Gunter Wand at the Proms

Started by Big David, April 25, 2023, 10:16:18 AM

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Big David

I'm fairly certain that I heard Wand conduct only once - a performance of the Bruckner 8th at the Proms in the 1990s.  It was an incredible performance and probably the greatest concert I have ever attended. 

Does anyone know when this might have occurred?  More important, does anyone know of any recording?  I thought Wand conducted at the Proms only once but a friend who keeps a record of every concert he has attended is certain that Wand conducted the 8th at the Proms twice.  (He's not referring to the echo.)

brewski

Quote from: Big David on April 25, 2023, 10:16:18 AMI'm fairly certain that I heard Wand conduct only once - a performance of the Bruckner 8th at the Proms in the 1990s.  It was an incredible performance and probably the greatest concert I have ever attended. 

Does anyone know when this might have occurred?  More important, does anyone know of any recording?  I thought Wand conducted at the Proms only once but a friend who keeps a record of every concert he has attended is certain that Wand conducted the 8th at the Proms twice.  (He's not referring to the echo.)

Just a possible lucky find, but might this be it, from 1995? Was just posted recently, in February. (I'm going to listen anyway, since the Bruckner 8 is a fave.)


-Bruce
"I set down a beautiful chord on paper—and suddenly it rusts."
—Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998)

DaveF

I lived in London from 1984 until early '95 and saw Wand at the Proms at least once.  It's late now, so will look into it tomorrow - somewhere online I believe it's possible to search old copies of Radio Times.
"All the world is birthday cake" - George Harrison


DaveF

Quote from: Mapman on April 25, 2023, 03:49:09 PMThe BBC has a nice database of Proms performances.

Exactly what I was going to say, thank you ;D (I am reminded of a story about some literary figure of the past - Chesterton, Belloc? - who never posted his letters, but just stuck stamps on and threw them out of the window, confident that someone would pick them up and post them.)

So in fact Wand conducted no.8 3 times ('85, '92, '95).
"All the world is birthday cake" - George Harrison

vandermolen

I attended the Bruckner Symphony 9 concert in 2001. Wand's last appearance I think.
It was, unsurprisingly, a magnificent performance.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

DaveF

Quote from: ultralinear on April 26, 2023, 04:04:18 AMP.G.Wodehouse claimed he did this when living in London
Wodehouse - I'm sure you're right.  I need to spend more time on the What Ho! thread.

Thread Duty - I must have heard Wand do 5 and 8 at least once each.  Apart from the music, my memory is of him tottering up to the podium at the start and then, 90 minutes later, standing tall and commanding, a colossus bestriding the world - rather like the transformation brought about by Gandalf on King Theoden in Lord of the Rings.  Berlioz also mentions the rejuvenating effect of conducting when feeling tired and ill.
"All the world is birthday cake" - George Harrison

vandermolen

Quote from: DaveF on April 26, 2023, 09:48:26 AMWodehouse - I'm sure you're right.  I need to spend more time on the What Ho! thread.

Thread Duty - I must have heard Wand do 5 and 8 at least once each.  Apart from the music, my memory is of him tottering up to the podium at the start and then, 90 minutes later, standing tall and commanding, a colossus bestriding the world - rather like the transformation brought about by Gandalf on King Theoden in Lord of the Rings.  Berlioz also mentions the rejuvenating effect of conducting when feeling tired and ill.
That's my memory of Wand as well. I like the King Theoden analogy - or like King Arthur after he'd drunk from the Holy Grail in John Boorman's 'Excalibur'.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Big David

Thanks everyone for your responses.  I will listen to that youtube recording.

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Mapman on April 25, 2023, 03:49:09 PMThe BBC has a nice database of Proms performances. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3SsklRvCSPvfHr13wgz6HCJ/proms-performance-archive

Here's the list of Günter Wand's performances: https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/events/performers/59f672e1-a5cd-45ae-a7da-db40f93640b3/performances
I've found that database to be handy--like when I first listened to Janacek's Sinfonietta.  Alas, it was over my computer, but I still remember my jaw dropping in astonishment.  :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter