Gavin Maloney Conducts

by Sean Crudden - impero Tue Sep 09, 2008 16:37

Gavin Maloney was the conductor at lunchtime today in an hour-long concert from The National Concert Hall broadcast live on Lyric FM.

RTÉ Summer Lunchtime Concert

RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra
Andreja Malir, harp
Gavin Maloney, conductor

Verdi Overture (Nabucco)
Mascagni Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
Fauré Pavane
Debussy Danse sacrée et danse profane
Bizet L'arlesienne, Suite No. 2

I happened by chance to hear it on the radio. No attempt was made to overpower the music. I thought the performance was well-read and very musical. It was certainly entertaining.

Although I tried I could not locate on the RTE website a recording of the concert. If it is not there now perhaps it may be made available there in the next few days?

by reed note Tue Sep 09, 2008 23:57

I think Lyric FM is the best thing to emerge in the Irish radio world in recent decades. The presenters try to be cheerful in the morning, even catering to schoolgoing children, and reserve starchy seriousness regarding classical music for the evenings. Some jazz and Irish traditional music occasionally is heard and I think they should offer more of same. In general the station seems to have a policy of bringing classical music to people from all backgrounds - unlike BBC3 radio (formerly the Third Service) which continues to cater to the Oxbridge bourgeoisie with their plummy accents in the south-east of England.

Lyric FM probably needs to bring more high-level discussion into its programmes. Nonstop music can have a dulling effect on listeners, and maybe prompt many to switch over to the chat programmes on RTE 1 (not Joe Duffy surely?) I suggest that the Lyric FM controllers consider arts discussion programmes and generalised discussions about the state of national and international culture. BBC4 radio, with erudite presenters like Melvin Bragg, does this sort of intellectual discussion quite well.

For more than 50 years after the creation of 2RN in 1926 Radio Eireann had a monopoly of radio broadcasting in Ireland. Everybody listened to it. During the early years the Director operated a policy of offering frequent classical music programmes, in addition to traditional music and a little bit of jazz. This policy brought good music into the homes of the poor and the rich, the suburban middle classes as well as the malnourished and ill-clothed peasantry. Indeed, for three decades until his death Paddy O'Brien of Clonmel, in a distinctive rural voice and his signature introduction, ("Good evening, listeners") presented his long-playing vinyl recordings of fine operatic and choral singing, reminiscing about hearing Caruso et al at Covent Garden during his youth. I think that RTE 1radio should go back to its earlier cultural policy of offering the best of all kinds of music to all kinds of people. Nowadays, when the morning chat shows are over, it sounds just like another wall-to-wall pop music station.

by reed note Wed Sep 10, 2008 07:18

Correction: The name of the presenter of opera and choral music on RTE 1 radio for over 30 years until his death in 1988 was Tommy O'Brien of Clonmel, not Paddy. Some brief info on him here:-

http://www.obrienclan.com/genealogy/history/tommy.htm

by Sean Crudden - impero Sat Jul 11, 2009 13:51

The program given by the RTE National Symphony Orchestra in The National Concert Hall last night was

Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) Romeo and Juliet

Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) Violin Concerto in E minor Op. 64

INTERVAL

Antonin Dvorak (1841 - 1904) Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95 ‘From the New World’

Gavin Maloney conductor
Heloise Geoghegan violin

Ms Geoghegan presented a tall striking figure in sky blue. Her dress contrasted beautifully with her ringleted honey blonde hair. She is an introspective player who gets the most out of quietly played notes. She made all the important points very successfully and in the delicious second movement of the concerto especially she had everyone in the zone. Maloney struck the right tone with relaxed supporting rhythm.

The music making in the first work and in the symphony was of unusually high standard with similar style in both. Clear, lucid, attack, drama. There might have been a sag near the end here and there but everything seemed to finish well.

Gavin may not yet have the out-and-out killer touch but his presentation was workmanlike and very fulfilling. And he is not afraid of the audience.

by Sean Crudden Wed Jan 12, 2011 13:19

Gavin Maloney and The RTE National Symphony Orchestra were arrayed in force including a concert harp in The National Concert Hall for yesterday's lunchtime concert. They were neatly and tidily arranged. Everyone especially the conductor appeared fresh and clean. Gavin Maloney cut a very impressive figure. His appearance which was always good has if anything improved and considerably. The occasion was the world premiere of Kevin O'Connell's 1st symphony, a brand new work. There was no slashing and hacking but like a good golfer paying careful attention and making a decent effort the performers and the conductor kept their composure and struck the ball truly throughout and well within themselves.

