Andrew Manze conducts the BBCSSO tonight 8th March at 19.30

[Chris Newman]

Hi, HS. It really was a smashingly good RVW No 6.

I enjoyed the Purcell (maybe the arrangements were inauthentic but the In Nomine was especially fine). I am afraid despite all the excellent efforts of Alban Gerhardt, the BBCSO and Andrew Manze I never have taken to Britten's Cello Symphony; it is probably the gloomiest, chilliest BB ever wrote. I had to put some warmer clothes on.

Good to know we have another promising conductor for English music.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, stunning VW, marvellous! Rugged, even savage, power but incredible discipline and precision too. Perhaps the last movement wasn't really quiet enough, even via HDs (it is marked "pianissimo" after all), but never mind. The grand sweep of the performance was unanswerable!

Britten Cello Symphony scarcely less fine, placing it more vividly than usual in that odd tradition of very individualistic, rather spiky 20th C. concertante works going back to Bartok, DSCH and Nielsen. A fine cello/orchestra blend in the balance tonight, reflecting Britten's choice of title. Tautly played by every orchestral department - could have done with a mite more power in that wonderfully resonant final crescendo.

A fantastic performance of RVW Nº 6.

The first half? No comment.

HS

[Flosshilde]

I was there & it was absolutely stunning - almost literally so in the VW! - playing to knock your socks off. The whole orchestra was absolutely superb, the brass especially so. This was the VW symphony that really opened my ears to him (although I've known - & loved - the 1st for years), via BaL (I think) & CD, so I was especially looking forward to hearing it live. It won't be the same listening to it on CD after that performance!

The Britten I didn't know at all, & I was very taken by it - perfromance excellent, and an interesting work. The announcer said, when he was introducing the post-concert coda (Britten cello suite no. 1) that the same team would be in the hall on Sunday recording it for release by Hyperion - definitely one to go on my Amazon wish-list.

The Purcell, I'm afraid, I was less than impressed by, especially the first two - overblown & too romantic-y; they made me think of CFM's 'music to relax to'. The third piece in the first half, in Britten's edition, was better - perhaps he had more feeling for Purcell thanc Manze? (which would be odd, as Manze was in the past a violinist specialising in Baroque music.) His orchestration of the In Nomine a 7 was rather better - less brass?

[Panjandrum]

Thanks ff,I must catch up on him then.

saly

I'm sure he'll be grateful he's come to your attention finally.

[salymap]

I'm sure he'll be grateful he's come to your attention finally.

It's a job to keep up with everyone when you have 65 years of music and musicians fighting for space in your mind Panjandrum

[salymap]

I've just caught up with the RVW 6 as I had an early night. What a wonderful performance. I agree the ending could have faded away more. In the concert hall when it was first performed one had to watch the orchestra very carefully so as not to clap too soon. I've always thought it my favourite RVW symphony,
startling in the very new RFH with cruelly clear acoustics in the early days before modification.

[Panjandrum]

It's a job to keep up with everyone when you have 65 years of music and musicians fighting for space in your mind Panjandrum

Apologies if I seemed a trifle short salymap-caffeine deficiency; just that Manze has a well established reputation, and not just in the world of HIPP.

[salymap]

Apologies if I seemed a trifle short salymap-caffeine deficiency; just that Manze has a well established reputation, and not just in the world of HIPP.

That's okay, just playing the RVW 6, yes he's moved on from early things on one note. [Runs for cover]

[Flosshilde]

In the concert hall when it was first performed one had to watch the orchestra very carefully so as not to clap too soon.

In the hall Manze held the silence at the end beautifully.

There has been some sniping on the board in the past about Manze, & I have to say that at the beginning (during the Purcell) I found his very energetic style rather off-putting, but it soon settled (or I got used to it :smiley). The orchestra certainly seemed to like him, with plenty of smiles at the end of the VW.

[Flosshilde]

early things on one note. [Runs for cover]

Is this a reference to the Purcell 'Fantasia on one note' that he orchestrated & included in the concert?