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Post by julesd68 on Mar 11, 2023 12:00:43 GMT
I think there is possibly something else at play. As Dave Hurwitz has mentioned the press in this country absolutely love to big up British performances, both in the concert hall and recorded. Nothing wrong with that where justified, everyone wants to be supportive, but there needs to be some real objectivity where things can be improved. I was staggered to read one critic saying that the Shosta was Karabits's greatest achievement at the BSO!
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 16, 2023 22:53:53 GMT
Tonight was Mahler 3 with Paavo Järvi.
I need to gather my thoughts. Immensely impactful and moving. A profound experience of music, life and what lies beyond ...
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Post by Tim on Mar 16, 2023 23:07:09 GMT
I'm seeing Yuja Wang at the Barbican soon Jules, can't wait, I think she's very good. Might not be everyone's cup of tea, but definitely mine.
I'll look forward to hearing more about Mahler 3, I've probably mentioned I'm a big Mahler fan.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 16, 2023 23:35:04 GMT
I love Yuja.
I was lucky enough to see her at the Proms last year, the complete performer. So different from when I saw her in one of her first UK recitals. She has always had the technique but now communicates so much more with her music.
She is a force of nature and in a way is peerless in her talents. Because she does things her own way, doesn't pander to convention or public opinion no matter how purile and nasty people can be.
More importantly her skills are seemingly inexhaustible ... Who else could attempt to play all the Rach concertos in one performance?
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Post by MartinT on Mar 17, 2023 6:06:18 GMT
Tonight was Mahler 3 with Paavo Järvi. I need to gather my thoughts. Yes, the 3rd does that to me, too. Watching those old Haitink performances, he looks like he's been through a whole lifespan conducting it. Totally exhausted at the end of it. |
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Post by MartinT on Mar 17, 2023 6:07:16 GMT
Wang is just special, a unique and truly gifted performer.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 17, 2023 11:26:48 GMT
Paavo Järvi Conducts Mahler 3
Royal Festival Hall
Thu 16 Mar, 7.30pm
Philharmonia Orchestra
Hongni Wu soprano
Philharmonia Voices (Ladies)
Tiffin Boys' ChoirIn this leviathan of a work, the mezzo soprano exclaims -
"The world is deep ... deep is its pain!"At that point I experienced a profound instance of grief. I lost a great friend of nearly 40 years last week and it was impossible not to be affected by the emotions of that moment. It made the final movement that much more poignant as we stare deep into the soul and the infinite plains of what lies beyond. “My work forms a musical poem covering all stages of evolution, ascending stepwise. It begins with inanimate nature, and rises steadily to the love of God.” ~ Gustav MahlerMahler 3 is certainly one for the musicologist. That's not me, so if you want a thorough breakdown of the work then I suggest a perusal of the following two guides, that take you through it without overwhelming in fine detail or pomposity. It's also important to remember that Mahler himself was more interested in where the music takes the listener as opposed to one's scholarly evaluation of this manifest hymn to pantheism. www.sfsymphony.org/Data/Event-Data/Program-Notes/M/Mahler-Symphony-No-3-in-D-minorwww.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/3958/symphony-no-3I will describe my personal highlights, of which there were so many, in each of the six movements.
First Movement What to say ... surely it's one of the most exhilarating and original movements in the repertoire. It depicts the birth of Spring but to me the music suggests far more than this, such is the deeply primal nature of the score, so deftly moving us seamlessly through elements of violence, chaos, death and rebirth. We witness these short, sharp shock exchanges of darkness and light, with the latter eventually victorious after a tumultuous battle. Whilst many of these are 'linear' that take place one after the other, at times it's fascinating to hear Mahler use one group of instruments to express the darkness, at the same time as another section of the orchestra guides us into the light ... Of course the whole orchestra has to play with extreme intensity but it's impossible not to focus on the fevered workrate of the brass section here. And the hardest worker of all is the 1st trombone, Byron Fulcher (I believe), on whom there is such an extended focus, with no place to hide. Such control. Complete mastery of the instrument with gobs of tone, timbre and musicality; a clarion call throughout. I was in awe of the tiny details he could add to a note, often allowing the tone to waver almost imperceptibly in the ether. After the rambunctious climax it's good that we have a moment or two to gather ourselves before the relief of some lighter and shorter movements.
