Between us we went to three Promenade concerts. Firstly Prom 9 – the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Leif Ove Andsnes conducting and playing Beethoven’s 1st and 4th piano conceros and Stravinsky’s Apollon Musagète, which went down well with those in the family who went.
Later we went to Prom 18 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Semyon Bychkov, sat as high as one can without being in the gallery. The programme began with the Lebècque sisters playing the K365 double concerto. We had an almost overhead view of the two pianos (otherwise our view was rather restricted); a rather baffling encore turned out to be by Philip Glass. Then came the Leningrad Symphony. This goes in and out of favour, but for all its ramblings I’m very attached to it. This particular performance had a great sense of stillness in the quiet passages, but also sustained the huge spans.
Finally, some of us went to hear the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Peter Oundjian in Prom 63. This began with Messiaen’s Hymne, an early piece very much in mystical Catholic mode. Then Igor Levit in Mozart’s K595 piano concerto. He had a curious hunched performing posture, but gave a pleasing performance, though one of our party found it rather mannered. Finally came Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony. We have heard some great Bruckner at the Proms – including what turned out to be Günter Wand’s final appearance – and this performance stood up well, dispelling any doubts as to whether the brass in particular would do it justice.
Reviews of Prom 18: