David H Spence
From a suavely, almost sensuously consoling Requiem setting in Prom 11, with Brett Dean’s new work, we arrive at the truly stultifying effect the ‘third wave’ so frequently has on all our lives. Starting off corrosive dirge in lower reaches mixes and alternates with frenzied toccata in strings and brass. Crinkling of alu foil alternate with dripping pizzicati, making it all appear that we all have happened on to a less sterile environment, even workplace with IT perhaps than we first suspected. What, with landfills in southern China filling up with discarded computer hardware from the U.S. and elsewhere and choking the air the people breathe there, there is perhaps more cause for this parable than Dean suspected. Loud serpentine groping about on bass clarinet underneath pointillistic touches on piano and sustained high violin pitches was haunting, near here to 'the ‘loneliness of watching television (chorale).’ Bell and Anti-Bell probably makes strong impact. A commencing bee buzz of rapid ostinato in the violins, in mix with high tubular sounding bells and light flourish in upper woodwinds, suffocates. The melodic snatch for ‘Path to your Door’ (D-flat-B-flat-C) is first heard in double basses. A phone then rings thirty seconds a cappella, followed by drone of automated phone voice. Dean extends text we normally hear into philosophical questioning of it, almost at first to extend to making one speculate how such a device might express concern over how each of us can hold our water (i.e., Doctor in Wozzeck). The newborn infant-greeting lullaby sung by the children does suavely make segue into resumption of the automated phone message and then to light (offstage, recorded?) frenzied screaming by them. Plaintive oboe, combined with mouth organ chords, ended this portion affectingly; the vernal sounding flourish in winds at the end of ‘Path’ to follow, held out some dim hope. Dean least satisfactorily finds a way to interestingly score the meditative third movement. This ‘sociological cantata’ misses something. In a work that at once is densely textural, dissonant, and minimalistic, further infusion of irony might help save it from ultimately turning prolix and diffuse on some ears. If mildly too objective in stance, Robertson’s forces played and balanced this score adeptly, so that everything could be heard. A dry, somewhat joyless account of Beethoven Seventh Symphony followed (extending Dean to seven movements?). Not very fast, this was a Beethoven Seventh long on thurst and propulsion though - from such a detached impetus though, that a cell phone matching pitch with an occasional big A Major chord might have worked. Boulezian detachment mixed with Slatkin-esque projection and thrust made for a heavy brew here indeed. Wind solos and light string section passages imparted intermittent warmth. A much welcome release was felt toward close of the finale, where Robertson intentionally lightened all up. A pairing of Beethoven with the Ives in his two proms with BBC would have served him very well (thus pairing Dean with Bernstein instead).

Mike Wheeler
I really must take issue with Alan Rudwick on the subject of concert dress. White tie and tails is simply a pompous anachronism - a relic of Victorian snobbery that should have been dumped once and for all years ago. I fully applaud Roger Norrington and others who are getting away from it. Why do orchestral manangements continue to insist on male players being trussed up in what by all accounts is this highly uncomfortable garb, especially when the women have a free choice of what style to wear? On the DVD accompanying the Proms issue of BBC Music Magazine you'll see the men of the BBC Symphony Orchestra looking perfectly smart in open-neck black shirts and jackets.

Keith
I thought the Gondwana Voices were the highlight of the evening. Singing without a score and not overawed by the occassion they produced a beautiful sound. Pity they did not have the opportunity to share some of their more usual, beautiful repertoire with the Proms audience.

Pete Lazonby
No wonder classical music is commercially dead on its feet. Clothing is as irrelevant as these reviewers' relationships (read 'familiarity') with various interpretations of the Beethoven. Anyone who was unaffected by the Brett Dean is a stone hearted retro snob; the sort of person who would have left Stravinsky's 'Rite' premiere.

Alan Rudwick, Ryde, IW.
Proms 13 and 14.Musicians' dress is not unimportant in the presentation of music at public performances. Sadly, the dreary black shirt and black tie of the BBC Symphony Orchestra detracted from their superb perfomance of Beethoven's 7th Symphony, - a situation made worse by the conductor, (David Robertson) with his lack of even a black tie to his casual black shirt. If his orchestra is made to dress properly in white shirt and tie, why can't he?

The Haydn concert the very next day saw the choir, orchestra and soloists superbly dressed in white tie for men, and black dresses for ladies, with the lady soloist in a beautiful concert gown, with a sparkling necklace. Oh dear, what did the conductor,(Sir Roger Norrington) wear? A crumpled black jacket buttoned up to the neck - (no tie of course) - which he immediately tore open three minutes into the concert. Most concert-goers expect a dress code befitting the grandeur of Classical music. Why do conductors arrogantly scorn the dress code of their musicians? What are they trying to tell us, and why should they be allowed to do so? While I'm at it, please put the BBC's magnificent Symphony Orchestra back again into formal evening dress with white tie and tails?

