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Andy D
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« on: 23:16:48, 08-12-2007 » |
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Can I suggest that we have one thread where we can post about concerts we've been to. Most threads here (including my own  ) seem to get only a handful of replies so it might be better to put everything in one place. I went to hear the wonderful Sorrel Quartet tonight. Their programme was advertised as: ELGAR, String Quartet in E minor ROBERT SIMPSON, Quartet No 7 HAYDN, Opus 77 No 1 They did explain that they weren't quite that radical, however, and the order was actually Haydn, Simpson, Elgar. I was a bit disappointed, I'd love to go to a concert where Haydn wasn't the "lightweight" introductory piece. Their playing has been excellent every time I've heard them, which is quite often, and as a Robert Simpson fan, it was good to hear the 7th quartet live, I've only ever heard it on CD before. Regular cellist Helen Thatcher is off on maternity leave and Alice Neary has been substituting for some time - however she's obviously very pregnant as well so they might be needing a third cellist soon. I did wonder about the effect on the unborn baby of hearing the cello, as it has to be pressed fairly close to him/her. Perhaps both their babies will grow up hating the instrument! |
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harmonyharmony
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« Reply #1 on: 23:21:05, 08-12-2007 » |
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Regular cellist Helen Thatcher is off on maternity leave and Alice Neary has been substituting for some time - however she's obviously very pregnant as well so they might be needing a third cellist soon. I did wonder about the effect on the unborn baby of hearing the cello, as it has to be pressed fairly close to him/her. Perhaps both their babies will grow up hating the instrument!
Sorry to pick up on a tangent here, but I thought I couldn't let it pass... Bridget Carey told me that when she was pregnant and playing the Reich Triple Quartet, her baby went beserk to the pounding bass from one of the cellos. She had to somehow muffle the floor beneath her chair in order to get Kathleen to calm down. It will be interesting to see how her relationship with the viola develops in later life, and especially her relationship to contemporary music. |
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'is this all we can do?' anonymous student of the University of Berkeley, California quoted in H. Draper, 'The new student revolt' (New York: Grove Press, 1965) http://www.myspace.com/itensemble |
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Bryn
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« Reply #3 on: 17:10:16, 12-12-2007 » |
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I was considering driving up for it, but decided to make do with hearing them at The Warehouse tomorrow night. I don't fancy the drive back from Brum, given current weather conditions. |
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Andy D
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« Reply #4 on: 22:44:46, 12-12-2007 » |
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Excellent concert tonight.
If you're going to Noszferatu tomorrow Bryn, make sure you catch decibel as well @7, they're playing Andrew Hamilton's Frank O'Hara on the Phone Piece, which is a really catchy bit of contemporary music. The Noszferatu concert is pretty much as we had tonight although you won't get lots of Howard Skempton's sublimely delicate piano pieces played by Fumiko Miyachi as we did.
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Bryn
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« Reply #5 on: 23:14:06, 12-12-2007 » |
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I'm certainly intending to attend both concerts, Andy. My trouble is deciding exactly what to do in the approximately 3 hours between my coach arriving at Victoria and the start of the first concert. I'll probably head for the Tate Britain to start with. Then, if the weather is not too inclement, a stroll down the embankment to the Millennium Bridge and across to the Tate Modern.
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iwarburton
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« Reply #6 on: 12:32:49, 14-12-2007 » |
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What better balm for the soul after an iffy day at work on Wednesday than to go to the Gateshead Sage and hear three of my favourite works which fortuitously made up the programme--the suite from Faure's incidental music to Pelleas et Melisande, the Grieg Piano Concerto and Dvorak's 8th Symphony. The whole programme was expertly played by the visiting Royal Scottish National Orchestra, with Lars Vogt in the concerto. Not a challenging programme, perhaps, but an immeasurably heart-warming one--how I agree with the editors of the Penguin CD Guides, who describe the Prelude to the Faure as one of the most beautiful passages in all music. Like others, I've heard the Grieg and Dvorak pieces dozens of times (at least) but how freshly they come over when you can see the performance. Whilst my allegiance to the Northern Sinfonia remains undimmed, the RSNO can come back with a programme like that any time.
Am already looking forward to a concert at the Sage on Thursday 15 May 2008, when the NS will feature Vaughan Williams' Symphony no 5 and Ravel's G Major Piano Concerto, with Butterworth's Banks of Green Willow as the hors d'oeuvre course. In a different way this should be just as memorable.
