Prom 62: Elgar, Bell, Strauss & Bartók – 29.08.18

[jonfan]

Wow again tonight. Superb Elgar and Bartok. Great engineering. [Strings momentarily a little raw in the Bartok finale but hey, what commitment to the cause].

[Sir Velo]

And up till now, bsp, I'd so enjoyed reading your postings!

Presumably BSP's not a fan of Richard Strauss.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Presumably BSP's not a fan of Richard Strauss.

I was tempted to ask that Q!

[VodkaDilc]

I thought it was superb. Some loud noise in the hall did suggest the collapse of the Hall of the Gibichungs, or the influence of the Relaxed Prom.

This was the most enjoyable Prom I've been to this year. The Elgar and especially the Bartok came over wonderfully in my position directly facing the organ. The new work and the songs were less distinguished, but might have been more successful wih the original singer. Petrenko is a stunning conductor and puts some more high-profile names to shame (such as one who has recently returned from overseas). I had not heard the orchestra before; surely ranking with the CBSO as our best outside London.

As for the Wagnerian audience noises, I heard a book/bag(?) dropped somewhere to my left in one quiet passage, but all seemed silent apart from that. Petrenko's idea of running the Bartok movements together was very effective; for once we were speared the inter-movement coughing which some people seem to think is obligatory.

[VodkaDilc]

(Home Concert Hall to Arena: you reap what you sow..)...

A promt for me to lament the passing of the witty comments from the Promenaders. Have there been any this year? Certainly not at the concerts I have attended.

I hope the rising generation of Prommers will reinstate this tradition.

[zola]

Would it be an idea for a host to amend the title of this thread, which would now be misleading to anyone looking back at it at a later date to review the proms season ?

[VodkaDilc]

Would it be an idea for a host to amend the title of this thread, which would now be misleading to anyone looking back at it at a later date to review the proms season ?

I found it difficult to identify. Even before the change of singer, the Strauss was a very small part of the programme (3 songs at 3 minutes and 1 at 4 minutes = 13 minutes). It didn't really fit with the other three substantial orchestral works and was presumably only there to give the original singer something to sing alongside the new commission.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Would it be an idea for a host to amend the title of this thread, which would now be misleading to anyone looking back at it at a later date to review the proms season ?

Done!

[bluestateprommer]

Presumably BSP's not a fan of Richard Strauss.

I do like my Richard Strauss, as well as Elgar, some pieces more than others from each, of course. From Elgar, his In The South isn't one of them, as I simply find the piece lacking in enough quality material to sustain my attention for its full 20 minutes or so. Love his 1st Symphony most of all his works, always enjoy hearing Enigma, and Cockaigne is fun, just to name a few. Again, a very belated reply to note that this Prom will be the 2nd Proms Repeat for this Christmas-time this month on R3:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001ryt