Prom 22: Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (2.08.22)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

19:30 Tuesday 2 August 2022
Royal Albert Hall

Iannis Xenakis: O-Mega
Dmitry Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor

Tom Service and Nicholas Collon introduce Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor

Patricia Kopatchinskaja violin
Aurora Orchestra
Nicholas Collon conductor

‘Flawless.’ ‘Stunnning.’(sic) ‘An absolute tour de force.’ Under founder-conductor Nicholas Collon, the Aurora Orchestra’s recent Proms performances from memory have knocked the critics sideways – and the partnerships gets ever more visceral, insightful and daring. Tonight they toast the anniversary of Iannis Xenakis and explore Shostakovich’s First Violin Concerto with Patricia Kopatchinskaja – one of the rare soloists whose brilliance, intuition and uninhibited theatricality can match their own. After the interval, Radio 3 presenter Tom Service lifts the bonnet on Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony: stripping genius back to basics before handing over to Collon and Aurora for a full performance, from memory. Sonic rewilding, from the ultimate orchestral adventurers.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

(See also Prom 23, which is a repeat of the Beethoven symphony.)

[Pulcinella]

No comments?
I was out at choir committee, but my partner listened and said he didn't think he'd ever heard any concerto played so well.

I look forward to hearing the repeat, though I might experiment with the dreaded Sounds first.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

No comments?
I was out at choir committee, but my partner listened and said he didn't think he'd ever heard any concerto played so well.

I look forward to hearing the repeat, though I might experiment with the dreaded Sounds first.

Avoided it. Couldn’t bear the thought of TS gasping on about how incredible it was that the orchestra played it all from memory - an admirable feat, of course, but utterly irrelevant to the standard of playing. The fact that they are only allowed to play if they stand throughout the performance verges on cruelty for some potential players, and it’s quite unnecessary.

[King_Ouf_I]

In the hall, the concerto was jaw-droppingly wonderful to watch - I do hope the radio experience was as good. The pianissimi, both from the soloist and the band, were as close to inaudible as you could imagine and yet were as clear as a bell from my side-stalls seat. The sheer physicality of the performance was overwhelming. Never can a soloist’s refusal to give an encore been so justified, or cheered by the (packed) audience. Unforgettable.

The Beethoven was not immaculate, but it had energy, meaning and excitement. There was no gratuitous meddling, just to give an old warhorse a new look. The introduction had some interesting ideas, new at least to me (e.g. the 2nd movement ‘amens’, and the link between the 3rd movement and Mozart 40, the latter of which I’m embarrassed not to have spotted before) and was engaging enough to whet the audience’s appetite. I loved the positioning of the piccolo player all on her own behind and above the basses: I don’t suppose that could be heard on the radio (also, the contrabassoon sat with the cellos). The ‘from memory’ trick is now old hat, and this performance was pretty static, so being unshackled from a music stand lost some of its potential, but it’s plain that in the strings, particularly, the ability to watch each other in one’s section leads to an attractive fluidity of movement that usefully focuses the attention. My only disappointment was that I wanted the basses to be more prominent: when they had the tune, they were barely audible to me. Looking forward to Maestro Collon’s Prom with the Finnish RSO later this month.

[King_Ouf_I]

The fact that they are only allowed to play if they stand throughout the performance verges on cruelty for some potential players, and it’s quite unnecessary.

Two comments: (1) it would appear that standing is not compulsory: one of the violas chose (or had) to sit on a bar stool. (2) Being able to turn 360 degrees to look at other players is one of the advantages of performing without a printed part hogging your attention, and this is far more difficult if one is sitting. In any case, Aurora is an overwhelmingly young orchestra (my companion jokingly asked if they had a policy of ‘one grey hair and you’re out’) - nevertheless, I can’t believe they would refuse a player’s reasonable request not to stand, as exemplified by (1) above.

[Bryn]

No comments?
I was out at choir committee, but my partner listened and said he didn't think he'd ever heard any concerto played so well.

I look forward to hearing the repeat, though I might experiment with the dreaded Sounds first.

"Dreaded Sounds"? My first port of call, it being far higher audio quality than FM, DAB, Freeview et al

[jonfan]

In the hall, the concerto was jaw-droppingly wonderful to watch - I do hope the radio experience was as good. The pianissimi, both from the soloist and the band, were as close to inaudible as you could imagine and yet were as clear as a bell from my side-stalls seat. The sheer physicality of the performance was overwhelming. Never can a soloist’s refusal to give an encore been so justified, or cheered by the (packed) audience. Unforgettable..

Agree. I too sat in the side stalls and was so glad to be there. The arena was crammed right to the back with several children of primary school age standing by the front rail, engrossed throughout the concert.
The pianissimi in the Concerto were extra special because they were shared with the large audience, the concentration of everyone wonderful and unifying to feel. The Beethoven emphasised the originality of the piece afresh and performed with the excitement of new discovery. Aurora give responsibilities to young musicians setting out on their careers, the two young horn players a case in point - the principal Annemarie Federle was in the Young Musician final.

[Pulcinella]

"Dreaded Sounds"? My first port of call, it being far higher audio quality than FM, DAB, Freeview et al

Just not sure how I can use it with my Sonos system other than in real time.

Perhaps I need to investigate, but it seems to appear only as a live radio link (having changed from being Radio 3).

[gedsmk]

Just not sure how I can use it with my Sonos system other than in real time.

Perhaps I need to investigate, but it seems to appear only as a live radio link (having changed from being Radio 3).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0019l26

will the sonos take the sound from an ipad or a phone on the same wireless connection?
or can you play it via a web browser on the tv?

[Pulcinella]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0019l26

will the sonos take the sound from an ipad or a phone on the same wireless connection?
or can you play it via a web browser on the tv?

Good thought.
Also thanks to Bryn, who has sent a couple of PMs with suggestions (which I'll chat about to the friendly local guys at Richer Sounds who set the system up for us).