Concerts: previews / reviews

[A Lark Ascending]

8 hours ago, BillF said:

My, you do get around, Bev!

Making up for lost time. Whaling songs by the Humber Bridge tomorrow! 

[A Lark Ascending]

Mozart - Don Giovanni (English Touring Opera at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield)

Enjoyable performance if a bit Spartan - singing a bit rough in places, too. In English but mercifully surtitles too. The translation was very contemporary - rather funny but not exactly PC (the opera itself is hardly equality friendly...even DG's descent into hell is portrayed as a bloke staying true to himself until the end rather than a bounder getting his just deserts). 

Not sure what the set up of English Touring Opera is - the only time I've seen them before was in Tippett's KIng Priam a couple of years back. They're not up to the standard of Opera North but seem very busy. Their current schedule covers four months everywhere:

http://englishtouringopera.org.uk/tour-dates/

The Guardian critic was impressed at an earlier performance:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/13/don-giovanni-review-english-touring-opera-lloyd-wood

[A Lark Ascending]

• Butterworth - A Shropshire Lad
• Casken - Apollinaire's Bird
• Elgar - Sospiri
• Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 4

The Halle Orchestra, Mark Elder; Stephane Rancourt oboe at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall

Music for an English spring....though the programme was not as obvious as it might have been. The utterly beguiling 'A Shropshire Lad', the most cowpatty of the cowpats and the ever so short but completely heart-breaking Sospiri. 'Appollinaire's Bird' is a wonderful recent oboe concerto - the title refers to a poem about a bird heard amidst the chaos of the Western Front in World War I. Worth seeking out in the NMC recording. 

I don't think I've every been so enthralled by Vaughan Williams' 4th before. One that doesn't get out much (and I don't play it a great deal) but this evening it had my attention at every step. A bleak, often sardonic piece written in the Thirties - commentators usually relate to it to the political instabilities and gathering clouds of the time but RVW refused to pin down its 'meaning'. Particularly struck by the slow movement - a returning slow march marked out by the lower strings with the violins/violas embroidering on top, interrupted by bleak, otherworldly woodwind sections. There was a lovely moment at the start of the last movement where the galumphing first subject is succeeded by a rather jaunty second...the faces of the front line of the first violins all erupted in broad grins. You can hear a Stravinsky influence in this piece in the unstable rhythmic accenting...except where Stravinsky and most of his followers tend to be graceful RVW wears hobnail boots. A bit like English folk dance music, I suppose.      

As when I saw the Halle in Manchester a couple of months back, Elder again addressed the audience. First to give some background to the new piece and to shower it with praise; and then in between the Elgar and RVW to make a few comments about the Elgar and give us a few things to listen out for in the Fourth. All sorts of things have been tried to make going to 'classical' concerts less like going to church - lighting, amplification, playing it in nightclubs. Bit for me, a few words from the conductor (or anyone else on stage for that matter) makes all the difference. It helps if you are as articulate, impassioned and positive as Elder. 

(Get out clause: I'm not musically trained (though I have read more album notes over the years than is sensible) so if, in attempting to articulate what absorbed me last night, I've used the wrong terms, sorry). 

Edited April 9, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[papsrus]

Wrong terms or not, nice review Bev. Gives a good sense of the music / experience. Sounds like a wonderful concert. 

[A Lark Ascending]

4 hours ago, papsrus said:

Wrong terms or not, nice review Bev. Gives a good sense of the music / experience. Sounds like a wonderful concert. 

Merci. 'Twas indeed...you come out of these things bursting with excitement. Your thread here provides a nice release valve to rabbit. 

[A Lark Ascending]

Mahler: Symphony No.2 (Resurrection) (Royal Festival Hall, London)

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; Vladimir Jurowski conductor; Adriana Kucerová soprano; Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano; Philharmonia Chorus

A chance watch/listen to a performance of 2 on TV around Easter '74 (think it was Bernstein at Ely Cathedral) opened my ears to Mahler (though I had also been seduced in by the adverts on TV for Ken Russell's film which was current at that time). Started buying the records the following summer - they sat nicely alongside 'Tales of Topographic Oceans', Soft Machine 'Third' and other behemoths.

This one was a period instrument performance (that's HIP to the hip). Hugely enjoyable. The odd squawk in the brass (must be devils to control) and the strings sounded a bit quieter than in a modern orchestra which had the odd effect of making other parts sound out much louder rather than appearing like subsidiary phrases or lines. The only bit that troubled me was in the third movement when Jurowski played the main dance theme quite slow but then suddenly sped up for the fanfare section - you could feel the gears changing awkwardly.

Two effects were remarkably successful. The off-stage brass, hidden away in rooms or corridors at the side really did sound otherworldly in the last movement producing some wonderful antiphonal effects (he also had a group of wind/brass players file out to a stage at the side to play their chorale during the song of movement three). He also followed Mahler's original instruction (according to the pre-concert lecture) of getting the choir to stay seated when singing. This had an electrifying effect when they finally did stand up at the climactic 'Auferstehen, Ja Auferstehen' moment just before the end...major spine tingling! 

Proper review here: OAE Jurowski review – gentle fascination of period-instrument Mahler

Then a diversion home the following day to...

Mozart  Clarinet Concerto; Bruckner  Symphony No. 9 (Symphony Hall, Birmingham)

CBSO, James Feddeck – Conductor, Michael Collins – Clarinet

None of the grand theatre of the previous night but equally as enthralling. Went for the Bruckner - don't think I've been to a live Bruckner for 20 odd years - but I'm very fond of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto and that was lovely. Bruckner 9 is, along with 5, 7 & 8, one of his pieces I return too again and again (the others get occasional outings but I've yet to fully warm to them). I think I last heard this in the flesh at a Prom in 1977.  

Wonderful piece, the two slow movements inching forward like glaciers. Particularly taken by the the galloping little melody at the centre of the scherzo last night (could be a theme tune for a TV programme about gymkhanas); makes a nice contrast to the hobnailed boots of the main tune. I'm also always affected by the great climax at the start of the last movement (repeated later on) with the horns ringing out, suddenly to modulate mysteriously and with a degree of greater distance. Again, seeing as opposed to just hearing, you became aware of certain details, in particular how important the solo flute is in the piece. 

That's it with high culture for a month...then it goes really mad!  

Edited April 14, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[JSngry]

Damn Bev, you've turned into a veritable gadfly!

We've had a bit of a lull here, but we have this coming tomorrow. https://www.mydso.com/buy/tickets/jaap-van-zweden-conducts-wagner-lohengrin-and-haydn

Expectations are for a good old-fashioned thrill ride (yay!).

 

Quote

Jaap van Zweden conducts

Michelle DeYoung mezzo-soprano

Stuart Skelton tenor

Kristinn Sigmundsson bass

Nathan Olson violin

Erin Hannigan oboe

Theodore Soluri bassoon

Theodore Harvey cello

HAYDN Sinfonia Concertante

WAGNER Scenes from Die Walküre, Acts II & III

WAGNER Scenes from Lohengrin, Acts I, II & III

The DSO continues its exploration of Wagner with scenes from two of his masterpieces – Lohengrin and Act II and III of Die Walküre. Lohengrin is one of the truly great romantic operas; Wagner himself said that the music pours out “like streams of gold, ravishing the senses of the beholder.” Our journey with Die Walküre continues with scenes from Acts II and III, including the glorious “Ride of the Valkyries.” Also includes Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante.

 

[A Lark Ascending]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Damn Bev, you've turned into a veritable gadfly!

We've had a bit of a lull here, but we have this coming tomorrow. https://www.mydso.com/buy/tickets/jaap-van-zweden-conducts-wagner-lohengrin-and-haydn

Expectations are for a good old-fashioned thrill ride (yay!).

