Prom 49: Rattle conducts Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Symphony (24.08.22)

[Prommer]

Had the dickens of a job securing a gallery promming ticket this morning from the RAH website. Managed it with seconds to spare before the ticket would have been removed from the basket...

[Lordgeous]

Lucky you. WHAT a piece! Love every minute of it but the closing bars can be overwhelming in a good performance. My current favourite recording is the live Tennestedt LPO RFH version. The LPO at their best and huge dynamic range in this superb recording. A performance of this work always seems like a very special occasion. partly due, I guess, to having to gather together the huge forces neccesary to perform it. But for some reason the mighty 8th has never had the same impact on me, even though I sang in the chorus once at the RAH.

[cloughie]

Lucky you. WHAT a piece! Love every minute of it but the closing bars can be overwhelming in a good performance. My current favourite recording is the live Tennestedt LPO RFH version. The LPO at their best and huge dynamic range in this superb recording. A performance of this work always seems like a very special occasion. partly due, I guess, to having to gather together the huge forces neccesary to perform it. But for some reason the mighty 8th has never had the same impact on me, even though I sang in the chorus once at the RAH.

It is a marvellous work! - I also agree about No8 - it has a massive start but then, despite the massive forces, 70 minutes of disappointment.

[Lordgeous]

Phew. Pleased it's not just me!

[Serial_Apologist]

Phew. Pleased its not just me!

Mind you, the Eighth ends mightily impressively, in my opinion. It's just the having to wait for it...............

[Bryn]

Phew. Pleased its[sic] not just me!

May I just suggest that your joint problem may not belong at Mahler's door?

[RichardB]

I also agree about No8 - it has a massive start but then, despite the massive forces, 70 minutes of disappointment.

Interesting... I've always thought the 8th, from beginning to end, to be a far more powerful and beautiful work than the 2nd, impressive though the earlier work is.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Interesting... I've always thought the 8th, from beginning to end, to be a far more powerful and beautiful work than the 2nd, impressive though the earlier work is.

Do you think it’s harder to bring off than the 2nd in the concert hall though ? There’s just so much going on - pretty much like conducting an opera . Only heard it live once with Rattle as it happens and he did a superb job..

[RichardB]

Do you think it’s harder to bring off than the 2nd in the concert hall though ?

Maybe. I've only heard the 8th once in the concert hall (Edo de Waart with the Netherlands Radio Orchestra in the Concertgebouw) and I didn't have the feeling that bringing it off was problematic. For one thing, it's a lot more integrated as a work than the 2nd - its second part is basically a single span from the mysterious "Naturlaut" at the beginning to the final pealing resonances, which also of course incorporate the motives with which the first part began. The long procession from darkness to light in the 2nd isn't so subtly paced or so consistent.

[cloughie]

May I just suggest that your joint problem may not belong at Mahler's door?

Yes fine - I’m not blaming Gustav - he just wrote the Symphonies for the listener to make as they will of them.

[Lordgeous]

Love Mahler, love all the symphonies - just not the 8th!

[Alison]

Rattle at his considerable best and the finest orchestral playing I’ve heard this season.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Rattle at his considerable best and the finest orchestral playing I’ve heard this season.

Difficult to know who to throw the bouquets to in the orchestra without clearing out the local florist ….

[Simon B]

If only any thing else in the world at the moment was as predictable as the impact of this.

The only Prom I've been to this year with genuine "Proms atmosphere" too. Actual full house and actual silence - well, OK there was at least one mobile going off, but otherwise.

Nearly a 10/10, except for, ultimately, not enough organ. I could still hear the strings!

[Ein Heldenleben]

If only any thing else in the world at the moment was as predictable as the impact of this.

The only Prom I've been to this year with genuine "Proms atmosphere" too. Actual full house and actual silence - well, OK there was at least one mobile going off, but otherwise.

Nearly a 10/10, except for, ultimately, not enough organ. I could still hear the strings!

Yes but it was in tune !