Mark Elder/Halle Orch./Alice Coote M3 on BBC3 - post concert commentary

[barryguerrero]

Hi folks. Let's get excited about something new. BBC 3 will be broadcasting Mahler 3 from Manchester's excellent Bridgewater Hall, 7:30pm (British time) on Friday, Jan. 28. This Friday! Friends in England who went to the concert said it was really great. Mark Elder conducts the Halle Orchestra, with Alice Coote, contralto. Apparently Mark Elder is a big fan of M3. Be sure to do the conversion for your time zone.

[barryguerrero]

Here's the BBC 3 link.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013t82

[barryguerrero]

For us on the left coast, it'll air at 11:30am tomorrow. If you're interested in hearing it on BBC 3, be sure to do the correct time conversion for your location. It's happening at 19:30GMT.

[erikwilson7]

I’m excited about this. I’ve been hearing good things on the Mahler Facebook page (new one)

[John Kim]

I heard Elder/Halle Orch M6th & 9th and they were outstanding.

My fingers are crossed for this M3rd.

John

[John Kim]

I have a archive of Elder/HO M6th from Manchester, 10/2015. It is a really excellent performance; big, sweeping, epic, passionate, and in excellent playing and sound.

John

[barryguerrero]

Thank, John. That's good to hear. I listened to a bit of their M9 on Youtube.

[barryguerrero]

In spite of bloopers - mostly in the first movement - I enjoyed this very 'musical' performance of M3 very much. The inner movements were great, and I thought Elder did an excellent job of pacing the last seven minutes or so of the Adagio. It would be great if they issued it with the BBC Magazine some day, but I don't think they do two-disc issues. Besides, those are usually with the BBC Phil. and not the Halle.

[barryguerrero]

Actually, you can still listen to it here! (I have no idea how long it'll stay up).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0013t82

[John Kim]

This is an outstanding performance overall though I'd have liked it even better if Elder had slowed the tempo in VI a bit, especially towards its end.

Elder's first movement lasts for a whopping 36 min but he holds all the pieces in it together remarkably well, better than any other conductor I've heard, without losing the sense of fluency and continuity. It's magical!

With her arrestingly sustainable voice and careful observations of dynamics and phrasing, mezzo soprano Alice Coote is outstanding in IV., as good as Nathalie Stuzmann who sung in recordings with
Jansons/BRSO & Litton/DSO.

John