The Proms 2007

[sound67]

The hall was full not only because it was Mahler's rarely performed 3rd Symphony but because it was the crack Lucerne Festival under Abbado.

Yeah, the crack pick-up orchestra.

[Hector]

And unfortunately Abbado conducting this outstanding assembly of top musicians in Mahler's 3rd is not included in the box set Lucerne Festival. The First 5 Years.. 

I suspect that a live performance from somewhere in Europe will be issued soon, probably on DG.

[Hector]

Yeah, the crack pick-up orchestra.

Hand-picked crack pick-up orchestra.

[uffeviking]

I have a number of CDs with Natalie Gutman in cello compositions, it's a thrill to actually see her performing as member of the Lucerne Festival orchestra. 

[Symphonien]

Testing new Flash feature.

I uploaded a Prom video, the Piano Concerto from Prom 23:

http://www.youtube.com/v/p8KAo3vbNa8

In 5 parts, plus the interview with Salonen and Bronfman.

1st mvmt, part II

2nd mvmt

3rd mvmt

Interview

Wow! Thanks so much for that; what an awesome piece! Such colourful music with great rhythmic drive too, particularly from the percussion. I've heard the premiere with the NYPO already, but seeing this actual video performance was amazing. Makes you appreciate more the vast orchestral resources he's writing for. And I shudder to think what that piano part would look like; Bronfman makes it look so easy but he said himself it's incredibly difficult. The interviews at the end were interesting too.

Has anyone else seen this yet?

[Greta]

It's an incredible piece. They're recording this in LA in the spring, I can't wait.

I liked: The clever opening, the Gershwinistic feel when the piano enters, the last half of the 1st mvmt which really "grooves", the piano/viola duet, the neat way the saxophone is used (my instrument), the bongos, great stuff. The impressionistic 2nd mvmt which looks to Rachmaninoff and the very romantic climax. The Ravellian opening of the 3rd mvmt, the way the rhythm keeps shifting, and the insanely virtuoso piano writing, those last 2 minutes probably gave Bronfman fits! And it certainly generates a lot of sound, with the whirling orchestral flurries throwing up a vortex of overtones, would be great to hear live. I would love to see the score! 

[knight66]

Well, put my name down for one.

Mike

[Maciek]

I wonder: am I the only one having trouble in accessing those "folder" links Mark posts? The specific file links you posted early on worked alright for me. But when you link to several tracks at once - I get an error...? I will try if IE gives me better results.

[Mark]

I wonder: am I the only one having trouble in accessing those "folder" links Mark posts? The specific file links you posted early on worked alright for me. But when you link to several tracks at once - I get an error...? I will try if IE gives me better results.

I think I messed up with the earlier uploads - I didn't have a Mediafire account back then, so I guess my links expired. However, I'll be putting all the tracks from each of the Proms I've captured (there'll eventually be around twelve) into a series of .rar uploads over the coming weeks, and re-posting them here. The arrival of my baby permitting, obviously.

[Maciek]

Well, all I can report is that using Internet Explorer did not help. But I checked the early files (Bruckner) - and the downloads still work.

I'll just wait for the .rars then.

[Mark]

Actually, just checked exactly how many Proms concerts I'll eventually be uploading (if all goes to plan): 14.

These will be Proms 1, 6, 7, 11, 19, 33, 43, 44, 60, 62, 65, 66, 69 and 72.

[Bruckner is God]

I had the misfortune of hearing Michael Tilson Thomas and the SFS butcher two great symphonies this weekend. Shostakovich 5 and Mahler 7. Terrible performances. And what has happened to Deborah Voight's voice? It is certanly not what it used to be.
Complete vaste of money.
I left the Albert Hall in anger, especially after the horrible Mahler performance.

[sound67]

... especially after the horrible Mahler performance

How come?

[Mark]

I had the misfortune of hearing Michael Tilson Thomas and the SFS butcher two great symphonies this weekend. Shostakovich 5 and Mahler 7. Terrible performances. And what has happened to Deborah Voight's voice? It is certanly not what it used to be.
Complete vaste of money.
I left the Albert Hall in anger, especially after the horrible Mahler performance.

Guess you'll not be pleased to hear that the MTT Mahler Seventh is one of the Proms concerts I'll be posting up for download later this year.

[AB68]

I didn't hear their Mahler, bur I did go to to their concert on saturday, consiting of Ives, Strauss and Shostakovich.
I went because of the Shosty 5. I have no interets in Charles Ives' music, and little to none interest of opera, so I didn't concentrate during the first half of the concert.
I thought the Shostakovich was decent, but not to my liking. I thought it was too polished. The playing was excellent for the most part (altough I thought the string sound was surprisingly thin).
So, decent, but not a great and memorable performance.

I hope someone will upload the WP's concerts tonight and tomorrow. It is always a great pleasure hearing them.

[Novi]

I had the misfortune of hearing Michael Tilson Thomas and the SFS butcher two great symphonies this weekend. Shostakovich 5 and Mahler 7. Terrible performances. And what has happened to Deborah Voight's voice? It is certanly not what it used to be.
Complete vaste of money.
I left the Albert Hall in anger, especially after the horrible Mahler performance.

Hey Bruckner is God - I heard their Mahler 7 up here in Edinburgh and wasn't impressed either.

(I didn't mind the Strauss).

[Hector]

I had the misfortune of hearing Michael Tilson Thomas and the SFS butcher two great symphonies this weekend. Shostakovich 5 and Mahler 7. Terrible performances. And what has happened to Deborah Voight's voice? It is certanly not what it used to be.
Complete vaste of money.
I left the Albert Hall in anger, especially after the horrible Mahler performance.

I saw you!

The last movement woke me up and some bloke in a white shirt with a big bag strode off during the applause. I thought he had a train to catch.

[knight66]

Seemingly more tickets have been sold this season than ever before. Though with the spreading of the proms across venues, I would hope there would be an increasing trend. However, the BBC also reported the highest ever average attendance of 87% and over 30 concerts a sell out.

Mike

[Mark]

Right, I've uploaded Proms Nos. 1, 6, 7, 11 & 19 (so far), all of which can be downloaded from here.

Check this folder regularly over the next couple of months, as I still have Proms Nos. 33, 43, 44, 60, 62, 65, 66, 69 & 72 to upload.

Enjoy.

[Mark]

Now added Prom 33 to this folder.