Second Movement Delicate, innocent themes abound in the blossoming meadow, bathed in radiant light; beguilingly playful melodies interspersed with fevered bursts of activity. I'm seduced by the sweet, sweet tones of the Concert Leader's violin, so colourful in his work. The woodwind depiction of the forest's animation is quite delightful with each instrument playing a fully expressive and developed role.
Third Movement Darkness descends, whereby as in the second movement we are never allowed to settle for too long, before the night calm is fractured by nocturnal enterprises ... Off-stage we are corralled by a lone brass instrument - a trumpet, or flugelhorn as Mahler suggested? Exquisite in execution and gently hypnotic, the call leads us deeper into the night and to be frank it nearly lulled me to sleep myself, but for the various outbreaks of instrumental scenery! Fourth Movement"O Man! Take heed!
What says the deep midnight?"We welcomed mezzo soprano Hongni Wu to the stage as the music is set to look deep into the soul. I was very much struck by the profundity of her vocal, its technical and emotional quality which set a most dignified yet understated tone, whereby I was sure that she was singing straight from her heart. Fifth MovementNow it's the turn of the Tiffin Boys Choir to chime out the "Bim Bam" church bell theme that immediately sends me hurtling back 46 years or so to when I sung this as a young chorister on tour in Provence. A special memory. But there's no time to dwell on nostalgia as I have the keenly expressive voices of the Ladies' Philharmonia Voices to enjoy in the exchanges with the mezzo. Forgiveness of man's mortal sins predominates in my mind here, heralding "heavenly joy that has no end", neatly setting up the extended finale of the Adagio. Sixth Movement Hereby we witness the glorious and infinite culmination of all of the work's previous musical themes, as the orchestra presents us with a contemplative, yet bustling vision of the power and beauty of what awaits us all. The music ebbs and flows with such ecstatic purpose and force, yet is often deeply romantic in tone, taking me from the depths of darkness to celestial light and the afterlife. I get a great sense of the lifeforce coursing infinitely through the score. As the music reaches its grand conclusion I'm minded that no other symphony is so deeply connected to life, love, death and beyond. Finally it would be remiss of me not to talk a little more about the superb performance of this fine orchestra, the Philharmonia, in all of its swelled numbers, with eight horns and double basses reinforcing the lower registers, with an army of percussionists and more. I don't think one can overstate the physical and emotional stamina that must be required to safely navigate this immense marathon. But I love the way that in spite of this it's always on the move and undulating with a succession of gorgeous yet relatively short, exquisitely crafted instrumental solos, that add such sharply defined character. Paavo Järvi often asked for more from this orchestra and they always responded in kind, fully committed to their herculean labour. The maestro was forceful yet encouraging in the right way, with a full blooded yet deeply romantic vision of the work. As the evening drew to its inevitable close I was minded what a unique symphonic and life experience this is. Anyone interested in classical music must partake of its wonders at least once and see what kind of a journey it takes you on. Truly a magical evening which I was lucky enough to enjoy with my son, on a Southbank that seemed at one with Mahler's harmonious theme, vibrant, colourful, yet full of metropolitan dark and light. Thank you for reading. 
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Post by Tim on Mar 17, 2023 14:17:06 GMT
Because she does things her own way, doesn't pander to convention or public opinion no matter how purile and nasty people can be. That right there gets my deepest respect. The classical world says it wants to attract a younger audience, but when someone comes along and rocks the boat to try and do that with some flair and individualism, they throw their toys out the pram and criticise her. Puerile indeed and yes, she is a force of nature - I wasn't sure how the land lay with her here, but seems we are all on the same page. Wonderful review of Mahler 3 too Jules . . . I've a mind to put that on right now, as you've really put me in the mood. Loved this description "beguilingly playful melodies interspersed with fevered bursts of activity" . . . . you're a wordsmith sir  |
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 17, 2023 17:50:59 GMT
You know what's even more galling about some of the Yuja flack - often the most unpleasant (and sexist) vitriol that I have read comes from women! I won't repeat any of it here, but it simply beggars belief.
