Prom 16: Sea Sketches with Andrew Manze and BBC NOW (27.07.22)

[oddoneout]

This might be of interest

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/jul/26/ralph-vaughan-williams-visionary-genius-lark-ascending

[Nick Armstrong]

This might be of interest
https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...lark-ascending

It is. Thank you.

[Maclintick]

I have tickets for this, but can’t go because of the RMT strike tomorrow, which I support. Sometimes art has to suffer for the good of society as a whole.

[cloughie]

Apparently Carwithen means castle in the woods ( looked it up)
I thought the dairy at Lostwithiel closed in the 90’s - maybe it’s partially reopened. Haven’t been through there for a few years.
I see Doreen was married to William Alwyn …

https://www.trewithendairy.co.uk/

Roddas is Redruth

https://www.roddas.co.uk/

[Petrushka]

Unprecedented disaster would be nearer the mark. Stormin' Normin' Lebrecht has been thundering about it on his blog thingy - on this occasion the observable evidence broadly backs him up. Figures of 25% sales across the season are mentioned.

A most telling example is the 2nd Berlin PO/Petrenko Prom which still has acres of unsold seats at the time of writing https://tickets.royalalberthall.com/...formance/76384.

In recent years Rattle/BPO could have put on a concert melding Faroese sheep herding music with orchestral arrangements of Einstürzende Neubauten*'s greatest demolitions and still filled the place.

*For those unfamiliar, the rough translation of this band's moniker is "Collapsing New Buildings" which is as good an evocation of their sound world of as you're likely to get.

Punters seem to be being highly selective. Some of the obvious "events" have ultimately sold out as expected - Verdi Requiem, Mahler 2 & 7, Gerontius, The Planets, but otherwise... Not good, and (curiously?) much worse than last year according to my anecdata.

My first glance back in April of what was on offer was seriously underwhelming. Poor programming, conductors I'd never heard of let alone heard, acres of dross in an overlong season. The poor ticket sales possibly reflect much of this and makes me wonder if it is a deliberate ploy by the BBC as an excuse to wind down their involvement with the Proms.

[Ein Heldenleben]

My first glance back in April of what was on offer was seriously underwhelming. Poor programming, conductors I'd never heard of let alone heard, acres of dross in an overlong season. The poor ticket sales possibly reflect much of this and makes me wonder if it is a deliberate ploy by the BBC as an excuse to wind down their involvement with the Proms.

I think the problem with the BPO Petrenko prom that Simon B correctly says has plenty of tickets is that it’s Schnittke and Shostakovich (and not 5 or Leningrad) and a halfway decent ticket is the best part of £70.

[Petrushka]

I think the problem with the BPO Petrenko prom that Simon B correctly says has plenty of tickets is that it’s Schnittke and Shostakovich (and not 5 or Leningrad) and a halfway decent ticket is the best part of £70.

That is actually a terrific programme! When I previously heard the Schnittke at the Proms I was so taken with it that the following morning I dashed round all the CD shops in London for a recording. It's a wonderful piece while the DSCH 10 is surely one of his most popular. My ticket (side stalls) cost £62.

I suspect that there are many factors at play in the poor ticket sales.

[Ein Heldenleben]

That is actually a terrific programme! When I previously heard the Schnittke at the Proms I was so taken with it that the following morning I dashed round all the CD shops in London for a recording. It's a wonderful piece while the DSCH 10 is surely one of his most popular. My ticket (side stalls) cost £62.

I suspect that there are many factors at play in the poor ticket sales.

It might well be a terrific programme but there are hundreds of unsold seats for one of the great orchestras of the world performing it. I suspect if had been Mahler 5 or the other two Shostakovich symphonies it would have sold more tickets. There’s also the fact that Rattle is more of a box office draw than Petrenko (rightly or wrongly).

[duncan]

In recent years Rattle/BPO could have put on a concert melding Faroese sheep herding music with orchestral arrangements of Einstürzende Neubauten*'s greatest demolitions and still filled the place.

*For those unfamiliar, the rough translation of this band's moniker is "Collapsing New Buildings" which is as good an evocation of their sound world of as you're likely to get.

I saw Einstürzende Neubauten recently at the former T+C, they have mellowed considerably in their old age!

Last night's Tchaikovsky 4 and Barber VC was well attended from what I could see.

[Dave2002]

I saw Einstürzende Neubauten recently at the former T+C, they have mellowed considerably in their old age!

Last night's Tchaikovsky 4 and Barber VC was well attended from what I could see.

T+C=?

[Dave2002]

T+C=?

Guess it was this venue - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O2_Forum_Kentish_Town

[mrbouffant]

I was in the hall for this one and enjoyed it immensely. Manze is a conductor of rare energy and accuracy. He seems to live every piece with his musical forces. The guy must have been absolutely exhausted afterwards. Masterly control in the RVW and an all round memorable concert for me.

[Pulcinella]

I was in the hall for this one and enjoyed it immensely. Manze is a conductor of rare energy and accuracy. He seems to live every piece with his musical forces. The guy must have been absolutely exhausted afterwards. Masterly control in the RVW and an all round memorable concert for me.

No doubt it came over differently in the hall, but we found the balance rather odd: the choir too distant, and the soloists (sadly, at least the soprano, satisfying the BBC blurb in being operatic!) too forward. Overall, we felt that the sea had perhaps been tamed too much: we didn't get the tingle factor that this piece usually gives.

[Maclintick]

No doubt it came over differently in the hall, but we found the balance rather odd: the choir too distant, and the soloists (sadly, at least the soprano, satisfying the BBC blurb in being operatic!) too forward. Overall, we felt that the sea had perhaps been tamed too much: we didn't get the tingle factor that this piece usually gives.

Very much my impression too. Didn't really sound like a choir of 250 in the Sea Symphony.

[mrbouffant]

Very much my impression too. Didn't really sound like a choir of 250 in the Sea Symphony.

That's a shame. In the hall they blew our socks off! Excellent pianissimo singing too.