Prom 50: Mozart's Clarinet Concerto & Mahler's Fifth Symphony 19.08.18

[gedsmk]

JLW reminds me to look out my old Chandos CDs of the Ulster Orchestra with their superb sound. They alerted me to Bax symphonies and poems conducted by Bryden Thomson, a great conductor that Chandos rightly championed in this (still) neglected repertoire who was one for socialising with his players before and after gigs, a rare habit now as well as then? Also there’s a terrific Saint Saens Organ Symphony with Y-P T.

So many great concerts in Glasgow conducted by Bryden Thomson, who died cruelly early of cancer aged 63. Will never forget a “Carmina Burana” in a packed Kelvin Hall.

[BBMmk2]

So many great concerts in Glasgow conducted by Bryden Thomson, who died cruelly early of cancer aged 63. Will never forget a “Carmina Burana” in a packed Kelvin Hall.

Ah yes. The brilliant man he was.

[Alison]

I recall the BBCSSO pulled off an excellent double header last season which also included a Mahler symphony, the Tenth.

This Fifth wasn’t on the same level, climaxes sounded literal and underwhelming even when the right notes were being played. Mahler probably doesn’t show this orchestra to best advantage.

[HighlandDougie]

I heard them perform Mahler's 5th (with Donald Runnicles) three, maybe four years ago in the Perth Concert Hall. I was all set then to agree with Alison's point about Mahler not showing the orchestra to best advantage but left the concert thinking how well they had played and at the improvement to the string sound made by DR. I haven't listened to this Prom but I too would guess that, in view of the fact that they had performed the 5th not all that long ago, most of the rehearsal time, as suggested in earlier posts, was devoted to the Nørgård 3rd. I think that we get so used to consistently - well, mostly - excellent playing that we forget that orchestras can sound at times woefully under-rehearsed (I'm thinking of the LPO and Jurowski earlier this year in the RFH and a very scrappily played Stravinsky Symphony in C).

[BBMmk2]

I heard them perform Mahler's 5th (with Donald Runnicles) three, maybe four years ago in the Perth Concert Hall. I was all set then to agree with Alison's point about Mahler not showing the orchestra to best advantage but left the concert thinking how well they had played and at the improvement to the string sound made by DR. I haven't listened to this Prom but I too would guess that, in view of the fact that they had performed the 5th not all that long ago, most of the rehearsal time, as suggested in earlier posts, was devoted to the Nørgård 3rd. I think that we get so used to consistently - well, mostly - excellent playing that we forget that orchestras can sound at times woefully under-rehearsed (I'm thinking of the LPO and Jurowski earlier this year in the RFH and a very scrappily played Stravinsky Symphony in C).

There's certainly quite a contrast between Donald Runnicles and Thomas Daussgard. I think the orchestra probably lacking rehearsal time maybe?

[Alison]

There's certainly quite a contrast between Donald Runnicles and Thomas Daussgard. I think the orchestra probably lacking rehearsal time maybe?

Two fine conductors, both excellent choices for this orchestra.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Two fine conductors, both excellent choices for this orchestra.

Dausgaard's performance with the BBCSSO of the "completed" Bruckner #9 was the one that most convinced me that the edition used was successful. I hope they record it (or that the performance is issued on a BBCMusMag cover CD).

Interesting - perhaps? - that Dausgaard recorded the Mahler/Cooke &co Tenth with his Seattle Orchestra.

[Bryn]

Dausgaard's performance with the BBCSSO of the "completed" Bruckner #9 was the one that most convinced me that the edition used was successful. I hope they record it (or that the performance is issued on a BBCMusMag cover CD).

Interesting - perhaps? - that Dausgaard recorded the Mahler/Cooke &co Tenth with his Seattle Orchestra.

Yes, but which one, the Glasgow, the Edinburgh or the unbroadcast(?) Perth?

[jayne lee wilson]

Ah yes. The brilliant man he was.

Absolutely - that remarkable Martinu Cycle with the RSNO!

I wish I'd heard the Dausgaard Bruckner 9, all in favour of fast Bruckner, never quite got around to it while available...

[HighlandDougie]

Yes, but which one, the Glasgow, the Edinburgh or the unbroadcast(?) Perth?

I was at the Perth performance but I cannot for the life of me remember clearly if there were microphones present (but I think that there were). As to the Mahler/Cooke 10th, I'm very glad that the Seattle SO decided to record and issue TD's interpretation. Much as I greatly appreciate the BBC SSO (and have a recording of last year's Prom), the Seattle orchestra, to use a neologism, just shades it, playing-wise. Whatever, TD and the BBC SSO are performing Rued Langgaard's extraordinary 'Music of the Spheres' in Glasgow Cathedral (a magnificent gothic building) in late September so TD is continuing to push the orchestra's boundaries in terms of repertoire.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes, but which one, the Glasgow, the Edinburgh or the unbroadcast(?) Perth?

The one broadcast (so not the Perth) in an "Afternoon on 3" concert during the first week (the Wednesday IIRC) October, 2016.

[gradus]

Rightly or wrongly, I took the comment as a little tilt at a forum member with past connections to that orchestra, rather than at the performing skills of the orchestra itself.

oic, apologies if I got hold of the wrong end of the stick.

[Bryn]

The one broadcast (so not the Perth) in an "Afternoon on 3" concert during the first week (the Wednesday IIRC) October, 2016.

That was the Glasgow performance, though on the Monday, not the Wednesday of the first week of October. The Edinburgh was broadcast in January 2017.

[BBMmk2]

Absolutely - that remarkable Martinu Cycle with the RSNO!

I wish I'd heard the Dausgaard Bruckner 9, all in favour of fast Bruckner, never quite got around to it while available...

I must’ve missed that one!

[Bryn]

I must’ve missed that one!

Not "that one", BBMmk2, "those two". Having listened again to both the Glasgow and the Edinburgh recordings, I find myself concurring with fg re. the Glasgow being (just) the one to best be used for a BBCMM cover disc. However, I am glad to have save both for future listening. I had expected the Edingurgh (the third they gave in 4 days) to have had the benefit of their previous experience with the work, but possibly the home advantage of Glasgow City Halls came into play. Presumably the Perth performance was either not recorded or was considered not up to broadcast standard, compared to the other two.