Symphony Sessions

Doshea3

Anyone else see the first programme of the NSO Symphony Sessions on RTÉ 1 last night? I enjoyed it, particularly the Chaminade flute concertino, which though I had never heard it before I liked a lot. The highlight for me, however, had to be the Sarasate Carmen Fantasy as played by the fabulous Elizabeth Cooney, which was truly a tour de force.

Anyone else thrown off by the jarring split-screen camerawork? Seeing Barry Douglas's face and hands side by side was a bit surreal! However, I liked the way David Brophy and the soloists said a few words about the work beforehand, which was informal and interesting without being too long-winded. Only problem I had was the late slot—what is RTÉ's problem with arts programmes? Why put them in graveyard slots constantly? Last year's series was on much earlier, I recall. I look forward to the next one.

The Mad Hatter

Doshea3 wrote:

Anyone else see the first programme of the NSO Symphony Sessions on RTÉ 1 last night? I enjoyed it, particularly the Chaminade flute concertino, which though I had never heard it before I liked a lot. The highlight for me, however, had to be the Sarasate Carmen Fantasy as played by the fabulous Elizabeth Cooney, which was truly a tour de force.

Anyone else thrown off by the jarring split-screen camerawork? Seeing Barry Douglas's face and hands side by side was a bit surreal! However, I liked the way David Brophy and the soloists said a few words about the work beforehand, which was informal and interesting without being too long-winded. Only problem I had was the late slot—what is RTÉ's problem with arts programmes? Why put them in graveyard slots constantly? Last year's series was on much earlier, I recall. I look forward to the next one.

Heh, don't own a TV, so, no, I didn't catch it.

Just thought I'd post as I seem to be one of...er...four people who are on here regularly.

Doshea3

It's interesting that you don't own a TV, because I know for certain that when I move out of here buying one (and paying the license fee) won't be high on my list of priorities, as I never watch it, except for the odd arts programme, like last night. But they're not on very often, of course. Unfortunately, there's a lot of rubbish on RTÉ and very little scope for arts. The same is true of Radio 1 with last year's shake-up. But that's a different story.

EDIT: O, the wonders of the internet. <a href="http://www.rte.ie/tv/symphonysessions/programme1.html">Watch the programme here.</a> And that reminds me of how much I disliked that John Adams piece.

banquo

Have Sky Digital. The Performance Channel occasionally have some good stuff on. Nothing like a Mozart Piano Concerto at 4.am to lift the spirits.

The Mad Hatter

banquo wrote:

Have Sky Digital. The Performance Channel occasionally have some good stuff on. Nothing like a Mozart Piano Concerto at 4.am to lift the spirits.

Yes, and nothing like the alleged 'Classic FM TV' to drop them again.

Nothing but appaling, boring, easy-listening crap, all day.

Doshea3

O yes, I saw that channel once and I wasn't very impressed. I think I did see the Performance Channel once before, though, and I caught Daniel Barenboim directing a Mozart piano concerto from the keyboard. Now, that's telly worth watching. I think seeing the NSO was more fun, though, because I recognise so many of the players from seeing them in the NCH.

banquo

LOLZ at a typical half hour on Classic FM.

9:00 am = Con te Partiro
9:05 am = Flight of the Bumblebee [Korsakov not credited]
9:10 am = Con te Partiro
9:14 am = Con te Partiro
9:17 am = Con te Partiro
9:20 am = The 'obscure stuff' ... Slow movement from Mozart's piano conerto in C major

Sandwich

banquo wrote:

LOLZ at a typical half hour on Classic FM.

9:00 am = Con te Partiro
9:05 am = Flight of the Bumblebee [Korsakov not credited]
9:10 am = Con te Partiro
9:14 am = Con te Partiro
9:17 am = Con te Partiro
9:20 am = The 'obscure stuff' ... Slow movement from Mozart's piano conerto in C major

You are looking at Classic FM far too favourably IMO.
A more realistic typical half hour is :

9:00 am = Con te Partiro
9:04 am = adv for Classic FM smooth classics at 7
9:05 am = commercial adv
9:05 am = Flight of the Bumblebee [Korsakov not credited]
9:08 am = adv for Classic FM lunchtime countdown show
9:09 am = adv for Classic FM favourite classics show
9:10 am = Con te Partiro
9:13 am = commercial advert
9:14 am = adv for Classic FM weekend top 40 show
9:15 am = Con te Partiro
9:17 am = Con te Partiro
9:20 am = The 'obscure stuff' ... Slow movement from Mozart's piano conerto in C major - BUT JUST THE FIRST HALF OF IT. HOW COULD WE PLAY ALL OF IT; IT GOES ON FOR 9 WHOLE MINUTES!!!
9:25 am = adv for Classic FM Saturday evening concert show
9:26 am = adv for Classic FM sponsored concert in Albert Hall playing all your favourite Classic FM Classics
9:27 am = commercial adverts
9:30 am News


Or maybe things have changed I havnt listened to them in a few years, but had the impression that they worked to quotas of 1/3 commercial ads, 1/3 ads for their other programmes, 1/3 music.

Not much of a fan of Radio 3 either. Far too much new music and comittment to British composers.

Lyric strikes a great balance in their schedule of concerts, light music, Jazz, opera etc.

banquo

HAHA! Made me laugh

Particulary like the 'just the first half of it'. Good stuff, good stuff. They are a bit ofa joke though.

