Beethoven at the festival

[bernardc]

Last weekend I was in Edinburgh and 3 of the events I went to featured Beethoven.

The first was a concert at the Queen's hall which included his piano trio Op 70 no 2.
I was delighted to hear this piece live for the first time. The invention here never flags and each movement is given equal weight. What a treat! The opening Haydn trio charmed but I was a little disappointed with the closing trio by Schubert (D898). I feel these pieces are overrated, not his best chamber music. The first 2 movts are fine but the latter half of the work is very dull...

Then it was on to the Gilded Balloon theatre and a staging of "A Clockwork Orange". The lead role was played with considerable energy and charisma, the Droogy language as incomprehensible as ever... I was pleased that they used music from ALL 4 movts of the 9th though the inner ones were "arranged" for this staging. The slow movt was an organ accompanying the juvenile delinquents at prayer but most of all I enjoyed those cosmic outer movts played at an ear-blasting volume!

Finally the Usher Hall and the Eroica played by the Radio Moscow orchestra which boasted a HUGE string section. The sound the strings produced was unlike anything I've heard before, a silky smooth sound which caressed the ear. However the other sections seemed under-characterized (not to mention drowned out) by comparison. The encores were terrific - a dreamlike Tchaikovsky piece from one of his ballets followed by the most rambustious (Russian?) dance I've ever heard Oh... and I forgot to mention the 1812 overture!

All in all, a most stimulating weekend and I've only mentioned half the events I attended!!

[Peter]

Sounds like you had a great time Bernard! Can't agree about the Schubert - that Bb trio is one of my favourites (all 4 movements!). I think the finale of the Eb D929 trio however does meander, but small price to pay for that wonderful slow movement.



------------------
'Man know thyself'

[bernardc]

We must agree to disagree Peter about the Schubert though to be fair I've only heard it a few times - perhaps I should listen again in the comfort of home surroundings!

Just back from a marvellous performance of Beethoven 7 again at the Usher Hall. The Rotterdam Phil truly tore into its whirling finale egged on by their equally energetic conductor. The opening movt was particularly striking - it always evokes in me images of the "first day of life" on planet Earth, a planet teeming with it!!

I was delighted to see row upon row of YOUNG PEOPLE and all occupying the best seats! How they came to be there I do not know as they did not come across as the usual classical music fans. Whatever, their presence gave the concert a definite "buzz" and they certainly led the rapturous applause at the end.

Indeed, it's nice to think that so many of these young people will go away with a deeper appreciation of classical music and
of Beethoven in particular.

[Peter]

Originally posted by bernardc:
We must agree to disagree Peter about the Schubert though to be fair I've only heard it a few times - perhaps I should listen again in the comfort of home surroundings!

Just back from a marvellous performance of Beethoven 7 again at the Usher Hall. The Rotterdam Phil truly tore into its whirling finale egged on by their equally energetic conductor. The opening movt was particularly striking - it always evokes in me images of the "first day of life" on planet Earth, a planet teeming with it!!

I was delighted to see row upon row of YOUNG PEOPLE and all occupying the best seats! How they came to be there I do not know as they did not come across as the usual classical music fans. Whatever, their presence gave the concert a definite "buzz" and they certainly led the rapturous applause at the end.

Indeed, it's nice to think that so many of these young people will go away with a deeper appreciation of classical music and
of Beethoven in particular.

Yes home comforts are best for Schubert - I'm sure that the Bb trio will grow on you!

Interesting your comments on the young audience - watching the proms performance of Beethoven's 9th, standing at the front were 3 young men who looked more like heavy metal fans and they were virtually dancing to the music with a look of ecstasy which of course is what it may have been!

------------------
'Man know thyself'

[bernardc]

On Sunday night at the Usher Hall it was "religious" Beethoven as his rarely performed "Christ on the Mount of Olives" was presented along with his early Mass in C.

What potential there seemed in the portentious opening bars of the Oratorio only to be completely dissipated when Christ (God forgive me!) opens his mouth... Then it's downhill most of the way with music that is barely recognisably Beethoven, the male chorus parts perhaps standing out.

The Mass however restored my "faith" somewhat and it was fascinating to see how Beethoven highlights the same parts of the text ("was made Man" etc..) as he does on a much grander scale many years later in his Missa Solemnis (hear it at the Proms this Wednesday!) The lovely horn-led heartfelt plea for peace at the end of the Agnus Dei brought the evening to a satisfying end.

My last visit to the Festival this year will be on Wednesday night to hear Alfred Brendel play sonatas by Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven of course - the extremely "conventional" Op 28 but Mr Brendel will make more of it I'm sure!

[Rod]

Originally posted by bernardc:
On Sunday night at the Usher Hall it was "religious" Beethoven as his rarely performed "Christ on the Mount of Olives" was presented along with his early Mass in C.

What potential there seemed in the portentious opening bars of the Oratorio only to be completely dissipated when Christ (God forgive me!) opens his mouth... Then it's downhill most of the way

I think your being a bit cruel here! I presume you had not heard the piece before, a pity because I uploaded a few tracks from a CD of the piece for the Authentic MP3 page not so long ago that are very good. You must have heard a duff performance, which does not surprise me as the piece is barely understood by performers and listeners alike.


------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[bernardc]

In my final visit to the festival(Aug 31) I heard the veteran (how old?!) pianist Alfred Brendel play some witty Mozart variations (K 573?), Schumann's Kreisleriana suite, Schubert's "Moments musicaux" and Beethoven's Op 28.

I found the Schumann typically long-winded though Alfred Brendel was most displeased with the excessive audience coughing in the middle - he even wagged his finger and what a withering look!

The Schubert was played without showing off giving the piece an unexpected weight but the highlight had to be Op 28, the "Pastoral" sonata. Here Brendel was clearly in his element, taking his time "cantering" through the countryside as it were. The well-defined character he brings to these works and his evident love for them shone through and I left the Usher Hall well-satisfied.

[Rod]

Originally posted by bernardc:
In my final visit to the festival(Aug 31) I heard the veteran (how old?!) pianist Alfred Brendel play some witty Mozart variations (K 573?), Schumann's Kreisleriana suite, Schubert's "Moments musicaux" and Beethoven's Op 28.

I found the Schumann typically long-winded though Alfred Brendel was most displeased with the excessive audience coughing in the middle - he even wagged his finger and what a withering look!

The Schubert was played without showing off giving the piece an unexpected weight but the highlight had to be Op 28, the "Pastoral" sonata. Here Brendel was clearly in his element, taking his time "cantering" through the countryside as it were. The well-defined character he brings to these works and his evident love for them shone through and I left the Usher Hall well-satisfied.

i watched Berlioz's symphonie fantastique at the Proms on TV the other night, it was hard work.



------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin