Prom 56: Friday 26th August at 7.30 p.m. (Strauss, Mahler)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Mahler's epic Sixth Symphony, the Tragic, complete with fateful hammer blows: Semyon Bychkov
conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Plus an early piano concerto by Richard Strauss.

In Semyon Bychkov's second Prom this season, he conducts one of Mahler's most perfectly realised works, 'the only Sixth, despite the "Pastoral" ', in the words of Alban Berg. This is music of exceptional range and power, whose hammer-blows seem to portend the crises in Mahler's own life and the wider world. The curtain-raiser is a mini-concerto with echoes of Brahms and Liszt, especially in its treatment of the piano.Kirill Gerstein, an exceptional artist with roots in jazz as well as the classics, makes his first Proms appearance in the main hall.

R. Strauss: Burleske
Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in A minor

Kirill Gerstein (piano)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Semyon Bychkov (conductor

[ucanseetheend]

This is interesting, Im not sure how well the BBC Symphony or Bychkov know Mahler 6 , how many times they have played it recently and how much rehearsal time is planned. The Symphony has great intensity with the first movement almost a massive tone poem in its own right. As I'm sure many of you know it can be quite a test of stamina to listen to so one can only imagine what its like for players in non stop 85 minutes. I personally like my Mahler at a faster tempo than most conductors take it, for example Jarvi with the Royal Scottish did it in 72 minutes. I really hope the BBC Sym do it justice.

[Bryn]

This is interesting, Im not sure how well the BBC Symphony or Bychkov know Mahler 6 , how many times they have played it recently and how much rehearsal time is planned. The Symphony has great intensity with the first movement almost a massive tone poem in its own right. As I'm sure many of you know it can be quite a test of stamina to listen to so one can only imagine what its like for players in non stop 85 minutes. I personally like my Mahler at a faster tempo than most conductors take it, for example Jarvi with the Royal Scottish did it in 72 minutes. I really hope the BBC Sym do it justice.

AH, but did Jarvi include the first movement repeat, or did he omit it, as Mackerras did.

[ucanseetheend]

Actually I cant remember but the whole pace of the performance is amazing and it stands up very well and loses nothing in quality and here's one reviewer opining.

"This is THE Mahler 6th . I would like to imagine this is how Mahler conducted it. Yes, the first movement moves, but it's not that much faster than Bernstein or Solti, the playing is superb, the sound top notch. The climaxes are thrilling. Rather than turning the sixth into some quasi-religious, soul-searching journey, Jarvi treats it like a symphony, pure music. It works, and I can't imagine anyone not liking it."

[makropulos]

This is interesting, Im not sure how well the BBC Symphony or Bychkov know Mahler 6 , how many times they have played it recently and how much rehearsal time is planned. The Symphony has great intensity with the first movement almost a massive tone poem in its own right. As I'm sure many of you know it can be quite a test of stamina to listen to so one can only imagine what its like for players in non stop 85 minutes. I personally like my Mahler at a faster tempo than most conductors take it, for example Jarvi with the Royal Scottish did it in 72 minutes. I really hope the BBC Sym do it justice.

Bychkov certainly knows Mahler 6 very well - he's performed it this year with the Vienna Philharmonic several times, with the St Louis SO, with the Orchestra of La Scala, with one of the RAI orchestras, and so on. I'm looking forward to this very much.

[Bryn]

I very recently caved in and ordered the CSO/Haitink ReSound CDs of the 6th. I have yet to set aside the time to listen to them. I almost fell off my chair when I they spread it over more than 90 minutes!

[Curalach]

The BBCSO performed the 6th symphony with Bělohlávek in February this year in the Barbican so I think it is fair to say that they know the piece.
The concert got favourable reviews and I enjoyed it on the radio. It was a performance at the slower end of the spectrum and the Andante was placed second. At about the same time I attended a performance by the RSAMD Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Danzmayr which blew my socks off. It was more in the Jarvi mould with the Andante placed third.

Given Bychkov's rapport with the BBCSO I look forward to this Prom with high expectations.

[jayne lee wilson]

I think you should hear Kondrashin with the Leningrad Philharmonic (1978) who gets us home in - wait for it - 65'40 without a 1st movement repeat (the exposition takes just over 4'00 so, pretty quick even with it). A reading of great intensity and shocking impact, and the 7th with the Leningrad PO in the same series is a truly great one too. (The gorgeously produced Melodiya box - artwork by William Blake, Alfred Roller, William Morris - has all but 2 & 8 - it's a great listen despite some dynamic compression in the earliest recordings).

Anyone fancying a Mahler marathon could start in Berlin at 18:00 hrs BST on Friday (today) with Rattle's 7th live with the Philharmoniker on the Digital Concert Hall (if you can get in...) then cross to London in plenty of time for Bychkov's 6th...

Lay in rations...

