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Prom 9: BBC Symphony Orchestra
- Date Wednesday 23 July 2008
- Time 7.00pm - c10.05pm
- Venue Royal Albert Hall
A Proms reprise of a programme first given in 1958, featuring two German composers who managed to retain Classical poise in the face of burgeoning Romanticism. Mendelssohn's Fourth Symphony celebrates the sounds and colours of Italy, while Brahms's Second is the most 'pastoral' of his symphonies, a work of carefree high spirits.
In between comes the colossal Second Piano Concerto with which Brahms blurs the boundaries between symphony and concerto; the soloist is Lars Vogt, whose reputation is similarly built on a mastery of the Classical repertoire.
Mendelssohn's spirited curtain-raiser is based on the Victor Hugo play in which the commoner Ruy Blas is forced to dishonour the Queen of Spain by winning her affections.
- Mendelssohn Overture - Ruy Blas (8 mins)
- Mendelssohn Symphony No.4 in A major, 'Italian' (28 mins)
- Interval
- Brahms Piano Concerto No.2 in B flat major (48 mins)
- Interval
- Brahms Symphony No.2 in D major (40 mins)
Lars Vogt piano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Jiří Bělohlávek conductor
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Martin
Excellent concert, especially the Brahms symphony at the end. For once the first movement was not taken too slowly but at a forward-moving pace, so the structure of the symphony came across - the work is more than just lyricism. It reminded me of great performances of the same symphony directed by the great conductor Fritz Busch. Brahms Piano Concerto also good, not made to be too grand but strong and purposeful.
wotan
Spell binding Piano Concerto No 2.Lars Vogts touch was just right,the interaction with the cello, played so wonderfully was almost hynotic. But the concert should have ended then. The tempi in the Brahms Symphony was frankly eccentric. I thought the first movement wound never end,it was so slow, and not lyrical. The final movement should blaze in its last pages,this one whimpered. It was worth it alone for the Piano Concerto.