Proms 2012 - pre-launch speculations

[John Skelton]

Even allowing for the cadenza's impeccable provenance, it still sounds "wrong"! We all know the improvisatory nature of cadenzas, but when one has been done as brilliantly, and organically as Kreisler, that really is the ne plus ultra for this concerto. How can one improve on perfection?

Beethoven himself left no cadenzas for his Violin Concerto. This publication contains not only the well-known cadenzas by Leopold Auer and Joseph Joachim, but also several which are seldom performed, such as those by Ferdinand David (the first surviving cadenza to op. 61), Dont, Laub, Molique, Novacek, Saint-Saens, Spohr,Vieuxtemps, Wulfhorst, Wieniawski and Ysaye. The majority of these cadenzas are published here for the first time since the 19th century. The cadenzas by Wieniawski and Ysaye are published here for the first time ever.

http://www.violinist.com/discussion/...e.cfm?ID=16602

Some of those could be very interesting (and perhaps interestingly disconcerting in how "wrong" they sound, and what that might reveal about reception / performance practice). I'd be especially interested to hear Ferdinand David's* and the Spohr cadenza.

*Ah ha: starting at 022:32 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ2ihBH2l_s

[Panjandrum]

Love the way the Busoni, predictably, comes out sounding like Bach rather than Beethoven.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'd be especially interested to hear ... the Spohr cadenza.

So would I - and I'd always presumed that it pre-dated the David?

[Panjandrum]

Ok, the ordering:

1. Kreisler ()
2. Ysaye
3. Schnittke
4. Joachim 2
5. Busoni
6. Beethoven
7. Saint-Saens

The Schnittke is practically a free fantasy on themes of Beethoven. Typically post-modernist, it becomes a game of spot the quotation. I noted at least three other concertos quoted (viz, Shos1, Brahms, and Bartok 2) and there may well be others.

[Barbirollians]

I would take Kreisler as a violinist over Tetzlaff any day !

[Bryn]

I would take Kreisler as a violinist over Tetzlaff any day !

Too late.

[bluestateprommer]

(a) Getting back to the Ulster Orchestra / Ulster Youth Orchestra Proms on August 4:

4 August: Ulster Youth Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra Joint Promenade Concert under JoAnn Falletta (UO's new principal conductor) with Sir James Galway as soloist. Programme to be announced.

One tidbit about this program with James Galway is from this page:

http://www.jamesgalway.com/tour.htm

BBC PROMS
The Royal Albert Hall / London England

04 August, 2012
Ulster Orchestra / Ulster Youth Orchestra

Programme: BBC Proms Premiere of newly commissioned (by BBC Radio 3) Concerto written by Elaine Agnew – entitled 'Dark Hedges'

I obviously guessed wrong about John Corigliano and his Pied Piper Fantasy.

(b) I stumbled across this page on soprano Joélle Harvey with relevant tidbit:

http://fletcherartists.com/artist.asp?ID=6

"In the 2011-2012 season, Joélle Harvey.....sings Bach's B Minor Mass with The English Concert at both the BBC Proms and in Leipzig."

[Lateralthinking1]

Born 1712 - BC Weber, Hebden, Kayser, Stanley
Born 1812 - Degen, Xyndas, Dubuque, Ernst, Busch
Born 1862 - Debussy, Delius
Born 1912 - Cage, Berger, Lane, Nancarrow
Died 1912 - Massenet
Died 1962 - Ireland

Predictions for the novelty evenings - Music for silent movies and something involving the Muppets

Well, the 4 March predictions of Debussy, Delius, Cage, Massenet and Ireland were right. Shame about the others. It would have been nice to have included Nancarrow. No Muppets either but we do have puppets.

Overall, it looks pretty good to me. I think though that they miss a few opportunities by being a trifle conservative.

I might see whether there are any tickets left for a lunchtime one. Don't fancy a two hour journey back around midnight.