I listen to lyric a lot, but that old guy really annoys me. He couldn't find a cd for ages yesterday, and when he eventually did he couldn't get the right track, all the time narrating his little adventure in the studio in the tone usually reserved for the weather bulletin. And the fact that they might play some G&S at any moment with no warning has me living in fear. But a good, rounded station IMO.

Doshea3

LOL! I like that. I must say I prefer Lyric also. Though BBC Radio 3 has a bit more variety with regard to new music and things, Lyric, though sometimes guilty of overplay too, has a generally more varied schedule. Though I'd like to hear some more adventurous programming now and then. Bernard Clarke's "Nova" programme is usually too far down the "new music" spectrum for me (though I did enjoy a few programmes on Messiaen and Boulez), but there's usually little middle ground on the station. But I guess they're catering to the widest possible audience, and considering that's not a terribly wide audience anyway you can't really blame them.

EDIT: Which old guy are you talking about, Banquo? Sounds like Val Joyce has been resurrected. I agree with you that it's a good rounded station. And what's wrong with a bit of G&S now and then?

banquo

True. Lyric played a string quartet by Philip Glass today! Didn't know anything about the guy, really enjoyed it though. If anyone could recommend me some Glass stuff I'd appreciate their opinion.

And Lyric is, as you say doshea3, sometimes guilty of overplay.

*cough*Canon in D*cough*

I love trying to think of reasons to get them to play something via the dedication e.g. my little sister is sick and the doctor strongly recommended the 'healing powers of Mozart'.

Doshea3

I'm afraid I can't recommend you anything by Philip Glass as I can't stand the chap. If you're interested, send me a private message with your address and I can post you a CD of "The Essential Philip Glass" which I bought in the vain hope that it would convert me to liking Glass. Unfortunately, I could only bear a quick flick through the tracks before I turned it off and consigned it to the bottom of my shelf for good. I'm sure it deserves an appreciative owner.

Regarding Pachelbel's ubiquitous Canon (as Tim Thurston once referred to it in his Sunday morning programme Gloria), I was amused one day about a year ago when Lunchtime Choice played Reinard Goebel and Musica Antiqua Koln's recording of the piece in its original scoring, which I'm made the requester wonder what on earth he or she was hearing.

I generally don't bother sending in requests, because either my intended dedicatee would probably not hear it or they wouldn't play it hadn't got a good enough dedication to warrant its skipping the cue. I like the "healing power of Mozart one", though!

EDIT: Regarding overplay, what about Ronald Binge's "Elizabethan Serenade"? Doo-doo doo-doo, doo-doo doo-doo...

The Mad Hatter

Banquo, if you're into Philip Glass, I recommend the Violin Concerto, which I actually quite enjoy. You can get it with another couple of tracks on Naxos. Also, try any film scores he did, particularly earlier ones (though The Truman Show is quite good, too).

Most of the rest of his music is just A minor arpeggios...

Doshea3: don't you know by now that 'Best Of's never contain the best of?

Doshea3

Well, I generally don't buy "Best Ofs", though I have had a few half-decent Naxos ones bought for me...the J. Strauss II and Puccini ones are good, the Wagner one is all right, but the Liszt and Vivaldi ones are rubbish. So I guess you could be right. Still, I never liked Philip Glass, and I don't think even the very best of him could convert me.

<i>Most of the rest of his music is just A minor arpeggios...</i>

LOL! I couldn't agree more. When browsing in the Central Library music section one day I opened a copy of the score of one of his "operas", and what I saw looked like something I'd see in a nightmare.

Also, regarding Pachelbel, I just stumbled across this link—http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=666. I think you'll agree that under the circumstances the ID number is highly ironic.

The Mad Hatter

Doshea3 wrote:

Well, I generally don't buy "Best Ofs", though I have had a few half-decent Naxos ones bought for me...the J. Strauss II and Puccini ones are good, the Wagner one is all right, but the Liszt and Vivaldi ones are rubbish. So I guess you could be right. Still, I never liked Philip Glass, and I don't think even the very best of him could convert me.

<i>Most of the rest of his music is just A minor arpeggios...</i>

LOL! I couldn't agree more. When browsing in the Central Library music section one day I opened a copy of the score of one of his "operas", and what I saw looked like something I'd see in a nightmare.

Also, regarding Pachelbel, I just stumbled across this link—http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=666. I think you'll agree that under the circumstances the ID number is highly ironic.

Apt, I think, yes. Particularly if you're a cellist. I assume you've seen this?

banquo

Beethoven, funny

Doshea3

Thanks for the link, Mad Hatter. I'd heard of that clip but never actually watched it. I am quite proud to say that the only Pachelbel on my shelf is a CD of some of his organ works. Not a Canon in D in sight!

I also like Beethoven's piccolo part, reminds me a little of something John Cage might have come up with.

banquo

It was a e3.99 'Best of Beethoven' on the Naxos label that opened up the world of 'real' music to me. Before that it had just been the Beatles and... the Beatles. They were handy though because from their music I learned all about music 'theory' of a sort e.g. tonality, chords, modulations etc, and it was just another step for me to read classical music in these terms. There's little I like more than discussing what in a piece of music holds your interest, why the composer does what he does. Beethoven is the biggest legend IMO when it comes to creating really clever and really subtle contrast [Or not so subtle, 4th piano concerto, 2nd movement ], and a good knowledge of contempory instrument sounds and limitations really shows you his talent for orchestration. Bach is cool if you like [amongst other things] looking for interesting subtexts in the intervals between notes... And I do! Oh how I do.

And Mozart to leave you feeling impressed. As much as people seem to dislike him.