Seán wrote:Earlier tonight I watched and listened to last night's Prom on BBC4
Mahler
Symphony No.3
Karen Cargill (mezzo-soprano)
Edinburgh Festival Chorus (women's voices)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra Junior Chorus
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles - conducting.
Royal Albert Hall, London on Wednesday, August 04, 2010
I enjoyed it immensely. I wonder what Ciaran made of it?
I enjoyed it too! It was my first time in the Albert Hall and I was very pleased that, at least from my seat, the acoustic did not live down to its infamous reputation. All the wind were very clear, and while the strings (with first and second fiddles divided as is now becoming less unusual) were not as strong, they were still well in evidence. I would agree with the review you quote, Seán, in particular that the posthorn solos were a bit wanting in feeling. The first movement was very special indeed, with the trombone solos wonderfully expressive and the whole long span of the movement held together very much as a whole, rather than breaking up into little episodes as it can. The fourth movement with the alto solo was as mysterious and tragic as it ought to be and the last movement was a fittingly ecstatic conclusion. Terrific!
I was rather struck by the casualness of dress at the Albert Hall, and also that there seemed to be a higher (though still not terribly high!) proportion of younger people than you see at classical concerts in Dublin.