This was our one visit to the Proms that season away from the clutches of The Duchess. I had fallen into the habit of treating her to one ort wo Proms each season, by that time. Janie and I occasionally also went to something of our own choosing.
On this occasion, I think the programme looked unusual and yet approachable. Alexander Lazarev conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. I wanted to hear Francesca da Rimini performed live and Janie had acquired a taste for countertenor singing. Plus some unusual pieces.
Here is a link to the BBC stub for this Prom.
We heard:
- Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka – Capriccio brillante (on the Jota Aragonesa)
- Sergey Prokofiev – Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor
- Giya Kancheli – Symphony No. 3
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Francesca da Rimini
- Alexander Glazunov – Raymonda, Op 57 No. 26 Grand pas espagnol Act 2- encore
- Trad. – Eightsome (reel) – encore
What could possibly go wrong?
Nothing. Nothing went wrong. Although in truth, I don’t recall much about the lesser-known pieces and I cannot for the life of me work out where the countertenor fits in with this collection of pieces. Janie cemented her view that she didn’t like Prokofiev and that big symphony orchestra concerts were not really her favourite thing. Still, we both very much enjoyed our evening.
Here’s what the Glinka sounds like:
Here’s a good recording of the Prokofiev.
The Kancheli is strange yet certainly haunting:
I really enjoyed the Francesca da Rimini. Here is a more recent version of it from The Royal Festival Hall, but you’ll get the idea:
Dig this little bit of the Glazunov:
Fine composer, was Trad. Should have paired up with Anon – they could have been the Lennon and McCartney of the 11th to 19th centuries. Yet Janie insisted that the final encore was Trad’s “Tiresome Reel” rather than Eightsome Reel. I kinda see her point:
Geoffrey Norris in The Telegraph wrote very fondly of this Prom:
Lazarev Prom Norris Telegraph 04 Aug 1997, Mon The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Robert Cowan in the Independent also waxed lyrical about this Prom:
Lazarev Prom Cowan Indy 05 Aug 1997, Tue The Independent (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Rick Jones was less impressed in The Standard. I’m not quite sure what he means by an errrant electronic high-pitched note. Janie would argue that Prokofiev is meant to sound like that.
Lazarev Prom Jones Standard 04 Aug 1997, Mon Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com