It’s the New Avengers theme tune - not the old one . Guess you can’t copyright a falling minor third…
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It’s the New Avengers theme tune - not the old one . Guess you can’t copyright a falling minor third… -
From a photo on tonight’s Proms Twitter feed, it's bigger than a chamber orchestra: 14 firsts, around 10 each seconds & violas, 8 cellos, 6 basses.Comment
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A very involving concert. To my ear and eye, John Wilson is trying to make the band play like its 1950s namesake - or at least like a typical 50s orchestra, with plenty of portamento, an open brass sound, distinctive woodwind and flamboyant bow choreography. I agree about the lack of Viennese ‘schwung’ in the J.Strauss II but I can cash that in as long as I get an exciting ensemble performance like that one.
From my seat, Ms.Chiejina has a beautiful voice, and when she let rip it was glorious! For a lot of the time, though, she seemed to be keeping it in check, and I wanted just a bit more. The Radio (and TV) balance might be better.
I loved the Ravel. The orchestra really put their all into it, and you couldn’t fail to be impressed by a violin section totting up so many bow-miles like that! In that respect, you need to watch on Thursday (BBC Four).
The Korngold had all the good attributes above mentioned, but just lacked a certain something - I can’t put my finger on it. I particularly enjoyed the Waltonian Scherzo, but the Adagio and its big tune seemed rather overblown compared to the incredible slow movement of Arnold’s 5th last week. I can’t help feeling that the piece’s very fluid tonality is what stops it being better loved: you invariably get lost trying to hum the tunes.
Still, not a bad first concert for our own version of the Budapest Festival Orchestra!Comment
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Agree with the praise for Francesca Chiejina and her rendition of Alban Berg's Sieben frühe Lieder, splendidly done, definitely the highlight of this Prom for me.
I'm actually with Heldenleben in spirit, with regard to JW's readings of the waltz-themed works. IMHO, JW drove the waltz tempi rather hard more than once, forgetting that the waltz is a social dance, and that there needs to be a lilt in the rhythm as dancers move around the dance floor. JW's ethos in the Ravel and the waltz themes of the Fledermaus overture felt a bit too much like "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am" too often for me.
On jlw's question about the number of musicians used, for the Korngold at least, my guess is in the vicinity of 80-85, based on pictures in the Chandos booklet of the Sinfonia of London / John Wilson recording of the Korngold Symphony, made well before the pandemic, of course. (It'll be interesting to see if that CD gets a bump in sales after this Prom.) JW also took kind of a take-no-prisoners approach with the EWK Symphony, especially in the more energetic music. But that was to the work's advantage, since, again IMHO, the Symphony rather sprawls fairly often. I also take Heldenleben's point about the passage in the 1st movement, and for me especially, that two-chord descending motif that sounds so "Golden Age of Hollywood", even though I couldn't tell you from which movie score.
And full points to JW and the orchestra for a well-out-of-the-box choice of encore by Zemlinsky (archived in the Forum Calendar, natch). On a technical level, the newest Sinfonia of London definitely sounds in excellent form, from hearing this Prom, as I've not heard any of their Chandos studio recordings yet.Comment
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I don’t know the Korngold at all well, but it certainly held my attention, especially in a performance which had the cohesive brilliance you’d expect from performers who made a widely-praised recording of it just two years ago.
Not sure if I’d call it a great symphony, late-late-Romantic as it is, but greater familiarity may wreak wonders, and the carefully-placed cyclical references-back in the finale to the earlier movements (the main finale rondo theme is a version of the 1st Movement’s 2nd subject) built to a thrillingly cumulative ending. I don't find it "sprawling" at all (surely the prime critical cliche for expansive Romantic Works the reviewer does not know well enough), as it utilises its classical forms (sonata, rondo, scherzo etc) in a self-referentially integrated way, without undue repetition, and all of its episodes contribute to its musical message. It works very well on its own terms.
The orchestration is quite fabulous too - Korngold can be whisperingly delicate and the climaxes are by no means all some generalised Hollywood-Romance.
