Prom 42: Grieg's Piano Concerto – 13.08.18

[jayne lee wilson]

Surprisingly few responses here...?. **po-faced emoticon**...

So it goes...Anyway, more on it from me shortly....

[BBMmk2]

Surprisingly few responses here...?. **po-faced emoticon**...

So it goes...Anyway, more on it from me shortly....

I am too, JLW, just like with the Edward Gardner Prom.

[jayne lee wilson]

PÄRT 3/SIBELIUS 5. ESTONIAN FESTIVAL O./P. JARVI. PROM 42/PART 2

I’m not sure of, well, not at all keen on - the supposed similarity between Sibelius and Arvo Pärt….
Sibelius’ music offers a process of, often continuous, transformation - it’s always going somewhere…and usually arriving, teleologically, at a clearly defined end point .
Pärt - almost the opposite: sound-objects, icons for contemplation. The musical materials do recur and change, but circle around each other, offering new perspectives, rather than appearing to seek a goal. Often a sense of In my end is my beginning… For me, hearing them side-by-side only underlines their differences.

So here was part two of the contrast…

I’ve enjoyed many of Paavo’s recordings, not least a very fine set of Nielsen Symphonies in Frankfurt, but - I’d never heard him in Sibelius before.
Paavo J’s Sibelius 5th began with a smoothly flowing, warmly moulded first movement, with a very wide dynamic range (captured to vanishing point by the fine HDs sound-balancing) maintaining articulation in the hushed pps, with some lovely shimmering string effects and one of the smoothest most natural transitions to the allegro I’ve heard. But Jarvi kept it at moderato, and didn’t allow the ending of the allegro to overpower - thinking of the longer term.

The andante/allegretto kept moving - which I always prefer it to do, as part of a single-breath symphonic vision; the finale began with a swift keen edge and some emphatic basslines, the horns clear against the winds’ chorale (how often this descends into murkiness). The tempi changes in the latter half of the finale were smoothly, naturally transitioned; the concluding stretto was - glorious, overwhelming; then those so unique, separate chords which seem to freeze time, and our response in time: our glorying in the triumph holds its breath, or fades….brief silence, then acclaim.

(It is easy to take for granted just how strange this ending is; to my knowledge only Max Davies ever took up its particular challenge…of course, you can listen to the original 5th to see what it was like without it: to hear the continuous-play prototype, what changed and what was taken away(**)…
What Sibelius arrived at is far from that original even so, and I’ve puzzled over it for years; but perhaps, like Arvo Pärt’s 3rd, it is what it is….a phenomenon not to be interrogated.)

I might have preferred a sharper-defined “icier” or craggier (I know, I know ) orchestral profile in some passages, somewhat less blended sectionally; and the orchestra may lack that distinctive “character” borne of a longer, continuous, existence; but on its own terms this was a fine Sibelius 5th. That longer-term architectural thinking-through never precluded spontaneity (or glory).
I had the impression all evening of a conductor who has complete control of every phrase and paragraph; knows what he wants, and gets it.

(**The original Sibelius 5th ending is very instructive indeed, though one has to exercise a certain patience in the getting there…)

[LMcD]

Surprisingly few responses here...?. **po-faced emoticon**...

So it goes...Anyway, more on it from me shortly....

I haven't commented on it yet because I haven.t seen it yet....

[Bryn]

I haven't commented on it yet because I haven.t seen it yet....

But have you not listened to it (in rather better audio quality) via the IPlayer?

[jonfan]

Wow, another great concert in this superb season. Agree with JLW, I was made to listen with new ears to the Greig and Sibelius and pictured the wide open skies of the north. KB exciting finger work in the outer movements of the Greig and tender contrast in the slow movement. (One of my favourite horn solos to play and passionately to the fore with AFG tonight.) Hope the orchestra come back soon.
AP symphony new to me but immediately moved by it.
Great intros from Kate Molleson and, with Jonathan Swain, always seem to speak with a smile in the voice. Radio 3 treasures.

[Lat-Literal]

I'm looking forward to seeing this concert on BBC4 at 7.30 p.m. on Friday 17th August.

Thank you for highlighting this and I will do likewise.

While the content in this year's Proms season is a tad predictable, I am struck by just how many performances have been greeted positively by forum members and don't remember recent previous years being quite like this. Conclusion : the overall standard has been somewhat better than average. Thanks to all who have been commenting with merited praise.

[LMcD]

But have you not listened to it (in rather better audio quality) via the IPlayer?

I'm one of those people that derive more enjoyment - and learn more - from a concert when I can see what's producing the sounds that I can hear. My ear is enthusiastic but untrained! (Not that this stops me from listening to non-televised concerts).

