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Prom 67
Saturday, 4th September 2005
Royal Albert Hall, London
Simon Keenlyside, baritone (standing in for Bo Skovhus)
Marie Arnet, Soprano
James Conlon, conductor
BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and Philharmonia Chorus
Zemlinsky: Die Seejungfrau
Brahms: German Requiem
Broadcast live on BBC radio 3 and BBC4
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What the critics say
Ivan Hewett. Proms 2005: Disappointment, then distinction.
(Filed: 05/09/2005)
“Everyone seemed on top form: the two choruses (BBC Symphony and Philharmonia), the soloists Marie Arnet - movingly pure-toned and fervent - and Simon Keenleyside [sic], standing in for an indisposed Bo Skovhus. And of course the BBC Symphony Orchestra, which made a wonderful fine-grained and noble sound. I'm still haunted now by those solemn drum-strokes in the setting of All Flesh is Grass, played with such restrained gravity by the timpanist John Chimes.”
Tim Ashley for The Guardian, Tuesday September 6, 2005
”After the interval came Brahms's German Requiem, a work in which the emotions surrounding loss are more overtly explored. The performance, however, was hampered by slowish speeds - chosen, perhaps, to ensure clarity of counterpoint in the Albert Hall's cavernous acoustic. However, this had a drawback: a mood of ritual solemnity, occasionally out of keeping with the work, which avoids the ceremonial.
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The combined forces of the Philharmonia and BBC Symphony Choruses sang with dignified beauty. Simon Keenlyside, replacing the indisposed Bo Skovhus, was the baritone soloist, his very human anguish contrasting with the radiance of soprano Marie Arnet, whose ethereal voice seemed to offer infinite consolation from beyond the grave.
Geoff Brown at the Albert Hall/Radio 3
”Simon Keenlyside, a late replacement, shouldered his baritone solos well, though he couldn't match the expressive radiance of the Swedish soprano Marie Arnet. She in turn was outshone by the BBC Symphony Chorus and Philharmonia Chorus. In the fugues they were robustly athletic; elsewhere their blended tone was as warm and comforting as your mother's milk.”
Edward Seckersen for The Independent, September 6, 2005.
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article310705.ece
“The passing beauties of the Brahms were well served by the BBC Symphony and Philharmonia choruses with Marie Arnet and Simon Keenlyside projecting the frailty of human existence and the promise of spiritual fulfilment. This is the greenest of requiems, celebrating life more than glorifying death. What a pity Brahms could not have been more universally inclusive with his title.”
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By Anna Picard for The Independent, 11th September 2005
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article311478.ece
“The woodwind playing was exceptionally beautiful, the timpani expressive, the defiant cries of "Wo? Wo ist dein Sieg?" from the BBC Symphony Chorus and the Philharmonia Chorus properly shattering, while Marie Arnet's heartfelt soprano solo and Simon Keenlyside's searing baritone solo were both moving. I have, I realise, all but forgotten poor old Zemlinsky's symphonic fantasy Die Seejungfrau, which preceded the Brahms, but that is hardly surprising.”
Nick Breckenfield, classicalsource.com [extract]
http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_concert_review.php?id=2840
“Brahms was an early hero of Zemlinsky. The German Requiem – for both Brahms's mother and for Schumann – is a heartfelt, almost secular work, with no reference to Jesus or Christ, although the carefully chosen Psalm texts do mention the Lord a lot. In this strong reading, A German Requiem came across as full of awe. Marie Arnet was the soprano solo in the fifth movement (the chorus seated to aid the hushed nature of its parts) and – what a fantastic replacement! – Simon Keenlyside replaced the ill Bo Skovhus.
Conlon had the measure of this work, too. Restrained – as much of the work’s sentiment demands – but also clear in his direction: he got the best out of orchestra and chorus.”
Many thanks to Sami for these two photos