Prom 59: Monday 29th August 2011 (Hooray for Hollywood)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Interesting Previn and Bernstein should have allegedly said it - two of the very few compser/conductors who have been successful in the tricky classical/jazz/popular crossover scenario.

That's probably because they were among the few who were themselves highly proficient at both.

[austin]

Is there no list of the pieces being performed anywhere on the internet?

[mercia]

list of the pieces being performed

pages 10 & 11 of the programme notes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/whats-on/2011/august-29/70/programme-notes

[austin]

Excellent! Many thanks for that, mercia.

[jean]

...John Wilson works with a hand picked orchestra...

Last time I spotted Jonathan Aasgaard, principal cellist of the RLPO.

If they're all that good...

(Edit: I see from the programme that Thelma Handy, RLPO joint leader, is playing too.)

[MrGongGong]

looking at the players list
its a bit of a Philharmonia fest

and the genius Pip on Horn amongst others !

[Ravensbourne]

Who was the strange woman who entered the auditorium, marched across the entire length of the stage behind the percussion, and exited during the last number on the programme?

[amac4165]

Who was the strange woman who entered the auditorium, marched across the entire length of the stage behind the percussion, and exited during the last number on the programme?

Yes that was very odd !

Another great prom from JW & O ! There is nothing dumbed down about that prom - thoroughly well thought out concert taking you through 40 years of Hollywood musicals. It knock the spots of the "film music" prom

[King_Ouf_I]

Who was the strange woman who entered the auditorium, marched across the entire length of the stage behind the percussion, and exited during the last number on the programme?

In view of the rumours going around before the concert, perhaps it was Seth MacFarlane in disguise...

[french frank]

In view of the rumours going around before the concert

Explanation for those of us who weren't there, Your Maj?

[Alf-Prufrock]

Concerning good and bad music, I remember a BBC executive of some kind pompously saying (many years ago) that the aim of the BBC was to present good music of whatever genre. It was in answer to a question about the entry of non-classical musics onto Radio 3. (Not such a new departure!)

I rather felt that he believed everything would be well if he could choose which was the good music.

But isn't that the point? Who chooses what is good and condemns what is bad?

[Ferretfancy]

I've just got home from a very enjoyable evening, the John Wilson Band was superb with Andrew Gaveron and others obviously giving their all. I have just a couple of quibbles, one being that in the Arena it was sometimes difficult to hear the words properly, the sound reinforcement rather blurred things. Probably this might sound better on air, I'll record it next Saturday.
I'm also not entirely happy that John Wilson chose to present the film musicals in chronological order. There was a falling off in quality with the advent of films like Dr Doolittle, and this was hard to disguise in spite of the efforts of all concerned.It was a fun evening though, and I'm glad I went -- Bruckner tomorrow!

[jayne lee wilson]

Never liked the good/bad music quote...

...isn't it always said by someone defending their love of, or involvement in, the popular or the populist? Then acclaimed by a musically inexperienced presenter or personality, vaguely threatened by their own ignorance of Classical Music. Katie Derham might approve... (Maybe not after reading this). Is that a cheap shot?

And the untruth of the good/bad dualism is from the School of the Bleeding Obvious.

The pop and rock music I (sadly) used to enjoy always seemed best accompanying another activity, like washing up or dancing, or both at the same time.

I love film music - if I'm watching a film. If Jurassic Park is on TV again I'll often watch, at least till the Apatasaurus appears, because the music for the first island sequence is marvellous, moving and thrilling - with the pictures! Then I'll usually stay for the rest, tingling again when the T.Rex makes his final destructively triumphant appearance to the big tune! But to seek it out on CD, buy it, play it... probably kill it for me.

And those lovely, sugary little Hello Dolly drop-ins in Wall-E... I'd never dream of buying and listening to a complete recording.

Classical masterpieces can indeed spontaneously surprise you, but they seem to hold up better - have way more to give - in the concert context of deliberate, repeated auditions.

[salymap]

I have extremely bad tinnitus/ deafness in one ear, at the moment. I managed to listen to the marvellous Mozart PC 27 performance on iPlayer, really enjoyed it, then the noises hit me soI missed the Musicals.

For the record, I heard Muir Mathieson live years ago make a litle speech about good and bad music.
He knew a thing or two about all genre of music but it can mean anything or nothing.

Ilike my MGM Fred anmd Ginger musicals, with the wonderful songs and dancing, complete. I have most of them on video and, if one trawls through the tedious 1930s jokes, they are as good as ever.

Ihope to listen to this prom one morning when my hearing is behaving.

[cavatina]

Q. So with the above in mind (all quoted from the BBC Radio 3 website), what is the difference between a singer and a vocalist?
A. A vocalist sings with a throatier voice and with a microphone, often emulating shouting.

If you'd heard some of the superb high notes from Matthew Ford last night, you'd never say such an ignorant thing. Not everyone belts--and at any rate, belt singing is far from "emulating shouting"; it's an entirely different kind of vocal production. To use terms from Bel Canto, it's a matter of the chest voice being applied to the higher register.

If you'd bothered to overcome your prejudices enough to really listen to Caroline O'Connor in "The Man That Got Away", you'd realise performances which incorporate this kind of singing can be every bit as expressive, nuanced, and moving as lieder singing and opera. I don't suppose it would mean anything to you to hear that last night O'Connor was rivaling Judy Garland herself, but those of us who were there and had the ears to hear it found it incredibly impressive. Her stage presence was absolutely electric-- and to my mind, quite enviable.

Many Proms music lovers believe they should be overwhelmingly Classical music, they still are in the majority but are fewer every year, doesnt make us "snotty"(whatever that is), or snobs and certainly not "musical bores".

No, but you are awfully ignorant. If you knew the first thing about the history of the Proms, you'd know that back when they started, the entire second half of every concert was popular music and light fare.

Not to mention the entire conception of the festival was "dumbed down" from the very beginning:

Newman's idea was to encourage an audience for concert hall music who, though not normally attending classical concerts, would be attracted by the low ticket prices and more informal atmosphere. In addition to promenading, eating, drinking and smoking were all allowed. He stated his goal as follows:

"I am going to run nightly concerts and train the public by easy stages. Popular at first, gradually raising the standard until I have created a public for classical and modern music."

Rather than get outraged about a few non-classical Proms, why don't you run along and listen to Breakfast until you find something new to whinge about? Shouldn't take long, I'd imagine.

...isn't it always said by someone defending their love of, or involvement in, the popular or the populist? Then acclaimed by a musically inexperienced presenter or personality, vaguely threatened by their own ignorance of Classical Music. Katie Derham might approve... (Maybe not after reading this). Is that a cheap shot? [...]If Jurassic Park is on TV again I'll often watch, [...] And those lovely, sugary little Hello Dolly drop-ins in Wall-E... I'd never dream of buying and listening to a complete recording.

Personally, I'd never dream of watching such s*** movies. If you're going to be an elitist, for God's sake be consistent and do it right.

Now that's a cheap shot for you.