Britten War Requiem 30th May 2012

[ardcarp]

Wow. That was something. Superb conductor that really understood voices as well as having a clear beat for the orchestra. The ending was magical. How come the Beeb can clear its schedules for snooker and football but not for this major event in the nation's cultural history...nay of Europe's history?

[Simon Biazeck]

Thanks SB! I'm watching online now...and it's GREAT! (Shame BBC.)

You are most welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Generally I'm not here to bash the Beeb but I must say it's pretty shabby that Aunty couldn't find a space on BBC 4 for this; one the greatest works of musical art by a British composer (a genius IMO) on the 50th anniversary of it premiere! The least they could've done is flagged up the www details more clearly. I could go on ... but AMEN (pppp) for now.

[Mary Chambers]

It is scandalous that it was on television in other countries (17 of them, according to the announcer), but not here, where it originated.

I thought I'd be able to watch online, but it didn't work. No idea why not, as i can watch other things on that site, though I've never tried to watch live before. I'm probably not up-to-date enough. Will get my computer-expert son to sort me out. However, it was marvellous on the radio, and there seemed a very intense atmosphere. Still wondering, though, why a boys' choir (specified in the score) wasn't used. This was a mixed youth choir, mainly girls, I should think. (I wonder who came in a bit early on the '-men' of the final Amen?)

[Norfolk Born]

Mary - I tried to watch online, but the picture kept breaking up. We had thunder and lightning at the time, which may or may not be relevant, but whatever the reason I was very disappointed.

[Mary Chambers]

It will be on the site for a while, I think, but it would have been exciting to watch it live.

[Osborn]

I thought it was stunning - the long, long silence at the end said it all really. Wonderful contributions by all, especially Andris Nelsons.

[ardcarp]

It wasn't immediately obvious, having found the site, how to get the thing streaming. All you had to do was click on the picture. I'm afraid our generation needs a button saying 'start'. I think the youth choir were all girls and mainly 13+. They did a great job....but it probably wasn't quite what BB had in mind! Pity that Warwickshire boys' choir couldn't have joined in too. I was impressed as ever with Mark Padmore, who had some of the expressiveness of Pears but without aping him. Amazing control over his voice production.

[Mary Chambers]

I knew how to do it, ardcarp, but it kept saying it couldn't show the webpage.

[Norfolk Born]

I've now found a message saying 'Satellite transmission problems due to poor weather'.

[Mary Chambers]

I still can't see it, although I have no problems watching other things, like Shakespeare in Arabic from the Globe (which I don't want) on the same site. I don't understand, but will give up for now.