 

Retirement with all debts paid off...and one of the last of the fair middle class pensions! 

That concert of yours looks great - don't know the Haydn but the Wagners are marvellous. 

[JSngry]

I've come to really embrace the Wagnerian opera thing. Risking my marriage though, as this one was an additional, non-subscription presentation, and the generally receptive Mrs. JSngry has let it be known that she is attending this under protest, still feeling very aversional to all things "classical vocal", particularly opera. I'm hoping that it's just so damn Wagnerianly overwhelming that it breaks down her resistance, or at least doesn't jeopardize her lesser-but-still-present hesitations about going to see Carmina Burana in two weeks.

 

[Mark Stryker]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

I've come to really embrace the Wagnerian opera thing. Risking my marriage though, as this one was an additional, non-subscription presentation, and the generally receptive Mrs. JSngry has let it be known that she is attending this under protest, still feeling very aversional to all things "classical vocal", particularly opera. I'm hoping that it's just so damn Wagnerianly overwhelming that it breaks down her resistance, or at least doesn't jeopardize her lesser-but-still-present hesitations about going to see Carmina Burana in two weeks.

 

In fairness to Mrs. JSngry, there is "opera" and there is "Wagner," and while the latter is a subset of the former, not everyone who digs the former digs the latter. Me? You can take all of Wagner and I'll take "La Boheme," "Marriage of Figaro" and "Falstaff" and we'll call it even. 

[JSngry]

I first seriously heard Tristan about 18 months ago and those harmonies took me to a place I had never been to before, not like that. I liked that place, and still do.

[papsrus]

You guys are going to some strong concerts. The Mahler sounds amazing. And Wagner should be great. 

Season's over here, sadly, and I didn't get to go to a few things I intended to. But the highlights were Orpheaus Chamber Orchestra and Vienna Phil, particularly in Wagner, so I'll be interested in JSngry's impressions of the DSO's performance. 

Already looking forward to a few possibilities next season, prime among them right now is a complete Bruckner cycle at Carnegie Hall next January with Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin. Seriously considering part of it -- all of it would be insane. 

[A Lark Ascending]

4 hours ago, papsrus said:

Already looking forward to a few possibilities next season, prime among them right now is a complete Bruckner cycle at Carnegie Hall next January with Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin. Seriously considering part of it -- all of it would be insane. 

That does sound good, even if you cherry pick. No. 5 is up there on my targets for live performance that I'll travel to see. My favourite Bruckner symphony but I've never seen it live.

I don't know if anyone has used this:

https://bachtrack.com/

Allows you to search by place, work etc so you can find if something or someone you'd like to hear is happening in the near future (I discovered that I could fly to Prague to hear Bruckner 5 next month....think I'll listen to the CD!). The search engine takes a bit of getting used to and it's hardly exhaustive but I tracked down the Bruckner 9 through it [I appreciate the distances between US cities are often far greater than in Britain reducing realistic options]. 

Proms programme is now published:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/r938q9/by/date/2016/08/08#2016-08-08

At first glance there's not a clutch of around three nights of things I'd like to see (familiar and new) for me to make a nice London jaunt of it. But I'm tempted by a day trip for Mahler's 'Das Lied von der Erde' - never heard that in real life. 

Edited April 15, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[JSngry]

Very enjoyable concert last night. The big takeaway for me was the Haydn, which began like it was gonna be all foo-fooey,  but no, between some truly brilliant wriiting, playing, and interpretation, there was no prissyness,  just music, seamless, so seamless that there were times when the passing of the lines back and forth between seemingly unlimited combinations just dizappeared, and all that was there was the pure music of the music, if that makes any sense. I have not yet really dug into Haydn, but he keeps popping up, and every time he does, it's seriously rewarding,  so....my loss, yet again...so much music, so little time.

