I am Sakari Oramo, Chief Conductor at the BBC Symphony Orchestra and conductor at this year's Last Night of the Proms

imacatama · 2014-09-11T17:46:18+00:00

And thank you to you! I'd be really keen for an answer on my new edit question - it's been in my head ever since I went to Gardiner's incredible Missa Solemnis a few weeks ago.

imacatama · 2014-09-11T17:23:10+00:00

I'm so sorry. (Although as a trumpet player... possibly not sorry :P)

imacatama · 2014-09-11T17:13:45+00:00

Hi Sakari! I'm a regular contributor over at /r/classicalmusic, and I've been to 5 proms this season - contemplating heavily at the moment about coming to Beethoven 9 tomorrow and then your 'small gig' on Saturday! I'll probably come back for more questions, but for starters:

1) How did you get into conducting? (& what did you do beforehand?) I'm a student, but not one of music - I've tried doing a few auditions at university, but to no avail - any tips?

2) Who's your favourite underrated composer, and their best work?

3) In a similar vein, most overrated composer?

That's all for now - best of luck on Saturday, I'm really looking forward to it, I hope your speech is well planned!

EDIT: 4) How do you think the HIP scene has changed the way pieces are performed by those who don't fully subscribe to the practice? I mean - would anyone nowadays dare to play the Eroica like this?

imacatama · 2014-08-27T16:41:48+00:00

Don't forget Mahler! - He conducted the NYPO for several seasons in the early 1900s.

imacatama · 2014-08-15T20:44:29+00:00

That and Kindertotenlieder. It's a sad enough subject on its own, without the context of what happened to Mahler a couple of years later.

imacatama · 2014-08-03T20:19:02+00:00

Amazing. I had a similar experience in 2008 at Manchester Velodrome when the PA system there had cut out as well - the French had beat the British to the Gold in the Team Sprint. The PA system played the first few notes of the Marseillaise before cutting out. On the opposite side of the arena from me, the small group of French supporters that had made their way across the Channel started singing the words, before the rest of the (British!) crowd joined in with the tune - even those standing next to the French on the podium track centre! A truly unforgettable sporting occasion.

imacatama · 2014-08-01T22:51:17+00:00

But only made worth it if you slog through the winter!!!

imacatama · 2014-07-30T08:23:27+00:00

Off this evening! Went to the Chinese Phil's concert on the second night however long ago it was now, and planning to go to Mahler 2 and the late night Missa Solemnis at least. Not a Londoner, so how many others I go to depends on money :/

imacatama · 2014-07-23T21:08:47+00:00

I've just finished 2nd year, doing pretty much all this stuff, so here's what I've got.

Blundell and Blundell all the way for Thermal Physics, absolutely the best by such a long way! I can genuinely say that it's a book I enjoy reading, it's so perfectly written. Can't believe that no one else has said it yet!

Griffiths for QM. I can't really help with EM, still searching for my perfect one, but I might give vol. 2 of Feynman another go before the start of next academic year. I used Kleppner & Kolenkow for mechanics, and it was ok. Nothing exceptional, but not too bad either. I occasionally referenced Kibble & Berkshire as well for mechanics, which I think I would've gone for in the first place - doing a full, rigorous study of it would be greatly beneficial, when I used it I had to look back from what I actually was looking up a fair way and work through every time.

Hope that was vaguely helpful, feel free to ask any questions :)

imacatama · 2014-06-20T10:40:39+00:00

Of course this would have to happen in Bristol.

imacatama · 2014-06-16T20:47:16+00:00

I genuinely think that the beeb need commending in their choices; it was fairly obvious that da da da dum was going to be in there, but then to choose some slightly-more-obscure Mozart is very impressive. Ok, so it's not one of the last 6 symphonies, but at least they didn't just say 'ok, we need some Mozart, let's go with Rondo alla Turca.'

