Interact & Reviews / Reviews

Martin August
I enjoyed the Vaughan Williams symphony most of all - a wonderful symphony sympathetically performed. The Bruch Concerto may not be a great work, but this was a very good violinist and the orchestra was strongly directed and played well, so it was very enjoyable. I thought the Butterworth was a little disappointing - a wonderful work, but the orchestra seemed to be just warming up on this occasion - I have heard them play it better with this conductor on other occasions. I don't know if the idea of having the reading of the poems before and after is a good one or not, but it was spoiled this time by the fact that neither reader seemed to have prepared properly, and broke up the lines to distort the meaning.

John Woodhouse
An excellent concert on TV, and Mark Elder was amusing when interviewed as well!

George Lang
No nit-picking folks - this was as good a performance of the Bruch as you are ever likely to hear. Notice the fine vibrato sound from both orchestra and soloist!

Patricia Williams
I am pleased to see that the BBC seems to be showing a few more Proms than usual on the main TV channels. However my enjoyment of the Butterworth Rhapsody was totally spoiled by the "actors". Their reading appeared unrehearsed and uncoached, and they showed little understanding of these poignant poems. To perform poetry well takes as much careful thought, rehearsal and, dare I say it, talent as any muscial performance. Fortunately I calmed down sufficiently to enjoy the Bruch and Strauss but the Butterowrth was lost to me.

Ian Howarth
I agree absolutely with Philip. It was a great concert. The only possible problem with it that each piece was slightly less good than the one that preceded it. The opening Butterworth, so often just a gentle orchestral idyll was so movingly put into context with the read poems that it took on a completely new dimension. The Vaughan Williams was new to me, but the range of sonorities the orchestra brought to it conjured up a variety of wonderful sound worlds, and I can't wait to hear it again. The violinist in the Bruch was superb, bringing a wonderful moving freshness to her phrasing that even made the over-played slow movement sound as if she was playing it for the first time. However, I agree with the other review that the ensemble with the orchestra sometimes wasn't quite there. Thankfully, the Strauss finished wonderfully with a glowing sound, but the split horn note in the opening solo theme, seemed to unsettle the whole orchestra and it took a while to get the right sort of momentum. But all in all a really good concert, that brought standard repertory alive in a new way.

Michael Moore
I agree completely with Philip Berg's assessment of the first half of the Halle concert under Mark Elder. I base my evaluation on having heard the performances over the internet through the BBC rebroadcast. The orchestra's playing outdid that of their predecessors in the Halle recorded at a 1967 Proms and Mark Elder in 2008 certainly outdid the conducting of Barbirolli in 1967. Elder came through with an interpretation of such energy that all four movements made their effects as RVW doubtlessly intended. I don't know of any other recorded performance that so well conveys the inherent intensity of the opening movement, the cheekiness of the second, the fervor of the third, or the sheer fun and jubilation of the last. Stokowski, conducting the BBCSO at a 1964 proms, had been my No. 1 pick until I heard this year's Prom 16. Mark Elder bested even the old sorcerer Stokowski - giving us the Eighth that I had always hoped to hear. I only wish i could have been in the Hall that night!

Tom Uprichard
A marvellous concert that even the appalling idea of having actors recite a couple of Housman poems before and after the Butterworth was unable to spoil, though it did its best! If such an idea is ever tried again, perhaps somebody could coach the actors in speaking verse. The BBC engineers might also improve the amplification, which resulted in terrible boominess from where I was sitting. Better though to forget any such notion.

Stephen Cviic
I'm basically in agreement with Philip, having also been in the audience. The first half was excellent, especially the 2nd and 4th movements of the Vaughan Wililams. I also enjoyed the Bruch, and loved the sound made by Janine Jansen. I'm afraid I'm not a Strauss fan, so nothing can really redeem Till Eulenspiegel for me, but I too thought the orchestra did not seem at their most confident in a piece which requires virtuosic bravura rather than caution.

Philip Berg
A stunning concert - especially the first half! I was immediately struck by the sound of this orchestra, and the atmosphere generated by the first piece was simply gorgeous. The 3rd Prom I have been to this year so far, and quite the best orchestral sound I have heard. The contributions by the speakers, too, were well-controlled and very effective. The Vaughan Williams was superb - such excellent ensemble from the orchestra and that consistently beautiful sound!

The Bruch is not really my favourite piece, but I wasn't sure if soloist and orchestra were really in sympathy (especially all her double, if not triple dotting). Tiny flaws, though, in an excellent performance. It seemed that the Strauss, sadly, suffered from a combination of the heat/being last in the programme/short of rehearsal time? One or two exposed solos had slips (hey, anyone can make them...!) and these seemed to lead to more. A pity, as the rest of the programme was absolutely fantastic, and I am mystified as to why no-one else has felt moved to comment on this amazing concert.