Vienna Philharmonic Plays Mozart and Tchaikovsky

Vienna Philharmonic Plays Mozart and Tchaikovsky
Royal Albert Hall

It is my second Prom of the day, thanks to being a day late with 'Vienna Philharmonic Plays Bruckner’s Ninth'. And there's even more bad news, because tonight there is also going to be another one of those 'late night' Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. This means that - like Sunday just gone - I am once again facing a day with no less than three Proms to listen to and consider.

My notes on Berg and  Bruckner from yesterday evening's Prom were not complimentary, but I am wondering if I may have had a different opinion on these pieces had I heard them on the first week of the Proms, as opposed to the last. Without a doubt, I am in need of resuscitation in music form. Mozart and Tchaikovsky are surely going to deliver on this?

Mozart's Symphony No. 38, has been nicknamed the 'Prague' symphony. Apparently the city adored his Marriage of Figaro, awarding it more success at the time than Vienna did. To date I have not visited Prague, save for this June just gone, when I was caught in traffic on the outskirts of the city, on the way to Pilsen with a couple of friends. This was where I was to first encounter the delight of the Pilsner Urquell brewery and its fresh tank beer. [Hoping to intersect the Czech capital sometime next year, or in the near future.]

It is not until about thirty minutes into the music that I (finally) get the instrumental flavours I am in such desperate need of. It's Mozart who, as I have already remarked, to me does tend to convey some tasteful pomp. It offers something of a jump start for me, which will now hopefully see me through to Saturday [the Last Night of the Proms].

Right now I am not capable of a running commentary on a nearly hour-long symphony like Tchaikovsky's number six, except to say that I recognise the style as his. It offers all the elegance of fine dining, and I am not left wanting a bag of chips on the way home.

Photo by me [Edinburgh city].

The Marriage of Figaro

The Marriage of Figaro

Royal Albert Hall

Tonight I'm taking a detour into Liverpool after work, as I need to collect an Ikea Kallax unit (1x4), that I've bought from someone on Facebook Marketplace. £10 and ready assembled. A couple of light marks. Perfect for my little bedroom which I use to store my own musical instruments and music books, the latter for which I need said shelving. These books have been the best part of two years in plastic bags all over the show.

This evening's Prom begins at the earlier-than-usual time of 18:30, due to the length of the work, (Mozart's Marriage of Figaro) that is going to be performed. I'm driving back home when it begins, but at least I'm with the live broadcast this evening, for the first time since the busy Proms weekend in Bristol.

Let's talk about two irreverent things my mind wanders to when the music starts:

1) The opening tinkle of this piece of work is a famous one, and it always takes me back to the 1971 Gene Wilder film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. There's a scene where Wilder's Wonka [the one and only, IMO] plays a little melody on tiny piano, in order to unlock the door to the chocolate room. Mike Teevee's mother pipes up, proudly declaring it to be the work of 'Rachmaninov,' in an arrogant effort to showcase her cultural knowledge. In actual fact, it's the opening to Mozart's Marriage of Figaro - and this is how I like to remember it's Mozart, hoping I never fall into the same embarrassing trap.

2) Secondly, my mind is floating to the 1993 film Mrs Doubtfire, in which Robin Williams sings 'Figaro, Figaro, Fi-Ga-Ro!', while holding up a funny little music stand. Chat GPT informs me that this is actually a reference to Rossini's Barber of Seville, but it is the same Figaro we're talking about here - the character having been invented by the French playwright, Pierre Beaumarchais. 

As for what is happening at the Royal Albert Hall, I'm speechless. Even though I'm only listening on the radio, the quality of the performance is crystal clear. It's spotless. These are seasoned pros, and I wish I was there to witness it all in raw vision and hearing. Anyone who knows nothing about classical music will tell you that their favourite composers are 'Beethoven and Mozart.' There's nothing wrong with that, and it's obvious these boys are mainstream for good reason: their music gets as close to touching perfection as is humanly possible. 

 

It does drag on a bit though, and I'm left wondering when the interval is going to kick in.

There's the odd titter from the audience which is over my head at home. Something I'm recently starting to take away from Mozart is that he seems to like a bit of playful extravagance. The presenter calls it 'Mozart's Comic Masterpiece', and I think that's a fair conclusion. 