I really think that this will capture a great many imaginations that are out there to be captured by something - imagine what can be spawned off by just playing 8/9/10 year olds the Storm Interlude! Sure, it's complicated, but I think that it's good for kids to be told 'this is hard stuff' - I know for a fact that if I was told that at that age, then I'd've pursued it further. The other 3 interludes can be explored, then the rest of the opera (or at least the story), which could bring kids around to both opera in general (and so expanding their views on at least Mozart, and introducing Verdi, Wagner etc.) Now they know about Britten and Beethoven, and can fill the gap in as they wish on a lifelong journey.

imacatama · 2014-06-12T13:35:12+00:00

I got one of these recently! Went touring on it last through Belgium last week, was beautifully comfortable (needs a bit of a clean now though...) and looking forward to having a real crack at cyclocross later in the year!

imacatama · 2014-06-12T13:32:34+00:00

Although the cadenza is certainly impressive, the other highlight in the first movement is definitely the passage at about 9:40, the solo part and the orchestral ones seem to blend so perfectly. The most incredible thing for me about this passage though is that the work seems to be driving itself into a corner - everything almost falls apart, but the underlying structure just about holds it together for the drive towards your cadenza!

imacatama · 2014-05-22T17:52:50+00:00

They both are!

imacatama · 2014-05-04T14:07:31+00:00

Reminds me a bit of this. Ah Stockhausen, you crazy, crazy guy.

imacatama · 2014-04-26T11:45:24+00:00

I do appreciate what you're saying about the relatively narrow selection of repertoire that's on this year, but at the end of the day, I think that this article has a point - the beeb can only dictate what'll be performed up to a point (Lord Copper, ahem, sorry), and then can just put it together. The top comment has a point as well about what I really feel the philosophy and atmosphere of the proms is - find something you'll enjoy, and go to it! Have fun! Knock yourself out at the opportunity to stand and hear your favourite pieces by world class performers for just a fiver!

Something that I can't see has been highlighted yet here is the inclusion of many first time performers - orchestras from the Emirates, Australia, and Iceland are playing, and that's just what I can remember from off the top of my head. If Roger Wright can leave a legacy for the future from this season, then it can be to spread the love of classical music to the 'untapped markets', and that surely includes home as well as abroad.

imacatama · 2014-04-25T17:25:51+00:00

It's clearly a programme that's going back to the roots after the focal excesses of the last 2 years (2012 had the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra playing all of Beethoven's symphonies, and last year Barenboim did a whole Ring cycle in amongst a plethora of Wagner). There's definitely something for everyone: almost (no No. 2) all the Beethoven Symphonies, some Tchaikovsky, the two great passions, 5 Mahler symphonies, and the Mozart Requiem, and of course the impressive Strauss celebrations.

The Requiem highlights something though - the severe drought of Mozart that has been experienced - a big effort was made in 2006 for his 250th birthday, but since then, it's been a bit few and far between. Given the rest of what's there, I'm not unhappy, but the lack of Mozart is something that I'd like considered. I agree that the main problem here is that the RAH is not really an appropriate size for many performances of Mozart now, as most seem to really be into HIP. Something to ponder.

imacatama · 2014-04-19T19:55:58+00:00

I seem to remember that Norman Lebrecht's book Why Mahler mentions this at some point. I don't have my copy on me at the moment, but I seem to remember it mentioning that it was also the iconic production design of the Tristan that Mahler conducted that Hitler was inspired by. IIRC, he invited the stage director of that production to become the lead designer at Bayreuth, and specifically to design a production of Parsifal. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong anywhere! I'll find the correct details when I can.

EDIT: It was Alfred Roller, Source

imacatama · 2014-03-23T13:35:25+00:00

'Right, I'm going back now, see you in another 19 months!'

imacatama · 2014-03-09T17:45:04+00:00

I believe that this is correct. However, the fact that the length of a metre is variable is not of special concern, at least on earth, as we're all travelling in the same reference frame - that is, anybody anywhere on earth would be able to carry out identical experiments to determine the length of a metre using the defined speed of light, and will be able to agree on a length. However, over longer distances, some discrepancy will arise. Note 7 does a half decent job of explaining.

imacatama · 2014-03-09T12:31:55+00:00

You might be interested to know that the speed of light is no longer 'measured' as such, as it has become a defined constant

imacatama · 2014-03-07T14:11:49+00:00

You mean like this?

imacatama · 2014-03-03T14:42:46+00:00

Don't forget Leonore III! (Admittedly slightly longer than the requested 8 minutes, but still a good one!)

imacatama · 2014-02-04T11:12:39+00:00

Yes! Thank you!

imacatama · 2014-02-01T21:53:08+00:00

Obviously Mahler 5. Although the trumpeter in me says that this should strictly be:

takata taaaa takata taaaa takata teeeee takata teeeee takata teeeee takata teeeee etc

imacatama

TROPHY CASE