The Wagner pieces were executed wonderfully.People seem to associate Wagner with LOUD, and there is that, but there is also that sustained quietude where the lines just keep going and the inner harmonies keep moving, and geez, it's its own oversized world of totally internalized craziness, but the science of both how and why it works...amazing, really.

[JSngry]

To that end, perhaps, there was a bit of mustyness to the music, but of a type that exists in all the post-WWII Wagner I've heard...it's like, for, obvious reasons, the danger has been removed from Wagner, and now it's all safened up. But you get the airshots of this shit in full roar, and it's. ..unsettling how primal it is, primal in the deep way of there is darkness in all of us, darkness is an essential trait of humanity,  yes people are beautiful,  but that beauty comes with a corollary,  so...look out for that, be ready to deal with that, beauty and the beast indeed...

Of course, where that all led in its time is a matter of record, and polite people rightly step back from all that, so we don't hear THAT type of Wagner these days. We did not hear it last night, and that was ok, as what we did hear was splendid on all counts. But I tell, you, there is a deeply dark danger in this music that we try to step over..we can step over it, but it's impossible not to step in it again at some point, just look around at all the darkness that keeps making a fully intentioned effort to swallow the light,  and look at how ravenous that appetite is.

Wagner is not really dangerous today, but people sure the hell are, so...just keep that in the back of your mind at all times, that's all.

[papsrus]

Wagner ... 

Primal, yes.

There's a brief, lighthearted but nonetheless illuminating discussion of the Tristan Chord here. (somebody give me a quick refresher on inserting video). A chord often described as quite literally marking the beginning of modern music. And it's all about that tension Wagner is so masterful at creating, and maintaining. And the richness of the harmonic landscapes he weaves around all of that to take the listener where precious few can, or dare to. 

Very mysterious music, very rich music, at times crushingly tragic music. And irresistible. 

For me, where Wagner goes deep in creating that sexual, primal tension, Bruckner achieves a similar effect coming from a religious point of view. Bruckner, like Wagner, weaves these rich harmonic tapestries that often seem to intentionally evade resolution. And the overall effect in both composers can be a sense of dark mystery.

Coincidentally, I was listening in the car this evening as I headed back to work to Van Zweden talking about this dark, richness in Bruckner and how some of that can be attributed to him composing all of his music on the organ -- every note of it, he said. 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2016 by papsrus

[A Lark Ascending]

One of the most interesting lines of thought I've read on Wagner is the way he (and many who followed) manipulate the emotions of the listener. Which in turn made it ideal music for those who wanted to use music to manipulate for their own purposes. Which in turn gives at least one explanation why many composers  in the 20thC century turned away from music that was emotionally stirring (well writing it...Boulez was happy enough to conduct it). 

The word I always come up with after listening to The Ring and Tristan in particular is 'narcotic'. I dream about the stuff. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Agree about the quiet music in Wagner - most performances or recordings of sections tend to focus on the stirring music. But there are long sections of the most exquisite quieter music - the 'Forest Murmurs' in 'Siegfried', for example, and, my favourite, the desolate opening of Act III of 'Tristan'. 

 

[papsrus]

Speaking of quiet music, the aforementioned comments by Van Zweden were part of his larger comments on Mahler No. 9. I only caught the ending of the final movement as performed live by the DSO, which preceded his comments. You could hear a pin drop. Pretty amazing. (There's a DSO Live label, apparently -- similar to LSO Live (?)) 

Back to Wagner: The term 'narcotic' captures it nicely. Irresistible, dreamlike, with a darkness that is at once a little frightening and wonderously beautiful. And as a listener, you're either all in or you turn away -- to Mozart perhaps, where every note seems perfectly in place. 

I found it curious at first when someone described attending a Bruckner symphony that was paired with and preceded by Mozart. There's a mood shift. But I see now it's apparently not that uncommon as at least one of the Carnegie Bruckners next season is paired Mozart. I would suppose pairing Wagner with Haydn has a similar effect. 