Mozart, Prokofiev & Bartók

Mozart, Prokofiev & Bartók
Royal Albert Hall

Still behind the live schedule, I'm listening to this Prom early evening on Sunday. It's been a glorious day, and I'm sitting in my garden area, with laptop, JBL mini Bluetooth speaker, and a cup of tea. There's a shower curtain in the washing machine, because I've heard you can do that [Side note: worked quite well! Could maybe just do with another run to seal the deal].

It's Mozart, it's Prokofiev, it's Bartok.

Mozart I already know (who doesn't?), Prokofiev is a name I've heard a few times over the last few years, usually on Classic FM when I've heard something and thought 'I quite like that one.'  His is a name I've often heard alongside Shostakovich - looking them up online now, I understand why.

Bartok was foreign to me until earlier on in this Proms season.

The Mozart starter is perfect music; how couldn't it be? It's his 'Paris' symphony, and, as I remarked yesterday, Mozart seems to lean towards benign pomp in his music. But I like that about him!

The Prokofiev follows suit, insomuch as the music is spot on. There's a section where the strings are sharp, and by that I do not mean they are out of tune. I mean that they're presented with a timbre that rips through the other instrumentation. Sounds belter!

After the interval it's to be Bartok, and this is a Concerto for Orchestra, which I now understand [from earlier interval discussions in this Proms season] that this is something that is going to give all the instruments a moment in the spotlight.

Predictable opening to the Bartok, and I don't think it's the sort of music that lends itself to relaxation on a late-summer evening. But I do appreciate it for what it is, and it's something special for the right setting.

Image: Pixabay.com

Sibelius, Mozart, Arvo Pärt and Gavin Higgins (Bristol)

Sibelius, Mozart, Arvo Pärt and Gavin Higgins

Bristol Beacon

This was an early evening Prom but I'm tuning in via BBC Sounds, a few hours after the live broadcast. In preparation, I've walked over to Irby village and bought myself a bottle of Ayinger from the Crafty Tavern [a specialist beer/ales shop], and a Twirl multi-pack from Irby Local. I do like a dark ale, with my current favourite being the Augustiner Dunkel. I'd say this Ayinger is a touch more hoppy/malty than the Augustiner, and it ain't half bad! Just what I'm in the mood for :)

The Sibelius starts off superbly. The strings are like silk, and this feeling is sustained throughout. A bit of peace and relaxation, finally - thanks BBC Sounds, glad I tuned in! 

Next up it's Tabula Rasa by Arvo Pärt. If I was worried it was going to break away from the feel of the Sibelius, then I needn't have. The strings gel together on multiple levels, and it follows the mood of the previous piece we heard. It' a bit melancholic, mind. It's the sort of music that would play out in a film scene where a character is having a reflective moment about the episodes and events that have made up their life so far. Perfect background music for a beer and some chocolate. I vowed I wouldn't use the word 'sublime' this weekend, but it's hard not to in the face of something so... sublime! I'm becoming slightly inebriated from the drink as this piece goes on, and the music only adds to what becomes an opioid level of relaxation. Indeed, I haven't felt this good since the Fentanyl/Midazolam cocktail I was given before my colonoscopy at Arrowe Park hospital last year.

Rough Voices by Gavin Higgins offers something of a sobering-up. The opening is like a bucket of cold water. Not that pleasant at all after the previous music. It does settle down, but with a dark undercurrent. 

Mozart finishes us off. Feels a bit pompous in places, but isn't that what Mozart is all about?!

One Fine Prom!

Wigglesworth, Mozart and Bruckner

 Sunday evening and we, the Radio 3 audience, are back, from Gateshead, to our home venue: The Royal Albert Hall.

And tonight's theme, we are told, is music and memory. The first piece to be played is a world premiere of Ryan Wigglesworth's for Laura, after Bach. I'm really touched by the back story of this piece of music, which was composed in memory of Laura Samuel, who died aged just 48, having been the leader of BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. And it's a sad piece. Grand, but haunting.

Mozart begins as I hang out my pillow cases to dry. Impressive piano work as is so typical of Mozart. (Just remembered - this is a piano concerto, isn't it. No wonder!). After a round of applause the encore is another piano-centric piece by Liszt. Very nice!

During the interval, we listening on Radio 3 are offered a teaser of what is to come on Tuesday. Namely the music of Arooj Aftab. I am already familiar with her work so I am very much looking forward to that one.

Finally, I relish the moment of listening to a composer [Anton Bruckner] I have absolutely no familiarity with. Naturally, the style of the piece is novel to my ear. I pour myself a small Scotch and water, and raise a glass to the weekend past.

Image: Pixabay.com