Prom 69: Tuesday 6th September at 7.30 p.m. (Wagner, Rihm, Mahler)

[prokkyshosty]

(Was this before the music or after the concert, BTW?)

A quorum from the PSO brass and horns approached the PMC representatives before the concert, handed over a wad of bills, then took some pictures with the Prommers. The "Arena to Orchestra" bit occurred at the end of the interval after the usual announcement. Indeed, it was quite a nice gesture from what appears to be some generous folk, especially in light of their own pay difficulties -- in the pre-concert talk, it was mentioned that the members sent $10,000 to their brethren in the Detroit Symphony to help pay their health care premiums during their strike.

As for the "witty chants" that are referred to in one of the reviews, I'm not sure what's being referred to, unless it is the "Arena to audience" business. To be honest I haven't really heard much interaction between the orchestra and the Prommers this season, though I could be wrong. I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping to hear the orchestras welcomed in their native languages, especially to see how the Prommers greeted the American orchestras. "Howdy?" "Wassup?"

[David Underdown]

The welcome shouts are only done for debut orchestras, so are increasingly rare these days

[Chris Newman]

One little bit of audience participation that I miss these days is singing the A just before the oboe blew it when the orchestra tuned up. A couple of perfect pitch singers usually saw to it that all was in order. The visiting orchestras loved it. I recall the NHK SO of Japan singing it back one Sunday afternoon. The combination of that exercise and the old Royal Festival Hall summons to arms for the concert gave me several perfect notes. I guess the Waterloo Station and South West Trains jingle (Leonora Number Three) keeps my ear topped up these days.

[Serial_Apologist]

By which I meant they were loud and clear but played with subtle, bold colour and volume changes and less of the blare and rasping vibrato we expect from US orchestras. The principal trumpet's sound reminded me of the clear very flexible sound of Bram Gay who was in John Barbirolli's Halle and Colin Davis's ROHCG.

Cavatina, we just have to disagree on the quality of the sound in the arena at the rail and farther buck. I like to be able to hear the woodwind, harp and horns as part of the ensemble rather than individual unblended string players. The front few rows are often the cheapest in most concert halls for that reason. I tried the rail for Dausgaard's BBCSO concert in the first half but moved back at the interval. The important thing is we both often had wet eyes because we were deeply moved by a fabulous performance and felt the floor lurching about as the sound rocked the place about.

I had not originally planned to go and the sound of Colin Davis's Missa Solemnis was still ringing as ear worms in my mind. Then I heard the Tchaikovsky 5 on the steam radio and knew that I must hear this orchestra. I am so glad I did. I got home at half past one. A train full of England football supporters could not drown the memories of Mahler 5 but I could not go to bed till three.

Chris

Your message prompts an idea for a publicity campaign on behalf of Roger Wright's rebranding R3 bid to increase ratings - possibly to be headlined by someone with detailed knowledge of the terrain?



Radio 3's brief to meet its unacknowledged demographic - proposed blurb

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America gave us Soul; we now offer you Sole Music! - a brand new niche service to complete the well-heeled, discerning Prommer's specialist tastes amid gold-brocaded splendour!

SOLE MUSIC!

We keep instep - you foot the bill!

You won't realize what you've been missing unless you give it a try!

Within walking distance of the Royal Albert Hall

Dial this number, for the unforgettable post-Prom experience!

What do ya reckon?

[BudgieJane]

One little bit of audience participation that I miss these days is singing the A just before the oboe blew it when the orchestra tuned up. A couple of perfect pitch singers usually saw to it that all was in order. The visiting orchestras loved it. I recall the NHK SO of Japan singing it back one Sunday afternoon.

And on the odd occasion singing B flat instead, just to keep them on their toes.

[Ariosto]

And on the odd occasion singing B flat instead, just to keep them on their toes.

Pitch and rhythm are quite loose concepts in orchestras, so maybe they didn't notice ...

[Chris Newman]

As recalled by BudgieJane:

"And on the odd occasion singing B flat instead, just to keep them on their toes."

Yes, I think we usually reserved that for one London orchestra who were known for never smiling despite their rather more casual dress than other groups.

[gradus]

Just caught up with this concert and what a cracker it was. The Mahler was simply extraordinary and R3 obliged with a sound balance that reminded me of the old 35mm film recordings under Steinberg ie bright, analytic and with perhaps too much brass in the balance. Interestingly by the second encore someone seemed to have adjusted the mike covering the Horn section to a more natural perspective/balance - anyone else notice this? But i quibble, as remarked above this Proms Mahler 5 is up there with the best of them.

[Chris Newman]

Just caught up with this concert and what a cracker it was. The Mahler was simply extraordinary and R3 obliged with a sound balance that reminded me of the old 35mm film recordings under Steinberg ie bright, analytic and with perhaps too much brass in the balance. Interestingly by the second encore someone seemed to have adjusted the mike covering the Horn section to a more natural perspective/balance - anyone else notice this? But i quibble, as remarked above this Proms Mahler 5 is up there with the best of them.

Like it or not, William Caballero, Principal Horn (in my opinion one of the finest I have ever heard and in charge of the best horn section I have heard) stood up for his big solo in the Mahler and used the back wall between him and the organ to project his sound into the hall. The entire section did this in the finale. It was a stunning effect in the hall itself. I have heard the Czech Phil use this technique in the Rudolfinum in Prague.

[Peter Katin]

A fascinating, if not quite overwhelming, reading of the Mahler 5.

Exceptionally transparent and detailed, tonight the momentum of the whole structure didn't always carry through its separate parts. VERY free with rubato in the scherzo, at times threatening musical coherence, but intriguing nonetheless, a vivid sense of a story being told, of the dance of life, whether human or animal.

Part 1 very impressive - sad & ferocious lament, then angry protests, a glimpse of a triumph, a rapid fade.
Very sweet-toned strings in the adagietto, moderately-paced, leading to a finale which seemed to me a little too relaxed in its quieter moments; though the trumpets' affirmatory blaze was thrilling in itself, it still left me a little unfulfilled with the performance as a whole.

The Rihm piece was an extreme study of bleakness, darkness even, despite the predominance of high violin tones... violent outbursts punctuated the nightmare. Mutter's solo shone out from the heart of it.

Maybe. But somehow I can't come to terms with the Adagietto, especially as played as a sort of death-stricken dirge. They have lovely strings but to my mind they were wasted with this. Still, who am I...