Prom 25 (5.08.20) Bournemouth SO/Alsop

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A concert from the 2007 season featuring the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop in a programme including two American 20th-century classics.

Beethoven: Overture ‘Leonore’ No. 3
Barber: Violin Concerto
Copland: Symphony No. 3

James Ehnes (violin)
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop (conductor)

(From the BBC Proms 2007, 25 July)

New York-born Marin Alsop conducts a programme that reflects the substantial body of American works introduced to the BBC Proms during the 1940s and 1950s. Barber’s lushly romantic Violin Concerto – which received its UK premiere at the 1943 Proms – is heard alongside Copland’s iconic folk-influenced symphony, a work which helped define the sound of American orchestral music.

Opening the concert is Beethoven’s third attempt at a curtain raiser for his only opera, Leonore (later renamed Fidelio). Despite being rejected for a fourth and final iteration, this overture perfectly encapsulates the essence of Beethoven’s opera: a proud celebration of freedom and conjugal love.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The problem with Leonora no. 3 is that it's such a big work in its own right, and can render the start of the actual stage drama as something of an anticlimax.

[LMcD]

In March 2006 - some 16 months before this Prom - we attended a concert at The Lighthouse in Poole in which James Ehnes played Shostakovitch's 1st violin concerto - a performance which rightly attracted much praise. We've followed his subsequent career with keen interest, and the chance to hear our favourite violinist play one of our favourite concertos with the same orchestra and conductor was not to be missed. We were amazed all over again at his amazing technical prowess and beautiful tone. Sadly, Marin and the BSO were unable to stop us getting increasingly bored with Copland's 3rd symphony - a work of which (IMVHO) it can be said that the whole is much less than the sum of its parts.

[bluestateprommer]

In March 2006 - some 16 months before this Prom - we attended a concert at The Lighthouse in Poole in which James Ehnes played Shostakovitch's 1st violin concerto - a performance which rightly attracted much praise. We've followed his subsequent career with keen interest, and the chance to hear our favourite violinist play one of our favourite concertos with the same orchestra and conductor was not to be missed. We were amazed all over again at his amazing technical prowess and beautiful tone. Sadly, Marin and the BSO were unable to stop us getting increasingly bored with Copland's 3rd symphony - a work of which (IMVHO) it can be said that the whole is much less than the sum of its parts.

Agree with you completely on James Ehnes, as he was definitely the highlight of the retrospective Prom with the Barber concerto. I've seen him live a few times on this side of the pond, and he's always been great. Orchestra musicians seem to love him as well.

On the whole, though, not the most inspired choice for a retrospective Prom, with OK, but not 'knock your socks off' readings of the Beethoven and the Copland, even if it ticks off several of the boxes du jour (female conductor, Beethoven year). In general, Alsop hasn't really done much for me as a listener with standard rep (and I would have the same reactions if the interpretations were the same and if the conductor were "Martin Alsop"), as opposed to contemporary repertoire, where she is much stronger, IMHO. But she seems to have had a happy time in Bournemouth during her principal conductorship there, from what I understand. Plus, given that Martin Handley has generally gotten the call (or made the choice) as presenter for Bournemouth SO concerts on R3, he was most willing to deal with whatever he was given for archival material.

[LMcD]

Agree with you completely on James Ehnes, as he was definitely the highlight of the retrospective Prom with the Barber concerto. I've seen him live a few times on this side of the pond, and he's always been great. Orchestra musicians seem to love him as well.

On the whole, though, not the most inspired choice for a retrospective Prom, with OK, but not 'knock your socks off' readings of the Beethoven and the Copland, even if it ticks off several of the boxes du jour (female conductor, Beethoven year). In general, Alsop hasn't really done much for me as a listener with standard rep (and I would have the same reactions if the interpretations were the same and if the conductor were "Martin Alsop"), as opposed to contemporary repertoire, where she is much stronger, IMHO. But she seems to have had a happy time in Bournemouth during her principal conductorship there, from what I understand. Plus, given that Martin Handley has generally gotten the call (or made the choice) as presenter for Bournemouth SO concerts on R3, he was most willing to deal with whatever he was given for archival material.

While in Bournemouth, we got chatting to some local music lovers who told us that they were 'immensely proud of what she [Marin] and the orchestra are achieving down here'.
Is it true that, when her appointment in Baltimore was announced to the orchestra, their response was complete silence?
The presence of Martin Handley at any OB is always a bonus!

[gurnemanz]

While in Bournemouth, we got chatting to some local music lovers who told us that they were 'immensely proud of what she [Marin] and the orchestra are achieving down here'.
Is it true that, when her appointment in Baltimore was announced to the orchestra, their response was complete silence?
The presence of Martin Handley at any OB is always a bonus!

Here in N Wilts we greatly miss BSO who years ago used to play half a dozen concerts annually at the Wyvern, Swindon. We saw lots of good stuff. Luckily, we now have the excellent Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon.

We have only seen Marin Alsop once and it was a rather good evening. At RFH in London a few years she did Brahms St Antony Variations, Schumann Violin Concerto with committed and spirited (and bare-footed) solo work from Patricia Kopatchinskaja, followed by the Rhenish Symphony. She did an interesting pre- concert talk with Jessica Duchen whose book, Ghost Variations, about the background story to the Violin Concerto had just appeared. I got the book and enjoyed it very much.

[Bryn]

Here in N Wilts we greatly miss BSO who years ago used to play half a dozen concerts annually at the Wyvern, Swindon. We saw lots of good stuff. Luckily, we now have the excellent Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford-on-Avon.

We have only seen Marin Alsop once and it was a rather good evening. At RFH in London a few years she did Brahms St Antony Variations, Schumann Violin Concerto with committed and spirited (and bare-footed) solo work from Patricia Kopatchinskaja, followed by the Rhenish Symphony. She did an interesting pre- concert talk with Jessica Duchen whose book, Ghost Variations, about the background story to the Violin Concerto had just appeared. I got the book and enjoyed it very much.

As I may have mentioned previously, the BSO used, occasionally, to play at school concerts in the hall of a secondary school in Moredon, Swindon, pupils attending from across Swindon and beyond. It was at one such concert that Mozart's 39th Symphony made such a major impact on me. Sadly, this having been in the very early 1960's, I can no longer remember who the conductor was on that occasion.