Prom 34: Barber, Britten & Copland – 8.08.18

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:00
Royal Albert Hall

William Walton: Overture 'Portsmouth Point'
Aaron Copland: Connotations for Orchestra
Benjamin Britten: Les illuminations
Samuel Barber: Antony and Cleopatra – Two Scenes
Benjamin Britten: Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes

Sally Matthews soprano
BBC Philharmonic
Juanjo Mena conductor

In Bernstein's centenary year, Juanjo Mena and the BBC Philharmonic celebrate with a transatlantic Prom, uniting music by British and American composers connected not just by generation but in many cases personal friendship. Commissioned and premiered by Bernstein, Copland's Connotations is a portrait of "the tensions aspirations and drama inherent in the world today". Its knotty confrontations find contrast in the sensuous beauty of Britten's orchestral song-cycle Les illuminations, while the sea provides inspiration both for Walton's bustling, bonhomous Portsmouth Point overture and Britten's boldly dramatic Four Sea Interludes from his opera 'Peter Grimes'. Sally Matthews joins the orchestra for two extracts from Samuel Barber's opera Antony and Cleopatra which complete the programme.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Looking forward to Sally Matthews in the Britten.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

In Bernstein's centenary year, Juanjo Mena and the BBC Philharmonic ...

... aren't playing any of his Music!

OK, the Copland was a Bernstein commission, and Bernstein condicted the US premiere of Geta Primes (and the Sea Interludes were included in Lennie's very last concert) - but was it really necessary for the Beeb blurb writer to mention Bernstein at all? Why not "In Andre Previn's 89th birthday year, Juanjo Mena celebrate with two of the finest works that Mr Preview ever recorded"?!

[cloughie]

... aren't playing any of his Music!

OK, the Copland was a Bernstein commission, and Bernstein condicted the US premiere of Geta Primes (and the Sea Interludes were included in Lennie's very last concert) - but was it really necessary for the Beeb blurb writer to mention Bernstein at all? Why not "In Andre Previn's 89th birthday year, Juanjo Mena celebrate with two of the finest works that Mr Preview ever recorded"?!

The Beeb Blurb Contrivers have really lost the plot haven’t they! However it looks like a good programme and I like most of what I have heard from Mena and the BBCPO.

[Suffolkcoastal]

If they really wanted to tighten the Bernstein Connection, then programming Barber's Andromache's Farewell would have made more sense, as it was one of the works commissioned alongside Connotations. Walton's Capriccio Burlesco would have been more apt as it was one of many works commissioned for the New York Phil's 125th Anniversary in 1967/8.
Les Illuminations has had plenty of exposure at the proms, Our Hunting Fathers would have been more interesting programming or possibly Phaedra as this would have complimented Barber's Andromache's Farewell had it been programmed.

[BBMmk2]

Indeed this is a very good programme. I only wish I was able too.....

[Serial_Apologist]

If they really wanted to tighten the Bernstein Connection, then programming Barber's Andromache's Farewell would have made more sense, as it was one of the works commissioned alongside Connotations. Walton's Capriccio Burlesco would have been more apt as it was one of many works commissioned for the New York Phil's 125th Anniversary in 1967/8.
Les Illuminations has had plenty of exposure at the proms, Our Hunting Fathers would have been more interesting programming or possibly Phaedra as this would have complimented Barber's Andromache's Farewell had it been programmed.

You'll be giving them ideas, SC - please continue...

[BBMmk2]

If they really wanted to tighten the Bernstein Connection, then programming Barber's Andromache's Farewell would have made more sense, as it was one of the works commissioned alongside Connotations. Walton's Capriccio Burlesco would have been more apt as it was one of many works commissioned for the New York Phil's 125th Anniversary in 1967/8.
Les Illuminations has had plenty of exposure at the proms, Our Hunting Fathers would have been more interesting programming or possibly Phaedra as this would have complimented Barber's Andromache's Farewell had it been programmed.

I think that would be a great programme, SC! I might do that myself.

[Pulcinella]

I think that would be a great programme, SC! I might do that myself.

When you're appointed Music Director of the RCO, you mean, BBM?

But wouldn't they all be brass band arrangements?

[BBMmk2]

When you're appointed Music Director of the RCO, you mean, BBM?

But wouldn't they all be brass band arrangements?

I’ll extend the brass and woodwind section have have my transcriptions played by them, JSB Prelude and Fugue In Eb BWV552, Mahler First Movement from 6th Symphony, Berlioz Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale. And there’s more.

[kernelbogey]

Bumping this up.

[edashtav]

Looking forward to Sally Matthews in the Britten.

Surely, there’s a typo, Alpie ?
Oh, no it isn’t!

[jayne lee wilson]

What a sparklingy original Part One! Very attractive.

Could've used a less familiar conclusion but the Interludes aren't so done to death as they once were...and the conductor does get to end with a bang and a crash.
(FWIW, I would have chosen the Walton Hindemith Variations..)...

So if everyone isn't on holiday or playing My Top Ten on their CDs, roll up, roll up!

[jayne lee wilson]

As stunning a half-prom as I ever heard
I can barely bring myself
to write
A single word

Walton tripped the light
through sea and sky
Copland delved deep-dark
into the
Tonal Overgrowth, and left us
Asking Why.....

Britten left me
tearful, so hushed and
so calm

[teamsaint]

What a sparklingy original Part One! Very attractive.

Could've used a less familiar conclusion but the Interludes aren't so done to death as they once were...and the conductor does get to end with a bang and a crash.
(FWIW, I would have chosen the Walton Hindemith Variations..)...

So if everyone isn't on holiday or playing My Top Ten on their CDs, roll up, roll up!

Can't agree about the Interludes not being done to death. They seem to be on London concert programmes with extraordinary frequency.

And holidays /days off tend to be quite a good time to catch Proms I find.