Proms 2019 your highlight concerts

[Demetrius]

Edgy, pay someone else to look after house, dog and guinea pig and just go! The chances of catching a live Weinberg symphony at the Proms again are remote so plenty of time to move heaven and earth.

I just adjusted my plans for my UK vacation to a later, more expensive flight to catch that one. It's Weinberg + Knussen live, and Lamia doesn't happen that often either. Plus Elgar Cello Concerto. And played by the CBSO. No way I'm flying home the day before :)

Edit: @Zucchini. Ok, that is interesting ... but that would actually be more expensive overall. I like that Lamia will take 15 Minutes in Birmingham and 12 in London though :D https://cbso.co.uk/whats-on/2019/08?view=stacked

[Darkbloom]

I usually find that the concerts become more appealing the closer they get. I certainly hope that is the case this year.

And the reasoning that Pickard gives for not having much Berlioz is bloody feeble, in all honesty.

What did Pickard say? I tried to find it but it's hidden behind the Telegraph paywall. I remember during a Verdi anniversary, Roger Wright gave as his excuse for not programming very much, that there were few singers around who were up to the job. My guess is that it's because Berlioz is still a tough sell for many people, but I'd be interested to hear his excuse. It looks like the most solidly middle-of-the road season I can ever remember.

[Bryn]

What did Pickard say? I tried to find it but it's hidden behind the Telegraph paywall. I remember during a Verdi anniversary, Roger Wright gave as his excuse for not programming very much, that there were few singers around who were up to the job. My guess is that it's because Berlioz is still a tough sell for many people, but I'd be interested to hear his excuse. It looks like the most solidly middle-of-the road season I can ever remember.

"Berlioz is still a tough sell for many people"? What do you base that assertion on? Productions of his operas have been pretty well received in recent years, have they not? Naxos even has two different productions of Benvenuto Cellini on Blu-ray (I have the Gilliam/Elder). His orchestra music is also a pretty safe crowd-puller, in my experience.

[Richard Barrett]

If I happened to be in town I would go for Des canyons aux étoiles and/or Benvenuto Cellini; apart from those, it's worse than usual.

[Bryn]

If I happened to be in town I would go for Des canyons aux étoiles and/or Benvenuto Cellini; apart from those, it's worse than usual.

Both of those, for me, plus the afternoon event at Battersea Arts Centre (literally a couple of hundred metres from a friend's house, so tea and biscuits after).

[Darkbloom]

"Berlioz is still a tough sell for many people"? What do you base that assertion on? Productions of his operas have been pretty well received in recent years, have they not? Naxos even has two different productions of Benvenuto Cellini on Blu-ray (I have the Gilliam/Elder). His orchestra music is also a pretty safe crowd-puller, in my experience.

I thought my opinion was fairly uncontroversial until you picked me up on it. Even someone like David Cairns took time to appreciate Berlioz. I refer you to the discussion on these boards about Harold in Italy where many people dismissed it as an inadequate follow-up to the SF. I've loved his music all my life but it isn't for everyone. JEG flies the flag, of course, and Rattle does his bit but I don't see many of the younger generation taking him up. At least not the way Colin Davis did.

[Demetrius]

Hmm. You think Berlioz is ill served with one symphony, one opera, an oratorio and a song cycle? It is not the Wagner insanity we had a few years ago, but usually when the Proms or BBC Radio 3 decide to ignore a composer, they ignore him or her a lot harder than this.

But I guess one could make a case that he is a more eminent figure than others.

[Pianophile]

VPO/Haitink and Argerich/Barenboim - di Donato and Pappano in Nuits d Ete.

I second those two

[Dave2002]

There's at long last one Glazunov symphony - Symphony 5. I'd really like to hear how that sounds live. What about the others? - obviously not this year. Pity I hadn't known about this a few weeks ago - not sure if I can figure out how to go to that one. Logistic and financial planning now called for - which could perhaps have been avoided with more advance notice.

The Haitink one with Bruckner in September also looks to be a real special highlight - though unfortunately I definitely won't be able to do that one.

The CBSO one with Sheku playing Elgar and a Weinberg symphony also looks special, and there's one other concert featuring a piece by Weinberg - the cello concerto - with Sol Gabetta.

Those are the ones I've spotted so far.

[MrGongGong]

This

Proms at … Cadogan Hall 1: VOCES8
13:00 Monday 22 July 2019
Cadogan Hall

Hildegard von Bingen
Spiritus sanctus vivificans (3 mins)

Pérotin
Viderunt omnes (3 mins)
– excerpt

Josquin des Prez
Ave Maria … Virgo serena (5 mins)

Jean Mouton
Nesciens mater virgo virum (5 mins)

Tomás Luis de Victoria
Regina coeli (a 8) (4 mins)

Jonathan Dove
Vadam et circuibo civitatem (9 mins)

Orlande de Lassus
Missa 'Bell'Amfitrit'altera' – Gloria (6 mins)

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Magnificat primi toni (5 mins)

William Byrd
Sing joyfully unto God our strength (3 mins)

Orlando Gibbons
O clap your hands together (5 mins)

Alexia Sloane
Earthward (4 mins)
BBC commission: world première

Is worth going to hear Alexia's piece IMV

[Edgy 2]

The CBSO one with Sheku playing Elgar and a Weinberg symphony also looks special, and there's one other concert featuring a piece by Weinberg - the cello concerto - with Sol Gabetta.

Those are the ones I've spotted so far.

Edgy, pay someone else to look after house, dog and guinea pig and just go! The chances of catching a live Weinberg symphony at the Proms again are remote so plenty of time to move heaven and earth.

Mirga conducts the same programme at Symphony Hall the night before - Wed 21

I just adjusted my plans for my UK vacation to a later, more expensive flight to catch that one. It's Weinberg + Knussen live, and Lamia doesn't happen that often either. Plus Elgar Cello Concerto. And played by the CBSO. No way I'm flying home the day before :)

Edit: @Zucchini. Ok, that is interesting ... but that would actually be more expensive overall. I like that Lamia will take 15 Minutes in Birmingham and 12 in London though :D https://cbso.co.uk/whats-on/2019/08?view=stacked

Thanks for the comments,great to see so much interest in the Weinberg concerts.
Yes that Birmingham concert is doable

[David-G]

What did Pickard say? I tried to find it but it's hidden behind the Telegraph paywall. I remember during a Verdi anniversary, Roger Wright gave as his excuse for not programming very much, that there were few singers around who were up to the job. My guess is that it's because Berlioz is still a tough sell for many people, but I'd be interested to hear his excuse. It looks like the most solidly middle-of-the road season I can ever remember.

“Look, we could have ignored Henry Wood this year and we are not doing as much Berlioz [who died 150 years ago] as other people. The problem is that if an anniversary is in March, people are sick of it by the time you get to the summer.”

Feeble indeed.

[Demetrius]

The Henry Wood bit is absurd. If they replace the birthday fests with continual looks beyond the mainstream, I'm for it. But I don't think that will happen. So, 21 more years until I can reasonably expect another Gade symphony while living in a city where he once was on par with Mendelssohn until he was ousted by war. Yay.

[Dave2002]

Thanks for the comments,great to see so much interest in the Weinberg concerts.
Yes that Birmingham concert is doable

There’s also a third concert with music by Weinberg, at Cadogan Hall. String quartet no 7 on 2nd September played by the Silesian String Quartet at 1pm.

[Norrette]

I usually find that the concerts become more appealing the closer they get. I certainly hope that is the case this year.

Yes, I looked a couple of days ago and thought: 'I'll leave it this year' Now whittling down the ten I've chosen (and can't afford)