(There was a tendency in the 1970s to be critical of "speed merchants" in the 6th, as Bernstein was taken to be, with Barbirolli, Horenstein or Karajan better favoured. But when you hear the 1967 NYPO 6th now, especially in the stunning 2009 dsd remaster, it sounds wonderful - perfectly idiomatic and not stretched or exaggerated. Possibly even preferable to the later VPO one, even if that does have more of a sense of "collapsing civilisations" about it).

This is interesting, Im not sure how well the BBC Symphony or Bychkov know Mahler 6 , how many times they have played it recently and how much rehearsal time is planned. The Symphony has great intensity with the first movement almost a massive tone poem in its own right. As I'm sure many of you know it can be quite a test of stamina to listen to so one can only imagine what its like for players in non stop 85 minutes. I personally like my Mahler at a faster tempo than most conductors take it, for example Jarvi with the Royal Scottish did it in 72 minutes. I really hope the BBC Sym do it justice.

[ucanseetheend]

jayne lee wilson
"I think you should hear Kondrashin with the Leningrad Philharmonic (1978) who gets us home in - wait for it - 65'40 "

Wow! wish I could get that as a download, I am in far east so cant really buy CDs, only at great expense

[jayne lee wilson]

The Melodiya box including the 6th (with the yellow & white design) and other separate issues (incl. 7th) are still available at HMV Japan (hmv.co.jp) in Tokyo if that's any help... they are very quick to supply me here in Liverpool uk (4-5 days if in stock) though of course you may risk customs charges.

n.b it's NOT the forthcoming 1981 SWR 6th, though that looks very interesting in itself.

jayne lee wilson
"I think you should hear Kondrashin with the Leningrad Philharmonic (1978) who gets us home in - wait for it - 65'40 "

Wow! wish I could get that as a download, I am in far east so cant really buy CDs, only at great expense

[bluestateprommer]

Bychkov certainly knows Mahler 6 very well - he's performed it this year with the Vienna Philharmonic several times, with the St Louis SO, with the Orchestra of La Scala, with one of the RAI orchestras, and so on.

Indeed, here are some reviews of Bychkov leading Mahler 6 this year, with the Vienna Phil on tour in California, and with the Saint Louis SO, respectively:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/02/music-review-the-vienna-philharmonic-in-berkeley-1.html

http://kdhx.org/music/reviews/concert-review-passion-and-precision-in-mahlers-symphony-no-6-by-the-st-louis-symphony-february-4-2011

It's worth noting that Bychkov led both performances with the middle movements in the order of II - Scherzo / III - Andante, going against the current trend of the other way around. I happen to prefer Scherzo - Andante myself for the order of the middle movements (as does David Nice, for one). Thus my guess is that SB will lead Prom 56's Mahler 6 with the middle movements as Scherzo - Andante. Of course, watch me get proved wrong within 12 hours .

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Indeed, here are some reviews of Bychkov leading Mahler 6 this year, with the Vienna Phil on tour in California, and with the Saint Louis SO, respectively

It would have been good if he'd brought the Vienna Phil to the Proms to play it.

[Petrushka]

It would have been good if he'd brought the Vienna Phil to the Proms to play it.

Indeed it would. Alas, eye surgery has prevented me from attending this one so there will be one empty seat

[Ventilhorn]

Indeed, here are some reviews of Bychkov leading Mahler 6 this year, with the Vienna Phil on tour in California, and with the Saint Louis SO, respectively:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/02/music-review-the-vienna-philharmonic-in-berkeley-1.html

http://kdhx.org/music/reviews/concert-review-passion-and-precision-in-mahlers-symphony-no-6-by-the-st-louis-symphony-february-4-2011

It's worth noting that Bychkov led both performances with the middle movements in the order of II - Scherzo / III - Andante, going against the current trend of the other way around. I happen to prefer Scherzo - Andante myself for the order of the middle movements (as does David Nice, for one). Thus my guess is that SB will lead Prom 56's Mahler 6 with the middle movements as Scherzo - Andante. Of course, watch me get proved wrong within 12 hours .

Yes, I too prefer the scherzo in second place - as it is in several works (Brahms PC Nº 2, Schumann Symphony Nº 2, Walton Symphony Nº 1 - all favourites of mine) Beethoven Nº 9 and others. For me, it gives time to admire the spectacular and then sit back and enjoy the magical balm of a beautiful slow movement.

When we played this Mahler 6 with Horenstein (one of the greatest Mahler interpreters in my opinion) he also put the scherzo in the second spot. It gives light relief after the drama of the first movement and then allows the listener to relax and take a breather before the Grand Finale.

I'm certainly looking forward to hearing this prom and I think Bychkov sounds like the right man for the job.

VH

[Bryn]

I had intended attending tonight, but in the event feel to tired to face the journeys there and back. I hope the HD Sound stream lasts the course.