GMG Classical Music Forum

The Music Room => General Classical Music Discussion => Topic started by: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 05:53:34 AM

Title: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 05:53:34 AM
I haven't had a proper look at the programme but the following appeal to me:

Glazunov: Symphony 5
Ben-Haim: Symphony 1
Weinberg: Cello Concerto
Weinberg: Symphony 3
Rachmaninov: The Isle of the Dead
Rachmaninov: The Bells
Janacek: Glagolitic Mass
Dorothy Howell: Lamia
Shostakovich: Symphony 11 'The Year 1905' and symphonies 8 and 10.
Bruckner: Symphony 8
Lyadov: Short orchestral works
Sibelius: Symphony 5 (1915 version)

I usually only end up going to one or two concerts, maybe three.

I'm sorry that I no longer live in walking distance from the Royal Albert Hall as I did for many years when I was growing up and into my mid 20s.  :(
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Mirror Image on April 18, 2019, 06:02:35 AM
Quote from: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 05:53:34 AM
I haven't had a proper look at the programme but the following appeal to me:

Glazunov: Symphony 5
Ben-Haim: Symphony 1
Weinberg: Cello Concerto
Weinberg: Symphony 3
Rachmaninov: The Isle of the Dead
Rachmaninov: The Bells
Janacek: Glagolitic Mass
Dorothy Howell: Lamia
Shostakovich: Symphony 11 'The Year 1905' and symphonies 8 and 10.
Bruckner: Symphony 8
Lyadov: Short orchestral works
Sibelius: Symphony 5 (1915 version)

I usually only end up going to one or two concerts, maybe three.

I'm sorry that I no longer live in walking distance from the Royal Albert Hall as I did for many years when I was growing up and into my mid 20s.  :(

Seeing Janáček's Glagolitic Mass would be incredible as would Bruckner's 8th (one of my favorite symphonies).
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 08:07:24 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 18, 2019, 06:02:35 AM
Seeing Janáček's Glagolitic Mass would be incredible as would Bruckner's 8th (one of my favorite symphonies).
I agree John. I've seen the latter a number of times and was amazingly present at a prom c.1970 when the work was conducted by Jascha Horenstein - that performance was later released on CD. I was a bit young (15) to realise how significant the whole thing was:
(//)
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Brian on April 18, 2019, 03:39:07 PM
I saw the Glagolitic live at the Proms in 2011! Belohlavek conducted the original score. One singer was screechy but otherwise it was superb and a dream come true to see live. I would enjoy seeing the Weinberg Cello Concerto live.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: relm1 on April 18, 2019, 04:19:04 PM
Quote from: Brian on April 18, 2019, 03:39:07 PM
I saw the Glagolitic live at the Proms in 2011! Belohlavek conducted the original score. One singer was screechy but otherwise it was superb and a dream come true to see live. I would enjoy seeing the Weinberg Cello Concerto live.

Glagolitic is great live, especially if the organ feels like a punch in the face like it did for me with Dudamel/LAPhil/Disney Organ.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Mirror Image on April 18, 2019, 07:19:44 PM
Quote from: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 08:07:24 AM
I agree John. I've seen the latter a number of times and was amazingly present at a prom c.1970 when the work was conducted by Jascha Horenstein - that performance was later released on CD. I was a bit young (15) to realise how significant the whole thing was:
(//)

Very nice, Jeffrey. I bet that was a memorable concert experience, indeed.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: SimonNZ on April 18, 2019, 07:54:39 PM
I look forward to the premieres each year - either hearing them on the radio or when some helpful soul uploads them to YT.

Of the established repertoire I'd like to be in the audience for Messian's Canyons, Berlioz's L'Enfance du Christ, Benvenuto Cellini and Le Nuits D'ete, Solomons Knot doing Bach Cantatas, and Szymanowski's Love Songs of Hafiz
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Holden on April 18, 2019, 09:09:01 PM
I'm in London at the moment and am sad that this is before the Proms begin. That said I'm off to the RAH this afternoon to hear the traditional Good Friday "Messiah". I even treated myself a box seat for the occasion.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 10:36:00 PM
Quote from: Holden on April 18, 2019, 09:09:01 PM
I'm in London at the moment and am sad that this is before the Proms begin. That said I'm off to the RAH this afternoon to hear the traditional Good Friday "Messiah". I even treated myself a box seat for the occasion.

