PrettyInScarlett

The summer season of culture continues... Whilst at our Welsh Proms concerts in July, M and I spied a poster advertising a concert by the National Youth Orchestra of Wales on 11 th August. Flat rate of £10 per seat, so it was also an opportunity to get some good seats for a change! The programme: Arwel Hughes Prelude for Orchestra Tchaikovsky Swan Lake Ballet Suite Mahler Symphony No. 1 The Arwel Hughes piece was quite interesting (new to our ears); according to the online information about the concert, this piece was commissioned for the Orchestra and is dedicated to the youth of Wales. The Swan Lake Suite was perhaps the most popular of the evening's programme , perhaps unsurprisingly, and it was played well. Our favourite (or at least, mine anyway) was Mahler's Symphony No 1, especially the third movement, as until it started I had completely forgotten that it was based on the song Frère Jacques. For a first time, I was suitably impressed by the Orchestra. From that to ...

That is, musical highlights! Firstly, M and I went promenading at 2 Welsh Proms concerts. The first, on Monday 20th July, was the Revolutionaries Prom. Most obvious revolutionary - Beethoven (the concert featured his 'Overture, Les Franc Juges' and the Third Symphony (Eroica), famously almost dedicated to Napoleon. Those pieces were appreciated, & well played by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales , although we were bored by the other work, Berlioz' suite of songs 'Les Nuits d'ete'. Maybe this piece was the reason why the Revolutionaries Prom had not sold that well - plenty of empty seats. A much better atmosphere, and indeed, interesting set of works, on Friday 24th for the Romantic Prom. The Philharmonia this time, playing Beethoven's 'Overture No 3 Leonora', Dvořák's Cello Concerto and Sibelius' Symphony No 5. The Cello Concerto was excellent (reminiscent of a previous Welsh Proms cello performance -Saint-Saëns' Concerto No 1), fe...