What upcoming events, if any, are you going to?

The Mad Hatter

Pianist2891 wrote:

Me, in learned voice: Why my dear, its a Piano CIRCLE after all. We sit at the piano, and draw circles.

That's the second time you've made me laugh today! Thanks! (horrible, though, simply horrible.)

Now, I think you were saying something about getting offline? (And I really should go do the same...)

Doshea3

Mad Hatter: I presume you were on the right of the organ as you look up from the stalls? I was in the middle of the second row on the left hand side.

When I bought my piano I almost bought a (reconditioned) Kawai instead, but the guy in the shop told me that the Yamaha I had my eye on would wear better. Even though it was horribly out of tune in the shop, I knew that it was the only piano in the place whose sound I liked.

Banquo: Yeah, I recall he told me it cost him £37,000, and that was in 1981 or thereabouts (!).

Can't wait for these piano circle meetings. Can we wear special <s>elitist</s> nametags with "Founder Member" on them?

The Mad Hatter

Doshea3 wrote:

Mad Hatter: I presume you were on the right of the organ as you look up from the stalls? I was in the middle of the second row on the left hand side.

Nope, right as you look down. Got my seat early so I could see Brendel's hands. This means you must have been sitting either in my row or in the row in front of me! I can't remember whether I was in the second or third row...

tSubh Dearg

I hate the choir balcony to sit esp when I'm sitting there in a choir. The sops sit on the left as you look at the stage and there is no leg room at all so your knees are wedged against the wood in front.

Then there's the fact that you can't hear your musical cues unless they're coming from the brass, but inevitably it's a flute or clarinet you have to listen out for. I know I can watch the conductor but I like hearing the cue too, a habit I picked up from my school orchestra where everyone but the string section was ignored by the conductor so you had to know the sound of where to come in.

Ahh rant over, I feel better now.

I'll be at several of the NSO concerts in the coming season, up the choir balcony.

Singing Eberwein's Properina and Orff's Carmina Burana end of Nov,
will probably go and hear the men singing Lizet's A Faust Symphony in Jan (Wagner and Mozart are also on the programme that evening),
then Part's (excuse the lack of umlaut over the a but I can never work out how to do that on my mac) Berliner Messe and Credo in Feb,
Verdi's Requiem end of Feb
Puccini's Messa di Gloria in April
and finally Berlioz's Requiem (which I've never heard but am very interested in performing) at the end of May.

In between all that I'll see what I can afford and what catches my eye.

Doshea3

tSubh: Looking forward to every single one of those concerts! I agree that the choir balcony is a bit squashed.

Mad Hatter: That's gas that we were sitting so close. You may have noticed me as I was wearing a stripy white/purple shirt and tie.

Also, Pianist2891, were you sitting in about the third row from the front in the stalls? There was someone there who looked like you.

Piste

banquo wrote:

The greatest piano in the world, howver, is my own K&C. Many wonderful features, including:

a) Practically bi-weekly conversations with your piano tuner
b) The convincing illusion that you are playing from the inside of a tin can.
c) Bass notes very heavy, treble notes very light

Even it's f*cked up shape will endear you for many [3-4] years of playing.

Omg I thought it was just MY K&C that was like that, I assumed it just needed to be broken in

funky penguin

banquo wrote:

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, 12th October

Arrrgh! I just spent my money on Esbjorn Svensson tickets at the Cork Jazz Festival!

Still......while I'd love to see it being played live, I cannot resist the allure of E.S.T.

amity island

Did anyone here make it to Berlioz' Symphony Fantastique yesterday? It's one of my favourites. I tried bilocation but then I settled for listening in live on lyric, hosted by the eminent Eamonn Lawlor.

NSO sounded literally fantastic, they really excelled with this performance. I have a recording of it by Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra (Rico Saccani) but last night really brought out the magical colourings and far surpassed the BPO, to my mind anyway


But wait!! I know the movements end in triumphant finale, but why did the audience clap in between? It must have been daunting for the musicians, not knowing what to expect between movements not to mention disquieting for the real 'fans' who I'm sure were cringing in their seats.

What do european listeners of the broadcast think?
Does Gerhard have to conduct the audience now too? Holding 'APPLAUSE' cards aloft when appropriate, or maybe NCH should install neon signals, is that what's required?

If it was only that, last night's concert may have produced a great cd (with some clever edit-outs). But to scuper any chance of that it seems the plague decended! Was I tricked and did they broadcast from the Lung Cancer and TB hospital??

have some respect audience!!

Pianist2891

To be honest, I don't think applause between movements is that much of a sin. It can indicate a few things, mainly the audience not being avid classical music people and not knowing the work being performed. Which is a good thing if you consider that it would imply people who are not normally at an NSO performance being at it...sure they may be ignorant and not know the work, but so what...at least they are there in the first place.

I certainly doubt lack of respect is the reason for clapping out of place. Its just not being familier with the symphony or concerto, or even sonata as a form of music and not knowing if the piece has ended or there's more to come.

I for one am beginning to become far more relaxed about audience errors as I often think its a positive thing to have people there in the first place - so what if they're a bit misinformed or uncertain about when to clap....in my opinion better than an audience full of people who "know" their music but snore through a performance, have their phones on vibrate, or shuffle constantly in their seats (as in Alfie's concert).

Doshea3

I must agree with what Pianist2891 says above. Clapping between movements isn't really a terrible thing to do, even if it is forbidden by purists. Though that said, Rob/Banquo and I didn't clap between the movements. Well, most of them.

banquo

Likewise, and if it were up to me people could clap along with the orchestra... within reason, of course This whole polaristion between audience and performer succeeds only in making the performance less engaging. The 4th movement from the Berlioz really did deserve a round of applause! And, as Dave and I saw, they rightfully got it.

Doshea3

Regarding the fourth movement, I totally agree with Rob. That was the only movement I clapped after, because it really was rollicking. I also clapped after one or two of the Wagners, as they weren't so much movements of the same work as different songs in a set. I think Markson appreciated the applause between movements, though. I suppose most good-natured conductors do. All the rest won't give an audience a chance, or scowl at them for clapping inappropriately.

Civilian_Target

Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique comes into its own when live. I saw it in the Proms (http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2007/whatson/2007.shtml) and I have to admit, the orchestra delivered blistering 4th and 5th movements. Real verve and personality, Fisher took the 4th movement at a cracking pace!

I still think that the 2nd, 4th and 5th movements of that symphony are stunning, shame the other two movements don't live up to them (and account for about 60% of the length of the entire piece!)

[EDIT]Actually, don't take my word for it - BBC will let you listen online! http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~tp206/prom09.rpm and skip to about 1 hour 18

banquo

We should start a movement for Better Concerts, and then get state funding and grants and lots of women to love us rebellious classical types.

/continues dreaming

Doshea3

O yes. We want quality concerts twice a week, at least.

/joins Rob in the dreaming

The Mad Hatter

See, this is precisely why I prefer recordings.

Also, woot! Got my Schiff ticket! (One of four remaining!)

banquo

DAMN! I forgot!

Well... bugger.

Pianist2891

Nevermind, you can go to Lang Lang. Ouch.

The Mad Hatter

banquo wrote:

DAMN! I forgot!

Well... bugger.

The other two might be left, if no-one wants seats on their own.

banquo

Pianist2891 wrote:

Nevermind, you can go to Lang Lang. Ouch.

HA! Made me laugh

I didn't think that I'd need to buy them so soon, it is after all only September!