Prom 52: Tuesday 23rd August at 7.30 p.m. (Prokofiev, Dutilleux)

[Petrushka]

I was listening on Freeview and also noted the muddy texture. The sound tonight was nothing like as detailed and powerful as the Philharmonia/Salonen Prom last week which was superb in every respect.

[makropulos]

Hi Jayne - listening on my usual setup - Radio 3 via freeview receiver, NAD amp and trusty Celestion speakers. The sound tonight seemed markedly different, even though this is the equipment with which I've listened to every Prom for the last several years. Strange!

[prokkyshosty]

I'm curious as to how much of Gergiev's grunting and low warbling came across on the radio? Because from the front of the hall it was pretty much non-stop. It was like a Concerto for Homunculus and Orchestra.

Having said that, I enjoyed myself, mostly because I think Prokky's 5th is a masterpiece. And the LSO could hardly have played it better. For what it's worth, a pretty sizable roar went up at the end when the LSO stood up -- the idea being perhaps that the audience was determined to direct their applause towards the orchestra and not the conductor?

One other note: Gergiev conducted both Prokofievs with no baton. He conducted the Dutilleux with that crazy toothpick of his.

[amac4165]

I'm curious as to how much of Gergiev's grunting and low warbling came across on the radio? Because from the front of the hall it was pretty much non-stop. It was like a Concerto for Homunculus and Orchestra..

I was wondering that too - at one point he seemed to be providing the sounds effect for the doors on the starship Enterprise !


Just back from the Hall - excellent. The 1st was a brilliant piece of playing - might of sounded a bit eccentric on the radio though - in the hall compelling !

I found the 5th riveting too - didn't really care for the L'arbre des songes - which IMHO isn't as good as the Larcher last week !

[Serial_Apologist]

Part of the problem with Prokofiev 5 lies I think in the scoring being a tad heavy-handed. Prokofiev was at his orchestrating best with smaller forces imv - viz the 1st Violin Concerto and its near-contemporary Classical Symphony - and this was brought out for me as I listened on my digi radio. Another part of it may have had to do with re=balancing the mics after the Dutilleux. The sheer opulence and magic of the latter - has there ever been a better orchestrator than Dutilleux? - sounded just fine to me.

S-A

[jayne lee wilson]

Hi Petrushka - hope you're feeling a little more comfortable now - got a long-term health battle going on myself, know how it feels...

Is there any way you (or Makropulos, anyone using freeview) can arrange to feed the HDs stream from R3 webpage through a hifisystem? What you tend to find with higher bitrates (320 kbps aac on HDs, as against 192 kbps mp2 R3 freeview or 256kbps mp2 BBC4/2) is greater detail and openness, a sound that makes more of less-than-satisfactory balances... worth the effort if you can do it. Best too to get the signal out of the computer into a separate dac. Doesn't need to be very costly. Sorry if I'm telling you something you already know.

Given that the Gergiev/LSO sound was indeed less open and dynamic than Salonen, you can still get something out of it through a more informative source like HDs (or FM, if only it weren't dynamically limited).

I was listening on Freeview and also noted the muddy texture. The sound tonight was nothing like as detailed and powerful as the Philharmonia/Salonen Prom last week which was superb in every respect.

[Ferretfancy]

It's quite true that the Classical can take different approaches, and I tend to prefer a more measured approach. Perhaps it was a bit "Dr Otto" for some, but it sounded very good in the hall. Kavakos was superb in the Dutilleux, and it was fascinating to watch him at close range from the Arena. It isn't a work that makes an impression straight away, I need to hear it again, but the integration of the inner parts of the orchestra with the violin is very impressive.
It was a first rate performance of the 5th, terrific brass playing if a bit over prominent from this part of the hall where the tuba was concerned. I have a difficulty with this symphony, I'm never able to make up my mind whether I like it or not, but it worked tonight. There is though, an air of careful construction, perhaps a lack of heart. To my mind the 6th is the only Prokofiev symphony that shows real depth of feeling.
Altogether though a very good Prom.

[salymap]

I only heard the 'Classical' and thought the scampering in the finale was a bit too much for the orchestra,

Enjoyable on the whole though.

[makropulos]

Hi Petrushka - hope you're feeling a little more comfortable now - got a long-term health battle going on myself, know how it feels...

Is there any way you (or Makropulos, anyone using freeview) can arrange to feed the HDs stream from R3 webpage through a hifisystem?

Yes - I'm going to do that very thing when I listen again today some time. It'll be interesting to hear if there's a significant improvement.

[DameJudy]

From the Choir both Prokofievs were thrilling. The sound was great in my seat - and in the rest of the hall, judging by the audience response. I could hear no sound effects from Gergiev.

[BudgieJane]

I could hear no sound effects from Gergiev.

I was in the front row of the Arena and I could hear it.

[DameJudy]

I was in the front row of the Arena and I could hear it.

I had the orchestra between me and him...and I enjoyed watching him.
I thought it was a great concert.

[DameJudy]

Am listening now on iPlayer on my Macbook and, of course, the sound is nothing like as clear, vibrant and thrilling as in the hall.

[BetweenTheStaves]

I was seated just below the R3 box and thoroughly enjoyed both pieces of Prokofiev and the icing on the cake was being able to watch Gergiev's conducting. Really brought both pieces to life for me. Not aware of any grunting from where I was sitting nor sound balance ...so will listen again. The first piece by Dutilleux didn't do much for me on first hearing but I'll give it another try. Was that a gamelan being played? The second piece short, sharp and sweet.

But when are they going to put seats in that round bit in the middle of the RAH so we can actually hear a properly balanced orchestra?

I put Ms Klein's commentating in the same category as Ms Derham btw.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But when are they going to put seats in that round bit in the middle of the RAH so we can actually hear a properly balanced orchestra?

11th September, 2011