I should say here that Kevin O'Connell who was present was the real star of the show. Yvonne Ferguson, director of the contemporary music centre, conducted an interview with him sitting in armchairs on a low stage in the John Field Room starting at 12.30 immediately before the music began at 13.15. A smallish stocky man from Londonderry in his early 50's dressed and coiffed in the most conventional manner he struck me as the very model of a Northern Ireland pedagogue. Dry, slightly driven, not a "knowing" man but possesed of a certain degree of certitude and conviction, apt to emphasise the prosaic and the simplicities. He endorsed the value of hard work, admitted that art music is a minority interest, asserted mildly that it is the flower of civilisation. He took the stage in the main auditorium before the actual performance and with the help of the conductor and orchestra introduced the audience to some of the key passages and motifs to look out for in the full performance of his symphony. This looked like a simple thing to do but on reflection one could readily deduce that it was something that needed careful rehearsal. And it must have got it because composer, conductor, orchestra; carried it off without the slightest hitch.

As for the music itself. It certainly was not Ennio Morricone. It had a staccato quality. A kind of continual stop start kind of effect. Personally I yearned for a gradual build up in the music not merely rapid and almost instant contrasts. But as the four movements progressed I got more into the swing of the symphony. The aeroplane certainly flew and it landed most satisfactorily. One passage or a pair of passages struck me; at the beginning of the third movement, I think. A concerto of women damned and persecuted who had lost neither their wit nor their voices. But I think there was some kind of satisfactory resolution. In general this is not a pessimistic work, in my opinion, and it is substantial and worth listening to. Thankfully in one of the leaflets I picked up at the concert there is a promise that RTE NSO will be recording the symphony for release in 2012. If The Lord spares me I look forward to that and I hope to become more familiar with the symphony and some of the rest of Kevin O'Connell's work.

Although I had a very interesting conversation with a young Dublin man as I rode home to Dundalk on the 15.20 Enterprise from Connolly I had the satisfactory feeling of participating in a good day's work. And I am sure the same kind of feeling gripped the many young students who helped to swell the very full attendance at yesterday's remarkable event.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Wed Jan 12, 2011 14:35

..is the flower of civilisation.'
Curious.

Is there another sort of music then, that is artless?

You wouldn't mean esoterically pretentious?

And that 'flower of civilisation', surely that was Jimi's 'Star Spangled Banner' ?
Or Luke's 'Parcel of Rogues..' ?
Or Bob's 'Bear mountain Picnic' ?115th Dream?

Treat yourself to Jimmy Smith's 'Sermon', for one of the finer 'weeds of civilisation'. 'scuse my noise.

Surely, Sean, its all in the ear of the behearer?

by Sean Crudden Thu Jan 13, 2011 00:13

Hi Opus. I do not know whether to be happy or sad that you have honoured me with a comment. You are quite right probably. If it's music it's art. I often sing Amazing Grace in Our Lady of the Wayside Church myself. Schubert once said too, "If it's not sad it's not music." But what I was writing about was a large-scale piece of orchestral music. It takes a lot of work, a lot of training, a lot of talent, a lot of organisation. And it could have been a flop. Many famous first performances were. I like all kinds of music and I definitely enjoy a good rock dance band. But there is a place for everything. And I truly think there is nothing pretentious about Kevin O'Connell, Gavin Maloney, or the RTE NSO. I am up late, Opus, because I was attending a meeting in County Hall this afternoon and speaking to Cardinal Murphy O'Connor in the Carrickdale tonight.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Thu Jan 13, 2011 12:32

I din't mean to be confusing you at a late hour.

The cardinal, no less. Any chance you might ask him what he thinks of dumping the compensation bill, for the crimes of the fathers' against innocent children, onto the innocent taxpayers of this country?

While I'm at it, what do YOU make of that particular stroke. Oh, and feel free to say what you think of the institutional cover-up and PR/legal defense of the indefensible after the repeated assaults on the defenceless.

by Sean Crudden Thu Jan 13, 2011 12:47

Hi Opus. You seem to home in on certain buzz words in what I write. And you go off at a tangent away from the main thrust. I am not a personal friend of the Cardinal's and I was speaking to him in public last night strictly on the terms of an agreed agenda. I have no intention of getting involved in the problems you refer to in any kind of omnibus way. For one thing my knowledge on these matters is far from complete. In fact I think it is inadequate. And I do not think anyone is going to seriously ask me to adjudicate in any particular case unless just as a rhetorical device to trap and embarass me. And I do not think you would stoop to that, Opus. After all we are all friends here on indymedia.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Thu Jan 13, 2011 13:22

Just paying attention and giving feedback. Enough so that I can read the answer to my question in your evasive reply.