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Post by Tim on Mar 17, 2023 21:05:32 GMT
That doesn't surprise me Jules, petty jealousy I reckon.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 21, 2023 14:04:21 GMT
Has to be 5* for Lugansky @ Wigmore Hall last night.
More to follow.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 23, 2023 19:18:54 GMT
March 20, Wigmore Hall
Nikolai Lugansky, piano
Rachmaninov
10 Preludes, Op 23
Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op 4
Etudes-tableaux, Op 39
"At my signal, unleash hell!" Thus spoke Russell Crowe, aka Maximus, in Gladiator. As lucid and powerful as Lugansky's Rachmaninov recordings are, nothing quite prepares you for his fortissimo in the concert hall. When he goes for the nitrous, it's quite extraordinary ... But we had to wait a little while before he pressed the button. The first four Preludes are a bit of a palette cleanser for me and furthermore I was really struggling with the tone of the piano. It sounded dark and muddy, with the upper registers just not cutting through. Was it the acoustic of the Hall and my ears just struggling to adjust? Of course it was unlikely the fault of the instrument, but the irony of the stone's throw location of the Steinway store was not lost on me. Then the touch paper was lit and B-O-O-M, Lugansky unleashed his staggeringly visceral G Minor, simply the most potent and thrilling performance of this I have heard and one of my favourite piano works in the repertoire. How on earth he managed to keep ratcheting up the tension and sheer volume I will never know. A simply outrageous combination of outright muscle, imperious technique and unbridled passion. The marked contrast of the two halves of the work has never been observed so mesmerically. It just oozed unmitigated and unashamed Imperial romance and was transcendent in the best possible way, as I gazed in wonder at the Art Nouveau murals of the hall, that radiated their stoic appreciation. Yes from then on I was completely hooked and somehow my ears had acclimatised to the tone. How was it possible that it had changed so dramatically? I will never know. But I do know that there was no stopping our soloist now. The Corellis were delivered with a rock solid security, never wavering or losing their way for a moment. They were more of a second skin than second nature. All of his rhythms were so sharply and crisply delineated they could have been hewn from granite. This crystalline shaping was delivered with such dark tenacity even in its quietest moments. As we hurtled towards the most gigantic climax to the work, it struck me that this was the epitome of virtuosity but played in a manner that was musically and emotionally so satisfying and never indulgent. The interval was surely required to gather our battered senses. But such relief was only short-lived - if there was a preface to the Tableaux, it would have been something like "strap yourself in, were expecting turbulence." The opening C minor set the tone without delay, a deliriously heady exploration of the mind besieged by a swirling emotional and musical ebb and flow. Some might prefer more restraint. "Too forceful" someone unwelcomely shared after the first. Not for me, I'm all in for this devilishly opulent hedonism that takes no prisoners. Indeed it's difficult to imagine a more complete performance of this depth and grandeur. At ff or pp you are never in any doubt of the intensity in emotion, both in the music or performance, so keenly and deeply felt. What incredible stamina Lugansky possesses! Having performed at this Herculean level for so many minutes he would have been forgiven for a hasty exit after his immensely well deserved ovations. But no, he threw himself into not one but two encores that astonishingly enough were substantial workouts in their own right. Staggering. Tough luck to those who didn't bother to stay and applaud our hero. It was indeed a rare experience to delve so deeply into the heart of Rachmaninov, and indeed, our imperfect and ever feeling souls. Bravo, Sir. 
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Post by MartinT on Mar 23, 2023 19:42:19 GMT
Reading your excellent review, Jules, I wish I had experienced that!
