Prom 54 (30.08.20) Sir Simon Rattle - live

[Bryn]

Happened to catch an interesting interview with Sir S.R. on In Tune today, glad I heard it (not least about the process of arriving at the programme for this concert):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000m16k

It starts at 46:15 ...

He's just been on Channel 4 News, too, with brief extracts from rehearsals of RVW5 and a moving tribute to it from Rattle.

[silvestrione]

Yes I went to a 'Towards the Millenium' concert with Rattle and the CBSO at the RFH (before refurbishment) which ended with RVW 5. I was disappointed, I seem to remember i thought it had a northern chill, as though by Nielsen or Sibelius. I am really looking forward to hearing him do it now, to see if he makes more of it. It's up against the fine Manze, from earlier in the season, of course.

[Nick Armstrong]

He's just been on Channel 4 News, too, with brief extracts from rehearsals of RVW5 and a moving tribute to it from Rattle.

Here’s the segment:

https://www.channel4.com/news/i-have-felt-rather-uncomfortable-with-it-since-the-time-of-the-falklands-sir-simon-rattle-on-rule-britannia

[Guest]

I love 'Happened to catch etc ...' Erm..............
R3 has been BOMBING us with ads for this concert every day for a week at almost every available break possible.

I do NOT mean it won't be worth listening to, of course, but....but...well, you get the picture!

[Pulcinella]

A reminder that this Prom is being televised on BBC4 at 8pm tonight.

[LeMartinPecheur]

A reminder that this Prom is being televised on BBC4 at 8pm tonight.

Thanks, had missed that.

[Pulcinella]

To anyone who wasn't watching: Rattle conducted the RVW symphony without a score.

[jonfan]

That's how to programme a prom to suit the conditions! Great use of the hall's space with everything linking together nicely. Passionate playing in the Elgar and VW made me think Barbirolli was on the podium! Genius to segue into Kartag from the Beethoven. A thoroughly enjoyable and moving concert with obvious pleasure from the players to be back performing.

[kernelbogey]

Greatly enjoyed this Prom on tv. The Gabrielli was joyous, and I was very impressed by the Ades Dawn, whch I shall listen to again (Suzy Klein called it an 'instant classic'). Odaline de la Martinez was an excellent 'interviewed guest', with very interesting comments.

The RVW 5 was new to me as I have hitherto avoided his symphonies: warmed to this, and will re-listen soon, as well as sampling (for the first time) the Manze RVW Prom.

I also want to commend the lighting design, which managed to make the largely empty RAH somehow intimate - very clever.

At the end, SK mentioned that 'non-televised' Proms are being streamed on BBC iPlayer: something to investigate.

[gradus]

I don't think that I could hear a finer performance of VW5, utterly beautiful and deeply moving.

[Petrushka]

A lovely Prom and unlike Friday's concert I had to pinch myself into believing that there was no audience present.

[makropulos]

I don't think that I could hear a finer performance of VW5, utterly beautiful and deeply moving.

Absolutely with you there. I found it spellbinding –the highlight of a concert that was a joy from start to finish. Rattle at his best, and the LSO sounding wonderful under the circumstances –a real orchestra of soloists.

[Edgy 2]

Just the RVW 5 for me on I player just now.
Absolutely wonderful performance,so many great moments,how exquisite were those closing bars for example ?
The fact that there was no audience seemed to give the music unbearable poignancy for me,strange.
Ralph Vaughan Williams is most definitely THE composer for troubled times

[Pulcinella]

Just the RVW 5 for me on I player just now.
Absolutely wonderful performance,so many great moments,how exquisite were those closing bars for example ?
The fact that there was no audience seemed to give the music unbearable poignancy for me,strange.
Ralph Vaughan Williams is most definitely THE composer for troubled times

It was confirmation for me (not that I really needed it!) that RVW5 is and will remain my number one Desert Island Disc piece.
Agree with Bolik about the Ades being reminiscent of Part's Cantus (and about it not being what I expected).

[LMcD]

Just to say that I echo the sentiments of the last half-dozen or so postings - a wonderful concert. I believe I heard SK say that the 5th was the most often performed of RVW's symphonies - for some reason I thought it would have been the 2nd or 6th.