[Norrette]

I'm one of those people that derive more enjoyment - and learn more - from a concert when I can see what's producing the sounds that I can hear. My ear is enthusiastic but untrained! (Not that this stops me from listening to non-televised concerts).

I'll be interested to hear what you think after the televised recording on Friday. I loved the Part - so much better in the hall than on my mediocre hi-fi. And of course the Sibelius. The Grieg, I may well have loved, but the swaying and choreographic-like moves by Buniatishvili were so distracting (even from the distance of the back of the Hall in the stalls). I felt like shouting - show the emotion in your playing not in your movements. But I'm sure the chaps might like it. Prommers were a delight with the Estonians.

[Lat-Literal]

Not especially bowled over by the Part symphony but it was touching to see him there in the hall. Nice man. He's contributed a lot. Buniatishvili is clearly accomplished and is as visually attractive as she seeks to convey but I am not sure all the theatricality suited the Grieg. Occupying the space where rock music meets ballet, she could have been choreographed by Nyman and I've never thought that having hair so frequently in the eyes is a wonderful thing. Was it not just a bit kitsch and even hollow? Dunno. I wouldn't wish to overdo the critique. It was fair enough but turning to the music, while the oft mentioned pace of it all was not a huge issue and the playing style quite reasonable, I feel I would have chosen a different piano. It was not quite there in the mix for me, perhaps a bit submerged by the orchestra or it could have been had that not matched the level, ie ok but not especially commanding either. I'm now onto the Debussy encore. It seems a bit better to me - and the other extreme; ultra slow - without being close to outstanding. I'm hoping the Sibelius is the highlight.

...…..Yes, that was better I thought. You can either provide the "5" with an underbelly which this performance didn't have and in doing so risk it all dragging or else take the route of spritely sheen and risk accusations both of over lightness and a bit of meandering. We were definitely in the latter territory here. In tone, it was almost metallic and what this interpretation lacked on occasion in tightness was offset by the perhaps surprising ability to tap into some emotion. The narrative beforehand from Service was again about pace. An orchestra tearing along like wlld horses and needing an unusual degree of management. I don't quite get that point and sense that it is somewhat bogus. Surely a group of musicians doesn't have a mysterious, natural character of pace in that sense. It can only ever do what it is permitted to do when being led. The individual musician is different - and here it is back to Ms Buniatishvili. Able to say "this is my speed and how I am going to do it, love it, like it or lump it". But, anyhow, it was fine. It was all fine - although only rarely thrilling.

[Bryn]

I could not disagree more with the last two, indeed three, posts. Let her wear her hair as she wants, and who knew this old warhorse of a concerto could be entered for, and win, the Grand National. Wonderful stuff. More power to her elbows, wrists, fingers and thumbs, all driven by a superb musical brain.

[marvin]

The worst aspect of the Friday concert on TV was the introductions by Tom Service. What on earth was he on to shriek like that all the time? Bring back the old announcers, please.

[makropulos]

I missed the Pärt, but clearly need to catch up on the basis of earlier comments. Absolutely fabulous Grieg - it had me on the edge of my seat and there was so much energy, poetry and genuine spontaneity in KB's playing. The Sibelius was exceptionally good for different reasons - superbly controlled. What a stunning concert.

[Lat-Literal]

Well, I like it a bit more now because my mother has just rung to say that she enjoyed it and even my father was able to keep his attention on most of the Grieg, although he was irritated by the woman's hair. I don't like forcing them - or anyone else - to suffer recommendations but I like to recommend and try to tailor to what people might like, especially if it isn't their natural thing. And I have to admit to being surprised. Perhaps it was the fact that in a rare moment for something different to do, she saw Eileen Joyce in 1947 or 1948 somewhere performing the Grieg (that's my mother; not Buniatishvili). I am still reeling from their view that RVW2 "has some lovely moments but there is a bit too much music in it".



(Google tells me that Eileen Joyce did 17 concerts at RAH in November 1948 in the middle of trips to virtually every part of the globe - I'm not sure they make them like that these days)

[jonfan]

I could not disagree more with the last two, indeed three, posts. Let her wear her hair as she wants, and who know this old warhorse of a concerto could be entered for, and win, the Grand National. Wonderful stuff. More power to her elbows, wrists, fingers and thumbs, all driven by a superb musical brain.

Agree in spades with all of the above. She was in the moment with the whole Concerto whether she was playing or not and as TS said created the piece anew. If she can play like this she can wear her hair just as she wishes. The Danielle de Niese of the keyboard came to mind; the rapt concentration of the whole hall came over in the Debussy, the sounds just hung there.
I thought TS excellent, getting better every time. He did just enough and generated enthusiasm for what was to come, and my word was he right.
PS. David Cameron got into trouble with a patronising comment like yours Richard T; it’s not worthy of you.