Looking to see if he has recorded it.
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Post by Tim on Mar 23, 2023 19:48:47 GMT
I'm going to save that for a cup of coffee tomorrow Jules, I enjoy your reviews.
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Post by julesd68 on Mar 23, 2023 20:14:01 GMT
Reading your excellent review, Jules, I wish I had experienced that! Looking to see if he has recorded it. Here is the brand new Etudes recording, followed by the old one (inc op33) then the Preludes and finally Corelli. |
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Post by julesd68 on Apr 11, 2023 15:17:02 GMT
4 Apr 2023 - Temple Church, London
Dupré: Passion Symphony, Op 23
Richard Pinel organ
Grace Davidson sopranoLast week I managed to indulge in two concerts in one day at the same venue, the stupendously lovely Temple Church. It is well worth a visit just to look round, let alone enjoy a performance from their excellent and varied concert programme. This rather fabulous Dupré Organ Symphony began life in 1921 as an improvisation on the organ inside a Philadelphia department store! Dupré's composition was based on four melodies suggested by audience members, including the Easter chants Stabat Mater Dolorosa and Adoro Te Devote. What remarkable musical talent ... Fast forward a hundred years or so and our performance was by Richard Pinel, an organist with quite the musical pedigree, including a number of years at my old "employer", St George's Chapel, Windsor. The narrative of this work is very easy to follow, which is most vivid in its depictions of the life of Christ. The First Movement depicts a world of chaos and abandon prior to Christ's birth with a highly charged and atmospheric swirling dissonance but ends triumphantly with huge chords whose decay hung in the air for around four seconds. A superb instrument in a superior church acoustic. The second movement's Nativity scene is charmingly based on the melody of Oh Come All Ye Faithful, depicting the infant Christ. How ironic that a few rows away from me there was a newborn that seemed to reply in kind to the music. This was initially rather cute but at a later stage rather annoying in breaking one's concentration ... The Third Movement's unsettling depiction of the Crucifixion wove in some haunting and beguiling melodies that lovers of Poulenc and Messiaen will surely appreciate. The "death chords" if you will, were especially harrowing. The final movement began in a most subdued manner as you would expect but then just builds and builds with a monumental crescendo towards the Resurrection. We heard the full range and power of this fine Organ which I can unreservedly say was given a masterful performance from Richard Pinel, who endowed this work with all of its scope of charm and colour.
There was an extra element to the performance whereby by way of introduction to each movement we were treated to unimbellished Plainsong chant from the Baroque specialist, soprano Grace Davidson, singing with superior clarity from the far end of the Church and making the most of the fine acoustic.
Truly a satisfying musical experience in this historic venue where one is always warmly welcomed. This left me with the afternoon at leisure prior to returning for the early evening recital, featuring Passiontide masterpieces of the Renaissance, Baroque and twentieth century -
Byrd: Ne irascaris, Domine Byrd: Miserere mei Lotti: Crucifixus in 8 parts Purcell: Remember not, Lord, our offences Caldara: Crucifixus in 16 parts Poulenc: Quatre motets pour un temps de penitence Lassus: Timor et tremor Bruckner: Christus factus est
What a truly beautifully curated program by Thomas Allery, director of the Temple Singers. Each work is of the highest calibre and to add an extra sonic element to the performance, the choir changed the location of where they sung from three times, which has a profound effect on one's aural perception of the music.
The opening Byrd was pleasingly secure and it was obvious that this is a very well marshalled outfit. I thought the Countertenor to be especially fine here. Whilst always sounding pleasing in unison I found that the 16 part Caldara didn't fare quite as well, with the complex polyphony sometimes sounding confused and smeared. At this point I was right next to the choir and it might have sounded more cohesive at a further distance.
The female sopranos were occasionally harsh in the highest notes of the programme and there were some unnecessary but minor embellishments, to which I'm just particularly sensitive, having been brought up in a world of boy trebles. I was glad to be seated at some distance for the Poulenc - some fearsome and exciting sound levels here and it was definitely one for lovers of this composer, of which I am certainly one. Nothing was predictable in its musical development. The Bruckner was astonishing with some crushing dynamics and sound pressure, a perfect way to finish the recital.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 11, 2023 18:30:19 GMT
Sounds wonderful. Being a bit of a French organ fan, I know the Dupre (and quite a lot of Widor) symphonies well.
I would trip over myself to see Widor's 3rd live.
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Post by julesd68 on Apr 12, 2023 11:32:37 GMT
Sounds wonderful. Being a bit of a French organ fan, I know the Dupre (and quite a lot of Widor) symphonies well. I would trip over myself to see Widor's 3rd live. Excellent, I will be sure to investigate Widor 3! |
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Post by julesd68 on Apr 12, 2023 11:38:23 GMT
6 Apr 2023Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke's, London
Mediterranean Baroque: Forma Antiqva José de Nebra - Allegro from Overture: Iphigenia en Tracia Bernardo Álvarez Acero - Fandango José Castel - Allegro from Sinfonia a piu stromenti Bas-3 Nicolás Conforto - Andante alla francese from Sinfonía de La Nitteti Vicente Baset - Allegro assay; Adagio; Minuete from Sinfonia a piu stromenti Bas-3 Luigi Boccherini - Tempo di Minuetto from String Trio Op VI No 5 Juan Bautista Mele - Andante from Sinfoniia de Angelica e Medoro Nicolás Conforto - Fandango Santiago de Murcia - Cumbees Nicolás Conforto - Con ira; Andante alla francese; Allegro from Sinfonía de Siroe Francisco Corselli - Andante from Overture: La cautela en la amistad José de Nebra - Minuet and Allegro from Overture: Iphigenia en Tracia José Castel - Minuetto from Sinfonía No 3 Vicente Baset - Allegro assay; Adagio; Allegro from Apertura a più stromenti Bas-5 I can't believe it's the first time I have visited this wonderful venue. As you can see in the photos it's really just a shell of the old 17th century derelict church that has been developed into this superb, modern hall. I really was very impressed by the imposing roof structures and lighting. The only thing at all that I can mark this venue down on is a most uninspiring and drab basement cafe that seems out of step with the rest of the warm and inviting customer experience; surely there will be plans to develop it. On to the music. I haven't come across Forma Antiqva before, a Spanish ensemble composed of two violinists, harpsichord, cello and Baroque guitar - lovely! The group is well recorded if you would like to check out their interesting catalogue. As you can see above the programme featured lots of short works, or parts of larger works; the composers were completely unfamiliar to me, save the Boccherini which made this a wonderfully fresh and invigorating concert. We were treated to a bright and breezy Baroque extravaganza which was all delivered with an infectious zest and passion for this music. The opening work was a bit of a "rangefinder" if I'm honest in that the duelling violins hadn't quite found their intonation and timing. This issue was promptly corrected, indeed, the violins went onto to show that they have a great musical relationship and understanding. The concert was led from the harpsichord on which rhythms were occasionally tapped out on the frame of the instrument - I loved the extra colour this percussion added to the music! Another great feature of the performance was the regular use of really heightened dynamics, where they went from joyous full tilt to whispered tones at the drop of a bow. I found this most playful and engaging. I also really enjoyed the adagios and andantes, whose more leisurely pace allowed more emotion to shine through the music, the two violins especially revelling in richly plaintive tones. Another highlight for me was the featured guitar works which allowed me to really appreciate this instrument, entirely new to me in the concert hall if memory serves ... I left feeling eminently satisfied by my lunchtime introduction to the sunlit sphere of Spanish Baroque and started looking at an early return to this venue. Indeed, I'm looking forward to another Baroque chamber music feast next week!
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Post by MartinT on Apr 12, 2023 13:01:55 GMT
Thanks, Jules. I'm going to look them up.
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