 

 

[JSngry]

Probably as much to do with interpretation as anything, but I've now heard the DSO do both Haydn and Mozart, and Haydn delivered so much more in terms of music that presented possibilities rather than inevitabilities. The pairing with Wagner was not without significant contrasts, but they were not incomparable contrasts.

Also with Wagner, I think you gotta look at the lyrics as well as the music. That's something I need to do more of myself, but there's a lot of really deep, dark thingshappening with those characters and those stories and the music is only part of it.

And yes, there is a DSO Live label, and yes, that Mahler disc is a worthy offering. Recommened, and not just as a point of local pridr.

[Larry Kart]

55 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Probably as much to do with interpretation as anything, but I've now heard the DSO do both Haydn and Mozart, and Haydn delivered so much more in terms of music that presented possibilities rather than inevitabilities. The pairing with Wagner was not without significant contrasts, but they were not incomparable contrasts.

Also with Wagner, I think you gotta look at the lyrics as well as the music. That's something I need to do more of myself, but there's a lot of really deep, dark thingshappening with those characters and those stories and the music is only part of it.

And yes, there is a DSO Live label, and yes, that Mahler disc is a worthy offering. Recommened, and not just as a point of local pridr.

I love Haydn, but some day we (or something or someone out there) is going to turn on the Mozart light for you. 

[A Lark Ascending]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Also with Wagner, I think you gotta look at the lyrics as well as the music. That's something I need to do more of myself, but there's a lot of really deep, dark thingshappening with those characters and those stories and the music is only part of it.

The most powerful thing of all...to my ears...in the Ring at least is the use of the leitmotifs. They get drip-fed in over the 16 hours; often one will vanish for several hours suddenly to emerge much later. The way he uses them to convey the psychological state of the characters (and much more) is extraordinary; and sometimes they are used ironically with a character like Mime (bad guy) saying one thing but the motifs suggesting his real thoughts. The last 30 minutes of 'Gotterdammerung' is overwhelming because most of the motifs from all four operas are brought back in an astounding rush of emotion. Sounds great as a 'bleeding chunk' but if you've taken the full journey it's utterly overwhelming. 

Another great example is the Rheinmaiden music at the start of 'Das Rheingold' which more or less vanishes until half way through 'Gotterdammerung'; there's an utterly gorgeous scene there where the music (and maidens) return but even more richly harmonised.  

Playing spot the motif sounds a bit academic but it increases your enjoyment of the music many times over (and they are not hard to spot). I have a paperback of the libretto littered with number references of the motifs from the course I did 25 years back. There's a very good analysis (on CD/mp3 now) by Deryck Cooke, produced when the Solti Ring first appeared.   

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wagner-Introduction-Der-Ring-Nibelungen/dp/B00000424H?ie=UTF8&keywords=Deryke%20Cooke%20and%20Sir%20Georg%20Solti%20and%20Wiener%20Philharmoniker&qid=1460911564&ref_=sr_1_1_twi_aud_2&s=music&sr=8-1

[JSngry]

9 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

I love Haydn, but some day we (or something or someone out there) is going to turn on the Mozart light for you. 

Or I could die first, you place your bet on that one.

[Larry Kart]

At Symphony Center: The Bavarian RSO under Mariss Jansons doing the Shostakovich 7th (Leningrad). Superb orchestra (the winds especially), handsomely conducted by Jansons, but what a horrible piece of music. You can see why an irritated Bartok parodied its near-endless first movement march in his Concerto for Orchestra. Listening hard after a while for some passage, any passage, that wasn't mechanical, bulldozing, and banal, I finally found one in the third movement, an organically flowing melody for the violas alone. It went for naught, but there it was.

[A Lark Ascending]

Sigh. Such patrician disdain. 

[Larry Kart]

6 hours ago, A Lark Ascending said:

Sigh. Such patrician disdain. 

Why patrician? Was Bartok -- he infused with Hungarian folk music --  less of the people, less down-to-earth than Shostakovich?