R3 in Concert one-stop shop

[smittims]

It's a compliment to Ian Farrington's arrangement that I didn't know until the end that it wasn't the original, though it explains why I thought the brass less incisive at one point and I missed the contra-bassoon (one instrument I'd have fought hard to include!) . If I had known, I would probably not have listened and have missed a splendid performance.

It's rare that so many aspects of this work come across so convincingly. I heard details in the woodwind parts I hadn't noticed before, and the organ came through wonderfully. I think the production team deserve a commendation for their work. The sound was splendid. Well done everyone.

[Pulcinella]

A splendidly written (imho) review of a concert to be broadcast on 12 February:

https://www.thetimes.com/article/63574403-c237-47ba-ba25-749d5876ea49?shareToken=abf9861df33e770949c2e53b790c1bc0

[smittims]

I can;t , of course , comment on this work without hearing it, but we do seem to have had a few 'climate-change' works recently. There was a cello concerto at last year's Proms which seemed to me very thin on musical interest, and , moreover, not in any way suggestive of its 'message' unless we'd been told about it beforehand. I think this is something composers sometimes forget. Because they know what it's about , they assume we will know too.

Also, it reminds me of the many feeble religious works which used to be performed and published; the mere fact that it was on a sacred subject and set Biblical words was meant to guarantee good music too. But music needs to be good in its own right as music. When I hear a new or unfamiliar piece I try to avoid the composer's 'explanation' and listen to it simply as music in its own right.

[Ein Heldenleben]

A splendidly written (imho) review of a concert to be broadcast on 12 February:

https://www.thetimes.com/article/635...c2e53b790c1bc0

I would defy any composer to write a decent work “about” climate change. There are quite a few good novels about the subject - Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behaviour being an outstanding recent example. But as for an oratorio . I don’t think so . As a side issue I think the oratorio is a dead artistic form and has been for decades. Killed off by Mahler who successfully integrated the voice into symphony and the decline of organised religion.

[Pulcinella]

I would defy any composer to write a decent work “about” climate change. There are quite a few good novels about the subject - Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behaviour being an outstanding recent example. But as for an oratorio . I don’t think so . As a side issue I think the oratorio is a dead artistic form and has been for decades. Killed off by Mahler who successfully integrated the voice into symphony and the decline of organised religion.

Michael Berkeley's Or shall we die? is perhaps another attempt at depicting (then, and still?) current world events that hasn't really had an afterlife.
A Three Choirs commission, I think (I was at the premiere).

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/112395--berkeley-m-or-shall-we-die/browse

[LMcD]

I would defy any composer to write a decent work “about” climate change. There are quite a few good novels about the subject - Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behaviour being an outstanding recent example. But as for an oratorio . I don’t think so . As a side issue I think the oratorio is a dead artistic form and has been for decades. Killed off by Mahler who successfully integrated the voice into symphony and the decline of organised religion.

Have you heard Nigel Westlake's guitar concerto 'Antarctica Suite', which features on an all-Australian CD recorded by John Williams?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Michael Berkeley's Or shall we die? is perhaps another attempt at depicting (then, and still?) current world events that hasn't really had an afterlife.
A Three Choirs commission, I think (I was at the premiere).

https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...-we-die/browse

Yes I was thinking of that but out of respect to Berkeley and MacEwan decided not to mention it.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Have you heard Nigel Westlake's guitar concerto 'Antarctica Suite', which features on an all-Australian CD recorded by John Williams?

No which possibly proves either my point or my lack of curiosity.
Re Oratorios I’m probably the wrong person to judge as I don’t think I’ve ever seen one live - not even the Messiah. I don’t like a lot of people singing at me ( rather than each other as in opera ) for several hours and the religious side leaves me cold. I will listen on the radio though.

[AuntDaisy]

I would defy any composer to write a decent work “about” climate change. There are quite a few good novels about the subject - Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behaviour being an outstanding recent example. But as for an oratorio . I don’t think so . As a side issue I think the oratorio is a dead artistic form and has been for decades. Killed off by Mahler who successfully integrated the voice into symphony and the decline of organised religion.

Not an oratorio, but how about Dudley Simpson's incidental music (YouTube link) to "The Ice Warriors"?
The 1967 Patrick Troughton Doctor Who story centres on climate change causing glaciers to engulf Britain and the finding of a frozen Martian warrior (played by Bernard Bresslaw) & ship.