Hope you enjoy it.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 10:39:05 PM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 18, 2019, 07:19:44 PM
Very nice, Jeffrey. I bet that was a memorable concert experience, indeed.
It was indeed John. Must have been one of my first classical concerts - before I'd even discovered Vaughan Williams. My brother couldn't go for some reason and regretted it when it became a 'legendary' performance of the work. Living near the Albert Hall was great as it meant that we could make a last minute decision to go. We always stood and it was very cheap - happy memories!
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Mirror Image on April 19, 2019, 07:01:00 AM
Quote from: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 10:39:05 PM
It was indeed John. Must have been one of my first classical concerts - before I'd even discovered Vaughan Williams. My brother couldn't go for some reason and regretted it when it became a 'legendary' performance of the work. Living near the Albert Hall was great as it meant that we could make a last minute decision to go. We always stood and it was very cheap - happy memories!

Very nice, Jeffrey. So have you decided to go to any of the concerts you had in mind yet?
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: vandermolen on April 19, 2019, 07:17:19 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on April 19, 2019, 07:01:00 AM
Very nice, Jeffrey. So have you decided to go to any of the concerts you had in mind yet?

It depends if it overlaps with holiday plans. Everything is rather last minute here  ::)
Weinberg's Third Symphony interests me greatly as does No.1 by Ben-Haim but I'm not keen on the rest of the programme. I'll see what my daughter is interested in and my brother; it's fun to go as a group and meet up for a meal beforehand. I like Polish beer and there is a polish restaurant nearby  :)
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: some guy on April 19, 2019, 07:42:19 AM
I'm still waiting for the annual Huddersfield thread.

Sure, "The Proms" is only two short syllables, and "Huddersfield" is three, with 13 syllables if you use the full name.

Still, "Huddersfield" by itself is only one short syllable more than "The Proms."

Of course Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival doesn't have the draw of music by lots of dead guys who've all had name recognition for decades if not centuries. So if you're into musical necrophilia, I suppose it could have limited appeal.

Still....
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Mandryka on April 19, 2019, 11:18:54 AM
Anyone know anything about the singers in The Magic Flute?
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Brian on April 19, 2019, 11:42:05 AM
When I was a little kid in Indiana, the next door neighbor kid was from Huddersfield. She was a jerk.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Mandryka on April 19, 2019, 12:21:57 PM
The problem with the Huddersfield festival is that it's not in London. What I'm waiting for is someone to start up the Almeida festival again.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Ken B on April 19, 2019, 01:13:44 PM
Quote from: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 10:39:05 PM
It was indeed John. Must have been one of my first classical concerts - before I'd even discovered Vaughan Williams. My brother couldn't go for some reason and regretted it when it became a 'legendary' performance of the work. Living near the Albert Hall was great as it meant that we could make a last minute decision to go. We always stood and it was very cheap - happy memories!
Fabulous.
You didn't happen to attend Christoph Eschenbach there in 1976 did you? Only time I was there were, on a high school trip. Everyone else was out getting beer, I was at the Royal Albert getting Mozart.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Holden on April 19, 2019, 09:02:45 PM
Quote from: vandermolen on April 18, 2019, 10:36:00 PM
Hope you enjoy it.

I most certainly did. The smallish instrumental ensemble provided great clarity and the soloists, especially the soprano (Mhaire Lawson) were excellent. The standout for me was the Royal Choral Society choir. What wonderful singing and with great diction. In this performance it's a tradition for the audience to stand for the Hallelujah Chorus and join in if they want to but most, like me just savoured the music. Applause followed immediately after. I also liked the visceral feel of the RAH organ.

The performance earned a standing ovation. I'm so glad that I finally manage to tick this off my bucket list.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Wanderer on April 20, 2019, 01:04:35 AM
A quick glance at the program showed an abundance of interesting concerts (though, most in the "it'd be nice to attend if I happened to be in London" rather than in the "I wish I were in London to attend this" category). Quite an interesting line-up of violin concerti: Dvořák (Bell), Britten (Ehnes), Sibelius (Kuusisto), Korngold (Kavakos), as well as a new violin concerto by Eötvös.

