Prom 71: The Last Night, BBC SO/BBC SC/BBC Singers, Davidsen/S. Kanneh-Mason/Alsop

[Bryn]

I just checked my Sky recording again: after a lengthy pre-recorded teaser introduction, the BBC1 coverage of the second half started with Alsop already on the podium and the first piece underway. That's astonishingly sloppy.

Via the iPlayer, the BBC's gimmicky intro basically very briefly cross-fades into the opening note of Higher. Further. Faster. Together. Let's face it, though, not much was lost, and the visual effect had a certain style to it.

[Bert Coules]

Let's face it, though, not much was lost...

I disagree: surely part (and perhaps a large part) of the experience of a concert is the anticipation created by what happens before the music starts: the entrance of the artists, the leader, the conductor, the applause, the quieting down, the moment of silence before the first note. I don't want to be deprived of all that. And the silly-but-traditional placing of Henry Wood's wreath - doesn't that happen at the start of the second half?

[jonfan]

I just checked my Sky recording again: after a lengthy pre-recorded teaser introduction, the BBC1 coverage of the second half started with Alsop already on the podium and the first piece underway. That's astonishingly sloppy.

Nothing sloppy about any of it as the opening was intended to start with the sequence descending on the RAM which opened like a tin and revealed Sheku in the centre of the arena. Beautiful.
A stunning evening of wonderful music making with extra attentiveness from the audience. Great to hear Tom Bowling without the shots of fake mourning. The three tv hosts were great company, and Sandi T knows her music, in answer to a comment above! Good to have two big Union Jacks on show and fantastic, as always, to see such a variety of flags on display. Patriotic songs, yes, but it’s the tunes people want to sing (what ghastly words in most of Rule Britannia). Let the Little Englanders remember that the plans for England’s Jerusalem had to be imported from abroad!!
It’s been a great season with fantastic programmes and great playing, not least from superb work from all the BBC’s ensembles, plus exemplary sound engineering as commented on many times.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I just checked my Sky recording again: after a lengthy pre-recorded teaser introduction, the BBC1 coverage of the second half started with Alsop already on the podium and the first piece underway. That's astonishingly sloppy.

Very unusual for that to happen as because the BBC controls the event the obvious thing to do is delay the start of the second half until it’s on BBC ONE . It might be that the artistes jumped the gun ..who knows. For those that have never worked on live TV I wouldn’t be too critical . Things go wrong all the time and in the end it’s entertainment not life and death.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Nothing sloppy about any of it as the opening was intended to start with the sequence descending on the RAM which opened like a tin and revealed Sheku in the centre of the arena. Beautiful.
A stunning evening of wonderful music making with extra attentiveness from the audience. Great to hear Tom Bowling without the shots of fake mourning. The three tv hosts were great company, and Sandi T knows her music, in answer to a comment above! Good to have two big Union Jacks on show and fantastic, as always, to see such a variety of flags on display. Patriotic songs, yes, but it’s the tunes people want to sing (what ghastly words in most of Rule Britannia). Let the Little Englanders remember that the plans for England’s Jerusalem had to be imported from abroad!!
It’s been a great season with fantastic programmes and great playing, not least from superb work from all the BBC’s ensembles, plus exemplary sound engineering as commented on many times.

Thanks for the explanation.
I missed the opening through being slightly engrossed with the Rugby but it strikes me that the whole concert was full of telling production touches which enhanced it as a televisual experience .

[Retune]

I was listening on R3 and briefly turned on the iPlayer stream to see what was going on. It was rather bizarre to hear Petroc describing events in the Hall between pieces that the TV director wasn't bothering to show, because of course viewers will always be much more interested to hear the opinions of the 'studio' guests at every opportunity than the atmosphere of the concert they've tuned in to watch. Sandi Toksvig seemed like a totally random choice, too - I guess attaining National Treasure status is one way of getting a Last Night ticket. Still, at least it was hard to disguise the number of European flags on display, which have predictably triggered the usual suspects into their annual ritual of feigned outrage. Though perhaps some really are a little upset that the members of a classical music audience who only wave flags once a year at what amounts to a light-hearted end of term party aren't the jingoistic nationalists they've always assumed them to be.

