Proms tonight: Mackerras and Mozart
Posted by: Tam on 08 September 2006
Just a heads up, tonight's prom features Charles Mackerras conducting the OAE (a rather fine partnership - their Schubert symphony recordings are very good, and I heard them give a rather good concert a two years or so ago).
They will be playing Mozart's 35 symphony which should be fine (certainly when he did another late symphony with the SCO at the Edinburgh festival in 2004 it was quite something - as is his Telarc cycle with the Prague Chamber Orchestra) and, more interestingly, a performance of Robert Levin's new completion of the c minor mass. Certainly, Mackerras has good form with Levin's completion of the Requiem in a wonderful recording with the SCO so all in all it should be worth a listen/watch.
Tune your radio's to 3 at 7:30 or go to BBC4 to watch the whole thing at the same time.
regards, Tam
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Tam
Well, great stuff in the first half. But I do have to ask why they have to hire this [words fail me] Hazelwood to present. If they can't fire him, would someone at least get the man a thesaurus.
regards, Tam
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Steve Bull
Agreed on both points!
I've enjoyed all the Mozart symphonies I've heard during the proms - any recommendations? Suspect I'll be after a recc for the C minor mass in about an hour and a half as well...
Steve.
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Tam
Posted on: 08 September 2006 by Steve Bull
Thanks Tam, I'll check it out.
And while I've nothing to compare it with, I did enjoy the mass as well.
Only got to one prom this year - but it was a cracker, the Mozart Requiem over the bank holiday weekend.
Steve.
Posted on: 10 September 2006 by KenM
I didn't bother with it, mainly because the sound quality of the Prom broadcasts this year has seemed so poor to me. It just sounded very dull, compared with their broadcasts from CD.
BBC Radio 3 rated Mackerras' Mozart symphonies highly
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/cdreview/buildingalibrary/bal0203.docand I can vouch for the quality of their period instruments recommendation at super-bargain price on Brilliant Classics. When I can, I'll listen to the Mackerras versions, but broadcast Prom performances this year have been a bit disappointing. I just wish I could still get to London for the concerts.
Posted on: 10 September 2006 by Tam
Dear Ken,
I would agree with a lot of that. The micing of the soloists was pretty poor (the tenor was inaudible).
However, such problems weren't too troubling in the symphony (though I think certain orchestral colours didn't show up as well as might be expected). What was more, at least listening via digital tv, there was a pathetic number of dropouts in sound (if only for a fraction of a second each time). Apparently this also occured on Sky - so it's a little poor if the BBC can't get this sort of thing right.
Hopefully the people the subcontracted to tape the Beethoven cycle in the Usher Hall did a better job.
regards, Tam
