Prom 32 (6.8.12): Bernstein – Mass

[David Underdown]

Good sir, your presence on the rail amongst the season prommers delivers a welcome rebuke to my silly generalisation!

I know in the case of two prommers I met last year, a season pass represented the well-earned spoils of retirement. I'd gather the weekday proms skew somewhat older, since the younger folks are more likely to be working?

Having held a season ticket since 97, and now reached the grand old age of 35, I'm not sure I can really be counted amongst the youngsters anymore

The charity collection presently stands at over £32,0000 after Prom 33

I prefer to stand near the front for the immediacy of the experience

[VodkaDilc]

That was terrific, wasn't it!! (I thought the audience clapping was better than might have been expected!)

Welcome back Vodka, by the way!

Many thanks for that, Caliban.

With reference to the age of the Prommers, I was sitting a good way round the Circle on the "'cello" side of the orchestra (so spared the distraction of the camera on a crane, which reminded me of being on a building site.) Those I could see were mainly middle aged +.

Two other surprises for a lapsed Prom-goer:

1 There was very little contribution from the Prommers, compared with the old days. Only one piece of 'orchestrated speech" from the arena, as far as I could tell - and that was inaudible from my seat. Is that a tradition which is dying?

2 Where is the fountain?????

[David Underdown]

Generally the charity shout is the most common now, and also a welcome to any new performing groups. Both were attempted before the Bernstein (not having an interval didn't help - the automated mobile phone announcement makes the timing more difficult), with childrens' choirs being greeted by "croeso y neuadd Albert"

[VodkaDilc]

Generally the charity shout is the most common now, and also a welcome to any new performing groups. Both were attempted before the Bernstein (not having an interval didn't help - the automated mobile phone announcement makes the timing more difficult), with childrens' choirs being greeted by "croeso y neuadd Albert"

I'm afraid I did not catch a single word in the Circle. Let's see if it's any clearer at The Apostles. (Shame the charity one was not audible.)

[bluestateprommer]

Late to the party, as usual, to the discussion Bernstein's "grand mess", in prokkyshosty's fitting description. I should first say that except for maybe hearing the Three Meditations for cello and orchestra and the "Simple Song" probably as a stand-alone on the radio, I'd never heard Bernstein's Mass, ever, ironic since I'm the token American here. So I heard this Prom basically with fresh ears. In keeping with the "grand mess" idea, some random thoughts:

1. I admit to several ear-cringing moments at hearing the mash-up of the pop/rock and classical idioms. I suppose that's in the rough spirit of Mahler, in the blending of "low" and "high" idioms, fitting with a line in a documentary about Bernstein where one speaker said, more or less:

"I think that he really wanted to be Gustav Mahler Number 2."

2. However, that aside, the performance was splendid all around, from all the chorus, the soloists, the orchestra, the rock band, and the conductor. Even though Morten Frank Larsen has gotten fairly well criticized in many quarters, I didn't have a problem with his performance. I accepted it on its own terms. It would be interesting to hear it done with an American as the Celebrant, admittedly.
3. It was cute to hear the chorus and soloists from the chorus, with one exception (a soprano), use American accents in singing their parts. I don't think British accents would have gone over as well.
4. Given that Roger Wright has spoken publicly about the role of religion and his faith in his life, it becomes the more remarkable that he programmed Mass at the Proms, especially given the blasphemous and vulgar sentiments expressed in the text, not to mention the smashing of the holy vessel.
5. In the Meditation No. 3 (De Profundis, Part I), MFL/the Celebrant mentioning Julius Foo and Kristjan Järvi by name reminded me of the 3rd movement of Berio's Sinfonia, with the singers thanking the conductor by name. I haven't looked it up, but one wonders if LB had the Berio in mind for that moment.
6. In section IX, the Gospel-Sermon "God Said", the obvious theme is the despoliation of the earth by humans, which links this back to Bob Chilcott's The Angry Planet at Prom 30 the day before, about the ruining of the environment as well. One could also wonder here if RW deliberately put the two works this close together in the season to emphasize the theme.

I can well imagine the happy reaction in the hall to the energy of the performance. (However, if the audience had really paid attention to section IX, they shouldn't applaud the sentiment.) It’s not a work I need to hear again any time soon, but I'm very pleased to have heard this Prom and the work so well done. Kudos to all involved.

[Anna]

I absolutely loved it, I'd never heard it before and am looking forward to the television broadcast on September 6th - it was totally bonkers in places but such fun. Whether I'll ever listen again after watching on tv is doubtful, but one of the most enjoyable proms so far for me.

[amateur51]

Generally the charity shout is the most common now, and also a welcome to any new performing groups. Both were attempted before the Bernstein (not having an interval didn't help - the automated mobile phone announcement makes the timing more difficult), with childrens' choirs being greeted by "croeso y neuadd Albert"

How lovely - diolch yn fawr iawn i bawb

[VodkaDilc]

I absolutely loved it, I'd never heard it before and am looking forward to the television broadcast on September 6th - it was totally bonkers in places but such fun. Whether I'll ever listen again after watching on tv is doubtful, but one of the most enjoyable proms so far for me.

Just a reminder for anyone else who is as hooked on this work (and the performance) as I am.

[Barbirollians]

I am with ferret fancy - toe curlingly awful piece .

[teamsaint]

Just watched on iplayer...first time I have seen or heard it.

First impressions were that it is an exciting, original, and very classy piece of work. I was hooked. Didn't strike me as being at all pretentious, and had lots to say.

Look forward to hearing it again sometime....and maybe seeing it live.
Surely just the sort of things that the proms are good at....although its clearly not a work for everybody.
Has made my day after a long Friday at work.