Prom 17: Parry, Vaughan Williams & Holst – 27.07.18

[Petrushka]

quite a big part for the organist but I can't find any mention of him anywhere

I would imagine in those cases where the organist isn't a specific soloist then he/she is credited as a member of the orchestra. It was, in fact, Adrian Partington.

[Ein Heldenleben]

This was the first of my two proms, the hall was indeed very full. The Parry 5 was nicely done, & Martyn Brabbins kept good control of the structure in a work that seems to be quite tricky to conduct. The performance of 'The Lark' I didn't take to, too sluggish as if the Lark had been hit by the heatwave. The 2nd Parry work was interesting to hear & the brass were aptly resonant. The organ though wasn't particularly clear in the hall, with an overall rather 'mushy' sound, so it was difficult to hear exactly what was being played. The performance of the Holst Ode to Death was superb, I particularly loved the way Martyn Brabbins gave Holst's wonderful harmonies room to resonate and the chorus were exceptionally fine in their response.
RVW's Pastoral was also given an excellent performance, I particularly liked the coolness of the opening 'Molto Moderato', the anxious edge he gave to the 3rd movement & the emotional release & subsequent uneasy acceptance of the last movement. The orchestra responded to create an exceptionally moving experience. The only slight quibbles, were that the solo horn at the end of the 2nd movement was too loud & the solo soprano too rich in tone with too much vibrato.
The coughing brigade weren't too obtrusive in the hall, though I'm still convinced that some of these 'coughs' are deliberately timed, so those guilty can identify their individual 'coughs' to their friends when listening to the performance again.

Thanks for confirming the horn sounded loud in the hall and it wasn't a quirk of the sound balance . Glad you enjoyed the concert - quibbles apart. There was one 'cough' right towards the end of the Pastoral which sounded like a music stand falling over or some one dropping something on the floor of the arena..

[LMcD]

I would imagine in those cases where the organist isn't a specific soloist then he/she is credited as a member of the orchestra. It was, in fact, Adrian Partington.

Adrian Partington was specifically mentioned on the BBC4 coverage and was given the honour of a visual 'solo' at the end.
I may happen to mention the Warner 10-CD as birthday-present-hint-dropping-time approaches.

[pilamenon]

CHHP's Symphony No. 5 just completed. The BBC NOW and Martyn Brabbins performed the work very well. However, none of it really stays in my memory... Contrast this with the work about to start, where one bar of it is more memorable than the whole of the Parry, IMHO, to be quite honest.

Exactly my feeling. In fact, this excellent concert seemed to demonstrate that VW was different class. I found the Holst work similarly unmemorable.
The opening ascension of the Lark was absolutely sublime, as good as any I've heard. The encore was brave, to say the least. Would like to hear more of this artist.
Brabbins as he so often does offered a tremendous programme, and this concluded a week of BBC orchestras in great form, which is as it should be.

[edashtav]

I thought that the inclusion of that ‘bums on seats’ guarantor : The Lark Ascending, was a clever but cynical ploy to fill the Hall for a concert that was, in the main, manna to those who remain wedded to contemporary British music from the early 20th century, but I fear to many who packed the RAH , was as enervating as leaning over a gate watching flies settling onto cowpats.

[hmvman]

The coughing brigade weren't too obtrusive in the hall, though I'm still convinced that some of these 'coughs' are deliberately timed, so those guilty can identify their individual 'coughs' to their friends when listening to the performance again.

The aural equivalent to a 'selfie'? A 'coughie', perhaps, or a 'hackie'...?

Just watched this prom on the iPlayer and enjoyed every minute. Would agree that the Parry symphony, new to me, isn't that memorable on a first hearing but I enjoyed listening to it and I'll gladly listen again. I didn't find the Lark too sluggish and really enjoyed this broad reading which I found genuinely moving.

I was looking forward to this prom and wasn't disappointed. One to remember with great pleasure.

[Petrushka]

To return to last night, I thought that the inclusion of that ‘bums on seats’ guarantor : The Lark Ascending, was a clever but cynical ploy to fill the Hall for a concert that was, in the main, manna to those who remain wedded to contemporary British music from the early 20th century, but I fear to many who packed the RAH , was as enervating as leaning over a gate watching flies settling onto cowpats.

I doubt that 5000 or so people turned up for a two hour plus Prom just to hear the 17 minute Lark Ascending!

