Raff - Symphony No. 3 - 2019-2020 Performances

[tpaloj]

Great find eschiss1. Espoo is only half an hour from downtown Helsinki and the venue is easily found and accessible. 25 euros for tickets is a steal, too.

Would it be a problem that this is a 43-piece orchestra, though?

The symphony requires 20 players for all other instruments discounting the strings. The other 23 players, for strings - with an arrangement of something like 8-6-4-3-2 - is less than Wagnerian but still in the realm of standard period section size. Although I'm not an expert, I'd like to think Raff would benefit from a smaller string section and it would not be detrimental, the music is so well written to work either way.

[Alan Howe]

I can (just about) accept that. But the question for me, as I said, is whether this would be a HIP-influenced performance, with vibrato-less strings, etc. I can go some of the way with smaller orchestras playing, say, Brahms symphonies (Mackerras' cycle with Scottish Chamber Orchestra makes sense), but going further down the HIP route (e.g. Ticciati's with the same orchestra) brings the law of diminishing returns, with poorly sustained legato from the strings, broken phrasing and a general lack of weight.

Incidentally, there's a lovely performance of Raff's 1st Cello Concerto on YouTube which Ilja kindly uploaded:
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,7153.msg75994.html#msg75994
It's conducted by Venzago, but with the Bern Symphony Orchestra - a rather bigger ensemble than the Tapiola Sinfonietta.

[FBerwald]

Christoph Croisé is committed to perform the 2nd cello concerto in 2022.

[eschiss1]

Well, the Espoo program also contains a Liszt symphonic poem and another work. If they're looking for historically-informed performance, it would behoove(?) them to augment the orchestra substantially and perform with a larger orchestra; an orchestra of such a small size suitable for a late-18th century or early-19th century work -can- be used for - but is not historically correct for - Liszt or Raff. Certainly it goes against Liszt's wishes for his poems, afaik. (Probably perfect for Schoenberg's slight enlargement of his own Chamber Symphony no.1, though - tangentially- and certainly for Strauss' Metamorphosen, which I'm guessing they've recorded... )

Edit: I see they have recorded Liszt's piano concertos under Jean-Jacques Kantorow. (The two reviews I've read don't tackle the question of whether they were augmented or not, or whether it was a problem.) Venzago and the Sinfonietta have recorded Bruckner 5 for cpo; if this was just the 41-player band, this is an interesting question too (... Bruckner 5 with 40 people?...) I'll see if I can catch a listen to that, maybe via NML.) Anyhow, I ramble bye.

Good news re Croisé.

[Alan Howe]

Well, folk can listen to excerpts from Venzago's Bruckner 5 here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bruckner-Symphony-No-Mario-Venzago/dp/B00OTUP6W4/ref=tmm_msc_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1564867882&sr=8-3

Note too the wildly varying opinions as regards his approach!

[eschiss1]

Other Raff works in 2019/20 include(d) the US premiere of De Profundis a few months ago (practice- I mean, Carnegie Hall)and (2/22/2020 in Livermore, California) a movement (only, unfortunately) of the 8th symphony. Also, someone did one of his Shakespeare overtures last week (7/24 and again 9/13,14- Konzert Sinfonieorchester Kanton Schwyz)... I agree the 3rd symphony is rarely done but his name generally is turning up more often than was. The 3rd piano trio was done last December in Geneseo NY, too ...

[Justin]

Evidently the Tapiola Sinfonietta concerts take place in Espoo, in southern Finland. Could make rather an interesting trip...

Yes, just bought my seat to attend the performance next year. Should be an interesting experience to see if it can capture the same magic a large orchestra can.

[Justin]

Yes, just bought my seat to attend the performance next year. Should be an interesting experience to see if it can capture the same magic a large orchestra can.

Unfortunately the performance has been canceled due to Covid-19. There hasn't been any plans for this to be rescheduled or streamed online.

[dhibbard]

oh yes.