Ian.
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #7 on: 12:38:18, 14-12-2007 » |
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Thanks for posting that, Ian.
You may notice, however, that Andy D has instituted a general thread for all live concert comments. Would it upset you if we were to move your post there?
Ron
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C Dish
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« Reply #8 on: 13:26:43, 14-12-2007 » |
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A great chance to coin a new word:
Yes, Ron, that would be most fastedious of you! (Only joking!)
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inert fig here
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iwarburton
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« Reply #9 on: 14:10:42, 14-12-2007 » |
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Not at all. Sorry I missed this.
Ian.
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iwarburton
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« Reply #10 on: 10:32:20, 16-12-2007 » |
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Was at the Sage again last night for the annual Christmas concert. Hard to believe that the NS, who brought us a starkly dramatic performance of Sibelius 4 a couple of weeks ago, included in last night's event, inter alia, Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride. That's what I call versatility.
Ian.
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Andy D
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« Reply #11 on: 21:16:33, 17-12-2007 » |
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Today I went to hear the Britten Sinfonia give a lunchtime concert in the newly refurbished Birmingham Town Hall - it's actually been open for over 2 months but this is the first time I've managed to get to anything there. A very enjoyable programme - and not a sign of anything Christmassy!  Ravel: Introduction and Allegro Richard Causton: Divertimento (UK première) Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A They gave the same programme in Krakow yesterday and will be at the Wigmore Hall on Wednesday. Here, for those of you who might know the venue, is a photo I took before the concert started - hand-held (1/80s) using available light @ 2500 ASA.  [cotitsalv] |
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time_is_now
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« Reply #12 on: 21:26:05, 17-12-2007 » |
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Today I went to hear the Britten Sinfonia give a lunchtime concert in the newly refurbished Birmingham Town Hall - it's actually been open for over 2 months but this is the first time I've managed to get to anything there. A very enjoyable programme - and not a sign of anything Christmassy! Ravel: Introduction and Allegro Richard Causton: Divertimento (UK première) Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A They gave the same programme in Krakow yesterday and will be at the Wigmore Hall on Wednesday. Damn! I don't normally read this thread but just happened to look in on it and now Andy's post has reminded me that I wanted to be at that Wigmore concert on Wednesday, but had forgotten all about it. I can't make it now.  Bloody Christmas parties. |
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The city is a process which always veers away from the form envisaged and desired, ... whose revenge upon its architects and planners undoes every dream of mastery. It is [also] one of the sites where Dasein is assigned the impossible task of putting right what can never be put right. - Rob Lapsley
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Ron Dough
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« Reply #13 on: 00:02:18, 19-12-2007 » |
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Tonight we've had the RSNO Christmas Concert, which you get free if you subscribe to the season. It was rather invaded by regulars from Edinburgh (who are missing most of this year's concerts while the Usher Hall is being refurbished) so the place was virtually packed. Lots of youngsters too, but since the programme included Howard Blake's The Snowman complete with a screening and live narration (Billy Boyd) and soundtrack (the song sung by the RSNO Junior choir) that was always a likely prospect. The rest of the programme was different enough to be interesting: Philip Lane's Overture on French Carols, Leroy Anderson's Christmas Festival as well as the inevitable Sleigh Ride, and a few carols - including five by Lutoslawski, sung by the kids, and more traditional fare for general participation. The conductor, new to me, was Christopher Bell, a tiny leprechaun of an Irishman who just grabbed proceedings by the scruff of the throat and kept the fun flowing non-stop: definitely gifted with the blarney, he also has a very clear beat, and conducted the audience spectacularly efficiently. The carols were in a singable key for lower voices, for once, and although two were new to me, I know them now....
Once again, the orchestra really impressed: looking forward to next month's concert: Hilary Hahn plays the Tchaikovsky, and we also get Don Juan plus two Debussy works - the Prélude à l'après-midi... and La Mer - the conductor is Stéphane Denève again - he's definitely a name to watch.
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Il Grande Inquisitor
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« Reply #14 on: 00:08:33, 19-12-2007 » |
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Sounds an entertaining evening, Ron. I've got the Lutosławski carols on disc and they're charming.
I have seen Stéphane Denève before at the ROH conducting Così fan tutte - the next concert looks good. I've seen Hilary Hahn once, playing the Elgar concerto, and was impressed, so I'd imagine her Tchaikovsky will be full of good things.
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Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
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