My friends trap and embarrass me all the time. Its the main reason I value their critical friendship. Without them I'd atrophy altogether.

by Sean Crudden Thu Jan 13, 2011 14:30

Well I do not know how many friends you have, Opus. I have very few. Candidly I would prefer to atrophy, which is what is probably happening any way, than to have my friends sniping and moidering me about things that do not really concern me and which basically I know nothing about. If you want to write a comprehensive article about clerical child sexual and other abuse I will certainly take the time to read it and give you my opinion. It is a definitely a tangent to this thread which I think you will readily recognise is a sort of archive about Gavin Maloney the young Irish conductor that I plainly admire and wish to support. And I do not mean to be dismissive. What you are thinking about is probably more important than my concerns and the issue is being discussed widely in Ireland at the moment. There is a sort of formal papal inspection going on in the Catholic Church in Ireland at the moment. The inspectors are actively looking for feedback and I am sure indymedia is not beyond their ken (or anyone's ken). The format of this site lends itself to a good discussion which I think would be timely and apt right now.

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party Thu Jan 13, 2011 15:23

Rome is a red rag to this bull. I got off lucky, just a deliberately inflicted burst eardrum for being a heretic, fado, fado, in school.

But I've met and known a few of the survivors of Letterfrack and other institutions, some of them badly damaged and still suffering, decades after.

Plus I think at this stage of human evolution we should be THINKING rather than believing. I'm all for trusting in providence, but incorporating it into someone else's institution and surrendering your conscience is an abdication of adult responsibilities.

Plus, my definition of an adult is: All kids are your kids. Up to that we're just animals protecting our own genetic litter. And the cover-up goes on until Rome shoulders its responsibilities and compensates its victims. Which its current inspection is not about. Mary Raferty and others have done the inspection for them already, if they would drop the denial.
We're all entitled to downtime and musical interludes, but when I read cardinal, well, I sorta just see RED.

Must be a hat thing.

by Sean Crudden Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:20 sean at impero dot iol dot ie Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth 0879739945

The concert performance on Friday 12 April 2013 given by RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra starting at 20.00 in The National Concert Hall was dedicated to the memory of Éimear Ó Broin (1927 - 2013) who was RTÉ Staff Conductor 1953 - 1989.

The program was simple uncluttered and worked a treat.

John Kinsella. Symphony No. 10 (30')
Interval
Bruckner. Symphony No. 4 (70')

Gavin Maloney, conductor.

The air temperature in the hall seemed to me to be exactly right and the acoustics, possibly for that reason, seemed to me to be crystal clear on the night. There was a definite listening attitude in the audience and everyone paid attention. I really enjoyed the whole thing much more than I expected to and I was not the only one. A few people I spoke to at the interval and at the end all shared my sense of satisfaction.

The speed and timing was unerring and the music unfolded very nicely. The 2 symphonies dove-tailed in a way. There was nothing tendentious in the performance. It was all just music and that is the way I like it. There was snap in the drums and definition in the brass.

My impression was that the key individuals in this performance throughout were the man at the front, the conductor, and the man at the back, the percussionist. There seemed to me to be very good rapport between them and they combined well to keep everything contained and on track.

The first movement of Kinsella's symphony definitely resonated with me and got things off to a good start. It conjured up for me images of the Red-Skin in camp, in ambush, in battle, in victory, in retreat. It brought to mind great names; like Cochis, Geronimo, Crazy Horse, Rain-in-the-Face, The Little Big Horn; which occupied a central place in my puny young brain in the 1950's and long after. All because Kinsella reminded me of film music I heard in The Bohemian Cinema in Ardee long ago.

To some people Gavin Maloney might seem an ordinary or unremarkable figure. But that is not the way I see it. Like his skin-head hair-cut and shaven features he projects a practical, clean, uncomplicated, sensible presence.

What about the psychology of it all? Well I think there is something fearless in Gavin Maloney. He trusts his players. He is not censorious or sore. I have already pointed out in the past that he does not fear his audience. There is a systematic reason for this. I think he is thorough about his preparation and he knows what he wants to achieve in the performance. All that and he has youth and good physical condition on his side. Friday night's concert was no bother to him.