Prom 4 (1.08.21) - An Evening of Mozart with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

[Barbirollians]

Three outstanding performances .

[edashtav]

Three outstanding performances .

I’ve only heard the first half, so far. There was much that was excellent, some parts that were good and just a few moments in slow movements where blend and unanimity could be criticised. Did I hear a repeated mannerism? As noted elsewhere, Maxim Emelyanychev is wonderful at giving his musicians space in which to imprint phrases with their own inflexions, but I noted that he occasionally just introduces a tiny fermata to bring the whole band back into line. Emelyanychev‘s energy, liveliness and rhythmic phrasing were infectious and faster movement had an exhilarating élan. Slow movement were very expressive but the sheer amount of ‘give and take’ caused momentary raggedness. Period brass instrument added a peasant rawness and maybe an echo of Mozart’s strain of cheekiness.

Nothing was run of the mill: my attention was gripped and vegetable preparation and dinner were delayed.
A concert that will stay long in my memory.

[jayne lee wilson]

MOZART 39-41. SCO/EMELYANYCHEV PART 2. R3 LIVE AAC320 WEBCAST.

Notable features of this Mozart 41 included: daringly elongated pauses and wider rubato in the repeat exposition of (i); this passage was different again at the recap, displaying a very welcome, unusually alert creativity from the conductor. So much better when a repeat isn't just a dull verbatim da capo.

An andante of sweetly sung restraint, but one always kept flowing; the contrast the more vividly drawn with the attack and punch of the movements around it, which underlined this symphony as the finale to an evening-length entertainment: each work had its own expressive and sonic character, the Jupiter more forthright and immediate. Nice too, to hear wind embellishments in the trio; again, something we hear too little of, if you consider that Mozart would probably never have played his own Piano Concertos the same way twice. I only wish they’d have gone further tonight.

The finale was a terrific culmination, more driven and punchier still than earlier allegros with thankfully, the 2ndhalf repeat in place. This extraordinary contrapuntal tour-de-force of makes much more sense, and the astounding coda only really makes sense at all, if we hear this repeat (especially given the varied recap). The conclusion has to play off against the ear’s immediate, vivid recollection of what has preceded it.

*****
With excellent engineering, the smaller orchestra perfectly placed and the inner parts clear, one was forcibly reminded just how vital it is to hear these three works played together, if only occasionally. It changes your view of them as a cycle and individually.
Yes, its something of a listening challenge, but that is how it should be; you should feel that epic effort, that sense of relief and release as the finale layers up all its thematic ossas and pelions in the great coda (telling rhetorical emphasis at the start of this from Emelyanychev), triumphantly justifies its preternatural complexity, and those celestial trumpets arrive and blaze through.

[LMcD]

MOZART 39-41. SCO/EMELYANYCHEV PART 2.

Notable features of this Mozart 41 included: daringly elongated pauses and wider rubato in the repeat exposition of (i); this passage was different again at the recap, displaying a very welcome, unusually alert creativity from the conductor. So much better when a repeat isn't just a dull verbatim da capo.

An andante of sweetly sung restraint, but one always kept flowing; the contrast the more vividly drawn with the attack and punch of the movements around it, which underlined this symphony as the finale to an evening-length entertainment: each work had its own expressive and sonic character, the Jupiter more forthright and immediate. Nice too, to hear wind embellishments in the trio; again, something we hear too little of, if you consider that Mozart would probably never have played his own Piano Concertos the same way twice. I only wish they’d have gone further tonight.

The finale was a terrific culmination, more driven and punchier still than earlier allegros with thankfully, the 2ndhalf repeat in place. This extraordinary contrapuntal tour-de-force of makes much more sense, and the astounding coda only really makes sense at all, if we hear this repeat (especially given the varied recap). The conclusion has to play off against the ear’s immediate, vivid recollection of what has preceded it.

*****
With excellent engineering, the smaller orchestra perfectly placed and the inner parts clear, one was forcibly reminded just how vital it is to hear these three works played together, if only occasionally. It changes your view of them as a cycle and individually.
Yes, its something of a listening challenge, but that is how it should be; you should feel that epic effort, that sense of relief and release as the finale layers up all its thematic ossas and pelions in the great coda (telling rhetorical emphasis at the start of this from Emelyanychev), triumphantly justifies its preternatural complexity, and those celestial trumpets arrive and blaze through.

What I've learned so far today:
'Pile Pelion on Ossa: add an extra difficulty or task to an already difficult situation or undertaking'.

