Prom 39 (4.09.21) - John Wilson Conducts the Sinfonia of London

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Saturday 4 September 2021 ON TV
Royal Albert Hall

Johann Strauss II: Die Fledermaus – overture
Alban Berg: Seven Early Songs
Maurice Ravel: La valse
Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Symphony in F sharp

Francesca Chiejina, (soprano)
Sinfonia of London, John Wilson (conductor)

The Sinfonia of London makes its much-anticipated official concert debut under John Wilson, who re-established the ensemble in 2018. Following on from their award-winning recording, this orchestral ‘army of generals’ brings with it Korngold’s stirring, filmic Symphony in F sharp. It’s part of a musical bird’s-eye view of 19th- and 20th-century Vienna that also includes the overture to Die Fledermaus and Ravel’s dizzying La valse.

[jayne lee wilson]

Only thing to do here is..... start listening and see what happens.....

La Valse seemed once chronically over-represented at this festival... intrigued to see how it takes me now...great piece of course....
The Berg Songs doubtless fit in with the swirling whirling, but a shame that his Op.4, the superior Altenberg Lieder (a true Bergian masterpiece) are almost forgotten now.

[Braunschlag]

Now that looks very worthwhile. Has the Korngold been done before?

[jayne lee wilson]

Now that looks very worthwhile. Has the Korngold been done before?

The public, concert premiere only took place in Munich in 1972, 15 years after the composer's death. There were earlier Austrian and European Radio airings after 1954. Mitropoulos adored it.
But there are several recordings of it now, including an SACD of tonight's performers, released in 2019 on Chandos.

As for the Proms Performances I couldn't say offhand. You'd have to look through the archives.....

[bluestateprommer]

Now that looks very worthwhile. Has the Korngold been done before?

Only one previous Proms performance of the Korngold Symphony in F#, Prom 31 (6 August 2013), with the BBC Philharmonic and John Storgårds.

[jayne lee wilson]

You couldn't fly a flittermouse with greater flair than that, could you?
But bigger challenges ahead....

[Braunschlag]

Only one previous Proms performance of the Korngold Symphony in f#, Prom 31 (6 August 2013), with the BBC Philharmonic and John Storgårds.

Ta

[mopsus]

The Berg Songs doubtless fit in with the swirling whirling, but a shame that his Op.4, the superior Altenberg Lieder (a true Bergian masterpiece) are almost forgotten now.

Maybe because they are brief but probably require quite a bit of investment in rehearsal time? I live in hope of getting to a live performance one day, but looked in vain for one to commemorate the centenary of the Skandalkonzert, for example.

[Ein Heldenleben]

You couldn't fly a flittermouse with greater flair than that, could you?
But bigger challenges ahead....

Forgive me for disagreeing but I thought that in the waltz they over accented the first beat and and didn’t have enough reverse swing between beats 2 and 3 …but my mind is a bit scrambled from watching India cart the ball around the park today and I am nit picking . In contrast I am really enjoying the Berg . The singer , who is unfamiliar to me , has a truly beautiful voice.

[jayne lee wilson]

From delicacy to ecstasy, Chiejina caught the early-Schoenbergian idiom of the Berg beautifully; and with great & expressive care for the meaning of each word and line.
Wilson and his sensuously evocative band - perfectly matched: close and responsive accompanists.

[Ein Heldenleben]

From delicacy to ecstasy, Chiejina caught the early-Schoenbergian idiom of the Berg beautifully; and with great & expressive care for the meaning of each word and line.
Wilson and his sensuously evocative band - perfectly matched: close and responsive accompanists.

I agree - a wonderful performance . From her credit list I must have heard her at Covent Garden a few times but not having been there for nearly two years I’ve just forgotten…

[jayne lee wilson]

A very excellent and swinging La Valse, the orchestra of agile and rapid response, the textures kept very clear to the end. Many try to swamp the venue (and the ears of the crowd) with sheer volume towards the close, but Wilson allowed us to hear all of the music as well as exciting us with wide and dramatic dynamics.

Not sure how many there are in the Sinfonia - I guess it will be very flexible, but their lightness and speed, those clean lines and edges, suggest the character of a large Chamber Orchestra, the instinctive bond with the conductor clear......

Wonder who's with Petroc, couldn't hear all of the discussion, but he's very impressive...ah, thanks Petroc - it was Gavin Plumley)

[Ein Heldenleben]

The main motif of Korngold’s symphony first movt. really reminds me of a American TV / Film theme tune but I can’t for the life of me think which one ..It’s a basically a rapid rising string scale with a very prominent accented falling minor third . Is it Dragnet ?

[rauschwerk]

The main motif of Korngold’s symphony first movt. really reminds me of a American TV / Film theme tune but I can’t for the life of me think which one ..It’s a basically a rapid rising string scale with a very prominent accented falling minor third . Is it Dragnet ?

I seem to remember that the Dragnet theme featured tritones.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I seem to remember that the Dragnet theme featured tritones.

It’s not Dragnet . It’s a sixties uk detective series theme - the Avengers ? Not the main theme but one of the breakers. The theme in that is a series of repeated notes followed by the telltale falling minor third in exactly the same rhythm . This is going to keep me awake tonight…..