Orchestre de Paris at Edinburgh 23 August

[Philip M]

The Orchestre de Paris gave the first of their 2 Edinburgh Festival concerts at the Usher Hall tonight under their Music Director Daniel Harding. He steps down from that position after tomorrow’s second concert (the War Requirm). It has sadly not been a happy 3 year relationship, though at least the orchestra and conductor have been mature enough to recognise that they had different musical philosophies.

The highlight tonight was undoubtedly the second half - a rare live performance of Berlioz’s Harold in Italy with Antoine Tamestit as the viola soloist (I last heard this work live in 1992 with Yuri Bashmet and the CBSO under Simon Rattle).

The orchestra is mainly French, and they were very much at home with Berlioz. Tamestit gave a very unusual and “interactive” performance. He was absent at the start and entered stage left just before his first entry, and then indulged in a lovely duet with the female harpist (who was sat stage left, in front of the last desk of the first violins). He then moved to centre stage for the rest of the movement. Thereafter he wandered all round the stage and even appeared in the circle for his final notes. His tone is rich and colourful. Impressive.

The first half was Beethoven’s 6th symphony - not my favourite! The 3rd and 4th movements were the best with drama and rhythmic bite. But the OdP seemed to be going through the motions. They seem to like the easy life....

[Lance]

Hello Philip … glad you made it to CMG! Looks like you are enjoying some great music in the UK. Please continue to keep us informed. Any good piano recitals heard recently?

[Philip M]

I heard an excellent recital by Andrew Tyson one Sunday lunchtime in June at Wigmore Hall - the day after seeing Boris Godunov at Covent Garden with Bryn Terfel. Quite a weekend.

Andrew T is a hugely talented young American pianist, based in Philly. His God is Sofronitsky!

[Rach3]

I heard an excellent recital by Andrew Tyson one Sunday lunchtime in June at Wigmore Hall - the day after seeing Boris Godunov at Covent Garden with Bryn Terfel. Quite a weekend.
Andrew T is a hugely talented young American pianist, based in Philly. His God is Sofronitsky!

Agree with you about Tyson. Fww,see here:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=49565&p=493610&hilit=Tyson#p493610

[John F]

Andrew T is a hugely talented young American pianist, based in Philly. His God is Sofronitsky!

A good God to have. I listened to some of his Chopin on YouTube and like it.

But now for Sofronitsky himself. The recording that first sold me on him was of Chopin's nocturne op. 15 no. 1, a very personal interpretation which nonetheless does more with Chopin's markings than any others I've heard. The repeat of the melody near the beginning is marked dolcissimo and then delicatissimo. Sofronitsky's tiny but expressive rubatos in the triplets really get to me; as other pianists play the triplets they sound matter-of-fact. And Sofronitsky does a little more when the melody returns at the end.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZnbK8B8uL4

[Philip M]

sofrinitsky’s Schumann is stunning - 1st sonata and Etudes Symphoniques for instance (how I love the first sonata, even though it does ramble a bit!).

Try his Schubert E flat Impromptu too - though the way he plays it shows he can’t count

Philip