Did anyone watch the BBC2 film last evening? It was a mildly witty, mildly nostalgic tale based around Manchester Children's Choir's Nymphs and Shepherds recording. Much attention had been given to period (well, two periods) detail, and VW's lyrics were ingenious I thought, especially the 1960s lifestyle allusions...some of which (Berni Inns and Harpic?) may have been lost on a later generation. Music tuneful and inoffensive. One could not help thinking that the film owed something to Dennis Potter.
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Saw a fair chunk and like you was impressed - intend to catch up on iplayer........especially enjoyed the Berni Inns sequence......... -
I couldn't help wishing that Victoria Wood had written the piece as a play, rather than a Musical - I enjoyed the story and dialogue, but didn't think the Musical numbers were wonderful (made worse by the use of Purcell and Humperdinck) and they held up the flow of the narrative* and prevented a similar "filling-out" of the female character(Imelda Staunton) character to that of the male (Michael Ball). A near-miss, I felt.
* - yes, I know this is technically what happens in all Musicals, but when the Music is good enough it isn't a problem.[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]Comment
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and in opera? said a complete novice.......Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View PostComment
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In opera, the Music is "the narrative", I'd say (well, I just did!) - that's why we can put up so often with such bad plots and poor poetry!Originally posted by antongould View Post[FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]Comment
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Thoroughly enjoyed it - mostly a gentle step back in time!Originally posted by ardcarp View PostComment
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The missing factor in the discussion so far is the 60 mins afternoon documentary, "Victoria Wood, The Musical We Made", also on BBC 2, Boxing Day, which was the linchpin, the subtext for "And Then We Sang", bringing together original footage and the juxtaposition of time between the social attitudes of
1929, including an amusing sequence of conductor, Hamilton Harty's anti-feminist stance, about using female musicians in the Halle orchestra which needs to be heard to be appreciated. Incidentally, Huddersfield Town Hall became the clever substitute for the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, and I was strangely moved by the sequence when Ms Wood and Michael Ball sat in the Manchester 'Eye' as it gyrated, with the surround landscape of St Peter's Square and the Library Theatre in the background, some of it now redeveloped. Heartening to see that Forsyth Bros is still in business. Several survivors from the 1929 recording were also seen in extracts from Granada TV's 1975 'This Week' documentary on the original recording My caveat on "The Day We Sang" lay in the protracted narrative and a tendency to repetition. Otherwise, I was charmed by the performances and neat musical sequences. The afternoon documentary is worth seeking on iPlayer. Ideally, it should have preceded the main feature. A missed opportunity.Comment
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Indeed:The missing factor in the discussion so far is the 60 mins afternoon documentary, "Victoria Wood, The Musical We Made", also on BBC 2, Boxing Day, which was the linchpin, the subtext for "And Then We Sang", bringing together original footage and the juxtaposition of time between the social attitudes of
...fascinating.Comment
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