Originally posted by Serial_Apologist
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Possibly, but didn't Holst adapt the tune himself, having been commissioned to provide a hymn tune, not having much time, and finding that the pre-existing tune from Jupiter fitted? The tune is named "Thaxted", after the village in Essex where he once lived and ran several musical festivals. -
Turns out it's only for Season Ticket and Weekend 1 Pass holders - not quite the spirit of this enterprise, I'd say......Originally posted by mahlerfan View Post
Also, what's this 'queue ticket' that's available from 9.00am?
And on the RHA's 'Everything You Need Tp Know About Promming' where they explain it all and list the 8 exceptions where there are different arrangements for getting an Arena Prom ticket for 8 of the Proms, there is no mention of this Prom no. 2 being any different to the rest.Last edited by mahlerfan; 16-07-22, 09:17.Comment
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At top of this threa it says "On TV" but I can find no mention of it in TV Listings.Comment
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You can watch this Prom tomorrow evening at 8 PM:Originally posted by Lordgeous View Post
From hearing the first half just now, obviously the Sinfonia of London remains an excellent ensemble, on a purely technical level, following on from last year's Prom by them. As to the interpretations:
1. RVW: solid, well done, but some moments sounded a bit perfunctory and rushed, at least IMHO.
2. Huw Watkins: ironically enough, EA's phrase of "a rather bitty experience" kind of fit my impression of HW's Flute Concerto, granted that this is the first time that I've ever heard the work. Adam Walker played excellently, to be sure, and JW and the Sinfonia of London were with him all the way. It's certainly an "audience-friendly" piece harmonically. There was a momentary sound glitch while I was listening, so I missed about 30 seconds of it. If time permits later, I'll revisit this concerto on BBC Sounds.
3. Bax: this piece is well up JW's alley, in terms of its Technicolor glitz manner (well before Technicolor cinema, of course). It's a lush sprawl, no doubt.Comment
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Didn’t really enjoy that Enigma.. Will try the tv relay tomorrow.
Any comments on the sound quality tonight? I found it really quite coarse and congested with little bloom. Back of orchestra poorly defined. Improved when switching up volume for the Coates.Comment
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Well, the first encore of the season has been archived now in the Forum Calendar :) , the Eric Coates selection, "At the Dance". From a glance at the Proms Performance Archive, it would appear that nothing from EC's Summer Days suite has been heard at The Proms since 1925.
Perhaps others here already knew, but it was a total surprise to me to learn from JW that Christopher Hogwood had prepared a new Urtext critical edition of the 'Enigma' Variations:
The only obvious difference that I could grasp quickly in the moment was a missing "scampering up" brass passage during Variation 7 (Troyte). Otherwise, a solid, no-fuss and no-muss reading from JW, except perhaps for a momentary pause just before the last chord of Variation 11 (G.R.S.).
Working backwards further, the orchestra was definitely on cracking form in Walton's Partita. Regarding earlier comments in this thread about the influence (to put it one way) potentially of Albert Roussel in the work, will need to dig up a recording of the Suite in F (and possibly Bacchus et Ariane as well) to make any quick comparisons. But from hearing it fresh just this afternoon, the dominant impression is of Walton recycling from his own bag of tricks, or even "advance recycling", as when one bit in the first section sounded like something to come in his Second Symphony from not long after.
It's not the first time for Walton, BTW, where another example are in his film score for Henry V, where one can hear easily Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky in the Agincourt charge sequence and his lift from Canteloube's Chants d'Auvergne in the scene between Henry V and Princess Katharine of France. But this has been going on for composers pretty much since Day 1, it seems, so this isn't anything completely new, so to speak.
Anyway, that aside, this was a solid, well-done Prom. Andrew McGregor hinted that the hall wasn't completely packed out, though well attended. Very fine interval discussion between AM and Fiona Stafford also, BTW.Comment
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It was too pulled about tempo wise for me with the opening too slow. The long crescendo in Nimrod had an accelerando as well which didn’t work for me. There was too much fussing over detail and bringing out of inner parts. That’s often the case when you study the score in minute detail. I think he made is sound a bit like a film score e.g, the overlong tenuto cresecendo on the very final chord….Originally posted by Alison View Post
Quite enjoyed it though - conductor proof really ( with the exception of Lennie’s legendary stab at it )Comment
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Whole concert curiously uninvolving and somewhat superficial, I found, which has been my reaction to many of his recordings, as noted elsewhere,
A shame, as I particularly like the Walton Partita, but had that been the first time I'd heard it I'm not sure that I'd have been too impressed, regardless of what bsp calls the cracking form the orchestra was in.Comment
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Oh that was why, was it? I heard that - or rather didn’t - and thought someone had forgotten to come in, or it had been lost in the orchestral / transmission balance…Originally posted by bluestateprommer View Post…it was a total surprise to me to learn from JW that Christopher Hogwood had prepared a new Urtext critical edition of the 'Enigma' Variations:
The only obvious difference that I could grasp quickly in the moment was a missing "scampering up" brass passage during Variation 7 (Troyte)
Yes Nimrod went slightly for naught, didn’t it: playing it for excitement doesn’t really work, it seems (… was there an accel. marked in this “Urtext” I wonder…? )
Not a performance I shall be returning to.
Enjoyed the Coates encore
…and I must try and hear the Walton Partita.
"...the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."
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A marvellous concert in every sense: repertoire, fresh interpretation, incisive playing and delicacy where needed. I'm all for blowing the cobwebs away from well trodden pieces and JW did that superbly.
The hall was about 90% full and the RAH's ventilation system seemed to be keeping everyone at a reasonable temperature, despite the tropical conditions outside. Indeed, we escaped to the Grand Tier during the interval and it was positively blissful up there.
A curious incident before the concert however. We were sat in Choir West Row 1. A rather dishevelled gentleman wearing a long thick raincoat and a briefcase bulging with papers appeared and came down our row. He sat in an empty seat. Sometime later, ticketholders for that seat appeared, and so he shifted up next to me. Then, just before the concert was due to start, ticketholders for *that* seat arrived and he was summarily evicted into the arms of a steward. He seemed reluctant to volunteer his ticket. After prolonged negotiation, said ticket was offered up to find his actual seat was Choir East Row 9. A slightly bizarre way to start the evening! My new neighbour then produced a coffee and a sandwich and gently consumed them during the RVW. Such are the trials of live concert going!Comment
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Although, the Enigma, wasn’t one I will cherish, the rest of the concert was fabulous! What a Tintagel!Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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I didn't hear the whole concert - so might try the TV tonight.
Tintagel was indeed good - though I remember being blown away by Vernon Handley conducting that years ago.
Did you like the flute concerto? I thought the playing was lovely - just not sure about the notes.Comment
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Good that some one else spotted the accel in Nimrod and I wasn’t hallucinating. The great piano teacher Heinrich Neuhaus once wrote he’d often have to correct a common flaw even with Moscow Conservatoire students - the tendency to speed up during a crescendo. A crescendo is more effective if kept at a uniform pace he thought. Otherwise you get lurching and last nights performance was full of that. Of course we don’t want metronomic monotony either .Originally posted by Nick Armstrong View PostOh that was why, was it? I heard that - or rather didn’t - and thought someone had forgotten to come in, or it had been lost in the orchestral / transmission balance…
Yes Nimrod went slightly for naught, didn’t it: playing it for excitement doesn’t really work, it seems (… was there an accel. marked in this “Urtext” I wonder…? )
Not a performance I shall be returning to.
Enjoyed the Coates encore …and I must try and hear the Walton Partita.Comment
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