Music
Is Daniel Barenboim’s West–Eastern Divan Orchestra a political orchestra or a musical orchestra? As they reach the pivotal centre of their cycle of Beethoven’s symphonies, the question becomes more apparent. The visionary project of an orchestra that unites through music the various cultures of the Middle East has aught the imagination of a number of funding bodies and clearly there are some brilliant soloists in the orchestra. Programming short pieces of Pierre Boulez’s music alongside the Viennese symphonic masterpieces is similarly visionary and probably makes good television and any concert which concludes with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is almost bound to send the crowd away pleased.
A passionate, light and bouncy performance by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment directed by Laurence Cummings. Handel's Judas Maccabaeus includes “See, the conqu’ring hero comes!” (No 58) and “the other” Hallelujah! chorus.
Handel's Judas Maccabaeus is a setting of the historical story of the army which seized control of Judea from the Greek-Macedonian Seleucid Empire between 166 and 164 BC and established self-determination for the Israelite people through renowned battles and despite plagues.
Awesome Prom 2, my first this season: a semi-staged performance of Lerner & Loewe’s My Fair Lady. It seems that even someone who doesn’t know anything about musicals will know at least one of the tunes, probably “Get me to the church on time”.
Prom 5 was the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Juanjo Mena. The crowd-puller was Richard Strauss's setting of Nietzsche's "Also sprach Zarathustra". Since the Karajan recording and Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, the opening music "Sunrise" has been both a showcase for hifi sound and a fairly sure spine-tingler even at home. With a very full orchestra and underscored by the lowest notes of the magnificent Harrison organ of the Albert Hall, the effect was certainly electrifying and of course there was no hint of hifi overload as this was a live performance.
I enjoyed The Royal Opera's latest revival of their production of Puccini's romantic tragedy La Bohème, conducted by Semyon Bychkov. This production was first shown in 1974 and has lasted exceptionally well. It is very much an atmospheric design and a great relief to have a straightforward setting where an attic is an attic and a bar is a bar. The production has loads of detail and stage action but lets the music shine forth without distraction as Puccini unleashes his full romantic palette.
Semyon Bychkov started off briskly: that seems to be the most effective way to settle the audience, many of whom are there as much for a night out enjoying corporate hospitality as to enjoy an emotional workout. The strong emotions of Act One of La Bohème, contrasting what was 19th century Paris bohemian or laddish behaviours with high emotion, verge on sentimentality that seems a strange recreation for corporate people who must deny their own emotions to achieve their success. It's as much a contrast as a boxing dinner with the East End's hopefuls fighting for the entertainment of the black tie and suited diners.