[Tony Halstead]

RE. Last night's prom: Maybe I've picked up the wrong innuendo about 'TLA' but I still think that Tia Murray's performance / interpretation was absolutely wonderful, to the extent that it made me think about it all over again ! Last night until about 3 am I was dragging out old LPs of e.g. Hugh Bean, Iona Brown, Pinchas Zukerman ( who sight-read it 'with the recording light on' with Barenboim/ ECO about 45 years ago.. I remember that very clearly, as I was playing in the orchestra) and also the old Sargent /RLPO 78s CD transfer with David Wise, plus a lovely 'without Szell' Cleveland recording with Druian as soloist, conducted by Louis Lane. Last night it was a real 'shot in the arm' to hear a fresh take on this now rather hackneyed piece.

[hmvman]

And I meant to add a note about Petroc Trelawny on the TV broadcast. I know he gets a lot of stick on this forum, but I thought he did a good job. He told us about the music and added some interesting facts about the composers and performers and didn't patronise us by telling us what to think about the performances. Just what was required, really.

[LMcD]

And I meant to add a note about Petroc Trelawny on the TV broadcast. I know he gets a lot of stick on this forum, but I thought he did a good job. He told us about the music and added some interesting facts about the composers and performers and didn't patronise us by telling us what to think about the performances. Just what was required, really.

(cf. my #32). I couldn't help comparing his happy blend of measured enthusiasm and authoritative informativeness with, for example, the childish gush that accompanied, and indeed to some extent marred, the coverage of the final of the Young Musician competition this year.

I thought Clemency Burton-Hill also got it right the other night.

There's been a reference to 'cow pats' in relation to the Vaughan Williams - a comment depressingly familiar to some of the ill-informed criticism that greeted the work after its first performance.

[Pabmusic]

...I fear to many who packed the RAH [the Parry/Holst/RVW concert] as enervating as leaning over a gate watching flies settling onto cowpats.

I can't let it go by. I take it from your wording that you have conducted a survey - or perhaps have read one. Would you post it here? If not then I'd suggest you perhaps are assuming this based on your own feelings toward the music.

Also, your phrase "contemporary British music from the early 20th century" is odd for music the latest of which was completed in 1923.

[LMcD]

To return to last night, I thought that the inclusion of that ‘bums on seats’ guarantor : The Lark Ascending, was a clever but cynical ploy to fill the Hall for a concert that was, in the main, manna to those who remain wedded to contemporary British music from the early 20th century, but I fear to many who packed the RAH , was as enervating as leaning over a gate watching flies settling onto cowpats.

This sort of comment is depressingly reminiscent of the ill-informed criticism that greeted the 'Pastoral' after its first performance. (Or is somebody's tongue firmly in someone's cheek, perhaps?).
If the inclusion of the 'Lark' resulted in a full hall enjoying a truly wonderful concert, then it was, I would suggest, a very wise, rather than cynical, decision.

[oddoneout]

I can't let it go by. I take it from your wording that you have conducted a survey - or perhaps have read one. Would you post it here? If not then I'd suggest you perhaps are assuming this based on your own feelings toward the music.

Also, your phrase "contemporary British music from the early 20th century" is odd for music the latest of which was completed in 1923.

This phrase was used in one of the trailers for the Prom, in connection with Parry's role in British contemporary music. It sounded odd to me at the time but I don't know enough to be able to comment on the truth of the statement, though I did wonder if it might have been one of those clumsily put together phrases we have been hearing more and more in the trailer trash.

[LMcD]

This phrase was used in one of the trailers for the Prom, in connection with Parry's role in British contemporary music. It sounded odd to me at the time but I don't know enough to be able to comment on the truth of the statement, though I did wonder if it might have been one of those clumsily put together phrases we have been hearing more and more in the trailer trash.

'Trailer trash' - brilliant!
Regarding #52: Yes.people WILL INSIST on STILL listening to English music from the early 20th century, won't they? Of course, they (i.e. we) may be musically unadventurous, even mistaken, but I'm willing to wager that '5 Variants of Dives and Lazarus' will still be listened to long after the pretentious pomp of '5 Telegrams' has been forgotten.
In these days when, as a nation, we seem to be stumbling around in the dark looking for the way forward, 20th-century English music as a whole is one of the very few things that help me preserve any sense of belief in this country and its basic decency.

[BBMmk2]

And I meant to add a note about Petroc Trelawny on the TV broadcast. I know he gets a lot of stick on this forum, but I thought he did a good job. He told us about the music and added some interesting facts about the composers and performers and didn't patronise us by telling us what to think about the performances. Just what was required, really.

He was very good PT. never over doing it like a lot seem to do these days. I think he’s one of the best in recent years.