Prom 36: Marin Alsop conducts the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (13.08.22)

[edashtav]

Sorry, Marin, the lovely woodwind introduction to the Concerto was too prosaic for words. Later, once Ben Grosvenor had set the agenda, more romance and shape plus skittish interludes, the orchestra relaxed becoming more loose, in fact I nearly typed louche!

Oh dear, the second movement- a theme with variations - again was announced as if Marin was wearing a strait-jacket rather than a bodice. Ben Grosvenor’s mercurial variety again worked its magic but I noticed that when things slowed all colour and shape drained from the orchestra’s accompaniment. Carefree liberation had to caress an orchestra obsessed by playing accurately rather than with sensitivity.

Perhaps, the bassoon at the start is supposed to sound like an old fuddy duddy, fortunately once Grosvenor unleashed a fusillade of fireworks, the orchestra was soon ‘on message’ . I really liked the performance in this finale.

Overall, marks out of 10
Ben : 9 (full of brilliance, panache and pianism of the highest order)
Orchestra : 6 (constantly playing catch-up)
Marin : 4 (belt, strait-jacket and braces)

[Joseph K]

Jeu D’Eaux as an encore strikes me as both generous and appropriate….
Whatever happened to the arena fountain?

Beautifully played!

[edashtav]

Jeu D’Eaux as an encore strikes me as both generous and appropriate….
Whatever happened to the arena fountain?

The Fountains of Rome, played earlier in the season, used all of its water supply.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Sorry, Marin, the lovely woodwind introduction to the Concerto was too prosaic for words. Later, once Ben Grosvenor had set the agenda, more romance and shape plus skittish interludes, the orchestra relaxed becoming more loose, in fact I nearly typed louche!

Oh dear, the second movement- a theme with variations - again was announced as if Marin was wearing a strait-jacket rather than a bodice. Ben Grosvenor’s mercurial variety again worked its magic but I noticed that when things slowed all colour and shape drained from the orchestra’s accompaniment. Carefree liberation had to caress an orchestra obsessed by playing accurately rather than with sensitivity.

Perhaps, the bassoon at the start is supposed to sound like an old fuddy duddy, fortunately once Grosvenor unleashed a fusillade of fireworks, the orchestra was soon ‘on message’ . I really liked the performance in this finale.

Overall, marks out of 10
Ben : 9 (full of brilliance, panache and pianism of the highest order)
Orchestra : 6 (constantly playing catch-up)
Marin : 4 (belt, strait-jacket and braces)

Pretty fair analysis Edashtav. Though I would never mark performers out of ten ! Wonderful, Wonderful Jeu D’Eaux . A poet of the piano….

[edashtav]

Beautifully played!

Hear, hear!

[Alison]

Yes Ben, to whom I would give 10, definitely deserved a conductor better able to enter the full range and depths of the concerto.

[edashtav]

Pretty fair analysis Edashtav. Though I would never mark performers out of ten ! Wonderful, Wonderful Jeu D’Eaux . A poet of the piano….

Old teachers retire from school but they are marked for life.

[edashtav]

Yes Ben, to whom I would give 10, definitely deserved a conductor better able to enter the full range and depths of the concerto.

Nicely put, Alison.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Old teachers retire from school but they are marked for life.

Ok your marks out of ten for this interval feature. It perhaps detracts from the purity of the musical experience?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes Ben, to whom I would give 10, definitely deserved a conductor better able to enter the full range and depths of the concerto.

Funny ‘cos every one always seems to go on about what a superb conductor she is….

[edashtav]

Ok your marks out of ten for this interval feature. It perhaps detracts from the purity of the musical experience?

8 (tried too hard to be HIP.)

But,

It made me laugh and was gloriously unbuttoned!

[Alison]

Funny ‘cos every one always seems to go on about what a superb conductor she is….

Yes I’ve noted that tendency. Expectations quite low for the symphony.

[edashtav]

Yes I’ve noted that tendency. Expectations quite low for the symphony.

I liked her Brahms when she was with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and I once heard her give the finest interpretation of Leonora III that I’ve ever experienced in the flesh.

She has a ‘safe pair of hands’ and nothing phases her.

[Alison]

My dad says that in the seventies there used to be intervals that had nothing to do with music.

Think I’d rather like that now.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Yes I’ve noted that tendency. Expectations quite low for the symphony.

Many , many years back I remember a BBC producer colleague wanting to go to the green room after a concert to remonstrate with the conductor over a lacklustre accompaniment to a world famous pianist. The pianist was so modest he came up to us after his (magnificent) perf and asked if it was any good.