[jonfan]

Maybe a bit more was spent on the visual elements, eg wrist lights, when there must have been a considerable saving dispensing with the Hyde Park and nationwide events.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Maybe a bit more was spent on the visual elements, eg wrist lights, when there must have been a considerable saving dispensing with the Hyde Park and nationwide events.

I got a bit obsessed with the wrist lights . The cynic in me wondered whether it was a way of keeping the hall dark and thus avoiding all the EU flags or irritating cutaways of promenaders slightly the worse for wear. When they started changing colour I then wondered whether they’d go red white and blue at the end in some sort of pattern. But that would mean trying bands to seat numbers and would be impossible in the arena with its random distribution.
You are right the outside broadcasts would be comfortably six figures just in Production costs with the artist costs on top.

[jonfan]

I got a bit obsessed with the wrist lights . The cynic in me wondered whether it was a way of keeping the hall dark and thus avoiding all the EU flags or irritating cutaways of promenaders slightly the worse for wear. When they started changing colour I then wondered whether they’d go red white and blue at the end in some sort of pattern.

I think they did in the Elgar.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I suspect they will be intensely relaxed and even partying like it’s 2016! In other words, it stokes the embers of the debate and will make them feel relevant.

The debate is ongoing - no question of embers, as the succession of opinion polls indicates. The EU berets and flags were crowdfunded and distributed to all who wanted them at the Last Night.

[Bert Coules]

Nothing sloppy about any of it as the opening was intended to start with the sequence descending on the RAM which opened like a tin and revealed Sheku in the centre of the arena. Beautiful.

Thanks for the explanation. I never would have suspected that any director would deliberately omit the opening of the second half like that: I was certain that something had gone wrong.

On the positive side, I agree that limiting the audience shots in general and pretty much dropping them entirely during the usually more irritating and embarrassing segments was a major improvement, as was jettisoning the regional OBs. And I did like the wrist bands. I didn't realise that they changed colour, though.

On the music, I thought that the orchestral lead-in to Dich teure Halle was surprisingly muted and understated, with nothing of the usual building excitement and passion. The opening line seemed to come from nowhere rather than being an explosive release of feelings that could no longer be held in.

[duncan]

Panufnik 'Sanctus' beautifully sung and given its best chance - a glittering tapestry of sound, but it really could be about anything - no hold on the text. (Not the BBCS's fault!). But perhaps that's what she intended. I wasn't taken with it at the Coronation and my mind is unchanged.

Alsop devoted pro rata more rehearsal time to this piece than any other in the programme.

I’m not usually a fan of the Last Night but that was the most enjoyable one for some time. I even managed to sit through the second half without switching off! It’s a tricky task for the BBC to gently refresh it in detail whilst maintaining its spirit especially with the Woke Bingo brigade (upthread) watching for anything that doesn’t replicate Malcom Sargent c.1964.

I wasn’t taken by the trio of presenters but I’m probably not target audience.

[Prommer]

Just watching some of the bits I missed before. It seems the (apparently deliberate) wrist lights were a clever if cynical touch by the BBC, along with the gigantic Union flags, to de-platform or at least de-emphasise the beret brigade by lowering the lights in the hall so for long stretches they were invisible.

Oh well. I suppose this is because they were caught with their pants down a couple of years ago when reform was suggested.

it seems an over-reaction or over-compensation but it is daft for people to complain as it remains a patriotic and thoroughly British party.

[Prommer]

In other words: Brexiteers, you won, so get over it and time for the BBC also to relax a bit on this score.

[Prommer]

Back on the music… the reactions of members of the orchestra to Lise Davidson’s whopping voice in the hall are priceless and touching.