Andrew Plant's footnote in his "The Higher Storie" article / book:
"74 Another filmic score indebted to Scott of the Antarctic... ... Its opening shots of glaciers and snowy wastes are backed by solo wordless soprano, vibraphone, xylophone, and suspended cymbal, with added echoes by means of tape loops."

[Ein Heldenleben]

Not an oratorio, but how about Dudley Simpson's incidental music (YouTube link) to "The Ice Warriors"?
The 1967 Patrick Troughton Doctor Who story centres on climate change causing glaciers to engulf Britain and the finding of a frozen Martian warrior (played by Bernard Bresslaw) & ship.

Andrew Plant's footnote in his "The Higher Storie" article / book:
"74 Another filmic score indebted to Scott of the Antarctic... ... Its opening shots of glaciers and snowy wastes are backed by solo wordless soprano, vibraphone, xylophone, and suspended cymbal, with added echoes by means of tape loops."

I think as film and TV music - fine .The music isn’t “about “ climate change, I think it’s the complex burden of the message , about which I have touched on in so many films to so little effect - that’s the kiss of death of to vocal music. Just doesn’t work preaching at people. The cynic me thinks that if the classical world cared that much they’d give up foreign touring - the carbon that’s burnt up doing that.
I don’t think people begin to appreciate the cuts in the standard of living they’ll have to make to have any impact on climate change or to be accurate the climate disruption caused by this anthropogenic phrase of global warming . To be honest it’s already too late and a 2 deg C rise above norms is a nailed on certainty.

[AuntDaisy]

I think as film and TV music - fine .The music isn’t “about “ climate change, I think it’s the complex burden of the message , about which I have touched on in so many films to so little effect - that’s the kiss of death of to vocal music. Just doesn’t work preaching at people. The cynic me thinks that if the classical world cared that much they’d give up foreign touring - the carbon that’s burnt up doing that.
I don’t think people begin to appreciate the cuts in the standard of living they’ll have to make to have any impact on climate change or to be accurate the climate disruption caused by this anthropogenic phrase of global warming . To be honest it’s already too late and a 2 deg C rise above norms is a nailed on certainty.

A depressing, but realistic, thought.

It probably doesn't help, but a search on the BBC website found "The Rising Sea Symphony - Between the Ears" "The dramatic effects of climate change evoked in words, sounds and a powerful new musical work." and "Vivaldi in a Warming World - The Essay", e.g. "... hears from Pamela Z about her work Carbon Song Cycle."
As well as "Classical music and climate change - Music Matters" "... join Tom to discuss the environmental costs to how we consume music digitally. We hear, too, from ..., as they consider the environmental consequences of the classical music industry’s activity and what they’ve learned from different ways of working."

[smittims]

The Ice Warriors is among my favourite Doctor Who adventures , and the music was one of the main attractions, in many cases provided by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop which has since acquired a fan-base in its own right.

I think oratorios were meant to be a 'collective exeprience' for the audience ; this is certainly what Tippett intended in A Child of Our Time, and it's interesting that as early as 1939 he recognised that something was needed to replace the shared religious beliefs which would previously have been assumed in an audience (e..g. the audiences in Britain and especially America whom so warmly welcomed The Apostles and The Kingdom pre-1914.) It's significant, I think. that subsequent oratorios such as Vaughan Williams' Sancta Civitas and Tippett's The Vision of S.Augustine , whatever the quality of their music, have never achieved popularity and are also more about the human predicament .

[french frank]

To be honest it’s already too late and a 2 deg C rise above norms is a nailed on certainty.

Doom-monger! I happen to agree with you but I suppose if you're a composer what would you do about it except compose a piece of music?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Doom-monger! I happen to agree with you but I suppose if you're a composer what would you do about it except compose a piece of music?

I would watch Cole Porter’s “It’s Too Darn Hot “ from Kiss Me Kate on the BBC iPlayer , open a bottle of wine and thank God you’re not 20.

[Ein Heldenleben]

This Vadym Kholodenko Hammerklavier is a good illustration of why you shouldn’t start a recital with one of the most demanding works in the repertoire.It sounds terribly tentative , far too much tempo variation, and a very “prepared “ approach to the most difficult chords. Plus more than the odd wrong note. A shame as he’s a terrific pianist.