrong]

I think it's just a fancy way of saying "most Symphonies are in four (-or-so) Movements with pauses in between; but some bend this convention by melding the various Movements into one continuous Movement; the four 'Movements' are all there - so the convention isn't 'broken' - but they merge into each other almost imperceptibly. We can describe this with a nice pun on 'gender-bending' if we're desperate."

[VodkaDilc]

Note Start Time! According to Radio Times and the Proms webpage it is in fact
1900 hrs....
...

It clearly says 7.30 on my ticket. It seemed a good one to book as my first concert this year --- back in the chilly days of May. Now I'm having doubts due to the heat.

[Bryn]

It clearly says 7.30 on my ticket. It seemed a good one to book as my first concert this year --- back in the chilly days of May. Now I'm having doubts due to the heat.

The online Schedule and the RAH site both say 7:30. Yet another reason to dump the RT.

[gurnemanz]

The online Schedule and the RAH site both say 7:30. Yet another reason to dump the RT.

RT may be going downhill but does have RT (right time).

[Bryn]

Note Start Time! According to Radio Times and the Proms webpage it is in fact
1900 hrs....

Not the RT online listing. That currently gives 7:30. Are you referring to the print edition?

[jayne lee wilson]

Not the RT online listing. That currently gives 7:30. Are you referring to the print edition?

Sorry - got it confused with tonight, 23/07....

[vinteuil]

Yes, and the RT Proms Guide pull-out...both give 1900 hrs...
...

... but the print edn of the Radio Times (and the BBC website) gives 7.30 for the Tuesday 24 July Prom.

It is 7.00 for tonite's (Mon 23) Prom...

.