[Maclintick]

What I've learned so far today:
'Pile Pelion on Ossa: add an extra difficulty or task to an already difficult situation or undertaking'.

Well said, LMcD ! Considering the circumstances in which the SCO & Emelyanychev were performing, having not played in front of a live audience during the past year, the socially-distanced layout making ensemble problematic to say the least, plus the enormous pressure of a live TV Prom, I think the results were nothing short of miraculous.

FWIW, I heard Mozart's last 3 symphonies live at the RFH in 1979 (VPO/Böhm). An unmissable occasion, but one in which the players seemed discomfited by the deadening RFH acoustic -- no Musikverein bloom in SE1. Last night was much more enjoyable, as heard via radio.

[jayne lee wilson]

Well said, LMcD ! Considering the circumstances in which the SCO & Emelyanychev were performing, having not played in front of a live audience during the past year, the socially-distanced layout making ensemble problematic to say the least, plus the enormous pressure of a live TV Prom, I think the results were nothing short of miraculous.

FWIW, I heard Mozart's last 3 symphonies live at the RFH in 1979 (VPO/Böhm). An unmissable occasion, but one in which the players seemed discomfited by the deadening RFH acoustic -- no Musikverein bloom in SE1. Last night was much more enjoyable, as heard via radio.

Which "radio"? There are quite a few platforms......!
(My review was as ever the 320 aac kbps live webcast).....

[Goon525]

FWIW, I heard Mozart's last 3 symphonies live at the RFH in 1979 (VPO/Böhm). An unmissable occasion, but one in which the players seemed discomfited by the deadening RFH acoustic -- no Musikverein bloom in SE1. Last night was much more enjoyable, as heard via radio.

I was there too! (And had heard the same performers, and same programme at the Edinburgh Festival 76, in the perhaps more accommodating Usher Hall.)

[makropulos]

I enjoyed this concert enormously. The SCO has always played Mozart beautifully and their use of natural horns etc. goes back to Mackerras's time with the orchestra –and several of the same players are still there now. There was so much to like about the performances last night, and my only grumble (a very small one) concerns the conductor's fondness for needlessly extended pauses and the occasional slowing up. But most of it was outstanding, the idea of doing all three in the same evening is an excellent one (I remember Solti doing the same thing at the RFH in the 70s) and the scale, stylishness and skill of the SCO is always something to relish.

[ARBurton]

What was the large black box visible on the platform to the right of the conductor?

[Ein Heldenleben]

What was the large black box visible on the platform to the right of the conductor?

I was wondering that . The same box was there on the first night . Initially I thought it was a fold back floor monitor speaker. Now I’m wondering whether it was an air filter. There were remotely controlled cameras in the orchestra but this didn’t look like any tv tech gear I’ve seen ..

[teamsaint]

I have been a bit off grid for the last week.
Has anybody on the forum been to a Proms concert yet this season ?

[gurnemanz]

Re some above comments: I found plenty of new insights inherent in hearing these works juxtaposed in one concert. I also thought the interval chat with Mr Service, Dame Jane and Rev Coles to be by far not the worst of that ilk that we have sometimes been offered.

[oddoneout]

Re some above comments: I found plenty of new insights inherent in hearing these works juxtaposed in one concert. I also thought the interval chat with Mr Service, Dame Jane and Rev Coles to be by far not the worst of that ilk that we have sometimes been offered.

I did a double take there but then realised that was the BBC4 version! The radio interval was Prof. Timothy Jones on the background and history of Mozart's 3 last symphonies.

[Maclintick]

Which "radio"? There are quite a few platforms......!
(My review was as ever the 320 aac kbps live webcast).....

We normally listen-in on the internet feed, but with dicky broadband, drop-outs and clamour from an exasperated Mrs. M, I switched to FM last night -- the downside being the audio compression applied by the dreaded Optomod, boosting the quiet passages and air-conditioning noise, made worse by on-stage air-filtering apparatus visible in TV pictures & commented on by other posters.

[Westfield999]

What a train wreck of a concert! With every successive piece of self indulgence, the conductor seemed constantly to be shrieking "Me! Me! Me!"" instead of "Mozart Mozart Mozart", rewriting the music in his own image. I only persevered because I wanted to see what he would inflict on the Jupiter. Those awful pauses and rubatos constantly interrupting the flow, the lazy dotted notes, sea-sick making tempo changes, smart alec ornamentation, you name it, it was there and did a great disservice to the wonderful SCO. Talk about the emperor's new clothes....