I'd definitely want to attend Belshazzar's Feast, a thrilling piece to hear live, as well as the original version of the Sibelius Symphony No.5, the ending of which I sometimes find more successful than that of the revised version.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: vandermolen on April 20, 2019, 01:53:50 PM
Quote from: Holden on April 19, 2019, 09:02:45 PM
I most certainly did. The smallish instrumental ensemble provided great clarity and the soloists, especially the soprano (Mhaire Lawson) were excellent. The standout for me was the Royal Choral Society choir. What wonderful singing and with great diction. In this performance it's a tradition for the audience to stand for the Hallelujah Chorus and join in if they want to but most, like me just savoured the music. Applause followed immediately after. I also liked the visceral feel of the RAH organ.

The performance earned a standing ovation. I'm so glad that I finally manage to tick this off my bucket list.
Excellent! Glad to hear it.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: vandermolen on April 20, 2019, 01:55:12 PM
Quote from: Wanderer on April 20, 2019, 01:04:35 AM
A quick glance at the program showed an abundance of interesting concerts (though, most in the "it'd be nice to attend if I happened to be in London" rather than in the "I wish I were in London to attend this" category). Quite an interesting line-up of violin concerti: Dvořák (Bell), Britten (Ehnes), Sibelius (Kuusisto), Korngold (Kavakos), as well as a new violin concerto by Eötvös.

I'd definitely want to attend Belshazzar's Feast, a thrilling piece to hear live, as well as the original version of the Sibelius Symphony No.5, the ending of which I sometimes find more successful than that of the revised version.

Yes, there is also a moving passage at the start of the final movement which I miss in the revised version.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: vandermolen on April 20, 2019, 01:57:57 PM
Quote from: Ken B on April 19, 2019, 01:13:44 PM
Fabulous.
You didn't happen to attend Christoph Eschenbach there in 1976 did you? Only time I was there were, on a high school trip. Everyone else was out getting beer, I was at the Royal Albert getting Mozart.

Don't think so although in those days I would have gone to quite a few prom concerts as I was lucky to live within walking distance of the Albert Hall. Probably the Bruckner, Vaughan Williams and Shostakovich concerts would have appealed to me. I recall seeing Aaron Copland conduct a concert of Amercan music.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: listener on April 20, 2019, 09:29:43 PM
Quote from: relm1 on April 18, 2019, 04:19:04 PM
Glagolitic is great live, especially if the organ feels like a punch in the face like it did for me with Dudamel/LAPhil/Disney Organ.

My last encounter with Belshazzar's Feast was in Southampton a few decades ago on a program with the Glagolitic Mass!!  and a Berlioz Rob Roy Overture   - Rattle conducting.
My only Horenstein live  was the Bruckner 5th in the RAH in the 1971 Proms (Schubert  'Unfinished' and a Beethoven piece for soprano, piano and orch. with Brendel on piano)
I have had some good luck!
.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: amw on April 21, 2019, 04:09:02 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on April 19, 2019, 12:21:57 PM
The problem with the Huddersfield festival is that it's not in London.
I think that undersells the issue; the main problem is that it is in Huddersfield.

(American readers who have not lived in the UK: imagine a flagship contemporary music festival taking place in Gary, Indiana)
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Ken B on April 21, 2019, 08:11:06 AM
Quote from: amw on April 21, 2019, 04:09:02 AM
I think that undersells the issue; the main problem is that it is in Huddersfield.

(American readers who have not lived in the UK: imagine a flagship contemporary music festival taking place in Gary, Indiana)
No need. The Interlochen festival in Michigan is a top level music event.
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: some guy on April 21, 2019, 08:35:12 AM
Interlochen is nothing like Gary.

The Interlochen festival is nothing like "a flagship contemporary music festival."
Title: Re: The Proms, London 2019
Post by: Crudblud on April 22, 2019, 11:04:57 AM
I must confess I couldn't find much of anything to get excited about in this year's line-up, but then I haven't been excited by the Proms in some years. I think it should have value insofar as its being widely broadcast for free(-ish) should attract newcomers, but I wonder if it actually does. I imagine most people who have any interest in it are interested in the Last Night celebrations and not much else.