Jonathan
I thought the Dean was going to be a mess and initially wasn't disappointed in this, but when the introductory section was over I soon became hooked. I didn't have a programme so wasn't sure what the music was supposed to be 'about' but the moment the voice began I knew, and having just had major dealings with my gas supplier I felt right at home! Several people near me got up and left and I noticed a few others doing the same which was a shame as this was a clever piece, brilliantly played - and at the very least, if you didn't like the music you could applaud the orchestra and certainly the children in the choir. Their playground section was an amusing and unexpected interruption and the fact they sang without a score didn't go unmissed. There was a moment in this piece when the orchestra went quiet and the voice took over, with an existential questioning that I forget now, but I had chills down my spine.I couldn't help feeling that being in the audience was a less satisfactory experience than listening on the radio or watching on TV, but if I hadn't found myself at a loose end in London that night before flying back to Scotland I'd have missed a real treat.

As for the Beethoven, well as the German lady next to me said when I noticed she didn't applaud the Vexations for very long: 'we only came for the Beethoven'. Coincidentally I'd listened to Simon Rattle's recording of this two nights previously - a clever interpretation, especially of the second movement. It was this piece that got me into classical music, Barenboim's funereally slow take that I haven't heard for a long time but still treasure. So much so that I still can't really stomach this movement at the pace everyone else takes it! But I'm getting there.I loved the way the first two movements, and then they second two were joined together. It made me hear the piece afresh and it worked wonderfully. The Albert Hall isn't the best accoustic - I prefer to sit in the choir if I can because you seem to get the best sound there, but constrained by money I was up in the stalls and while I agree with an earlier comment about muddy textures, I think this was a venue-specific issue (although the last movement was taken extraordinarily fast and it didn't help matters). But I came out smiling and humming away to myself, as did the German lady next to me. (And one of the most mixed audiences I've seen for a Prom, incidentally - and that's saying something. Lots of children, lots of tourists, lots of groups of young women... is this a new hen night venue?) So all in all a good night out. I noticed the RAH was half empty - a real shame. I also noticed a lot of us singletons in the audience. Clearly a night where loosenders like me descended on Kensington for something to do, attracted by a bit of Beethoven and getting more than we bargained for! (music-wise, that is!)

York Ravel
What a stunning performance of Brett Dean's Vexation on Sunday - it actually had my usually dozy husband wide awake and wondering which percussion instrument was producing that incredible sound - or was it the choir going ‘Huh huh huh’? Superb orchestration and a fabulous use of taped voices pitched just right; I even made out the timpanist play a descending scale. As for the Australian children's choir, who sang without the aid of scores, the sound was pure magic. Where was the harmonica? I heard it but could not locate it. Children, here should be introduced to music like this – lively and interesting. However, I particularly enjoyed the quiet climax – that almost had you holding your breath until the very last note. I had given up hope of ever relating to new music, thank you Brett for changing that!

Music Mann
I sadly missed the Dean but I hope it was better than what followed! I found Robertson's Beethoven 7 interpretation extremely un-convincing. Robertson's attempt at a spacious interpretation was clearly geared towards polish and finesse rather than tightness of rhythm and pure excitement. The rhythms of the first movement never came to life. The expression and beauty of the second was dull and lifeless, the scherzo sounded like someone trying to pull a train up a hill, rather than the joyful peasants dancing-and the echo of the main theme (the pp) in the scherzo was pretty much the same dynamic as when first played! The finale again was boring and never reached a true fff in the coda. If you are going to perform Beethoven 7 at the Proms, you MUST have something new to say about the work. Very dissapointing.

Sarah
I hated the Beethoven 7th; all scurry and thump, idividual notes could not be heard in the helter skelter and all musicality was lost.

Yeadon
What a superb performance of the Beethoven 7. Effectively splitting the work into two halves is very effective. The speed and drive of the last movement were on a par with the great Karajan perfomances. The BBC Symphony horns were superb.

Colin Watts
I'm sorry I just did not get the Brett Dean thing. I dislike modern composers and this effort only served to confirm my opinion. This cacophony deserved no place in the Proms nor in the Albert Hall. Thank God for the second half and magnificant Beethoven which only went to prove that the first half was not the orchestra's fault. It won't put me off the Proms but I'll be checking the repetoire a bit closer in future.

Thoroughly Good
Brett Dean's Vexations and Devotions was a fresh and inventive piece drawing on present-day life, something everyone should be able to relate to in some form or other. The performance given by the assembled orchestra and choirs was thought-provoking and entertaining. It's a rare thing when I smile with recognition during a radio broadcast of new music. This performance confirmed the vitally important role the BBC, and more specifically, the Proms season occupies promoting present-day creativity.

'Tweedie'
David Robertson's rapport with the BBCSO bears fruit at every concert. The sturdy stems of the Beethoven 7 were loaded with passion fruit. Oh, the delectable taste of musicians in accord and producing the goods. Mr Robertson and the players put a fresh gloss on an old favourite with the affection of honest cultivators. Not a weed in sight.

Alan Dykes
Beethoven 7th - Apotheosis of St.Vitus' Dance!What a daft speed to take the last movement. The poor orchestra sounded rushed off it's feet. For goodness' sake why this modern mania for such fast tempi? Does the heritage of performance by great conductors of the past no longer have any relevance?