. I’ll certainly give the Sinfonia's Chandos recording a spin later…
But another fine Prom, and one whose sequence worked far better than I expected. Very enjoyable night!Last edited by jayne lee wilson; 04-09-21, 21:32.Comment
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I thought the Korngold symphony was very well played with some excellent string playing in particular . But listening to the clip of Goerne singing Die Todt Stadt so beautifully it made me think that Korngold did his best work in Europe. He had to leave obviously and I am glad he got out - but he was essentially a European figure and I think Hollywood took something out of him.Originally posted by bluestateprommer View PostComment
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As noted above it was a big orchestra, probably the largest to appear this year. 5 horns, 4 trombones, timps+6. Still not a full string section but big enough to be sat in desks rather than 1 per stand as with every other orchestra I've seen so far.
Full strings would have given the extra weight and depth for the full Korngold sonic bath but the sheen of those present couldn't really be faulted and the lack of more needs no explanation.
The Korngold is indeed just that little bit evasive, a little emotionally opaque compared with the other recently played 20th century symphonic rarity (Arnold 5). I've enjoyed it ever since the much missed (by me anyway) Ted Downes unearthed it with the BBC Phil in the 90s but it does always seem to suffer from a touch of the Walton 1s. That is, the last movement doesn't quite live up to what preceded it. It (rather like Last Valse, but to much less effect) just falls off the end rather.Comment
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Surprised to read that, Simon - the finale is dense with musical event in its 10' or so, replete with those cyclical references-back which cumulate very thrillingly in the coda...I do think its aims unifying are splendidly achieved...
Does anyone here feel they really know it well? I'm inclined to make a greater effort now....!Comment
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Oh, from a symphonic cogency perspective, agreed. All the themes drawn together with consummate skill, symmetry achieved etc.
My needs are simpler! I'm thinking more from the sonic spectacular angle. Given what Korngold achieved in that respect in eg Die Tote Stadt and Das Wunder der Heliane (making Richard Strauss sound a bit of a bland and underpowered orchestrator) it is a little too cogent for me. A liking for OTT sprawl being one of many vices...
I have burned grooves in the BBCPO/Downes CD over the years all the same...Comment
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I have the Sinfonia of London/Wilson 24/96 stream playing now.... it sounds amazing..... a grower for sure....they really believe in the work, just as Korngold did, and draw you into it.... stunning sound.....one of those albums where it is quickly apparent you're hearing a classic..... SACD ordered immediately...! (See Gramophone 10/19 review (RB))
It has been a true revelation for me tonight!Last edited by jayne lee wilson; 05-09-21, 01:43.Comment
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Are you familiar with the Korngold Sinfonietta? An early and lighter work as the name suggests - but more in spirit than scale. It is a full length symphony for large orchestra in all but name. Rather heavier on the memorable tunes and also if you're wanting your swash buckled it gives more freely. It was another of those "Why do we never hear this?" things for me when the BBC Phil (again) gave it an airing a few years ago - this time with Storgards.Originally posted by jayne lee wilson View Post
I rather enjoy this version by the (now rather lamented) Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cUikaZsx1wLast edited by Simon B; 05-09-21, 01:57.Comment
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The RLPO was the first British Orchestra to play Korngold’s F minor Symphony in March, 1962 under Marek Janowski, shortly after he recorded Violanta.Last edited by edashtav; 05-09-21, 09:10.Comment
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If only Korngold had a Hugo Von Hofmannsthal to spur him on and if only there had been an appetite for that sort of opera in the US .Originally posted by Simon B View PostComment
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Enjoyable concert, especially the Berg songs in their much later orchestrated version. I have only recently got to know them and only in the original piano-accompanied version via the Brilliant Classics Complete Berg songs and a very attractive disc from Barbara Hannigan and the late-lamented Reinbert de Leeuw - Vienna - Fin de siècle.
I may now be seeking out a recording of the orchestration.Comment
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I have grown up with the Ted Downes version, more expansive and superbly characterised; you just have fractionally more time to absorb the musical material. An object lesson in timbre and texture
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